Two P.K.'s (Preacher's Kids)

My friend and customer Jeanne Pratt.
Jeanne and her mom (Rebecca Heaton).
Mother's Day 2008

Two Preacher's Kids or Two Peas In A Pod

Jeanne and her mom have been customers at A Spot For Tea for years. They have attended all of our Mother's Day teas except this year because of illness. It wasn't until recently while visiting with Jeanne about her mother that I became aware that we shared more than our love for tea.

Jeanne's father was a Methodist pastor for over twenty years. Pastoring in small towns like Goodwell, Purcell, Mangum, Britton, Pauls Valley and larger towns like Tulsa's New Haven and First Church in Moore. Taking on a different roll from pastor as a District Superintendant in McAlester. My father was also a Methodist pastor for over twenty years.

Jeanne's mother, Mrs. Heaton, became seriously ill in April 2009 and was in the hospital for a long time and was not able to attend our Mother's Day Tea. Finally, after much prayer she was returning to her place of residency at Spanish Cove in a different wing for rehab. I always ask Jeanne how her mom is doing. One day over tea she was telling me that her mom doesn't like change and didn't want to move back to the west wing where her friends were. I asked her why and she told me how they had lived in parsonages and had moved every five years.

"Every time we moved," Jeanne said "mom would always cry and say I will never meet people this nice again at our next appointment." I immediately felt a kinship with Jeanne and Mrs. Heaton having experienced the same type of moves: Salem, Georgia; Alex, Tulsa (Prattville), Marlow, Tulsa (Sheridan Avenue) and finally Putnam City Methodist here in Oklahoma City where we moved when I was a sophmore in high school.

In fact, it has always amazed me that God would move us four blocks from where my dad had pastored on 42nd street and MacArthur to 38th and MacArthur which in now the home to A Spot For Tea. I would have never dreamed in a million years that I would have lived in Dallas only to find my way back to this post so close to home. I graduated from Putnam City High School in 1981.

Jeanne and I were talking about moving and the upheaval of packing your bags but leaving the furniture for the next pastor's family. It never really felt like home until mom had all her things unpacked, pictures on the wall and dishes in the cabinets. We talked about how moving every five years helps with the clutter. You can't really be a packrack when you don't have that long to accumulate before the next move. It helps you not to get so attached to material things. People seem to hold the true value when you think about places you've lived and the memories you shared.

I knew immediately why I had always felt so much like I wanted to give her mom a big hug and squeeze. It takes a special lady to be a pastor's wife. Jeanne says that her mom is now able to walk about a block and soon we are hoping Mrs. Heaton will be able to come for a visit. We will be saving her a spot for lovely cup of tea.

John 14:1-4 "Jesus said, Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house; I would not tell you this is it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am."