A Tale of Goodness

My dear friend, Reverend Calvin Meadows, has once again come into my life in his classic non-invasive, self confident style pitching in as our hfotusa.org/Galloway Project Chaplain, and general helper. Calvin's church leadership has showered our project with goodness through his selfless service, the mentoring of his church elders and youth, and by creating a sense of community among many of our other volunteers. Calvin and I met some 13-14 years ago while I was the Chief Flight Instructor at Shelby Air, Shelby County Airport, Calera, AL. I had no idea the personal experience that I was about to embark upon that fine day a long time ago. Calvin told me that he had always dreamed of earning his "mortal" flight wings and was pretty up front that it would take both of us a lot of prayer. Prayer wasn't new to me; however, it had never been a mainstream FAA process of mine and I thought that it wouldn't hurt trying. Some 100 hours later, I remember, Calvin and his wife, Beverly, and I had another special treat by celebrating him earning his wings by a brief wings pinning ceremony by the late Col. Harry E. Ford Jr., a former Tuskegee Airman. After Calvin volunteered his humble services by chauffeuring my wife, Marguerite, and I home from our wedding at Independent Presbertyrian Church, we lost contact for several years until Calvin again volunteered his services by offering the invocation for 2 consecutive Wings For Warriors Disabled Veteran Fly-Ins at Shelby County Airport. On any given day now, both Reverend Meadows (Beverly is also a Reverend for their church, Present-Truth Church of Montevallo and Centerville) can be found on site of the hfotusa.org/Galloway project, leading by example, and sharing their Tale of Goodness. First aviation, and now construction. I was once Calvin's teacher, and now I am positive that I am his pupil.

I found a fitting Biblical verse in honor of Calvin and Beverly, and for the good work that I am seeing of everyone down in Calera. It is from Romans 12:6-8, and reads, "Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does act of mercy, with cheerfulness."

"God is Good," Bart Fletcher.