Moving back to the community in which I spent most of my adolescence and early-adulthood has been a journey in itself. I find that a 13 year absence really has made a difference, in me and in the town. We are not the same! And I believe that both of us have grown in mostly good ways - like the new openness we both have to people and ideas - and some not-so-good - like my literal weight-gain, and the town's endless proliferation of tacky apartment complexes. Eventually I will come back to this experience, but I thought I would "start at the very beginning," where I was born.
My parents married in 1953, very shortly after my dad's college graduation. They immediately moved to Atlanta, GA, where Dad enrolled in seminary at Chandler School of Theology, Emery University, and Mama went to work as secretary to the dean of some science department. The expense of school sent them back to Mississippi on two occasions before he graduated, during which time he served churches and my older brother was born in 1956, in the Leflore County Hospital in Greenwood, MS. During their last stint in school, I made my arrival, while Daddy was serving a local church and they were living in Gainesville, GA.
And so, here is the story of my first arrival in that first town:
From his earliest days in ministry, Dad had a passion for evangelism and church renewal. He eventually became a very good preacher, but in the early days, he used his very good singing voice to lead music in revivals with other preachers. And so, that is where he was on the day of my arrival, March 27, 1960. It was a Sunday, and Mama was at home with 3 year old Sammy, aware that the new baby could arrive at any time. Late that afternoon, she realized the time had come and sent Sammy down the street to the church yard, where the youth group was gathered. He was instructed to tell Miss Debbie (name is fiction) that Mama said she needed help, the new baby was coming.
Well, as most three year olds are wont to do, Sammy got interested in the play of the older kids and completely forgot about the urgent message. Some time later, Miss Debbie noticed him there, thought it unusual that he would be allowed to wander down the street on his own, and asked if everything was alright. "Yeah, it's okay, Miss Debbie. But, oh! Mama said it's time for the new baby to come."
She rushed down the street, horrified at what she might find, and got Mama to the Gainesville hospital in plenty of time for the new baby to arrive under the supervision of trained medical staff. At 10:20, after a difficult breach delivery, I finally poked my head into the world and probably screamed with gusto. Been doing it ever since, don't know why I wouldn't have started out that way, too!
Daddy arrived later that night (I think) to welcome his baby daughter, and when he graduated one month later, we moved back to Mississippi and he took his first appointment as an elder in the Methodist Church.
I visited Gainesville again as a young adult, this time to be courted by another young Methodist preacher, and spend some time with his family. We visited their vacation house on Lake Lanier and saw just the edges of my birth place. Someone was having a birthday while we were there (could have been mine...I just don't remember) and we went out for Chinese food. In the style of that wonderful movie The Christmas Story, the wait staff sang, "Highpy Bighsday to Yow!"
And that is what I remember, or have been told, about my first town. A difficult start, with a bit of delay and tension, but fond thoughts of laughter and God's providence and protection. Not a bad way to begin!
And so, here is the story of my first arrival in that first town:
From his earliest days in ministry, Dad had a passion for evangelism and church renewal. He eventually became a very good preacher, but in the early days, he used his very good singing voice to lead music in revivals with other preachers. And so, that is where he was on the day of my arrival, March 27, 1960. It was a Sunday, and Mama was at home with 3 year old Sammy, aware that the new baby could arrive at any time. Late that afternoon, she realized the time had come and sent Sammy down the street to the church yard, where the youth group was gathered. He was instructed to tell Miss Debbie (name is fiction) that Mama said she needed help, the new baby was coming.
Well, as most three year olds are wont to do, Sammy got interested in the play of the older kids and completely forgot about the urgent message. Some time later, Miss Debbie noticed him there, thought it unusual that he would be allowed to wander down the street on his own, and asked if everything was alright. "Yeah, it's okay, Miss Debbie. But, oh! Mama said it's time for the new baby to come."
She rushed down the street, horrified at what she might find, and got Mama to the Gainesville hospital in plenty of time for the new baby to arrive under the supervision of trained medical staff. At 10:20, after a difficult breach delivery, I finally poked my head into the world and probably screamed with gusto. Been doing it ever since, don't know why I wouldn't have started out that way, too!
Daddy arrived later that night (I think) to welcome his baby daughter, and when he graduated one month later, we moved back to Mississippi and he took his first appointment as an elder in the Methodist Church.
I visited Gainesville again as a young adult, this time to be courted by another young Methodist preacher, and spend some time with his family. We visited their vacation house on Lake Lanier and saw just the edges of my birth place. Someone was having a birthday while we were there (could have been mine...I just don't remember) and we went out for Chinese food. In the style of that wonderful movie The Christmas Story, the wait staff sang, "Highpy Bighsday to Yow!"
And that is what I remember, or have been told, about my first town. A difficult start, with a bit of delay and tension, but fond thoughts of laughter and God's providence and protection. Not a bad way to begin!
No comments:
Post a Comment