I'm going to share with you a few of my numerous love affairs. One might think I would be ashamed to share such, but I am not the least bit ashamed. I only hope others have been as blessed as I with the numerous men I have fallen in love with over the years.
My first affair happened so early in my life that I cannot remember a time when I wasn't in love with him. His name was Henry Claude Ward, but I called him, "Daddy". Oh yes, I was the normal little girl who was definitely going to marry my daddy when I grew up. It was quite a shock when I learned little girls didn't marry their daddies!
Let me tell you a little bit about him. He was huge in my sight, but in the sight of others, not so. My hero was no more than 5' 3" and for many years only 125 pounds. He was 36 years old when I was born but could keep up with the youngest of dads. He gave me piggy back rides to town (we never owned a car), took me to work with him from time to time, listened to my problems, corrected me by talking to me (I only received two spankings from him and don't remember but one of them.) Often when I would get a "tongue lashing" I would beg for a spanking. Those hurt far more than a beating and were probably a lot more effective. My daddy was a lover. He never entered or left the house without kissing both my mother and me. He taught me many things.......love for family, love for others, honesty, morality, self-discipline and much, much more during the 23 years I was blessed with his presence. I only wish he had stayed on this earth long enough to know and love all of his grandchildren as he knew and loved his namesake, Claudia, and his first grandson, Allen. Yes, my love affair with my daddy continues in memory even today.
My next affair was with a much larger man than my daddy. His name was John Burie White, but I called my maternal grandfather, Papa. Papa was probably 5'8 or 9" and at least 250 pounds. We lived with my grandparents for a year before I started school. My love for Papa grew stronger during that year and it never waned. He was the depot agent in the tiny town of Dozier, Alabama and my cousins and I were welcomed to visit him at the depot any time we wanted. Papa taught me quite a bit during that year and the years following. He taught me, by example, to take care of others. There wasn't a time that I remember when someone other than he and Grannie were living in their home. They took care of his aunt, a distant cousin, two grandchildren and others during the years that I remember. I inherited (or maybe it was taught) some of my dry wit from him. He would make a comment and one didn't know if he was teasing or not until a wry little smile crept across his face. Papa also left this earth before I was ready to let him go and even though he's been gone for 64 years my love for him has lasted.
Pictures of my papa have been send to Huntsville so I don't have one available at this time.
And then I spread my wings a tad when I started school back in 1941. Of course my daddy was still my "main man" and my papa was a close second. However, there sat Billy Baker in "Miss" Elsie Hodnette's first grade class just waiting to be my next love affair. The two of us hit it off immediately and soon became fast friends. I don't think I knew what a sweetheart was at the time. I thought he was my boyfriend, as a boy who was a special friend. Soon people began asking who my sweetheart was and I realized, "why it must be Billy!" So, off and on from the age of 6 to the age of 15 we were sweethearts. Billy (he has grown up to be Bill now) taught me a lot of things about "love". I think the thing I learned most is the fact that a boy and girl can be very dear friends without the strings of intimacy. Oh yes, we held hands....and, don't tell anyone.....but we had a kiss or two....really just a peck. But, we were truly friends. I enjoyed being with him. I loved his parents (who also taught me a lot.)
A very important bit of information I learned from Billy happened when we were about 14 or so. Mrs. Tinsley, our Home Ec teacher, and Mr. Alsobrook, the Ag teacher, had their classes out planting flowers around the Home Ec/Ag building one day. Mrs. Tinsley told my friend, Nagel, and me to take the wheel barrow, go to Mr. Hatchett's and get it full of compost. We headed down the road and I asked Nagel what we were going to get. She said she had no idea. So we slyly went back to the school and I motioned for Billy to come over. I asked him what in the world compost was. He grinned (well maybe it was more like laughed) and told us to go to Mr. Hatchett's barn and fill the wheel barrow with horse manure! Thanks Bill, for steering us in the right direction without further embarrassment. And also thanks for being my friend from the ages of 6 to the ages of 80!
I'll skip a few of my affairs.....one day I'll tell you about some very special uncles and other men who influenced me but now I want to conclude by telling you about the most important man that has ever blessed my life. His name, can you guess, is Doyal Clayborn Wright.
I could write a book about this fellow, but will try and make it brief. I was only 17 when he walked into my classroom at Opelika Vocational School. I do not believe in love at first sight for others, but it certainly happened to me. Something told me he was the one for me. We were quite different. I had just left home for the first time and was living with my uncle and aunt. He was 22 and had just served almost 4 years in the Army. I knew very little about "life" and he knew quite a bit. I had never traveled. He had been to several states as well as overseas. We were of different religions. We had very few things in common. But, God knew what was ahead for us. He knew our hearts. We met late September 1952, got engaged December 22, and married April 4, 1953.
Doyal, my lover and my best friend, has stood beside me through thick and thin. He has provided well. He has been the spiritual leader of our home and also a great servant of God. He served as an elder in two different congregations, served the Lord on foreign soil, preached while making a living as a Mechanical Engineer and has preached on a volunteer basis for a small congregation in Southeastern Indiana for the past 25 years. Oh how I wish I had the room and you had the time for me to tell you how he used the family to incorporate us in his efforts for the Lord. I never felt that he neglected us.
If anyone has close to a full measure of the fruit of the spirit it is my husband.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-25
Happy Father's Day to all the men in my life, both past, present and future, but especially to my one and only....Doyal Clayborn Wright.
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:31-33
My first affair happened so early in my life that I cannot remember a time when I wasn't in love with him. His name was Henry Claude Ward, but I called him, "Daddy". Oh yes, I was the normal little girl who was definitely going to marry my daddy when I grew up. It was quite a shock when I learned little girls didn't marry their daddies!
Let me tell you a little bit about him. He was huge in my sight, but in the sight of others, not so. My hero was no more than 5' 3" and for many years only 125 pounds. He was 36 years old when I was born but could keep up with the youngest of dads. He gave me piggy back rides to town (we never owned a car), took me to work with him from time to time, listened to my problems, corrected me by talking to me (I only received two spankings from him and don't remember but one of them.) Often when I would get a "tongue lashing" I would beg for a spanking. Those hurt far more than a beating and were probably a lot more effective. My daddy was a lover. He never entered or left the house without kissing both my mother and me. He taught me many things.......love for family, love for others, honesty, morality, self-discipline and much, much more during the 23 years I was blessed with his presence. I only wish he had stayed on this earth long enough to know and love all of his grandchildren as he knew and loved his namesake, Claudia, and his first grandson, Allen. Yes, my love affair with my daddy continues in memory even today.
My daddy around 1948
My next affair was with a much larger man than my daddy. His name was John Burie White, but I called my maternal grandfather, Papa. Papa was probably 5'8 or 9" and at least 250 pounds. We lived with my grandparents for a year before I started school. My love for Papa grew stronger during that year and it never waned. He was the depot agent in the tiny town of Dozier, Alabama and my cousins and I were welcomed to visit him at the depot any time we wanted. Papa taught me quite a bit during that year and the years following. He taught me, by example, to take care of others. There wasn't a time that I remember when someone other than he and Grannie were living in their home. They took care of his aunt, a distant cousin, two grandchildren and others during the years that I remember. I inherited (or maybe it was taught) some of my dry wit from him. He would make a comment and one didn't know if he was teasing or not until a wry little smile crept across his face. Papa also left this earth before I was ready to let him go and even though he's been gone for 64 years my love for him has lasted.
Pictures of my papa have been send to Huntsville so I don't have one available at this time.
And then I spread my wings a tad when I started school back in 1941. Of course my daddy was still my "main man" and my papa was a close second. However, there sat Billy Baker in "Miss" Elsie Hodnette's first grade class just waiting to be my next love affair. The two of us hit it off immediately and soon became fast friends. I don't think I knew what a sweetheart was at the time. I thought he was my boyfriend, as a boy who was a special friend. Soon people began asking who my sweetheart was and I realized, "why it must be Billy!" So, off and on from the age of 6 to the age of 15 we were sweethearts. Billy (he has grown up to be Bill now) taught me a lot of things about "love". I think the thing I learned most is the fact that a boy and girl can be very dear friends without the strings of intimacy. Oh yes, we held hands....and, don't tell anyone.....but we had a kiss or two....really just a peck. But, we were truly friends. I enjoyed being with him. I loved his parents (who also taught me a lot.)
A very important bit of information I learned from Billy happened when we were about 14 or so. Mrs. Tinsley, our Home Ec teacher, and Mr. Alsobrook, the Ag teacher, had their classes out planting flowers around the Home Ec/Ag building one day. Mrs. Tinsley told my friend, Nagel, and me to take the wheel barrow, go to Mr. Hatchett's and get it full of compost. We headed down the road and I asked Nagel what we were going to get. She said she had no idea. So we slyly went back to the school and I motioned for Billy to come over. I asked him what in the world compost was. He grinned (well maybe it was more like laughed) and told us to go to Mr. Hatchett's barn and fill the wheel barrow with horse manure! Thanks Bill, for steering us in the right direction without further embarrassment. And also thanks for being my friend from the ages of 6 to the ages of 80!
Billy Baker
I'm not quite sure when this was taken but probably late grade school or junior high.
I'll skip a few of my affairs.....one day I'll tell you about some very special uncles and other men who influenced me but now I want to conclude by telling you about the most important man that has ever blessed my life. His name, can you guess, is Doyal Clayborn Wright.
I could write a book about this fellow, but will try and make it brief. I was only 17 when he walked into my classroom at Opelika Vocational School. I do not believe in love at first sight for others, but it certainly happened to me. Something told me he was the one for me. We were quite different. I had just left home for the first time and was living with my uncle and aunt. He was 22 and had just served almost 4 years in the Army. I knew very little about "life" and he knew quite a bit. I had never traveled. He had been to several states as well as overseas. We were of different religions. We had very few things in common. But, God knew what was ahead for us. He knew our hearts. We met late September 1952, got engaged December 22, and married April 4, 1953.
Doyal, my lover and my best friend, has stood beside me through thick and thin. He has provided well. He has been the spiritual leader of our home and also a great servant of God. He served as an elder in two different congregations, served the Lord on foreign soil, preached while making a living as a Mechanical Engineer and has preached on a volunteer basis for a small congregation in Southeastern Indiana for the past 25 years. Oh how I wish I had the room and you had the time for me to tell you how he used the family to incorporate us in his efforts for the Lord. I never felt that he neglected us.
If anyone has close to a full measure of the fruit of the spirit it is my husband.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galatians 5:22-25
So......how did that love affair work out? We have 6 children, 24 grandchildren and we're expecting our 38th and 39th great-grandchildren before the end of the year. Sixty-two years and counting!
Happy Father's Day to all the men in my life, both past, present and future, but especially to my one and only....Doyal Clayborn Wright.
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery — but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:31-33
No comments:
Post a Comment