Agreeing to Disagree

A Family Squabble Lasts Three Decades

My oldest son and I have been disagreeing on something that happened in 2000. Twenty-six years later, my memory remains vivid, but he says the situation did not happen the way I recall. I will share my personal recollection.

Our church held an annual state conference each May. It began on Wednesday night and continued on Thursday and Friday mornings. During this particular Thursday morning service, I noticed something specific.

I realized this was the third year in a row that our church hosted the conference. All three years, my husband and son were the only male ushers who served during the two daytime services.

All the other men who ushered and attended only came on Wednesday night. My spouse made sure to take time off from work each year. His namesake did not attend college classes in 1998 and 1999, but in 2000 he too obtained time off from his job.

Like Father Like Son

My husband and son were dressed alike in black jackets, white pants, and ties that were red, white, and black. They were handsome, and I was proud of them for serving the Lord as a team.

An adult man and his teenage son could have been doing other things together, like selling drugs, running an illegal business, or being incarcerated, so their commitment warmed my heart.

I thought about three or four new male church members whose names were always being called out for things they did around the pastor's house.

My family were charter members who had been with the church for five years from day one. I wondered whey my men and others whose time, talent, love, attendance, and money helped get the church started were never acknowledged.

I prayed, "Lord, please give my husbaned and son some encouragement, if their service in the church is pleasing to you," and He did. As they walked down the aisle with the offiering plates, our pastor watched them intently from the pulpit and smiled as if he were noticing them for the first time.

He said, I would like to introduce to the state of Virginia Michael Preston Sr. and Michael Preston Jr. Junior is bigger than Dad, but I think Dad can handle him". The audience laughed, and so did I.

On the following Tuesday night, we had a church leadership meeting. The pastor talked about faithfulness and being able to count on church leaders. He said to the group, "The Michaels are loyal and dependable."

Agreeing to Disagree

My husband died in 2021, and he always said he could not recall these events in detail. My son says he does not remember the pastor saying anything as he and his father walked down the aisle with the offering.

He told me it was a different leadership meeting when the pastor said he and his Dad were loyal and dependable, but I believe my timeline is correct. The pastor's wife was pregnant, and in August 2000, she gave birth and named her son Michael.

I believe there was a double meaning to my husband and son being acknowledged twice. It was the answer to my prayer and our pastor giving the name of his soon-to-be-born son, hidden in plain sight because the following Sunday he acknowledged another Michael in the congregation,

A little blonde boy who looked about five or six went to the front to accept Jesus. The pastor asked his name, and he replied, "Michael." The pastore looked up toward the ceiling and smiled as he replied "Michael, ( obiusly referring to the Archangel) one of the most powerful names in the universe.

I pointed out my great recall as a writer and insisted all happened just as I had said. Still, my firstborn continues to insist that I got this all wrong and need to work on details, but he has not given me a detailed alternate scenario.

I know the timeline and details are accurate, but Senor Senior Junior, believes I frequently mix up details. I nicknamed my husband Senor Senior and our son Senor Senior Junior for the father and son characters in the Disney cartoon Kim Possible.

I refer to my firstborn as Senor Senior Junior when I am being sarcastic. I use the nickname when we discuss this situation each time I point out that he has no specifics to counter my version of the events.

Usually, he will correct my timeline or version of events, but this time he has offered nothing except to say he thinks I am wrong. He does not remember things the way I do. And will never see this my way. Therefore, this is my story, and I am sticking to it. Senor Senior Junior and I will have to continue to agree to disagree.