Today I will preach the memorial service for a man who has been a pillar in our church for almost forty years, Fred Fabean. Fred & JoAnne Fabean joined Fellowship Baptist in 1974. Through the years, this good man has faithfully served His God through this church. To say that Fred Fabean will be missed is an understatement!
If you knew Fred Fabean well at all you know he would oftentimes say something like this, "Well, I'm just hanging in there." It was his most common reply when asked how he was doing. The last time I remember talking to Bro. Fred at church he told me, "Preacher, I'm hanging in there."
"Hanging in there." To the misinformed, this may seem like a statement of apathy. Others may think that it means that a person is just getting by. For Fred Fabean, I believe it meant that he was a survivor. When others might have "cut and run", Bro. Fred just kept "hanging in there." When the difficult days might have visited his marriage, when his nation called him to serve in the military, when he may have stumbled in his Christian walk, Bro. Fred could oftentimes be seen just "hanging in there." He may not have been the fastest runner in the race, but Fred Fabean was a finisher.
Because this good man kept on "hanging in there", many people have been blessed. His family will miss him greatly. His church will never be quite the same without his presence. The nation that he loved so much has lost a giant and with the passing of every member of the "greatest generation", America loses some of Her greatness. Fred Fabean kept on "hanging in there" until Sunday at about 9:00 a.m. when I believe he heard his Saviour say, "You've fought a good fight, you've finished your course, you've kept the faith."
For many, the days ahead will include some times of great difficulty. When you want to give up and quit, I hope that you'll picture a gray-haired man with big, thick glasses saying, "Just hang in there."
No comments:
Post a Comment