Blog 62 Bench Marks: A Chronicled Journey

Blog 62

Bench Marks:

A Chronicled Journey

by

Vernon M. Herron

Writing one blog triggers a thought for another one. When writing a blog, often I have need to reference a date or a time period, which may for the moment elude me. I found that chronicling has been helpful in writing. But a startling and greater benefit of chronicling is spiritual; a revelation of predestination and of providential care. Here is my chronicled journey:



1928_____Birth Year.



1940_____Finished elementary school- Myers Street School.



1940_____Confessed Christ, Baptized and joined the church.



1947_____Finished High School- Second Ward High School.



1947_____Entered College- Shaw University.



1948_____Licened for Ministry.



1950_____Initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.



1951_____Graduated from Shaw University.



1951_____Ordained for Ministry.



1951_____Married.



1952_____Pastored First Church- First Baptist Church- Dallas, NC



1953_____Graduated from JCSU Seminary-(Bachelors)



1953_____Began fatherhood



1955_____Pastored Second Church- Hopewell Baptist Church- Jeannette, PA.



1955_____Pastored Third Church- Friendship Baptist Church- Pittsburgh, PA.



1956_____Purchased First Home.

1958_____Graduated from JCSU Seminary- (Masters)



1962_____Pastored fourth church- Second Baptist- Joliet, IL



1968_____Represented City of Joliet at funeral of Dr. MLK, Jr.



1968_____Joined the staff of National Ministries- ABC- Valley Forge, PA



1968_____Purchased Second Home-King of Prussia, PA



1973_____Travel to Africa, Europe and West Indies.



1978_____Received Masters and Doctoral degrees.



1979_____Started genealogical practice.



1980_____Joined staff – Shiloh Baptist Church- Philadelphia, PA.



1985_____Traveled to South America.



1991_____Retired



1993_____Organized Comprehensive Genealogical Services- PA



1995_____Interim Pastor-St. Paul’s Baptist Church- West Chester, PA



1995_____Purchased, built third home and returned to Charlotte, NC.



1996_____Renewed membership with the Ebenezer Baptist Church- Charlotte.



2004_____Was Widowed.



2005_____Joined Friendship Missionary Baptist Church- Charlotte, NC.



2005_____Organized Comprehensive Genealogical Services- Charlotte, NC.



2005_____Had major back surgeries.



2009_____Started blog writing.



Reviewing a life’s span did two things for me. First, it helped me to understand life’s total perspective. I have an appreciation of how the first part of life sets the perimeters for the latter part and vice verse, because of the latter, the former is understood. I see as never before that “the child is the father of the man.”



Robert Browning confirms this truth in his writing:

Grow Old Along With Me Rabbi Ben Ezra

Grow old along with me!

The best is yet to be,

The last of life, for which the first was made:

Our times are in His hand

Who saith, “A whole I planned,

Youth shows but half; trust God: see all, nor be afraid!”

Secondly, it reinforced the spiritual truth that in my life, God’s presence carried me during the “low-ebb” experiences. Mary Stevenson describes my experiences very well.

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.

Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.

Sometimes there were two sets of footprints,

other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that

during the low periods of my life, when

I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,

I could see only one set of footprints,

So, I said to the Lord, “You promised me Lord,

that if I followed you, you would walk with me always.

But I have noticed, that during the most trying periods of my life

there has only been one set of footprints in the sand.

Why, when I needed you most,

have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen one set of footprints,

my child, is when I carried you.”