. The overture having commenced announcing the coming event, Jan’s labor pains beginning a prelude to the aria nine months in conception. Gary patiently placing a telephone call to his friend and trumpet virtuoso, Bob Kneemiller and his wife Pat, the couple having agreed to watch year old Robert, enabling the expectant couple to proceed the short distance to South Community Hospital. Jan enduring her distress, her water having broken, the labor pains persisting more frequently, less than two minutes apart when the Kneemiller’s arrived. The couple without hesitation expeditiously proceeded to the hospital, entering the reception area Gary immediately giving a quick but obvious explanation, Jan immediately provided a wheelchair and whisked upstairs to the maternity floor. Gary being directed to Admitting, hurriedly addressing the forms for Jan’s admittance, when finished questioning the person as to the floor for labor and delivery. Arriving on the third floor he was instructed not to a labor room, but questioned about observing the birth and with an urgency was instructed to a fitting area, adorning the required gown, cap, gloves and shoe covering.
. Entering delivery Jan reclined on the birthing bed, her awareness of activity partially recessed because of medication, the administering nurse speaking to her, Gary standing at the foot of the bed beyond the physicians able to view the event that was about to transpire. He was very much aware of his wife’s voice with an expression of pain, knowing her desire to cognizance of this miracle as she attempting to comply with the given instructions. The newborn emerging from its protective womb, shedding the protection of her past environment, Gary very much in awe able to witness the unveiling testimony of God’s gift. Sandra Lynne Willson having fulfilled a nine month journey arriving at 5:44 p.m., on July 29, 1978. Dr. Reynolds her attending physician finding her 5 lb. 4 oz. weight unacceptable for immediate release, mother and daughter to remain the night.
. The arrival of Sandra found an awakening of Jan’s family, her parents visiting Oklahoma City for the first time, her sister Gayle Robb and daughter Shawna traveling from Iola Kansas to assist with the new family addition. Gary recalling Jan’s conviction that Robert was supposed to be a “Tiffany Rose” and thankful for a princess named Sandra who could have been a prince named Christopher Roth, Jan’s alternate name if the new addition had been a boy. With the advent of Sandra, the family asserting numerous journeys north to be with family and especially with Jan’s desire to become a sister in faith with the Apostolic Christian Church.
. A term of repentance was the first requirement, to demonstrate and acknowledge the wrongdoing in one’s life and to make amends, privately or personally, approaching those whom you have offended, giving a penance for your censorial action and beseeching absolution. The traditional repentance temporal for those seeking affiliation with the Church was thirty to sixty days, the Elder Ministering Brother Ron Nelson setting a date for the attendance of the total congregational membership for an open discussion of the aspiring sister and her new-found life in Christ, Gary being granted special permission to attend what was referred to by non-church members as A Proving, the baptismal open to the friends would follow the coming Sunday.
. The change in his wife was phenomenal, Gary being introduced to something new, discovering a totally new world, the Apostolic Christian Church steeped in German heritage much like the Mennonites of Pennsylvania still complying with the customs of the past. The serving of a meal between services on Sunday, the tradition of the men sitting on one side and the women on the other, their cappella hymns, no choir or musical accompaniment in the sanctuary, only in the fellowship hall and absolution from many worldly acceptances. Jan was the second daughter of Bud and Helen Murrow to find the Lord through the Apostolic Church, older sister Gayle called upon joining her mother and her mother’s line of heritage as a sister in faith. Bud although having wed into a family of devout believers and through the years without hesitation attending services every Sunday, having bared witness to the multitude of blessing bestowed upon the brothers and sisters of the church but inexplicably never achieve the conviction to publicly acknowledge what was apparent in his character, an undeniable faith in the Lord.
. Gary found his father-in-law to be a man who never smoked, indulged in any form of alcohol or cuss, and never one to anger or argue. His beliefs and opinions if stated were just that, a statement, end of discussion. His passion, though seldom expressed was the life of a prior generation, he enjoyed the solitude of farming, his time with a horse, the reading of Louis L’Amour western novels. But most amazing, this quiet ready to help person, when called upon, possessed the analytical ability of a mathematician and the skills of a carpenter which enabled him to catapult, from the life of an employee to a fortuitous building contractor employer. Gary acquiring a better understanding of his new Kansas family, and with Jan’s transformation, for the first time he recognized the blessing of a spiritually anchored life.
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