Post by Chaplain Elizabeth on May 28, 2015 14:49:30 GMT -5
johnivey STORY
I really had a ‘Leave It To Beaver’ type of life, until the third grade that is. I went to a Christian school and had an older brother, a stay-at-home mom and a dad that worked very hard. Life was really good at the Ivey’s. We attended church 3 times a week and I even played on the church baseball team. I was baptized when I was 8 years old by one of the elders at church. When I expressed my desire to become a Christian this elder had volunteered to come over and talk with me about it. After an hour of discussion he decided I was ready. We went to the church right then and I was baptized. Yes, life was great most of that 3rd grade year.
Then in one night everything would change forever!
I was sound asleep in the bedroom that I shared with my brother. Suddenly, I was awakened by this terrible noise. It was the sound of voices coming from my parent’s room. I looked over at my brother’s bed. It was empty! As I looked toward the door, I caught just a glimpse of him disappearing as he rounded the corner. I jumped up wanting two things. I kind of wanted to know what all the noise was, but mainly I did not want to be left alone in the dark.
I entered my parent’s room just a couple of steps behind my brother. My dad was swinging his fist wildly in the air and yelling at my mom. As I looked on in horror, I could see that he was actually raising his fists high in the air and then bring them down and hitting my mom in the head.
My mom was screaming his name and begging him to stop. I heard her say, “Cledous, the boys are watching stop! Stop! Stop!”
My mom was kind of in a fetal position with covers pulled up to her chin. Only her head and her hands were visible. My dad then began pulling the covers away from my mom. She continued to try to pull them up to her neck and was holding on to them tightly. As he succeeded in pulling them off her, her body was in full view. She continued to beg him to stop. She only had on a pair of panties. With one quick motion he tore them off of her. My mom was completely naked!
Again he screamed this time he said, “No, let them see you for the WHORE that you are! Let them see you the way Lewis has seen you!”
My dad then started choking my mom until she passed out. Actually, I thought he had killed her.
I never moved during this whole time. I remember wondering if I would be next. I did not know what to do. My brother had gone back in our room. When he returned he had his 22-caliber rifle.
My brother screamed, “Leave my mother alone!”
My dad stopped looked at my brother and then looked at me. It was over for THAT night. It ended as quickly and it had started. He never spoke a word. He walked slowly toward the front door opened it and then shut it behind him as he left the house.
My mother came to and covered herself with the blankets and was crying.
She told us to go back to bed and never tell anyone what we saw.
The next day it was if nothing ever happened. I went to school. I wanted to talk to someone, but did not know who I could talk to nor even how for that matter.
I found out later that “Lewis” (my dad referred to) that had seen my mom naked, was Lewis McClure the elder at our Church that had baptized me.
In that one night all the things I had been taught had been betrayed. I felt as if my whole world was a lie. I mean if you could not trust your mom and could not trust an elder in your church and could not trust the person that baptized you and you could not trust your dad ……………… Well, who could you trust.
That’s been over 40 years ago. Why am I telling you this? I guess I just want to say that the next time you are talking to someone be aware that they might have a secret and no one to talk to. Don’t be so quick to judge. All my life people have told me that I was a little paranoid. I have been told I am hyper-vigilant. I been told I should learn to trust people. you
All of that is true, but sometimes one’s experiences in life say something different.
MORE LATER
johnivey
GOD AND I KILLED cANCER !
Thank you, Mr. Ivey. We could all learn a lot from your experience and advice. I, personally, am one who has worn the shoe on both feet, so to speak. I have been the target of the judgment as well as the one judging, and neither one makes you feel good. It is often so easy to point the finger at others instead of facing our own inadequacies. Rather than pointing one finger at others and putting them down, holding out all five and lifting them up would make a remarkable difference in the lives of many.
Thank you again, Mr. Ivey, and God bless.
Chaplain Elizabeth
I really had a ‘Leave It To Beaver’ type of life, until the third grade that is. I went to a Christian school and had an older brother, a stay-at-home mom and a dad that worked very hard. Life was really good at the Ivey’s. We attended church 3 times a week and I even played on the church baseball team. I was baptized when I was 8 years old by one of the elders at church. When I expressed my desire to become a Christian this elder had volunteered to come over and talk with me about it. After an hour of discussion he decided I was ready. We went to the church right then and I was baptized. Yes, life was great most of that 3rd grade year.
Then in one night everything would change forever!
I was sound asleep in the bedroom that I shared with my brother. Suddenly, I was awakened by this terrible noise. It was the sound of voices coming from my parent’s room. I looked over at my brother’s bed. It was empty! As I looked toward the door, I caught just a glimpse of him disappearing as he rounded the corner. I jumped up wanting two things. I kind of wanted to know what all the noise was, but mainly I did not want to be left alone in the dark.
I entered my parent’s room just a couple of steps behind my brother. My dad was swinging his fist wildly in the air and yelling at my mom. As I looked on in horror, I could see that he was actually raising his fists high in the air and then bring them down and hitting my mom in the head.
My mom was screaming his name and begging him to stop. I heard her say, “Cledous, the boys are watching stop! Stop! Stop!”
My mom was kind of in a fetal position with covers pulled up to her chin. Only her head and her hands were visible. My dad then began pulling the covers away from my mom. She continued to try to pull them up to her neck and was holding on to them tightly. As he succeeded in pulling them off her, her body was in full view. She continued to beg him to stop. She only had on a pair of panties. With one quick motion he tore them off of her. My mom was completely naked!
Again he screamed this time he said, “No, let them see you for the WHORE that you are! Let them see you the way Lewis has seen you!”
My dad then started choking my mom until she passed out. Actually, I thought he had killed her.
I never moved during this whole time. I remember wondering if I would be next. I did not know what to do. My brother had gone back in our room. When he returned he had his 22-caliber rifle.
My brother screamed, “Leave my mother alone!”
My dad stopped looked at my brother and then looked at me. It was over for THAT night. It ended as quickly and it had started. He never spoke a word. He walked slowly toward the front door opened it and then shut it behind him as he left the house.
My mother came to and covered herself with the blankets and was crying.
She told us to go back to bed and never tell anyone what we saw.
The next day it was if nothing ever happened. I went to school. I wanted to talk to someone, but did not know who I could talk to nor even how for that matter.
I found out later that “Lewis” (my dad referred to) that had seen my mom naked, was Lewis McClure the elder at our Church that had baptized me.
In that one night all the things I had been taught had been betrayed. I felt as if my whole world was a lie. I mean if you could not trust your mom and could not trust an elder in your church and could not trust the person that baptized you and you could not trust your dad ……………… Well, who could you trust.
That’s been over 40 years ago. Why am I telling you this? I guess I just want to say that the next time you are talking to someone be aware that they might have a secret and no one to talk to. Don’t be so quick to judge. All my life people have told me that I was a little paranoid. I have been told I am hyper-vigilant. I been told I should learn to trust people. you
All of that is true, but sometimes one’s experiences in life say something different.
MORE LATER
johnivey
GOD AND I KILLED cANCER !
Thank you, Mr. Ivey. We could all learn a lot from your experience and advice. I, personally, am one who has worn the shoe on both feet, so to speak. I have been the target of the judgment as well as the one judging, and neither one makes you feel good. It is often so easy to point the finger at others instead of facing our own inadequacies. Rather than pointing one finger at others and putting them down, holding out all five and lifting them up would make a remarkable difference in the lives of many.
Thank you again, Mr. Ivey, and God bless.
Chaplain Elizabeth