89 And Holding

An Amazing Man

2008-09-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

A crisp morning walk with a friend is the way to start out any morning. James finishes his brisk walk and heads back, opening the door for his lady friend as she strolls into the lobby of the assisted living center.

So much has changed over the last several months, but he takes everything in stride knowing that he is in a safe place and is watched over by not only heavenly angels but earthly angels as well. The open door environment along with the few residents gives this place he is living a warm and friendly feel and that is what he wants more than mere activity.

Some days are good for him and some days are not but that doesn't seem to matter because he keeps his eyes focused on people, from counseling pre-marital couples to helping those around him whom he sometimes refers to as "inmates".

This day seems very special for some reason. His pale twinkly blue eyes along with his well combed white hair give him a stately appearance. Even though he uses a walker, his back is straight as he speeds down the hall to the lobby to wait for a ride to church.

James' attitude is always uplifting and the staff and the "inmates" enjoy his cheery disposition.

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Such is the life of my Dad. Even though at 91 his vision is blurred and his hearing is boosted by hearing aides, he remains a very positive influence in all of our lives. He is able, literally, to laugh at any situation and crys when he thanks you for taking him to his appointments. He lives with the attitude that as long as he has breath, he has purpose. He is an amazing man!

A Surprising Revelation

2008-04-18T16:23:00.000-07:00

I am writing for my Dad because I want this to be said.

He is right now in a state of transition. Transition to what, none of us know.

What I have learned in this time when he is sometimes confused and sometimes clear as a bell, is that no matter what his state of mind is, he is still my Dad.

The person he is inside still has moments of coming out and for those moments I am deeply grateful because as long as he lives, he has something to give...someone to bless...and a need to still be here on this earth.

I am reminded of what Paul said when he wondered whether he should stay her on earth, which he said would be beneficial to his readers and co-workers, or if he should go on. I do not know what each day holds, but the moments I have with my Father are precious indeed.

On that note, I want to just say..."I Love You Daddy!". You have been a wonderful blessing in my life...an example to follow...always there...always loving me...thank you.

Thank You For Your Prayers

2007-05-02T11:14:00.000-07:00

Dad will be going for an angiogram (sp?) next week, and possibly more. If you have a prayer or a word of encouragement, please comment. Dad is a very positive, full of faith kind of person, but encouragement is always very helpful. Thank you so much...and God bless each of you.

Kid #4 - A Girl

2007-04-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

A new flavor was added to our household with the arrival of Cheryl, our first and only daughter, on St. Patrick's Day! She was a beautiful child, and her mother dressed her in pretty clothing!

She was a perky little lady and could stand up for herself with her three brothers and others! One of our longtime friends nicknamed her "Pepper." This was evidenced one day when we were taking our oldest son's fiancee with us on a trip to Lubbock from Roswell, NM. Cheryl wiggled her little bottom and exclaimed "I knew it would be crowded if she came along!" Another time she didn't like something her mother said, so she stuck her tongue out at her mother, not knowing her mother would see her. She was standing in front of a mirror and her mother could see the reflected tongue. Needless to say, further "correction" occurred.

Cheryl accepted Christ as her saviour and was very active in the various mission and choral activities at her church.

She liked school and participated in various activities, such as the choral groups. She dated very little in high school, preferring to run around with a group composed of both boys and girls. One evening she had a date, and the young man asked me, "Sir, at what time do you want me to bring her home?" I was really impressed at his courtesy! Later I told Cheryl how nice I thought he was, and she said "Forget it. I don't want to ever date him again!"

As the result of taking some of her high school courses for both high school and college credit, she was able to graduate from New Mexico State University in three years. She later went to North Texas State University to graduate school, and then moved to Lubbock to work for the College of Agriculture at Texas Tech University.

She met her future husband, Al, at Bacon Heights Baptist Church, where they married, and later dedicated their first child. They later had two other children.

My perky little daughter has matured into a sweet, loving, and beautiful daughter, wife, and mother! I am so glad that I have been able to live in the same city with her family ever since she married!

Written by her loving father.

Bouncing Bob

2007-03-29T14:51:00.000-07:00

When our #2 son started to school, my wife said that she either wanted to go back to work as a Home Economics teacher, or have another baby. One of her little nephews stayed with us while his little brother was being born. We enjoyed him so much that we decided on having another baby.

Again, our goal was to have a child born around the middle of March. No. 3 wasn't quite ready by then, so he showed up on Easter Sunday morning, April 9,1950. I don't think he has had another Easter birthday, but is supposed to have one this century. He will miss it by one day this year. We named him after a maternal uncle and grandfather--Robert Harvey. We called him Bob.

Bob was a pleasant little fellow from the beginning! He loved his big brothers! After they went away to college, If one was coming to town, he would tell his friends that he would be busy visiting with them until they left. He liked to climb up in a big tree in the front yard and holler "SHOT" at kids passing by. That was a derogatory remark, and they would look around but couldn't see him in the tree.

Bob loved school and did well! He was popular with the teachers and the girls. He decided to go to New Mexico State University and study electrical engineering. He participated in a satellite tracking program in program in Alaska, Thailand,and Cyprus, being gone up to six months at a time. This paid his way through college.

In between trips he became engaged to a neat young lady, Gayle. Their wedding was scheduled right after the Thailand trip. I met him at the airport in El Paso, and he was sick with mono. I kidded him and said that I would hate to face my fiance and tell her that I had mono (the kissing disease as it was called). At the wedding she was sick, too, and we nearly had to hold them up for the ceremony.

They recovered, Bob graduated, and has had a wonderful career in the electronics field, ending up with a very responsible management position with Scientific Atlanta.

He felt the Lord calling him to ministry, and now he is working for a large church in Atlanta as their financial operations officer.

He is the father of two married daughters and one married son, and now has his first grandson, Parker.

Bob accepted Christ as his saviour as a boy, and has been active in his church ever since!

Stress/Fear/Bonding

2007-03-09T06:15:00.000-08:00

George delivered the Roswell daily paper during high school. One of his pet peeves was to go to a home to collect for the next month's papers, only to get an excuse--come back later.
The first of the month was stressful for him. This particular month, his mother had suggested that he not spend so much time with his girlfriend, Mary. To deal with the double stress, he decided to run away from home.

He drove the car he shared with his mother to a church fellowship. He didn't come home afterwards. Telephone calls to his friends produced no answers. Finally, I called the police and was told that they could do nothing unless I gave them permission to arrest him. I agreed.

Around 11:00 p.m. I finally received a call from a friend, who told me that George had gone to Ruidoso to spend the night with a former Sunday school teacher, whom I knew. A call to Ruidoso located him. I took the bus to Ruidoso, spent the night in the friend's motel, and drove home the next day with George. The bonding that took place was heart-warming. I gave no lectures or threatened punishment--I just listened and let him know that I loved him. He never ran away again .

Our Second Son

2007-03-05T06:17:00.000-08:00

Our first child was born in March, and my wife liked that time of year for childbirth. However, George had other ideas. We welcomed him into the world on May 4 in San Antonio, the Alamo city! He was a happy little guy, and responded well to our moves to Big Spring, Boston, Allred, and to Santa Fe. There he began to limp. On taking him to the doctor, we found that he had a hip ailment they called Perthy's disease. The top of the femur had become porous and was flat on top. The only known cure was to keep him healthy and keep his weight off that leg. A brace was ordered. He walked around on that brace, and was the envy of his friends, who had no brace!

After a move to Roswell, NM, his doctor ordered him to stay in bed. We built a platform on his wagon, and his big brother pulled him around, up and down a ramp at the steps, and he kept a smile on his face all the time he was awake.

He progressed to crutches. These became his "machine guns" as he played war. Finally, just before he entered the first grade, the crutches were abandoned.

He liked school, but one day decided to "play hooky"--skip school. He spent a miserable afternoon trying to hide near some neighbors house until school was out. The neighbor notified his mother as to George's antics, so she wasn't worried. Finally, he saw that school was out so he went home. His miserable afternoon caused him to never skip school again!

His doctor told us that he could now have a bicycle. I brought one home while he was at school, and put it in his room. After school was out that afternoon, I followed him into his room. When he saw the bicycle he ran toward me, jumped up, grabbed me around the neck, and locked his legs around my waist! He was one happy little boy!

His next crisis involved his riding on a motor scooter and running into the side of a moving automobile. He was in a cast for quite awhile. He had just met a new girlfriend when the accident happened. She showed her loyalty, by staying by his side in the hospital and showing her friendship afterwards. When they were 19 they married.

He was drafted into the army during the Vietnam war, was injured during training, and received a medical discharge.

He attended college at Texas Tech and graduated from the University of Houston. He then graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and became a minister in southern Illinois. While working full time he was able to earn a PH.D. degree from Southern Illinois University.

He now ministers to students as a tenured associate professor of health education at Lamar University, Beaumont, TX. One day, while walking to class, his legs shut down on him. Following surgery, he became a paraplegic. He is wheelchair-bound, but drives himself to work and teaches his classes at the University.

Throughout his life he has refused to give in to adversity. He keeps a smile on his face, and is dearly loved by his family, students, and all who know him! He and his wife have one married son who is a psychiatrist in Oklahoma.

In addition to the role that George's wife, Mary, plays in his life, another precious lady, Marva, a home health care lady, appears at his home five or more mornings per week, to get him ready for his day's activities.

Our First Son...Jim

2007-03-01T06:07:00.000-08:00

The year was 2020 (fake date...real son). We were expecting our first child. There was no way to determine the sex of the child, but the doctor thought it might be a boy. We wanted to name our first son after me with a Jr. added. Since I went by my middle name, we would call him the nickname, Jimmy. He was due on March 14.

I was working at the Social Security Board office in Amarillo. I had told the account number clerk to pick out a good number for Jimmy. She came to me March 13, told me about a number ending in 2020, but it had to be issued that day. I told her to go ahead.

Labor started during the night, we went to the hospital, and were told the baby would be born around 10:00 a.m. They gave her something and she went to sleep. She awoke around 9:30 and was dreading the delivery ordeal, but I told her she didn't have anything to worry about, he was born about 7:30 while she was still asleep.

I was in the room when he was born, but they told me to stand out of the way, so if I fainted I wouldn't cause a problem. In a few minutes I heard "It's a boy!"

We loved that little guy! It was so much fun to come home from work and get to play with him!We lived in a tiny apartment, and Jimmy's room was a closet. We took him everywhere we went--to the movies, to the grocery store, etc.

During his early years we lived in Amarillo, Sweetwater, San Angelo, Lufkin, Houston, San Antonio, Big Spring, Boston, and he had his fourth birthday in San Francisco.

These were WWII years. I was away from him in Hawaii for a year, and I remember what a thrill it was to see him when I flew in to Big Spring after I was discharged. His mother had dressed him and his little brother in little U. S. Navy uniforms.

Jimmy asked me one day, "Daddy, why to you smile every time you look at us?" It was obvious, I loved my sons.

We moved to Santa Fe for two years, and then he grew up in Roswell, NM, where he attended school from 2nd grade through high school.

We took him to church regularly, and one Sunday morning he went forward at invitation time and accepted Christ as his Saviour. The night he was baptized I stayed at home with his little brother, and my wife took him. When they returned home, I found out that both of them had been baptized!

We purchased our second home in l956 very close to Roswell High School, where he graduated.

He didn't show much interest in the girls at our church. He said they were all "hawk noses".
He had a job most of high school, and was a hard worker. He bought his first car, and I remember going to the bank with him to get it financed.

He graduated from high school, spent six months in the army reserve, went to Texas Tech for one semester, and he started dating Marlene. She sang in our church choir and sat right in front of me. She was definitely NOT a hawk nose!

Marlene's family moved to California, and Jimmy transferred to a junior college near where she lived. We went to the wedding in California. They were both 19!

He returned to Texas Tech, was recalled to the army, returned to Tech and graduated there with a mechanical engineering degree.

Jim (we dropped calling him Jimmy) has had a wonderful career. He worked for Boeing Aircraft his first year out of college, living in Seattle. He transferred to General Electric in Boston, and then to Texas Instruments in Dallas.

While in Dallas he started to graduate school at Southern Methodist, University, earning masters and doctors degrees in engineering in mechanical engineering .

Texas Tech hired him as an Assistant Professor of mechanical engineering. He later became a full professor and associate dean of the college of engineering.

He had always loved research. (As a teenager he had built a "still" to make alcohol under the house, and later set his room on fire with some experiment he was doing.)

He transferred from Tech to a government research laboratory, where he still works.

As with most fathers and sons, we had a few battles during the teen years. One day many years ago, I made a deal with him. I said "If you will forgive me for being a lousy dad at times, I will forgive you for whatever it was that you did." We shook hands on the deal. He has been a wonderful son, and I am very proud of him!

Jim and his wife, Marlene, have had a wonderful marriage, and are the parents of two sons, a chemical engineer and an architect. They have seven wonderful grandchildren.

My Sister Merle

2007-02-14T12:09:00.000-08:00

My sister Merle was three years older than I was.

As a little boy I remember fighting with her occasionally. One day I hit her with something and received a stern "boys don't hit girls" message from my mother. My punishment was having to go in the house and let my mother wash or cut my hair, and I hated both! That sounds pretty stupid, I know.

One Christmas I had seen a little steam engine at the toy store, and really wanted it for Christmas (instead of the tools I usually asked for). Santa Claus brought it (although I never believed in Santa Claus).

I lighted the little alcohol burner, steam built up, and the engine started running! I was so excited! It had a short run. I accidentally knocked it over, it blew up, the alcohol spilled out, started a fire, and Merle's new doll's hair caught fire! She was so mad at me!

Her doll had painted hair under the other hair, so it wasn't a total loss. But, alas, my steam engine never ran again!

In our teen years we became good friends. I even double dated with her a few times.

Another time, I remember a beauty contest was being held at Clovis, New Mexico... nine miles away. Merle won it. She was so very pretty and we were all excited about it.

One day my Dad came to me and asked "Did you know that your sister is going to 'jump over the broomstick'?" That meant that she was engaged to be married. She married in our living room with my Dad officiating.

They lived in White Deer, TX, so we didn't see her very often. I remember when she would visit we were so excited and she nearly always brought gifts of some sort.

My senior year in high school I went to school one day and told everyone I had a niece!

Through the years we visited back and forth at Christmas, vacation time, etc. I always had a good relationship with her.

She died at 85, and we really have missed her!

A Note From Cheryl

2007-02-13T20:18:00.000-08:00

As the baby of the family and the only girl, my perspective of my Dad may be quite a bit different than that of my three brothers.

Spoiled...probably....moody...definately...made Dad late...not too much.

Okay...My Dad was fairly easy going until it came to being on time and getting a task done right when he said to do it...whatever it was. About the only time I saw him riled up was when I was about to make him late for church or work.

I remember taking a load of makeup, hairspray and the like in the car to finish getting ready for church because we couldn't be late...even though we were always one of the first families to get there. I remember my Dad getting upset "on tape" when we were not moving fast enough in getting the car packed for a trip.

(Footnote on the trip thing...His idea of "getting up at our leasure" was 6:00 a.m. That does not fit into teen time which would fall in the neighborhood of about 1:00 p.m.)

Then there was the time when he was celebrating some landmark anniversary at work and the office was planning a surprise party for him. I was the perfect person to make him late. He was fuming, and my Mom and I were in the bedroom laughing our heads off. He felt kind of sheepish when he found out we were just giving the crew time to get everything ready for the surprise.

All in all though, if there was a merit badge which could be given for putting up with the antics of four children, he would get it.

What other father would go to the store for a panic stricken teenage girl and buy her a comb because hers just wasn't working. In fact, he bought me an assortment just to make sure I was covered. I'm glad he's my Dad...and I'm glad he's loved me all these many years...Thanks Dad.

A Note From Sarah

2007-02-12T06:20:00.000-08:00

"I never had the awesome opportunity of being around Uncle Hassler a whole lot, but when I was around him it was always special.

I love the way his heart is towards the Lord and how the joy and positive attitude he has reflects Christ to others. I have always loved hearing his stories and the way Nana has always told me how special a brother he is to her.

I also really appreciate the encouraging notes and birthday cards as well as the verses and "counseling" my husband & I received from him in the mail. The marriage magazine subscription has also been great for us starting out this first year married.

Uncle Hassler is such an example to me of someone who wants to live life to the fullest and continue to run the race. No matter what struggles or losses he has experienced, he continually looks forward to his eternal reward and place in Heaven.

Thank you Uncle Hassler for being so kind and loving an example to me to never give up on the things I want and God wants with my life." Sarah

My Half Birthday

2007-02-01T05:57:00.001-08:00

As I was rudely was awakened by my alarm, I was dreaming that a little penguin had followed me home, and was chattering to come in my house and help me celebrate my half -birthday. But, alas, no penguin. I had watched the penguin show on TV before going to bed.

My half-birthday? What is that?

The last few years I jokingly tell my friends that I am celebrating my half-birthday on February 1. I thanked God this morning for seeing me halfway through another birth year (I was born on August 1). I have previously prayed that the Lord would use me well into my 90's to help couples prepare for and maintain good marriages. Now, 90 is just six months away!

I will celebrate by going to the men's prayer group this morning to pray for each other and others in our church who are having problems. One of the couples I will pray for is a couple I met on the plane Christmas Eve. He has cancer,, and was returning from Mexico following treatment.

With the Lord's help I plan to make my half-birthday a pleasant and rewarding one.

My Courtship with Ann

2007-02-01T05:56:00.000-08:00

I had been in the same church with Ann and her late husband for many years, but I had never had a conversation with her.

One evening I attended a "42" party to which Ann had also been invited. I noticed that she was a lot of fun, but still didn't get involved in any conversation with her.

A short time later, I was walking in the local Mall for my usual morning exercise. I saw her approaching me as we walked, so decided to turn and walk with her. We walked around and around the inside of the Mall, laughing and joking all the way! She was fun!

We accidentally met a time or two, walked together, and then meeting at 7:00 a.m. on Monday through Friday became a pattern. She was out of the city during part of December, but my January to May calendar pages are full of dates. Each page has this statement at the top: "Walked with Ann most mornings." The first person to arrive would walk around and around just inside the Mall entrance. I remember how I looked forward to seeing her smiling face. Then we would walk around and around for about two miles, tell each other "goodbye" and go home.

The January calendar had these entries: 17th, "Dinner at Ann's house 6:00 p.m." 26th "Ate supper with Ann (her 78th birthday)." 31st "Took Ann to Half Night of Prayer 6:00 p.m.and to Ann's at 8:00.
She gave me a pecan pie."

February. 4th "To Ann's house for choc. pie 8:00." 14th (Valentine Day). :Date with Ann 5:00 p.m. Steak and Ale." We met some friends coming out of the cafe, and they told us we wouldn't get in without a reservation. We walked in, and were seated immediately. (On our way back to my car, Ann took my arm, and I will never forget the thrill I felt from her touch.) 16th. "Started sitting with Ann in morning services." 17. "Spent evening at Ann's."20th "Hosted, with Ann, 42 party at my house." (She brought the desert.). 22nd. "Watched TV at Ann's house." On the 23'rd I was to have a birthday dinner with my daughter's family at Steak and Ale. I didn't tell them I was bringing Ann. My daughter was surprised, but gave Ann a big hug, and we had a great time.

Later that day, Ann left town to babysit a new great-granddaughter. She would leave on Sunday and come back on Friday. This continued through March, and I saw Ann regularly on the weekends. During the week we would call and write each other. The granddaughter with whom she was staying became vitally interested in our romance, and would say such things in the evening as "Did he call?" "Did you get a letter?"

Late in March, she discontinued baby sitting, and I saw her nearly every day of the week--at her house, my house, at parties, at church.

On April 26, I asked Ann to marry me! We called all our kids and told them! We purchased the rings on May 2, and married in front of the fireplace in her living room on May26. Our pastor, Dr. D. L. Lowrie performed the ceremony. About 40 people attended, with standing room only. We had the reception at our house.

We didn't have a formal honeymoon, but just beginning our life together in her home was all the h0honeymoon we needed.

This was a whirlwind romance, but we had a great marriage!

If I did something that offended her, I would apologize, and almost immediately she would end it with saying "I'm sorry I was ugly."

Following heart surgery, she died on the day after our 7th anniversary. The church auditorium was packed for her funeral. She was dearly beloved by all!

My Little Red Heads

2007-01-30T08:26:00.000-08:00

My little red heads changed my life! They were my first grandchildren who had lived all their lives in the city where I live.

One evening when Ranae was about 18 months old, I went over to pick her up because both of her parents were sick. When I started for the car I couldn't find my keys. My daughter said, "Ask Ranae where they are." How could a tiny little lady know where my keys were. I found a key in my bill fold and started the car. I looked around, and Ranae handed me the lost keys!

She was a quick learner. She learned how to bat a ball, and it was not safe to get too close to her when she was at bat, because she could really hit that ball! She gave me a new grandpa name. She called me PaPa.

She was very observant of their pastor at church, and began to stand on a little stump in our back yard and preach away! When her little sister, Danielle, was born, Ranae was three. She asked me,"Who is going to be Danielle's PaPa?" When I told her I was, she replied "Oh no you're not, you are MY PaPa!" The rivalry had begun.

My wife and I frequently kept them over a weekend. Ranae liked to play like she was the teacher. She would be teaching away, and if Danielle did something she didn't like she would point her finger at Danielle to reprimand her. Danielle would "go into orbit" and refuse her sister's pointed finger. The girls played all kinds of pretend games--school, hotel, restaurant, etc.

When I would pick them up for a weekend, we would go to my house, make out our weekend menu, and then go to their favorite grocery store to buy the groceries. They knew their way around in the store.

My wife became terminally ill. One morning, I went up to the hospital to try to decide what to do. My daughter and girls came up. Ranae told me that she had a dream about Granni. She said that Granni was in heaven. I asked her what Granni was doing. She replied, "She was a dancing!" That broke the emotional log jam. We laughed and cried, and I knew it was time to let Granni go on to be with the Lord.

The girls continued to spend a lot of time with me, and I really enjoyed it!

The girls were very observant as I began a little dating after my wife died. Over a three month period I had three dates with a widow at church. One day she called me to come over, that she had baked some cookies. The purpose of the invitation was to tell me she didn't have time for me. When I told Ranae about this, she compared it to baseball--three strikes and you are out. She later wrote me a letter and told me not to play baseball any more. The girls later played a role in the courtship of my second wife.

Time has passed, and they are no longer my "little redheads." Ranea has married, and Danielle will soon be a senior in high school. Both have developed their own personalities, and are beautiful young women who are looking forward to the careers they feel the Lord is guiding them.

We don't spend weekends together, but family gatherings are always a great pleasure!

My Courtship with My Wife

2007-01-29T06:41:00.000-08:00

Every time I go to my church I pass by the house where I met Butch.

In the spring of l936 I was dating a girl that lived in a light-housekeeping residence on Broadway. One day, while visiting my girlfriend, I met another resident at the house. Her nickname was "Butch."

Butch lived with her grandparents that summer. One day two guys showed up at Butch's house to take her out. While the guys chatted in her living room, Butch crawled out the window of her bedroom, and into the bedroom of her cousin's house next door, and solicited her help.

In a short time, both girls entered the living room where we guys were sitting. Each girl took the arm of one of us, and we went out on a double date. Butch took my arm, and I will never forget the feel of her hand on my arm! Our romance was under way!

We dated all summer, swimming, playing tennis, going to movies, taking a walk, etc. Just before college started in the fall, Butch told me that she would give me one week to make up my mind between her and my other friend when the friend returned to start back to college. I had one date with the other girl, and told her "goodbye." No hearts were broken, as she married the guy she had dated back home that summer.

Butch and I dated during the next two college years. We were in a social club at college, went to church, ball game, did all the usual things college kids do.

I purchased her engagement ring at a jewelry store in Lubbock, and we became engaged at Christmas, l937. Then she graduated in June, 1938, and we had a long-distance relationship for the next year.

She was hired to teach Home Economics in the Panhandle, TX high school. I was born in Panhandle, and she met several people who knew my family. I made a few trips to Panhandle, and she came to Lubbock a time or two, and of course we corresponded a lot. This was a rough year in many ways.

In about April or May, 1939, I received a little "Dear John" package. She returned her engagement ring and told me she was marrying someone else. I was broken hearted, but began dating other women. I took the ring to the jewelry store to cancel what I owed. The man there said, "You will be needing this again one of these days. We will store it in our safe, and when you need it, let us know."

I graduated from college in June, 1939, and moved to Amarillo to begin a summer job with a grain company. I went to work on Monday, June 12. After work on Wednesday, I decided to drive over to Panhandle to see if Butch had married that guy. She was not at home, but I was told she would be back shortly, so I waited.

On her return, we began talking, and kissed and made up. To this day, I don't know what the deal was with the other guy. I asked no questions, and his name was not mentioned.

On Friday evening, I went back to see her. We decided that evening to get married on Sunday, June 18. The next day, Saturday, was a busy one for us. She went back to her parent's house, purchased a wedding dress, but did not tell her mother she was getting married.

I sent a telegram to the jewelry store in Lubbock to put the engagement ring and a wedding ring on the bus to Amarillo that afternoon (and they did). I went to a doctor's office to get a medical certificate required; to the county clerk's office for the marriage license; and called a church to make arrangements for a Sunday afternoon wedding. The pastor was out of town, but they gave me the name of the seminary professor who was filling in the next day, and the telephone number of his brother's house where he would be staying. I called the number and made the appointment.

Butch drove from Panhandle to Amarillo Sunday morning, and we had lunch with another couple. At about 3:00 p.m. we four went to the address given me, and the marriage ceremony took place. The only thing I remember about the ceremony was that the question "do you take this. . .to be your lawfully wedded . .. ?" was asked in a question to which we answered "we do" instead of the usual "I do."

We were married! The "reception?" The four of us went to a hamburger place after the wedding.

On Monday, Butch found us an apartment. On the following day, we sent telegrams to our parents. My mother called the local Lubbock paper and reported the wedding. Her father was out of town, building a new home in another city. He bought a copy of the Lubbock paper and read in it the account of his daughter's wedding. We could have been in a lot of trouble with our parents, but they were pleased that we had married, and forgave us for not inviting them.

We didn't have one of those "full blown, with all the bells and whistles" weddings, but we were married in a Christian ceremony, and the marriage lasted until her death in 1995--56 years! She was born, married, and died in June.

I will have more to say about our wonderful life together in a later 89 and holding edition.

My Sister Stella Mae

2007-01-21T20:30:00.000-08:00

In early February, 1926, some ladies from First Baptist Church brought some baby clothes and other things, and gave my mother a baby shower. On February 26 my sister Stella Mae was born. I made the remark, "What a coincidence, I have a new baby sister and mother already has clothes for her." I had no idea that my mother was pregnant, and had not yet been told the "facts of life."

We certainly welcomed Stella Mae! She was a doll! She had gorgeous red hair, and mother always dressed her so cute! I remember a studio-made a little girl picture of her that hung on our living room wall--what a beautiful young lady!

Stella and I always got along well with each other. I don't remember any time when we had a serious disagreement.

I lived in the same home with her from her from birth until she was 13. I frequently took her to school in the mornings as I went to work. One day I was taking her and her girl friend to school, and my car was struck from the right in an intersection collision. The horn on the other car activated and kept honking! My young passengers started screaming! Fortunately, no one was injured, but it was an event that Stella and I never forgot!

Recently Stella gave me a picture of me, my wife, and our first son. She told me that it was taken by our mother as we were ending out visit. Stella told me that she went back in the living room after we left, and cried because she didn't think she would ever see my son as a baby again. She has always been tenderhearted, and loved family visits!

We kept in touch through the years with periodic visits back and forth. These were fun occasions!

Now, I am blessed to be living in the same city with her. We call each other nearly every day, keep up with the latest family news, and express our love for each other.

The Miracle of Education

2007-01-19T13:23:00.000-08:00

Although sometimes stressful, my education experiences have been extremely positive times in my life!

I entered first grade at Farwell, TX. My teacher was Miss Antoinette Stamps. Her sister, Julia, was my second grade teacher for a little over half of the term. Then we moved to Raymondville, and Mrs. Hunter became my teacher.

I was promoted to the third grade. A week or two into that year my father decided it was too easy for me. He asked the school to promote me to the fourth grade. They gave him dire warnings that missing the third grade could have negative effects on my life later. (I tell my acquaintances that if they observe anything weird about me, it was because I skipped the third grade.)

I thoroughly enjoyed the fourth grade under Miss Bader's teaching.

Mrs. Pittman, in the fifth grade, was a tough lady, but I loved her.

In the middle of the fifth, my family moved back to Farwell, where I finished the grade.

I had my first man teacher in the sixth grade at Muleshoe, TX--Mr. Boone.

Back to Farwell, I entered the seventh, and was valedictorian, giving the valedictory speech at the graduation ceremony.

For my freshman and sophomore years, I attended Texico High School, just across the state line in this twin-cities location. There I experienced my first "hazing". I was a little bit of a rebel at times (especially in my vocational agriculture class under Mr. Young). Three months into my sophomore year I decided to add typing to my class schedule. That was a very smart move! By the end of the year I was typing with a higher speed and accuracy than all but one typing student. Typing skills continue to pay off for me!

Some of my friends were transferring from Texico High School to Farwell High School for their junior year to play football, and I decided to follow them. Although I didn't play football, the move was positive. I loved my classes, and played the leading male role in the senior play my junior year. This enabled me to get to go on the senior trip to Carlsbad Caverns.

I was not an "athlete," but I played a little basketball my senior year.

I was declared valedictorian of my class, and made the valedictory speech at graduation. To my surprise at the ceremony, I was given the "Best All Around Student" award. My name was engraved on a "loving cup," which is still displayed at the school.

Being made valedictorian enabled me to have nine months of free tuition when I entered Texas Technological College in the fall of 1934.

After moving to Lubbock, TX the day after graduation, I was able to get a job at the college as a secretary in the Division of Extension. I worked 24 hours a week the first year, 45 hours a week for the next three years, and for my last year I worked as a student assistant in the Department of Economics and Business Administration, my major department.

My BBA degree in 1939 enabled me to get a job with the federal Social Security Board, where I worked for 39 years, including two years as a U. S. Navy officer toward the end of WW II.

Feeling that God was calling me to become a Christian counselor, I retired from that job and returned to Texas Tech to get a master's degree in counseling.`

After getting my Master of Education degree, I enrolled for the doctoral program, and received a Doctor of Education degree in December, 1981.

My friends and mentors during graduate school were Rev. Mike Horton, Minister of Family Life, at First Baptist Church, and Dr. H. P. Pender at Texas Tech University's College of Home Economics.

While in graduate school, I worked part time in the church's counseling center.

Shortly after graduate school, Mike Horton left for a counseling position in Houston, and I was asked to fill in until the church could get another minister of family life. Since I was nearly 65, hiring me for a full time position did not fit in with church policy. I was given a one year position, and at the end of the year a decision would be made about further employment.

After working there ten years, I retired to take care of my wife, Mildred, who had become ill.

My education enabled me to become a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and I still continue to practice.

The miracle of education continues to pay off--not in money, as I make no charge for my services now, but in the satisfaction of helping others, especially couples, to start and continue happy marriages! I have a new couple scheduled to start premarital counseling later this month.

I praise the Lord for enabling me to get the education I needed to do what He called me to do!

Miracle of moral and spiritual development

2007-01-17T14:50:00.000-08:00

These events occurred in about a four-year period, from ages 5 to 9.

One morning my father heard me hammering away, driving nails, in the back yard. He went out and told me that I wasn't supposed to be doing such work on Sunday. I replied, this isn't Sunday, it is Easter! My father was saying, "remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."

On another day I went over into my friend's yard, picked up a toy and took it home. When my mother saw it she told me to take it back, knock on the neighbor's door, tell them I had stolen this, and that I was sorry. My mother was saying, "You shall not steal."

One day I was playing in the back yard, and saw my mother and sister go to the outdoor toilet. This toilet had an open space in the back, underneath the seat inside. I proceeded to take a look at the bare bottoms of my mother and sister. This was a "three holer," and my mother saw my shadow in the third hole. She punished me and told me how horrible it was for me to do what I did. She didn't say this, but the inference could have been that I was violating the commandment not to commit adultery or fornication.

Still later, after I started to school, my teacher made a speech to all the boys in her class. She said that she was told that we boys were using a lot of bad words around the school toilet. She wanted those guilty to raise their hands. Assuming that she knew I was guilty, I held up my hand. (I assume that part of the bad language was taking the name of the Lord in vain.) I was scared that she would tell my father, and I would really be in trouble (she didn't).

All of the above confrontations by parents and teacher made quite an impression on me.

One Sunday morning during the church service, the pastor gave the "invitation" to those who wanted to have their sins forgiven by asking Christ into their hearts. I was convicted of the need for this, and I went forward and accepted Christ as my saviour. I was baptized that evening in a baptistry just outside the back door of the church. The next day I told my teacher at school about my conversion experience, being baptized, and how excited I was to have Christ and forgiveness in my heart.

The miracle of the modern bathroom

2007-01-15T11:21:00.000-08:00

Today, we take bathrooms for granted.

In the house where I live, I have three of them. In my early childhood we didn't have such.

We bathed in the living room near the coal-burning stove. The water was heated on the kerosene stove in the kitchen. We bathed on Saturday night. All the children used the same water.

One night one of my sisters accidentally stepped in the pan of hot water and severely burned her foot. My father started running for the doctor, ran into the closed gate, injured himself, but managed to get the doctor. I remember that my sister was treated with "Jo-he-oil." I have no idea what that was, but it healed her burn.

No bathroom--no commodes. We had little and big white containers that we could use inside. Most of the time we went out to the outdoor toilet.

During the Roosevelt administration we had an agency called the Works Progress Administration. One of their works was to improve the outdoor toilets. During my mother's last ten years, she had one of those, and called it the "WPA."

Her bathtub was half of of a barrel, split longways. It drained through the wall out into the back yard, and water was heated in the kitchen.

In high school I had a bathroom, but no hot water heater, so again, the kitchen stove did the heating of the water. In college I had a hot water heater, but it wasn't automatic. If I was going out for the evening I would call home and ask my mother to light the hot water heater for me.

The next time you are enjoying a hot shower, realize what a luxury it would have been in my early childhood.

Precious Memories of my sister, Lucille

2007-01-13T15:45:00.000-08:00

In church my father preached and my mother played the piano, so I took care of Lucille. She was my special little friend! She was always happy!

One of the things that my father did with Lucille was to sit her on his shoulders, hold her arms, and she would do a "flip-flop" to the floor. She loved his doing this! One day, as her feet hit the floor, she fainted. My father never did that again.

Frequently after that, she would say "I have that funny feeling again!" One night my father woke me up and told me that Lucille had died.

The funeral director from a nearby town brought a casket to our home, placed her body in it, and the casket was put in the living room until the funeral that afternoon.

Some of my friends came over and we went out into the yard, and were joking around. I realized that this behaviour was not proper. I went back into the living room, looked at my sister, and replaced the joking with tears.

At the funeral, the preacher said that Lucille was five years, ten months, and 28 days old when she died. That information has remained in my memory ever since. As I write this I am shedding a few tears--she was so very precious!

Generations Preserved

2007-01-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

When I picked up today's paper and I found the headline "America at War", I was reminded of another miracle in my life and family.

My grandfather served in the Civil War.

My late wife's father served in World War I.

I served in World War II.

One of my sons was called to active duty due to

the Berlin crisis.

Another son was drafted during the Vietnam War.

A granddaughter volunteered for the Iraq War.

Due to a job transfer to another city, I missed being recalled for duty in the Korean War when the reserve unit for which I had been commnding officer was activated.

The miracle? Seven wars, five generations.

After a short recovery time for the three who were injured or wounded, all were able to resume their previous careers or start new ones.

Preacher's Kid

2007-01-05T15:03:00.000-08:00

As I said in the previous post, Ephesians 4:29-32 has become my goal at this juncture of my life. When I think back over my 89 years, I can see clearly my life has been filled with miracle after miracle.

These miracles will be the subject of this post and many posts to come.

The first miracle, was being born to Christian parents who stayed married until my mother's death in 1949. I was born in the church-owned "parsonage". My father was pastor of First Baptist Church, Panhandle, Texas. If they gave perfect attendance certificates in the Cradle Roll back then, I would have had one.

Even though I was a preacher's kid, I wasn't perfect. Here's one of those P.K. stories.

My parents walked to church from the parsonage. One day...I have been told...I misbehaved in church so on the way home, my Mother broke off a little switch from a tree and spanked my little legs all the way home. Mother's strongest language was "that just provokes me." When she said that, it was time to shape up!

Ephesians 4:29-32

2007-01-02T10:31:00.000-08:00

There have been times in my life when my anger and harsh words have hurt others deeply. The Lord finally got my attention and showed me a pattern to follow:
Ephesians 4:29-32.

When I read your request, tears came to my eyes, and the above words came out of my mind into the computer.

This is what I hear God saying:

--Don't grieve the Holy Spirit by using words that do not build up

--with God's help, get rid of negative actions and attitudes

--always be kind and tender-hearted toward others

--forgive others who wrong you, just as God through Christ forgives you.

--apply this in all the relationships in your life

Here is a link to Ephesians4:29-32 if you would like to read these verses.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204:29-32&version=31

Welcome

2007-01-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my Dad's blog. I hope you enjoy reading the thoughts and wisdom of a man who is 89 years young.

2007-01-01T14:47:00.000-08:00

Reads for Married Couples

2007-01-01T13:48:00.000-08:00