The Love of Family
While we were in Bakersfield last
month, my sister Jan and her husband Glenn kindly opened their home to us, as
they have many times in the past. We knocked on their door with suitcases in
tow one Friday evening after a long day’s drive from Desert Hot Springs. Jan
and Glenn were understanding when, after visiting over a tasty dessert, we went
to bed early.
Bakersfield was my home until Al
and I married in 1982, except for a brief reprieve for college and teaching in
the LA area. My family moved there from Oakland when dad was offered a job
coaching football and later coaching swimming and water polo at Bakersfield
Junior College, a step up from his high school coaching position in the Bay
Area.
At the time, I was starting first
grade, Jim was 3 and Jan, just a baby. Jim was dad’s namesake, and they both
had dad’s curly red hair. After our folks moved into a larger house near the
college, the twins—a boy and a girl—were born. Of course, the babies’ names had
to start with “J” after dad! We three
kids, then 13, 10 and 7 voted for Jack and Jill! But, to even things out, the
pets’ names all started with “M,” after mom Maddie! Jill was a red-head too,
while Jack and I had brown hair.
Our home was one of laughter and
love. I can remember dad tickling Jim and me until we screamed “Uncle!”
laughing and crying at the same time. We never won our wrestling matches with
him although we tried often when we were little.
I was the first one to permanently
leave Bakersfield, moving to Porterville with Al, then Springville, and in 2017
to Beverly Hills…Michigan! My brothers and sisters left for a time, some for
college, others for work, but eventually came back to their home town. Jim, Jan
and Jill are still there with many of their kids and grandkids. Jack recently
moved to Missouri, to be near his oldest daughter and her family.
Al and I were invited to have
dinner with Jim and his wife, Sheryl, on Saturday evening, and also to meet
them on Sunday morning for Mother’s Day brunch at one of our favorite
buffet-style restaurants. When we arrived at the restaurant, the owner, who had
been on dad’s junior college swim team years ago, greeted us warmly at the
door. Our family knew him and his son, co-owner, well.
Now 89
years old, he shared a funny memory of my dad, saying that after a poor
performance one day, “coach” told him he’d better go home.
“The beans are burning on the
kitchen stove!” dad kidded. We laughed. Yes, that sounded like dad!
During our meals together, Jim and
I reminisced about favorite camping trips and other childhood adventures. Al
and Sheryl were patient partners as we shared our memories.
Later in the day, we returned to
Jan’s where we had time to unwind and scratch the backs of Homer and Herman,
their cute dog “sons.” Around dinnertime, Jill and her family dropped in for a
Chinese food takeout dinner and a time together before our departure on Monday.
Jill is beginning to think of other things to do, having just retired from
teaching Special Education students. She and Jan were even talking about
signing up for a class in pottery or stained glass together.
The only one of my four siblings
missed while we were there was Jack, who is also now retired. The twins—retired?
Hard to believe! Recently however, Jack made the long trip from Missouri to
Michigan to spend time with us.
Connecting with my siblings and some of their
families has been a joy! I am extremely grateful for each of them and for the
times we can be together. In thinking about Father’s Day, I know dad and mom
were happiest when there was unity and harmony in the family.
Our Heavenly Father desires the
same for all of His children. May we strive to live together as one family in
Christ.
“How good and pleasant it is when
brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar
of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For
there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” Psalm 133:1-3 NIV
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