The Difference a Woodland Sweatshirt Made

            One of the February mornings with single digit temperatures found me driving to check the level of water at the livestock tank. Even on those bitterly cold days, I seldom felt noticeable cold except on one morning when I returned from monitoring the livestock water.

As I took off the outerwear, I spotted the tan Woodland sweatshirt. Maybe that sweatshirt made the difference. I had failed to pull it on between my two turtlenecks and hoodie. I never forgot it again during the frigidly cold days.

The Tan Woodland Sweatshirt that I've Come to
Love this Winter from Carolyn and Don Hicks

I remembered the day I had gone to visit Carolyn and Don Hicks after they both retired and prepared to move to a new home in Broken Arrow. Soon after I arrived, Don presented me with two Woodland sweatshirts. He was desperately trying to reduce Carolyn’s massive collection of so many things. I initially liked the traditional Woodland blue one better, but the tan one has served as a much-appreciated layer on several chore times this month.

Carolyn, a collector especially of books, delighted telling how the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation set a limit on the amount they would move for their employees’ relocation. That new rule tied directly to the enormous poundage of books they moved for Carolyn and Don when he was transferred from western Oklahoma to his new position at the ODWC office on Kaw Lake. Based on Carolyn’s history, Don was taking control of limiting what was being moved to Broken Arrow.

As I wore her sweatshirt this February, I was thankful for Carolyn, my red-haired friend and fellow educator. She often said, “I don’t have this red hair for nothing!” We were different in many ways, but she and I shared a love of classical music and love of learning. As her son eulogized her at her funeral in 2015, this phrase jumped out - “She was wickedly smart!”

When her mother died in a car accident, Carolyn not only lost her mother, but her community concert partner. She asked me to accompany her to each concert during the community concert season. She insisted on providing the membership fee for me. We enjoyed many years of evening concerts of beautifully performed music.

Following Carolyn’s health issues, including surviving a brain hemorrhage, she and I attended some Singing Churchmen concerts in Ponca City, as well a Singing Churchwomen concert, too. After the first one we attended following her life-threatening emergency hospitalization, she said, “I guess my being here is a miracle.” I strongly affirmed God’s hand in preserving her life. We both gave thanks to Him for His mercy and grace to heal her.

Carolyn and I at my parents' 50th wedding 
anniversary celebration in March of 1998

When writing this article, Paul’s request of Timothy in the final letter he wrote prior to his execution in Rome came into my thoughts. Paul was no longer under house arrest. He was in a Roman dungeon when he made this request for additional warmth and God’s Word in 2 Timothy 4:13 –

When you come, bring the warm coat I left with Carpus in the city of Troas. Also bring the scrolls and especially the parchments.

Most of the month of February, I have been sustained with warm clothing and by encouragement from the scripture. Over and over Mother and I have strengthened each other as we have faced difficulties and various challenges this month. As spring eventually comes, may each of us continue relying on the power of the Word of God every day to bolster us through successes and troubles that come our way.