Pastor Buddy’s Blog

The Ballad of Buddy Martin…

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Well Journal,

Seems every time I go for a visit to Nathan’s office I end up bringing back some more of my stuff. (Books, pictures, etc.) Boy did I ever have a laugh with my latest venture.

Many of you will remember ‘the Beverly Hillbillies’ theme song of yesteryear. Anyway, two of our young college ladies wrote a humorous song about me in the late 80s. I had placed it in a frame. It was one of the several things I brought back on my latest trip.

But I’ll leave the two young ladies names unsaid to protect the not-so-innocent. Naw. Their names were Julie Chappelle and Janie Latiolais. (They have since married and now have new last names. Bless their hearts.)  :)

For your amusement here it tis — Don’t take it serious. It isn’t intended for accuracy.

The Ballad of Buddy Martin

Let me tell ya all the story of a man named Buddy,
Poor preacher man, all he ever did was study.
Then one day he was eatin’ up the Word,
When the Holy Spirit said, “You’ve really never heard,
My voice that is!”

Well the next thing ya know ol’Buddy said a prayer,
Said, ‘Holy Spirit, come down from there!”
The Spirit said, “Louisiana’s the place you ought to be.”
So he loaded up the van and moved his family.
M. W. that is, Momma Wrath!

They started Christian Challenge in a town called Boyce.
Under the direction of the Holy Spirit’s voice.
Buddy preached to the chairs ’cause he had no choice.
Til Joe & Barbara came by the leading of His voice,
God that is!

Now the years have passed, Oh how the church has grown.
We are in Pine Plaza, but this is not our home.
Please give some money, so we can pay the bills,
And move on over to the Holy Hill!
Ya all give now! Ya hear.

Congratulations on 44 years of marriage…

We were surprised yesterday morning to see Nathan’s write up about our 44 years of marriage in the church bulletin. Where he would normally place a description for the morning message, he put a write up on mom and dad. Thought I’d share it:

……………..

Congratulations Buddy & Betty Martin…

Forty-four years ago today Buddy Martin and Betty Green, my dad and mom, got married. Dad was just out of the U.S. Navy and was looking for a “good woman” to settle down with. He found her, and Jesus, in a Colorado church — he was smitten with love at first sight. Mom fell in love with dad’s exuberant take on life and they began life’s great adventure together.

Adventure is a good word to describe their life together. They lived in many places, traveled often in ministry, always following the leading of the Lord. Four children would be born to them (one is already in heaven) and they would also give birth to Christian Challenge.

Life was not always easy. (Dad always said the hardest years of marriage are the first 43 years!) But they have demonstrated that “love never fails.”

Although this has nothing to do with my message, I wanted to congratulate my Mom and Dad on their 44th wedding anniversary. Thanks for showing us what love looks like!

Expect the Unexpected!
Brother Nathan

……………..

Well, there’s more to September 9th, that the celebration of a marriage…

On September 9th in the year of our Lord, 1992, a boy baby was born into the Martin clan. Yep - Justin Everett Martin, son of Stephen Andre Martin, son of Lawrence Everett Martin (Buddy), son of Lawrence Bert Martin, son of John Allen Martin, son of James Erwin Martin, son of Charles Seth Martin, son of William (Billy) Martin, a revolutionary soldier, made his first time appearance on this planet. And the world is a better place for this grand event.

(Sorry - Just had to do all that.)  :)

Justin was 15 years old yesterday. And as is our custom the whole Martin clan got together to celebrate this momentous occasion. (Doesn’t take much for the Martins to get together.) We had a great time at Applebees.

The kids get to meet the General…

Boy was it ever busy at Christian Challenge this morning. It was orientation day for the Co-Op Home School Association. Kids were everywhere. (We are making our building available to the? association for their use on Monday’s. Debbie McBride is our ministry coordinator.) This will be an extension ministry for Christian Challenge much like our Awana program.

Anyway, I stopped by for a visit and some of the kids and the parents wanted to see my ‘horse.’  That’s what they call CJ, my Great Dane buddie. A bit later I bring CJ up so the kids could oooh and aaawh over him. The General just ate it up. He loves people and especially kids. Course you have to watch him. CJ can knock a kid down just with the wag of his tail.

Mom fell in love with dad’s exuberant take on life …

Have to share a thought or two on what Nathan said in the bulletin when he said, “Mom fell in love with dad’s exuberant take on life and they began life’s great adventure together.”

When I looked at the bulletin this morning, I thought, ‘Nathan you missed a few words. Should have added extreme, excited, excessive, exacting, and intense.’

My walk with the Lord has been an exuberant one but it has also been extreme, excessive, exacting, intense, and studious. It has always been hard for me to find a comfort zone in a grey area. This isn’t necessarily good or bad. It is just something that I’ve had to work on through the years.

For example I’ve never been one to make vows to the Lord, but I do make very deep consecrations. One of my consecrations has to do with alcohol. In the last forty-four years I’ve had two swallows of alcohol. One was by accident. The other was when real wine was served at communion. And both those times hurt my heart. The hurt was because I was reminded of my consecration to the Lord.

The issue has never been whether to take a drink of alcohol is a sin. Actually I don’t believe that it is. But for me it is a line drawn in the sand many years ago. So, what do you call this? Excessive? Exacting? Extreme? Or would you simply call it a personal consecration to the Lord. (Interesting enough my dear wife has never had the first drink of alcohol in her entire life.)

For me it is an area of personal consecration and conviction. But I also realize that my convictions have to be mine alone. They are not to be put on others. Paul makes this very plain when he said, “The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” (Rm14:22) ?

But that isn’t the only area of intensity for me. I am very exacting when it comes to God’s Word. I have believed over the years that God’s word can be taken exactly as He spoke it. So, when it comes to God’s promises, to Biblical principles, to God provisions and providence, I take these things very seriously and very personal.

In fact, I expect God to keep His word. This is why I’ve kept a prayer journal over the years. For instance, when the Lord said, “Ask and you will receive”, I believe the Lord meant exactly what He said. So I do ask of Him and I do receive from Him. But I’ve also found the secret to asking. I ask the Holy Spirit to supervise my prayer life.

Perhaps there is one question left. Is there a calm side to my walk with the Lord? Absolutely. Believe it or not. I always live in a peaceful spirit. But there is also an extra calm side to my life. I like to call her name Betty.  :)

My sweet angel balances me out in so many ways. And while she does trust me with the spiritual leadership of our home, she has a wisdom that I love to draw on. But this should not seem strange. A Christian marriage is a covenant relationship. Its not where one person’s life is submerged under the other person’s life. It is a covenant where two lives are merged into one. Each person brings balance to the other person.

Sorry - Sounds like I’m getting preachy now….

Well, where do you go from here? What else happened today? Let’s see — My baby sister came by. Bonnie is such a hoot. She is so animated when she talks. You simply listen to her and laugh a whole lot.

Oh yeah. Along with other visitors, my buddy Larry Jeane, our City Marshall came by to check up on me. He had just recently heard of my healing venture and had to come by for a hug. I really love Larry a lot. He is the kind of friend that will be there when many others will have departed. It is good to have friends like that.

Then there is our eldest. Nathan came by about the time Larry was going to leave. Had a great visit as always. Course you know that mom and dad had to brag on our son. Nathan has such strong pastoral-leadership traits.

Another ‘Oh yeah.’ Got a call from Lane. He is so excited over our 38th School for Christian Workers. Our Disciple’s Heart Class is full and our Conversational Spanish Class looks like it is going to overflow.

Well, I guess thats it for now. Don’t want to bore you.

Love always in Christ,

Buddy