Greetings, all!
Posted September 27, 2012
It is with great pleasure that I bring to you my very first blog post! That someone my age was essentially thrust into the proverbial “blogging era,” I do so with the sole intent of helping my audience gain a thorough understanding of the ideology of fatherhood, particularly as it relates to family formation, Biblical principles, interpersonal relational resources, and the variety of personal experiences I’ve encountered throughout the years.
Given this is my blogging debut, allow me to introduce myself. I am Herman Jackson, a native of Grady, a small rural town in Southwest Arkansas, and I have been married to my companion, Carol, for 44 years. During our lengthy marital bliss, we have been blessed with six children, three of whom are triplets. Also, we have fifteen grandchildren. In 2004, our lives took what I deem a rather unforgettable, life-altering twist, one about which has only strengthened and benefitted our union immensely, to say the least. In a tireless attempt, or sorts, to pursue God’s purpose for our lives, I decided to relocate Carol and myself from Denver, Colorado to Memphis, Tennessee. While I admittedly was giddy about this sudden transition, my eldest brother, who is a local pastor in the Bluff City, had no lofty clue about the monumental path my life was on the brink of enduring. Surely, we visited Memphis regularly, in part because the final years of my parents’ lives were spent in this town after our family moved them from nearby Arkansas. Still, I sensed that given Carol and I resided comfortably in the nation’s heartland, I never envisioned we would actually make Memphis our permanent residence. Turns out, God had other plans. Consequently, after a casual conversation with my brother, Andrew Jackson, Sr., the founder and senior pastor of Faith Temple Ministries Church in Memphis’ historic Whitehaven district, he suggested if I was seriously considering a geographical move, I should — as he tells it —- “Please consider moving to Memphis to assist me.”
Well, that is exactly what I did, moved from Denver to Memphis. Fortunately for my family and me, the move enabled me to embrace a plethora of opportunities. Being a realtor in Colorado and I wanted to pursue that opportunity in Memphis, so I moved to Memphis with a plan. Before coming to Memphis, I had a serious conversation with my brother and was offered the position of Church Administrator if I chose to move here. Plus, since our children are adults and have their own families, I sensed Carol would eventually adjust and we could savor a new beginning, just the two of us. Remember the classic song, “Just the Two of Us”? So I rolled into Memphis seemingly starry-eyed and eager to start a new adventure, not fully understanding the plan that would unfold as I began this new journey.
Well, there you have it, my introduction to Blog 101 surrounding fatherhood. In the foreseeable future, I will explore the significance and concepts of love, effective communication, conflict resolution, proper decision-making, parenting, and money management, among other things, all of which play key roles in our daily lives and help shape our nation. Among the reasons I label myself fortunate, in large part because of my decision to move to Memphis nine years ago and, most importantly, because Carol and I work collectively in ministry. We speak often of how we are so humbled and thankful to our heavenly Father for the opportunities we have to encourage, enhance and empower others in building healthy relationships and healthy marriages and healthy families.