If I had a better memory, I might know how old I was when I first started attending church. If I still had that pretty little yellow and green viole dress a neighbor lady made for me, perhaps I could make a good guess! It was probably the summer before I was five.

Being the littlest one in this home with brothers and sisters, and kinda ignored, I went around knocking on neighbor’s doors and making their acquaintances. They were all kindly people who invited me in and made me welcome.

Mrs Phelps an elderly lady who lived just across the road would make delicious potato soup and we would sit together at her kitchen table and enjoy lunch.

Vernie Coons lived beside the church and across the road from the stone quarry.
I would sometimes visit with her at her home and also where she worked in town at the telephone exchange in Mrs Florence Sherman’s home. She would sometimes have me come to sit and watch as she handled the exchange.

You see, this was back in the “stone age” when telephones were new to the area. Many rural areas didn’t have the lines strung up yet! Honest to goodness! THAT IS TRUE! From our home phone we would turn a crank once around, it would ring at Ms Vernie Coons exchange and as I watched she would answer and open the line for you according to whom you wanted to talk.

But let me tell you, that lady…. with a heart of GOLD, talked little five year old ME, INTO attending summer children afternoon classes at that church right beside her house even though she did not attend that church. AND, then she made that pretty little voile dress for me to wear in the Children Service program presented to the entire congregation!

At this time I was the only one in my family who attended church. I continued to attend and participated in several of the church extra activities. For this little girl growing up it was a most fulfilling way to spend many interesting hours.

Each fall in my High School years I entered the “Prince of Peace” speaking contest sponsored by the York Methodist church and held in the church on a Sunday night.

In my Junior year in high school, after the speech contest was over, I was walking past an open school room door and heard our “public speaking” teacher say to the senior boy who had WON THE CONTEST, “That Rockhold girl had you beat!”

The teacher who called me “That Rockhold Girl” was the teacher who had also coached me on my speech! And when I was in the eight grade, he is the teacher who laughed so hard tears were streaming down his cheeks, when I told the story about my orange rubber swim suit to his class.

As a very young girl I experienced how politics is in our churches. My parents did not belong to church, thus helping to support the church, so I was an outsider taking advantage of the people who did support the church.

However at that tender age I really didn’t understand that. So…..never being one to give up easily I went back for another go around my Senior year and I won!!!!! No church members had a son or daughter in the contest.

I went on to the county contest where five church winners compete at the Marysville Methodist Church and the winner was a Marysville school girl whose parents were members of that church.

The Judges of the Prince of Peace speech contest were three people who belonged to the church where the contest was held. It wasn’t that they had anything against me, it was just that they take care of their own! BIRDS OF A FEATHER so to speak.

IT WAS NEVER IMPORTANT WHETHER OR NOT I WON!!!!! What was important in my life was that I continued to participate in many activities always cheerfully doing my best and enjoying to the fullest each and every thing I was doing.

My husband and I were married in that church and continued through the years to take our three little girls who each were in many of the extra activities and programs sponsored by the church. Each of our little girls had their time of playing piano solos for the congregation as well as participating in many church programs.

My daughter Pamela was only four years old when she sang her first solo for the church Christmas program, ARE MY EARS ON STRAIGHT? Do you remember that song? Here is how it goes……………..

I’m a little doll who was dropped and broken
Falling off my Mommy’s knee
I’m a little doll who has just been mended
Now won’t you tell me please

Are my ears on straight? Is my nose in place?
Do I have a cute expression on my face?
Are my blue eyes bright? Do I look alright
To be taken home on Christmas Day?

When I first came here just a month ago
Brought in by a little girl who loved me so
She began to cry, till they told I
Could be taken home Christmas Day

Christmas time is drawing nearer and I’m getting scared
Wish I could see in a mirror how I’ve been repaired
I’ll be called for soon but I’m worried so
Will she love me like she did a month ago?

Are my ears on straight? I can hardly wait
To be taken home on Christmas Day.

Pamela age four

My little Pamela got a big round of applause from the church filled with members and guests from other churches in the neighborhood!!!!!.

All three of our little girls enjoyed Sunday school classes with the other little ones. Over those years, as busy as I was, working many hours each day outside, I found the time to make beautiful little dresses for them to wear to church..

So let me say…….political actions can’t ruin or hurt my life, the only thing that can hurt me is MY REACTION TO THOSE HAPPENINGS.

Let me see now……….how does that song go?????? OH YES………

HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN, THE SKIES ABOVE ARE CLEAR AGAIN,
LET US SING A SONG OF CHEER AGAIN, HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN.

ALL TOGETHER SHOUT IT NOW, THERE’S NO ONE WHO CAN DOUBT IT NOW, LET US TELL THE WORLD ABOUT IT NOW, HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!!!

That was a Democrat’s theme song during the Great Depression of the 1930’s,
Franklin Delano Roosevelt running for President!

My parents were republican so we, their children, grew up republican. But who could not like this song regardless of their political persuasion?

HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH POLITICS!!!!!! IN THIS LIFE politics is present in our schools, our churches, in businesses and all walks of our lives, we can’t seem to get away from it………………………………………..

FRF ♥