Bro. Billy Graham
I really did want to do a page on the days, of my growing up with Bro. Billy Graham in our home. Well that was the days we called the older people, Brother and Sister and then the last name. There was absolutely no way that we were allowed to call someone by a first name. That was very disrespectful to my parents. So they just always made us be respectful to the older people. I am very happy that they taught that to us.
I was the only kid left at home at this time. This was in the early sixty's when we first began to see Bro. Graham on television. Daddy would check out what was coming on television for that week. But usually the local television stations would start to talk about the show coming on and for several nights too. Well Daddy and Mama would begin to prepare me to get ready and not to plan anything on those nights !
Let me also say that I chose this background because Bro. Graham and his wife Ruth live in a very pretty log home. And it was built from 3 old log cabins. Franklin and his family live in a log home. I also have a lot of respect for the Graham's as they are so down to earth So I wanted to have a cabin scene.
Well now getting back to my story :-) Daddy would begin to get all excited and tell me to get all ready. I do think he even called his married kids and told them too. Bro. Graham was a good name in our home. Daddy always taught us that this was Bro. Billy Graham. I was raised in the same denomination as Bro. Graham. And like I said it was always Bro. and Sis. That was so different from today. But anyway for at least 2 or 3 nights at 8.00 pm. I had to sit up and watch Bro. Graham :-)
Now you have to understand that I am very much a morning person and not a night gal at all. Many times I would fall asleep not that the message was boring, but I wanted to sleep . Since I was not able to watch any of my own shows in the first place. But I did get through all of those night. Then I would think Oh Goody! No more of this for another 6 mo or a year ! I also am not showing any disrespect by saying lol Bro. Graham is a man of good humor too.
In the early sixty's Oh Boy ! Bro. Graham came to Fresno. Yep, we sure did go several nights too! So many people there, that I thought, Whew , I have never seen this many people before, other than when we went to Disneyland ! But not that many at all. Maybe 10,000. Boy has his meeting got bigger each and every year. It doesn't matter when I hear this song I always think of Bro. Graham.
Well then when I got married and had my own home things would be different. Bro. Graham and those advertisements began on television, he was going to be on for 3 long nights. No one would know and I can watch my own shows. Nope! Daddy would call and start his preparing me to get ready. lol But I did watch the shows and would love them all.
I loved to read about him and his family. He has the sweetest wife that I have ever seen. A good Mama that was strict too like my Mama and I Thank You ! She was a wonderful and good lady to have raised all of the children and with Bro. Graham gone most of the time. Such a Godly wife and Mama too.
Well I became older and my children got older too, and we would start to watch Bro. Graham on television. Yes! my kids did the same as I did! And of course we didn't make them do as I was taught to do. I have heard our son Scott say many times If I ever hear of "Billy Graham" ever doing wrong then , I just won't believe in any one anymore . So a lot of good came from this man to my children too ! But also I see Bro. Graham helping others than have fallen . God will surely bless him for that .
He is about the most well known Minister that I know of. He is so well respected. I love to hear him sing with George and Cliff too! " This Little Light Of Mine ". What a sense of humor he has too. They sing all of the song and Bro .Graham's part in the song is just to say NO! :-) Now Bro. Graham became like a member of my family. This is how I have always felt about this wonderful man. No he is not perfect but just forgiven like all of us. I am in No Way, saying that he is equal to" God " but I sure do love him a lot.
I ' am so very thankful that Daddy called me and bugged me so much ! Such a wonderful Evangelist and also a man that loves to go home. And see his sweet little wife , and all of his children and all of the many grandchildren . When ask how many does he have, he laughs and says "A lot".
So do too my Daddy's persistence, in his way of thinking that I should always watch this Evangelist on television he has taught me much love and respect for a good man of God. I love to read his things about his family and all of the plain and ornery things that all of them did . lol This is what life is about too. No matter how big or well known that they are they do go through all of the very same hurts and discipline problems that you and I go through. And they did have enough concern for others to tell many stories.
I love those stories as they come straight from the person. The stories also help me to know, that not just our family goes through a lot of hard times. Even when his lovely wife Ruth tells how she would get after the children while her husband was away preaching . She is truly a great lady too.
I would watch you Bro. Graham if you came on television every night now. I just saw that he will be on my television the first week of March. Oh Yes! Daddy! you would be so proud to know that you don't have to plan my time, and that I will watch this man as he is the kind of program that I welcome in my home anytime. I don't think there is anyone that does not know the name Billy Graham
Thank you Bro. Graham for becoming so much a part of my young life, and also on into my older years too. With all of the prayers from Bro. and Sister Graham look how all of their children turned out. They are all now doing some kind of work for the Lord. They are no different than we are and they do tell that too! Just country folk as they say. He will always be Bro . Graham to me, but I will honor him with his new title of " Dr. Billy Graham ".
He does deserve all of the things that he worked so very hard for. God Bless you for all of the years of your work for the Lord and through all of your years of Ministry. All of the millions of people that have been saved and will go to Heaven, because of your work for God. And I do know that when God does call Dr. Billy Graham home Daddy will say look Mama it is ~Bro. Billy Graham~
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