Times of Transition

Bob and I bought our first home, an older house on the far northwest side of Houston. A few months later the air conditioner went out and it was necessary for me to get a job. I worked for a sign company as a graphic artist for a few months. In August shortly before schools were to start, I got a call from Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D. which is located in northwest Houston, not far from where we lived. They hired me to  teach speech in Arnold Junior High. It was a challenge since I had no textbooks. Thankfully my first speech teacher, Frances Monk, knew of workbooks I could use. I managed to produce a musical and the ticket sales made it possible to have textbooks the next year. The first summer, I organized The Haystack Players, a group of middle school students.  We put together a simple production and went on the road. They even performed at Texas Children’s Hospital.

I got pregnant and we were both excited! We bought a baby bed immediately, only to learn that there was no heartbeat. Still, even in this situation, I never prayed. It was no longer part of my life. A few months later I tested positive, but soon appeared to be miscarrying again. I let the doctor know. He said, “This is not the same as before. You are definitely pregnant. Go home. Get off your feet. I’m calling in a prescription. And you cannot go back to work!” I never returned. Until after the baby was born.

August 28, 1974 Treva Lynn was born at Memorial Southwest Hospital in Houston.

Business

Bob really wanted to work for himself and had started taking night classes in air conditioning.

Then one night when he was in class, my brother, Don, called. Don and my Dad had a machining business, C & D Machine Shop in Port Neches, my home town. Don wanted to hire Bob to manage the business side of things at C & D. 

We quickly made a trip to Port Neches to meet with Don and his wife Lyska. There was no question that Bob welcomed this opportunity. He would have what he wanted. They had a gentlemen’s agreement. We found a small house to rent and were able to sell our Houston house quickly. Life was exciting and the future looked fantastic.

Daddy

Daddy had not been well for a very long time. Doctor after doctor didn’t know what was wrong. Mother noticed his skin had a bronze tone even though he wasn’t outdoors very often. In early December 1974 he was fading. His blood sugar levels were out of sight. Don rushed him to what was then the Diagnostic Hospital in Houston. In less than 24-hours he was diagnosed with hemochromatosis a genetic iron overload disease. We were relieved to have a diagnosis. However, we were unaware of the extensive damage the iron had already done. Daddy was seriously ill. 

I made one trip to Houston before Christmas and gave Mom and Dad a crewel I had done of the “Church in the Wildwood.” Daddy was enamored with Treva but of course I couldn’t bring her to the hospital.

I checked with mother in Houston each day by phone. She said, “I’m not sure I can take care of him. He’s going to need lots of assistance.” I knew she was afraid of what the future might hold. I tried to encourage her. 

When we got off the phone, for the first time in years, I prayed.

 “God, I ask for whatever is best for everyone.” It was a prayer of relinquishment. I’m not sure I knew what I was doing.

Dad died the following day on January 15, 1975. He would never know my children nor would they know him. I made a vow. Whatever happened in the future, I would never stop praying again.

The grief was gut-wrenching. He was 66 years old and I was 27. The autopsy revealed that every soft organin his body except his brain,  was loaded with iron. No wonder he was miserable.

In our backyard at 805 Port Neches Ave.

In Adventures in Prayer  by Catherine Marshall, “. . .this giving up of self-will is the hardest thing we human beings are ever called on to do.” From the chapter “The Prayer of Relinquishment.”

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Next entry in two weeks

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I raised three children as a single mother before I remarried. In 2007 I founded SMORE for Women, a nonprofit whose goal is Single Moms, Overjoyed, Rejuvenated, and Empowered. I’m also a Certified Professional Coach and author. My stories have been published in several Christian books and magazines. My book, Living Learning Loving is available on Amazon.  My Website.