Roy’s Ramblings…From Vacation

This past week we heard of the death of Dolly Parton. Since that time, we have been listening to many Dolly songs in our home as she was a favorite of mine and Lauren (some peppy “9 to 5”, some somber “I Will Always Love You” and even “Coat of Many Colors” that tells her story of growing up poor but loved. We have many Dolly CDs from #1 hits to some early stuff that many folks don’t listen to much anymore to even some of her “Hymns and Spirituals”. Hearing of her passing was sad indeed.

But there is inspiration in this week as well. All of the great deeds that she did throughout her life has been the focus instead of her cancer battle. Dolly Parton supported major causes focused on children’s literacy, medical research, disaster relief, and animal and social rights during her remarkable life and career.

Children’s Literacy:

• Imagination Library: She started a program that mails free books to young children every month. This program has donated hundreds of millions of books worldwide.

Medical Research and Health:

• COVID-19 Vaccine: She donated one million dollars to Vanderbilt University in 2020. This money helped fund early research for the Moderna vaccine.
• Children’s Hospitals: She gave major financial support to pediatric care and cancer research programs in Tennessee hospitals.

Disaster Relief:

• Wildfire Support: She raised and donated money to help families who lost their homes during the 2016 Smoky Mountain wildfires.

Animal and Social Rights:

• Bald Eagle Protection: She helped set up a local nature reserve in 2003 to protect and preserve bald eagles.
• Civil Rights: She publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement and advocated for transgender rights.

So, I know that none of this is earth shattering news and we all have been bombarded with this news all week. But I also want to point out that she did all of this, not for recognition or awards, but instead because it was the right thing (the Christian thing) to do. In this world we live in, so often we are quick to judge, quick to condemn, quick to point out others’ errors and shortcomings … some are in it to make themselves look good and others to look bad. (As if that helps anything). And, if we do try to do good, we are called names like “Woke” or “Leftist” or “Socialist” when in fact we are just trying to follow Scripture and “Be Like Jesus”. So, I am going to continue to listen to a bunch of Dolly and try to help as many folks as I can and if you want to call me names … I prefer “Jesus Freak”!! Just Saying.

Blessings my fellow Freaks – Pastor Roy