Tuesday, September 12, 2006

The Gaudy Shoes Of An IFBX Icon


Following is a poem that my friend, Pat, wrote about a different part of Dr. Hyles' legacy. I have also included a never before seen stanza towards the end of the poem. If this ballad brings you even half the joy that it brought to me you will be greatly enriched! Enjoy!

Phineas

Wow, that was really inspiring. It got me to thinking about other instruments that were used to support this man of God. Of course, when I'm inspired, I use iambic pentameter.

I was born in a lowly stable
just a little spotted calf,
I sensed my life would not be long,
I'd never grow to play and laugh.

My mother was an older cow
Who provided milk and cream
But as a male I was born to die
Long life was just a dream.

But still there was some hope for me
That I could do some good
I'’d heard about this royal chair
That started as some wood.

Perhaps my hide could be used to wrap
This man'’s Scofield KJV
I'’d be the sword in the hands
Of fundamentalist royalty

Or maybe I'’d be the belt of truth
Wrapped 'round the God man'’s waist
I'’d hold him up as he preached the Word
and save dear souls with haste.

He'd pull me off for another use
When his children needed spanked
The rod of correction I could be
And later I'’d be thanked

I have an even higher dream
If I could be so bold
Could I just be a leather coat
To shelter him from cold.

It'’s really just a small request
It could hardly be deemed wrong
To be the garment that is touched
By the many admiring throngs

What'’s this I hear you have in store
What is this fate I'’ll meet?
I'm going to be a pair of shoes?
You'’re going to put me on his feet?

Stacy Adams? Who are they?
Designers of men's clothes?
How I wish I could just be a coat,
Rather than cover his toes.

Oh please, dear Lord, why must I be
given a fate so bleak
To have to endure smelly socks
seven days a week

But then I heard the Lord's reply
and I want the world to know
That while the coat would keep him warm
His shoes would make him go.

The miles he trod to seek the lost
he made through snow and rain
and I protected him from the cold
and kept him out of pain.

I walked with him for many miles
I caught his many tears
I also felt his laughs and smiles
As he wore me through the years.

Now I see God'’s bigger plan
that He had in store for me
Of all the things God could have done
I became part of history.

I never preached a sermon
I never read the Word
But I was there for every step
As he made God'’s voice heard.

Just a humble little calf
born in a stable filled with hay,
What have I done in my life you ask?
This is what I say:

I provided soles that saved some souls
and filled some empty pews;
Without a voice I preached the word
For I became Jack Hyles' shoes.

~~Pat


If that doesn't put a tear in your eye and a lump in your throat you just might want to check your pulse. You will notice that my new friend, Pat, honored my wishes for a reference to Stacy Adams--I laughed so hard I cried. I want to publicly thank Pat for his quick whit and medicinal ode! Any other aspiring versifiers or sonneteers out there? Feel free to scratch one out in a comment--you may just end up as a guest blogger at B&C!

Phineas

9 comments:

Joshua R said...

LOL

What a pleasant surprise to happen upon my own cooperative blog and see a shiny pair of wingtips staring back at me!

Just click your heels together and mutter "There's no place like Hammond, there's no place like Hammond"!

Matthew Richards said...

I wonder if a pair of these hideous shoes made it into the gallery at HAC? What a blessing for that little calf to have such a big part in the salvation of a nation! Just think if it were not for those little black shoes--Preacher may have faultered under the weight of this nation. I thank God for the devotion of this little steer!

Thanks for reminding us, Pat!

Matthew

Anonymous said...

Thanks guys.

I showed this to my wife and she thought it was hilarious. Then when I told her that I wrote it she asked me why I never wrote poetry like that for her. I told her it was because I loved her.

For those of you who are offended by this, please understand that I intentionally left out some stanzas that I thought would be offensive. At least you can be comforted that while you might be offended, it could have been much worse. :-)

True story. I have a limited edition Jack Hyles Bible. I wonder how many others are out there (mine is number 419). It's the classic note bible, with blank pages between every page of text. Better that than his notes, I suppose.

Pat

Matthew Richards said...

I would be interested in paying you handsomely for the stanzas that did not make the final cut. Trust me when I tell you that I will not be offended. I have often wondered what his chair would really say about Jack--especially after a quick bite of bean soup or pork and beans right before a service!

Matthew

Anonymous said...

Since you asked

My legacy has now been set
Of this you can be sure
That this poor cow, though long since dead,
Could still help spread manure.

BTW...wing tips are my footwear of choice, much to my lovely wife's chagrin. I tell her that they never go out of style..she tells me that's because you have to be in style to actually go out of style.

Matthew Richards said...

Jim,

Sounds like you and Dr. Hyles had some kind of special relationship. Do you have any other stories you could share with us about Hyles and his family? While we are reflecting on parts of his legacy it only makes sense for those who have stories to share them with the rest of us. Maybe you could actually incorporate them into a limerick of sorts--with your permission we could post it on our front page!

Matthew

Mike Hess said...

Those shoes were some of the most uncomfortable and ugly things that have ever been on my feet. Yes, unfortunately I did used to wear those things back in my "drone" days. How could I have ever done that???

Funny post!

Mike

BeckyJoie said...

I was expecting the poem to be about the cheddar melts Hyles ate, LOL.

I won't attempt a limerick.

Anonymous said...

If you were going to buy a golf club, you wouldn't walk into a store and buy the first one you see, would you? Of course not; especially if you want to improve your golf game! You'll want to hold the club, take some practice swings, hit some balls if the store has a practice spot, and look at the price, of course. If you are considering buying running shoes, you need to go through a similar process and take the time to find the perfect shoe.