skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I lived in Heber Springs, Arkansas from first grade through the middle of fifth, when we moved back to Minnesota, as far north as possible. My dad was the pastor of a very small church. He was bi-vocational, which is a fancy word for working like crazy on any job he could find to support his growing family of 4 children. The church was too small to pay a regular salary.
Dad could fix anything, and he set up a fix-it shop in our house. I think I've shared before that we didn't have a television set in those early days of the invention. Dad repaired quite a few sets for people lucky enough to have one, and we would always try to get him to keep it over the week-end before he called them that it was repaired, so we could watch Saturday cartoons.
Heber Springs was a small Mayberry-like town in those days. It was a great place for kids to grow up, and I have fond memories of those five years. One of those strong memories involves Tumbling Shoals Bridge over the Little Red River. The approach to the bridge was a winding country road and at the approach, you could see the far end before the near one. We would go out there to swim in the old muddy river on those incredibly hot, humid days. The other memory of this bridge is that it was rather rickety and scary to drive on.
In 1959, a huge project began which would change the face of Heber Springs. Greers Ferry Dam would bring about this change. The dam’s primary function was to be flood control, but it also would serve as a hydroelectric power plant. The dam was named after the little ferry that used to cross the Little Red River. Greers Ferry Lake, created as a result of the dam, is a popular recreational destination. Tumbling Shoals Bridge disappeared under the new lake.
Dad had been trained as an electrician when he was in the Navy, and he was blessed to get a job on this project, using this skill. I don't remember how long he worked there, but we moved to Minnesota before the project was completed.
When I was a junior in high school (in Nebraska by that time), we heard that the dam was now completed and that the dedication ceremony was to be held in October of that year, 1963. We decided to take an adventurous trip back down there for the big event. I never was a fan of the Kennedys, but it was a huge deal that President Kennedy was going to be the speaker for the dedication.
We all got to miss school for a few days and we headed south from Omaha. I think we drove all night and at one point, close to Kansas City, we stopped to get Mom a cup of coffee so she could drive for awhile while Dad slept. Dad woke up an hour or so later, only to discover that she had turned wrong and was headed back north and we were on our way back home. We had to decide then whether to keep going back home or to turn around and finish the objective of the trip.
We decided to keep going to Arkansas. When we arrived at the site, we were standing on a bridge, looking down at the scene - when we realized we had just missed the speech and, unbelievably, were looking down at the motorcade with John and Jackie in a convertible with his hair blowing in the breeze and hers held down by her signature pill box hat.
I remember saying (though my brother insists he was the one who did) that anyone could shoot him from where we stood. I still get chills when I realize that one month later, that is exactly what happened.
I found this picture on the internet - it is actually from Dallas, but portrays very much what we saw that day. I read an article today that said he wanted it that way and insisted on riding in convertibles, not even allowing secret service men to ride on the running boards, so that he could be more accessible to the crowds. The article said that this trip to Arkansas was his last public appearance before the Dallas trip.
It's one of those defining moments that we all have. I was sharing it with someone this week-end when we got on the subject of having both lived in Arkansas. I thought I'd share it with you.
Have a great week!
Remember when I bragged on Fed-Ex awhile back, when they went out of their way to give me good service? I have two more companies to brag on.
DC has had a jacket he ordered from Lands End approximately 15 years ago. Recently the zipper broke. Not long ago I discovered that Lands End now has a retail outlet inside the Sears store in a mall near us. We headed up there the other day to see if they perhaps had this jacket in stock. There was a good sale going on, but this jacket was not there. He picked out two others, only to find when we went to pay for them, that only one of them was on sale. He asked the clerk about the other jacket he had really wanted. I mentioned that the only problem with the jacket was the zipper. She told us something amazing - their clothes are guaranteed - and no matter that the jacket was 15 years old, had served him well for all those years, was a bit frayed around the cuffs, and the zipper was broken, it was totally covered. All he had to do was go to the catalog desk, put in an order, and a brand new coat of the same style would be sent to our house. It arrived today. That is what a call a good company!
I've shared recently about DC's employer, Walker Manufacturing. They've been in business for over 25 years. They take their employees' welfare very seriously. When sales went down 35% over the last few months, it was impossible to continue producing at the normal rate. They have had two lay-offs and two furloughs in the last few months. It has been very hard on them, as well as those who work for them. We feel very blessed that DC wasn't laid off, but was allowed to go to part-time and continue working.
Today the company made the news. A crew was out there last Friday covering a very heart warming story. Rather than have a third layoff, they are sending some of the guys out into the community for volunteer work, while they are being paid by the company. There is a tremendous amount of good will being created, as well as keeping the guys busy and making them feel good about themselves on top of it all. Our friend, the CEO, says it has been such a positive experience for everyone that they'll seriously consider continuing the program once things pick up again (which hopefully they will!)
Today I read a Christmas book - it must be the combination of colder weather and practicing all of that awesome Christmas music for the community chorale. I put this book by Richard Paul Evans on hold at the library awhile ago, and it already came in. I also have Debbie Macomber's annual Christmas book, The Perfect Christmas, and will read it soon.
The Christmas List was a very moving book. James Kier, the main character, had the unusual opportunity to read a premature obituary about himself - and also comments that were made about him after the obituary appeared on line. That's all I'm going to tell you, except that it changed his life. It took only a couple of hours to read, and it is well worth your time. Here is one of my favorite paragraphs:
"The true meaning of Christmas? God's grace. And the understanding that we cannot earn grace any more than we can bargain for love. By its very nature, grace must be unearned and freely given, without cost, constraint, or commandment. The best we can do is to open our hearts to receive it wholly, with all our strength, desire, and intent, that we might become children of the Gift."
I have only one very good memory of Halloween, and that was way back in the 5th grade in Heber Springs, Arkansas. It was a big deal in this little school. Every year, the week of Halloween, everyone brought home made goodies to school to sell at recess and lunch time. I don't know what the money was used for, or how much sugar we all consumed that week, but it was a contest between the grades and it was lots of fun.
Each class elected a king and queen candidate for the big celebration at the end of the week. I don't remember much about it, but I think each class had performances of some sort. The class which sold the most goodies and made the most money had their candidates crowned king and queen. At least, I think that's the way it went.
I guess I must have been pretty popular in those days, because I was the 5th grade queen candidate. My brother was the third grade's king candidate. My sister, who was in 4th grade, wasn't elected in her class and was a very unhappy witch at the celebration. We have a picture of her, but I think it's on a slide, so I can't share that one.
Mom made me a beautiful red satin dress - I was so very proud of that dress. Dad made our crowns. It became a real family affair.
Two months after this event, Dad took a church in northern Minnesota and we left Arkansas. I have very fond memories of those days in that little school in Heber Springs, Arkansas.
Have a fabulous week!
