DADDY RICHARD  use to tell me this... " when you play the piano for the "CHUCH",  don't do it because you think you have to.  Don't do it because the people said "you sound good.  Don't do it because you might get a little money.  Please don't do it because you think no one else can".  

DADDY RICHARD said... "PLAY THE PIANO FOR THE "CHUCH" BECAUSE YOU LOVE TO DO IT!   IF YOU LOVE TO DO IT THEN YOU ARE DOING IT FOR LOVE".

DADDY RICHARD... I LOVE to play the piano because  I'M DOING IT FOR LOVE!

THANK YOU DADDY RICHARD FOR YOUR WISDOM. 

I was 25 when my husband and I were pregnant with our first child Jevonya, I went to Belhaven and was sharing my news with my family,  Daddy Richard looked at me and said yo think you grown now. I really did not know what to say, so I said  I think so.   I will never forget that moment

  When I told Daddy Richard I was pregnant with Gerry, He said " Do What?"


After Leon and I had been married about 20 some years, one day he looked in the room where we were sleeping and said "Leon what are you doing laying in the bed with my daughter?  

When Jewell was an infant and would be crying in the middle of the night, Daddy Richard would get up  and make a fire in the heater so Jewell would be warm.  He would say "Reen what's the matter with her, don't you khow what you are doing?


I was a teacher and a military wife, but never seemed to have enough money to last til the once a month payday.  I would find Daddy Richard the school where he was a janitor and would ask  "Daddy Richard, can you loan me $10 until payday.  He would pull out a big wad and say "Is that all you need?  I would say, well 20 would be better.  He would give me 10 more and say "Is that all you need?  I would tell Muh and we would laugh and she would say, Rick was always a soft spot for you.


Daddy Richard introduced my husband and me to the Lord at a very young age.  He also baptized us eaarly one Sunday morning.  To God Be The Glory.      
   

One fall, after I had worked in New Jersey all summer and had about $200 to return to ECSU, Mother said "Reen, you been in up there all summer and have no money.  You can't go back to school."  I was distraught because I really wanted to return to school.  Mother finally concluded "Just wait until Rick gets here  and we'll will see what he says."  Upon Daddy Richard's arrival, Mother told him the long story about how I had been in NJ all summer and only had $200 to return to school.  She went on to say "I don't think she can go back to school--she might as well go on back up there to work and save some money.  Daddy Richard pondered for a second or two, then he said "If she wonts to go back to school, let her go. " God will make a way somehow."  This has stuck with me to this day.  Needless to say, I returned to school and graduated.   Way to go Daddy Richard!


2.  I can think of so many more stories, but I don't want to bore my sisters and brothers since they have heard them all before. 
   

I remember one day my Daddy Richard and I were having a talk as he drove me to ECU after Christmas break.  He asked how was I doing in school? I recall telling him that I was not doing good in math and that I was never good with it.  "I just can't do it...I'm not smart with math," I said.  He said, "Denise you know...the devil is the only one that will ever tell you what you can't do and who you are not."  The Lord will always tell you what you CAN do and He tells you who and what you can be."  You put God first and you can do anything your heart desires."

I've carried that message in my heart and my mind since then and found it to be such a real time blessing to me from day to day.  In fact, I think that was his blessing and prayer over my life.  My Daddy Richard was so wise. His calm, funny, and clever spirit continues to bless my everyday life.  Wish he could have met my husband and son.  They would have loved him too.  We love you Daddy Richard.

Daddy Richard was ready to take me back to Greenville where i was in school at  ECU.  He was frustrated because it was taking me so long to get ready. 

Muh was frustrated at his lack of patience.  She kept saying "Rick wait!  You aren't the one going to school, she is!"  Daddy Richard replied (in his Daddy Richard way), "I aints got time to wait!"

Because Muh was on my side this time, i decided I'd take my time and force him to wait while I ate dinner.  To my surprise, Daddy Richard stormed out the door---irritated at our slowfulness and total lack of regard for his precious time, jumped into his car, backed out of the driveway and sped down the road on his way to ECU. According to him, he got almost to Washington before he thought about the fact that other than getting me to school, he had no reason to even go there.  Why on earth would he be going to ECU?

Daddy Richard turned the car around and came back to the house.  He walked in and with his calm kind of way.  Looked at us and said,  "So...are you ready to go now?"  Muh and I said "Yes" and nothing else was said.

I still smile when I think about it.  Boy did I love my Daddy Richard!