“Describe your greatest Blessing” (My Mother’s Day Afterglow Thoughts)

Next to my personal faith in Christ who has guided and molded my life in

these 89 years, my greatest blessing is my Soul-mate Carol Edna.

To me she has been the ideal complementation to my incompleteness and needs.

We met at the University of Redlands in September 1933, sixty eight years ago. We have walked together and built our lives as a “Mr and Mrs” for 64 years and dream of celebrating our 65th July 4th, 2002. Last Friday night we sat in the six million dollar refurbished Chapel at Redlands University. The plaque on a chair near where I sat in 1933, after walking with Carol from classes to the Chapel says: “Honoring Caleb E Shikles : ‘36 and Carol E Calvin’37.

We have had a unique partnership in marriage. Christ has been our 3rd Partner. I have believed that God called me, like Jeremiah, from my mother’s womb. I Have known since early childhood, like Samuel, that I was called to the ministry. It was verified in many ways and for 60 professional years I rejoiced in my calling.

Carol , too, is the product of a Baptist Church orientation. Blessed with many talents she would have been a fine engineer, if engineering had been opened to her. The only vocation opened to her was teaching, nursing, or the Christian vocation.

In Redlands, we both served as Presidents of the College Roger Williams Fellowship. We taught classes at the Sherman Institute Indian Youth School in Riverside, California. We had values and desires that led us in the same direction.

Our marriage began in a slum area in West Oakland where we ministered as boy & girl workers to over l4 different nationalities. Carol has many talents and abilities. Her memory is phenomenal with figures, names and facts. She lives a consistent, commonsense and compassionate life She has been an ideal Minister’s wife and Soul-mate.

During our 50th Wedding anniversary year our college in honoring Alumni asked the class of ‘37 graduates: ”What have you done with your life? This prompted me to write the following ,out of a Bible class, in Denver, honoring Carol with a “This Is Your Life” presentation: (1983)

Carol’s folks did not encourage her to go away to college with so many State colleges nearby in the Oakland Bay area. Christ within her and the Church School teachers; Seminary students at Berkeley, directed her to the University of Redlands.

Through Scholarship aid, working for her meals in homes nearby, sewing clothes, making skirts for the “Spurs” working in Canneries during the summer, Carol received her B.A, Degree in 3 1/2 years.

As a Christian Friendliness Social Worker in the Oakland Slums Carol ministered to the children and adults of over l4 different Nationality groups. Many years later, Greek, Mexican, Philipino, Blacks etc children in young adult life rejoiced in her influence upon them.

In Bellingham Washington, where we served our first Church, four children came in three years to challenge, bless our home and make us a family. During those years we had household help by taking in pregnant girls, girls molested by their fathers, and young women in various kinds of trouble who were under the Court’s supervision.

Carol received her M.A. Degree in Marriage Counseling while we were in Bellingham. Numerous are the young women who over the years have been helped in restructuring their lives through Carol’s, listening and counseling.

Our four children all matriculated through the University of Redlands, though they too, could have attended nearby Colorado colleges. Our daughter was offered a full scholarship through Colorado Woman’s College but chose to go to Redlands because her parents held it in such high esteem. In each of our four Parishes; two in Washington and two in Colorado Carol taught young married couples groups, exercising a significant counseling ministry.

One outstanding visible contribution to the life of a community took place in Grand Junction Colorado where we gave Junior high age boys in trouble with the law; a home. Carol and a local Judge set up an “Attention To Youth” home and secured thousands of dollars from the City Council and Community to put two houses together. The home was rebuilt to meet all specifications and laws.This home with House-parents was a remarkable home for up to twelve youth for many years, Carol served as Chairman of this board for over six years.

In Colorado Springs a new organization called “Hospice” ministering to Terminal Cancer and Aids patients Carol served for nine years. Her shift each week was not only listening, and counseling but sewing, decorating rooms, transporting and helping relatives cope with their problems.”

Now in the “late afternoon’ of my earthly life I pay tribute to my Caretaker marveling at her consistency and commonsense; always logical and loving, scruptiously honest; always coming through on her promises and no complainer about her health at 85.

It was said by a pagan historian in the Second Century, three things: “Behold how these Christians love one another... these Christians take care not only of their own sick but ours as well.” Lastly, “What wonderful women these Christians have.”

Proverbs 31 ends with the words: ‘Her husband praiseth her and her children rise up and call her blessed” (read to class last Tuesday May 1st while Carol was expediting a wonderful Garden Show as Wesley-Palms)

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