Memories of Aunt Fran

 Memories of Aunt Fran

Cynthia Vold Forde:  Aunt Fran was a dearly loved paternal aunt who visited my grandparents often when I was a child.   As long as I can recall she was the other half of Uncle Si.  They came as a treasured pair.

My most recent memory of Aunt Fran was this morning listening to my voice recording on a video.  Yes, that sounds just like Aunt Fran indeed.   As she aged, her voice grew hoarse and shaky, just as mine has grown shaky.

Memories of Aunt Fran stretch back decades to Grandma and Grandpa Vold’s round dining table where my grandparents dictated letters for me to write to my aunts and uncles when I was not yet twelve years old.  I understood it to be the most important job because grandma and grandpa did not write in English. I remember nothing of the content in the letters, only that I was just out of reach of the yellow glass compote where grandpa kept peppermint candies.  On one of those occasions, when it was time to address the envelope, awareness kicked in; I learned that Aunt Fran and Uncle Si had a more specific address than the Twin Cities they discussed, instead, they lived in St. Paul.  Everybody called my dad Paul, so it was puzzling to think he might have had something to do with Aunt Fran living in a town with his name.  

Frances Arlene Vold’s story begins with her birth on 6 February 1920 in Northwood, Worth County, Iowa; the Volds had recently moved from their farm south of Northwood to a large home northwest of the main street; she was likely a change of life baby.  Her mother, Sithone (Tona or Susan) Turvold Vold, was forty-three years old when Fran was born.  Her father, Carl Otto Vold, was forty-four. She was welcomed into a family with two older sisters and three older brothers, creating a half-dozen Vold siblings.  Fran’s parents were first-generation Americans, speaking only Norwegian at home. Interesting that I never heard Aunt Fran speak a word of Norwegian.  

Siblings: Mabel, Fran, Alice, and Paul

The Great Depression of 1930 affected the family financially and emotionally; Grandpa Carl went to the bank to get his savings of  $10,000 from selling the farm, loaned to his best friend, the banker, Tommy Groe. The money was gone and so was the banker, where I don't know.  Grandpa was so angry, he never set foot in the church again. They sold their large house and they bought a smaller house that was under construction from his brother-in-law Iver Hopperstad for $75.00.  

Fran was baptized at First Lutheran Church in Northwood on the seventh of March 1920 (her brother Paul’s fifth birthday), and she was confirmed on the thirteenth of May 1934.  She disliked the pastor and she did not return to church.   

During high school, Fran acted as a courier between her brother, Ervin Gelnor Vold (nicknamed Paul or Ole), and my mom, Rose Arlene Miller in their budding romance.  Mom and Aunt Fran graduated from high school in May of 1937.  

My mother married my father on the fifth of September 1937, and Aunt Fran joined her siblings working in the Twin Cities where she met Simon Pepin Meyer. Simon was born, 4 Jun 1914, Havre, Hill County, Montana, the only grandson of Simon Pepin, the wealthy founder of Havre.  

My favorite memory of the Uncle Si part of their duo was the eye-opening stories he told of Indian lore, making us blood sisters of the Cree Indian Tribe.  Of course, that included a treasure map that just blew into his window one night; it came from the Indians.  And our adventure began following the map to discover coins in a hollowed-out tree in Central Park.  My sisters and I had a three-way split of $3.57, which meant we should have a shopping trip to Albert Lea, Minnesota on the bus to spend our money on purses and to learn how to eat with fine manners at a Chinese restaurant.

In 1952, my parents, sisters, and I traveled to California with Fran and Si in a very crowded Buick that indeed hilarious stories, but the best was stopping in Las Vegas in the middle of the night.  Mom, Dad, and Uncle Si went into the casino for a very short time, leaving aunt Fran with three little girls. Only, the gamblers did not stay a brief time.  If Fran was not happy about that, she was especially upset when a woman accosted us on the street, “What are you doing with your children out at three in the morning?”

Aunt Fran and Si moved to California shortly after that trip. Si loved to gamble and died doing that 27 Dec 1975, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada.  He is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Havre.  I visited Fran not long after she was widowed when she gave me grandpa and grandma’s wedding photo.  It is a treasured gift.

So was the gift of Aunt Fran's time.  Aunt Fran and I had a delightful time touring Norway in 1995, and she spent two wonderful weeks at my ranch in Texas in 2001. She died on 25 February 2003; she is buried next to Si in Calvary Cemetery.

Bonnie Vold Baker shares her memories: “I remember as Cynthia did all the fun treasure hunts along the river behind our house. Si loved to take us shopping and he bought me my first “can-can” and I just loved it. When we moved to Glendale Ca in 1957 Fran and Si lived there in an apartment with a pool. We loved to go swimming there.  One of the fondest memories is when they took me to Las Vegas and I bought this strapless dress with a full skirt and Si said it made me look too young but I wore it anyway and they couldn’t take me into the gambling areas because I was always asked for ID.   After getting married and Si’s passing, we saw Fran a lot. If we went to Glendale, we always took Fran to her special restaurant - we’d laugh, and she loved her cc/7 as a cocktail. We had a ball with her - Merrilee might tell you a funny story at Thanksgiving and we’re again laughing - oh well I’ll tell it and I laughed so hard I couldn’t control it and there was a little puddle on the floor. Well Merrilee knew and we could not stop laughing over that - so upstairs I went to change clothes and Fran never did get it what happened. Oh, so many stories… we miss them both!!”

Merrilee Vold Reid says, “Aunt Fran was one special woman! She was such a lady and with such class.  I would not put her in a category with a typical “aunt”.  She was like a girlfriend that you would laugh and giggle with and share stories. We had many moments where we did just that. She was so easy to giggle and laugh and she so enjoyed watching us girls grow up.  My favorite memory, out of many, was when Bonnie and I picked her up at her apartment and flew her up to Las Vegas to celebrate her 80th Birthday. She absolutely loved to Las Vegas and spent so much time there with Uncle Si before his passing.  We went from hotel to hotel up and down the strip... Caesars, Bellagio, New York New York, the Venetian all by limousine, had a fabulous lunch at the Paris Hotel, dinner at the Bellagio, and were able to slip in a gondola ride.  We flew back home at 9 o’clock at night. Aunt Fran fared much better than either Bonnie or me. We were exhausted and she was ready to go even when we arrived home!”

Jennifer Ruprecht Gilbertson remembers Mom (Mae) was living with Aunt Frans's family for part of her childhood.  Aunt Fran was her aunt.  My grandma was Aunt Frans's oldest sister, Mae Vold.  Mom was born on June 24, 1924.  Aunt Fran was a very important member of our family.  I remember many visits to our home in White Bear Lake from Aunt Fran and Uncle Si.  We celebrated many holidays together and Diane and I were lucky to have spent overnights in their apartment.  We always had a wonderful time going to special places and fancy restraints.  We would travel to Northwood to visit the Vold family.  We were so sad to hear they were moving to California so we couldn't see them as often.  One year we drove to California with our family to visit.  That was a big trip for our family.  We had a grand visit and saw many attractions.  Aunt Fran loved to eat out, but she was a good cook too.  She was a gentle mentor, an easy giggler, and cried easily in silliness and joy.  I remember her feminine manner, her soft blonde hair, her attention to detail.  She had style and grace for us to follow.  To remember her brings such heartfelt memories.

Diane Ruprecht Johnson remembers spending alternate weekends with Aunt Fran and Uncle Si, too, plus the many trips they made to California to visit that marvelous couple so adored and loved.  

Easter 1 2020

Sunday Offering: 

“A few years ago, I wrote, somewhat facetiously, that the Church should close all programs for a year and simply teach people to pray. It seems to me we may unintentionally have just such an opportunity right now, although I sincerely hope it won’t last a year!” Richard Rohr

And pray we do, for the millions sorely affected by the virus in any way. In this manner of prayer we are in oneness with the suffering. 

Abba, Father, you hear our sighs, our groans, the words that struggle to be spoken, asking you to meet the needs of all those suffering. Give our heath care workers strength, Comfort those who mourn, bring healing to the afflicted, give wisdom and courage to our leaders. Bless this land with your presence in us and through us. 

Amen.

Easter Sunday

Holy Saturday – Love covers a multitude of sins.

Holy Saturday – Love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:1-8
4:1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same intention (for whoever has suffered in the flesh has finished with sin),

4:2 so as to live for the rest of your earthly life no longer by human desires but by the will of God.

4:3 You have already spent enough time in doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing, and lawless idolatry.

4:4 They are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of dissipation, and so they blaspheme.

4:5 But they will have to give an accounting to him who stands ready to judge the living and the dead.

4:6 For this is the reason the gospel was proclaimed even to the dead, so that, though they had been judged in the flesh as everyone is judged, they might live in the spirit as God does.

4:7 The end of all things is near; therefore be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers.

4:8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.

The scripture calls us to obedience, to no longer live by human desire.  Besides, we have already done enough of that, and it doesn’t satisfy the spirit.  During my year of internship at Grace Lutheran Church in Houston, I was captivated by the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian who was martyred for his faith on 9 April 1944.  I read his works in their entirety from his earliest to his last.  His writing changed overtime; he matured, but the message stayed the same; his call to discipleship spoke to my soul. 

Bonhoeffer writes extensively of the call to obedience in his most famous work, The Cost of Discipleship, first published in 1939.  Bonhoeffer's major issue is that of cheap grace. This is grace that has become so watered down that it no longer resembles the grace of the New Testament, the costly grace of the Gospels.

By the phrase cheap grace, Bonhoeffer means the grace which is the intellectual assent to a doctrine without a real transformation in the sinner's life. Bonhoeffer says of cheap grace: It is the preaching of forgiveness without the requisite repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross.  

Real grace, Bonhoeffer writes, will cost me my life - yes, me, Cynthia, my life.  Yes, I continue hear that call.  Here I am, Lord.  And Christ whispers words for my many failures:   I Peter, 4:8 Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.  Love of God and love of Christ satisfies the spirit; nothing else provides fulfillment.

Good Friday – It is finished.

Good Friday – It is finished.

“Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!”

Luke 23:44-48 RSV

⁴⁴ It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵ while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. ⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!” ⁴⁸ And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. ⁴⁹ And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34

This was the only expression of Jesus in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Both Gospels related that it was in the ninth hour, after 3 hours of darkness, that he cried out this fourth word. The ninth hour was three o'clock in Judea. Jesus of Nazareth fulfills the Messianic prophecy of the Suffering Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 53:12, Mark 15:28, Luke 24:46). After the fourth Word, Mark related with a horrible sense of finality, "And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed his last" (Mark 15:37).

Meditate on the words of Jesus. Read the scripture several times. What cries out to you?  I am struck by his anguished tone.  He feels separated from his Father. This cry is from the painful heart of the human Jesus who must feel deserted by His Father and the Holy Spirit, not to mention his earthly companions the disciples, who "all left him and fled" (Matthew 26:56, Mark 14:50). Have you known such separation from God?  As if to emphasize his loneliness, Mark (15:40) even has his loved ones "looking on from afar." Jesus is now all alone, and he must face death by himself. Have you known what it is to be forsaken or abandoned by family and friends?  We now live in a secular nation many people have abandoned Jesus. For those who have ears to hear, let us pray for forgiveness for turning away, and for those who are suffering. 

Almighty ever-living God,

refuge of those who suffer,
look with compassion upon the afflictions of your children
who suffer due to this pandemic;
alleviate the suffering of the sick,
give strength to those who care for them,
and welcome into your peace those who have died,
and while this tribulation lasts,
grant that we may find consolation in your mercy
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Holy Thursday – This is My Body This is My Blood For YOU

Holy Thursday – This is My Body This is My Blood For YOU

Lutherans believe in the real presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist, that the body and blood of Christ are "truly and substantially present in, with and under the forms" of the consecrated bread and wine (the elements), so that communicants actually eat and drink the holy body and blood of Christ.  We treat the consecrated bread and wine with reverence.  We meditate on this scripture:

Matthew 26:26-28 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

²⁶ Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” ²⁷ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; ²⁸ for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 

If we eat and drink the holy body and blood of Jesus Christ, does this not mean that our bodies are living temples? Should we not treat our bodies then with the reverence due a temple of Christ?  This is a critical question for today because people with compromised immune systems are dying from Coronavirus, whereas those with healthy bodies are much less likely to die.  Are our bodies compromised or consecrated?  Again, meditate on this scripture:

Mark 14:22-26 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

²² And as they were eating, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” ²³ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. ²⁴ And he said to them, “This is my blood of the^[a]covenant, which is poured out for many. ²⁵ Truly, I say to you, I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Here is short a list of things we can eliminate to treat our bodies as consecrated:

Smoking cigarettes and pot (which compromise lungs), 

Metabolic syndrome (a fatty liver cannot keep you healthy),

White sugar and white flour (neither are healthy choices),

High blood pressure (primarily caused by salt in processed foods),

And the list goes on and on, and we all have been told the entire list many times.

And there is a different list of healthy choices which we have also heard:

Fresh fruits and vegetables,

Whole grain products and oatmeal,

Beans, legumes, brown rice,

Fish, chicken, turkey,

And, of course, there is another scripture to meditate upon:

Luke 22:19-20 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

¹⁹ And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 

So, we can elect to hear the admonitions and make changes to treat our bodies with the reverence they deserve,

Or we can continue as usual and hope that our badly compromised immune systems will survive when we get the coronavirus.

This scripture was so important that it is repeated yet again:

1 Corinthians 11:23-25 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

The final meditation is a bit different:

Coronavirus IS a pandemic; it will return again and again until everyone has survived or died, or we treat our bodies with holy reverence.  

Holy Monday, Surrender

The projected worst week of the coronavirus pandemic is coincidental during Holy Week. Panic, hysteria, blame, and anger fills the news and social media.  “This will be our Pearl Harbor,” said the Surgeon General. “Our lives will be changed forever,” said Henry Kissinger and others.  Exactly what can we do? 

What can I do?  

Think about that for a minute. Turn off the news: Words, words, words!  

Instead, find a quiet place, take time to reflect on Jesus’ surrender to a woman anointing his head with costly perfume, an act of extravagant love.   Scripture is transforming, and you can transform your experience into something more worthwhile than panic, hysteria, blame, and anger.

The Anointing at Bethany

³ And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. ⁴ But there were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment thus wasted? ⁵ For this ointment might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii,^[a] and given to the poor.” And they reproached her. ⁶ But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you will, you can do good to them; but you will not always have me. ⁸ She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burying. ⁹ And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

Mark 14:3-9 Revised Standard Version (RSV)

Footnotes:

a.    Mark 14:5 The denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer

Holy Wednesday, Are you troubled in Spirit?

Holy Wednesday – Are you troubled in spirit?  

Yes, who isn’t troubled during these days of increasing death?  Peace of mind comes when Ron and I are hiking and not sitting.  When I am focused on the trail and watching my steps, I don’t do much thinking.  Because the forest service closed the trailheads, the hiking trails are empty and eerily silent.  We were almost at the end of an eight-mile hike when a bicycle approached, and the rider looked official and mighty important.  Were we going to be chastised for hiking when the trailhead was closed?  The fine is $5000 for violators, so, yes, I was troubled in spirit.  He said his name was Marty, and he is the president of the Mountain Bicycle Patrol.  I said I liked the white cross on his shirt.  He laughed and said he tells his wife it attracts chicks.  My mood lightened.  He noticed Ron’s MIT cap and said his son-in-law got his MBA from MIT.  Marty got his Ph.D. from Cornell.  Good.  We are talking like friends and exchanging niceties.  Suddenly he remembered the time and said he had to get home for an online Seder with family.  Aha!  He is Jewish.  I told him of my experience as a Lutheran Pastor holding a Seder meal on Maundy Thursday and feeling tipsy after the mandatory four cups of wine.  We laughed.  I raised my hands in blessing on his Seder, and he responded with a beautiful, warm smile.  After this encounter, my spirit was no longer troubled, and God had given me peace despite the hardships that had previously troubled me so greatly.  God comes to us in surprising ways and often at unexpected times.  Thanks be to God.

How Do I Pray?

Sunday Offering

How do I pray? My heart hurts, millions of people are suffering. As I pondered how to pray for the extreme needs of so many, our bishop called for clergy to pray the Lord’s Prayer last Thursday at twelve-noon. I was inspired and thankful for Bishop Michael Rinehart, and my clergy colleagues, as we prayed together despite distances. We couldn’t gather, but together, we were present to our father God, asking that our needs be met, and trusting God to answer. 

Look closely at the Lord’s Prayer with me; I hope that you grasp the essence of practicing the presence of God that is intrinsic to prayer. You see, we don’t look at a picture of our mother or father when they are right there with us. 

Practice the Presence of God

After the crucifixion, the terrified disciples were struggling with agonizing grief and loss; their leader was gone. They were next. What did they do besides hide - lock themselves in a room-shaking in their sandals? They prayed. They prayed for ten days. This is what I want to tell you about. You know the rest of the story. The disciples were totally transformed from frightened men scared out of their wits. The world was changed forever. 

But exactly what did they pray? They prayed as Jesus taught them. Jesus often left the disciples to go away to a lonely place to pray. He did it a lot, it was his custom. Something caused the disciples to question Jesus on one occasion. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray as he did. 

What did Jesus do or say while he was praying for long periods that made the disciples ask this question? What do you think Jesus was doing while he was praying? Do you think Jesus spoke out loud? Do you think he was wearing a prayer shawl and bowing (as in the Jewish custom?) or, do you think he counted beads (Hindu) or, was he praying a rosary (Roman Catholic?) Was he seated on the ground with his hands folded in prayer? Was he looking up with his eyes open? Perhaps his head was bent down with folded hands, eyes closed? Would he have been prostrate on the ground? Maybe he had a prayer list? Did he speak out loud? Did he seem anguished at times?

Jesus began by praying what we know as the Lord’s Prayer,
“Abba, Father,
Holy is your name,
Your kingdom come.
Our bread for tomorrow/give us today.
And forgive us our debts/ as we also forgive our debtors.
And let us not succumb to temptation” (Luke 11:2-4: Mt 6:9-13).

Did Jesus pray this aloud over and over for hours? I believe Jesus was teaching the disciples more than words – he was teaching them how to survive without his immediate presence. Jesus was teaching them to practice the presence of God. 

The Lord’s Prayer (as we pray it) has three parts, Adoration, Petition, Praise – those three parts form the basis for our stance before God which can be summed up in three words: Abba, Hinni, Amen. Download those three little words into your hearts.

I. ABBA
Abba is Aramaic for Papa. “Abba…Papa.’ 
Jesus used this word when he spoke of God, his Father. How did Jesus come to know God, his Father, in this intimate, endearing way? 

He likely learned to understand the relationship of Papa to being a child in his own home. I visualize Joseph coming home with all of the children rushing out to greet him, some climbing on his legs, perhaps one gathered up in his arms, one on his back, with the older ones being patient to wait until his play with the younger ones is finished; perhaps they roll around on the ground -- wrestling like fathers and sons are prone to do from time to time. 

It is clear that we are not talking about a father coming home from work saying, “Give me a beer, keep the kids quiet, I need to watch some TV.” 

Abba –becomes our stance before a loving “Papa” in heaven whose name we hallow, who comes to us --meeting us in our littleness – He is the one we trust to meet all our needs. Abba. We put ourselves into the presence of God (God is spirit). God is always present to us, but we are not always conscious of this truth. 

II. HINNI – (pron. Heeney) It means, “Here I am.“ The literal translation of the Hebrew word is, “Here me with you,” like Tonto and the Lone Ranger, “Here me.” Remember the story of the boy Samuel hearing voices calling in the night? Three times he went to the old priest Eli asking why Eli was calling him; Finally, Eli understood that God was calling the boy. Eli told the boy to return and respond to the voice, using the word, Hinni, “Here I am Lord.” Our stance before God is one of utter receptivity, Here I am. 

What are you struggling with this day? What difficulty do you face this moment? My heart cries out with agony for the thousands of people suffering from the virus or those who have lost loved ones. This is the prayer for us. I invite you to pray with me - to be present to the love of God. 

“Abba, Papa, Here I am standing with you, here I am … in my littleness, trusting you to deliver me from my sinfulness, forgiving me as I forgive others, providing when I need food, or water that gives eternal life, clothing, or protection from all evil. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. I put all my trust in you because you care for me." 

III. AMEN. We let it be done. 
The Hebrew Amen means genuinely, it is true. “Amen!” More than a word, it is an all-embracing attitude: ‘to stay, to support, to be firm, faithful. It is like coming home and sinking down into your favorite comfortable chair… letting go completely. 

And a miracle happens as we practice the presence of God. God transforms our lives to wholeness because Someone happens to us.

Abba, Hinni, Amen: AHA!

Light a Candle March 22

Sunday Offering

Abba, Father God, thank you for sequestered silence to spend loving you. Thank you for the red mountains outside our door where we walk in silent wonder at your creation. We are here in our littleness trusting you to meet our needs. Thank you for hearing the cries of our hearts for those who suffer. Thank you for answering those prayers. In all things and at all times, we give you thanks and praise. Abba! Abba! Abba!

Thanks to our Sedona Pastor, David Brandfass, for the call to place a lighted candle in a window. The more I look at the beautiful photo, the more I see the tremendous power of God’s transforming love at work shining through us as we seek His face.

22 Feb Sunday Offering

Sunday Offering

If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this:  as we mature we find out who we want to be; in suffering, we find out who we are.   As always, I find myself thinking about my past, and about the people I lost.   And all too soon, it is my turn to be gone, to be someone’s lost person. 

I know the grief of losing a person, to have lost parents and a son too young! They are gone.  I stand on this side of the sod, with a broken heart for those who are gone.  If I could but have ten minutes more with my son; what I would not give to kiss my mother’s soft cheeks, to be a comfort to her, to tell my dad he was the best.  If only!   Yet, I have reached that point in life, despite shaky hands, forgetfulness, loss of hearing, I can rejoice in what was and what is yet to be.   

I am sitting in a cabin in Vermont after hiking 160 miles on the Appalachian Trail on a rainy day with a need to gather my lost persons whose bones gave me life.  I wrote about my southern ancestors in my book, Spirit in the South, as grief “work” after my son Scott died.  I gathered the bones of Norwegian ancestors in The Spirit Runner manuscript, soon to be in print.  Now, I gather bones once again, bones of my mother’s German ancestors for those who follow me.  This is a book of the German spirit I inherited from my mother.   

Life was difficult having a mother with epilepsy.  It was a family secret we did not discuss.  I certainly did not tell the secret to my best friends.   With many warnings, “Don’t upset your mother, she could have a spell,” the fear transferred to God.  Imagine!  Just imagine what would happen if God had a spell.   Being a sensitive young girl, I learned to be afraid of conflict.  I remember being nurtured, but fear outweighed courage under duress.  How did I survive?

Good bones.  I have good bones.  Strong bones. And somewhere in my DNA, was a burning passion for babies.   I loved my babies.   In the mix of inheriting a love of babies, my DNA is bursting with zeal for education.  Bouncing babies while balancing an undergraduate degree, two master's degrees, two doctorates, and numerous certifications was a challenge.  My DNA is hard-wired to take a course and cuddle babies.  The credit goes to God, good DNA in my bones, and my mother’s spirit.   

Miller Time: Rose’s Story

Rose Arlene Miller was born on 3 June 1920 in Northwood, Iowa, to Coy Clifton Miller and Ruby Anna King Miller.   Ruby’s father, Coy Clifton Miller, was a dispatcher on the railroad and her mother was a telegraph operator. The young family must have moved south shortly after her birth, because of there is a photo of the baby Rose being held by her grandmother in Mena, Arkansas before they settled into their new home in Ennis, Texas.  A sister, Betty Jean, was born 14 May 1923 in Ennis, followed by the birth of another daughter, JoAnn Miller, on 8 August 1928.  

Rose was twelve, Betty was nine and JoAnn was a toddler when they lost their mother. The untimely, devastating death of their beloved mama, Ruby Anna King Miller, impacted the young Miller sisters immensely, forever changing family life a sense of security.  Coy Miller lost his soul mate and his work in the midst of the depression.  After an attempt to keep the family together, the girls were sent to live with their paternal aunt Reatha Miller Looney and her husband Judge James Looney in Mena, Arkansas.  The move to Arkansas was a temporary solution; adding three motherless, grief-stricken children, to a large household with four children, especially during the dark and difficult days of the depressed South, was too challenging to last longer than a year. 

Rose, especially, struggled because she was manifesting symptoms of an illness that was frightening to her and those around her.  About the time of her mother’s death, while yet living in Ennis, Texas, she had been hit in the back of the head with a miniature golf club and spent several days in a Dallas hospital with a concussion.   In Mena, when she began having petit mal seizures, her aunt Retha thought she was trying to get attention and punished Rose by locking her in a closet.  Rose had her first Grand Mal seizure playing girls basketball in Mena.  The name for the malady was “fits” or “spells.”  It would be the beginning of a lifetime of esteem issues.   The move to Northwood, Iowa followed soon afterward.  Ruby’s mother Anna King Painter and Rena King, Ruby’s sister drove to Arkansas to bring them to Northwood, Iowa to live where Gramma Anna would become a second mother to Rose and her sisters. 

The story of the “spells” and the seizure followed Rose to the Board of Education in Northwood.  Initially, they refused to allow Rose to enter school (the eighth grade).  Her step-grandfather J. L. Painter was a member of the school board who insisted she be allowed at least to test; she passed high school admittance exams with such high scores they placed her as a freshman in high school, skipping the eighth grade at age 14.  She did not have any Grand Mal seizures during the four years of high school.  Rose graduated with the Class of 1937 at age 17.    

Rose, green-eyed and very pretty, was welcomed and sought after; she charmed the boys with her delightful southern accent.  During her high school years, she wore a tam or beret to school every day because it was the last Christmas gift she had received from her mother before she passed away.   She played girls basketball and went out for track.  Her senior year she attracted the attention of a classmate’s older brother, Paul or Ole Vold, depending on who was talking about him.  Close friends and family nicknamed him Paul.  People in the community called him Little Ole.  Paul/Ole’s sister, Frances Vold (Meyer) claimed to be the match-maker for the two delivering notes back and forth.   They began dating the spring of her senior year.  After graduation, Rose went to El Paso, Texas to live with her dad, Coy Miller; Gramma Anna King Painter convinced Ole/Paul to go to Texas and propose.  He did and she accepted, but they told no one.

On October 5, 1937, Rose and: Ole/Paul, were on a car ride with friends when they decided to elope in Cresco, Iowa.  According to the marriage record: The State of Iowa issued Marriage License: SO242548. Witnesses to the Marriage: Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore Halland. The license application states First Marriage for Both; Groom's parents:  Carl O. Vold and Susan Turvold; Brides Parents: C.C. Miller and Ruby King; September 5, 1937.; Officiant, Rev. C.E. Jarun.  Cresco, Iowa.

Rose and Ole had the first of three daughters, Cynthia Annette, in Northwood when Gramma

Anna Schulz King Painter passed away in 1941, Rose and Ole moved first to El Paso, Texas, then to Tucson, Arizona while Ole worked for the railroad with his father-in-law.  The family transferred to Dunsmuir, California.  Cynthia Vold has memories of  Dunsmuir where the streets all run up the mountain.   Grandpa Miller come to the house calling out , “16 to Gerber, “ meaning the #16 train from Shasta to 

Gerber was going to depart. 

(Source: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?10,3397946)

Bonnie Sue Vold was born in Dunsmuir, California. .  It was during this pregnancy Rose Miller Vold had her second Grand Mal seizure.  When Bonnie was six months old the family returned to Northwood.  The family stayed in Grandparent's Vold household for several months, with Rose and Baby Bonnie sleeping downstairs, Cynthia and her dad sleeping in the very cold upstairs under a horsehair blanket.  

The birth of Merrilee Vold followed eighteen months later in the house across the street from the old elementary school in Northwood.  Cynthia and Bonnie heard the birth cry but continued to enjoy themselves pouring out a bag of sugar on the play table.   Mrs. Conn (Bess) Olson, the nurse/caregiver, was not happy with her little charges.  With three daughters in the family, Ervin/Ole/Paul received a draft notice but he escaped duty.  

During WWII  it was a time of heightened drama children did not understand. Blackouts, listening to the radio under a blanket were frightening to children.  Little wonder that strange noise in the basement proved scary until the source revealed was a new cocker spaniel puppy named Duke. 

1946 – The young family purchased a home on the east side of Northwood (now the Village Florist).  Rose’s Petit Mal and Grand Mal “spells” increased.  Cynthia recalls fetching Mrs. Fredrickson from across the street to call Dr. Allison inviting her mother’s anger for telling anyone.   

Memories of life in that house abound.   A good time was had by all of the survivors!  Cynthia proved she was not a good baby sitter when she took 18-month-old Merrilee to the sandpit to go swimming and got a sound whipping from a very frightened mother Rose.  Independent young girls at an early age, they invited the neighbors to celebrate their parent’s wedding anniversary without telling the parents or arranging food.  Rose and Ole rolled up the rug and the gathered group jitterbugged to music on the radio.   Those were the days of playtime in the attic dressing up to put on shows; playing paper dolls with imaginary friends “Mrs. Kodakee and Mrs. Emmasaw.”  Cynthia and Bonnie dragged little Merrilee out of her crib to accompany them to the bathroom at night because an outside branch cast an eerie shadow on the window shade.  

1948 – The Volds purchased the Satterlee house on Eighth Street South.  They owned this home until Rose and Ole/Paul/Ervin moved to Glendale, California in 1958.   

1952- The Vold family traveled with Aunt Fran and Uncle Si Meyer to Elko, Nevada to visit Rose’s father, Coy Miller, and cousin Clark who was living with Coy, before traveling onto Sacramento to see Betty and “Wac” (George Francis) and their daughter Laura Gay.   The Vold family took the bus to Los Angles to see Aunts Rose and Ruth, going through Burbank during an earthquake; Aunt Fran and Uncle Si brought them home to Iowa.  The California seed was planted.

1957 – The Volds sold their Eighth Street South home in Northwood and moved to Glendale, California.  Rose went to college and then nurses training to become an RN, an awesome accomplishment for the intelligent, creative woman who lived under the stress and duress of being found on the streets during an epileptic seizure, put in a straitjacket and taken to a hospital.

1962 – Rose’s beloved daddy had a fatal heart attack in Mena, Arkansas.  She was bereft.  During this time in California, she was treated with two kinds of medications to treat both kinds of seizures.  She lost all interest in returning to Northwood to visit old friends for a time.  

1977 – Ervin/Ole/Paul contracted lung cancer and passed away on 1 November 1977.

Reprinted from the program of the 50th Reunion of the Class of 1934 - 1984 - Written by Richard 'Bud' Johnson:

" After graduation, Irving worked at Urdahl and Vold's Store, Painter Chemical Co. and the Worth Co. Co-op. Oil having his own tank wagon business until 1957 when they moved to California.  Irving and Rose Arlene Miller were married in 1937.  They were the parents of three daughters, Cynthia Forde who has five children; Bonnie Baker who has two children; Merrilee Reid who has two children. Rose died February 10, 1984, of heart failure.  In California, Irving worked for the Los Angeles School system as a regional supervisor in the electrical engineering department.  Irving enjoyed hunting and also woodworking.  When he was in Northwood, he enjoyed many winning many championships in bowling.  He served in the volunteer fire department for many years.  Irving died on November 1, 1977, of lung cancer.  To say that he is missed by his many friends is a tribute to his life.   Irving's daughters said that in his heart, Northwood was always home."

10 February 1984, Rose Arlene Miller Vold passed away as the result of an epileptic seizure.  

Name:

Sunday Offering Making Memories

9 February 2020

Sunday Offering

The Rev. Dr. Cynthia Forde

        Life-enriching moments make memories. Today we made memories. I marveled at the women in my family, two daughters, three daughters-in-law, seven granddaughters, and two great-granddaughters gathered at a baby shower for an expected great-granddaughter. Strong women; creative women, from the oldest to the youngest, kind, loving, thoughtful women. And I am proud, so very proud. I marvel at our hostess, daughter-in-law Karen, Scott’s wife, who raised their two babies alone after Scott died from Leukemia. Our hearts melted when my daughter-in-law Jill, soon-to-be grandma, gifted heirloom quilts from her grandmother and great-grandmother, plus tiny dresses I gave Rachel thirty-two years ago. The female half of the family are makers. They make things. Granddaughter Corrie and her two little ones crocheted a soft, cuddly pink and white blanket. Granddaughter Fyn, five-years-old, received accolades with hand-made cards, a blanket, and a hat she sewed herself (perhaps with some help from her mother, my daughter-in-law Cheryl – designer and maker). Yes, this was a memorable moment, strong women in a family welcoming a new life with gifts from our hearts and our hands; and all are children of the heavenly father. These life-enriching memories made another day wonderfully rich. Thank you, God.

Children of the Heavenly Father

Children of the heavenly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given
God, His own doth tend and nourish
In His holy courts, they flourish
From all evil things, He spares them
In His mighty arms, He bears them
Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord, His children sever
Unto them His grace He showeth
And their sorrows all He knoweth
Though He giveth or He taketh
God His children ne’er forsaketh
His, the loving purpose solely
To preserve them, pure and holy
Lo, their very hairs He numbers
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His every blessing

Sunday Offering 19 Jan 2020

SUNDAY OFFERING

Rev. Dr. Cynthia Forde

Where do you worship? We all want that special church home that meets the needs of young and old and all ages in-between. We want music that stirs our souls, and to hear the Word of God rightly spoken. We want community. Exactly! And that’s why Ron and I worship at Grace Lutheran Church in Conroe, Texas. As a retired pastor sitting in a pew, worship offers a different perspective from a pulpit: worship is enhanced. Here are a few illustrations of the morning’s meaningful moments:

1. The music director’s effervescent guidance of a very lively first hymn set the tone of the day. Praise to you, Lord!

2. The Children’s Sermon is a huge hit. A large group of youngsters of various colors, little ones and older ones descended on the altar steps to listen in rapt attention to Pastor Diane’s storytime. Her worship theme has strong illustrations: ‘Show and Tell’! Thank you, Jesus, for this pastor’s work with children. 

3. The congregation is a nice blend of elderly, in-betweens, and very young. An energetic, precious baby was a sheer delight to watch. O Thank you, Lord, for the gift of new life.

4. My heart smiled watching folks reach down and lovingly hug the oldest member of the congregation sitting in her wheelchair.

5. The benediction is given by the pastor and the children! YAY! Flames of love with hands uplifted over us in benediction.  

6. The recessional hymn was powerful! Drums, horns, piano and a very dynamic John Roth on guitar, marching us to the light of God. 

7. And this is why we worship at Grace Lutheran Church in Conroe, Texas