My Papa

Yesterday in Pensacola someone quietly turned 80 years old. His name is George Watson but to his family he is our “Papa”.
Now the catch to this is that he is not my father or my father-in-law, but is my “former father-in-law” and he is also my next door neighbor. You know it’s the type of thing they like to put on Jerry Springer. I’m afraid people would be disappointed though if they want to see a fight, for I love him very much and he thinks of me as one of his own still.
I met Papa when I was 13. He owned the ‘Friendly Plumber’ here in Pensacola and on Fridays I would get the opportunity to go to their house for steak and a discussion of the week they had with business or politics. The one thing as a teen that I always remembered about him is although he DID complain about our local government, he also seemed willing to help change it and he truly cared about the people of Pensacola and for the well being for his future grandchildren.
He told me his story of coming out a rough area of Texas and although he had every opportunity to take the wrong roads in life, he had a desire to succeed and boy did he ever.
He later sold the Friendly Plumber which did very well and started a group in Pensacola called TRIM which stood for Tax Reform in Motion. He was applauded by many in Florida and other states for his role in attempting to cut wasted tax money. His grandchildren knew from toddlers that their grandfather was contributing his time to help our government.
A few years later they were able to observe how an election as they helped their Papa win a seat on the Escambia County Utility Board. He served honorable for many years.
He is now retired and though he struggles each day with lung problems he still enjoys life and spending time with each of us and the love of his life, Grams. On Saturdays, ALL of us meet at their house and have lunch. It warms my heart to hear him say the blessing. He has taught me so many things in these last thirty plus years and we are praying for many more with him.

Happy Birthday Papa!

Carolyn

It was fall of 1976 I was in the eighth grade and minding my own business in the gym for PE. (if you are legally blind like me – that also meant trying to stay alive and avoid being hit in the face by stray objects) On that particular day- I was NOT successful. I don’t remember the sport we were playing but I had been hit enough times that the teacher though it might do me some good to rest a few minutes on the side.

The girls in my PE class were always kind to me and since I didn’t talk much about my sight or lack thereof they didn’t really know how to treat me at times, but they were never mean to me. Most of them had been in school with me since kindergarten.

My life was happy and made sense - UNTIL that moment when I was helped to the sidelines and the NEW girl walked over and sat next to me. I had seen her earlier that morning on my bus. She looked over at me and so I did the decent thing and looked back at her and she screamed, “WHAT?” NO ONE had EVER screamed at ME at school before. Everyone else took care of me and the infidel had waltzed in and screamed, “WHAT!” at me for NO reason! I was offended at the least and on the verge of tears. I was wearing a mood ring which was ‘the thing’ in the mid ‘70s. My cousin Deborah had let me borrow it for the day and this NEW girl wanted to see it. I did not know her and had already decided I DID NOT much like her so why would I take my cousin’s ring off and hand it to HER?
At that moment the teacher left the gym and the mean girl was ticked off that I hadn’t handed over the ring so she punched me in the arm! I stood there in shock! I could have her suspended for that and DID want to just start bawling my eyes out but I knew she would never let me live it down so after standing there for a minute I said, “What is YOUR problem?” I had never said that to anybody before… and couldn’t believe it came out of my mouth! I was the mousy little quiet one who had never stood up to ANYBODY!
She answered, “My problem is YOU- everyone treats you like a little angel and acts like you’re going to break. She then asked, “What’s your deal anyway?” Hum, that was the first person who had ever asked me what my ‘deal’ was. I said “Do you mean my sight?”, and she looked at me as if to say, “Duh”, so I began to explain the condition to her. “You are still a regular person silly”, she said to me and then walked away. After I told her everything I was still in fear because I though she might use it against me when I least expected it! Lol
The next morning I dreaded riding the bus because I knew SHE would be there. When the bus door opened I gingerly stepped in and when the sun is out I can’t see people, just their form so you had to call out my name for me to sit with you or I just sat wherever I could make out an empty space. That morning someone said, “Come sit here.” I recognized the voice at once. It was HER but she sounded nice this time. I sat down and she said, “My name is Carolyn James” She went on to explain she had just moved here from Puerto Rico.
Thirty plus years later, I still remember that as a turning point in my life and will forever be grateful to my ‘sis’ Carolyn for showing me that I’m just like anyone else. She toughened me up a little that day and through these many years she has made me step outside my “comfort zone” when I needed it.
We have been to each others’ weddings and births of children and sadly, deaths of family members. We have helped each other through horrific circumstances that are still hard to talk about.
The Lord knew all those years ago that I needed a punch in the arm and a friend for life. I love you Carolyn!
Happy Birthday

I had the opportunity of taking a night flight out of Raleigh this last week. It is always interesting to see the city view from up above it all. As we left the runway clusters of lights from area homes began to come into view and I began to think. In each one of those homes represents lives in the process of going on with their daily routine and duties. In some cases there was joy over a new job found. In some there may be sadness due to divorce. In the family of the home I had just said goodbye to lives a Colonel and his dear wife, who also happens to be my lifelong friend and cousin, Deborah. They are struggling with the news of cancer right now. Please pray for Steve as he begins chemo treatments next Wednesday. Another sweet cousin Dana and her husband Troy live close by and are dealing with the loss of Troy’s dad last week.
As we lifted higher and higher into the sky there were so MANY dots of lights from homes that they could not be counted. It made me smile to think that God sees each one of those lights but even more importantly He sees each soul in each of those homes and He loves and cares for them all. He hears each prayer and sees each tear that falls.
Soon clouds overtook the view and though those homes could no longer be seen , the Lord never lost sight of them and He protects each one of His own under the shelter of His wings.