This autobiography of John C. Kirk, may bring back some memories to readers that may associate his life, to similarities akin to their own experiences.
It has taken me quite a while in deciding to write my story [biography], I feel it may help me to understand myself better. I am 78 years old and feeling that maybe I have something good to pass on to others. I have been blessed with five children and nine grand children.
Whilst every endeavour has been made to ensure the accuracies of text quoted from The Bible errors may be unintentional.
This story is about my escapades and my spiritual journey, starting at the beginning with my birth. The title of the book comes from one my experiences, which was given to me audibly by Jesus. This statement I truly did not deserve to hear from HIM especially when he gave it. It has always lifted my spirits when things seemed impossible. I feel that as HE said it to me it was so timely in my life. I believe he will say it to you with your name attached. If you accept his love.
Excerpt:
It has taken me quite a while in deciding to write my story [autobiography]; I feel it may help me to understand myself better. I am 78 years old & feeling that maybe I have something good to pass on to others. I have been blessed with five children and nine grand children.
This story is about my escapades & my spiritual journey, starting at the beginning with my birth. The title of the books comes from one my experiences, which was given to me audibly by Jesus. This statement, the title of the book, I truly did not deserve to hear from HIM especially when he gave it. It has always lifted my spirits when things seemed impossible. I feel that as HE said it to me it was so timely in my life. I believe he will say it to you with your name attached. If you accept his love.
I was born in Pietermaritzburg at the Sanatorium, 17th April 1935. My mother who had been married before had my half sister Maureen Delvin. My mother married my dad and she had my real sister Jean, who died, falling out of her pram before I arrived. My mother was a Catholic however she changed to Anglican to marry my father. She died of pneumonia three weeks after my birth. There was a big argument, she asked for a Catholic burial and the priest wanted me to be christened into her faith. I was told Dad chased him out of the house. After all the squabbles with the two families I was christened John Cecil Kirk, an Anglican. I was to be looked after by my father’s family. Maureen was sent to live with one of my mother’s sisters, who promptly sent her to the Catholic convent. I saw her once through the bars of the convent grounds when I was five. The next time was on her twenty first birthday and then a few times after that. We lost contact although I was very heart sore to lose the connection. Three of my children met her two children and had a little misunderstanding and so we never kept up the visits.
As a baby I was sent to a relative, who could not have children and it turned out I was too much for her. I became a very difficult child and rebelled at everything from my baby-hood right up to my twelfth year. Two families tried me out for adoption they gave me up. I was sent to an orphanage for a while and then my Dad married again. Aunty Mabel was slim and tall she was a lovely person who used to teach me the Ten Commandments and to say my prayers (most important in my life). She let me fix all her pots and pans and let me use a screwdriver and a little hammer. I loved her very much and used to stand next to her as she played on the piano. We sang all the old wars songs together. She even taught me to play little tunes. She used to put a penny in my little red post box and kissed me goodnight even when I had been naughty Much later I bought a record player with the savings. She died suddenly after about a year. She left me her piano. I was then sent to live on a chicken farm outside Pietermaritzburg. It belonged to Aunt Mabel’s parents, granny and grandpa, and their big Great Dane dog. Grandpa used to let me ride on its back. I think I was too much for them .One day granny put me on a blanket in the yard with my big teddy and toys and told me to stay put. The big dog came and settled next to me. I was fascinated to watch him trying to catch a fly, it wanted to sit on his nose. When he opened his big mouth it was all dripping .After a while I became aware of a long black stick moving towards me from a bush. It slid along on the grass and then when it got in front of me the front end lifted up. I saw a little face looking at me. It flicked its tongue. I was just about to say “HELLO, who are you?” When the Great Dane [dog] next to me took off like a rocket, grabbing the stick and ran off. All I saw was a wagging tail and the stick as they disappeared round the building. Granny came running picked me up and dashed me onto the kitchen table where she usually bathed me and started to take all my clothes off saying all the time. “Thank God your guardian angel was looking after you”. “Who is my guardian angel, granny?” “That dog, don’t you see, he saved you from getting bitten by that old devil snake.” she said. I didn’t stay for long I went back to the orphanage.
