Holston friends share scenes from seasons past. Part 3 in a series

KEVIN BLUE, age 37
Vestal United Methodist Church
Knoxville, Tenn.

I was 12 years old and had just finished my confirmation in the spring at my home church, First United Methodist of Mountain City, Tenn. That was the first year that I stopped getting toys for Christmas. Instead, my grandparents gave me “The Wind in the Willows,” a great big green book with gold letters.

I really liked the story, and I took the book with me everywhere to read it. I even took the book with me to church on Christmas Eve. During the candlelight service, I noticed that the golden letters on the book were glowing. I angled the book so that I could shine the light on the faces of people I loved. They looked so pretty to me. Now when I think of it, I would say they looked angelic.

All those people are gone now: Nelson and Doris Gray, Becky Rivers, and my grandparents, John and Elveta Bellamy. They were teachers and leaders in the church, and people really looked up to them. I knew then, even at age 12, that I was very fortunate to be with them. 

See other memories in the series.