Thanks Again, Dean Lamb...and Happy Birthday!

Today would be the birthday of my friend Dean Lamb. He passed away September 13, 2013. To honor his memory I offer the following, taken from the tribute I delivered at his funeral service. 

  I got to know Dean at the Meadowood Free Methodist Church in 1973. We were in the same Sunday school class taught by Vi Elliot. In casual conversation, I discovered that he liked science fiction and progressive rock music. A friendship was immediately created. We exchanged phone numbers. 522-3070 was the only phone number I had reason to memorize. It eventually became a handle for requests for assistance.

    In 1973 I drove a 1965 Chevell Malibu. I was as incompetent then as I am now about automobiles. The car kept stalling at intersections. I called Dean, 522-3070. He not only diagnosed the fuel filter, he changed it for me.

    Dean became my go-to person when I needed answers to practical problems. He also had this magical ability that I always dreamed of, but was too afraid to try on my own. He could swim. And he had a swimming pool! Dean knew enough about the physical properties of water and buoyancy, he knew enough about how I would behave, he knew our “geek” language that we shared, to eventually get me to let go of the side of the pool. And once I did, once I discovered that I would just float there… Once I discovered that it actually took effort and will to submerge, my life was dramatically changed for the better. Not only could I swim, but if I could learn to swim, what else could I learn to do! Dean may not have known it, but he changed the direction of my life, enabling me toward risk-taking and goal setting.

   522-3070 was good for many things. Did I mention that I am incompetent when it comes to automobiles? Flat tires. I get out the jack. What a contraption. I find a place to secure it under the truck. Oh yes, put on the brake. Can’t get the lug-nuts to move…I call 522-3070.

    It wasn’t always automobiles. Since I have known Dean, I have moved at least six times. 522-3070.

    And Dean always valued that telephone number. It had been that home’s number since the house was built in 1955. He wanted to keep the number. Some say it was out of some sentimentality that he kept it. I think it was because he didn’t want me to have to the trouble of learning a new number.

Dean was always there, always dependable.

And these were not mere inconveniences that Dean helped to resolve. Everything has a consequence.  Everything can be life changing. There is a little common proverb that may help to illuminate the point…

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

Many called upon Dean for help, and he, in that simple gesture of affirmative response, made lives continue, conditions improve, hope restored.

Dean was kind and helpful.

    The Apostle Paul speaks of kindness…

From Galatians we read…

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness

    Dean was an example of those attributes.