Memories of Graduation Day

Dortha Worthington
1946

Another school year has just ended and the many students will be going their separate ways for the Summer. While many of those students will be returning to their familiar schools again in the Fall, others have graduated from their high school days and will be making plans to prepare themselves for higher education perhaps, or going into a chosen vocation. At any rate, one phase of their lives will be forever closed while another will be opening.

So well I remember a day in May, 1946 when I, too, graduated from high school. I am not sure why we seem so anxious for the day to arrive when we no longer have to meet a schedule and study for tests. The freedom feels good for awhile but all too soon we find ourselves searching for answers to the many questions that fill our minds. What shall we do now and where shall we do it? Truth be, I had no plans nor answers to the questions I might have had. I had attended only two different school during my 12 year of schooling. My first 9 years were spent in a two room school house one and one-half miles from my home. When I was ready to enter the 10th grade, I had to go away from home for my last 3 years.

One week after my 15th birthday I rode a bus 18 miles to Searcy, AR, where I enrolled in the 10th grade. I rented a bedroom in Searcy and stayed there from Monday until Friday each week when I rode the bus back to my home. That schedule continued until I graduated from the 12th grade 3 years later. Since I had no car and no money, I felt it not possible to attend college even though I was offered a scholar ship to a college in Little Rock, AR. Perhaps there could have been a way for me to attend but I did not pursue the opportunity. Instead I married the following January and the rest is history!!! I do not regret my decision and I am so thankful for my family and all the blessings I have received these past 63 years but I do think it would have been nice to have been on my own for a time rather than going from one authoritative figure to another. If that had been the plan I chose, perhaps I would have become too independent and would not have become the person I was meant to be.

I am thankful for all the opportunities that are available for young people today and I wish each of them the best.

I have good memories,
Dortha

Calm After The Storm!!

Walking In The Rain!!!

We complained when it was too cold, we complained when it was too hot, we complained when it was too wet, we complained when it was too dry. We could not blame God if He gave up on us and never blessed us again. However, that is not the way God does things. He blesses us even when we do not deserve to be blessed. Yesterday He gave us a wonderful blessing when the black clouds gathered above us and dumped one inch of rain onto Holland Hill in less than an hour. Such a good, much needed and much appreciated rain it was. Now our gardens can grow even better. This morning the air is crisp and fresh. We are still promised temps in the 90's for the rest of the week, which is a bit higher than we sometimes have during the month of June. We are ever so close to July, however, and we expect HOT temps during July and August.

We just completed a very interesting and informative prophecy conference at our church. The speaker was Jimmy DeYoung. He has an unbelievable wealth of knowledge and his messages were very timely. He has a website: Prophecytoday.com, also a daily devotion on the internet. He has lived in Jerusalem for several years. We had a Q & A session each evening before the regular service. Regardless of the questions asked, he could immediately quote the related passage and explain it's meaning.

My you be blessed today,
Dortha

Happy Father's Day

Watching You

Driving through town just my boy and me
With a happy meal in his booster seat
Knowing that he couldn't have the toy
Till his nuggets were gone
A Green traffic light turned straight to red
I hit on my brakes and mumbled under my breath
As fries went a flying and his orange drink covered his lap
Well then my four year old said a four letter word
It started with "s" and I was concerned
So I said son now where'd you learn to talk like that

He said I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are
We got cowboy boots and camo pants
Yeah we're just alike, hey ain't we dad
I wanna do everything you do
So I've been watching you

We got back home and I went to the barn
I bowed my head and I prayed real hard
Said Lord please help me help my stupid self
Then this side of bedtime later that night
Turning on my son's scooby doo nightlight
He crawled out of bed and he got down on his knees
He closed his little eyes, folded his little hands
Spoke to God like he was talking to a friend
And I said son now where'd you learn to pray like that

He said I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are
We like fixing things and holding mama's hand
Yeah we're just alike, hey ain't we dad
I wanna do everything you do
So I've been watching you
With tears in my eyes I wrapped him in a hug
Said my little bear is growing up
And he said but when I'm big I'll still know what to do

Cause I've been watching you dad, ain't that cool
I'm your buckaroo, I wanna be like you
And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are
Then I'll be as strong as superman
We'll be just alike, hey won't we dad
When I can do everything you do
Because I've been watching you
Hey yeah.. uh huh

Word of Advice!!!

show details 9:18 AM (0 minutes ago)

Reply

Using GPS for driving directions might be a good idea, but for driving directions to a home you have to demolish might not. According to Consumer Reports, a house in Carrol County, Georgia was demolished by accident when a wrecking crew was misguided by a GPS device (oops!).

Just a word of advice to you drivers who depend on your GPS for directions!!! Double check if you are planning something destructive!!! I am reminded of a similar incident that happened several years ago. When I lived in AR and had my Decorating Services, I did some window treatments for a house in Bella Vista. When I went to install them, I heard that some builders had built a house (next door to the one I was decorating) on the wrong lot. Good fortune for the person who owned the lot and bad for the builders. Someone got a FREE house. Many people who lived out of the area and even out of the state, bought lots, gave instructions for building a house then never returned until the project was completed. BIG SURPRISE!!!!

Dortha

Thanks DJ

What a wonderful new day!!! The sky is bright blue, the air is cool and crisp and the sun is shining brightly. The world is calling!!! This is an exciting time of the year----flowers are in bloom, birds are singing their happy songs, seeds are bursting through the soil and we have the promise of Summer vegetables soon!!!! Life is good and God is blessing. If you have two legs that work, two eyes that see and a mind that helps you make wise choices, you are blessed!!! I hope you have a GREAT day.

Yesterday I attended the funeral of a 58 year old friend and am reminded once again how precious---and how fragile---- life is and how thankful I am for the years God has granted me. I thank Him each day for one more day to enjoy life, family and friends.

Darla, you made my day when I read your post last night. I am thankful that you enjoy reading what I write. I realize it can be rather boring when I write mostly about myself and my life but feel that is what I need to do as I do not want to invade on someone's privacy and write something that shouldn't be shared. Thanks for your kind words. I never know if ANYONE reads or cares.

Love and good wishes to all,

Dortha

Thanks Grandmother

I'm so glad that you are writing again! I've been catching up on my reading since I realized you were writing again. Thanks for the picture of your dad- I don't think I've ever seen his picture before. I'm glad he left you good memories. Father's day for me is now a special day, because I have so many amazing, godly men in my family that have shown me what being a father was supposed to be- for that I'm very thankful! So to all my uncles, granddad Holland and cousins -THANK YOU! -DJ

Dortha's Dad

My Dad,
George Hunter Worthington
1894--1967

Even though I was not privileged to spend a lot of years with my Dad, I always think of him on Father's Day and like to honor him. The above picture was taken when he was in his early 20's so you can see he was a very handsome man. I have special memories of him during the years he was a constant in my life. I remember how I looked forward to his coming home each night and many nights he would bring a candy bar or a few pieces of candy he knew we liked. He was a hard worker and a very strong man. He built his own saw mill and sawed trees into lumber to sell. He only finished the 3rd grade in school but he had a sharp mind and was master of many things. I always felt he could do ANYTHING!!!!

It was a sad day when he walked out of my life as well as my Mother's life and my Sister's. My only explanation is that he and my Mother fell out of love. His leaving left an empty place in my heart that no one else could fill. I prayed many, many years that he would come back and live with us again but apparently that was not to be. He spent the last 27 years of his life in California and is buried in Modesto. Because of the distance between Oklahoma and California and no extra money for long road trips in those days, I did not see him for 11 years. In 1958 my Sister and her family and my family drove to California to spend some time with him. We saw him a few more times before he passed away in 1967. When he got sick and felt he would not recover, he called Marie and me and said he would like to see us one more time. We drove out and spent a week with him. A few weeks later he passed away. Marie and I flew out for his funeral.

I regret the years when an occasional letter was our only contact. I loved him because he was my Dad and I felt he loved me. I have never felt that I had anything to do with his leaving so I have no guilt, only loneliness and regrets that I could not have been a more important part of his life. He and his wife raised two of her relatives---a niece and a nephew. He sent pictures of the niece's wedding when he walked her down the aisle. Yes, I feel jealous that he was not available to do the same for me when I was married.

I am thankful for the memories that shall forever be tucked away in the corner of my heart and for the years I did get to spend with my Dad.

Dortha

Happy Birthday, Jan!!!!

Happy Birthday, Chocolate Lover!!!

I promised I would not embarrass anyone on their birthday but maybe one exception won't hurt!!! She liked chocolate at 6 months (see it dripping from her hand) and she likes chocolate today at '??' years. '??' years ago today was a very special day for me. I became a Mother and was now responsible for a little life and as I remember, no instruction book came with her. No doubt I made my share of mistakes but if loving her with all my heart were a mistake, then I take full responsibility. I was so thrilled to have a little girl. I was the youngest in my family and remember how I longed for a younger sibling. I was always drawn to babies and I guess I thought if I had a younger sibling it would forever be a baby. Dressing my dolls was my favorite pastime and since I enjoyed sewing dresses for them, I could only imagine how great it would be to have a real live baby girl to sew for. My sister, who is older than I, had her first baby when I was a senior in high school. Of course, in those days, we did not know if she would have a little boy or a little girl. I was so anxious for her to have a little girl, I made the statement if she had a boy, I would not even come to see him. Well, I forgot those words when I got the call that the baby had arrived and guess what!!! I was the very first person to get to the hospital to see my first little nephew and must admit, he was a keeper and a real delight----and still is very special to me. We call him Donnie.

Now back to my little bundle of love. She woke me about 2:00 A.M. on a Sunday and I realized it was time to go to the hospital. Her dad drove me there, checked me in, kissed me good-by and I went one direction and he went the other. Rules were---no one could go with me past the waiting room so he went home and worked on his car. Since we had no phone, he would walk to the neighbor's house once in awhile to call the hospital to see if the baby had arrived. Finally at 2:10 in the afternoon, she did arrive but I did not know I had a little girl until around 6:00 P.M. When I awoke and first saw her with a little curl on top of her head, I was the happiest person alive. From that day until this, she has been a delight and a true blessing. I am so thankful for her. She was a great, big sister to her two younger brothers (they didn't think so since she liked to "tattle" on them) and I constantly wonder why I should be so blessed with such a dear daughter. I don't even remember ever needing to spank her and I guess she didn't know she could have rebelled and been a terrible teen but instead she was always willing to abide by the rules. She didn't even know about the "terrible two's". She has just continued to be that sweet little girl all through her life. I am so thankful for her today. She has been a perfect daughter, a good mother and is now a good grandmother.

Jan, I love you so much and I pray God's blessings for you each day. Thank you for being such a blessing all these many "short" years.

Your Mother

June 10th

Happy Birthday to Everyone With June Birthdays!!

I don't want to embarrass anyone who doesn't want to be reminded of their birthday and neither do I want to leave anyone out so will just do a generic Birthday Wish for everyone who was born in June.

And the year marches on!!! We will soon be seeing the longest day of the year which means the days begin getting shorter and then all too soon, Fall will be here. We cannot complain about our weather this Spring. Only a few days we have needed our air conditioning on. We had too much rain early on but now we would be thankful for a nice shower. We have had clouds today but no rain so far. Perhaps tonight!!!!

Not much happening on Holland Hill. Merrel keeps busy with his gardens and yard work. I keep busy not doing much of anything. My sister gave us a scare last night when she collapsed and was rushed to the ER. After spending 6 hours in ER, she was admitted. Lots of tests have been taken but we have no results from them yet. Oh, how I need her to get well !!!! I don't like to think of her being sick.

Love to all,
Dortha

JUNE 2nd!!!

Flowers in June

I turned a page on my calendar and it now says "June". That means in only 28 more days the year of 2009 will be half gone. How do the days pass so quickly? I learned a few things about the month of June. June was named for the Roman goddess, Juno. It is the month embraced by brides, gardeners, school children and strawberry growers. The month of June has more daylight hours than any of the other months.

For the most part, June is a very pleasant month in our little corner of the world Everything is beautiful and fresh, trees are leafed out, flowers are blooming and the temperature is not too hot and not too cold most days. Vegetable gardens are getting planted, finally, since we have been rain-free for a few days. (We may have rain and storms later today and tomorrow, however!! No storms, please!!) Our lawns are nice and lush and the grass is growing so fast, the gardener is having trouble keeping the mowing done.

We had a nice visit and fried chicken dinner with some friends from AR last evening. I still have some cleaning-up to do in my kitchen as we just kept visiting until bedtime!!! They will be here for a few days.

I wish a great day for everyone.

Dortha