Advice

What meaningful advice did you receive from an adult? What were the circumstances?

Lois and I enjoyed our studies in Latin, even though we recognized it as a dead language. Several times Mother suggested that it would be more practical for us to study Spanish. She would say, "Spanish is the coming language." She herself had studied Latin, and in the 30's many of us took it for granted that four years of Latin were a valuable part of our college prep. courses. Se we didn't take Mother's advice too seriously.

I took 2 years of French at Olivet and enjoyed Prof. Goodwin's classes and the language itself. Still no Spanish!

God's call to Guatemala reminded me repeatedly of Mother's sage and prophetic advice. But that call didn't come till Larry was in his second year in N.T.S. and I was mother of 2 small children. When we landed in Guatemala in 1950, I had a terrific amount of Biblical knowledge

(I thought!).

But I had to speak as a child, lisping my way to communication.

Mischief

What mischievous childhood experience do you remember? How did it affect you?

Of course, Lois and I engaged in quite a few mischievous escapades. One that particularly stands out in my memory is the day that we decided to take advantage of my dad's faithful record of always getting to Delco Products on time.

Dad sang in the choir and loved the old fashioned hymns, but he rejected the light choruses that failed to express deep theological truths. A particularly disgusting chorus for him was, "I'll Fly Away." When we merrily sang this at home, he would make us stop.

So one day, just as Dad walked out toward Fifth St., where he would take the streetcar to go to work, Lois and I stood in the door and loudly and merrily sang "I'll fly away, oh glory, I'll fly away!"

Late or not, Dad returned and soundly spanked us!

First Communion

Do you remember your first communion? What influence did it have on you and your family?

In our church communion was served four times per year. Since the Lord saved me when I was five years old, I took communion along with my parents. It was a natural and beautiful part of my worship experiences.

The greatest communion experiences I ever had occurred while we were missionaries, serving in Coban, Guatemala. Communion was a traditional part of our District Assemblies. One day, during this special act of worship, it dawned on me that at the Lord's Table we were one. Around that big altar were Kekchis, Pokomchis, Rabinalachis, Ladinos, and North Americans. Some of the worshipers had on neat clothes. Others were barefooted and not too elegantly clad. But we were quietly talking to the Lord in our own languages. There was no difference in our acceptance in God's sight. The Lord's Supper helped me to identify with fellow Christians in a fresh and beautiful way.

Finances

What were your family finances like when you were growing up? How did that affect you?

We were not rich, but my parents knew how to utilize their limited income with wisdom. We always bought our homes. We didn't rent. Mother and Dad never owned a car. So we walked to school and to church and took the streetcar when we went to town. When our church moved to Westwood, we walked a part of the time and used streetcars on other occasions.

Mother made our dresses. Our home was furnished with simplicity but was kept clean and neat. We ate simple foods, but Mother knew how to make beans, rice, potatoes and other common foods have taste-appeal.

In depression days, Dad had no job. My parents were strongly opposed to accepting government aid. So they baked bread and coffee cakes, and we helped sell their products from house to house. God Provided!

Books

What were some of the most memorable books you read as a child? What made them memorable?

Of course, the Bible was the most memorable of all the books I read, and it still is!

Louisa May Alcott's books: Little Women, Little Men and Joe's Boys were favorites because they were wholesome novels and realistic enough to be applicable to my own life.

I also read Beautiful Girlhood by Evangeline Shellhammer. This book helped me examine my own relationships, especially those with my father. She pointed out that when a girl reached her teens, her father often felt estranged because his daughter's interests were changing. He felt incapable of meaningful communication. She encouraged her readers to take the initiative in conversations with their dads. I took her counsels seriously and was able to bond with my father in a wholesome way. I also enjoyed fairy tales, because they stretched my imagination. I read "Little Orphan Annie" daily in the funny paper.

Decorating Tips

Record here some gardening or decorating tips that you have found helpful:

When we couldn't afford to buy book shelves, Larry and I stacked apple boxes, arranged our books in them and I made a series of skirts for the shelves, protecting the books from dust, and decorating the bare wooden boxes.

The skirt idea also helped us enjoy a fairly large vanity in our bedroom in Coban, Guatemala. Larry arranged the board for the table top, using a wooden box at each end. I made a gathered skirt for the table and covered the makeshift frame. The mirror on the wall above this home-made vanity made it appear to be more dignified than it really was!

Birthdays

What did you do to celebrate birthdays when you were growing up?

Mother baked delicious cakes, and she used candles to give them the birthday aura. Birthday gifts at our house were simple and inexpensive, but well appreciated.

I think that the first "elegant" birthday gift I bought for my mother was a fruit cluster made of clay. It was a colorful wall hanging. And I still remember the excitement of buying it with my own money and walking down Third St, carrying that rather heavy package.

Since Mother crossed to the other side, that memory-loaded bunch of fruit has graced my kitchen walls in San Antonio, in Boston, in Olathe and now in Bethany.

Birthdays are for giving to those we love most. And somehow the joy comes back to the giver.