YOU WILL FOREVER BE MY ALWAYS!

I would like to start off with a verse that sums up dad’s love for mom.

Ephesians 5:25 NKJV

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Today’s message is titled, “You Will Forever Be My Always.” This was our dad’s promise to our mom and her promise to him as well. This was made extremely apparent in his final weeks spent here on earth as he made each of us promise to take care of the love of his life, Fran Johnson, until the day she goes to be with him.

As we sat around looking at pictures and reminiscing on the legendary Roy Johnson, it became quite obvious that capturing him in a speech was going to be an impossible task. He had so many names to so many different people...... To his beautiful wife, our mom, he was baby. To us boys he was dad. To his baby-girl he was daddy. To all the grandchildren and great grandchildren he was pop. To his best friend, Larry, he was something I’d rather not say.

Today we are going to celebrate the life of the man we all loved, Roy Johnson. A man’s man. A legendary fisherman and hunter. A track star. A man that served his country well. A man that brought a smile to anyone and everyone's face. But most importantly, a man that loved his wife and children unconditionally.

Oswald Chambers wrote, “It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere produced by a man, much more than his activities, has the lasting influence.”

Good night when we talk of the atmosphere produced by a man, you can’t help but think of Roy Johnson. The atmosphere that our superhero produced was absolutely phenomenal, to say the least. Roy Johnson was a man among boys. He owned any room that he walked in. Quick to tell a joke and if you were lucky you might just witness him grab the mic and sing, “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” by David Allan Coe. He loved a good party. Dad enjoyed having a good time everywhere he went. And boy to did he love to go. Whether he was hunting kudu in South Africa, trophy deer in Texas, fishing for yellow-fin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, or red-fish in Louisiana, the man was always up for a great adventure. Some of you in this very room, including myself, have had the honor of going on these excursions. And I’m sure you have your own stories and memories of Roy Johnson. Allow me to encourage you to hold onto the memories you have. Memories are treasures that can never be stolen. And that is where we must find rest today.

Psalm 143:5 NKJV

5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands.

Please allow me to share some memories with you. Memories that we all can meditate on in this time of celebration.

Kelly Worthy wrote, “When Lyndon was over at Mr. Larry’s and Mr. Roy was there too. Lyndon came around the corner and Mr. Roy jumped out at him and scared him to death. For a solid year after that, every night when he said his prayers he would pray for Mr. Roy…papa’s scary friend. Mr. Roy would laugh every time we would tell him that Lyndon was still praying for him!!”

As we sat around reading this and laughing it seems that everyone had a story about dad scaring them.

Mom said, “Every time she got in the shower when Roy wasn’t home, he would sneak in real slowly and open up the shower curtain and scream OHHHHHHH!”

Mom would eventually get him back.

Story of me and Scott coming in real late. Turn truck off and lights off and through it in neutral, which I learned from Mark. Dad jumps out and scares us with a flashlight.

Dad was a prankster, to say the least. I could go on and on. There are more stories than we have time to share. He will forever be missed. The man. The myth. The legend. Superman if you will.

But even superman had a soft side.

Autumn told me of a time when they were watching the movie My Girl and dad had tears coming out of his eyes. She asked him if he was crying and he replied that he had something in his eye.

Now that I think about it, every time he came to listen to me preach, something must have got caught in his eye.

Dad was not only known for his good times. More importantly, he was known for his work ethic, his business mind, and the empire he and mom built from nothing. His legacy, if you will. And not only his legacy, but what he and mom instilled in us.

Proverbs 22:6 NKJV

6 Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Roy Johnson grew up on the Johnson farm. He called it, “The Old Home Place.”

He was just a poor country boy that walked to school uphill both ways in the snow.

I always thought it strange that it doesn’t snow anymore in south GA.

But anyhow, what he did have was a tremendous business mind and an outrageous work-ethic.

Which leads us to the legacy. Back in the 90’s on Swift Creek Road. Mom and dad decided to start a company. Johnson Electronics. Man, I remember the office being at the house. If we wanted to use the phone it was off limits on Monday-Friday between the hours of 8 and 5.

During the summer there were 4 boys and a girl in the house. Dad came home with some wood and said, “Boys, I want you to build yourselves some beds.” And that is just what we did.

We ate deer every night. He claimed to have to kill 20 deer a year, just to feed us.

I hope there isn’t any game wardens in here.

We were allowed to get one piece per person and then seconds were fend for yourselves.

As you can see I learned to eat fast.

The only exception to deer was livers and gizzards.

Us boys would rather go hungry than eat livers and gizzards.

Autumn, his precious baby-girl, would get so excited. We thought that because Autumn loved livers and gizzards, dad loved her more. We didn’t understand the bond that is formed between a father and his daughter.

Might I add, Autumn was his baby-girl and she got to see a side of dad that we didn’t. They did and still do have a special bond that only they can explain. Us boys didn’t understand why dad was tough with us and gentle with her. After having a daughter of my own and now a bonus daughter, I fully understand. Autumn had dad wrapped around her finger and that is the way the father daughter relationship is supposed to be.

So back to the the livers and the gizzards, Us boys would go to bed without supper needless to say.

Until mom and dad went to sleep. Then we would sneak in the kitchen and eat sandwiches.

This was our normal routine in the early years.

Mom worked at the very least 12 hour shifts while dad built a company.

Sometimes mom would have to work on Christmas as a sacrifice for what her job required.

This is what life looked like building a successful company from nothing.

Fast forward to the present. Dad has not only built a company that takes care of an entire family, but will continue to take care of us for generations to come.

The Old Home Place. He bought it and turned it into a place where.....

I like the way mom worded it when she said....

“We spent many years there together fishing, hunting, riding four-wheelers and his personal favorite mule. The farm became a place where friends and family enjoyed good times around a bonfire. Pop and Ida would sneak off and ride around the farm looking for the big bad wolf. They would also go on treasure hunts looking for the candy that nanny had hidden. They were always successful.” Mom went on to say, “Now the farm will be his and hers, as well as our families final resting place. We’ve come full circle.”

Life has a way of always coming full circle. Dad was always prepared. So here are some final thoughts to find rest in today.

To mom, dad would say, “You will forever be my always! You are the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on and I love you more than life itself. I promise to stay close to the gate and wait on you.”

To us boys he would say, “Please take care of your mother and carry on the legacy! Don’t let anything happen to your sister!”

To Stephen he would say, “You are the son I never had. Thank you for loving my daughter the way you do. Never forget what you promised me.”

To Autumn he would say, “MyRee, you are my baby-girl and you will always be my sunshine.

To the rest of you, he would say, “Don’t cry. Don’t be sad. Celebrate a life well lived. Hey, I’ll see you in heaven one day.”

Roy Johnson was larger than life. Yes he will be missed, but allow me to encourage you with this.

Dad loved Jesus. I asked him not too long ago had he surrendered his life to Jesus and he assured me of this. This is where we must all find rest today.

Job asked the question, “If a man die, shall he live again?”

The Word of God is abundant and clear in answering this question.

25 Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

Let me explain to you what happens when a Christian dies?

We leave our bodies and take up residence somewhere else.

Death is not the end of life.

At death we don’t leave home, we go home! What we need to understand about life is that it is a temporary assignment!

And it doesn’t stop there, it gets better.

It says we gain a better home.

Death is a decided fact, a defeated foe, a delightful friend.

I hesitate for a moment to call death a friend, but it’s the truth.

Death for the believer is just transportation to heaven.

to the Christian, death is nothing more than a change in the environment

Often doctors will tell patients to move to certain locations because where they are now, affected them physically!

Hey, this is what the Great Physician does, and Roy would want you to know this.

The year of death is the year of release for the Christian.

Release from pain, sorrow, sickness, and worry.

When Roy breathed his last he was immediately ushered into the presence of God Himself

Paul wrote, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

What a thought!

Paul gave what I call the Christians view of death when he wrote:

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

We don’t just die and go no where. You spent eternity somewhere!

Roy would want you to understand this!

We are not promised tomorrow!

Though death appears to be the enemy and in truth, is feared by most, we believe death is nothing more than a ride home.

Dad got a ride home.

This doesn’t have to be goodbye, just goodnight.

Roy would want me to ask you, “Are you prepared to meet Jesus?”

Dad would get so excited about all the souls that were getting saved at Celebrate Recovery.

I’ll leave you with this memory.

Every time dad prayed he would say, “We thank you for the forgiveness of our sins and for Your mercy and grace, in which we are saved.”

He would end with remember to always stay humble and kind.

Let us pray that today.

Let us pray

Lord, we thank you for the forgiveness of our sins and for Your mercy and grace, in which we are saved. If anyone here hasn’t believed through faith in Jesus, would you please raise your hand.

If yes:

Right where you’re at say I surrender Jesus.

If no and/or after yes:

We thank you so much for the time we’ve all had to spend with Roy Johnson. We can’t wait to reunite in heaven.

As dad would say.

Always remember to stay humble and kind.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Sit down