Stuck in a Lifetime Movie- Part 5

America's Favorite 50's family, The Nelsons

It was 1938 when, at 13, Tex decided to put an end to the beatings, shouting and threats. He said that he and little brother Willie were living in the orphanage for the second time when Tex smarted off, said the wrong thing and was duly punished. Severely. That night, when everyone was asleep, he and 10 yr old Willie ran away from that orphanage, and from his father for good. he said he didn't want to take his little brother but Willie begged him to and Tex didn't have the heart to leave him behind to face the music alone. Thus began Grampy's "Hobo Days" which is a story for another time.

St. Agnes Orphanage in the 1930's

Coming from a wholesome, Ozzie and Harriet type of upbringing myself, I try to imagine a chilhood like his.  How did Grampy and Willie endure? (and hopefully you've read my previous four blogs  so you know what I'm talking about) How do all the children in the world, past and present, withstand such anger and abuse from the one person in the world who should have nothing but love for them? It's no wonder Tex has never been able to wrap his mind around the concept of a loving God; one we refer to as "Father".

Mike says that the Grampy-apple didn't fall as far from the Arthur, Sr. tree as one would hope. As a father himself, Tex  was also a stern  disciplinarian and firmly believed a wide leather belt on the backside was the answer to any child's deviance from the straight and narrow, no matter how slight.  And he has always been quick-tempered and foul-mouthed.  But he was not an alcoholic and he worked hard to provide for his family and give them some semblance of stability. Let's say Tex was several notches better than his old man. Grampy's father died many, many years ago but to this day Tex is still simmers with an inside anger, and goes off on an unwarranted rant more often than anyone I've ever known.  Nevertheless, sometimes we get a glimpse through his gruff exterior into the kernel of goodness that lies within. Even if he has a difficult time expressing it, he loves us and we know it. We worry about him. Is he using his oxygen at night? He looks like he's losing weight—is he eating enough? He's more and more forgetful, will he leave the stove on?  Is he still threatening his neighbor with a shotgun? Will he get punched in the nose some day for loudly using the "N" word when describing the black family in the next aisle over while standing in line at Wal Mart?

Grampy is creeping up on 90 years old. Let's face it, he's mighty close to shuffling off his mortal coil. We have shared the love of Jesus and His redemptive power with Grampy repeatedly over the years—trying in love to explain the way to salvation. Mike and I recently made a pact to double up our prayer efforts for his dad. We know our children and eight grandchildren remember him faithfully in their prayers so surely the heart of God cannot resist. We aren't able see the future but we cherish every day with Tex in the present. We don't know what will reach the old man's heart, but we do know that Grampy has an all-powerful Father in heaven who loves him unconditionally. Our united prayer is that Grampy will meet God with confidence and open arms on that day in the not so distant future when he's called home.