Randy Wray’s Blog

Randy has graciously chosen to humor me and allow me to write his Eugene memoirs.  I will say right up front that Randy could classify his time in Eugene as bittersweet. I am choosing to dwell entirely on the sweet.
 
The day Randy tried out for the job in Eugene we knew that he was the perfect candidate and exactly what the church desperately needed. His style of teaching was positive, engaging and relevant. I remember introducing myself to him after services that first day, and he showed me a photo of beautiful newborn Madison. My first impression of Randy was that he was happy, friendly, a hard worker and very intelligent. My first impression was 100% accurate and still holds true today.
 
On July 10, 1993, Randy baptized my daughter, Becky.  I remember right after she was baptized, he turned her around to look at everyone in the church and he said, "This is your family now, Becky." I will never forget that.
 
There are many sermons Randy gave while in Eugene that powerfully impacted my walk with Jesus and made me a better person. There are two lessons he gave that I still think about on a regular basis.  In one lesson, Randy talked about the destructive nature that negative comments can have.  He said when we tear people down, we are throwing stones at them, and that even small stones, after time, can do a tremendous amount of damage.  I will never forget that. Another time, he smashed a ceramic flowerpot on the floor so it shattered in hundreds of pieces. Then he said no matter how broken you are, God can make you whole. I will never forget that.  I saved one of those broken pieces and I still have it.
 
While in Eugene, Randy got his PhD in his spare time while starting a new church.  Top that if you can, but you can’t.
 
While in Eugene, Randy prayed a lot.  One time when setting up chairs before service, Randy told me that as he was placing each chair, he would pray for whoever was going to sit in that particular chair.  I will never forget that.
 
Randy and family lived in a great house on Sharon street. I remember going there and eating tri-tip and  playing croquet. I remember Madison chasing Reese around the house and saying, "Reesie boy!"  Randy’s kids were always smiling and you can make your own conclusions there.
 
Randy liked to eat double layer cream cheese pumpkin pie, but that probably happens other places besides Eugene.
 
Randy baptized my son, David on June 2, 1997.  Shortly after that, Randy and family moved to Arlington.
 
Like I said before, Randy’s time in Eugene could be called bittersweet. I told him if he only came to baptize my kids, then all the junk he had to deal with was worth it. He said, yes, it WAS worth it.

I will never forget that.