Lost and Found

This is an item for a Christian Writing contest about learning about God in childhood.

Lost and Found.

Spiritual influence predated my existence into the world. My mother had been busy serving God in rescue missions. Her grandfather was a pioneer Pentecostal minister in the city of Everett, Massachusetts. My Dad's father escaped persecution by the Lutheran establishment in Sweden. He was known by his attempt to be a minister in Massachusetts. Ministry did not come as easily for him. Instead of saving souls he sold shoes with soles to those that did not have them.

  One of my first Spiritual remembrances took place in a Congregational Church in Whitman, Massachusetts when I was five or six years old. I was at a blackboard with a Sunday school friend. He drew a picture of a Jewish star and I had no idea of what it even meant. An elder of the church came up to us and lavished his attention on me thinking I was the one who drew the star. This is the first time that I knew God loved me before I learned to love myself. I longed to be in a similar position as the elder, where I could help make others feel as good as I did at that moment.

  I presented myself to others as an impressionable child. From an early age I was drawn to religious programming and Christian books. One of my favorite shows was "Davey and Goliath". I read all the books I could get my hands on. I especially liked reading Spiritual biographies of people in the bible. One of my favorite stories involved David the Shepherd boy who would eventually be king. Christmas was my favorite holiday-my love for the birth of Jesus coincided with all the glory of the season, which included getting presents. At the family Christmas party, I enjoyed singing Christmas Carols. My Aunt Rita prophesied at one party that I was going to save the family. My favorite church activities in childhood included participation in candle lighting experiences, choir and Sunday school. This is an interesting footnote, because early in my Sunday school days I got in trouble for chasing a student around the Sunday school room. I was about seven or eight at the time and I was kept from going to church until my parents deemed that my wandering body could be controlled.



  When twelve years old, I had my first personal spiritual revelation of who I was in relationship to God. I journeyed with my family to the beautiful land of Canaan, New Hampshire. We arrived at our family vacation spot that we called the "Farm". It had been a farm years before various family members decided to take at on as a project. The mountains were in the foreground and the woods seem to go on forever in the background. It was truly God's country.

  Being the Oldest of the many children that came to visit, I decided to take it upon myself to show two younger boys where the family well was located. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to show them where our water came from. It sure was a lot different from the city, where we took it for granted. I was determined to get there with or without the path. I was sure I knew exactly where that well was. The two boys did not like fighting their way through briars and bushes and went back home to the farm. I stubbornly trudged forward. I was convinced that an old gray tree was a landmark that would get me there. Instead I was more lost than ever. I cried out to my mother and father-there was no response. Then with all the energy I had left I yelled out for God. A peace came over me that I had never known before. I found myself going the opposite way I had been. I found a cool mountain stream that I took a drink from. I went forward trusting God heard my prayer. Eventually I heard vehicles in the distance. Hope embraced me and joy began to flood my weary soul. I saw light and an array of what appeared to be Christmas trees. The further I went forward the more that I knew that I was finally back home. What a gift!!!! I had once been lost and now was found.











There are 739 words in this writing.



 



There are 739 word in this writing.