by Ricky Doc Sauceda
James 1:12
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
My first year of high school was past me. I had endured my first year at Conroe High School. I felt myself needing something...a meaning to be alive. My friend Mary Duggan was key in this.
I just looked at my 1978 yearbook and noticed that Mary is not in it. Her face or name...yet, her sister Donna is. She had another younger sister and brother as well. It is this family that taught me to embrace spiritual faith.
I was troubled and hurt by the separation of my parents. I could not focus on anything involving school or education. I just did not care...truthfully.
I was in a lot of inner turmoil and needed help to understand why so much pain had to be in my life. Mary was a friend to me in my first year of high school and her family moved over the summer. The window of opportunity to learn from them was narrow but I found it.
My second year of high school was spent on repeating my freshman year. I fell short of making enough grade points to become a sophomore. I felt awkward and a bit ashamed but I faced the year making new friends along the way.
Cheri Anderson became my girlfriend out of a strange circumstance. A boy she liked rejected her during lunch one day. She was crying over it.
I cannot stand to see tears, truly. I was sitting across from her that day. I reached under the table and took hold of her hands. She was stunned and stopped crying.
She was asked if everything was okay. She said,"Oh yes, everything is fine."
We began dating after that day. We actually went on double dates with our friend Dean Patterson and his girlfriend. We would go to North Hills Twin Cinema on N. Frazier Street, and go to either Pizza Inn or Pizza Hut afterward. We had good times together.
I was attempting to be a musician during this time. Something that I had begun in junior high school. I was selected to play the electric bass guitar by my music teacher for our school jazz band. I was excited at the challenge.
In high school I formed my first garage band with my friend Harold. It had no name. We just got together and jammed out. My second year of high school I formed another...Southern Vision. We had a lot of fun making noise and I was happy to make some different friends. (Cheri would attend a session or two.)
I have shared about this a bit in my past stories: The Voice Within, Nancy: The Girl I Couldn't Love and About Nancy...why I didn't go the party. This was the year that would forever change me.
Although I partied and misbehaved, I began to melt and thaw inside of my soul. It was the message of the love of Jesus Christ that was doing this to me. Little by little.
As the year progressed I became more aware that my band aids were not working. Drinking, marijuana, music...none of it. I only felt peace from one source. I began to read my family Bible at that point.
I had listened to a Christian radio station "on and off" since I was younger. This is KHCB fm 105.7 in Houston, Texas. I liked it because they featured ministry...and they still do. I was also watching Christian programming on TV. I was intent on knowing truth.
One spring day came in my living room at home...Cut-n-Shoot, Texas. I was watching a ministry on TV and the invitation was given. I got on my knees right then and there and received Jesus Christ as my savior and acknowledged my belief in Him.
He spoke to me in spirit at that very moment. I was not expecting that. I had no idea that would take place...it still does.
The rest of the school year was spent on "cleaning up." I took interest on better things and focused heavy on being a child of God. I would go an adventure of sorts during the summer.
My Aunt Esther was with my family when I was a toddler. She stayed in California after we moved back to Texas at that time. She attended UCLA and Berkeley. She received a bachelors and masters degree. She was also an original founder of United Farm Workers of America.
I was running back then and we stopped in Phoenix, Arizona to stay with her college classmate Freddie for about a week. I ran in the mornings and evenings because the heat during the day was too much to bear. I would look at the mountains in the horizon as I ran.
We traveled onto Los Angeles, California and stayed a week there with another college classmate of hers. I watched Clint Eastwood's "Escape From Alcatraz" at a theater, visited Universal Studios...Disneyland...Knott's Berry Farm...Santa Monica pier...Newport Beach (where I beheld a very beautiful blonde haired girl)...the Greek Theater...the Chinese Theater...Olvera Street and China Town.
When we got back to Texas, my niece Mary Frances Holcomb was already born. I was glad to be home because some issues had taken place on my trip to California...things that caused me great distress. I was happy to be back on solid ground.
However, Momma decided to move us to Missouri City in Southwest Houston. She worked there. She had been driving 140 miles round trip each day for over a year. She also told me that the move was to benefit me in finding a new life.
She witnessed how hard I was working to become a better son. I observed how hard she was working to keep our home stable. Momma was all about God and family...always.
My new high school was Willowridge. Literally. It was a brand new school in Fort Bend county. I was one of its first students.
I met new friends, had new experiences and was able to transition into peace. I also chose a new nickname for myself there...Doc. I have explained this in my story: Doc - The New Me.
If you really want to change. You can. If you really want to be satisfied. You can.
I want to thank my family, friends, classmates and mostly...our LORD.