June 13, 2007
The address is Old Wormley Creek Road, so I refer to the May family homestead as Old Wormley Hall. I had to laugh out of amazement and joy for my friends when I first caught sight of their home. It was a huge white house in the midst of a great field of grass and surrounded by pine trees. I thought it was a farm house that had been there for generations, but learned later that the house had been built just several decades ago and that they had added an addition to accommodate Gary’s in-laws.
I have known Gary May a little longer than Chris Christensen, serving in Germany with both of them. Gary along with two other lieutenants at the time, Tim “JT” Byrd and Pat Dolan, lived ‘on the economy’ in a rural German community. Half the fun of visiting them was getting there, driving through a landscape that Tolkien could’ve dreamed up – in fact, they called their apartment, “Rivendel” after the elf-fortress in “Lord of the Rings”. Those friendships helped shape me and I have resolved to keep in touch with such “beloved friends”.
Gary talked about going into the ministry to become an Army chaplain. At the time, that was disappointing news to me because I had hoped that we might do some collaborative work as “Christian artists”. Gary not only was a superb portrait artist, but he was the interior designer at Rivendel with posters and artifacts of sailing ships as the theme for the living room. He decorated his room with pictures of tigers. One of the guys had a bath tub under one of the eaves and Gary engineered putting a mirror over the tub! For those hard to get at places I suppose, right?
But Gary stayed in the Army and I got out to go to seminary, thanks in part to his example planting the seed of that possibility in my heart. He retired as a lieutenant colonel (0-5) and with together with Theresa his wife they have six kids – Brittany, Brian, Karina, Bethany, twins Christian and Nathan!
In their front yard surrounded by tiki lamps and a campfire, I told the stories of Jesus’ beginnings and what it was like to follow him around for the day. A couple boys from the neighborhood were also on hand. Afterwards, we all gravitated to the kitchen and hung out until late. The next day, I had a leisurely morning before setting off again, heading north to Delaware.
The address is Old Wormley Creek Road, so I refer to the May family homestead as Old Wormley Hall. I had to laugh out of amazement and joy for my friends when I first caught sight of their home. It was a huge white house in the midst of a great field of grass and surrounded by pine trees. I thought it was a farm house that had been there for generations, but learned later that the house had been built just several decades ago and that they had added an addition to accommodate Gary’s in-laws.
I have known Gary May a little longer than Chris Christensen, serving in Germany with both of them. Gary along with two other lieutenants at the time, Tim “JT” Byrd and Pat Dolan, lived ‘on the economy’ in a rural German community. Half the fun of visiting them was getting there, driving through a landscape that Tolkien could’ve dreamed up – in fact, they called their apartment, “Rivendel” after the elf-fortress in “Lord of the Rings”. Those friendships helped shape me and I have resolved to keep in touch with such “beloved friends”.
Gary talked about going into the ministry to become an Army chaplain. At the time, that was disappointing news to me because I had hoped that we might do some collaborative work as “Christian artists”. Gary not only was a superb portrait artist, but he was the interior designer at Rivendel with posters and artifacts of sailing ships as the theme for the living room. He decorated his room with pictures of tigers. One of the guys had a bath tub under one of the eaves and Gary engineered putting a mirror over the tub! For those hard to get at places I suppose, right?
But Gary stayed in the Army and I got out to go to seminary, thanks in part to his example planting the seed of that possibility in my heart. He retired as a lieutenant colonel (0-5) and with together with Theresa his wife they have six kids – Brittany, Brian, Karina, Bethany, twins Christian and Nathan!
In their front yard surrounded by tiki lamps and a campfire, I told the stories of Jesus’ beginnings and what it was like to follow him around for the day. A couple boys from the neighborhood were also on hand. Afterwards, we all gravitated to the kitchen and hung out until late. The next day, I had a leisurely morning before setting off again, heading north to Delaware.
2 comments:
Hello Rev. Drew,
Thank you for sending me the link to your blog, it's great to see that your mission is doing well and that you are also posting your wonderful portrait sketches! They have incredible personality; very much like the artist that drew them.
Blessings,
Tamara
PS
Just so you know, "TiAnka" is my pen name, or rather blog name...is there a difference?
Drew,
We here at Old Wormley Hall thank you for your visit with us and gracing us with God's word in your storytelling. It was wonderful to be together again - just like yesterday. We continue to keep you in prayer - for your safe travel, for your conference, for your future stops, and for personal needs. I wish you and I had more time to talk - time just goes too fast. You are a blessing, and a dear friend and I am so glad that you have the opportunity to renew old friendships, particularly with so many people that have had such an impact on your spiritual growth and journey.
Peace Brother,
In Christ,
Gary, Teresa et al
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