Let me tell you a love story. Jimmy Fountain loved the Lord. He loved his family. And he loved his church family. Jimmy accepted Christ as a kid, during a revival at New River Church when Volney Bryan was preaching. However, Jimmy didn’t preach about his faith. His spirituality wasn’t something he did and “church” wasn’t an outfit or an attitude he put on. Jimmy lived his faith in everything he did. He may never have said a public prayer — but he WAS a public prayer. He did his work as if for the Lord. As a central office man for the telephone company, he looked out for his “outdoor” guys and helped them any way he could. He’d stay with a job until it was done right, whether it was a phone company job, a fire department task, a church project, or something he was doing for a friend. His own project at home might be unfinished, but Jimmy took care of his friends. And that brought him great joy. Until last Sunday, his illness rarely made him miss church — although the mountains called to him regularly! But Jimmy loved to be at church and sing with the choir. I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Jimmy’s greatest pleasure on this earth was singing with Charles. It was his delight. When Charles hit those amazing notes — and Jimmy smiled his wonderful “that’s my boy” smile — you couldn’t help but smile along with him and feel the love they shared. Jimmy’s second greatest joy was going to the mountains and worshipping God by marveling at the beauty of creation. I’m sure of the ranking, because Jimmy would leave the mountains to make it home for men’s group practice. Even if I’d complain. No matter what time we had to get up in the morning to make the trip to Duke for his treatment, if the men were singing or the seniors were fellowshipping, Jimmy wanted to stop at the church and join in. So although Jimmy Fountain never preached a word, his life spoke volumes about the love of Jesus. Last
week’s quote in my new day planner book reads: Preach the Gospel. If necessary, use words. Jimmy never found it necessary. *********** When Jimmy and I started “seeing each other,” neither of us was looking for love. Jimmy wanted someone to “do stuff with.” I told Kenny, who set us up at Fountain’s Love Garage, I wasn’t looking for anything. I had a pickup truck, my own chainsaw, and the best dog in the universe. I didn’t need a man. I told another friend that if God wanted me to be with someone, he’d have to drop him in my yard, because I wasn’t going out hunting. God had plans for us. For the first time in my life, everything just fell into place. Four-and-a-half months after our first date, we got married. And we’ve never had a cross word. Together we did lots of stuff — we built a cabin that Jimmy designed; we visited friends and family all over the place; we crossed Niagara Falls and Alaska off our travel bucket list; we renovated my mom’s house (7 months of tough work and still no cross words!) to sell it; and we spent lots of time just being together. Over the past 9-1/2 years, Jimmy loved me like Jesus does. Unconditionally. Faithfully. Tenderly. It was such a blessing to know how solid Jimmy’s love for me was. I was safe and secure in his arms. I am so grateful that Kenny, Don and Deborah made me go on that first date. Because I would have missed the greatest joy of my life. I still have the same pickup, the same chainsaw and the same dog. And, sorry, Little Bear, as much as I love you -- I’d give them all up for just one more day with Jimmy. I know without a doubt that I’ll see him again in heaven. And now I understand my great-grandmother’s prayer: Come quickly, Lord Jesus.