You Might not Know What's in a Man 'Till You See It Working Out
He was the young farmer who moved onto the farm down the road from us and up the hill to the west. The farm was on the left. I actually didn't know either Teddy Joe or Verna Mae very well. He grew up with his mother in Olustee, OK. He and Verna Mae were married when he was eighteen. Mr. Jones was her dad. He helped them to get the farm. The Jones' lived in Eldorado. Verna Mae was Phyllis Walker's younger sister. Phyllis was, and still is, married to Senior Walker, Mother's cousin.
Teddy Joe might have worked on a farm some time in his young life while living in Olustee. I really don't know about that. The part I do know about, has to do with the farm and the farmer. It must have been 320 acres or less. That means it was a mile long and more or less a half mile wide. The east end of his fence line started at the red house on our place where our road crossed the two bridges over Squaw Creek. The road and his fence went along together to the bluff, up the twisty road and on across past Tatar Mountain to the west. After a few rods it crossed the north - south road from the river bluffs up past Granny and Papa's.
I only remember that he grew cotton. There were a couple of small fields to the east below the bluff. There was pasture on the side and top of the bluff, along the top of the river bluff beside Red River and on the west end of the property where the natural bridge crosses the gully going into the river. The farm land was along the road, from Tatar Mountain on the west to the milk barn and house on the east.
Teddy Joe's father-in-law bought him ten good Holstein milk cows. They give lots of milk and he had never milked or at the least, very little. He was out there milking by hand at sunrise every morning. He finished milking about noon. He had a few hours off and then Then it was time to start over again. In the mean time he was tilling land and putting in a crop.
The amazing thing: we never saw a weed in his fence rows. I've picked cotton in his fields and never came to a weed. We didn't have weed killers in those years. We all wondered and said, "How did he do it." Early and late must have been his secret.
A few times when I got home from school and Mother with the girls wasn't there, maybe Daddy was somewhere in the field or working around the neighborhood, I'd walk to Teddy Joe and Verna Mae's house. When the folks got home they'd call to see, if I was there. Daddy always scolded me for "running away" when he came to pick me up. I knew to start the chores. Then once when I went over there after school, Daddy was plowing in the field, I knew he was there, but went on anyway. When he came to the house and was ready to start chores, he called Teddy Joe and told him to have me walk home. Teddy offered to bring me. Daddy said NO. The sun was down and dusk was setting in pretty heavy. I never "ran away" again.
Those years must have been in the mid 1940's. By 1950 we had torn down Grandpa's old house and were building the new one. By the time the new house was about half finished Teddy Joe's house was setting empty. We had moved into the west side of the dairy barn when the old house was coming down. But now Teddy Joe and Verna Mae had moved away, so we rented their house and lived there a few months until ours was ready to occupy.
I'm not sure when or where they moved. I did hear that he wanted to become a Meteorologist, and did. He came to Granny's funeral about 1988 and I met him at the cemetery. It was so good to see him again. He died later. I don't know any more of the story.
I just know a young farmer made an impact on a young school boys life and I am so very grateful!
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
AUGUST 5: NOT QUIT COTTON PICKIN' TIME
This Is Linda's Birthday and I and We All Wish Her the Very Best
When Daddy took us, Donnie, Pallie and Me to see our new baby sister with Mother at Dr. Crow's clinic in Olustee, the first thing I noticed were how cute her ears were. I don't remember noticing other baby ears before that time. And I generally still don't pay much attention to them now. Anyway we were glad to add Linda Kay to our growing crowd of farm hands.
When Linda got old enough to crawl, she didn't. She sat up on her bottom and pushed herself across the floor with her right hand. When she finally reached fifteen month of age, she evidently decided to look at things from a higher perspective. One night Mother and I thought she should learn to walk. Donnie and Pallie were there as the cheering section. Mother held Linda up and I was very close in front of her coaching her along. She came to me, then wanted to turn around and go back. So we played that game together for quit a while. I stepped back a step each time. We all began to laugh. And Linda began to laugh. We all started laughing and laughing. That was the night Daddy came home from one of his sheep shearing runs. (I'm not sure how to justify this part, because Daddy's shearing trips were in the spring and this puts him coming sometime in the fall. Maybe some of the family can help clear it up.)
Cotton picking generally started about mid September. School let out for four to six weeks for kids to work in the fields. And goodness, NO, we didn't have homework. So school almost always began during the first week of August.
Mother and Aunt Bonnie were top cotton pickers. Even after Mother was having her family, I remember her picking cotton as she dragged her sack down the row with Donnie and Pallie, one year and two years old, riding on her sack.
The women of our family have always been hard workers, in the house or in the field. Where help was needed, they were there. On several occasions Mother put on her overalls and helped with grinding feed bundles for the cattle. She milked cows by hand before we got the electric milkers and even then she was in the barn or not far away. The girls milked cows, too.
By the time Linda was old enough, she had the joy of pulling cotton beside the rest of us. Soon she was pulling faster than Donnie, Pallie or I. If she was pulling in the row next to you, she'd be pulling off your row and getting ahead as well. That gave her a real advantage back at the wagon when we weighed up on the scale. And it was also a real big disadvantage for the rest of us at the end of the day when Daddy figured up our weight production. OUCH!!! Big time!!!
We all worked to make the farm go. I don't remember Daddy ever having just one job. There were always the multitude of chores and jobs on the farm and then he almost always had custom work for neighbor farmers or carpentry jobs somewhere.
Today in my Bible reading, one of my chapters was Psalm 5. I thought it might be fitting to share on this special day. There are twelve verses in the Psalm. I focused on the first three. The title of the Psalm is: Prayer for Protection from the Wicked. It is written For the choir director for flute accompaniment. A PSALM OF DAVID.
v. 1 -- Listen: "Give ear to my words,..."
v. 2 -- Pay Attention: "Heed the sound of my cry..."
v. 3 -- The Lord Will Be There in the Morning: "In the morning, O LORD, Thou wilt hear my voice..."
NOTICE: It's a matter of confident calling on my / our part.
It's a matter of clearly expressing our heart's cry with our own words.
It's a matter, not of wondering, hoping, assuming, or wishing, but of confident faith that today, this very morning the Living Lord God Almighty has listened and paid attention to my very deep and earnest heart cry. The hard part may be our waiting for the fulfillment of His will.
v. 11 -- Sing with joy and gladness because He is our refuge and shelter.
Because you love His name, He will exalt you.
v.12 -- A righteous man or woman or youth or child will be blessed by God and will be
surrounded by His favor as with a shield.
When Daddy took us, Donnie, Pallie and Me to see our new baby sister with Mother at Dr. Crow's clinic in Olustee, the first thing I noticed were how cute her ears were. I don't remember noticing other baby ears before that time. And I generally still don't pay much attention to them now. Anyway we were glad to add Linda Kay to our growing crowd of farm hands.
When Linda got old enough to crawl, she didn't. She sat up on her bottom and pushed herself across the floor with her right hand. When she finally reached fifteen month of age, she evidently decided to look at things from a higher perspective. One night Mother and I thought she should learn to walk. Donnie and Pallie were there as the cheering section. Mother held Linda up and I was very close in front of her coaching her along. She came to me, then wanted to turn around and go back. So we played that game together for quit a while. I stepped back a step each time. We all began to laugh. And Linda began to laugh. We all started laughing and laughing. That was the night Daddy came home from one of his sheep shearing runs. (I'm not sure how to justify this part, because Daddy's shearing trips were in the spring and this puts him coming sometime in the fall. Maybe some of the family can help clear it up.)
Cotton picking generally started about mid September. School let out for four to six weeks for kids to work in the fields. And goodness, NO, we didn't have homework. So school almost always began during the first week of August.
Mother and Aunt Bonnie were top cotton pickers. Even after Mother was having her family, I remember her picking cotton as she dragged her sack down the row with Donnie and Pallie, one year and two years old, riding on her sack.
The women of our family have always been hard workers, in the house or in the field. Where help was needed, they were there. On several occasions Mother put on her overalls and helped with grinding feed bundles for the cattle. She milked cows by hand before we got the electric milkers and even then she was in the barn or not far away. The girls milked cows, too.
By the time Linda was old enough, she had the joy of pulling cotton beside the rest of us. Soon she was pulling faster than Donnie, Pallie or I. If she was pulling in the row next to you, she'd be pulling off your row and getting ahead as well. That gave her a real advantage back at the wagon when we weighed up on the scale. And it was also a real big disadvantage for the rest of us at the end of the day when Daddy figured up our weight production. OUCH!!! Big time!!!
We all worked to make the farm go. I don't remember Daddy ever having just one job. There were always the multitude of chores and jobs on the farm and then he almost always had custom work for neighbor farmers or carpentry jobs somewhere.
Today in my Bible reading, one of my chapters was Psalm 5. I thought it might be fitting to share on this special day. There are twelve verses in the Psalm. I focused on the first three. The title of the Psalm is: Prayer for Protection from the Wicked. It is written For the choir director for flute accompaniment. A PSALM OF DAVID.
v. 1 -- Listen: "Give ear to my words,..."
v. 2 -- Pay Attention: "Heed the sound of my cry..."
v. 3 -- The Lord Will Be There in the Morning: "In the morning, O LORD, Thou wilt hear my voice..."
NOTICE: It's a matter of confident calling on my / our part.
It's a matter of clearly expressing our heart's cry with our own words.
It's a matter, not of wondering, hoping, assuming, or wishing, but of confident faith that today, this very morning the Living Lord God Almighty has listened and paid attention to my very deep and earnest heart cry. The hard part may be our waiting for the fulfillment of His will.
v. 11 -- Sing with joy and gladness because He is our refuge and shelter.
Because you love His name, He will exalt you.
v.12 -- A righteous man or woman or youth or child will be blessed by God and will be
surrounded by His favor as with a shield.
Saturday, August 3, 2013
THE LAKE AT ANNECY, FRANCE
It Has to Be the Most Beautiful Lake I Have Ever Seen
I arrived in Germany and then on the same day on Italy on July 19, 2013. It was a good flight. Lydia, Gabriel, Gaia and Carys were all waiting for me at the gate. What a beautiful sight! We were here, at their home in Andezanno for some days: getting me over the "jet lag," shopping, Church at the English Speaking Church of Torino on Sunday, primping and pampering Butter Cup, getting her properly designated with the State to travel the roads of Europe, then packing her up, hitching her on and heading out for a wonderful campground near the old and beautiful City of Annecy.
Butter Cup is the name of Lydia and Gabriel's 1976 small camper. She's been well cared for through the years by previous owners. Her new owners are the best yet. We put my tent inside, loaded up everybody's gear and headed through the mountains. The Alp Mountains turn south, more or less, at the west end of Switzerland and head for the sea between Italy and France. Praise the Lord for money and engineers who were willing and had the insight to push the many tunnels through the bottom of the thousands of feet high mountains.
All in about four or five hours Gabriel had driven the car pulling Butter Cup to the wonderful campground. Our parking, camp site was nearest the shower house as possible. There were already dozens of campers and more arrived ever day. The month of August is vacation month in Europe. Some years ago an old couple, maybe not so old then, turned their farm into this campground. It's really a beautiful location. It sets in the middle of a valley, about midway between mountains. They range between 1600 and 2000 feet in height. The valley might be a mile wide and a couple miles wide.
Around the area of the camp site, beyond the borders of the farm, are a couple or three small French housing settlements. Those are all so beautiful in their very old architecture.
About every other day of the week we drove into Annecy. I'll guess the lake to be thirty miles long and a half-mile or less wide. The water seems more blue than the sky. It is said to be the cleanest lake in France, and very easy to see the bottom in most places out from shore.
Because it is vacation time, there are all kinds of festive atmosphere. Tonight they were having their annual fireworks displays. It must have been a sight to behold. We needed to come away and be back in Torino tonight, so we missed it. As we walked beside the lake, we could see the electric lines and lights, etc., all floating in the planned shore side. There were huge grandstands and lake side chairs set, 20 in a row, 5 rows deep and there must have been three or four blocks of those chairs. We heard that the price for the chairs ran from 10 € to 50 € each.
Thursday we drove to the town of Thones, pronounced "Tone." They were having daytime play grounds in the streets. A couple blocks had been closed: the most strange bicycles were circling round being ridden by young and old, wooden games from ancient times were attempted by all ages, and there was the four seat Ferris Wheel. The only metal part was the axle through the middle. Two people helped with the loading of the seats, which were very much like our porch swings. Two men stood on a platform, one on each side, to assist in turning the wheel. There was no motor. Children and or adults all rode together. To stabilize balance, they added a bag of sand for weight, if necessary. Once the new seats of riders were safely seated and balanced, the wheel turned pretty much by perpetual motion, with only a nudge now and again.
Yesterday afternoon following a shopping trip to town, we visited the Menthon Castle. It's owners have maintained it for centuries. This is renowned for St. Bernard, who was born there in 1008 and became famous for the hospitals he started throughout the Alps and the St. Bernard dogs he developed to help with the rescue of injured and lost travelers.
I arrived in Germany and then on the same day on Italy on July 19, 2013. It was a good flight. Lydia, Gabriel, Gaia and Carys were all waiting for me at the gate. What a beautiful sight! We were here, at their home in Andezanno for some days: getting me over the "jet lag," shopping, Church at the English Speaking Church of Torino on Sunday, primping and pampering Butter Cup, getting her properly designated with the State to travel the roads of Europe, then packing her up, hitching her on and heading out for a wonderful campground near the old and beautiful City of Annecy.
Butter Cup is the name of Lydia and Gabriel's 1976 small camper. She's been well cared for through the years by previous owners. Her new owners are the best yet. We put my tent inside, loaded up everybody's gear and headed through the mountains. The Alp Mountains turn south, more or less, at the west end of Switzerland and head for the sea between Italy and France. Praise the Lord for money and engineers who were willing and had the insight to push the many tunnels through the bottom of the thousands of feet high mountains.
All in about four or five hours Gabriel had driven the car pulling Butter Cup to the wonderful campground. Our parking, camp site was nearest the shower house as possible. There were already dozens of campers and more arrived ever day. The month of August is vacation month in Europe. Some years ago an old couple, maybe not so old then, turned their farm into this campground. It's really a beautiful location. It sets in the middle of a valley, about midway between mountains. They range between 1600 and 2000 feet in height. The valley might be a mile wide and a couple miles wide.
Around the area of the camp site, beyond the borders of the farm, are a couple or three small French housing settlements. Those are all so beautiful in their very old architecture.
About every other day of the week we drove into Annecy. I'll guess the lake to be thirty miles long and a half-mile or less wide. The water seems more blue than the sky. It is said to be the cleanest lake in France, and very easy to see the bottom in most places out from shore.
Because it is vacation time, there are all kinds of festive atmosphere. Tonight they were having their annual fireworks displays. It must have been a sight to behold. We needed to come away and be back in Torino tonight, so we missed it. As we walked beside the lake, we could see the electric lines and lights, etc., all floating in the planned shore side. There were huge grandstands and lake side chairs set, 20 in a row, 5 rows deep and there must have been three or four blocks of those chairs. We heard that the price for the chairs ran from 10 € to 50 € each.
Thursday we drove to the town of Thones, pronounced "Tone." They were having daytime play grounds in the streets. A couple blocks had been closed: the most strange bicycles were circling round being ridden by young and old, wooden games from ancient times were attempted by all ages, and there was the four seat Ferris Wheel. The only metal part was the axle through the middle. Two people helped with the loading of the seats, which were very much like our porch swings. Two men stood on a platform, one on each side, to assist in turning the wheel. There was no motor. Children and or adults all rode together. To stabilize balance, they added a bag of sand for weight, if necessary. Once the new seats of riders were safely seated and balanced, the wheel turned pretty much by perpetual motion, with only a nudge now and again.
Yesterday afternoon following a shopping trip to town, we visited the Menthon Castle. It's owners have maintained it for centuries. This is renowned for St. Bernard, who was born there in 1008 and became famous for the hospitals he started throughout the Alps and the St. Bernard dogs he developed to help with the rescue of injured and lost travelers.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
THE LORD CALLED ME TO PREACH
The Lord's Call May Be different from One Person to Another
After Reunion on that Sunday, July 7, 2013, as all segments of the family were saying their last good-bys, Jeremy ask me, "Dad, I'd like to hear your story about your "Exhorters License." In November 1951, our family had been driving to Quanah, Texas to attend some of the services of a Revival Meeting at the Church of the Nazarene. The pastor and his family, the Calhouns, had been our friends for many years. The evangelist, Rev. Joe Norton, was pastor at the Ryan, Oklahoma Church of the Nazarene, when we first met him. Any time we could meet with any of them, it was like having a great reunion. There was a lot of coordnation that needed to happen for us to make the tirp. We had to get home from school, and or finish the days work, the do the evening chores. That meant bring up the cows, do the milking, have supper, clean up and get dressed., then drive the eight miles to Eldorado and cross the Red River to Quanah, thirteen more miles.
At the close of the Service that night, Brother Norton gave an opportunity for anyone to pray at the Altar Bench. I had already given my heart to Jesus in August, 1948. So I wasn't sure why the urge to pray, but went forward and soon felt a clear call to the Christian Ministry of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
When I was seven years old, I remember asking Mother, "How does a person know if he should become a preacher?" She suggested I ask Uncle Elbert. He was her second brother and just younger than she. I let it go, and never asked him.
There have been several preachers in the background of our family, but the closest I knew of in those years, (execpt Uncle Elbert) was Uncle Abe Tucker, Granny's brother-in-law. And that was before I was ever born. He preached a Revival Meeting at the Midway School in the Summer that Mother was 17. I don't know if she had been attending the services, but on a day of that week, as she swept the floor, the Holy Spirit spoke to her heart and whispered, "Why don't you let Me sweep the sin out of your heart, like you sweep out the dirt from the room?" She said, "At that moment I determined to go to the meeting that night and surrender my life to Him."
A few years ago Uncle Elbert with others and I were at Pallie and Darrell's for several days. He told some of his story. After Mother gave her heart to the Lord, she gently urged him to give his heart to the Lord. I don't remember when he did. What I do remember was this: In the summer of 1939 there had been another Revival Meeting at the Midway School. On Sunday night, after the last service of the Revival, the pastor announced that he didn't feel right about closing the meetings. He ask the men of the Congregation to come the next morning at 10am for prayer.
Uncle Elbert was at that service and told me about it. His birthday was June 26, 1920. Mother Shumaker had given him a new pocket watch for his birthday. He said, "I don't know how she ever had enough money to buy the watch." On Monday morning, following that call to prayer, Uncle Elbert was alone in the cotton patch west of their house chopping cotton. He stopped for a moment to rest and wondered about the time. He took out his new "watch that Mama gave me" and saw that it was 10:00am. He remembered the pastor's announcement and knew the men were there to pray. He said, "At that instant I heard the Lord call me to preach."
He argured that he couldn't preach. He said he would be a good Christian man. He promised to follow the Lord all his life. He offered to be the best tithing man in the congregation. He pled to be the greatest Sunday School Superintendent the place had ever seen. But for all his resisting of the call, the Lord wouldn't let him go. Finally, he gave up.
He couldn't read well. He always had trouble with math. He still had the twelth grade to attend that fall and finish in the spring. He didn't know how to preach or how to start. He didn't have any money and his family didn't have any either. From his point of view, it was a hopeless prospect. But he believed in God and believed in prayer. He began the pastorate of his first Church in 1943. He did retire after many years, but has continued to be called on for funerals, weddings, and pastoral supply. He has preached more than 500 funeral services and this summer had his 93 birthday.
Twenty-five years after that day in the cotton patch, he received a letter from Uncle Everett Davis. The letter said: "Elbert, I never told you, and wanted you to know. On that Monday morning in the Pastor's call to prayer, at 10:00am. I asked God to call you to preach." I don't know what his response was to Uncle Everett. I do know that when Uncle Everett and Aunt Pearl's son, A. Y. Davis, was lost in action during WW II, Uncle Elbert officiated when they held the Memorial Service at the High Point Methodist Church.
A rattlesnake struck Donnie about the middle of her calf on her left leg. I think that was May 18, 1948. After our Parents left taking her to Dr. Crow in Olustee, I lay with my face in the back of the couch and promised God, if He would save her life, I would give my life to him. He did and I did. The Methodist Church in Eldorado was having a Revival Meeting in August that year. Our family was attending most of the services that week. One night when the Evangelist gave the altar call, I responded. That night at age eleven, I went forward, knelt at the mourners bench and gave my heart and life to the Lord.
Brother Staught was Pastor of our Church at High Point. Soon after he came, he asked if anyone had been saved since the last pastor left and was in need of baptism. I raised my hand. There were others and I suppose the timing was a factor, because a group of older persons were baptized in a farm pond belonging to one of the Freeman's soon after that, about a mile east of the Church. I remember Midge Richie as one of the adult persons being baptized. Later in the summer, my cousin Milton Shumaker and I were baptized in Custer Freeman's farm pond.
After Brother Staught was transfered, Brother Ray Altaffer was our next pastor. It was during his pastorate that I received my call to preach. One Sunday morning, May 18, 1952, he called me to the front and from the side of the pulpit he gave to me An Exhorter's License. At age 15, I was now authorized to Exhort on the truths of the Word of God. There have been other licenseings along the way.
The long road from that day to this went by just one day at a time. Some times the day seemed to be as long as a year and some years have seemed to pass as quickly as a day. There have been days of sadness, but over all, I must say the whole journey has been filled with very rich gladness. I have not stood in the pulpit every Sunday, but I have been faithful to the calling of God to proclaim His word as opportunity afforded through these 61 years. And He has been my most faithful Shepherd, Heavenly Father and constantly abiding Holy Spirit. I give all praise to Him!
After Reunion on that Sunday, July 7, 2013, as all segments of the family were saying their last good-bys, Jeremy ask me, "Dad, I'd like to hear your story about your "Exhorters License." In November 1951, our family had been driving to Quanah, Texas to attend some of the services of a Revival Meeting at the Church of the Nazarene. The pastor and his family, the Calhouns, had been our friends for many years. The evangelist, Rev. Joe Norton, was pastor at the Ryan, Oklahoma Church of the Nazarene, when we first met him. Any time we could meet with any of them, it was like having a great reunion. There was a lot of coordnation that needed to happen for us to make the tirp. We had to get home from school, and or finish the days work, the do the evening chores. That meant bring up the cows, do the milking, have supper, clean up and get dressed., then drive the eight miles to Eldorado and cross the Red River to Quanah, thirteen more miles.
At the close of the Service that night, Brother Norton gave an opportunity for anyone to pray at the Altar Bench. I had already given my heart to Jesus in August, 1948. So I wasn't sure why the urge to pray, but went forward and soon felt a clear call to the Christian Ministry of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
When I was seven years old, I remember asking Mother, "How does a person know if he should become a preacher?" She suggested I ask Uncle Elbert. He was her second brother and just younger than she. I let it go, and never asked him.
There have been several preachers in the background of our family, but the closest I knew of in those years, (execpt Uncle Elbert) was Uncle Abe Tucker, Granny's brother-in-law. And that was before I was ever born. He preached a Revival Meeting at the Midway School in the Summer that Mother was 17. I don't know if she had been attending the services, but on a day of that week, as she swept the floor, the Holy Spirit spoke to her heart and whispered, "Why don't you let Me sweep the sin out of your heart, like you sweep out the dirt from the room?" She said, "At that moment I determined to go to the meeting that night and surrender my life to Him."
A few years ago Uncle Elbert with others and I were at Pallie and Darrell's for several days. He told some of his story. After Mother gave her heart to the Lord, she gently urged him to give his heart to the Lord. I don't remember when he did. What I do remember was this: In the summer of 1939 there had been another Revival Meeting at the Midway School. On Sunday night, after the last service of the Revival, the pastor announced that he didn't feel right about closing the meetings. He ask the men of the Congregation to come the next morning at 10am for prayer.
Uncle Elbert was at that service and told me about it. His birthday was June 26, 1920. Mother Shumaker had given him a new pocket watch for his birthday. He said, "I don't know how she ever had enough money to buy the watch." On Monday morning, following that call to prayer, Uncle Elbert was alone in the cotton patch west of their house chopping cotton. He stopped for a moment to rest and wondered about the time. He took out his new "watch that Mama gave me" and saw that it was 10:00am. He remembered the pastor's announcement and knew the men were there to pray. He said, "At that instant I heard the Lord call me to preach."
He argured that he couldn't preach. He said he would be a good Christian man. He promised to follow the Lord all his life. He offered to be the best tithing man in the congregation. He pled to be the greatest Sunday School Superintendent the place had ever seen. But for all his resisting of the call, the Lord wouldn't let him go. Finally, he gave up.
He couldn't read well. He always had trouble with math. He still had the twelth grade to attend that fall and finish in the spring. He didn't know how to preach or how to start. He didn't have any money and his family didn't have any either. From his point of view, it was a hopeless prospect. But he believed in God and believed in prayer. He began the pastorate of his first Church in 1943. He did retire after many years, but has continued to be called on for funerals, weddings, and pastoral supply. He has preached more than 500 funeral services and this summer had his 93 birthday.
Twenty-five years after that day in the cotton patch, he received a letter from Uncle Everett Davis. The letter said: "Elbert, I never told you, and wanted you to know. On that Monday morning in the Pastor's call to prayer, at 10:00am. I asked God to call you to preach." I don't know what his response was to Uncle Everett. I do know that when Uncle Everett and Aunt Pearl's son, A. Y. Davis, was lost in action during WW II, Uncle Elbert officiated when they held the Memorial Service at the High Point Methodist Church.
A rattlesnake struck Donnie about the middle of her calf on her left leg. I think that was May 18, 1948. After our Parents left taking her to Dr. Crow in Olustee, I lay with my face in the back of the couch and promised God, if He would save her life, I would give my life to him. He did and I did. The Methodist Church in Eldorado was having a Revival Meeting in August that year. Our family was attending most of the services that week. One night when the Evangelist gave the altar call, I responded. That night at age eleven, I went forward, knelt at the mourners bench and gave my heart and life to the Lord.
Brother Staught was Pastor of our Church at High Point. Soon after he came, he asked if anyone had been saved since the last pastor left and was in need of baptism. I raised my hand. There were others and I suppose the timing was a factor, because a group of older persons were baptized in a farm pond belonging to one of the Freeman's soon after that, about a mile east of the Church. I remember Midge Richie as one of the adult persons being baptized. Later in the summer, my cousin Milton Shumaker and I were baptized in Custer Freeman's farm pond.
After Brother Staught was transfered, Brother Ray Altaffer was our next pastor. It was during his pastorate that I received my call to preach. One Sunday morning, May 18, 1952, he called me to the front and from the side of the pulpit he gave to me An Exhorter's License. At age 15, I was now authorized to Exhort on the truths of the Word of God. There have been other licenseings along the way.
The long road from that day to this went by just one day at a time. Some times the day seemed to be as long as a year and some years have seemed to pass as quickly as a day. There have been days of sadness, but over all, I must say the whole journey has been filled with very rich gladness. I have not stood in the pulpit every Sunday, but I have been faithful to the calling of God to proclaim His word as opportunity afforded through these 61 years. And He has been my most faithful Shepherd, Heavenly Father and constantly abiding Holy Spirit. I give all praise to Him!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
GOOD OLE SUMMER TIME
So Many Summer Activities
The Kids love going to Park West here in Oregon, Il and spending time in the Sprinkle Park. A couple or three months ago, Nana got us a puppy. We usually had a dog or more down on the river farm those many years past, but never had one in the house and never had to do anything about potty training animals. Boy, this is a new experience... for us all.
July 4 was the beginning of our Odd Year Family Reunion. The Boys, Sebastian age 8, and Leo age 6, and I drove over a day early, on Wednesday. Carlene, Joanna and Elizza, age 10, came over a day later because Carlene was playing in an orchestra for the Celebration of July 4 in Muscatine, Iowa.
About half the Family were attending the three day Reunion. Several of us were staying at the Country Inn Motel in Greenfield, Ind. We had our breakfast there, and a swim pool. We went for morning activities to Uncle Ray and Aunt Dianne's Heritage Summit Farm. About 10:30 each morning all the Kids who arrived went to the hen house and gathered eggs from the nests into the designated basket.
Lunch Time found us arriving at Aunt Rachel and Uncle Philip's house, of "A Romantic Porch" fame. About forty-five to fifty-two or three family members ate there each day. A large swim pool was placed on the back lawn and a very fun play set near the garage. There are almost a total of one-hundred in this Grand Daddy and Grand Mother Easley Family. So about half of us were in attendance.
Afternoon many of the group made their way by car back to the Farm for afternoon activities. Saturday the first picking of new green beans took place. And they were O So Good! Pulling weeds out to the rows of onions, checking up on the Okra plants, looking in on the huge Potato patch, discovering the first silks of the first ear of sweet corn was most significant. Uncle Ray even took a picture with his ever present phone. Skeet Shooting was a first at Reunion and very popular. The children who had never shot before, first had lessons with BB guns, then their opportunity on a larger gun. The whole experience was well and safely supervised by the Uncles and Older Cousins.
Thursday, First day of Reunion, our new and previously unknown Cousins, Brian and Tommie Easley came for a few hours. That was such a special time. We are so very grateful for the new addition to our growing family.
Breakfast was late or early at the Motel on Sunday morning. Everybody was packing and loading. So I think I went to the Breakfast room two or three times during the morning just to see who had arrived. Church Service was at 11:00 am. back at Aunt Rachel's. From the start they had erected a wonderful white tent over part of their driveway. So there were plenty of tables and chairs for all the meals and chatting. Meals were all prepared by the Aunts in the kitchen or by some Uncles on the out-door grill. The food was so wonderful and healthy. Many watermelons made their way into the back hall and up onto the big buffet.
We've always rotated the evening devotions and Sunday Message among the brothers and brothers-in-law. Uncle Elbert was our very special Guest Speaker a few years ago. This year it was my turn to give the Sunday morning message. A passage on my heart and mind for some time has been from John's Gospel chapters 13-16. For this occasion I chose John 15:12-17. I have felt that to be a strongly powerful message for the Church of this current age.
It seems that most of the family swiftly returned to their usual rut. A few have circled around a bit before the School Bell rings everybody back into line, at least by Labor Day, if not a week or two sooner. I had the joyful opportunity to fly away on Thur., July 18 for about six weeks with Lydia and Gabriel. Their two fine lasses, Gaia, age 7 and Carys, age 5, are training me in all things, Linguistic. What a joy!
I should be back in the States before you get all the summer used up. So we can plan on bringing in the Autumn together. God bless and keep you, everyone!
The Kids love going to Park West here in Oregon, Il and spending time in the Sprinkle Park. A couple or three months ago, Nana got us a puppy. We usually had a dog or more down on the river farm those many years past, but never had one in the house and never had to do anything about potty training animals. Boy, this is a new experience... for us all.
July 4 was the beginning of our Odd Year Family Reunion. The Boys, Sebastian age 8, and Leo age 6, and I drove over a day early, on Wednesday. Carlene, Joanna and Elizza, age 10, came over a day later because Carlene was playing in an orchestra for the Celebration of July 4 in Muscatine, Iowa.
About half the Family were attending the three day Reunion. Several of us were staying at the Country Inn Motel in Greenfield, Ind. We had our breakfast there, and a swim pool. We went for morning activities to Uncle Ray and Aunt Dianne's Heritage Summit Farm. About 10:30 each morning all the Kids who arrived went to the hen house and gathered eggs from the nests into the designated basket.
Lunch Time found us arriving at Aunt Rachel and Uncle Philip's house, of "A Romantic Porch" fame. About forty-five to fifty-two or three family members ate there each day. A large swim pool was placed on the back lawn and a very fun play set near the garage. There are almost a total of one-hundred in this Grand Daddy and Grand Mother Easley Family. So about half of us were in attendance.
Afternoon many of the group made their way by car back to the Farm for afternoon activities. Saturday the first picking of new green beans took place. And they were O So Good! Pulling weeds out to the rows of onions, checking up on the Okra plants, looking in on the huge Potato patch, discovering the first silks of the first ear of sweet corn was most significant. Uncle Ray even took a picture with his ever present phone. Skeet Shooting was a first at Reunion and very popular. The children who had never shot before, first had lessons with BB guns, then their opportunity on a larger gun. The whole experience was well and safely supervised by the Uncles and Older Cousins.
Thursday, First day of Reunion, our new and previously unknown Cousins, Brian and Tommie Easley came for a few hours. That was such a special time. We are so very grateful for the new addition to our growing family.
Breakfast was late or early at the Motel on Sunday morning. Everybody was packing and loading. So I think I went to the Breakfast room two or three times during the morning just to see who had arrived. Church Service was at 11:00 am. back at Aunt Rachel's. From the start they had erected a wonderful white tent over part of their driveway. So there were plenty of tables and chairs for all the meals and chatting. Meals were all prepared by the Aunts in the kitchen or by some Uncles on the out-door grill. The food was so wonderful and healthy. Many watermelons made their way into the back hall and up onto the big buffet.
We've always rotated the evening devotions and Sunday Message among the brothers and brothers-in-law. Uncle Elbert was our very special Guest Speaker a few years ago. This year it was my turn to give the Sunday morning message. A passage on my heart and mind for some time has been from John's Gospel chapters 13-16. For this occasion I chose John 15:12-17. I have felt that to be a strongly powerful message for the Church of this current age.
It seems that most of the family swiftly returned to their usual rut. A few have circled around a bit before the School Bell rings everybody back into line, at least by Labor Day, if not a week or two sooner. I had the joyful opportunity to fly away on Thur., July 18 for about six weeks with Lydia and Gabriel. Their two fine lasses, Gaia, age 7 and Carys, age 5, are training me in all things, Linguistic. What a joy!
I should be back in the States before you get all the summer used up. So we can plan on bringing in the Autumn together. God bless and keep you, everyone!
Friday, June 21, 2013
OOOPS
For Family, Friends and Followers
Sorry, I'm having computer problems... hope to be back on line after several more days ... or less.
Thanks for patience!!!
Carlton
I Hope This Is a Little More Certain Than Before
Well, finally we learned the mouse in the laptop has gone the way of all flesh. So today Joanna found the only mouse in Wal-Mart with a "tail" so I can plug it into the machine. It still does wonder around a bit, but not nearly so badly as before.
We've had the pleasure and joy of having both the boys, Sebastian and Leo, playing Little League this May and June. Leo was in T-Ball last year. That was lots of fun. But I think we have all gotten into the game even more this year. Over the years they have developed a talent in pitching and catching balls. So this summer it seems to have strengthened their ability.
It's fun to see them when sometimes they are batting one after the other and are then following each other around the bases. Last night our team was playing in the field and Leo caught a fly ball. That was a huge highlight for him as well as us. Probably larger for us because we never caught any fly balls. Sebastian's catching and trowing has greatly improved it the last week. There are two more games next week and the season will be over.
We are so pleased with the Kids desire and eagerness to attempt a challenges. Well, not always so eager. Leo plays piano, Sebastian on cello and Elizza is a sprinter and swimmer you don't want to race. They love Sunday School and are memorizing scripture verses.
Sorry, I'm having computer problems... hope to be back on line after several more days ... or less.
Thanks for patience!!!
Carlton
I Hope This Is a Little More Certain Than Before
Well, finally we learned the mouse in the laptop has gone the way of all flesh. So today Joanna found the only mouse in Wal-Mart with a "tail" so I can plug it into the machine. It still does wonder around a bit, but not nearly so badly as before.
We've had the pleasure and joy of having both the boys, Sebastian and Leo, playing Little League this May and June. Leo was in T-Ball last year. That was lots of fun. But I think we have all gotten into the game even more this year. Over the years they have developed a talent in pitching and catching balls. So this summer it seems to have strengthened their ability.
It's fun to see them when sometimes they are batting one after the other and are then following each other around the bases. Last night our team was playing in the field and Leo caught a fly ball. That was a huge highlight for him as well as us. Probably larger for us because we never caught any fly balls. Sebastian's catching and trowing has greatly improved it the last week. There are two more games next week and the season will be over.
We are so pleased with the Kids desire and eagerness to attempt a challenges. Well, not always so eager. Leo plays piano, Sebastian on cello and Elizza is a sprinter and swimmer you don't want to race. They love Sunday School and are memorizing scripture verses.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
KEITH AND OLE PETE
But Pete Doesn't Look So Old in This Picture
This is Keith. He's my oldest brother. He is twelve years younger than me. And this is Pete, our good and faith border collie. If you notice carefully, Keith has put a belt around Pete's neck and is still holding it in his hand as he sleeps.
Daddy and Uncle Lawton heard about this litter of border collies and went to see them. Lawton picked one right away. Daddy kept watching the puppies. He noticed one sitting off by himself in the enclosure with his bright eyes and intelligent face watching his fellow siblings running and tumbling all around. He said, "that's the one I'll take." That was Pete.
It was a wonderful day when Daddy brought "Ole Pete" home. It seems that Daddy always had a little dog or two around. When we first moved to Grandpa's place we had a couple of Rat Terriers. I remember a pile of old lumber and sheet metal on the east side of the "rock house." When they started picking up the rubble, those little dogs could smell the rats. They'd run in as soon as a board was being lifted and grab a rat! O my, how they would shake those rats, then drop it and go after the next ones. As we were getting to the bottom of the stack, Daddy lifted up a sheet of the metal roofing and a rattlesnake struck at him. Little did we know then, what lay ahead for us.
We did have a larger dog named Ted. His coat of hair was thick and seemed to stick out about an inch, all the way to the end of his tail. From today's perspective, I always think of him as a friend and protector for Donnie. She must have been about a year and a half or two. Then came Pete. He was a puppy when he came. But I don't remember him as a puppy. In my memory, he was my dog. When the cows were grazing in the winter wheat, he went with me to bring them in for milking at night. Someone told me I could train ole Pete to bring them home. The next day I sent him out to bring the cows. But, He didn't go!!! I had to go with him. That's when I learned, "it doesn't work." Of course, I had a lot to learn myself. When the cows were in the pasture, we never took ole Pete. We went on horse back or drove the donkeys to the wagon.
Sometime after this picture of Keith and Pete, our neighbor, Albert, told Daddy that Ole Pete had been eating eggs out of his chicken house. He wanted Daddy to shoot our dog! "SHOOT OUR OLE PETE?" That was beyond our sphere of imagination! Daddy didn't believe it. Albert insisted it was our good ole Pete. Daddy took him in the car and drove to Altus, OK. our county site. There near a nice looking farm house, 25 miles from home, Daddy put him out of the car. He said that was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.
After a couple months, Ole Pete came home. Albert was angry to see our dog back in our farm yard and on our porch. Once more Daddy took him away. This time when he went back to Altus he stopped by the sale barn. I think he didn't go into the barn, but with a leash or rope around Pete's neck, he walked around until he saw a kindly looking man. He told the guy of all Ole Pete's great attributes, and ask if he would like to have our dog. The man readily agreed. To have a great border Collie handed over free of charge was a totally unexpected gift.
Several more weeks passed by, our friends, Lou and Check Vessel came the 125 miles from their home in Ryan, Oklahoma to visit for the week-end. They brought a new black and white spotted puppy. We named him, "Spot." Keith was especially attached to him. Soon afterward Albert came down and told Daddy that he was sorry, but he had learned that the egg thief was not our ole Pete. It defiantly was a couple of dogs from the farm to the north of Albert. So Daddy went back to the sale barn the next sale day. I don't know how often he had to go before he met up with the farmer who had taken ole Pete. Daddy asked if he'd like to sell Pete to us. The response was a kind but emphatic NO! He said, "Pete is the best cattle and sheep dog I have ever had." There was no way he was about to give him back. Ole Pete's loss was a devastation for us all. That's like getting a piece of you ripped out.
A year or two later Daddy and Uncle Lawton traded farms so Daddy would have more freedom for answering God's call into the ministry. Ole Spot was the family dog by now and moved with us to the Drew Place, as we called it. That was only about a mile and a half from Eldorado.
This is Keith. He's my oldest brother. He is twelve years younger than me. And this is Pete, our good and faith border collie. If you notice carefully, Keith has put a belt around Pete's neck and is still holding it in his hand as he sleeps.
It was a wonderful day when Daddy brought "Ole Pete" home. It seems that Daddy always had a little dog or two around. When we first moved to Grandpa's place we had a couple of Rat Terriers. I remember a pile of old lumber and sheet metal on the east side of the "rock house." When they started picking up the rubble, those little dogs could smell the rats. They'd run in as soon as a board was being lifted and grab a rat! O my, how they would shake those rats, then drop it and go after the next ones. As we were getting to the bottom of the stack, Daddy lifted up a sheet of the metal roofing and a rattlesnake struck at him. Little did we know then, what lay ahead for us.
We did have a larger dog named Ted. His coat of hair was thick and seemed to stick out about an inch, all the way to the end of his tail. From today's perspective, I always think of him as a friend and protector for Donnie. She must have been about a year and a half or two. Then came Pete. He was a puppy when he came. But I don't remember him as a puppy. In my memory, he was my dog. When the cows were grazing in the winter wheat, he went with me to bring them in for milking at night. Someone told me I could train ole Pete to bring them home. The next day I sent him out to bring the cows. But, He didn't go!!! I had to go with him. That's when I learned, "it doesn't work." Of course, I had a lot to learn myself. When the cows were in the pasture, we never took ole Pete. We went on horse back or drove the donkeys to the wagon.
Sometime after this picture of Keith and Pete, our neighbor, Albert, told Daddy that Ole Pete had been eating eggs out of his chicken house. He wanted Daddy to shoot our dog! "SHOOT OUR OLE PETE?" That was beyond our sphere of imagination! Daddy didn't believe it. Albert insisted it was our good ole Pete. Daddy took him in the car and drove to Altus, OK. our county site. There near a nice looking farm house, 25 miles from home, Daddy put him out of the car. He said that was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.
After a couple months, Ole Pete came home. Albert was angry to see our dog back in our farm yard and on our porch. Once more Daddy took him away. This time when he went back to Altus he stopped by the sale barn. I think he didn't go into the barn, but with a leash or rope around Pete's neck, he walked around until he saw a kindly looking man. He told the guy of all Ole Pete's great attributes, and ask if he would like to have our dog. The man readily agreed. To have a great border Collie handed over free of charge was a totally unexpected gift.
Several more weeks passed by, our friends, Lou and Check Vessel came the 125 miles from their home in Ryan, Oklahoma to visit for the week-end. They brought a new black and white spotted puppy. We named him, "Spot." Keith was especially attached to him. Soon afterward Albert came down and told Daddy that he was sorry, but he had learned that the egg thief was not our ole Pete. It defiantly was a couple of dogs from the farm to the north of Albert. So Daddy went back to the sale barn the next sale day. I don't know how often he had to go before he met up with the farmer who had taken ole Pete. Daddy asked if he'd like to sell Pete to us. The response was a kind but emphatic NO! He said, "Pete is the best cattle and sheep dog I have ever had." There was no way he was about to give him back. Ole Pete's loss was a devastation for us all. That's like getting a piece of you ripped out.
A year or two later Daddy and Uncle Lawton traded farms so Daddy would have more freedom for answering God's call into the ministry. Ole Spot was the family dog by now and moved with us to the Drew Place, as we called it. That was only about a mile and a half from Eldorado.
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