Transcript

 

Introducing the 2nd recipient of tonight's award is Alec Roy, son of Joel Roy.  His introduction starts with these comments:  "In 2007, cancer threatened to take my father.  He was given 1% chance of survival.  But instead of feeling sorry for himself, he decided to give his life in  (we pick up the presentation from here)

 

[Alec Roy]

 

…surrender to God and let Him take over.  The doctors said that the cancer had turned on itself and had begun to eat itself.  Within a few weeks, my Dad was cancer free.  With a second chance at life, my dad decided he was going to live it in service to the people of his community. 

 

In 2008, my Dad decided he did not have enough work and wanted to become a counselor or 'life coach.'  He studied and practiced until he became a licensed life coach and he decided he was going to offer his services free of charge so that he could be able help people of all walks of life.  People from family members to strangers.  From employees to employers.  And from acquaintances to people he just met in Kroger.  My dad sacrificed his free time to serve people even when it meant missing an episode of 'Dancing with the Stars.'  But most of all, he used his new talents and his new skills with his family.  He became an exemplary father and role model that me and my brothers look up to. 

 

Dad, I'm so proud of you.  Every day a son strives to make their father feel proud, but today I can say that I'm proud of you.  Congratulations!

 

[Applause]

[Taking pic with award - newspaper]

 

[Joël Roy]

I knew it would be a very special evening, a very emotional evening, but however having one of my sons introducing me is extra-super-special!  So, thank you so much, Alec. 

 

I am so touched and so honored to receive this award. 

 

When I moved from France where  I was raised and I came to this country, one of the first expressions in English I learned was 'It takes a village to raise a child.'  Well, I can tell you it takes strong friends, a very special mentor, an amazing church and of course a very strong family to raise a man. 

 

I am just so blessed to have them all here tonight and have them in my life.  I want to thank my dear, dear friend Dr. King, who's with us tonight whom I've known for 18 years.  And for the past 18 years, we have met every single week.  And we talk and we go around the world again, and again and again.  I have so much respect for you and have so much admiration and you're the best, by far, mentor any man can have and I'm so proud to have you as my friend. 

 

I'd like to thank, indeed, my Pastor, Gentry, and the entire team around you.  Your patience, your love, your teaching and your guidance have absolutely no limit. 

 

And of course last, but not least, my family.  I love you so much Alec, Matthew and Jonathan, my three boys, and of course my wife of 21 years, Catherine.  I am truly here tonight because of you.  You are truly the reason I am here.  I love you so much that I pray to the Lord that I will be the first one he takes because I can't make it without you. 

 

This award is truly an award that celebrates love, patience, effort, forgiveness, perseverance but most importantly, change. 

 

Little Marie was eight years old when she first approached her Mom with a very interesting question.  She said "Mom, where did I come from, who made me?"   The Mom, under control, with a little smile she replied "Oh, it's very simple.  God.  God made Adam and Eve and Adam and Eve had children.  And the children had children and they had children and so forth, so God made you."  The little child smiled and went back to her room and continued to play until her father came home.  She went to the father and she said "Dad, I've got a question for you.  Where do we come from?  Who made us?"  And the Dad, a little smile on his face, under control, said, "Oh, honey, it's very simple.  We come from monkeys, we come from apes."  And the little girl turned around, went back to her room and played.  But she was bothered.    Something was not right.   So she went back to her mom and told her Mom, "Mom, I'm so confused.  I came to see you with a very specific question.  You did answer.  You told me God made us, but then I went to Dad and he told us we were coming from monkeys and apes.  I don't understand."  Well, the Mom, still under control, still smiling, told the following to the little girl:  "Oh, it's OK, honey, there's nothing confusing about this.  When I answered your question, I was talking about my side of the family." 

 

Cute, cute little story, but truly I was that man.  I was that father... until my wife opened a door in a loving and very patient way, and welcomed the Lord into a house and a house became a home. 

 

In 2007, then, devastating news.  I was diagnosed with cancer with only 1% chance of making it.  First reaction is not to believe it so we sent all the results to France where my Mom rushed to some doctors who broke the same news.  It's really not good.  But, the best doctors are in the US for that type of cancer.  Do not have him over back home and have the surgery.  Let the doctors in the United States take care of it. 

 

I became angry.  Lost, completely confused, and very frustrated.  My wife came home, she took over so that I could go behind Washington and Lee in the woods.  I needed to speak to the Lord.  I had prepared a speech.  A very selfish speech.  A very self-centered speech.  And I was going to tell him "Why me, why now? I think I'm a good person. I'm trying to do what's right.  I love you.  I've got two kids.  I'm only 41.  Why now?  This doesn't make any sense?  Why are you allowing this?"  I looked around in the woods, there was no one.  I was still embarrassed and a little bit ashamed because I didn't want to be seen talking to the Lord.  I raised my hands but the words that came out had nothing to do with the speech I had prepared.  The words that came out were not under my control.  However, I could hear them very well like a different person in me was talking to Him.  And this is what happened:  "Lord, if it's my time to go then take me.  But I have one request of you, only one.  That my departure would bring someone closer to you.  If it's not my time to go, please tell me what to do.  I like my job, but this is not fulfilling.  I would like to really, really serve you." 

 

No more than three days later, the Lord spoke, which I had never experienced before, and gave me the guidance of becoming a life coach in several areas, I'm also a counselor in marriage, with a clear instruction not to charge a penny.  Not to charge anything, that he will provide for everything that family and I would ever need. 

 

Not long ago in a session someone asked me what was the biggest lesson I had learned so far.  I am a big, big movie freak.  And I love, I love wonderful ending stories.  Forest Gump said 'Life is like a box of chocolates.'  Well, I can tell you tonight that my story is not a box of chocolates.  My story is, in fact, a mayonnaise jar.  And this is the biggest message that I'd like to share.  The biggest message which has affected my life as a husband and as a man. 

 

A professor stood before his philosophy class one day.  He had a few items on a table.  Very quietly he grabbed an empty mayonnaise jar and he proceeded to fill it with golf balls.  He then showed the jar to the class and asked the class if the jar was full.  They all agreed that  it was.  He then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.  He shook the jar very lightly and the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.  He asked the class again if the jar was full and once again, the class agreed that it was.  He picked up a box of sand and poured the sand into the jar and of course the sand filled everything else.  He asked one more time to the class if the jar was full.  They all responded with a unanimous "YES."  Then the professor produced two cups of coffee from under the table. He poured its contents into the jar effectively filling up every space between the sand.  The class laughed and when the class began to be quiet again.  The professor delivered the following message that has changed my life. 

 

"I want you to recognize, class, that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the things that matter most in your life.  God first, your family, your children, your health and your friends. 

 

The pebbles represent what is also important to you:  Your job, your career, your car, your house but if everything was taken away from you, if everything was lost, and only the golf balls remained your life would still be full. 

 

The sand represents everything else:  the small stuff.  So you see, if you pour all the sand into the jar first, you have no space, no room for the pebbles and the golf balls. 

 

So it goes with  life.  If we focus on the small stuff, things that don't really matter, we have no room for what is crucial to our happiness.  We have no room for our Lord.  The class cheered, clapped, they had gotten the message.  However, a young lady raised her hand and asked the following question:  "How about the coffee.  What does the coffee represent, please?"  And the professor smiled, looked at the young lady and said "I am so glad you asked that question.  It goes to show you that no matter how busy life seems to be, there is always room for a couple of cups of coffee with your best friends."

 

I want to share with you what I have learned from my ordeal with cancer and life in general.  It's that things that truly, truly matter should never be left at the mercy of things that matter the least. 

 

And finally, I'd like to conclude by sharing a quote from a very, very famous lady, mother Theresa.  She said "Let us make one point.  That we meet each other with a smile.  And when it's difficult to smile, keep smiling.  Smile at each other.  Make time for each other.  Especially time for your family.  Thank you so much for this award.  It means the world to me.  God bless you.

 

[Applause]