| Author | Message | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Yíall, I canít tell you which post did it for sure (I think Richard Jr), but I had a memory triggered the other day that was so wonderful, even though it ended a bit sad. I know I just told Ken that SDAism severely stunted and twisted my Christian growth, but, we all came from our past so letís not totally trash what was once ours (and still is our heritage) and share some of those ìhappy days.î Maybe we could, even if it takes some digging. As a kid, most of us had something that warms our hearts even now. Some may have to go to school, boarding school or college to get a heart warming memory dusted off. Some even later than that. How about some of you that rairly if ever post, lay out one of your "memory lanes" too. Hereís one of mine. As you might remember, I was home schooled way out in the boonies. That made my social life very slim to nothing, at least during the week. Then came Sabbath. What a cool day! Home church, lots of hiking, lots of singing of the ìold hymns,î and the things in my life that were in short supply; friends. Now this WAS NOT an every Sabbath occurrence! At this time, I was 15. One of my friends was 13 and Iíll call him Dean and the other was 11 and Iíll call him Roy. These were the friends I saw more that any of the others. All of us kids has a special friend that we idolized, copied and simply made fools out of ourselves in aping his every move. He was 23 and Iíll call him Monty. He wasnít around but maybe 10 Sabbaths a year, and I can guarantee that those were RED LETTER Sabbaths. On other very occasional memorable Sabbaths we were able to be graced by the presence of Ally 14, David 14, Ann 12 and Lynn 10. You can see that I was starved for normal, regular childhood friendships and these were spastically spaced at that! Monty, being a collector of many books, had a collection that an elephant couldnít pull. He had, and still has, many old hymn books. As I remember, most of us kids were together and had a great day hiking and upon collapsing back at the house, Monty broke out the accordian and we sang ourselves silly. Monty, dug out one of his ìoldî hymn books out and said that he found this really neat song called ìSuppertimeî and would teach it to us. I was as usual, armed with my accordian , and after singing though the song a couple time had the tune down pat and was playing it to. (I play only by ear, those dots they call music always were out of my fathomings). The song was beautiful. Iím not much of a word listener, but, a good melody will thrill me to the core and this song did just that. I borrowed the book from Monty for a week or so and copied down the words so I could sing it at home when no one was around. The next few times we were together, we wore that song out. It would be the first, middle and last song we sang. I donít suppose many if any of you have ever heard this song. I donít know if yíall can relate to what Iím referring to as a song that thrills you to the core. I only have, out of the hundreds of hymns I know that thrill me, only ‡ a dozen that thrill me to the core like this. To my utter horror one Sabbath when the singing started, that song, Suppertime, was off limits, no more, not a Biblical song, evil and never to ever be sung again! I was numb. My memory of all but chorus was dim after 28 years, but, the melody was forever burned in to my fingers and I have over the years played the song for myself in quiet and thoughtful moments to bring back those happy days with my few childhood friends. Last year I heard a fleeting little bit of that song and have been on the look out for it since. Yesterday I got serious about finding it an did. I found it on a CD and the gal at the store got me hooked up to the CD player to see if it was the right one and kept looking at me to see if it was. IT WAS! I canít really do justice to my emotions, but will try. Picture this, I was choking on this LUMP in my throat the size of an over grown watermelon and was struggling to keep a straight face in a public place because: I was almost physically with Dean and Roy, who are now dead (boy 1 and boy 2 of a previous post) and Ally, who last I knew had 3 kids and was living on the streets, doing what ever it takes to live ( I am presuming sheís dead too, as no one has heard from her in about 3 years and Iíve looked). Ann and Lynn, I havenít seen since the late 70s. David who is really a talented guy, is all messed up, Iíve seen 3 times in 20 years. Monty, heís okay, heís the one who I am trying to study with about the Nature of Jesus being as Adamís before the fall. He is ALL I have from my past childhood. He is a wonderful deluded SDA offshoot. He rates as my best and most favorite-est un-equally yoked friend. Also, while listening to the song, I could smell the flowers in the small meadow by the house, feel the mountain breeze from the thick forest that surrounded the entire area for hundreds of miles and see the sky turning to the awesome colors of another Sabbath sunset making the statement that it was almost time to cut loose and play. After the evening worship and the appropriate, thoughtful waiting for the ìfringesî of the Sabbath to be over, we hooped and hollered and were on our way to the meadow to play dare base. We played hard, we sweat, we crashed into one another (that was the only acceptable male/female contact of which I made sure there was plenty of, paid for abundantly with many sore spots and a few bruises) and rolled around till we were summoned to house for rowdiness or just to dark or late. All that from a song?! Let me share the song with you. As I remember, the song had 3 to 5 stanzaís and the CD I have, has only two that I recognized, with the singer doing what ìmayî be ad-libbing talking in between, so here goes: When I was but a boy in days of childhood, I used to play till evening shadows come, Then winding down an old familiar pathway, I heard my mother call at set of sun. Chorus: Come home, come home itís suppertime, The shadows lengthen fast, Come home, come home itís suppertime, Weíre going home at last. This is what may be the singerís ad-libbing that I donít really recognize: Some of the fondest memories of my childhood were woven around suppertime. When Mom would come to the back steps of the old home place, sheíd say, George, come on in, itís suppertime. Oh, oh my, but how Iíd like to hear that one more time. But, you know for me, time has woven the realization of truth that is even more thrilling, and thatís when the Lord comes in the portals of glory and says to come on in, for itís suppertime. And weíll be gathered around the table for the Lordís Himself at the greatest, the greatest, suppertime of them all. In visions now I see her standing yonder, And her familiar voice I heard once more, The banquet tableís ready up in heaven, Itís suppertime upon the golden shore. Chorus: Then ad-lib again: You know, I have a lot more days behind me, that in front of me, and I know it. But I also know this, should He return tonight, Iím packed and ready to go. Got my house in order. Iím going home some day. Now, the singers name was George and was in his 80s at the time he sang this. Jude, do I need to list the complete name of the singer once I find out the facts of his life etc.? So, now do you see why the song was off limits and evil? It talked of ìgoing home to be with the Lordî after oneís death. What wonderful stuff we missed! What a wonderful testimony of faith, hope and assurance that the singer gave in that song. How blind we were. But hey, that was then and now is now. Arenít we thankful now that we too have that same testimony of faith, hope and assurance that the ìGentilesî have had for centuries? I have to admit that this morning when I played it several times, it really thrilled me and I just had to share this "memory lane" with you all. Colleen, Iíd like to get that music for you sometime. If anyone out there has it, Iím offering my eye teeth for it. In memorable bliss........Maryann | ||
| Jude the Obscure |
Maryann, I would suggest you do an Internet search using Infoseek or another search engine. The more info you have on the singer, such as full name, the more likely you are to find the song. Happy trails to you, Jude | ||
| BMorgan |
MaryAnn, Are you dead serious that you would give your eye teeth for the music of that song? I would take you up on the offer and go and search for my cassette. I grew up hearing that song among many others sung by Jim Reeves. I DO understand your happy feeling. The record,-LP-was my daddy's favorite and many evenings he would play it so the whole neighborhood would hear. It was rather soothing. When he died eight years ago, one of my sisters had the album copied onto cassettes and gave each of the siblings a copy. It is a gem to us. My fond memories are all from pre adventist days. Around 12 or 13 years old I remember listening to that song you mentioned and another on the same record that went something like this: "How long has it been since you talked to the Lord and told Him your hearts deepest secrets, how long has it been since you kneeled in pray till the light shone through, How long has it been since He answered you and you knew that the light came through? And you call Him your friend, How long has it been that you knew He cared for you? I remember being deeply convicted by My Friend that day and YEILDING my heart to Him. I have not thought of it until now. MaryAnn, do you have the gift of prophesy? (This is not sda speak) You just seem to have a way to spur us on. Go, girl! Thanks Maryann for evoking some sweet memories from the heart. However, at this time in my life, I cannot relate to any fond memories from sda, I cannot claim sda as my heritage at this time in my life. No siree. Too painful! Any recollection real joyful moments of the past, I have to go back to PRE-sda, before 18, then I can enjoy JOY full moments. If you are really serious Maryann, I will look for the cassette and send you a copy, I'll even let you keep your eye teeth. With fond memories BMorgan | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Morgan, Sorry, no eye teeth and no cigar! :-( I mean the music with all the lines and dots. SHEET MUSIC! Sorry I didn't make myself clear. Now seriously, this is a challenge. If you can't come up with a good SDA memory, I'll walk on my hands backwards all the way to where ever you live and pound one out of you! :-( Please, don't live across the ocean 'cause I definately can't walk on water, not even on my hands! I'll not buy that story. You start thinking. SDAism is in your past, sooo, you too, have an SDA heritage like the rest of us (just not as fat). You'll come up with some fond memory as as SDA. If you REALLY can't, I'll show you how. And that goes for anyone else out there that seems to think there are not any good SDA memories. Your sister......Maryann | ||
| Steve |
OK, I give. My favorite memory of SDAism is the friends. I must admit that that memory is tainted, but I have known some wonderful people. Steve | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Steve, Okay, you gave, but not enough ;-( Let's have something specific. You have really demonstrated over the last few weeks how "windy" you ARE! Pull up something with one or some of those above mentioned friends that brings the sights and smells back like it was happening right now. How about pets? Didn't we all have pets? If things were good, bad or ugly, the pets always were there for us, weren't they? And they too were SDAs ;-) I knew a couple dogs that were vegetarians, and they lived long and healthy lives. I don't believe I'm the only sentimental person on the face of this Forum! Y'all have it in you:-) "Sentamental Journey" to you, (good song) Maryann | ||
| Steve |
My favorite memory: A church campout. There were a number of us in the Albuquerque Central Church, in New Mexico (USA), who went to the same campout year after year. We sang to "Johnny's" guitar, stayed up until all hours of the night/early morning playing Charades, or Pictionary. I even remember "Johnny" playing John Denver songs one Friday night, after the sun went down. That was special to me because shortly after I became a Christian, I was introduced to John Denver's music. His music has always had a special place in my heart, but after SDAism, I hadn't found anyone for years who liked his music. (The flowers and the children are my sisters and brothers. Their laughter and their loveliness would chase the clouds away . . . Their a promise for the future, and a blessing for today.) We laughed, and laughed, and laughed. We were probably considered pretty rowdy and out of control at times, but that's when things get good -- when we allow ourselves to lose that tight control that we have all the time. Those of us who went to that campout always looked forward to it almost all year long. It was truly a retreat from the cares of this world. I do miss those times, and believe that that's just a bit of what heaven will be like. | ||
| Maryann |
Thanks Steve, John Denver is one of my favorites. Musicland lost a great artist. His views of religion were way off from my understanding, but his ballads were right on. Put Another Log On The Fire was a personal favorite I used to play. (just went and tried it and I can't believe I lost the melody!) Hey, It's Good To Be Back Home Again (not sure of the title), just is brimming with memories. It was the favorite of a cop that emotionally rescued me from a horrible situation. In fact, he came to my wedding and gave me away. His wife made the designer cake and they drove 500 miles for the wedding! His health is bad right now and the cool thing is that my son is named after him. Thanks again....Maryann | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Morgan! THIS THREAD'S FOR YOU! ;-) Your "bud" ....Maryann (pun intended) | ||
| Bette |
Maryann: Thanks for pushing us to remember something good from our SDA days. I can't relate to being home-schooled or being without friends because I went to a large SDA church school and academy. This was the same school my parents attended and graduated from and I still live very close to it. It has changed through the years, but I have so many memories (some happy, some sad) but still a big part of the quilt of my life. The memory that always brings a smile to my face and a lump to my throat is the way we used to meet for Sabbath School and church in the Academy gymnasium and right after sundown, all the metal folding chairs were picked up, the floor quickly dust mopped and everyone (parents, too) putting on roller skates for an evening of skating to "good" music. It's funny that we could spend Saturday nights skating or watching "approved movies" in the gym, but we could never go to a skating rink or theatre (although my family did go see "The Sound of Music" at a drive-in)! As I drive by the campus now, I see so many changes. There's a swimming pool, tennis courts, the kids walk together on campus, wear shorts and sleeveless shirts. Their pants are just like other kids and the girls skirts no longer come below the knee because it is required - now it is the style! Does this mean the school is better today? I think not. Parents still struggle to pay the bill, the kids still work half-day and go to class half-day and they are adding to their memory quilt with each new day just as we did in the "old days!" Memories are part of us. I have pushed so many to the back because they hurt, but reading Maryann's challenge to find some good ones made me realize that I cannot change the past. It is gone. Today is here and that is all I can handle! | ||
| Colleentinker |
One of my favorite memories (or category of memories) is Friday nights and Sabbath. I loved the feeling of letting all my work go. When I was in academy (my parents wisely sent me to day school instead of boarding school even though I begged to go away) I often put Handel's Messiah on after sundown Friday. I remember the tension draining from my shoulders and mind. Those were the experiences that convinced me God inspired Handel when he wrote that oratorio. Sabbath was often mildly disappointing. The anticipation of the day was often greater than the reality of the day. The amazing thing I've discovered is that I experience far more peace and spiritual rest since making Jesus my Sabbath than I did when making Time my Sabbath. I used to love the feeling of being part of a close-knit group; wherever I went, someone knew me or at least knew a mutual friend. But I'm still startled at how much closer my new Christian friends are than were the Adventist friends whom I had known for years. The difference, I believe, is the Holy Spirit. When we have the Holy Spirit in us, we recognize him in another person. That presence of God binds us in humanly unexplainable ways. It's interesting to look back and to see that many of my best memories have a shadowy side that I didn't consciously recognize while I was Adventist. Finding grace and freedom in Christ has shined a light on my past that has brought the shadows into stark relief. I'm amazed at the way Satan has arranged a deception for every great gift of truth from God. Only choosing to know the truth reveals the deceptions. I praise God for my Adventist background. Because of it I experience grace and salvation in a way that would not be possible without having lived in committed legalism first. I thank Him for pursuing me and drawing me to himself! Colleen | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Bette, It's great to hear you come out of the woodwork again since last March. Loved your memory. Got anymore? Dollar to do-nuts, says you do! The youngest of my 3 older brothers went to Groveland academy in '64 and/or '65 and/or '66. I have a friend that lives in Maitland that I haven't seen since about '66. I catch up with her every 10 or 15 years. It's due now! Hi Colleen, I really enjoyed your post too! You should be able to flush a few out of the woodwork by simply making "your" presence know on this thread.Good going girl! Now, both of you, have been counting? 1 (one) boy and 3 (three) girls have spilled. Don't you think we aught to have some of the "he men" show their memories? Steve has my vote for "mostest bravest man". Any of you guys feel up to standing with Steve? He's probably getting lonely and cold! Would you want to be responsible for his freezing to death? Really now! I am exausted and am going to crash. That's because my daughter turned 14 today and I realized that I "really" am a relic now! Maryann | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Bette, It's great to hear you come out of the woodwork again since last March. Loved your memory. Got anymore? Dollar to do-nuts, says you do! The youngest of my 3 older brothers went to Groveland academy in '64 and/or '65 and/or '66. I have a friend that lives in Maitland that I haven't seen since about '66. I catch up with her every 10 or 15 years. It's due now! Hi Colleen, I really enjoyed your post too! You should be able to flush a few out of the woodwork by simply making "your" presence know on this thread.Good going girl! Now, both of you, have been counting? 1 (one) boy and 3 (three) girls have spilled. Don't you think we aught to have some of the "he men" show their memories? Steve has my vote for "mostest bravest man". Any of you guys feel up to standing with Steve? He's probably getting lonely and cold! Would you want to be responsible for his freezing to death? Really now! I am exausted and am going to crash. That's because my daughter turned 14 today and I realized that I "really" am a relic now! Maryann | ||
| Kme |
Ok, I'll bite. I have memories. Many good, many have scarred me for life no doubt! I went to boarding academy. Every Friday night we had vespers and afterwards there was something called afterglow. I really can't remember anything about it except there was a song we sang every time, that I've only heard once since then. It is killing me now because I can't remember the words, and at the time, there seemed to be no title or music! But everybody that went to Bass Memorial Academy in the late 70's, and I bet even now, would know it. If anyone can share with me, I would appreciate it. It was a song that was almost romantic. About bonding together, etc. Well, I didn't realize how much impact those times had until, we went to a youth weekend a couple of years ago to pick up our son. We got there early, so went in and joined their vespers and song service. Can't say much for the talk/sermon, but the singing brought back the warm fuzzies! That is a point of grief for me, that my son won't experience those times. He won't get that spiritual bonding time in public school. He won't have the 24 hours of forced abstanence from secular music and activities, that give you an appreciation for classical music you never would have listened to. Or waking up to spiritual music playing on the intercom through the house before church. While anticipating sweet rolls for breakfast, or something special. Clearly, our Adventist heritage is bittersweet. Clearly we were victims of deception. But as with everything in life, there was the good with the bad. I think, it is probably important to find a way to have these spiritual experiences, rituals, whatever they are, to bring back warm spiritual memories for our children when they become adults. It helps you remember whats important when you find yourself lost in the desert. Which hopefully you won't! Maybe, with my discovery of the Grace of Jesus, I can give my son more than warm memories from religious singing at boarding school. Or the memories of candles burning at worship on Friday night. Maybe I can show him the unconditional love of Jesus for us, thats not based on our performance of old testament law. Or possibly spare him of the fear and guilt of wanting to leave a set of teachings he can never live up to. Or worse yet, maybe I can actually spare him from ever thinking, that he can't have any relationship with his Lord and Savior, if he can't be a perfect Adventist. Thats my prayer! | ||
| Allenette |
KME: You MISS that S***? Looks like it is time to send out the Trauma Response Team PRONTO!!! I would BET that you would NOT send your dear sweeties off to some impersonal, over-priced (forget the brochures) institution to be taken care of (note I did NOT say NURTURED) by some under-educated drones who worry about their jobsworth, rather than your precious kidlets, would you, having "been there" yourself? IMnotsoHO, I think that the SDA boarding schools should be burned to the ground, left smoking, and videotaped to prove they are GONE!!!! Why have children if you want to send them away from their homes when they are young???? I admit to being a product of one of them (a fairly 'decent' one but still useless) and EVERY TIME I THINK about my experience there, I need about half a dozen Valiums to calm me down.....gotta go, my blood pressure is dangerously high thinking about it..... | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Kme, Thank you!!! I hope more will add their memories below:-)) It is neat how the "warm fuzzies" happen when a "ritual" happens or a memory of a ritual. Funny how a memory can even trigger a smell. Come on guys, you can write a memory. Bill as in (thompson), you are voted next by me;-)) It is really neat to be able to make yourself see the bright side of things. Lookout!!:):) I manufactured a new thread today. I might even get the time to post it tonight! :):).......Maryann | ||
| Maryann |
Hi Allenette, Swallow a handful!! NO! swallow the bottle. You missed the point!!! My first marriage was awful. Actually, it was "twice as more worser even" then awful. (one of my favorite expressions) This included being shot at and broken body parts! And lots in between!! Yet, just about the happiest memories I have was during that span of time! There was some wonderful things and those are the things that heal the trauma!!! I, by myself, at 18 1/2 with my Paint horse stud, ran an 1800 acre ranch with up to 211 head of cattle for a couple years!! I was very close to a prisoner there!!! It was sometimes months before I was allowed to leave without my "worse half". I didn't dare! I'm sure, looking back, that he would have killed me had I ventured off the ranch alone! There was usually some awful consequences if I had a visitor too! STILL, what a wonderful time I had. I can just feel the horse under me right now and the cool water of the ponds that we would swim in after checking the cows or irrigating. There was about 120 acres of irrigated pasture with 3 good sized ponds. About 300 acres of rolling hills and the rest was rather rugged, wooded and steep, gaining close to 800+feet elvevation. I spent 2 years on horse back!! Just roaming the hills and working the cows, rounding them up, spraying them, shooting them up (shots;) etc. I even got to where instead of calling the vet out, I would get a cow that developed a growth on her eye, squeeze her and get a scalpel, pop her eye out of the socket and trim the growth off so it wouldn't turn to cancer, dribble medicine on it then stuff it back in. Much of the time was spent riding with no saddle, bridle or even a halter! He, Thunder, was a "one of a kind" horse. I could control him at breakneck speed with just a tug or pull of his mane and a little leg pressure! (I trained him;) He loved to chase cows. I even taught him to "sick 'em". When a particularly nasty, high headed cow would insist on running off when I was bringing them in, I'd just need to go, ssssssssst, and he'd latch a "tooth lock" on that cows hindside that would curl her hair! She kept herself right in the middle of the herd for months after that! He lived for that and so did I. The reason that he would react to "ssssssst" was because when he was young, I taught him to chase anything that moved! It didn't matter if it was a dog or a chicken, if he caught it he'd pick it up and shake it, and I mean shake it! One time I looked in his pasture at the time(about 20 acres) and an unfortunate curious calf crawled under the fence and Thunder saw it. He charged over there, picked it up and shook the liven' daylites out of it! ;-) When that calf hit the ground, it was ah runnin', let me tell you. It didn't even have to duck it was running so fast to Mamma!!!:):):) Yet, if I was up in the wooded area and needed to bring a cow and her new calf in to check 'em out, he would do the neatest thing. I couldn't ride in the underbrush, so I would park Thunder about 50 feet out in a meadow or open area. He would stay just like a dog:)! I would get between the cow and her calf and, with eyes on the back of my head watching the grouchy cow, I'd chase the calf towards Thunder. Being just a day or so old, it saw a 4 legged "thing" and assumed it was Mamma. It would run rickety legged to him. Thunder would greet it in very gentlemanly and nuzzle it and allow it to walk under him and would just move a bit or hike a leg up a bit if the calf got to personal. About then, Mamma would come bellerin' out of the brush to claim her calf and I could then chase them both to the barn. Thunder did this zillions of times and NEVER even thought of biting of shaking the calf up:)! (he was such a neat horse) Something else that Thunder was WELL know for was he was MY horse and would drive anyone's head in the ground that dared to climb aboard. There were 3 exceptions over the years. During the winter months, I had to load up the truck with a ton of hay and feed it everyday and sometimes twice. I used to put it in 4WD low and 1st gear and get on the back of the truck while it was moving, bust bails and toss it off till it was gone. Ol' Dominique was a monster Hereford bull. Everybit of 1800 lbs. He was a real sweetheart. As the truck was moving, he liked to eat off the truck. I figured that I always wanted to be a bull rider and saw my chance. I rode him a lot. I can honestly say that I did a lot of bull riding a never got my head drove in the ground!;)) (and that is not a lot of bull hocky:) There was a stack of hay in the barn that would choke a herd of buffalo's. For my safty, I arrainged a few tunnels in the hay with blankets etc. for the times I needed to escape. I used those tunnels often. Nearly every day sometime or "days off" were hell. I even hid in the neighbors house when they weren't home! I don't need to tell more deails of the hell or the joy. I could write for 3 days without stopping and not repeat a memory. Should you be wondering why I didn't call the law, I'll tell you; HE WAS THE LAW!:=(( I even was tossed in the back of his "caged" patrol car and given 120mph rides with him out of control screaming that he would wreck and kill us both!!! Now, let me tell you, that IS.....an experience! So with that in mind........I don't buy ANYONE saying that you can't have a wonderful memory. Dig, you'll find one:):):):) In fact, I'll bet you can find a bunch of 'em! Now, I'm not sure that this qualifies as an SDA memory. It was a bit off the beaten path. Hmmmmmmmmmm? Maybe it was related to SDAism? Why did I marry the first guy that came along? I WANTED TO BE RELIEVED OF BONDAGE AND THE CONTROLS OF EGW/SDAism! Allenette, I sure didn't plan on this!!!! You really know how to pull stuff out of me:-) Thank you for dredging up this memory:):):) Maryann | ||
| Chyna |
phew, reading your post Maryann felt like a rollercoaster ride. your point is well taken. what's the quote? "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times"? wow, spending a couple yards in your shoes was a traumatizing experience. well, both joy and absolute terror. i wish i could give you a hug. *HUG* Chyna | ||
| Chyna |
phew, reading your post Maryann felt like a rollercoaster ride. your point is well taken. what's the quote? "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times"? wow, spending a couple yards in your shoes was a traumatizing experience. well, both joy and absolute terror. i wish i could give you a hug. *HUG* Chyna | ||
| George |
Well Maryann, You are not to bad for a sister;-) George |
