Sunday, January 7, 2024

What daddy said…

 Photo of the day:  The last church Dad pastored, East Belmont Church of God. 1954-67, Where I met the love of my life, Sherry....


So for today:

My daddy was from a family of 12 children. His dad was a farmer. He had to quit school after the 3rd grade be a fulltime farm hand. He was the oldest of 9 boys.

In their time off, mostly Sunday afternoon, the boys explored. Once they came to a big dirt bank beside a creek it was about 12 feet down to sand. They all wanted to jump and finally Jessie said to dad, “Frank you are the oldest you go first and let us know how it feels!” Dad said to their cheers he ran and jumped as far as he could, it about killed him.  When he got his breath back he yelled up ‘jump as far as you can it is the best ride you will ever have.’  None of them were hurt badly but all were not happy with big brother.

Also.. He said they were stringing barbed wire near the dirt road by their farm; they tacked wire to trees growing their fence line instead of posts when they could. A gentleman stopped in a nice car to talk to the boys. He asked, “Don’t you worry that the pine trees would grow up and raise the fence and eventually the cows could get out?”  Dad said I told him, “Sir, trees grow out and get fatter, but they grow up from the top, sorta like weeds you know.”

He was a stickler about his car, “After you change the oil in your car, it will feel so much better. Take care of your car it will take care of you.”

Most know my dad was a preacher in a fundamental church. He loved to have children in church, Back in his day many people would not ‘take’ their children to church but would allow them to ride with neighbors or catch a church bus to Sunday School. He made sure some of them made it to church..

Victor, a very good author and blogger   http://timeforreflections.blogspot.com/2024/01/problems.html

 has created a gem of a character called Father Ignatius.  When I read his books and entries featuring the good Father, using common sense as he teaches his flock, I see my dad The entry above hit me as something my dad would have used. I have heard my dad tell young preachers, “Many people will not remember our sermons in whole, but I try to say at least one thing that will be remembered until next time.”

When Myra repeats what her pastor has said, I actually think of dad.

When I was an Instructor, I once got a call into the Old Man’s Office. He smiled as I reported in and said, ” Chief you are doing a great job, BUT I stood outside your classroom today, and if your daddy said everything you say he said, he must have talked all the time.”

”Well sir, he was a preacher!”

Nite Shipslog

PS !: PS:. Thanks for reading the Shipslog, hope to see you again, take care and be safe. I cannot remember a lot, but there are times things come back to us.

4 comments:

Lisa said...

I’m still thinking about the trees. Our neighbor built a tree house with a ladder to the ground. Now 40 years later, you have to have a ladder to reach the ladder. However, cows want live that long. But, I’m sure Trees do grow from the top just like everything else. except grass. That stuff grows from the roots all year!

Rambling
Lisa

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Your diddy was a wise man. You were blesed to have him. So many good memories too~

Mevely317 said...

Oh, I may have laughed out loud at your closing line.

I love how you remember so many of these stories. I'm pretty sure my dad would have loved to share more of his own exploits, had I expressed interest. Regrets!

glenda hulbert said...

Unfortunately one can never go back and "UNDO", however, you've moved so far forward in your path, am purdy shua your Dad is sitting in heaven telling your Mom stories about "HE KNEW YOU WERE SPECIAL"....just a Dad's thing.