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!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
A Surprising Revelation
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.
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.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Thank You For Your Prayers
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.
Monday, April 2, 2007
Kid #4 - A Girl
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.
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.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Bouncing Bob
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!
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!
Friday, March 9, 2007
Stress/Fear/Bonding
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 .
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 .
Monday, March 5, 2007
Our Second Son
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.
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.
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