Religion: A Pastor Ponders

One-eyed faith

By Pastor William Jenkins

July 13, 2006

“We would like to thank all of our dear friends for all your prayers, cards, and support the last six months. After two operations, ending with the removal of my eye, it’s all behind us now and we have so much to be thankful for. We have surely been blessed.”

These words of gratitude were written by Pete Payne, retired Master Potter, who was once invited to the Smithsonian Institute to participate in an exhibition by the finest potters in America. Pete would create his clay masterpieces and his wife, Fernie, would paint them with bluebonnets and scenes from the farm.

Pete and Fernie are ever the optimists, always smiling, never complaining. Theirs is a quiet faith, like still waters running deep. “Six months, two operations, one eye gone, so much to be thankful for, surely blessed.” Words such as these sound foolish to some people but they are right at home in Pete’s heart. They are the wisdom of faith for this creative couple. They have learned over the long road that faith in God does not always shelter us from misfortune, but it does always see us through.

Faith in God must never be a fragile thing, blown back and forth by every wind of misfortune. It must be as inviolable as wedding vows: “For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death shall call us home.” Such an attitude creates a relationship in which it is always possible to be cheerful, thankful, and optimistic regardless of the circumstances. Fanny Crosby was that way with no eyes. Pete is that way with one eye. Surely we can be that way with two eyes. Paul’s words in Philippians 4:10-13 are helpful here.

If ever I see Pete again I imagine he will be wearing a patch over the missing eye. He will say, “Well, shiver me timbers, if it isn’t preacher Bill!” I’ll ask him where his parrot is. Fernie will smile, raise her hand shoulder high and say, “Here I am.” It is a delightful thing to be around people of sound faith.

League City United Methodist Church is located at 1411 Main Street (FM 518), one block east of Interstate 45. For information, call the church offices at 281-332-1557 or visit the website at

HYPERLINK - http://www.lcumc.org