Winter

Winter

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Making Signs


This is one of the signs I made. Well I painted the lettering
black and I didn't like it so I repainted it this morning and brought it
in the house. I don't know if it is because it says, " Groceries,"
but it made me start thinking about my Dad. It also might
be that Father's Day is coming too. I have been thinking
about him.
I never know what to say about him. He was a study in contrasts,
in my mind, I thought he was bigger than God. I even thought God
might be afraid of him.
My Dad was a people person. He loved people. He told me once about
wanting to grow up to be a preacher. When I was in high school he gave
me a small leather book filled with his sermons. Then something
happened in his life and he walked away. From God and from the church.

He raised us without God. I was in fifth grade before I heard the Christmas
story. My Mom accepted the Lord in 1967 and our home became a war zone.
He was one of the hardest working men I have ever seen. He always had two or
three jobs.
When he bought his first grocery store, he would work until his body would make him
stop and then he would sleep and you couldn't wake him up.
He was the kind of man who always brought people home who didn't have a place to go.
We always had people living with us. Sometimes for years. He loved children and young
adults.
I have his first grocery add that was in our newspaper. I had to do it in two pictures
because it is long and skinny the prices are so cheap.


He had six grocery stores at one time and he owned a feed store
too. The feed store was called The Grainery and then his restaurant
was called The Grainery Inn. We also raised show cattle and his
ranch was called the JBJ Cattle ranch. We also raised sheep and
hogs.
Then when he sold it all and moved to Oklahoma, he raised cattle back there.
He was our 4H leader and was on all kinds of board of directors.
He was as I said, a study in contrasts. We were expected to work and
we were to work hard. I showed horses too. Though it got to be that
I liked showing cattle the best.

I was his oldest daughter and I loved him and I looked up to him. But
I was also afraid of him and even writing this post I am afraid. He was very
strong. We had a cow that every time you walked
behind her she would kick. My grandparents knew this as I did so we always
walked very carefully. One morning my Dad was helping us when that cow kicked
and nailed my Dad. The next thing I knew that cow was upside down and my Dad
was sitting on her belly between her front and back legs. He was yelling at the
cow and she was bawling but not moving much.
Very quietly my Grandpa said, " Dontcha think you should let her up now?" My
Dad came too is the only was I can describe it and got off of her and she got up
and she never kicked again.
He was like that. I of course, was the one who knew his buttons and as I got older
I knew how to press them. I will leave it at that.

I am so thankful that my kids have had the kind of Dad they have had and I am
so glad to have had the kind of husband I have had too.

I hope you have a wonderful Thursday, because you know for what ever I had,
I had a good life and God hand picked my parents just for me and without them
I wouldn't be me.

~Kim~

16 comments:

Kessie said...

Amazing stories. I'm glad you're writing them down now, since I've heard them for so many years. :-)

no spring chicken said...

What a wonderful story Kim. And I love that you have your dad's first grocery ad. Our history is important. Good, bad or crazy, it's ours. God knew before you were born that one day you were going to come to Him. And based on that foreknowledge He chose your parents for you. It's so freeing to know that. You don't have to question 'why' anything. You can just know that who your father was, contributed to who you are and prepared you for the family and work that you would have today.

I am so glad to be a 'Christ One'!

Blessings, Debbie

Breathing In Grace said...

I totally agree with you about God choosing our parents. My childhood wasn't the grandest....but it made me who I am today!!! Great memories...thank you so much for having the heart to share!

Homeschool on the Croft said...

"God hand-picked my parents, and without them ~I wouldn't be me"........ soooo true. And that's such a blessed way of looking at our past, no matter what was in it.
Loved reading this. It goes beyond the surface of words x

Sue said...

Good Morning Kim,
Just such a beautiful read, my Dad was a giant of a fellow too, and I so miss him. I love the part of your Dad sitting on the cow.. I clicked on the add and wow prices have really changed, this is such a treasure for you to have, and the book of your Dad's sermons awesome. Though I am so sorry that he got discouraged and walked away from God.

I love your sign, and have wanted to make me some, would you consider doing a tutorial.

I enjoyed your weight loss Wednesday post too. Enjoy your day, I will be making sweet relish today.
Hugs,
Sue

TexWisGirl said...

i liked your ending lines. so true. all the angst and family dynamics and triggers we learn to adapt to make us who we are - bring us lessons we are meant to learn. your dad sounded very driven.

Kim said...

Your Dad reminds me of my grandfather in a lot of ways. I thought he was larger than life too. He was always bringing people home. We never knew who would be sitting at the supper table with us each night. And there were many of his younger sisters, brothers and nieces and nephews who lived at our house at different times.

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

I am the oldest of four and I can say what I saw in my Dad was very different than what my younger siblings saw in my Dad...also a man of contrast...I wonder if that is how that generation was.
Great post...and yes, God gave us the parents He wanted us to have and He used that training to bring us to who we are today...part of my Father's Day post says the same.

Have great week.

Meg said...

I can tell you have a hard time talking about your dad, because I've never really heard about him. I never knew all this. And I've heard just about every other story. I'm glad you can talk about him now. I like how he flipped a cow over. That made me laugh.

Bacon for 39 cents a pound?!?!

Julia said...

Kim, I love your stories and as you say your dad must have been very strong to push that cow over and sit on her. Lol. I can picture that in my mind. Thanks for sharing. I've been kind of busy this week and didn't get to visit blogs much. Hugs. JB

Julia said...

Holy cow, I can't get over the low prices. I wish that life was lived at a slower pace. How nice to have those newspaper ads framed and in your possession. I love your beautiful sign by the way. JB

Dawn said...

So true. You have a way with words Kim!
(And I really like your sign!!!)

Sassafras and Winterberry said...

Kim,
Your post reminds me of my relationship with my mother. My father died when I was very young. My mother is a force though. I could picture her flipping a cow, actually! LOL I appreciate the depth and feeling of your memories. I also like what you said about how are parents shape us and make us who we are and were meant to be and that God chose that for us...so true!
Blessings and hugs,
Courtney

Jennifer said...

That is a lovely story. I really did think I was on your porch having a visit this afternoon.

Gloria said...

I love your sign! It is great that it reminds you of your dad.
I was very touched from your post, my dad has been ill so it tugs at your heart strings you when you read stories about dads. My husband is quite a bit different than my dad was. I am glad my girls have had him for their dad. I know God engineers all of our circumstances, including who will be our parents...:) Thanks for sharing from your heart.
xoxo...Gloria

Alica said...

I really enjoyed the story about your Dad...maybe the next time I get kicked by a cow, I will try what he did! :) Really, it's great to read how you realize that in spite of the challenges, you were born into the family where God placed you! Neat testimony.