My upbringing Adventure Part 2

Well...I should finish what I started ...it is good to have this documented because we lived in so many different places. I left off with Keokuk, Iowa, we then moved on to Butte, Montana where my Dad was convinced to move up and start a church. I remember meeting some very interesting people there, one family we met had a son named John the Baptist. Our family thought that was very funny...I also remember meeting a girl at the age of 13 who was engaged to a 20 year old man....it still gives me the creeps! We didn't stay long...so we moved on to Musula, Montana were a small church met in a Girl Scout building ...it was very difficult for my parents there...no one came to church...my dad ended up washing dishes at a restaurant..just to survive financially. So off we go again to Moline, Illinois were my Grandparents lived. My mom worked for a while and then off we went to Odessa, Texas to live with my other Grandma. I was in 5 th grade by this point. We soon got a call to candidate in a church in Long Beach, California.

This is where I have my most fondest of memories! We lived close to a public pool and went swimming all summer long. Our church was small but very loving to our family. We met in a couple of different YMCA's. The church grew and we were able to lease a huge building with a house attatched, in which we lived. My sister and I would climb out onto the roof and play. I don't think my parents really knew about that! I went to a huge high school , grades 7th-12th. It was very intimidating and scary!! The campus was huge and I literally had to run to some of my classes! The church had difficulty paying the lease...so my parents made a very difficult decision to leave and merge the church with another church start in the area. I never cried so hard...the first time I really didn't want to move! God moved us to Fosterburg, Illinois. This well established large church was quite wealthy and us kids were able to all go to a Christian school. This was also a highlight in my life...I made wonderful friends and loved my classes. This is when my mom found out she was pregnant at age 43! We were all very excited. We finished the school year and the church became difficult for my dad, it was ruled by the deacons and my dad could not lead...it was very frustrating. Now we are in Lynn, Missouri. A very small Catholic town. My parents made $50.00 a week and my dad worked full-time at Johnson and Johnson. Jeremy was born in October...I was 15 years old...many people thought he was mine...you can't imagine the horror I felt when people asked me if he was mine!

There was no progress with this church and no money...again we moved to Ely, Nevada. There was a very small church start that needed a pastor. I remember ...hating the school..I had no friends. We were there only less than a year. The next summer we relocated to Bartlett, Illinois. A small church that met in a YMCA called my dad to come and pastor. I went to a huge high school, and made some wonderful friends. I got my first job at a hot dog/pizza place, then worked at a Burger King my Senior year. I bought my first car, a Volkswagon Bug for $250. I drove it everywhere!! During the middle of my Senior year, the church decided to dissolve. We moved to Mesa, Arizona. So I finished my Senior year in a school where I knew no one. We got to know a really neat family there that had 11 kids...their dad was a pastor also and every Friday night we got together with some other teens and ate pizza , mini golf, go-carts, etc.. it was a blast and a good memory. God blessed me richly with the opportunity to go to college the next Fall. I enrolled at Christian Heritage College in El Cajon, California. This truly was the best year of my life!! I was surrounded by awesome Biblical teaching and wonderful friendships! I learned sooo much that year! Well, my dad's church start didn't prosper in Arizona and so we moved again to Grove, Oklahoma. My dad helped the church out with an evangelistic outreach ministry. I only stayed through the summer and went off to the college my parents went to in Springfield, Missouri. Baptist Bible College turned out to be a huge disappointment to me. I only stayed 3 weeks and went back home. After spending time in Texas , I moved to Orlando, Florida with my folks to help them with another church start and this is where I met Eddie...we only new each other for 6 months and then we got married!! Interestingly enough I married a Navy man...to continue my "adventurous" lifestyle. What a crazy unusual life I had...but it was not like I knew anything different. God in His providence knew exactly how He wanted my life to be orchestrated. We all have a life "story" and God is in control of it. I am so grateful for everything He is doing in and through my life and especially for giving me life abundant through His Son Jesus Christ!
"To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved" Ephesians 1:6