The Fellowship

Marti and I just watched the movie Tolkien...the story of J.R. Tolkien and his rise from a childhood orphan to one of the greatest literary minds of the 20th Century.

His relationship with his school chums, Rob, Geoffrey and Christopher, all were connected in many ways: education, laughter, friendship, love and mutual respect of each other's talents. They formed a fellowship that lasted for years.

It reminded me greatly, and dearly, of some of my friends from childhood to today. There's a saying you can't choose your family...that's true. Sorry folks, you are stuck with the family you've got. But you can choose your friends. I have a small group of close personal friends that I could probably count on one hand. 

Now, don't worry, I have plenty of friends, that's not the issue, but having a fellowship of dear friends is something different. Please bear with me for a moment as I share some friendly thoughts of my closest friends.

Bryan or Bubba, Plainview HS, 1982

One of my dearest friends to this day still is Bryan.  I've know Bryan for probably over 50 years...since we grew up in church together. Bryan and I would easily play all day at each other's house. We would get into mischief almost daily (and yes, there are still things Mom doesn't know about). We even crawled under the pews at Trinity Methodist Church just because we could. We jumped off the "cliff" at Silverton Lake...it wasn't that big but back then it seemed like a mile down! We attended church camp at Ceta

Sadly, he still has more hair than I do.

Canyon nearly every summer...I think it was a way for our folks to get us out their hair for a week. Bryan was my best-man at my first wedding and him and Jon attended my second. He was at my commissioning ceremony in Oklahoma City. My kids call him Uncle Bryan to this day...he's not only a friend but family. I have called him Bubba for years and still do to this day.

Rod is in the middle and I'm two over to his left.

I went to St. Marks Lutheran Church kindergarten with Rod Fennell. We were inseparable. Nearly every weekend, one of us would be at the other's house. From K-12, we had classes together. We even played in the high school band together. We both played the trombone...he practiced and I didn't. However, he played a real one while I played a valve-trombone since I was normally a baritone player. He was my brother from another mother. Momma, Clarice, was my second momma...she was just as good a cook as Mom and she kept me fed well when I was over.

Rod is three from the right on the trombone row.
I'm first on that row to the right.
Of course, I was smaller than
he was since he played football too!

The last time I saw Rod was at my dad's funeral. He and his mom came up and spent the day with us...it was so good to see him. We lost Rod in 2013 due to undiagnosed diabetes. I couldn't attend due to Navy obligations and I regret not being able to attend as he left a wife and daughter. I did go by to see Momma Fennel not too long after the funeral and she cooked a spread that would rival any Luby's Cafeteria! Not a day goes by that I don't think about Rod and everything he achieved in his life...he even wrote a book, The Future of Tomorrow: How Technology, Medicine, Computers, and Travel Will Change Beyond the 21st Century.

Visiting Tim on USS Makin Island
while in port Pearl Harbor.

Tim married Marti and I over three years ago here in Texas. I first met Tim at NAS Sigonella in Sicily where we were stationed together. He was one of the base chaplains and I was the base public affairs officer.

Tim and I on the Links in Hawaii.

Tim is one of the most steadfast, Godly men I know and I'm proud to call him my friend. His love of God, family, country is truer than anyone. We can play golf, chat together in the Sicilian cork forest, have dinner on a Hawaiian lanai or just enjoy a quick phone call to check up on each other. I admire Tim's compassion, devotion and honesty. If there were a Father of the Year award, no one would win after him. Sometimes I call him, or vice versa, just to say "Hey, you've been on my mind today." I'd call him my adult brother...and he loves me unconditionally.

Bryan, Rod and Tim shared their lives, friendship and love with me...it's been a fellowship from day one. Friendships have no boundaries: religion, race, poor golfing habits, pizza toppings or how to hold a pizza, education, distance and time...no boundaries. It's been life-long fellowship...that's what matters most. 

Now, I could have totally included my FOS (Friends of Steve) from USS Abraham Lincoln (the world's finest CVN) among others but we all still just have a handful of those you count on, unconditionally, every single day. I truly wished we had Rod back...I truly do miss that man. Marti has her little group and so does Tucker...they both rely on them for support, comfort and love. Everyone has a group...right?

I pray you all have people in your lives that you have a strong bond. Cultivate those friendships you have into fellowships. You'll be a better person for it.