Born Again Ben

Now that this writer has lived for seventy-fiver years, contemplating the great beyond, i have the experience of a very dear friend leaving this world and being taken up to the place that Jesus has prepared for us. Looking back on those early years of getting to know Ben, one of my first memories of him was shown in a photo of him painting the interior of a house that we were about to moving into.

But painting was only one of his multiple vocations. Ben was a hard worker, a husband, a father, a laboror in our Creator’s great earthly project. a life partner, a pastor, friend, a shepherd, a publisher. After his ascent, the magazine that Ben had tended for many years published a tribute edition.

In this edition, friend Chip mentioned standing at Ben’s hospital bed the day before friend Ben died. Along the reading path of that special edition, many family members and friends commemorated the treasures, the testimonies, trials and tribulations that Ben had endured during his 40 years of service to his people, to mankind, to God. He was a man whose purpose was to bring leaders and followers together, reconciling disputes among people who were joined together in a common purpose, casting estrangements into forgiveness and peace, while his wife brought six admirable people into this world. Connie would attend others’ childbirths. She and Ben followed the path of service to their people, their followers, their friends, family. In the course of 40 years of service, Ben endured periods of being rejected by some, set aside, finding himself in a position to labor, painting, planting trees, all the while planting seeds of hope and encouragement along the way, breaking ground for new growth, growth to extend the kingdom of God on this earth, growth of thousands of pine saplings on a crew with me and some other fellows, to keep the Cox family happy and healthy while he was in between pastoral assignments. All the while, he was demonstrating mercy and grace, reconciling old enmities, breaking destructive behaviors, reading and preaching the ancient Word, the Good News, living the message of sacrifice, love, joy, peace, consoling widows and ophans, burying the dead, all after comprehending in errant youth that we can do nothing of eternal significance apart from being joined to the giver of life, the Creator, the vine on which eternal branches are nourished and irrigated with living water; Be understood the pit of despair where some of us fall , because he had been there, comprehending the transformation from a reckless lifestyle to salvation, utilizing that awareness of being born again and presenting that testimony to others who are in harm’s way, all of which he did to the very end. Sometime back in 1990’s, our friend David Browne set up a sound studio in our town, Boone. I gathered some friends together to help me record a song, Boomers’ Choice. In the recording, Ben’s son, Nathaneal, is playing the drums. Ben’s voice comes out loud and clear on a couple of refrains, where’s he’s singing, with our ensemble: “hey, hey, hoe, is there anybody home?”. . . You can hear the song in this link which is on my website: Boomer's Choice I look forward to singing with Ben again in heaven! King of Soul