Part two of my beginning.

I think I need to say that my parents and siblings may remember or think things that happened were different than what I recall, for sure my father has a different memory. I will always say if my memory isn’t 100% sure about something. I hope to talk with my mom and siblings as I continue to write but only if it doesn’t cause them stress.

Back to the story. Like I said in the previous blog life was good in the country with family. Memories of daily playing outside for long hours even thirty minute recesses outside at school are flooding my mind. My grandparents lived beside what was called a canyon and my cousins and I and my siblings played countless hours there. Never bothered by the Louisiana heat or insects and snakes. Our parents weren’t concerned probably because we could always be found close or somewhere within a few miles. My Mom’s family were who we spent most of our time with, her parents and her sister’s family. I can say with certainty that they were and still are great people. My sister and I and cousins all played ball. Our families spent time at the ballpark often and our parents also coached our teams. It truly was a peaceful nice life. Then it all changed the summer of 1981 when I was eleven and entering the fifth grade.

A woman that I’ll not name that my mom knew asked her to come to church, Mom said yes and went taking us kids with her. Mom was not new to the religion that the church was, which was Pentecostal. We had never that I know of been church goers since I had been born but we had visited a few places a few times. Once we went to a Baptist vacation Bible school. Mom had an experience that was good for her and I remember her praying and worshipping God at what is called an alter. I have no bad memory or that I felt confused from witnessing it. I honestly don’t know why the experience of a church service and my Mom acting a way I had never seen before didn’t bother or worry me. Pentecostal churches are very active and sometimes loud so it was a big change for myself and siblings. Mom decided to continue to go to church and brought us with her without my Father. He also had Pentecost in his background. Not sure how long before it happened but he started going with us. Life was still pleasant but our family life and more started to change. Before we’d always spent time with my Mom’s family who were Christians, Baptist, and my Mom’s Mother was Pentecostal, but very quickly they were no longer in our lives and only people from the church were who we spent time with. The Tv was removed from the house and we weren’t allowed to watch it if we were somewhere that had one. It seems to me looking back to be an unnecessary decision to remove the Tv because we spent a huge amount of time outside and with family. I barely remember watching it. Also we couldn’t go to the movie theater. I only remember going to the movie theater one time before this happened so I don’t understand why we needed the new rule that we couldn’t go. Both were now a sin, at the time I doubt I even knew what the word sin meant because it was a word not used in my life up to that point. I guess I quickly figured out it meant something was wrong to do because within 2 years I was terrified God was going to send me to hell. I never remember being told or taught or thinking God loved me. They let my sister and I finish playing our season of softball that would be our last because we were after finishing only allowed to wear skirts, dresses and nothing without sleeves. Also females could not cut their hair or wear makeup and jewelry. Next to change was school. The church we were attending decided to start a Christian school because from what I remember public school wasn’t good for us, it would teach us information that our parents thought was worldly or not what Christians believed to be true. I had finished the fifth grade in public school then my siblings and I were put in the Christian School at the church. It was another decision that would greatly impact our lives. I want to add I was never mistreated by anyone at the Pentecostal church in Deville Louisiana. I have fond memories of them all. Nothing that happened began because of their actions. Switching to another thought I’ve questioned my Mom’s family about what they were thinking and feeling during this time and will write about it at some point. Everything was happening very quickly, I would call it rapid changes that didn’t lead to improvement instead lead to a decline in our lives. The good life in the country with family was quickly coming to a close.

I want to write more but time for bed. Hope to journal again tomorrow and continue the story of my beginning. Getting to me 54 in 2024 will take awhile and I’m wordy, but along the way I’ll add other subjects like anything good and interesting that is currently happening.