My Friend
Paul Pate
Robert Furlin
December 11, 2003
Paul
If one were to describe Paul in one Word - What would that one Word be? We know that Words and thoughts are very powerful and what you call or name something is very important.
The Name Paul came from the Roman family name Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble" in Latin. See Paul - I always knew we had some kind Roman connection. Humble is a good name.
Could that word be A Friend? Yes, that would be a very descriptive word of him. He was a Friend to me and in the most profound use of that word --
And I am sure many of you found him to be a Friend.
One does not find many Friends in this life. One may have many acquaintances -- but a Friend?
If one finds a Friend they have a pearl beyond value.
There is nothing better than a Friend that sticks closer than a Brother.
Friend is a very, very good word to describe Paul.
Friends
Brother is another word that one would use of Paul.
There are five that know him as a brother.
He was surely a Brother to me, more so than one of the flesh. It was one in and of the Spirit.
We shared things of eternal value that one sometime does not share with a flesh brother or sister.
There is one here who calls him Husband. The faithful years one saw him show to Eva epitomizes the admonition -- Husbands Love you wives!
Also there was the Friendship they shared with each other.
Those two are precious indeed -- a powerful combination.
Paul and Eva
His Beloved Eva followed him on February 9, 2004 and they both are together once again in that "Good Place". We will miss you EVA!!!
Father- yes -- Paul, Mike and Lisa knew him as a Father.
Observation reveals that he was a very good one -- as one sees the Love they have for their Father.
He shared his Love and pride for them many, many times throughout the years.
He did not trespass upon their will at least that is what I observed.
Grandfather - He has great pride and love for all of his 5 grandchildren.
(Yes present tense). He still has that love.
Some knew him as Uncle and if one were to list all the words that describe him, we would go on for quite some time. So we will list some that I think are significant.
Soldier -- He loved to share how he changed the year he was born when he went to the Doctors office, 1929 to 1928, so he would qualify age wise.
He shared many stories about his stint in the Navy. Especially the one when he and his brother were on the same ship -- even if it was for a very short period.
The aircraft carrier that went into North Korean waters and he was on board the carrier when the movie ‘Bridges of Tokyo Rio’ was filmed.
Then the years in the Air Force especially his time spent in Pakistan. He could give some great insight into the things going on today in the mid East.
Farmer -- I never knew one who could get some much out of so little land.
He got a lot of his inner strength working the fields and many insights into Spiritual things that he shared freely.
Now he could have written a book on farming under plastic. His design of laying the plastic and lines at the same time that was very ingenuous.
He tried many times to teach me about the inner workings of plant life.
Especially about the bees and their work and what plants needed and did not need the bees.
Oh yes, the call from the post office of strange noises coming from a package addressed to him.
He got a kick sharing about ordering a hive of bees through the mail.
“Get down here and get this package-NOW!”
We also talked about the birds and what value they were and how to attract them.
Now I won’t go as far as saying Paul that you taught me about the ‘birds and bees.' But you came awful close.
Chief -- yes chief not cook because he new how to improvise and experiment.
He started cooking at about 15 in a restaurant and tobacco house as a short order cook.
Know how to cook boy -- Paul would laugh and say “here let me show you.”
How he could cook practically anything.
He would always ask -- What do you all want next Sunday?
Paul I was going to ask you to fix curry goat but got cold feet because I remembered you spent time in Pakistan.
Paul how we will miss that pot roasts the pasta, and desserts you had each time we met.
Brother we didn’t get to make that last visit to the Pizza Hut.
We planned the last three Sundays to go and something always came up.
Yes, we will miss those times, we always seemed to get there within a few minutes of each other. Of course we only had to go a couple blocks and you and Eva some thirty miles.
Chief--oh yes you are and you did show it.
Other words to describe him--How about? -Welder, carpenter, mechanic, plumber, florist-(Paul I still want to know how that rose bush blooms all year.)
Oh yea how about barber they needed one onboard ship -- They asked-- how about you Pate? “Here let me show you” came the answer.
Now all of the previous were good words to describe Paul but the one that really stands out in my mind and is the word that I would use to sum up
Paul, the word is -- Giver.
He gave and gave and gave and that is the key to him receiving so much spiritual insight, skills and knowledge.
He never wanted to be thought as someone who was religious and that he wasn’t but he sure followed the pattern laid down by the Christ.
He always gave of himself, his worldly goods, his skills, his knowledge.
He never talked about his giving but since I was always on the receiving end -- I experienced that giving spirit.
I also observed his freely giving to others of the things he had to give spiritual and material.
We never left without something in our belly, soul, spirit, and in our hands.
Now these are things that made the man. Things one can take with them.
A blessed Giver.
In our times of sharing Paul would always point out how we would start out some where in the scriptures but we would always end in Genesis.
Paul that last time--we left off talking about Heaven in Genesis 6-8, “And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.”
We pondered on the fact that God did not call the second day good and that was the day he created Heaven, all the others he called Good and the day He created man, the sixth day was very good.
Brother what do you think of this (One of your favorite ways to start our sharing.)--the fourth day.
Vs 14 “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years. And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater to rule the day, and the lesser to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth. And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.”
So Friend and Brother how are you enjoying that good place?
Now Paul you are going to be blessed by someone you called Doctor but more so a Friend.
As she shares her song with us let us reflect and remember in our own way who Paul is plus remember who you are.
Courtesy of rj and lo Land