Don't be fooled! I know he looks mean, I know he looks upset, not to mention, his last name is Moody, but this is the most fun-loving man you'll ever meet!
I had the nurse take 10 pictures trying to get him to smile! I guess it's one of those old-school practices for him. So I figured I would come up with a clever title.
This is just one of those men that keep you motivated to serve. If it wasn't for Religion127, I would never have the opportunity of meeting Mr. Moody! When I first came here nearly eight years ago, there were four men in particular who attended the Monday Morning Bible Study at the Golden Living Center in Tarboro; Mr. Rowe, Mr. Barnes, Mr. Messer, and Mr. Moody.
Since then, all of them have died except for Mr. Moody.
The first time I ever met Mr. Moody, he gripped my hand and with a big smile said, "Good to see you preacha!" And then with a look of concern and sincerity, he looked over the top of his glasses and said with a semi-whisper, "When you comin' back?"
I said, "Next Monday at 10:30!"
"TEN thirty, AL-right!"
400 Mondays at 10:30 now, he is still gripping my hand and doing the very same thing! Only now, instead of saying, "Good to see you preacha!" He affectionately says, "There's a lot of things in my life that I thought were important, but now, I can't even remember what the big deal was! I can't even remember what it was! But it's people like Mr. Moody that I will never forget!"
almost with a puppy dog voice, "You my preacha, you know dat?...I luuuv you!...when you comin' back?"
And for nearly 400 Mondays now, I respond, "Monday at 10:30!"
"TEN thirty, AL-right!"
I remember about three years ago, he randomly said with that puppy dog voice, "Bring me a shirt, preacha."
"A shirt?"
"Yeah! In fact, bring me three of 'em!"
Three shirts?
I couldn't help but get excited! I was just given three shirts, and they were too large! So I brought them the next Monday.
In the photo above, which is three years later, he has one of those three shirts on! He still wears those shirts!
I told him last Monday, "Mr. Moody, that's a nice shirt you've got on!"
"I know! You-you-you gave me dis shirt!"
"I know!"
Again with that puppy voice almost like a whimper with a big pouty bottom lip, "I luuuv you preacha! You tek good ceer o' me! I'll neva foget what you deed!"
I just smile and say, "I know you do Mr. Moody!"
To which he responds with a big smile, "You betta hurry up and believe it!"
I love Mr. Moody. I'll never forget men like that.
There's a lot of things in my life that I thought were important, but now, I can't even remember what the big deal was! I can't even remember what it was! But it's people like Mr. Moody that I will never forget!
I hope you take the time to love an elderly person! It's one of the most rewarding times of my life. The more time you spend with them and around them, the more valuable you'll discover they really are!
Fan the flame folks! Visit someone who needs a visit...even if you don't know them! They might turn out to be a Moody motivation!