First Princess

Tomorrow, November 1, is my daughter's birthday. Thinking of the day she was born makes me miss her more than ever.
I am fond of saying that of all of the things I've done wrong, Jennifer is one thing that I got right. Some may ask, "Do you think that your daughter is perfect?" The short answer? "Yes."
I wrote the following poem just a few months before Eliana was born. I'd been thinking about how much I doted on Rachel and Jordan and called them my princesses, and it occured to me that with all of the attention I was giving the girls I might be neglecting Jennifer, my first princess. The following poem was written for her. (Happy birthday baby girl.)

First Princess

Once my only princess, all lace and pretty curls

I had no way of knowing then, you’d have three little girls

The games we played, the memories made, are now with grandkids done

But not to worry princess, for you were my first one

Without you, there’d be no songs of crows out in the yard

No Cinderella slippers, no children’s handmade cards

A fairy tale is just a book, but children make it live

And because you were my princess, I have all these things to give

I love to watch your children play, but it’s really you I see

I thought that I was teaching you, but you were teaching me

Your little girls love Papa now, but I was first your dad

And I know how to treat a princess, because of the one I had

Little boys are wonderful, and in this world they have their place

But little girls are special, for they teach a man’s heart grace

There’s nothing like a princess, to make a dad feel like a king

And I can grow old happy now, for I’ve had everything

I’ve had music in my soul, and I’ve had singing in my heart

I’ve had little hands to hold, I’ve driven monsters from the dark

I now have two more little girls, and soon, another one

They’ll all be Papa’s princess, because you were my first one.



Legacy

"I’ve got the Holy Ghost, down in my soul, just like the Bible said
I’ve got the Holy Ghost, down in my soul, just like the Bible said
Well I’ve been to the water and I’ve been baptized
My soul got happy and I’m satisfied
I wouldn’t take nothin’ for my journey now
Just like the Bible, just like the Bible, just like the Bible said"

     The old Pentecostal chorus rang through the Marshall county woods. It was a hot, sweltering Mississippi July 14^th, 1978.
     A 17 year old boy made his way to the altar. It was camp meeting time for the MS District of the Assemblies of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was life changing time for the young man.
     The services were being held in an open air tabernacle just down the hill from the Bethlehem Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Potts Camp, MS (there is nothing in the world like an open air Apostolic church service.)
     At 17, I had not been raised in church and had never seen anyone receive the Holy Ghost. I just knew that I wanted, needed, the Lord Jesus to be my Lord Jesus. I lifted my hands in surrender to His Spirit and the next thing I knew I was speaking in tongues.
     I turned around to see that Vicky McDonald was standing off behind me with tears of joy running down her face. I made my way back to her and hugged her. Right there in front of God and everybody, I hugged Vicky McDonald.
     Exactly 33 years and one month later, Glenn and Vicky McDonald- Ervin’s oldest granddaughter, Rachel, received the same Holy Ghost.
     Rachel’s mother, My daughter Jennifer, received this Holy Ghost just before her 5^th birthday. Jennifer grew up and married a fine young minister named Delbert Tritsch. Rachel was with Delbert’s mother at church when she experienced this Holy Ghost.
     Looking back over my 50 years, I haven’t always done things right. But one thing I know I got right was embracing the Bible plan of salvation found in Acts, 2:38. Another thing I did right was to embrace Vicky McDonald that night at camp meeting.