[__ Prayer __] Grandfather Saved From Poverty

[daninthelionsden]

My maternal grandparents lived in Waco, Texas. Seems they agreed to have only 2 kids, one girl and one boy. The Lord had other plans because, even though they had a daughter first and named the second child a boy's name, the baby came out a female. They named the second child William Neal. They would call her Billie as she grew up. She hated that name and always introduced herself as Neal.
Billie was under pressure to be the "son" they never had and often accompanied her father on hunting/fishing trips. This was during the Great Depression so no more offspring were to be produced. Billie would have to make do.
Garland(grandfather) worked in a factory doing heavy labor. One day there was an accident on the job that crushed and pinned Garland's leg and fingers. Both were mangled. They were able to save the affected leg and fingers, but his leg and fingers were frozen straight at the joints forever more in his earthly life.
Garland couldn't return to his job and it took months to recover.
Garland had been a member of the local Masons. His time there provided him with contacts and this would prove to be a Godsend in his time of need.
A Jewish member of the Masons was a factory owner and though he couldn't provide Garland with a job, he did set him up with a small corner grocery. This act of generosity saved the him and his family from poverty, but it took the whole family to pitch in and make it a success. This was no small feat during those severe economic times. The Jewish man's factory was an ice cream plant and as an act of appreciation Garland only sold one brand of ice cream, the Jewish man's.

 

[Truthfrees]

My maternal grandparents lived in Waco, Texas. Seems they agreed to have only 2 kids, one girl and one boy. The Lord had other plans because, even though they had a daughter first and named the second child a boy's name, the baby came out a female. They named the second child William Neal. They would call her Billie as she grew up. She hated that name and always introduced herself as Neal.
Billie was under pressure to be the "son" they never had and often accompanied her father on hunting/fishing trips. This was during the Great Depression so no more offspring were to be produced. Billie would have to make do.
Garland(grandfather) worked in a factory doing heavy labor. One day there was an accident on the job that crushed and pinned Garland's leg and fingers. Both were mangled. They were able to save the affected leg and fingers, but his leg and fingers were frozen straight at the joints forever more in his earthly life.
Garland couldn't return to his job and it took months to recover.
Garland had been a member of the local Masons. His time there provided him with contacts and this would prove to be a Godsend in his time of need.
A Jewish member of the Masons was a factory owner and though he couldn't provide Garland with a job, he did set him up with a small corner grocery. This act of generosity saved the him and his family from poverty, but it took the whole family to pitch in and make it a success. This was no small feat during those severe economic times. The Jewish man's factory was an ice cream plant and as an act of appreciation Garland only sold one brand of ice cream, the Jewish man's.

wow - beautiful testimony - thanks for sharing

 

[Tessa]

It always amazes me how God works through the love in people's hearts. Inspiring story Dan.

 

[daninthelionsden]

That work related accident that led to my grandfather's injury triggered a series of events still felt to this day. Billie(my mother) felt compelled to fulfill the role of "son" for her father. She was anything, but a tomboy she was not. While the rest of the family toiled away at the store, Billie was rather young and a nanny/maid was hired to look after her until dinner time. Billie complained about being left alone, but didn't like being put to work sweeping whenever she'd show up at the store after school. A dog was bought for Billie to keep her entertained. This satisfied Billie for a time, but she yearned for human contact and the maid was just too busy with her chores to give any respite to the loneliness.
The maid didn't have any real control over Billie and as she began to recognize this, Billie started slipping away more and more to take her dog on walks.
Billie ceased stopping by the family grocery and found her way across the creek near the house to be a nice "getaway". As she explored further from home, she came across an orphanage and made friends with some of the children there.
The smiling Headmaster of the orphanage invited Billie in to visit. From here the grooming began against a teenage girl ready to rebel against the tomboy role she felt forced to play. She was yearning to be treated as a girl. Little did she know, she would soon be coerced into prematurely fulfilling the duties of womanhood to a man older than her own father.

 

[Tessa]

This is terribly sad Dan. I could feel her loneliness and frustration as I was reading.

 

[daninthelionsden]

This is terribly sad Dan. I could feel her loneliness and frustration as I was reading.

Thank you Tess. I'm trying so hard to understand her betrayal of me in such a wicked manner, so I'm giving it my all to see what she and others said she went through.

 

[Tessa]

I can understand why you are doing that.
I'm glad at least she had her dog. Where was her sister in all this? Was she a lot older than your mother?

 

[daninthelionsden]

I can understand why you are doing that.
I'm glad at least she had her dog. Where was her sister in all this? Was she a lot older than your mother?

Yes. Her sister, Dorothy, was older and so she helped at the store quite a bit when studies allowed. Dorothy was also dating. She did take my mom along on a few outings as she told me how much fun she had riding in the rumble seat of her sister's boyfriend's car.

 

[Tessa]

She got a bit of fun and happiness then.
I'm glad about that.

 

[daninthelionsden]

The orphanage across the creek was run by the Methodist Church, but I believe either the Headmaster there introduced Billie to Episcopal Clergy there at the orphanage or maybe Billie met Episcopal clergy separately at the church they attended. At any rate, the family found out about Billie sexually servicing clergymen and sent her away to stay with her godparents in Corpus Christi to finish high school. When I asked her why she was sent to Corpus, she said "It was to keep me out of trouble."
After finishing school, Billie returned to Waco and was told to get a job and search for a husband.
At one job, she tried to work as a veterinarian's assistant. She fainted at the first procedure where she saw blood and was promptly told that kind of work was not for her. She got a job at a dancing studio and it was here she met "Dad".

 

[Tessa]

She had a tough start Dan.