My Life Journey

        I was born in a hospital in Vancouver, WA to a young couple. Daddy had his heart set on a boy, but later I think he was glad for his only daughter—Barbara Ann. Before my sixth birthday I was big sister to three brothers, Buddy, Bobby, and Billy. We lived most of my first 8 years on the farm place my mother inherited from her parents near Battle Ground, WA. We had plenty of room to play outdoors and I had a happy childhood.
        My eighth summer Daddy stuck a “For Sale” sign on the front fence, and when a family bought the house he bought an old used school bus, painted it white, and moved his family to Chiapas, Mexico. God had called my parents to serve as missionaries and the adventurous second half of my childhood began.

        During those years I made several life-long friends. We had some great times playing, attending school together, and sharing adventures. Wanting to be a missionary myself I volunteered to help wherever there was a need. When I was eleven years old I went after school to the clinic laundry to fold the linens and gowns. The sheets were a challenge! The summer I was 13 I prepared meals for the hospital patients three times a day for a month. I’d work with the cooking staff of the school and then carry the food to the clinic kitchen where I dished it onto individual trays and carried them to each person. I had the responsibility of getting food without salt for one man, caring for the sanitization of the dishes of a TB patient, and of course washing all the dishes.
        When I was 14 my parents left Yerba Buena to build a new mission clinic and school a few miles from the Guatemalan border. Bella Vista had a lovely river flowing on two sides of the property. Here we played, took our baths, washed our clothes, and hauled water for mixing cement and watering the garden. A spring provided drinking water.
        On the banks of the San Vicente River I did my high school lessons, taking subjects by correspondence. The Bible, History, and English courses were doable, but I found the Algebra and Biology ones a challenge. Even Spanish 1 & 2 was not easy, because of the grammar and method used, but at least I got my money’s worth! I already knew how to speak the language, so now I learned to read and write it.
        I started a children’s Sabbath School, and we met under a tree. The kids loved the flannel graph illustrated stories and learning songs about Jesus. I helped my mother do hydrotherapy treatments for sick babies (my job was to haul the water from the river and heat some of it) and together we visited ladies in the village. Daddy taught me how to lay brick and I enjoyed the few times we worked together. Bud and I laid most of one inside wall in the clinic building. I also did the family washing by hand. On a hot day what was better than standing in cool water under shady trees watching bright Orioles and other birds? During this time I took up playing accordion and would often sit out under the starry night sky making music. In some ways my last two years at home were the best of my childhood.

        I attended Bass Memorial Academy in Mississippi my junior and senior years of high school, living in the dormitory far away from home. There I had opportunities to socialize with youth my age, but it was a huge adjustment from life as I knew it. There was a young man I spent a lot of time with during academy days. After we both graduated from college, I in nursing and he in industrial arts, we got married.
        Sand Mountain in Alabama, where he grew up, became my home as well. Here we have lived for over 30 years, raising two daughters and a son. My career is home making, and for 17 years I home schooled our children. We also built greenhouses on our place, adding a nursery business. For several years we raised shrubs and blueberry bushes, but then started growing English ivy. So, for a number of years I had three jobs! Now the children are grown and have homes of their own. Today I am a farmer’s wife, working in our greenhouses year round, and in the summer helping my husband in the field where we grow Tuberoses and other ornamental crops we sell to florists. We pick and sell blueberries from our 4 rows of bushes, and have a big garden.
        Writing and photography are hobbies I enjoy, as well as hiking and other out door activities. Music is important to me and I enjoy playing my piano and singing. We have pets—rabbits, cats, a dog, and a goat—which keeps our home place from seeming quite so empty without children. My life is full, blessed by God.

        My spiritual journey is interwoven with my physical travels and life. Since I was born to Christian parents, who taught me about God, I’ve known Jesus as a Friend since childhood. I was baptized at the age of 12, and joined a church, but during my twenties I felt something lacking in my life. I didn’t have the assurance of salvation. As hard as I tried to be good and overcome my temper and other faults I just kept failing and falling! Heaven was my goal, but I despaired of ever reaching it. I questioned whether I was born again, and longed for peace in my heart.
        One morning I gave up. I fell on my knees by my bed and told God I couldn’t be good. I surrendered my strong willed efforts to Him. I poured out all my failure to measure up to His standard, and confessed I was a sinner. God filled me with His peace, and from that day forward I’ve had the assurance that I am saved in Christ. It is my Savior’s work. His character and righteousness applied to my account gives me eternal life.
        Today I am a born again child of God! I am the daughter of the King of the universe! I am treasured and loved! My heavenly Father tells me, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, and drawn you with My loving kindness.” He is my Comforter and Counselor, my perfect parent and merciful God. I’ve come to know the love of the Father, who gave His precious Son to live a perfect life of obedience on this earth, to overcome all of Satan’s temptations and show that God’s law can be perfectly kept, and to die the death which is the penalty for sin. Jesus went through all this to gain the legal right so He could ask me to marry Him. What value I have to Jesus!
        In a very private moment Jesus—to whom I’ve been engaged for years—suggested I not wait any longer to get married. I agreed. On our wedding day He told me, “I have redeemed you. You are Mine. You are precious to me. I love you!” One day soon Jesus is coming for me, and I’m going to His house for the wedding feast. Every day He walks with me, and the spiritual life we share is wonderful and intimate. Jesus speaks to me through the words of scripture, through nature, and through providential workings. I have sweet fellowship in His presence. I find joy even amid the trials and tragedies of life I encounter on this earth, because Christ’s Spirit dwells in my heart.
        In the pages of this website I will share from my spiritual journey. If you don’t know the joy of a personal and intimate relationship with God and Jesus I invite you to get to know Them. They are reaching out to you!

Drop me a note so I can meet you,
or share your prayer request at ghgarden@gmail.com