BLESSING YOUR MARRIAGE AND YOUR CHILDREN!

A summary of Genesis 27:

Isaac is close to dying. 

He instructs his first-born son, Esau, to prepare a wild game meal and be ready to receive his  blessing. 

Rebekah, Isaac's wife, overhears the conversation.

Loving Jacob more, she coaches the younger son to deceive his father by impersonating his brother and stealing Esau's blessing.   

Jacob pulls it off - even though Isaac seems suspicious. 

Esau returns and discovers what has happened.  He is desperately disappointed and furious. 

He vows to kill Jacob after Isaac's death. 

Rebekah schemes to have Jacob sent to live with her brother, Laban, until Esau's temper cools.  She doesn't want him to marry a Hitite woman.

WORDS ABOUT MARRIAGE AND PARENTING

Previous glimpses of this marriage were positive in nature.  Isaac and Rebekah appeared to have a good marriage when they were younger.  But, with the birth of children, they apparently grew distant.  According to Genesis 25:28, Isaac loved Esau while Rebekah loved Jacob.   This is a recipe for disaster.  To be healthy, wealthy and wise, children need the love and attention of both father and mother!  That's why God designed marriage the way He did!  We do not have the luxury of loving one child more than the other!  

The world can be harsh!  Children will need the love and devotion of both parents to be able to make it!  Gary Smalley and John Trent claim that there are five elements to the blessing that we must provide to EACH of our children:  [THE BLESSING, 2004, Thomas Nelson Publishing]

• meaningful touch
• spoken words
• expressing high value
• picturing a special future, and
• active commitment

When they are deprived any of these from either parent, the potential for maladjustment is increased!  

Parents must pull together to raise children in a healthy, fair, balanced environment!  Competition has its place, but siblings need to be taught that they are on the same team!  Playing 'favorites' will inevitably create jealousy, animosity and meanness!  These are destructive forces that can and will destroy relationships and lives!  

Isaac may not have understood this since he was raised as an only child.  He put great stock in the belief that the blessing went to the first-born son.  Rebekan, on the other hand, had been told by God [25:23] while her twins were still in her womb, that the older child would serve the younger.  Perhaps she was simply guilty of trying to facilitate God's revealed will.  

Rebekah's character is exposed, however, in this story.  She is an eavesdropper and a schemer who clearly acts to deceive her husband.  Although her intentions may have been right, her actions were clearly not!  

There's another point that often eludes us in this passage.  According to Isaac's blessing of Jacob, there were other brothers as well!  [27:29]

Be master of your brothers and may your mother's sons bow down to you.

How were these other children affected by this conspiratorial act?  

Isaac and Rebekah failed to cultivate a closeness and shared concern for their children.  They had apparently allowed their relationship to stagnate and develop into petty rivalries.  How sad!  The damage of such a development is always manifested in the lives of the children!  

Don't let this happen in your family!  Stay close and committed in your parenting goals.  Love one another openly and genuinely;  it is the best way to maintain health, comfort and confidence in the lives of your children!  Together, give them the blessing by studying and implementing Smalley and Trent's list [above].  

And PRAY!  Pray for wisdom, guidance, unity and grace!  Pray together!  Pray together for your children!  Pray with your children!  Never stop praying with them - even when they mature and leave home!  Keep passing them the blessing as long as you live!   

GOD WANTS TO HEAR A GREAT, LOUD LAMENT!

Not too many people are interested in reading from the minor prophets.  But like the whole of scripture, sometimes their lessons are extremely relevant.  

Amos writes around the year 755 B.C.  

Now, you may say, "How can anything written that long ago be relevant in the 21st century A.D.?"  

This was a period in history when Israel was prospering.  Uzziah was the king of Judah [southern tribes].  He fortified Jerusalem and had subdued the Philistines, the Ammonites and the Edomites.  During these years Assyria, Babylonia, Syria and Egypt were relatively weak.  

Amos was delivering a message that "Catastrophe is just around the corner."  [6:2 TM]   In the following verses he tells the people:

• you live in luxury and expect others to serve you.
• you live only for today.
• you're indifferent to the fate of others.
• you think life is a party.
• you're addicted to feeling good - a life without pain.
• you're obsessed with looking good - life without wrinkles.
• you couldn't care less about your country going to ruins.

Then, Amos warns:  [vs.7f  TM]

"But here's what's really coming."  You're going to experience "a forced march into exile."  

Then, in verse 14, "Enjoy it while you can, you Israelites [northern tribes].  I've got a pagan army on the move against you...this is your GOD speaking, God-of-the-Angel-Armies - and they'll make hash of you, from one end of the country to the other."  

Hosea obviously foresees the fall of Israel [the northern tribes] to Assyria in 722 B.C which occurs thirty-three years after his prophecy.  Judah [southern tribes] will last another one-hundred-thirty-five years before it falls to Babylon!  Frequently during these Old Testament times, a prophet was called a 'seer'.  Somehow, by the choice of God, they were enabled to foresee - and therefore describe - future events!  

Apparently, Amos saw the sun being turned off in the middle of the day (Amos 8:9).  Because of the clockwork order and consistency of the heavenly bodies, we know that a solar eclipse took place in Israel [northern tribes] on June 15, 763 B.C.  Did this event rattle any Israelites and make them consider that possibly Amos was delivering a real message from God?

His message was very clear.  In 5:14-16 [TM], he says:

Seek good and not evil - and live!

You talk about GOD, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, being your best friend.

Well, live like it, and maybe it will happen.

Hate evil and love good...

God wants to hear a great, loud lament!

Verses 21-24 [TM]   [Hosea speaking for God]

I can't stand your religious meetings.

I'm fed up with your conferences and conventions.

I want nothing to do with your religion projects, your pretentious slogans and goals.

I'm sick of your fund-raising schemes, your public relations and image making.

I've had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.  

When was the last time you sang to me?  Do you know what I want?  

I want justice - oceans of it.

I want fairness - rivers of it.

That's what I want.  That's all I want.

As you know, Israel [northern tribes] and Judah [southern tribes] failed to respond to the messages of the prophets.  Both were carried away into exile after oft-repeated attempts to reach them by God!  

If you've stayed with me this far, I have only one more observation:

This all sounds remarkably relevant to the United States in 2022!  Read the above descriptions again.  It seems ridiculous to us that we would ever be carried away into exile.  That's what the people of Israel and Judah thought too!  Could God - likewise - be fed up with the mediocrity and predictability of our worship and faith?  

Has the message of Amos been preserved just for our benefit?  It makes you wonder...

WHAT KIND OF LEGACY ARE YOU LEAVING?

God starts teaching us about the importance of legacy from the very beginning and continues throughout His Word.

He begins in the lives of the first sons born to Adam and Eve.  Cain ends up getting very jealous of his brother, Abel, and kills him.  In time, Adam and Eve have another son and name him Seth.  Seven generations after Cain, comes a descendent named Lamech.  Lamech killed a man who wounded him.  A legacy of anger and jealousy was embedded.  However, seven generations after Seth, came a man named Enoch.  Enoch walked steadily with God. And then one day he was simply gone: God took him [Genesis 5:24 TM].  Clearly a righteous legacy was established in Seth's line.

But God was persistent about teaching this principle.  Twenty chapters later, we read about Jacob and Esau.  Esau was Isaac's oldest son and he loved Esau.  But Esau was foolish and impetuous.  The birthright of a firstborn was a very special blessing in his day.  However, he sold his birthright to his younger brother, Jacob, for a bowl of stew when returning from a hunting trip.  Rebekah loved Jacob, revealing unhealthy parenting of these two boys.  This man - who wrestled in the womb with his brother - became a deceiver and suffered much for this trait.  Eventually, however - and this is very significant - Jacob wrestles with God and experiences a transformation!  Through this divine intervention, he is renamed 'Israel' and becomes the father of the twelve tribes!  

The lesson we learn here is that God can interrupt and change the effect of a legacy - IF WE ALLOW HIM!

David is another illustration of the power of legacy.  Being a man after God's heart, we see him chosen by God to be king of Israel.  However, he chooses adultery and conspiracy to commit murder.  His legacy turns bitter as a result!  Incest haunts the royal palace and his sons scheme to kill one another.  A legacy that started out so well and enjoyed the blessing of God, in a short time turned sour and became a sordid story of violence and perversion.

A legacy is a delicate yet critical pattern of behavior.  What most of us fail to understand is that all our actions, decisions, habits and responses contribute to the formation of our legacy.  Even those secret, hidden thoughts and actions!  The formation of legacy is knitted into the fabric of living more deeply than we tend to realize.  Everything we think, do and say contributes to our legacy.  We see our idiosyncrasies begin to surface in our children when they're quite young.  By adolescence, their course has been partially determined by our influence in their lives.  Free will still exists!  They - like us - get to make decisions that could alter their course.  

There are many factors that come into play:  free will, God's Will, reason, desperation, prayer, divine encounters and many more.  

Regardless of our age or stage of life, we must systematically evaluate the impact of our lives on others - especially those closest to us!  

Gracious God,

Each of us creates and sustains a legacy.

None of us are completely satisfied with the legacy we've established.

We have regrets.

We harbor secret thoughts and actions.

We conceal meanness, jealousy, hatred, envy and so much more.

We want to do better.

We have Your living, Holy Spirit within us who never fails to point out sinful thoughts and behaviors. Help us to listen and heed His promptings.

We want to leave a godly imprint on those we influence every day!

For the Kingdom's sake.  Amen.

TURNING 70

I had a wonderful childhood!  Godly parents embedded me in the life of the church from before I was born!  All of my needs were met and I was surrounded by caring aunts, uncles and cousins. 

My mom was the major influence in my life.  She was indefatigable in pointing me to God and living right.  Her influence was immersed in love, although she slapped me twice:  once when I disrespected God by saying, ‘Holy Cow’, and once when I disrespected her!  She modeled the use of her spiritual gifts by being a gracious hostess and entertaining many guests at our table.  Also by providing leadership in the Women’s Missionary Society.  Many missionaries and church leaders stayed in our home while I was growing up!  Her prayer life was exemplary, as her Bible reveals by the pockets she taped into it to hold all of her prayer lists.

My father was a quiet man.  I knew he loved me because my mom continually told me that he did.  He was a dedicated provider for our family giving forty-eight years of service to the Townsend Company.  He exercised leadership in our local church by filling many roles:  Sunday School teacher, trustee, official board secretary, and delegate to the Annual Conference.  He served on the ‘Stationing Committee’ [responsible for appointing pastors to churches] for the Pittsburgh Conference for over twenty-five years.  He was also elected as a Pittsburgh Conference delegate to the Free Methodist World Conference on five occasions.  He was not highly engaged with me during my growing-up years, but later in life we became closer.

When their influence began to diminish, Debbie stepped in to finish the job!  We began dating in high school and continued, off-and-on, for five years before being married on August 11, 1973.  She was worried about the prospect of being a pastor’s wife, but that was unnecessary since she was deeply loved and appreciated everywhere we served.  Our love produced three incredible children:  Travis, Troy and Tracie.  I could talk for hours about each of them!  They’ve brought us great joy – and a measure of heartache.  I still look back and wonder how I was wise enough at the age of twenty-one to choose such an excellent wife!  She is my joy every day!

We lost Travis in 2015.  The pain of that loss has diminished with time, but just in recent weeks Debbie has been in pain missing him.  Just when you think you’ve got it managed, it resurfaces and debilitates you.  He gave us so much to be proud of!  Our times with him were always filled with delight and fun!

Troy and Missy live ten minutes away today.  He is our helper in our mature years.  Just this week he put the finishing touches on his moms' kitchen cabinets – working hand-in-hand with Deb.  Yesterday, he came to my rescue changing a flat tire in Pittsburgh and enduring my forgetfulness (leaving my car keys at home).  He is a source of tremendous pride for us and his quick visits make our day!  He excels in his work at the Boardman Fire Station and is respected by his peers.  He and Missy are well thought of by everyone who knows them, and they’re active in Freedom Church (where I was pastor from 2003 to 2012). 

Tracie and Jon now live in Rockledge, Florida – so much further than Connecticut.  We’ll soon be spending a week with them on our first trip to their new home.  Tracie surprised me for this birthday by arranging a flight home to celebrate with us.  I pick her up this afternoon!  She and Jon gave us two awesome grandchildren:  Rylie (14) and Coltin (12).  We love them so much and take joy in watching them grow and change!  Jon is now Command Chief and oversees the missile-testing of submarines at his base.   Tracie stands beside Jon and engages with younger military wives (and girlfriends) in a mentoring role.  She occasionally works outside the home, but focuses mainly on caring for her family!

I turn seventy today, having lost my brother, Ira, (9/27/21) and my sister, Jeannette (12/1/21).  I admired and respected both of them all through my years.  Ira was always tucking a $20 bill in my pocket when we visited.  He consistently introduced me to his friends as his ‘kid brother’.  His wife, Joyce, is here to celebrate my birthday today!  Jeannette was totally dedicated to raising her two sons, Tom and Bob, and was SO PROUD of them.  We intend to stay as close to them as we can in the future.  Both siblings loved the Lord and served Him through their churches.

My remaining sister, Beverly, lives in Rochester, NY, so we don’t get to see her and Dick very often.  They are hibernating to protect themselves from the COVID-19 realities, so won’t be able to join today’s celebration.  Bev is the only sibling that I actually lived with while growing up, consequently, we share a special bond.  She is so much like our mother – even resembles her.  They gave us many free vacations in their backyard while our family was young.  ;-)  She is intimately connected to God and has, for years, been the first person (besides Debbie) that I turn to for prayer!  She and Dick are a delight and we hope for more years to enjoy them both! 

Debbie’s family has been a major part of our support system all through our lives and continues to be.  Debbie’s ‘Whippo thread’ on her phone, is active every day .  We worship weekly with two of her sisters and two brothers.  They are the long-term friends that have walked with us through the joyful and painful times.  We take pride in their children and in their many accomplishments.

•     Danny
•      Laurie and Charlie
•      Cathy and Jeff
•      Janie and Peter
•      Wally and Lyn
•      Ginny and Dave
•      Tom and Janet
•      Barbie and Jim

Our life’s journey wouldn’t have been near as pleasant without them in our lives! 

I’m not going to name any friends because I would surely omit someone special!  So many have joined us in our life’s journey!  Many were parishoners that became friends!  Our trip through life thus far has been sprinkled with the blessings bestowed by so many precious people!  Some helped me maintain my vehicles!  Some camped with us and shared vacations.  Others have shared meals and gifts with us.  Many prayed with us during challenging times.  Friendship is a gift that we should probably give more freely!  We have been abundantly blessed through the years by so many wonderful people – most of whom shared our love for Jesus! 

As I complete my 70^th trip around the sun, I am a deeply grateful man!  I have been BLESSED!  And I am GRATEFUL to God!  I want to live to praise Him and to point others to Him!

THE STUDY OF GOD

'Theology' [theos = god,  logos = word] means words about God - or the study of God. 

I'm asking your forgiveness ahead of time.  I'm currently reading Romans in The Message.  Romans is the theology book of the New Testament.  It's a slow read.  Paul takes us to the deep end of the pool.  He correlates ancient history with the current events of the early part of the first century.  You have to read slowly - even repeatedly - and let it soak in.  But, oh, is it ever worth it!

My current reading is in chapter eight, which is a glorious chapter.  It starts with the announcement that we are now free from condemnation, and ends by stating that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

I'll soon finish seven decades of walking on this planet.  I was raised in a godly home.  I made many young commitments to God and then cemented my relationship by accepting His 'call' to ministry at the age of seventeen.  I studied religion and philosophy for my undergraduate degree.  I completed a master of divinity degree that immersed me in theology, biblical studies, Hebrew and Greek, psychology, Chrisitan education, ethics, church history and more philosophy.  I've led churches for over four decades, preached thousands of sermons and taught classes on many subjects.  

And yet, I still sometimes struggle with my faith.  I was raised during a season when the church was emerging from an emphasis on legalism.  The features that influenced me claimed that If you dressed right, avoided certain behaviors, kept your language holy, attended church regularly and strove in all areas of your life to be holy [as God is holy], then you might make it to heaven.

It was a severely misguided time and did tons of damage to people's spiritual development and maturity.  

But, the pendulum swung and we gradually moved beyond legalism.  I cannot document all the phases that we moved through, but they were diverse and included:

• the charismatic confusion
• the praise and worship movement
• the church growth explosion
• the church health strategies
• the pastor as CEO season
• the mega-church predicament

Since I've been retired for almost six years, someone more in touch will have to inform us as to what the current trends and focuses are.  I do think I observe a leaning toward being more liturgical.  I experimented in these areas while I was attending Pittsburgh Theological Seminary during the 80's.  The Oakland [East Liverpool] people tolerated my experimentation in this and other areas.

But, I've already wandered from my purpose.  

In Romans I've been reading about the preoccupation with our sinfulness.  The sin principle is powerful and pervades all of scripture as well as our lives.  But Christ's coming, redemption and resurrection made a massive difference.  Through His Spirit, He lives in us and empowers us.  

Peterson puts it this way in The Message:   [Romans 8:15]

This resurrection life you received from God is...

adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike 'What's next Papa?'

Now to my purpose for moving from my study carrol to my laptop.  I still wrestle with sin.  One thing I have liked about worshipping in an evangelical presbyterian church for the last nearly three years, is the repetitious acknowledgement of systemic sin.  Every Lord's Day our pastor leads us in a prayer that encourages us to take a few seconds to confess our sins from the previous week.  The monotony and predictability of this practice often frustrates me.  However, I agree with the concept and the need.  My greatest problem is that the few seconds provided are not sufficient for me to review my sinfulness over the past six days!  

However, hearing the words of assurance somehow encourages me.  I've never struggled to leave worship with a renewed determination that I can do better this week.  Yet, sometimes I still feel caught in the sin principle.  I frequnetly feel like a spiritual failure.  

A common problem is that I have friends and associates who seem to do it so much better than me.  They seem holier.  They seem to make better decisions and accomplish more than I do.  Almost everything that flows from their mouths seems wise, admirable, enviable, and holy.  I imagine them having these perfect prayer experiences and a dynamic, day-to-day relationship with God.  I wonder if they struggle - maybe just a little bit, once in a while?  

I live with a fear that I've missed out on understanding something vital.  I feel a little like Mother Teresa [pardon the comparison] who was revered almost universally.  Then, posthumously, her writings were published and we discovered that this dynamic woman was plagued by doubt and uncertainty regarding her standing with God.  To some extent [please forgive me] she deceived us.  How much more help she could have been if she had shared this troubled journey with us.  

I've studied and debated the theology.   I know that we are crucified with Christ and that it is no longer I that live - but Christ lives in me.  I know that there is now, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  I know that we were buried with Christ in baptism and raised with Christ when we rose from the water.  I know that His Spirit lives in me.  I am committed to His Word as the main resource for my life and I consume it daily.  

But...you saw that coming, didn't you?

But, I have not yet attained consistently to the extent that Peterson paraphrases:

This resurrection life you received from God is...

adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike 'What's next Papa?'

I have had seasons where that was the character of my day-to-day life.  I must confess that this was more true when I was leading the church.  I think the responsibility that I bore in that role helped to keep me out front, leaning daily on God, desperately wanting to see the church be fruitful and effective [those two words guided my leadership].  

Now, I sit in the pew every week.  I no longer counsel, preach, teach, and have regular outlets for influence.  My world has shrunk.  I didn't anticipate this.  

I was passionate when I made my life-changing decision for Christ as a young man.  I was aggressive through my college years.  I led the church with vision and energy from 1975 through 2017.  Living for God is still the main desire of my life.  Gaining heaven is a greater focal point as I approach my 70th birthday.  Leaving a legacy of faith has always been prominent in my thinking and living.  

Episcopal priest, Sam Shoemaker (1898 - 1963) was one of the most influential clergymen of the 20th century.  He assisted in the birth of Alcoholics Anonymous and contributed heavily to the formation of the twelve steps!  He wrote a poem called "I Stand by the Door".  It was a magnificent statement of his evangelistic fervor.  He anticipated that this passion would continue even in heaven since he was so focused on saving lost people.  He envisioned that when he got there, rather than rush into the glory of God and the awesomeness of worship, he would prefer to 'stand by the door' in hopes of catching a few more by the coattails and pulling them into the kingdom of God.  

As a young man, his vision captivated me!  It gave me purpose.

I need that purpose to be reignited.  I need my love for God to be divinely inspired.  I need a daily dose of reassurance.  I want to burn brightly for Him.  I don't want to stumble.  I want pure words, thoughts and actions.  I desperately want to avoid hypocrisy.  I want my life to point to Him.  

A CHRISTMAS EVE TRADITION AT THE HAIRE HOUSE

I realized this morning that I didn't add a blog this Christmas season.  So, on the day after Christmas, I will reflect on a memory that centers around my mom!

Have you ever eaten hash?  Sure you have!  The problem is that almost every family has a recipe for hash that is different!  A search of the internet will produce scores of recipes.  I just came across Mexican hash, corned beef hash, roast beef hash, sweet potato hash, steak and egg hash, and many others.

The hash we ate in the Haire house was very simple and easy to make.  It probably has connections to the Scotch, Welsh and English roots of our Hairetage.  :-)

Mom simply filled a cooking pot with water and brought it to a boil adding bits of raw ground beef, sliced potatoes, onion and some sliced carrots.  Cook this covered until it boils and then simmer it for another hour.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite toast and butter.  It ALWAYS seems to need more salt!  

I know that it sounds strange to drop raw ground beef into boiling water!  Trust me, it will surprise you how good it will taste!

One Christmas Eve, when I was a teenager, I asked my mom when she was going to start her hash.  She gave me a funny look and asked me how I knew she was going to make hash.  I responded, "Mom, you always make hash on Christmas Eve!"  She looked surprised:  "I do?"  "Yes, you do!"   Without realizing it, she had created a tradition simply because it was one of the easiest and fastest meals she could make.  The busyness of Christmas Eve created a circumstance that caused her to always fall back on hash!

Debbie made it several days ago and I enjoyed it for three days.  Tracie thought it sounded good, so she made it too.  Her comment when I asked about it:  "Dad, I could drink all of that broth in one sitting!"  

Thanks, mom.  You've been gone forty years now, but I still think of you and still miss you!  Your fingerprints are all over my life and I'm SO GRATEFUL!  

MY BIG SISTER

I have previously mentioned Jeannette in several family blog articles, however, I never focused specifically on her.  I suppose part of my reticense was because there is SO MUCH TO SAY and so many stories that could be told.  Now that she has preceded me to Heaven, it's time to reflect on the way she lived her life. 

I was born January 27, 1952.  Less than a month later, Jeannette turned fifteen!  I have no memory of her living at home.  I also have no memories of her that do not include her (late) husband, Bob (known to most as Lib).  Her oldest son, Tom, is just four-and-a-half years younger than me.  He has a younger brother, Bob, as well.  

Jeannette and Lib always lived in Beaver Falls or Chippewa.  Since the other Haire children moved away, she played a vital role in our Mom and Dad's lives.  When I was growing up, she would flit in and out of their home on William Penn Way in New Brighton at least a couple of times a week.  Her visits were on-the-run, but were thoroughly enjoyed - mostly by our Mom.  We also made fairly frequent trips to their various homes.  

Jeannette loved our parents so much and cared for them attentively even in the midst of her very busy life.  She was the only one of the four children who took after the Walton side of our family.  This lineage afforded her two outstanding characteristics:  a nervous, hyperactive personality type and a phenomenal sense of humor!  

The stories abound!  As we gather to celebrate her life, I'm certain many of them will be retold followed by animated laughter!  Allow me to give a few examples:

In August of 1961, my brother, Ira, married Joyce Twitchell in Willow Grove, PA.  That's near Philadelphia.  Jeannette and Lib started out on this journey along with our cousin, Olive (who was - at the time - married to Lib's brother, Johnny).  [Olive was a co-conspirator with Jeannette in many of their escapades.]  Not even halfway into the trip, they had car troubles along the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  

When Lib was unable to quickly fix the car, Jeannette declared that she wasn't going to miss her brother's wedding.  She and Olive grabbed their suitcases and flagged down a Greyhound bus.  They convinced him to allow them to ride along to Philadelphia.  Upon arriving, they called Joyce to arrange a ride.  Joyce sent her uncle to the downtown Philadelphia bus station.  They all arrived barely in time for the wedding.  Unfortunately, the bus had passed quite close to Willow Grove, which could have saved a lot of time.  However, this was a time previous to cell phones.

Meanwhile, Lib was left alongside the Turnpike with two very young boys and a broken down car! 

Now picture two crazy, hyper, determined women flagging down a bus and then climbing on board carrying their suitcases.  It became part of the legend that was MY SISTER

An even earlier story illustrates the kind of faux paus that she could stumble into.  

One of my father's sisters lived in southern Ohio along with the branches of her own family.  At least once a year, my Dad would load us up for a visit "down-the-river" to see Aunt Goldie and Uncle Eber - who lived in a hollow and had a dairy farm.   

It was quite an experience for us city slickers!  Things were done a lot different down there! 

On one occasion, Aunt Goldie gave Jeannette some letters and asked her to take them down the lane to the mailbox.  As Jeannette walked away, Aunt Goldie reminded her, "Now don't forget to put the flag up!"  

Some moments later, they observed Jeannette walking down the lane with the letters and struggling to carry the American flag with her! 

One more that I'll have to clean up a bit.

One evening after the boys were grown and gone, Jeannette and Lib went to a steakhouse in Chippewa that featured a salad bar.   After eating, they went to the laundromat to do several loads of clothes.

Part way into the washing cycle, they both realized that had had an urgent need to use the restroom.  They pulled the soaking wet clothes from the washers, threw them into the car and took off for home.

Meanwhile, their son, Bobby, saw them and followed them blinking his lights to get them to stop.  When they did, he jogged up to Lib's window to talk to them.  Lib simply said, "We have to go home to..."  Then, he squealed tires as he pulled out - leaving Bobby standing alongside the road! 

But the best part of the story occurred when they got home.  Lib was a big guy at this time and wasn't capable of moving very quickly.  Jeannette took advantage of this and hopped out, running ahead of him to their only bathroom!  

I can only tell you that these are just a sample of the MANY stories that characterized my sister!  

She was always in a hurry;  always near frantic.  

Oh, I can't resist the temptation;  one more story!

Lib didn't always attend church with Jeannette.  When she could, she brought the boys with her.  Sometimes she came alone.  One Sunday, they had all come, but Jeannette was on automatic pilot and got in the car and drove home without Lib and the boys.  

When she got home and found no one there, she remembered that they had gone to church with her!  Franticly, she flew back toward the church, only to find Lib walking with a boy on each hand across the Beaver Falls - New Brighton bridge.

I think we'll skip the video of that encounter for now...

She made life fun!  She peppered life with shenanigans.  She lived life in the fast lane!  But no one can bring allegations that she ignored her family!  She was dedicated to them!  And they knew it!  Her boys brag about how she attended not only all of their sports games, but most of their practices, as well. It is only fair to say that during these years, her life was totally focused on her boys!   

She adored our parents and stayed in close contact with them always.  After our Mom died (1981), our Dad eventually needed help because of some physical challenges he was facing.  Jeannette oversaw his care and visited him regularly.  Eventually, she moved him into their house so that she could care for him even better!  He and Lib established a close relationship during that time.  

She stayed active all her life in the New Brighton Free Methodist Church.  Sadly, after her health failed, pastors failed to visit her and care for her.  However, several lay members did visit her periodically.  She loved the Lord and used her influence to point her boys in the right direction!   She believed in prayer and trusted the Lord for all her family's needs.  

She was also highly regarded in her workplace!  She started out as an employee in food service at the Blackhawk School system.  Gradually, she learned and grew in skill and knowledge to become the overseer of the entire system.  It was a huge responsibility that garnered her a ton of respect and admiration.  

There are two things I learned about my sister that made me appreciate her even more:

First, she and my brother, Ira, knew our Grandma Walton.  Our Mom's Mom had given each of her three daughters a home in Beaver Falls.  She gave our folks her own home on Mt. Washington upon their marriage in August of 1934.  However, with our Mom, Grandma Walton added a stipulation:  that she be allowed to live with them until her death.  

Ira remembered that she had a desk in the parlor that was not to be touched.  It was where she transacted her business.  Jeannette and Olive remember being sent around to various properties to collect rent.  Some of these properties were in the area of Brady's Run Park.  She was apparently a shrewd businesswoman.  She and our father must have gotten along pretty well;  we never heard him make a negative remark about her.  

The little I know about the Waltons (for instance, Grandpap Walton had the first automobile in Beaver Falls), came from Jeannette and Ira!

Second, she - like me - was spoiled!  :-)  Being the first child and having our parents to herself for three years before Ira was born, she enjoyed the complete focus of our parents!  When I visited Jeannette about ten years ago, she showed me photo albums filled with pictures of herself!  I have about three pictures of myself as a baby or young child!  [I know - this is common in all families!]

In addition, she talked about our Dad spoiling her with pretty dresses and clothes!  Beverly also tells of special attention from our Dad.  It's possible that he may have favored his daughters over his sons.  I'll have to talk to him about that someday...  ;-)   Of course, Beverly left when I was eleven, so I had six years where I had Mom and Dad all to myself.  My siblings accused me more than a few times of being spoiled!  Shear jealousy!  

I loved my sister!  The only time she was ever mean to me was during a ten minute tirade when she informed me that all the privileges that I enjoyed with our parents had been paid for by her endurance in breaking the ground for me Bev and Ira!  I still have the birthday gift that she gave me when I turned ten!  It was a vinyl album by a new group.  It's title was:  INTRODUCING THE BEATLES!  

Thanks, Jeannette!  Thanks for all you did for so many of us!  Thanks for loving Jesus!  Thanks for giving the world two great sons, two grandsons, one granddaughter, and seven great granddaughters (so far)!  Thanks for the legacy of laughter!  Enjoy your rewards...

And say 'Hi' to Mom and Dad, Ira and Travis for me!