Bill Method
Bill has been my friend for nearly 40 years. He was on the Puppet Express Co. with Ann, his wife, Jimbo Mohler and Pat Zweber. Others came and went but these 4 formed the original team. Over the years as we all moved apart the sense of family created by this team of puppeteers stayed intact. This tightknit group included the family members and the puppets who had been given life and voice by each of the members.
There is no other ministry quite like a puppet ministry. In the hands of a talented puppeteer puppets can make us laugh, cry and share God’s word in creative ways. If Skip, Bill’s alter ego, or any of the other puppets he brought to life, could talk, they would say something about how he made them live; perhaps their words would include, “It was the look I felt in your eyes as you looked at me that helped me perform exactly as expected of me. It was you and your heart for Jesus that made me so convinced and convincing of the message you told through my plush and foam body. I became more than a caricature of humanity. I lived through your arm, laughed through your voice and ministered in unexpected and surprising ways to share the gospel.”
But you have got to “hand it to” Bill! His own quick wit and great sense of humor and timing became an inseparable part of the Puppet Express Co.
It is difficult to sum up my friendship with Bill Method in only a few sentences, but I will try.
He loved Jesus.
He loved his wife.
He loved his kids and grandkids.
He was intentional. He was fun and creative. He was generous. He was a hard worker. When I think of Bill, I think of cars, Disneyland and his family.
I hate that we live in a world of brokenness and disease. Huntington’s is a long goodbye. Bill was robbed of so much as the disease progressed and wore away his memory, his personality and body. The good news is that Bill is in heaven now, completely healthy and whole. He is fully alive and reunited with Ann and living in the presence of the Lord.
In 2 Tim. 4:6-8, Paul says, “The time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.”
These words apply to Bill! In claiming his crown Bill has gone from this life to the next he has left an indelible mark on our world, impacting and helping shape the lives of others, including his wife of, his children, grandchildren, and many other lives, which are too numerous to count.
Today I say goodbye, at least for now, and today, as I stop to remember Bill and all those things that made him unique, who made him who he was, and so special to me and my family. I will miss his warm smile, his quick wit, and endless sense of humor! Most of all I will miss his positive attitude and encouraging words. What made the difference in Bill’s life that sets him apart from so many others? It’s simple. He had enough vision to make his life want to count. He heard the call of Jesus Christ and made the decision to give his life to follow after Him. I thank God for Bill and Ann Method!