Second Grade, The Year My Life Changed Forever

So I may not have remembered much about first grade, but I sure do remember second grade.  The public elementary school closed down, despite my mom's efforts, due to a population dip the year I was born. I've never read this for sure, but I think there may be a correlation between the population dip the year I was born and the year abortion was legalized.  Anywho, despite the fact that my dad was not a Christian, my mom convinced him that we should go to private Christian school.  I have no idea how, that was all God.  What guy in their right mind pays thousands of dollars a year to send his kid to a school where they teach something he doesn't believe in?

So I started second grade at The Christian Academy.  It was also my first real experience with a racially diverse class.  My sister apparently came home from Kindergarten one day and asked if she could marry a black boy. 
My mom tells me that before second grade I was pretty quiet and reserved, but my beloved teacher, Miss Downey, brought me out of my shell.  She will always be my favorite teacher.  We sang Psalty praise songs to start our day.  (I LOVE to sing.) She was so completely uplifting.  She was the first one to share with me the idea that Jesus is a gift we need to receive and we should invite him into our hearts.  Which of course I did.  (An aside...this is so funny to me now, considering my Calvinist bent.)  She cast me as "the big fish" in the class play "Jonah and the Big Fish".  I didn't have to say anything, but I was SUPER tall.

Second grade was also the year I made my first best friend, Jolynn Suprum.  It's also the year I became boy-crazy (early, I know!) and chased Chris Horne around the playground until he let me kiss him on the nose.

But the most important thing that happened in second grade, other than my salvation which may or may not have been secured that year, was my dad becoming a believer.  Unbeknownst to me, my dad started doing a scientific research inquiry into the claims of Christ.  My sister and I came home every day talking about miracles and Jesus and he decided he should take it seriously and logically examine this faith.  He read books.  He questioned my mom's pastor, Pastor Nickles.  He became convinced it was the real deal, and began his own personal relationship with Jesus.  He suddenly started going to church with us.  The transformation in his life was staggering.  He wasn't a bad guy before, but he became dedicated to Jesus, learning the Bible, and helping the church.  Looking back, it was a miracle...and it probably has something to do with why I subscribe to the doctrine of election...besides scripture.

He died suddenly of a heart attack when he was 49 and I was barely married.  His memorial service was a true testimony to faith, and I am so glad that I have total confidence that he is with my savior now and I will see him soon.