JOB'S DAUGHTER YEARS

The Journey Continues part three

I graduated from high school in 1970 and from college in 1975. That was a time when the drug/sex culture was really in swing. God had His hand on my life I am sure of that fact. I never had a problem with drugs or sex. I was never approached regarding drugs mainly because I didn't hang out with those kind of people. I think that kids can stay clean if they have good influences in their lives. I was so blessed that I did have good influences and was very actively involved in the youth group at our church. My big social life was going to Bible studies and Wednesday night church.

While I was in high school I was also a member of a group called Job's Daughters. It was like a sorority for girls in junior high and high school. In order to be a member you had to be a relative of a man who was a member of the Masonic order. I know that there is a lot of controversy in Christian circles about the secret society of the Masons. I can't tell you what the truth is about that, but I can tell you about Job's Daughters. It is based on the writings of the Book of Job in the Bible. In the initiation ceremony, the whole story of Job is told from memory by the members of the Bethel (the local group of Job's Daughters is called a Bethel). It really is a beautiful ceremony and a beautiful story. The group is a social organization that has fund raising activities as well as community service projects. It taught me how to speak in front of a group, to be a leader and to work with people of different backgrounds. Some of the girls were Christians, but most of them weren't even if they did go to church. I learned the hard way about submitting to authority when I didn't want to, and about things not always being your way or about you. The offices were changed every six months in January and in June. I was installed as the presiding officer(the Honored Queen or "onery queen' as my aunt "Ernie" called me) in January of 1972 when I was 19 years old. It was like planning a wedding. I got a beautiful purple and lavender gown Juliet style. (I still have it. Caroline actually wore it one Halloween for trick or treat!) We had a formal reception after the ceremony. During the meetings we wore white robes with purple cords and the three main presiding officers wore purple capes and crowns. It really was a wonderful experience in some ways for me. Every girl wants to feel like a princess and I certainly did on my Installation day. It is almost like a coronation. You kneel at the altar and are crowned and caped by the outgoing officer. You take an oath of office and prayers are recited. There is special music and then you are escorted to the podium and handed your gavel to preside over the rest of the meeting. My gavel which I still have was handmade by my grandfather. I had purple and lavender ribbons tied on it for when I used it. I learned a lot from being in Job's Daughters. I also learned some stuff that I don't want my daughter to have to go through. There is a lot of bickering among girls. People's feelings are easily hurt by many things. Even though it was a basically "Christian" organization, most people associated with it weren't real Christians even though, as I said earlier they all went to church. There was a lot of fighting not only among the girls, but among the adults. It was horrendous at times.

My Christian friends, didn't understand why I was a part of this organization and the girls in JD didn't understand my Christian friends. I think sometimes my Christian friends were jealous of my involvement, because I really got to do a lot of neat things. We traveled all over our state (West Virginia) and met other girls in JD. I also got to go to several International gatherings, in Indianapolis, St. Louis and one in Hershey, PA.

My JD friends didn't understand me though because I was very serious about my Christian faith. I remember an incident that I had with a friend in JD on one of the trips, I think to Indianapolis. I had just returned from spending several weeks as a summer missionary with CEF and I was still in "missionary" mode. We were riding on the back of the bus and were talking. I don't remember what we were talking about, but I do remember vividly sharing the 8th chapter of Romans with her. I was reading and sharing starting with verse 31 - What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 - He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 35 - Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, or persecution or famine, or nakedness or peril or sword? 37- But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loves us. 38- For I am convinced that neither death, not life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor power, 39 - nor height nor depth, not any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our LORD.

Be sure to read the whole chaper. These are such awesome promises. I remember telling her that very thing. She had the strangest look on her face and she said, Excuse me, and got up and left me and sat with another friend. She ignored me the whole rest of the trip and that was on the first day. I remember how horrible I felt. I had another incident on the same trip with a very young girl that was a member. She was very immature and one night during one of the meetings, she kept getting up and leaving and coming back and was very disruptive. I told her she just needed to sit down and be quiet. She was mad and "tattled" on me to our main chaperone, Mrs. Wells. I got called to Mrs. Wells' room for a "talking to". She told me that I was being a nuisance and the girls didn't like it that I was talking to them about the Bible and that I shouldn't be "bossing" the younger ones around. I remember feeling like I had done something wrong. My parents and my sister were with us on this trip and I remember my mother asking me what was wrong and I wouldn't tell her because I was ashamed. I was afraid she was going to be mad at me, too. She probably would have been. She didn't think people should be so bold sharing their faith.

I guess those times are still a lot like these times. You will always be persecuted for sharing your faith. I had forgotten about that experience until I started blogging tonight. That was also the first year I had worked with Child Evangelism Fellowship and it was right after my term as "Ornery" Queen. I am always amazed when I look back at my life and see how God acquainted me with that mission agency then and to see where I am now.

Someone asked me one time if I would encourage young girls to join JD. I said no, I don't think I would. I know that I wouldn't want Caroline to join. There are so many other more wholesome Christian groups. But I guess wherever there are people there will be conflicts and you have to learn how to deal with those conflicts. That is also part of the Christian process of becoming like Christ. The iron sharpening iron.

Well, once again, I have written way more than most people will want to read in a sitting. I just start writing and I can't stop. And I also noticed that the last time I double posted my entry. Is there any way to edit that and delete the second entry? Can someone help me here?????