George Hinman - Aug 27, 2016
I came to know George through church about 37 years ago, and became friends because we shared the love of God, fellowship and music together. When I was in high school, just learning how to play the guitar, he and other brothers and sisters would take me under their wings; they would lead by playing their guitars and the piano in the meetings, and allowed me to play along in order to practice and get better at it. After the meetings, George would sometimes share with my brother and me some of his original songs, or his tunes put to scripture. His worship music and lyrics moved me deeply and I really wanted to learn how to reproduce them for my own solitary worship and meditation. So, I would write down lyrics for some of my favorite songs of his, and ask him to help us put the proper chords to the words. Years later, it was funny, because my brother and I would play his songs back to him and he'd say that he had forgotten that piece of his music. He was constantly, producing music, but he did not put any of it down on paper, and then the newer pieces would displace, in his memory, the older ones. I don't know how many more songs he may have created over the years that only he could reproduce, but it has to be in the hundreds if not over a thousand.
I had a few firsts with George. My first time skiing, George was there. George first introduced me to the concept of grinding coffee fresh for each cup. He ground whole beans on a hand cranked grinder, before electric grinders became popular. He made it seem easy to make up songs, and I asked for his advice on some of my first songs. He was the first one who sang Neil Diamonds, “Sweet Caroline,” for me, and did so at my wedding.
George was a musical savant. He was self taught on the guitar and piano, when I first met him and through the years would pick up other instruments that he would teach himself to play...like the violin, Keller, the mandolin... I think Holly told me the bugle was one of the last instruments he learned to play. He could not help it. Music coursed through his veins, and out of his ears to his fingers. He could hear a song once and reproduce the melody on an instrument. He was a prolific creator of music. He was gifted with the ability to come up with original music and lyrics as easily and naturally as it is for us to breathe air and for fish to swim. He had this interactive game he played with the young children when he played the guitar for them at Sunday school. He would make up a phrase of song, and then request a child to fill in the blank with the name of an animal of their spontaneous choosing. Then he would, in real time, complete the ending of the song with creative lyrics and mimicry that rhymed and corresponded with the animal they just named! I was amazed with his genius. He would have kids laughing out loud from sheer delight. You felt free to be silly around George, and he could go as seriously deep as you could, too. He, as he put it, wore his heart on his sleeve. He could help you, through performing a song, lose yourself in the middle of it. Almost as if you were in the eye of the storm, the center of the tornado. Though the sound of his music may have whirled around and surrounded you, the emotional intensity was amplified at the core, and you could not help but be touched by the message.
Though he was so talented, the lust for status, for material wealth, for the things of this world, even just a desire for recognition, had no power over him. I never saw him act as if he had anything over another, even when he taught. He was never pretentious or ever tried to hold power over another individual. He never sought to control, or even thought it a possibility. It was George's character to share, teach and draw the best ability out of another. His humility was endearing, and he inadvertently pulled you in to his fan club. He was so much fun to be around. He was funny, witty, smart, selfless, deferent and authentic. He never made anyone feel awkward. He was free. He had no vice. The joys in his life were real; they were simple but profound; deep, not inflated.
He loved his bride, appreciated all her qualities and let her know it, and no matter what they went through, he stayed by her side and loved and treasured her through it.
He loved all kinds of creatures and this was evident in the way his pets trusted and loved him back. One unique practice George had was to take his bird on his shoulder into the shower with him! Oh yeah, another first. I had never heard of that before.
He was a huge fan of the Indiana Jones character played by Harrison Ford, and would sometimes impersonate him while donning a similar hat and jacket.
He loved music, and it also comforted him back, spoke to him, allowed him an outlet of expression, creativity, passion, solace. When we were younger, many of us in the church spent hours together singing and playing music together. Even if some of us were not that good, George would never make faces or flinch. He just enjoyed that we were making music together and it was so nourishing to the soul. We were just loving the Lord, and it was bonding, healing, growing us all up together into Him.
He loved nature, and would make a regular habit of immersing himself into it, where God's creation and majesty were evident. Where you could go and just know that there is no excuse..God is the master designer. I think he was grounded, restored and invigorated by these get aways.
Though he would readily acknowledge the bad with the good, he just had a way of making you feel positive when you were around him, and not because he was lecturing or teaching you how. He was just a living example of one who had more than this world has to offer and was contented with the eternal while sojourning in this temporary place with the rest of us. When you were in George's presence, life was good.
Holly shared with me about the day that he had - his last day on earth. It, as I imagined it while she shared with me, was the perfect day. He had the love of his life by his side. In the morning, they challenged their minds with games of Sudoku, Binary, KenKen which Holly said George was brilliant at. He completed three challenging levels of Soduko at once, just that morning. Then they got in the car and took an excursion to an Sulven's Island, where they had a idyllic picnic lunch of sandwiches and two cobs of corn, each. When they got to the beach, it was foggy at first, but then the sun came out, and it was so beautiful that George wanted to stay longer. They stayed 5 hours. Swimming, laying on the beach, standing in the water up to his thigh, talking, and enjoying nature's sounds, scents, sights and touches.
The way Holly tells the story speaks volumes about the love she and George shared. She didn't complain about her hardships of the day, she told it from George's view. Their souls melded to the point where she relayed and remembers the day through his eyes. This reminds me of the passion the Shulamite expressed in the Song of Songs 8:6. This is a love that is stronger than death, that is more powerful than the grave. I'm confident that though his physical body is laid to rest, his spirit will be cheering for us to press forward toward the goal of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Though I was shocked and upset by George's sudden leave, I take comfort now, in the knowledge that we will see him again, and we will sing and make music together again. I am so thankful that I had on some part of my journey, shared the road with this godly, spiritual brother of mine, who helped me to experience genuine humility, creativity, contentment, profound appreciation of creation, gentleness, the joy of true worship, fellowship and the love of God for others.
