RAINY DAY REMINISCING

The Four Pillars of a Man's Heart: (1) "King", vision-to provide (2) "Warrior", strength-to protect (3) "Mentor", wisdom-to teach (4) "Friend", love-to connect

As I read the book “Four Pillars of a Man’s Heart” by Stu Weber, during the rainy season in Arusha, Tanzania (April, 2008), I found myself trying to put a name or a face on a “four-pillared” man in my life. Over the couple of days I spent reading about the “king”, “warrior”, “mentor” and “friend”, many examples stayed in my mind and made me try to think of some individual, in my life, who had exhibited qualities related to one, or more, of the “pillars” of a man’s heart. By the time I was about halfway through the book is realized that many of the situations or examples that had been discussed made me think about a certain individual that I met for the first time in the summer of 1985. It was on a trip to a small town in north Texas that I first heard “him” talk with enthusiasm about the “fightin’ jackrabbits”, which seemed, to me, to be an odd name for a school mascot. After a rather lengthy discussion about what my responsibilities would be at that school, if they decided to offer me a teaching position, I returned to my home, about three hours away. As my wife and I were contemplating the possibility of an offer, over the next few days, I got a call saying that the school was offering me a teaching position, with an extra conference period as a department head. I got another call saying that, while we were considering the position, I would be receiving a contract with the anticipation that I would sign and return it. I spent the next fifteen years teaching in that school, until I retired in Dec. 2000. During the years I spent under the authority of Charles Blanton, I learned many life lessons and I now have names for what I saw in his heart. Mr. Blanton was a servant leader. He seemed to go out of his way to protect those under his direction. He reminded everyone, in staff meetings, not to mess with the long-time secretary in his office. And, on one occasion, during a rather uncomfortable parent conference that I attended, he walked to his office door and told a parent to leave and not come back until he could change his language and attitude. He also told a furious parent, who came to school to fight a teacher, “you can go fight that teacher, after you defeat me first”. The parent left and never caused another problem. Another incident when the warrior ( the one who shields, defends, stands between, and guards) came out in him was when he spent half of the lunch time coaxing a very disturbed girl from a classroom, while she was throwing every thing she could get her hands on at him; it was the home-economics room and there were lots of things to throw. He successfully defused a potentially violent situation.

During one of our frequent discussions, Mr. Blanton related that during his son’s growing up years there were many questions about the Lord, church, etc., but his son knew that the question that never needed to be asked was, “Are we going to church today? As a father, his motto was “we are going to church and we are going to eat at the Jim Bowie Restaurant after church”. We laughed about that but it was just his way of saying, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Over the years, we developed a sort of kinship that allowed us to speak our hearts to each other. Early one Monday morning, Mr. Blanton seemed somewhat “out of sorts” and I told him, “boy, I would sure hate to be the first student that comes to your office today”. (I would never have said that to just any administrator) He turned, with a stern look, went to his office and shut the door. Later in the day, he thanked me for being honest enough to say what he needed to hear. I was honored when he asked me to assist him in handing out diplomas his last year as the “Principal of Bowie High School”. During that last graduation, before his retirement, every student handed him two, or more, fifty-cent pieces as they shook his hand and received their diploma. By the end of the ceremony, his pockets were full of coins and there was a pile of them on the table where the diplomas had been. Another, earlier, graduation experience showed much of his wisdom and character. A senior girl was distraught because her biological father, who had not been a part of her life in several years, was demanding that her diploma have “his” last name on it. He discussed the situation with me and then, with the wisdom of Solomon, had a diploma printed with the biological father’s last name and anther printed for her, with the last name of the “father” who had been the one in her life for many years.

There were certain unacceptable standards of behavior while Mr. Blanton was at the helm. One story is told of a young coach (married), who came to him admitting that he had an illicit relationship with a female student. The coach was supposedly told, “I’ll come over and help you pack so you can be out of this school immediately.”

After we were both retired, we would see each other at funerals, weddings, etc. and share our hearts about how we had worked together, as a team, and affected each others’ lives. Even though I didn’t know him during his football playing and coaching years, and might have missed some of his “mistakes” in life, I was privileged to have him as a leader, mentor and friend; and to see his warrior side on occasion.

Mr. Blanton and I met, in front of the bank, this spring, just before my wife and I returned to the mission field in East Africa. Once again, he expressed, with the heart of a “servant leader”, “warrior”, “mentor” and “friend”, his gratitude to me for coming to Bowie and for my working “with” him, not just “for” him. That conversation reminded me of the talks in the hall, just outside my room, while waiting for the buses to leave; how, sometimes, he could be seen putting trash, from the student parking lot, in the back of his pickup; and of our discussions about the right to use Biblical teaching, as literature, history, and as the basis for our government. He didn’t avoid the tough issues and stood for what was right in the sight of the Lord. He is a little slower now, with his two “new” knees, but is still active in his local church, in love with his wife of many, many years and is still a vital part of that north Texas community. I know it is possible to have a connection of spirits even when we are on opposite sides of the globe. Such is the heart of a man of God. “Mr. Blanton”, thank you for being a blessing to me and my family.
Mungu Akubariki brother! (God bless you)
John T.
PS. If there was any memory was not correct it was unintentional. I just wanted to share my feelings while I still have the opportunity; we never know what tomorrow will bring.