A little about me and my life journey..

      Hello Folks:
               I am actually beginning to write this on June 10, 2025, at 12:30 AM.  I know it has been a while since I posted, but I said I would not feel obligated to post every day, so there is that.😇

             I thought I might share a bit of background on where I come from and who I am:
                    

             I was born December 6, 1957 at Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio.  I was the last of seven healthy siblings to be born to Mr. and Mrs. Harold E. Lones, who at the time lived in rural Osnaburg Township (East Canton) Ohio.  From what I had been told, my birth was a difficult one, starting with the fact that I was 2 lbs. 11 oz. at birth, which caused some other issues that came about later.  Because of being so small, I was kept in an incubator for some weeks after. Fun Note:When I was born apparently I had a "bald head." look, so I was jokingly called "Ike" after President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

     As I began to grow, I was always "small" for my age and developed slowly in some areas.

                                            Me at just under 3 years old.  My sister Donna told me
                                            recently that I got that "knot" on my forehead hitting my head
                                            on a coffee table.  Typical coordination-NOT!! or I may have
                                            just been being stubborn.

                                         Here again with Donna.  I kid that she is probably watching me so
                                         I stay out of trouble.

         I spent my first 9 school years (and my senior year) in Sandy Valley Local School district (East Sparta and Sandyville Elementary, both long gone now).  My mother passed in April 1972 and things were a bit unsettled for a few years, spending sophomore year in East Canton with my sister Betty and her husband Joe Thomas, and Junior year at Jackson Local Schools with my dad and stepmother Justiina Kambrick Lones.  I did graduate with my Sandy Valley class on May 30, 1976.  And yes, our 50-year reunion is coming up.  During that senior year, I got my first job at Crossroads Restaurant, within walking distance of home and school.  After an abortive attempt at enlisting in the US Navy, I settled in with my Parents for the next few years.

     In 1977, I took courses through Canton Actual Business College for Accounting and finally moved out on my own at this point, under the auspices of the then-Ohio Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation. As this was going on, I started attending church, first with my late Aunt Opal at her Wesleyan Methodist Church in Robertsville, OH. Then in 1972, I began attending Sandy Valley Baptist Temple with my best grade school friend, Tim Shaffer whose dad was the founding Pastor. I was there 5 years. After the Shaffers left the area, I started attending Canton Baptist Temple, where I became sure of my Salvation August 8, 1977.  The following summer, I was privileged to work as part of the maintenance crew at Camp CHOF, where, while I didn't know it at the time, my future wife, Linda Baxter, was a camper during the same summer.

                                                 This is the Official Camp Chof Staff Photo from 
                                                 1978.  I am on the first row standing, about the 6th 
                                                 person in from the left.  At the opposite end are Pastor 
                                                 Jim Henniger and his wife Jan. The third young lady 
                                                 kneeling from the left was Cathy Price at the time, one of

                                                 the camp counselors.  She was well-known as an accomplished
                                                 music soloist at Canton Baptist Temple.  Sadly, her husband, Brad Adkins
                                                 passed away very recently.  She and the family could use our prayers.

                                                (My apologies for the stain on the photo)

                                             Likely Christmas season 1983.  Posing with my late
                                             Aunt Opal.  I would have been 26 years old in this photo.

                                             Opal was always sort of protective of me.  Many times on a 

                                             Sunday we would be at her trailer, playing SORRY! and having
                                             Banquet bone-in chicken-regular flavor which all they make is the

                                             spicy kind now.  On rare occasions she would visit me at Massillon Baptist
                                             Temple and she would watch me sing in the choir-and she was very proud                                                 of me.  I really miss her and those times.

           Well, it has gotten very late, and I really should get to bed. Part 2 will be coming up at the next post.  God Bless and take care my friends.