Clorets Anyone?

Brother Robert Bayer, was called The Walking Bible, because he could quote whole chapters or books of the Bible. He was preaching at an auditorium at ASU in Jonesboro, and several of us were riding together to hear him. 

We stopped at a Jr. Food Mart to pick up drinks and Nina and I got a bright idea. We bought  Feenamint gum and Clorets, and switched their boxes. We each put some Clorets in our mouth before going back to the van, then we put the Feenamint pack in our purse. 

When we got into the van Nina and I asked if anyone else would like some gum. Two or three people took some, and thanked us. But before Brother Bayer's message was over that night they were not thanking us. 

Brown Floater

When they were about the ages of three and four my girls always enjoyed a bubble bath. So one night I filled the tub and it had so many bubbles the girls were almost hidden. 

I tossed two wash cloths into the tub with Darlene and Dayna before walking into the kitchen. It had only been a few minutes when Darlene yelled, "Mama! Come here!" Her voice didn't sound urgent, but I knew she needed something, so quickly walked back into the bathroom. 

When I stepped into the door two little girls blonde heads were visible above the bubbles. Darlene pointed to a dark spot through the bubbles and asked, "What is that?" Me, knowing that I had just tossed two brown wash cloths into the tub reached in and picked it up, to show her as I said, "It's your wash cloth, see?" But to my dismay, there I stood holding a little brown turd..... 

There was no question of who the guilty culprit was that was responsible for the turd in the tub. The sparkle in three-year-old Darlene's eyes let me know that she was the proud owner. It is unreal that such pranks could come from such an angelic looking little girl. 

Jason

Rhonda and I were chatting as we shopped in Walmart one day when we  suddenly noticed that two-year-old Jason had disappeared. We started calling his name and hurriedly checked the next aisle, where, to our relief we found him. 

As we walked around the shelves I cracked up laughing and Rhonda about died from embarrassment. Jason had his back to the aisle, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to pee on the shelf at Walmart. 

A Scream

          

 

The scream split the silence of the quiet night as we all slept! It wasn’t the first time a girl at Haven of Hope (HOH) had nightmares that interrupted my sleep! But one does not adapt so easily to being awakened in this way! I bolted upright in bed; my hair seemed to be standing on end, every nerve tense and ready to charge into action!

We have heard enough stories of rape, abuse, and molestation that you automatically suspect the cause of the nightmares. Then later they often tell the stories that stir a desire in you to help ease their agony, and to open the eyes of many who are clueless to such things happening. The pain they have been made to suffer for someone else’s selfishness and perversion is heartrending.

This night was much the same as I rushed into the room to awaken her from the horror she was reliving. She must be awakened gently or she will come out of bed fighting.  So after placing my hand gently on her shoulder, I softly called her name several times before she responded. I talked to Julia a while then asked if she would be alright before I returned to my room.

 Hopefully this would be a night she could return to a peaceful sleep, but it was not to be. The same scenario occurred a second time later in the night. This was not an uncommon occurrence for Julia.

Julia didn’t tell that night why she had nightmares so frequently, but later her story came out. She was one of several children who were abused physically, emotionally, and sexually in many ways. It is sad that children must face such merciless, atrocious abuse. But, the most infuriating thing about her case was that her dad and step-mom were the ones who did these appalling things to Julia and her siblings.

It isn’t easy for children to separate the natural love they feel for a parent and the anger, the hurt, the fear, the betrayal, and the confusion of their feelings. It isn’t something that comes natural to admit and confront those feelings, and to recognize the scars that have resulted from the actions of their abusers. 

Children have a tough time talking about these things because they feel they are being disloyal to their parents. And often they carry guilt over the things that were done to them because they have been made to feel that they are to blame. But until she can face the past, clean out those old wounds, and have help from God and others who love her she can’t heal, and the scars will cripple her for life.

As time passed it was amazing to go to church and see Julia with her hands raised and tears dripping from her chin! It was thrilling to watch as she talked to God about the feelings she didn’t know how to deal with! It brought such great excitement to see her filled with joy when God’s Spirit filled her heart! And watching her change daily as she began walking with Christ was what we strive to see happen in each child’s life we work with.

Sure Julia has had, and will have more set-backs that hinder the relationship she began with God at Tupelo Children’s Mansion. But, we witnessed the beginning, and pray for Julia as we look forward to seeing or hearing of ‘God’s Amazing Grace’ continuing the work He began in her. We confidently expect to hear of how she is using her story to help others who have suffered much the same as she.

                                                                                   

Oxygen

LaNelda, like us all, was so overwhelmed over Dad's inability to breathe when he was so sick. She was with Dad one day and had stood it as long as she could, before passionately saying, "I'm going to get you an oxygen tank if I have to steal it and hold Mayor  Brodell hostage to keep from being arrested." 

Dad was accustomed to LaNelda being boisterous in her opinions and plans, so, like the rest of us, didn't think much more about her rant. But as Sherlyn was driving into town I told her about what LaNelda had said and that she had gone to her doctor and come back with an oxygen tank. 

Sherlyn smiled as she walked into the room where Dad sat with his oxygen tank, breathing easily. She said to us all, "Did you hear about the old woman at Nettleton dying a couple hours ago, because someone stole her oxygen tank?" 

Dad had such a shocked look on his face after Sherlyn's statement. LaNelda said the look said, "LaNelda Jean George, what have you done?" Then he looked into Sherlyn's face and realized she was teasing, and he chuckled as he realized that he had been got. 

Broken Dishwasher

Mark was sixteen and excited  about  his job at  "Sizzlin' Catfish" as a dishwasher. His first public job. Friday and Saturday nights were always busy and Mark took pride in doing a good job but more in his speed. 

It was common to hear Mark say on a busy night,  "Y'all can't get me backed up, because I'm so good and fast." When he arrived one Friday night he was surprised to hear, from the other employees that the dishwasher was broken, but went right to work. 

Hearing about the dishwasher being broken was bad news to Mark, but he was gung-ho about his job and took it in stride. 

It was the busiest time of the night and dishes steadily piling higher, as Mark sweated, elbow-deep in suds. Being a dishwasher was a tougher job than he imagined, but he wasn't raised to shirk his duty or whine so he    worked doggedly to get caught up. 

One of the owners, Thurl Mason had been working in the front of the restaurant all night. But in the busiest time he was making his rounds to see that everything was running smoothly in the kitchen. 

Thurl had been in the kitchen a couple minutes, watching his new dishwasher doing dishes by hand. He walked over and said, "Mark, why aren't you using the dishwasher?" As Mark started to reply, he saw the mischievous sparkle and grinning faces of the other kitchen staff. He knew he had been had. 

Once Mark started using the dishwasher, he was caught up in no time. 

My Babysitters

My Babysitters

Mom and Dad were busy one day when I was about three and asked Grandma Pride to babysit me. She told them later that I kept eating the green apples as she was cutting them up for canning. 

Grandma Pride said she started to worry about me eating so many green apples, and told me that I needed to stop or they would give me a stomach ache. I replied, "If I get a stomach ache my Daddy will pray for me and Jesus will heal me." 

With that reasoning, Grandma Pride said she couldn't stop me, and just  let me eat all the green apples I wanted.  Thankfully I didn't get a stomach ache..... 

Another day Mom and Dad got Mr. and Mrs. Cox to babysit me when I was around the same age. I can recall sitting on their front porch and listening to him tell stories about the occupants of the woods surrounding their home. 

Mr. Cox told about the little hoot owls and baby foxes in their woods. I was captivated by his stories and couldn't wait till Mom and Dad picked me up. Immediately I began telling them the stories. I said, "There are little odells and baby coxes in those woods."

Mom's Letter

Mom and I were staying in Bakersfield, California while she preached revivals at several churches nearby.  She was in a revival with Reverends Jimmy and Dianne Pulse when the anniversary service was scheduled at her home church, in Jonesboro. 

Joel called me one day and asked if I would email him a letter from Mom to Brother and Sister Robinson, her pastor and his wife in Jonesboro. Their anniversary service was coming up, and Mom hated that she would miss it. It would be the first she had missed since the church was built, about thirty years before. 

Joel said, "Mom made me promise her that I wouldn't alter anything in the letter. So you change it up before you email it to me. Then she wants me to print it off and read it to the church."

Mom wrote her letter, gave it to me and asked me to email it to Joel. I took the letter and went to the Pulse's house to email it. 

When I got to the Pulse's, I read Mom's letter to them, told them the plan and asked for their help in rewriting the letter. We could hardly write because of laughing so much, but together we did it. 

After returning to the camper I told Mom that the letter had been sent, and that I reminded Joel that he promised to not change anything. 

Shortly after service was over that night, we kept secretly watching Mom. She was visiting with some of  the church people when we saw her answer her phone. There was no question of who was calling or what the call was about as we watched her face. After holding the phone to her ear for a few seconds a dark scowl came over Mom's face. None of us were eager to talk to her that night. 

Back in Jonesboro, Sherlyn had come to town for the service, so Joel asked her to read Mom's letter. Sherlyn said she would.

Sherlyn read,  "Dear Brother and Sister Robinson, I'm sorry I couldn't be with all of you for this anniversary service. And I want to remind you of how much I love and appreciate you. 

It was a tough choice to not close my revival for the special service at home, but  I'm not getting any younger. Brother Pulse has scheduled me several revivals with elderly, single men. It may take a few years to find out if they are rich, and to decide whether they are for me, or not. I missed my chance with the brother who got married today, but will deal with the pain. 

The west coast seems like a good place to live.

You are a wonderful pastor and pastors wife,

Love Sister George"

 The crowd was roaring with laughter as she read the letter.  Then Sherlyn said, "I think someone else may have changed some of the letter."

After church in Bakersfield we sat around the table laughing and Brother Pulse kept pointing at Dianne and me and telling Mom, "Those girls are so mean." (He never admitted his part in the letter writing, at least not to Mom.)

She Bounced Back

Deb, Rhonda, Sherlyn, Juanetta, Angela and I had stopped for breakfast at a downtown Chicago restaurant while planning our day ahead. We discussed some shopping, a spa, some sight-seeing, where else we wanted to eat, and any other random idea that struck our fancy. 

We had reached the sidewalk before realizing that Sherlyn wasn't with us. I turned to walk back in, expecting to find her chatting with a new friend, as she never meets a stranger. 

The front of the restaurant was glass, with a glass entryway and two sets of double doors. As I stepped in front of the outside doors Sherlyn was visible. She saw me and started walking hastily in my direction, so I stopped to wait for her. 

I watched as Sherlyn was rushing to join us outside. Just as I realized that she didn't see the glass enclosure, she hit it at full tilt and bounced backward. 

As Sherlyn bounced off of the glass I yelled and exploded in laughter.  The other girls spun quickly to discover the reason for my hilarity, and joined in when they heard. 

Sherlyn was only slightly stunned when she hit the glass, but was laughing with us by the time she reached the sidewalk. 

Giant City Lodge

Deb and her date arrived early for their reservation at Giant City Lodge near Makanda, Illinois. They were looking forward to the evening together, the great food and the warm, friendly atmosphere. So to pass the time they decided to walk in the woods nearby. 

Deb and her date checked their watches occasionally as they walked near the stream. When they noticed that it was near time for their reservation, they started back toward the lodge. Deb had a flight of fancy and decided to walk on the boulders that were tumbled into the stream. 

As Deb took a few steps onto the slippery boulders her foot skidded and down she went, into the stream, flat on her stomach. When she put her hands out to push herself upward, they slipped on the mossy rocks. 

When Deb's hands slipped on the rocks it thrust her forward, over the low rapids, and farther into the stream. She looked helplessly up at her date and asked, "Does my hair look alright?"

Needless to say, dinner was cancelled for that evening as Deb went home to get cleaned up. 

I Got It

Mom and I were staying in the Pulse's camper, behind their church in Bakersfield, California. Mom was preaching for them and for other churches in the area nearby. 

One afternoon Mom told me that the toilet was stopped up, and that she was going to call Brother Pulse to unstop it. I told her that I would unstop it so we wouldn't have to bother him. 

The toilet plunger will almost always get things to flowing smoothly again. So I grabbed it and went to work, plunging then flushing. When I flushed the toilet, the water rose near the top, so I found a five-gallon bucket and a disposable cup to dip. (Yuck)

Plunge, flush, dip,  carry out, dump, then repeat. And the cycle continued. Mom would say, "I'm going to call Brother Pulse." I would say, "Wait, I'm going to get this." as I continued the dipping.

Unstopping toilets is not a job I enjoy, but it is embarrassing to ask someone else to clean up your mess.  So I continued plunging, flushing, dipping, carrying out, dumping and repeating for about two hours. When Mom said again, that she was going to call Brother Pulse. I said, "Let me go outside to see if I can figure out how to unstop it from there. If not, you can call him."

Carrying the five-gallon bucket, thinking I could drain a hose into the bucket to unstop the toilet I walked behind the camper. After removing the outside cover I quickly saw the sign for the holding tank drain.

This morning I read instructions for draining a holding tank which gave thorough directions. "Before removing the cap to the holding tank drain opening, ensure both the gray and black water valves are closed." Brilliant! Now I read the instructions!  Nine years too late!

While removing the cap to the drain opening, I thought, "This job is whippppppeedddddd!" as a gush covered everything from my neck down...... (But didn't the instructions mention gray and black water drains? Whatever I opened must have been something different. The yucky goo that covered me was brown.) 

You can imagine Mom's hilarity as I walked around the corner and said, "I got it." 

Phone Call

It was great to talk to Freda tonight and to recall so many fun times together. We remembered a funny prank that Boyd pulled on me. 

We were at church one night at Jonesboro and Dad had started preaching. We didn't remember the title or subject of the message, but can recall him saying, "If you get up and go out, I will know who I'm preaching to." 

Dad had been preaching for a while when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I looked around and they pointed to the back row of the church where Boyd and Freda sat. Boyd had his hand to his ear like a telephone and mouthed the words, "AB is on the phone." 

Quietly I got up, moved to the outside aisle and started walking toward the nursery to get the phone. As I neared the back row, Dad said, "Getting too hot for you, huh?" Instantly I knew that I had been had and looked toward Boyd who was about to bust a gut laughing. 

Before Pampers

Before God created Pampers we used cloth diapers for our babies, and they were held in place by two large pins. It wasn't easy to secure the diaper of a squirming baby without sticking them or yourself. But frequent practice helped you learn techniques for safely doing the job. 

There were other dangers when changing a baby's diaper, and Deb discovered one of them. She was holding Mark in church one night when she noticed a bad smell. Grabbing the diaper bag she carried him to the restroom and changed him, and walked back into the church.

 After Deb sat down in her pew we noticed something yellow on her white skirt. It didn't take long to figure out what it was. Deb had been so cautious to not stick Mark, and had so carefully cleaned him up that she had used her white skirt when cleaning him instead of the diaper. 

Spinach & Cornbread

One time when Dayna and Darlene were about three and four we ran out of propane after AB went to work. It was icy weather and we lived where the wind whipped around and through the trailer from across the cotton fields. 

Dayna, Darlene and I all wrapped up good and climbed in one bed to stay warm. We stayed there all day, reading, and coloring. 

When we got hungry I checked for something we could eat, since we couldn't cook. Spinach and cornbread were all that was left over from the night before, so we ate that for breakfast and lunch.

It was a long day, but we  learned long ago that tough or bad situations can be turned into fun. 

Frozen

We were in Oklahoma and only minutes from our destination when suddenly a loud pop,  a plume of smoke and the car died. Deb's car would never start again. 

We were due back in Jonesboro the following afternoon with Dayanna, Dayna, BJ and Mandi for George Family photos. After getting a mechanic to check it out we decided to pull the car home. 

Terry, a friend told us he would load the car on his car hauler and tow it with his pick up. And that we could ride back with him. After loading it Terry told us to get in the pick up and we would leave. There wasn't enough room for us all, so Deb and I said we would wrap ourselves in blankets and ride in the back of the pick up. 

We felt warm enough when we started but within twenty miles we were trying to do the impossible and squeeze under the tool box.  We were shaking so bad we couldn't hear each other speak above the chatter of teeth. 

Finally we gave up on trying to squeeze under the tool box and started signaling for Terry to stop. When he pulled off the shoulder we could hardly move because we were so frozen. 

We knew it was illegal to ride in a car being towed, but we thought we had a better chance with the police than if we were frozen. 

Deb lay in the front seat of her car and I lay in the back so we wouldn't be visible to a policeman. 

Mornin' Breeze

Dad was already preaching when Mamie arrived at church. She had worked at the catfish restaurant and as sitting down, she asked Angela for  some perfume. She thought it would disguise the smell of food on  her clothing. 

Angela, who was sitting behind Mamie held up a bottle of perfume. Mamie extended her arm and told Angela to spray it on her wrist, which she did. Mamie rubbed her wrists together and rubbed them on her neck before the smell hit her nostrils. It was "Mornin' Breeze" perfume and Dad said it smelled like 'lightning had struck the outhouse.'

Micah, a little three or four year old girl was three rows behind Mamie sleeping on the pew.  She started gagging and throwing up.  

Everyone was rolling with laughter, and Angela was laughing so hard she had to go out. Dad was preaching when the laughter started, and was bumfuzzled for just a moment, before he smelled it, then he started grinning. Angela said,  "When I saw that smile, I knew I had made Dad proud." 

If That Isn't Love

We had been in California for several weeks and were headed back home. While there, we had heard the sad news about some dear friends whose marriage had split up. (I will call them Brother and Sister Johnson)  And that the husband was living in New Mexico. 

Dad and Mom prayed that they could reach Brother Johnson and could help reunite him with his family. They  talked to other friends who scheduled a church service in their home in Albuquerque (I think that is the correct city) and Brother Johnson agreed to come. 

We were not in a cathedral, there was no huge crowd, and the music was minimal. But God's Spirit was close to us that night as we sang and worshipped Him. God often uses unusual incidents, unique things, and unlikely people to touch our hearts. And that night was one of those times. 

When seven adults and seven children began to sing, pray and worship God, His Spirit started working in the heart of Brother Johnson.  Then the three youngest of the children began to sing;

"If that isn't love,  

The ocean is dry

There's no stars in the sky

And the sparrow can't fly

If that isn't love

Then heaven's a myth

There's no feeling like this

If that isn't love

It was like a dam broke and God began to heal the brokenness in Brother Johnson as he listened to Juanetta, Angela and LaNelda sing. The healing that God began then in his heart continued and their family was reunited. 

Later, Brother Johnson talked about God working in his heart that night. He said, "When those three little ones started singing, "If Dad Isn't Loved" my heart broke." He had misunderstood the words of the song, but God used his misunderstanding to begin the healing process that was needed to restore their family. 

That was not the only time God worked on people's hearts through Juanetta, Angela and LaNelda singing that song.I will post another incident later. 

Save the Walls

Spring River was a fun and relaxing part of our summers.  We had many memorable times there through the years. Canoeing, tubing,  swimming and camping were our favorite activities. Some also liked to trout fish and still others would spend the day watching our children play in the rapids. It was always a time of friends, fun, good cooking and laughter. 

One particular day a group of friends and our families had had an amazing, fun-filled and exhausting time at Spring River. But we were glad to get home before the storm hit. The bad weather was moving in quickly, with extremely strong winds. 

We had not been home long when we got a phone call from Leslie. She said we needed to get to the church ASAP as the wind was blowing the church walls down. She told us that she was calling others to help also. 

We had started building a new church and had completed the foundation but the outside walls were only framed up. We rushed to the church, and as we pulled into the drive we could see that the walls were leaning dramatically. But Sue and Dallas already had 2x4's against one wall to support it enough to prevent the total collapse. 

Leslie, Freda, Boyd, AB and I pulled in to the church yard about the same time. We girls all grabbed 2x4's and pressed them against the wall to push it upright again. Boyd and AB grabbed ladders, hammers and nails and started nailing braces in place to secure the walls. 

As we stood on the ground watching the wind whip Boyd and AB on the top of the wall our hearts were in our throats. It was scary enough that the wall wasn't secure, but the strength of the wind made it even more frightening. 

Working together, we prevented the total collapse of the church walls that stormy day. It was a good thing to see people who are dedicated to their church, work hard for It. But the admirable thing to us that day was seeing two men who were not church members risk their necks for the church . 

My Will

You say, "If God's so big and strong,

Why can't He control my feelings?"

God says, "My child, I'd love so much,

To bring you peace and healing."

But God gave man, his own free will,

He can do, just as he pleases.

So stop and think, God's hands are tied,

Until man, his will releases.

Faithful

Faithful

Life at it's best, sometimes seems so cruel,

And deals such a dreadful blow.

The sun may not seem to be shining,

The stars may have list their glow.

You may wonder why you are bearing the load,

Instead of one of the rest.

Could it be, this load on your shoulders,

Is only part if a test?

Friend, it could be that God in His wisdom,

Knew you could bear the grief,

And knew that you would fight, and not give up,

So others could find relief.

Could it be, He knew you could live, as you're living,

And smile through heartaches and tears,

To be an example to others,

And help diminish their fears?

So cheer up my friend, be strong in the Lord,

He'll give you the strength to go on.

Bear bravely the load, and smile through the tears,

Until it's time to go home.

By: Rev. C.E. George