I know I don’t talk about my family a lot, however, today I want to tell you about my brother Jim.
I have a couple of stories that I want to tell you, and then a little about him as a person.
The first story is when Jim was in high school. Jim hated waking up early, always, even into adulthood. He even worked the nightshift so he could sleep during the day.
Well, one day Jim came to our dad and said he was going to quit school. He knew everything he needed to and decided that was enough. My dad simply said ok and walked off, my dad was not a reactionary man, he was a man of action.
The next day he tells Jim to pack his things that he found him a job and he was going to drive him there. If Jim was going to quit school then he would need to have a job and make his own way in the world.
My dad drove him to a dairy farm, dad was good friends with the owner and had arranged for a job for Jim. He dropped him off and said I love you and good luck. Jim had to wake up before dawn to do his job on the dairy farm.
After a week my dad gets a call from Jim and he says he’d like to come home now. Dad said what about school, he said I believe I can catch up on my school work and graduate with my class.
Lesson learned, my dad didn’t have to yell or scream or threaten, he simply showed Jim what was in store for him without an education.
The next story is something that happened after I was born and after I became an adult. This story comes straight from me.
Whenever we gathered for family dinners, before the meal, we prayed. Dad always asked Jesse to preform that task. One day Jim’s son and I were talking about the upcoming gathering. He told me how much it hurt his dad that our dad never called on him to pray. That was all that was said, that was all it took. When I got to my mom and dads’ house the day before the holiday I started to help her in the kitchen. We began to talk and I said have you ever noticed how dad always calls on Jesse to say the prayer? She said well I never thought about it. I said yeah I was thinking about it on the drive up here. I wonder how Jim feels about that? He’s the oldest, I wonder if he’d like to say the prayer. Oh well, hand me that bowl.
That is all I said, I planted a bug in mom’s ear, she took that bug and ran with it.
The next day, as we were standing to have the blessing said over the meal, my dad says Jim would you do us the pleasure of saying the blessing? Jim looked startled, I could see his eyes start to tear up, and he cleared his throat and said yes sir. He said the most beautiful prayer.
After that dad was more even handed in asking the boys to say the prayer.
Jim was called to go home yesterday, December 3, 2020, I have no doubt he was met by mom and dad. I have no doubt Jesus was waiting for him with open arms and telling him it was ok to rest, that his work on earth was done.
Jim inherited everything good from our mom, he was a kind, sweet, gentle soul. I never heard him say a bad word about anyone. He welcomed all into his home and was dedicated to his family. He welcomed me as his sister when I was adopted, taking me on vacation with his family. I’ll never forget the acceptance and the way he treated me. I loved him.
He left behind a loving wife, Carol, a son Darrell and his wife Beth, along with one grandson. He also leaves two sisters, Nell and myself.
The world will be a little dimmer without his presence here on earth, but I know he is incredibly happy to be home.
Angie World 