He who dwells in the
shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of
the Lord “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” Psalm
91:1-2 (NIV)
I recently bought a book of memories of World War II by
residents of Avondell senior home. It
inspired me to write my own memories. As I did so, the major theme that emerged
was my protection from the horrors of war. As a four-to-eight year-old during
the war years, I didn’t really understand all that was happening. But my
location in Fredericktown, Missouri, in the heart of the United States, kept me
safe from the enemy.
Everyone had a Victory Garden for their table. We also had a
chicken coop for eggs and Sunday dinner. Mother would grab a chicken and go
through all the mess to pluck and prepare it. Her fried chicken is the best
ever!
Ironically, I remember the summer of 1944 as the most fun
summer I ever had. My buddies and I played baseball with a tennis ball and a
corkball bat, and we had clubhouses—one
in a treehouse and another behind Don Montgomery’s house. Meanwhile, terrible
struggles were happening at Normandy, Saipan, Guam and other places. Allied
bombing was making German children’s lives miserable, but in the safety of
middle-America, I felt completely secure.
Lord, thank You for
your constant protection and leading me into life abundant!