Greetings friends--TGIF huh?


1. Well, today I am going to repeat some background of my life from a religious perspective, so when we get active within the blog dialogue, you will know why I chose the subject matter, and what it has meant to my life, which has been a long one.

As I mentioned in my first blog, I was born a Presbyterian Minister's son. He was crippled when he was young, from Infantile Paralysis, and as an adult, had a badly shriveled left leg and walked with a cane.

I recall that he was considered a very good Preacher, and he patterned his sermons and delivery after the well know Billy Sunday, an Evangelist of his day, and a pulpit pounder.

He was, in my mind, not a particulatly good father. Very strict, and there was no display of affection by either parent. He also never spared the rod and his favorite punishment tool as a razor strop. Men in those days used a straight razor and needed the strop for sharpening. Let me say, the use and the threat of use of the strop was a sure method to create fear in a kid.

I had one sister, 2 years younger, a red head, and I doubt we ever got along very well. You know, Dad liked her best, thing.?

Mom was a sort of passive mother, though she had her moments of discipline, which most kids need, one time or another. I was no exception, but really, I don't remember ever being, what could be called, a bad kid. A ministers son, you know. I was born a sensitive person of the Cancer sign. My sister was born under the more aggressive Leo sign. My parents were both Geminis. Not a good mixture for a laid back Cancerite.

Mom, though, was an excellent pianist, and fitted very well with the ministry, playing for all church functions. Dad had a great tenor voice, and very good for leading the singing, always vigorous with his voice leadership.

Right here, I make note that Dad died when I was 14. Truth be told, I never felt the least sadness. I sort of faked crying when I was told about his passing. I know that is not a good thing the way I felt, but in defense, if you grow up in a home without affection and hard discipline, you tend not to worry about how you feel about such things. Especially at an immature age as I was at 14, and not aware yet of the fact that kids need affection and uderstanding, plus, Mom and Dad used to have some pretty hot arguments. Altogether, this home atmosphere affected my relationships later, in other marriages, (five, phew!!).

To close this family page, Mom passed at 73 and my sister passed at 68. I have outlived them all.

Now, to get back to the religous impact and my interest in it. After Dad died, I attended church out of habit and the fact that at the time I played violin at a different church I then attended. This lasted about 2 years when I just decided to quit church altogether. I had so many unanswered questions regarding religion, with no answers. Plus mom had very little control over my sister and me. Yes, even so, we were pretty good kids, and she was busy trying to survive as a widow. We both got into trouble later, however, but that is for another time.
 
Geez, I think I could write a book on my life, as memories keep popping up, you know, growing up in the worst depression in memory, And, oh yes, I just recalled that in 1918 I got caught in the flu epidemic that killed millions around the world. I was one of the rare ones who survived, so maybe I was destined to live a long life for a reason, not yet determined. Do you think my dad being a Minister made the difference???
(In a future blog, perhaps we can put that sort of thought on the table for discussion, huh?)
 
This is getting long and don't want to take up more of your time today, so I am going to close for now and continue the first of the week next.    Cheers for a great weekend.      CJ