3rd and 4th grade

          3rd and 4th grade were very important years for me. I loved my 3rd grade teacher so much. All my family were in Boy Scouts one way or another. My Uncle had left Calvary Baptist Church, so my family switched to First Baptist of Seagoville. So much happened these two years that I could write a book just on them. Since I know everyone really wants the juicy things, then I should be able to keep it to three pages.

          Here is where the real good stuff starts. Too bad it did not stop there, also. I will not be giving any names in this part because it affects lots of people. I have prayed and prayed about why I am doing this and I really want it to be helpful to others for hiding things that need to be talked about to someone and to learn that everyone has something in their life you can learn from. So much gets lost in lives because we stereotype instead of learning from different types. This blog will cover the first situation heavily— just warning.

(can you overcome disliking someone)

          At the beginning of 3rd grade, I met a boy in my class that for some reason we did not get along together. We were both in cub scouts. We both were considered smart kids. And, at times, we would talk to each other. But, every day or so we would get into a fight after school. We fought, got up, and it was over. That same boy and I crossed paths many times for other reasons all the way to 12th grade. I still do not know what the reason was, we just did not get along.

          In 1st grade, my mother started taking classes to become a nurse. I would help her with her tests while she was in school. She became a nurse in my 3rd grade and by then I knew I wanted to be in medicine. I learned what many medical terms were by 9 years old. What became clear to me that year, though, was that my mother, also, had many medical “problems”. She was going in and out of the hospital for weeks at a time and we kids would have to stay with neighbors, or my paternal grandmother. These two people had verbal fights all my life. (A true Mother-in-law story).

          I’m telling these two stories together because the impact they had on me. By the time I turned 9, I had been going to church when I could, usually by bus. One Sunday night I just stepped out of my pew and told the preacher I wanted to be saved. I felt a huge burden lift from me. I went home and told my mother, who was in bed, what I did and she spent about 45 minutes making sure I understood what I did. We prayed together and I went to bed. The next day at school, I went to the boy and apologized for fighting with him and would he forgive me. He did and from that day until now I never fought like that again. (Even though the boy and I never became good friends).

(Are you really baptized if it was under a different name?)

          August 9, 1970, I was baptized. I was nervous as it was, not to mention that the water was cold. The preacher reached for me and helped me down into the water. Then it happened! The preacher looked at me and asked me my name.(???) I said, ”Millard!”! Then he said, “What?” and a little louder I said, ”Millard!” Then out of his mouth he said, ”I baptize you, LEONARD SCHERZER……”, then he dumped me. People started laughing and I was extremely embarrassed. I always wondered if that really counted since it was not my name, but in my heart I know I’m saved. Things did not change at home when my dad and I were by ourselves. But, two new events happened.

(Meeting a new kid on the street)

          I was beginning to do things on my own because I did not think it mattered. I ventured the neighborhood and met new kids. One, in particular, had a weird way of greeting me! He kissed me! We went into his house and his family was not there. You can guess what happened. This went on for a few years when we would get together to play games. You know, preachers and parents will talk and talk and talk about treating a girl respectfully, open her door, etc. But, how many times have you heard them say it was a sin to play with boys.(and vice-versa). I think I can count on one hand!

(Meeting my new family doctor)

          My mom’s first job as a nurse was at Methodist Hospital in Oak Cliff. She had the second shift which got her home by midnight. Bill was 16 and Mary was 14, so we did not have babysitters anymore. It was hard at times because we had crappy cars that broke down all the time. Bill would come home early from school to take her to work and we all would go at 11pm to get her. We went to Kaufman for medical visits and a new doctor had come in. He needed a nurse so he hired my mother. He was single and very nice to us. He knew our family financial problems and many times he would help.

          The doctor lived at Cedar Creek Lake and one weekend he invited us to come for a cookout He had a boat, skis, a tree swing, and many other things to do. We kids were in heaven. The entire second floor was a small long hall full of books and his bedroom. It was a mansion to us. At that point, I really wanted to be a doctor. The doctor did this many times for the next few years and our family and he became very close. Just one problem though, whenever any of us complained of not feeling good, we were taken to work with mom because she would convince us that we might have these horrible sicknesses. This story will continue in following blogs.
(This will blow your mind, I sure know it did mine!)

(Running on gasoline)

          In 4th grade, I was introduced to sniffing gasoline. (That’s what I said, gasoline!) I am not going to explain how it was done because I do not want to give anyone ideas. I will say that when you got high, your whole mind flips out into a kaleidoscope of WOW’s. I did this for most of my 4th grade, very naïve to the consequences that I was close to taking. Anytime that I was bored, or just wanted to “escape” for a while, I would sneak to the back yard,( you could not see me because our grass was ALWAYS overgrown), and would partake of the gas. My oldest sister actually caught me one time because we were supposed to be going to Houston and my mom was looking for me. While waiting to go, Mary came out to jump on our trampoline, (the one real good thing our dad bought us).  While jumping, she saw me and I came over to her. It was obvious that I was high. She took me to the car and put me in the back seat floor board. This car had a hole in the driver side under the seat and the gas fumes were coming through it. Little did I know, it was keeping me high. Finally, someone covered the hole and turned me around to the passenger side and I slept all the way to Houston. {(WHEW). Nothing was ever said about the ordeal.

(Bill Cosby—the lifesaver)

          When we were younger, Bill Cosby would have Saturday morning children’s special so often. One in particular time, his special was on drugs and other bad things for children to beware about. He covered all the obvious ones like pot, cigarettes, liquor. But the topic suddenly changed to things that were not so obvious. When he got to the topic of sniffing gas, my stomach sank. Mr. Cosby began explaining the effects and dangers sniffing gas could do to someone and, boy, it got my attention fast. After it was over, I ran to my room and began crying. I thought I did an unforgiveable sin. I finally ran to my mom’s room, hopped on the bed, put my head in her lap and busted out, “I’m going to hell and I don’t want to!”

          It startled my mom and I had to repeat myself. I told her what I had been doing and it took her a very long time to calm me down. She took out the Bible and showed me where God would forgive me if I confessed my sins to him. So, we prayed, mom called the other kids in to explain the dangers and from that day until I was 17, I never touched anything but liquor. And a cigarette that will become another story when I talk about Darrell and me. (It is hard to believe that this was the same Bill Cosby being charged for his own problems, as I write this.) It just proves that no one is perfect and everyone deals with sins daily. As for me, I know God used him to save me that Saturday morning! The one thing I had to remind me of this was an X on my report card for problems in listening. It could have been so much worse.

My next blog will be 5th,6th,and 7th grade—including the sudden changes including girlfriends, my first brush with the Principal, and new developments in my home front. I promise to include a couple of funny things, too. So stay tuned…………

• 27th Jun 2017
• mylife
• 19 Comments
• Uncategorized