Friend, Teacher, Mentor

Bob Fields was a tree farmer, a counselor, a leader, a missionary and a lover of the hills of Kentucky. Although most times I can recall dates from the past, I don’t really recall the first time I met Bob. It was sometime after 1992 and before 1998. There was an instant attraction to Bob for me and if you have meet Bob you know what I mean. Maybe it was because we were both from Kentucky, maybe it was because of the relationship I saw between his wife and himself, maybe it was his faith, or maybe it was simply the way he treated people. One thing I do know is Bob has been an inspiration for our family for the past 15+ years. It seems like we have known him forever and I am certain God had planned our paths intersecting long before 1992. 

We did not see Bob and Edwina (or Eddie as most people call her) very often, but when we did it was always a special time. We saw them more after 1998 as we would take family trips to cleftRock, their retreat center in Rockcastle County, Kentucky. The retreat center was a special place and you could feel it the minute you drove on to the property. cleftRock was a vision that God delivered to Bob many years ago while he and Eddie were serving as missionaries overseas. cleftRock become a special place to anyone who visited and Bob and Eddie made it even more special. Our relationship would continue to grow as they trained us in marriage enrichment; they had gone from being our friends to being mentors, a role they would serve for the years that followed. Again, we never saw them all that often. It was sort of like they would show up in our lives at just the right time, a time that was arranged by a much higher power. Their listening skills were like none I had ever seen. It seems they would listen for hours and then offer just the right encouragement or share a life experience that just fit the moment in our lives. Bob had the gift to ask just the right question and it would stir an emotion in you that was very hard to describe. 

Bob and Eddie both knew our hearts. There was never a time after a visit, that Linda and I would walk away not having learned something about ourselves, our relationship with each other and the relationships we have with people around us. Bob had an uncanny sense of how to dig deeper and help you realize things about yourself. I was always amazed when I would leave their home. I always left feeling better about myself. 

There are ground rules at cleftRock, one which always stuck with us: No Put Downs. This was not only a rule at cleftRock, but it was a way of life for Bob. Linda and I were commenting, it is so easy to be sarcastic at times especially with friends, but with Bob and Eddie both, we never heard them say one negative or sarcastic word about anyone. They were strong on sharing experiences not opinions, a very good life lesson that they both taught us and, at times, not an easy one to live by. But Bob did, and he did it well. 

What I saw in Bob was a man who did not get in a big hurry. He took a great deal of time to get to know you, to really know you. It was not just a passing moment; he wanted to know where you came from, where you were going, how you planned to get there and what you were going to do when you arrived. Bob saw everywhere he went as his mission field. 

Bob was a poor country boy from Kentucky who loved the hills of Kentucky and he loved to take care of the land God had entrusted to him. He was a tree farmer, a man who loved to work with his hands and to build things. He loved people; he loved helping people work through their life problems. He loved his family deeply. 

With Bob’s passing this past week, God now has his faithful servant in heaven. Bob is also united with his son Todd who was killed on the mission field. I can just see Todd greeting Bob and giving him a big hug as only Todd could. Although Heaven is the perfect place and I am certain Bob will be taking his time, meeting people from the past and if there are trees, streams, rivers and pickup trucks, Bob will be off exploring all there is in heaven. I know for a fact there will never be another Bob Fields in our life, but I am thankful for the years we knew him and the time he invested in our lives. 

While Bob had many roles in his life, he was one of my heroes.  I am going to miss my friend and I only hope I can remember everything he taught us. 

Footnote – This past Friday, Bob Fields passed away after a battle with cancer. He was definitely greeted by God with well done, good and faithful servant.