Family.
Our family was one of several recognized as a Cornerstone Family last weekend by the American Cornerstone Institute. Dr. Ben Carson, world renowned neurosurgeon, author, speaker and former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, presented the awards at Seaford High School.
It was an honor to be included with so many wonderful families, but I want to redirect the focus a bit as it was disproportionately aimed at me.
The cornerstone of my family is my Dad.
He started working for the DuPont Company, making nylon, right out of high school. Later he worked at Mohawk Electronics, the company that makes Claymore mines. Eventually he ended up working for Clyde Betts, the man who became his mentor and father figure, and he helped build their farrow to finish hog operation into one of the largest in the Mid Atlantic.
After a humble, quiet encounter with Jesus at the altar of Goshen United Methodist Church in 1973, he discovered a special gift of teaching the Bible in a simple but profound way.
It’s no exaggeration to say he impacted tens of thousands of people, perhaps more, over the years as he taught in everything from basements and small churches to large stages from the Mid West to the East Coast.
He founded Eagle’s Nest Fellowship Church, Eagle’s Nest Christian Academy (now Delmarva Christian Elementary), the campground now called Deep Branch Family Campground, and helped Pastor Rick plant Crossroad Community Church. Other churches grew out of that. He wrote a book, did a radio show, and developed incredible teaching series that are still being used today. The ripple effects are incredible.
But mostly he ministered to people one on one. His marriage counseling helped save perhaps hundreds of marriages. And his counsel during personal crisis saved many lives.
The award presented to me last week was given in abstentia because the real recipient is in heaven.
Some people find it hard to comprehend the concept of a loving Heavenly Father because their earthly father was vastly different.
I never had that problem.
Bill Sammons, Sr. wasn’t perfect, but he never left, never raged, never manipulated, never neglected.
He loved big.
He was the foundation. The example. The quiet strength behind everything good that’s come from our family’s story.
Any honor I receive is built on the values he lived out every day: hard work, humility, integrity, and love.
Though he's no longer with us, his influence is woven into who we are — and I just want to say: Dad, this one’s really yours.
I loved how your Dad neve made me feel less than, no matter what I had on my mind, there was no judgement just sound advice. There was a special comfort to the words he chose and made you feel like you were talking with your Dad, Uncle or Next Door neighbor. It was only when you Mother became ill and I would sit next to them in Church that I was able to have this experience. He was a human and spoke on that level, not from a place that made me feel like I was “different” from this man/preacher. Both your parenst were true blessings in big and small ways, probably never knowing how their words were exactly what you needed to make you feel worthy.
So many things I could say. Your Dad changed me and the course of my life and for that I am eternally grateful. I always said , to me he was Jesus with skin on. He taught me who Jesus really is. Congratulations to you and your Dad on a well deserved award. He is truly missed and still loved.