The Early Years

I remember in my early years we moved often. I can remember five different places we lived. We would move from the country to the city and from the city to the country. Three incidents from those early years I remember. One, my mother by accident stabbed me in one of my eyes with a knife. She was trying to cut something wrapped tight around one of my fingers and the knife slipped and came up straight into my eye. I remember wearing a patch over my eye playing in the neighborhood. Second incident, I almost drowned. We were living near downtown and the White River flows through the city. I and another neighbor boy were down at the river where a fast flowing stream of sewage water emptied into the river. I fell in to the fast flowing stream of sewage water emptying into the river. When I fell instinctively I grabbed hold of some vegetation on the bank. The vegetation held long enough for my friend to grab hold of my arms and pull me out. I went home soaking wet from head to toe. Mom said “what happened”. I said, “I fell into a mud puddle”. This was in the summer and mom said “we have not had rain for awhile.” I said, “Oh, this is a big mud puddle that is there all the time.” A few days later the neighbor boy’s mother told my mother what had happened. My parents were so scared I did not get punished for being down at the river, I remember my father asking me to take him to the river and show him the place where I fell in. Down through my life I have believed a miracle form God saved my life at the river. Third incident, lightning struck our house. One late afternoon a storm came up and struck the back of our home and went all way through the attic and came out in the front room. I was terrified and to this day still battle the fear of lightning.

My childhood was sheltered and protected. I never heard a curse word come out of my parent’s mouth. I never knew what it was to see a pack of cigarettes lying on the kitchen table, or a six pack of beer in the refrigerator. I did know what it was to have the Bible read and prayer made in our home on a regular basis. I did know what it was to attend church religiously every time the church doors were open. I did know what it was to hear preachers warn of hell and point one toward heaven. Growing up in the days when Rock 'n Roll music was getting its start, I never knew what it was to hear it in our home, but I did know what is was to hear Amazing Grace and When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder. “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” –Proverbs 22:6 NIV