I was such a good influence on the kids, leading by example of maturity and order...yup.
I was such a good influence on the kids, leading by example of maturity and order...yup.
Our youth group was a riot, I actually learned a lot from them! I would take them down 6hrs south to Briercrest Bible school, to the Youth Quake rally's. Talk about being overwhelmed, over 3,000+ teens lifting hands and voices praising God and not afraid to talk about Jesus around the campus was cool!
In our youth group, I met a lady who would forever change my life (for the better). Kim J. I can honestly say, I never have met a young lady with a more of calling on her life then Kim. Talented, nice looking and not afraid to show her true Christian heritage, even if it meant being laughed at, or not having the "best" boyfriends.
Her parents, Wayne and Leona are the kind of Godly parents anyone would want. Matter of fact, God put "dad" J. and me together in a home for 6 months while he taught near Pierceland, (the rest of the family had moved to antoher location for the time being.) Talk about a two opposites. Hahaha, it was something else. He branded me radical, and I branded him antique. But you know, love is the most powerful thing there is, and dad J.'s love broke down all my preconceived ideas, my walls, and my ideas of how a family is to be run. I learned more from him in 6 months, then my whole life since.
Along with the J.'s becoming my second family, they had 3 beautiful kids...Kim, Laurie, and Kevin. Laurie is one special lady. Big heart and an attitude to match...whooieee..but don't ever get her mad at ya...she knows how to pull the right strings to make you feel like you did wrong. Kevin, being the youngest and only boy got taught by two wonderful sisters, and avoided the dangers of NOT knowing how a woman thinks. He'll make one heck of a great husband for some lady out there.
Well back to Kim. I was 14 years older then her, and had a lot of internal struggles over this age gap. The more i tried to look and act younger, the more dorkie i became. Serious. What a guy does in love to impress, well backfired major in my face most often.
Back then I had a 1977 black Pontiac Gran Prix (see my car page) with $1,200 mag wheels, 400cu inch engine and was a powerful car. I wanted to impress Kim with my car, and would often turn the air cleaner lid upside down so that you could hear when all 4 barrels kicked in. Often times, I would leave from visiting their place, and floored the car...well it sounded like a jet fighter taking off with full afterburners. I was impressed, but I guess she wasn't hahahaha...geeze...must be a guy thing.
I remember taking her kid brother, Kevin - a real cool guy too - with my car for a drive on the frozen lake by their house. Here we are crusing along the lake, going over frost heaves and such. We were coming up to what is the boat ramp in the summer near their home. Kevin asked if I could make it up there. I wanted to impress him, and Kim who was at home at the time, and I thought it would be a macho thing to do...she'd fall in love with my manlyhood maturity for sure!
Well I got stuck...I mean stuck major time...I mean stuck up to the floor boards...couldn't see where the tires started and the hood ended. Not to be caught in this predicament, I floored the car back and forth. Had nice big all season tires on the car, and they chewed the snow up alright...deeper and deeper.
Then "Dad" J. came over from hearing my car's engine over revving. I'm sure he musta thought they put a new airport nearby... He came with a shovel and helped dig me get out; Kim was watching and uh, not impressed; Kevin thought it was cool; but I couldn't find a hole deep enough to crawl into and hide...
Well the years went by, (and they were a haze to me), wanting a God fearing wife, who was set apart from the crowd, and Kim fit that to a "T". But, guess it wasn't in God's plans, she is happily married now.
Again, I said "why Lord?"...
Time again heals. But from this all, i grew more balanced, and matured a lot in a very short time. This couldn't have happened I believe any other way. Something big and something powerful had to change my attitudes, it's not something you can learn or absorb, it has to be a major impact.
