Monday, January 20, 2014

What Dad Believes

January 20, 1965

Jocie Brooke here reporting from downtown Hollyhill, Kentucky. Exciting news today. Dad got contacted by somebody to do an interview. It's usually Dad interviewing other folks for a piece in the Banner, but this time the tables were turned and somebody interviewed him all about what went on last fall here in Hollyhill. You remember, don't you? Well maybe if you don't, you should read those Heart of Hollyhill books. You can find out a lot about Hollyhill and all of us in those books.

Dad was interviewed about the book Orchard of Hope. It's a good thing that writer person wrote all that down, else we might have forgotten it. Not yet, but someday. Like in fifty years or so. Dad says he thinks someday people won't pay attention to the color of a person's skin. He thinks that anybody will be able to go anywhere and do whatever they want as long as it's legal. If that person wants to eat at the lunch counter instead of in the back booth, that will be fine and there won't have to be sit-ins and Freedom Trains and so much trouble. 

I guess because Dad can see how things should be instead of how they are is why Miss Lamb decided to ask him about what he believes. One thing for sure, Dad doesn't mind talking about that. He says that every Christian should be that way and ready to share what the Lord has done for them. He studies the Bible to try to get answers out of God's Word. He talks about some of those answers over with Ms. Lamb.

Here's one of the questions Dad answered. 

(Her Question) Orchard of Hope is about hope in the midst of a turbulent era in the South. I’d love to hear what you think about what was going on around you at that time. Do you believe that the tensions that caused such strife could have been handled in a different manner?
(Dad's answer) Things have been wrong in the South for a long time before now, 1964. A man should never be judged by the color of his skin or his religion. The Lord loves us all and in our great country, we claim to believe all men are created equal. If we truly believe that, we should live that truth. So things did need to change, but change can be difficult and as you say, turbulent. Sometimes it’s easier to not stir up trouble, to just let things drift along the way they always have been. But the Lord can poke our consciences to open our eyes and see that changes need to be made however hard that is to do. He empowers a man like Martin Luther King Jr. with a gift of words to find a peaceful way to make people see that all men have the right to equal opportunities. I’m a peaceful man, as is Martin Luther King Jr., but there are times when a man has to stand up for what is right no matter the consequences. Sadly, I think the strife was bound to happen because there are so many people who cling to the old prejudices. That’s sad but too true. Being human is a messy condition. We are not puppets on a string. The Lord gives us freedom of choice even when those choices lead to sorrowful and sinful decisions and outcomes.

Now doesn't that sound just like Dad? Wise and thoughtful, I guess that's why the Lord called him to preach. So he could share some of that. You can read more of what Dad thinks at Fay Lamb's Inner Source

Don't ask me exactly what that is. I think I must have stepped forward into the future. Funny, huh. I mean funny odd. Not funny ha ha. Anyway if you leave a comment on Dad's interview and on that author's interview on Wednesday and her guest post on Friday, you'll have a chance to win a copy
of Orchard of Hope. If you already have the book, I hope you enjoy the story. But if you win a new copy, you can always give it to someone as a gift or maybe donate it to your church library. 

Pretty soon that last book will be back out. You know, the one where Dad is getting all mushy over Leigh in Summer of Joy. I caught them kissing out of the porch last week. Leigh turned red as a tomato, but Dad just laughed. He laughs a lot since he started seeing Leigh. I wish I had a picture of him to show you. Maybe I'll hunt one up. 

Anyway, right now there's not much summer. Winter grabs hold and hangs on with more cold and snow coming. If we keep missing school, we won't get more than a week's worth of summer vacation. But that doesn't matter. I'm not going to be gloomy. I don't care if it is January. Good things can happen in January, can't they?

9 comments:

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    1. Jocie here. Thanks, Sharon. I can use some more friends here in Hollyhill. Hope you'll come back to visit.

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  2. Jocie I'm so glad that you keep me informed on the happenings in Hollyhill. Your dad sounds like he is a wise man and a good preacher. I just read summer of joy. I do hope there is another book about you and your family. Sharma Darby

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    1. Hi, Sharma. It's great to have you come by. Boy, I had some adventures in that Summer of Joy, didn't I? And there was a bunch of snow for a book titled summer. I don't know if I have any new stories to tell, but who knows? Maybe someday something else will happen in Hollyhill to write about.

      Love you coming by.
      Jocie

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  3. I just finished reading Scent of Lilacs last night and hoped the story continued. I'm glad to find out these other books are available so I can hopefully get them and read more. It's fun to find this blog as well.

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    2. Hi, Pam. Wes tells me I'm just not paying attention when I say nothing ever happens here in Hollyhill. For sure, things went crazy for a while here last year. More happens in Orchard of Hope and Summer of Joy. I'm glad you dropped by to read my reports from Hollyhill. Who knows what might happen next?

      Sincerely,
      Jocie Brooke

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  4. Yes Jocie. Good things can and do happen any month, or any day. and, it's good that your dad is happy. I hope that you like Leigh. That makes life lots easier for all of you. If your dad is a preacher , then that means he studies the Bible a lot. That's what we all ought to do. I need to start doing more of it. And, I agree that people should be treated alike even tho their color might be different. I use to love to hold little black babies when I would go in the grocery store with my mother. There was benches on one wall where a lot of the black folks would sit on Saturdays and visit. There would always be some with babies. And, they didn't mind if I held them. You see from very young I have always loved babies. Even now. I think they are the most precious gift GOD gives us, except for salvation. I have three little great-grandsons that are half black. I love them so much. And, I played with some black children when I lived in Houston, Tx. during WW ll. Their grandparents took care of the yard where we lived in an apartment. They were sweet friends. Of course back then in the 30's and 40's they were treated different than we were. I didn't think about it until later. Even when we moved to OK. it was like that in the late 40's and early 50's. They weren't allowed to get off the bus for lunch like the whites. I thought that was awful. I was glad when things changed for them. I wish I could have all of these good books, but don't have enough money to buy them. Enjoyed visiting with you. See you again before long. Bye now. Maxie

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    1. Always fun to hear about how you remember things being, Maxie. I'm too young to remember the 40's or too much about the 50's, but I'm looking around with wide open eyes here in the 60's. I do like Leigh. It's hard to think about Dad being married, but he needs to be happy and Leigh makes him happy.

      I hope you can get my books, Maxie. I'm thinking there will be some more contest going soon. Check out the one in Goodreads. Not sure what that is but it sounds interesting. A good book to read is always fun.

      Love you coming by to visit.
      Sincerely,
      Jocie

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Jocie loves to know what you're thinking about your visits to Hollyhill.