The Man Who Never Met a Stranger

The Man Who Never Met a Stranger                  By Lyell D. Chapman

The obituary’s published. The ashes have come home now. Eventually, the hole in her heart will heal. It will never mend completely…but it will heal. Her friends and family will help more than they know. His friends will help beyond her dreams. She’ll get through it and come out on the other side better and stronger for the whole thing.

How can I make that assumption? It’s easy. Bob Slater and Glenda were soul mates and their relatively short time together let them discover each other. And, being soul mates with him meant she understood what was going on in his head and in his heart.

Now, I could go ahead and tell you that Bob was a Christian (er…IS a Christian – after all, God looks to his right and sees Bob) and be done with it. And I’m not going to attempt to compare him to Him. Jesus worked major miracles and in the whole scope of things, Bob’s were somewhat minor. But Miracles they were! Only God knows how many children’s lives Bob saved and enriched through his own altruism -- so they might have a decent chance to enjoy the wonders and miracles of everyday life you and I take quite for granted. Bob gave until it hurt…and gave a little more…in every aspect of his life.

You folks who know Bob…you’ll know why Janice Rhodes got all choked up the other day on the phone just remembering a few little things about how he changed her life. Being a ‘people’ person, Bob touched many lives. Janice said he was an “adventurous person” and might well be described as “…often having a phone sticking out of each ear. He was an interesting character…and he was very, very interested in people.” From my own knowledge of him, albeit short in time, I’d picture that phone in each ear and God helping him steer with his knee.

Bob was the man who never met a stranger.

As you probably already know, Bob made his living selling…either products or ideas or both. And he had some great ones, too. He sold the idea of freedom to quite a few people. He sold the idea of actually learning about something before you open your mouth to those same people. Bob was what one might call (if a label fits) somewhat of a Constitutional Conservative. And, he got on board with a group of like-minded individuals who thought it might be a good idea to restore freedom to the American People. This would require time, education, and quiet work from within…but it would work.

Of course, scoundrels and scallywags abound in every endeavor – especially when they think they see dollar signs and suckers like us. They got us all in one way or another – Bob and Glenda included. But out of that little spark of patriotic farce came the Vandalia Solution.

When Bill Baker explained it to Bob it was as though he saw the light. His work was done. The man who never met a stranger could go Home now because, through his tireless effort and astounding Faith, he saw his dream come true…in actuality, not in some abstract on the internet. THIS was (and is) the real deal…sent by God Almighty Himself…put together by Bob and these several people -- who will carry the torch forever and light a fire with it that will be seen from the stars. It’s the fire of Freedom. It’s the light of Liberty from the clutches of the Eternal Enemy, given to us by God and Jesus Christ…through Bob Slater – the man who never met a stranger.

Look to your Left Bob…He is smiling at you (again)