One Great Big Faithful Family

ONE GREAT BIG FAITHFUL FAMILY
IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS:

ROY DONALD AND DOROTHY RUTH GRAY

Proverbs 3:3-4

”Let not steadfast love and faithfulness
forsake you: bind them around your neck;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
So you will find favor and good success
in the sight of God and man.”

FAITHFUL AS A FAMILY

Faithful as a family
in the harvest field
of our Lord and Savior Jesus.

Working hard together,
playing just as hard
modeling Heaven for the Lord.

Providing for their own
family every need
they had as the Lord enabled.

Laughing hard together
helped them do their best
in holy labors for their Lord.

Demonstrating goodness
among all their neighbors,
by God’s Hands they were blessed.

Especially on those long days
when it seemed they could not
rest—they gave God their best.

Always they found God faithful,
always He found them true
doing what families do.

Roy Donald and Dorothy Ruth Gray married in 1940, and in time welcomed nine children into their family: Donna Ruth, Richard Allen, Eleanor Frances, Carris Elaine, Paulette Lynn, Roy Wesley, Helen Rebecca, and Flora Capitola (Cappy). As they lived out remarkably hard-working, faithful, joyful lives together, they established what I would call: ONE GREAT BIG FAITHFUL FAMILY which richly blessed their church family and their community friends.

Roy Donald Gray was born on August 19, 1911 in Carrollton, Georgia. His family moved to Alabama where he began his adult life as a farmer in Glencoe. In the meantime, Dorothy Ruth Guest was born October 17, 1922 in Duck Springs, and also eventually moved to Glencoe. They married on September 28, 1940. How they met seems to be a bit up-in-the-air; two sisters tell different stories. Kathy says her Dad was out trick-or-treating when he came to the Guest house. When their Mom answered the door, they met for the first time, and were married a year later, although her grandfather seemed less than enthusiastic because of the gap in their ages.  Lynn tells it this way: Their Mom was walking downtown with a friend. She dropped something and stooped to pick it up. Their Dad just happened to be driving along that street, when he saw her drop it. He stopped the car, jumped out and got it for her. He got back in the car and declared he was going to marry that young lady. And about a year later he did. I love both stories, so maybe both actually happened.

Donald always worked his farm. He also worked at the Steel Plant for eleven years, and at Goodyear for thirty years. He would get up early and do a day’s work in the fields, then come in, clean up, eat a big lunch, and head to work the second shift, afternoons and evenings.

 Dot worked to cook and feed and clean and clothe their nine children. Both always got the most out of every day. Then on Sundays they attended church, then spent the afternoons relaxing, and playing basketball  or other games. In earlier years their Dad occasionally picked up an ice block from an ice house, so they could make ice cream. Then it was back to church on Sunday night. Imagine getting their big family of eleven (and often their Grandmother Guest) to church on time. Now, two of the Gray children remember occasionally getting left in the hustle and bustle of getting everyone home after church. Somehow, I can just imagine all of the kidding and laughter that took place once “the prodigal” was returned home.

I believe you will be as impressed about this as I am; all six of the living Gray children took time to write about their love for their Mom and Dad, and their often hilarious and always delightful stories from their growing up  years in the Gray household. These days Cappy, the youngest,  is especially happy to be living next door to the old home place. She remembers how the neighborhood children tended to gather at their house because there was so much fun to had there. Helen remembers a very special Christmas, after reading the Christmas story at Roy and Carol’s house, and their being asked to share their blessings. Then their Dad stood up, pointed at the crowded room and declared, “You all are my blessings!” Now, that’s a faithful family. Kathy remembers lots of hugs and good feelings being shared among the family members that day.

Roy remembers riding behind the mule and plowing in the fields even as a young boy. He recalls being found asleep on occasion. He also remembers his Dad taking all of them to the Christmas Party at Goodyear. He and his Dad enjoyed hunting rabbits and also deer when Roy got older. Lynn remembers being born at home on the same day as a litter of pigs and a baby calf. She used to tell folks she was born with some pigs, and a calf. She also recalls falling asleep one day after working on the farm, only to be found sleeping out in the fields by her older brother, Richard, as a storm was coming. She also remembers how they painted “Jesus Saves” on their old barn just so the pilot who flew over to check the power lines occasionally, could read it. When they heard and then saw him coming, they would climb up the TV antenna to the roof, to wave at him. He would smile and wave back at the children, and tip his wings. Such fun!

Now, a childhood confession of my own: At Church on Mother’s Day back then, the church always gave a pretty corsage to the youngest mother present, to the oldest mother present, and to the mother present with the most children. Now, the Bishop children and the Stonecypher children were always hoping Mrs. Gray and her many children would somehow miss a Sunday, so their Moms might get a chance with their fairly large families of five children. However, the Grays always seemed to show up so their Mom could claim her annual prize. Now, I know she certainly deserved it. Lynn remembers their having a Seven Sisters Rose Bush outside their house, appropriately named, from which the seven sisters would each pick a rose to wear to church on Mother’s Day. 

As a high school student Carris was always an inspiration to me. She was a bit older, and on Youth Sundays gave the best inspirational talks, I thought. Carris remembers her Mom as a caregiver for those in need around them, both family and friends. She particularly remembers how important her Dad and Mom took their tithes and offerings for the Church. Carris carried on her parents’ Love for the Lord in taking mission trips to India, Guatemala and South America. 

Kathy recalls how her Dad raised both peanuts and popcorn, so they could enjoy those treats throughout the winter months. She also remembers all of those watermelons, cantaloupes, grapes, strawberries, peaches and apples they raised. Their Dad also raised cows, pigs, and chicken, so meat was not a problem. He also raised a huge variety of vegetables: green beans, peas, butter beans, corn, okra, squash, cabbage, bell peppers, carrots, radishes, tomatoes, potatoes, turnips, and turnip greens. Talking about healthy diets—the Gray family had just about anything and everything to eat—all because of the family’s hard work—inspired, of course by their Dad and Mom.

Their Dad actually taught Roy and me in his high school boy’s class, along with several of our friends, Richard Smith, Greg Ables, Mike Marker, Mike Hale, Tim Alvis and Jimmy Laseter. Their Dad also enjoyed playing ball with teens from the church and community on Sunday afternoons. Their Mom also did more than her share, assisting with the Cradle Roll as they called it back then.

Both their Dad and their Mom lived out their faith in very practical ways. As he sold lots of produce, he always added a little extra to make sure his customers got their full amount. Once on a Sunday a man desperate for corn stopped at the house to buy some. Their Dad told him he could not sell anything on a Sunday. The man kept begging, so he was given a bag and told to help himself to what he need. There would be no charge. That way, no one was selling and no one was buying on Sunday. Now, I would say that man went away with a lot to think about. I would also say their Dad understood fully the principal of loving and sharing with others, and just maybe, especially on Sundays.

Their Mom had to learn to give her oldest, Donnie, shots daily, after she came down with diabetes as an eleven year-old. So their Mom used that skill to help neighbors and relatives with shots they had to have down through the years. She also cared for several elderly relatives right there in the house when they got to needing special and constant care. In fact, Helen pretty much said it all, when she said her mother became like a doctor to many of those who needed her.

In the end, their Dad died at 85, from Asbestos Lung Disease due to his exposure all of those years at Goodyear. Doctors told the family he had the heart of a twenty-five year-old. Ironically their Mom died a few years later when her own heart gave out. She had worn it down doing so much for her family and friends.

Surely you would agree with me: Donald and Dot Gray, and now their faithful children, have as a family lived out Proverbs 3:3-4. Steadfast love and faithfulness illuminate everything about the lives their parents worked so hard to build through their family. Both godly love and faithfulness are so beautifully written on the tablets of their hearts. They as a couple and as a family have certainly earned God’s favor and our own admiration. Praise the Lord for such families as the Grays, families who blessed their churches and communities through their faithfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 25:21 ESV
“ . . .Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little. I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”