Testimony, Part 7 - 1982

                     Senior portrait, 1982.

Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals. - 1 Corinthians 15:33 CSB

As any camper who has experienced Malibu can tell you, when you come home from camp, you are on what is known as the "Malibu high". You are floating on Cloud 9. It's only natural: Spend a week in the beauty and grandeur of Malibu, experience the Spirit and have an encounter with your Creator, why shouldn't you be flying high when you get back? I would imagine the feeling Peter, James and John had being with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration to be akin to the high I had when I returned from Malibu. But like Peter, James and John had to return to normal life, so, I too had to get back to "reality". 

I knew I was changed but what now? I was told to read my Bible but where do I start? One counselor suggested I start with the book of John, which I tried for all of a couple chapters, but linking my new life in Christ to the life I was returning to seemed as confusing as the gospel did the first time I heard it.

I told the pastor at the Lutheran church about my profession of faith and he said, "Good. Now you should be baptized." Baptized!? That was a bit "churchy" for me. Remember, I liked this church because not much was expected of me, now they want me to be baptized? Well, at least they only sprinkled a little water on you; not throw you in a tub and dunk you like those fanatical Southern Baptists did. I'll look into it.

I soon found myself being pulled in two directions. I still liked to party and after being with my peers for nearly a year, I was beginning to find my place with them and was able to find parties, but my friends who were encouraging me to follow Christ weren't into the party life. I eventually figured I could hang out with who I wanted to when I wanted to. I think you, my reader, can guess how that worked out...

At Malibu, the seeds of the gospel that were planted in my heart years earlier began to sprout. However, just as physical seeds sprouting in the spring become dormant during late frosts, so the sprouts in my heart became dormant as I began hanging out with the party animals. While I never reached the level of depravity I had a couple years earlier, my conduct during my senior year of high school was nothing to be proud of. This is not to say my senior year was a total failure, I actually had something to be proud of: I was keeping up in my studies and making up credits from past failures. I was also in the process of enlisting in the US Navy. To her relief, I was finally beginning to take to heart many of the values my mother had been trying to instill in me. I was going to make it after all. 

1982 opened with me making preparations to graduate and go into the Navy. Even though I was into partying, I was cleaning up my act (somewhat) because I knew the Navy would not tolerate drug use. By March, my senior portraits were on order, Mom had booked a flight up to Idaho to attend my graduation and she had just signed consent forms allowing me to enlist when we got a phone call one morning saying Mom had suddenly passed away due to a massive heart attack. She was only 60. Talk about a punch to the gut... To this day, I cannot even begin to fathom why God took her when she was on the cusp of seeing her hopes fulfilled in me.

My sisters and I journeyed to California to take care of Mom's belongings. That was a tough week for me but I knew Mom would want me to continue my progress whether she was there to cheer me on or not.

When we got back from California, I returned to finishing out my senior year. Unfortunately, earlier in the year, I had formed friendships with some unsavory characters and began to make some really stupid decisions. No details are necessary, but I soon crashed the car I inherited from Mom. I was not seriously injured, though my "friend" and I should have been killed. That spring, I lost a lot of respect in the community because of the crowd I was hanging with. After graduation, because of the life I was living, I got into a brush with the law that could have derailed me going into the Navy. Fortunately, the deputy was "too busy" to run me in. I decided I had better lay low for the remainder of the summer.

In August, I turned 18 and was now eligible to receive my portion of Mom's life insurance payout. I immediately went around paying off all the debts I owed and made amends with those I had wronged over the summer. 

I took some of the money and went on a month long vacation through California visiting family and going to some famous theme parks. I arranged with the Navy to be inducted in San Diego instead of Spokane. I was going to have a month of fun before boot camp.

I started my vacation visiting my brother who lived near Sacramento. He suggested I visit our dad's uncle and cousins who were in San Jose. I took his suggestion and went to San Jose. The first place we went was to see my great uncle who was bedridden with Alzheimer's. There was, of course, no recognition with him until one of his sons, Tom, began reading the Bible to him. His eyes suddenly focused and he acted as though he was comprehending the words of Scripture. This made quite an impression on me. Later that night when Tom and his wife, Betty had me in their home, Tom sat me down and began to share the gospel with me. He was very direct; wanting to make sure I knew Christ as my savior. It was a bit awkward for me as I tried to convince them of my conversion the previous year. I think I came across as trying to justify myself before them. I can't remember how the conversation ended but I remember seeing how serious they were about my position with God. In hindsight, it came to mean a lot to me that they would take the time to address this issue with me.

Soon, it was off to the Navy. Spiritually speaking, there isn't much to say other than I mastered the art of fence straddling; fellowshiping with the Christians and hanging with the party crowd.

I finished boot camp and left NTC San Diego two days before Christmas. After a few days of leave with family, I was off to my "A" school in Millington, TN. Little did I suspect what God had in-store for me there.

Till next time, Blessings.