Very Eary Years ...

Very Early Years … It was obvious that the yellow house on Salt Street was little more than a honeymoon cottage, so before Baby Catherine joined them, Bill and Miriam moved to a slightly larger house, mainly for to accommodate their infant and for her safety. Life continued to revolve around family and church. Life was enjoyable and unhurried. Baby Catherine talked on schedule if not a little early, bur much to her mother’s despair she was not walking. Her younger cousin has walked at eight months. The pediatrician rolled his eyes and said not to worry, although special orthopedic shoes were prescribed. Eventually the walking came. There was one traumatic event to both daughter and parents. At about 18 months of age, Cathie and her mother were standing at a local florist. As Miriam was making a purchase, Cathie lost her balance and fell backwards through an open basement door down a flight of a steps. No series injury resulted, but there were many tears. Bill and Miriam resolved that Cathie as she was now called would grow up to love Jesus and books in that order. Miriam read countless books every day to her daughter. Both parents held positions of leadership at the church, and so the family was there every time the doors were open. Cathie’s mother sang in the choir and helped lead the missionary circles; her dad was on the board of deacons; both occasionally taught Sunday school. The family was a Deuteronomy 6 family. Although blessings were offered before every meal, family devotions were a rare occurrence. Spiritual discussions just occurred naturally in the milieu of life. Maybe that is the way God intended our family to be. He was woven into the very fabric of who we were. Christian books and magazines for children abounded. Those days of early and middle childhood were full of God’s grace. (To those English critics reading my blog I realize I switch between first and third persons, but when I write on such a personal level … it just happens … PIU students… do not copy my style, if you happen to read this blog)