"How would you boys and girls like to hear a story about Mother when she was little?" The family all gathered round with eager faces as Mother began to tell of days long gone by. The hard thing about Mother's life was that when she was a very little girl her Mother had died, leaving her behind with her younger sister. Her life had often been lonely and she missed her mother very much. Even though she loved her grandmother, she couldn't ever take the place of the Mother she had known and loved in her early childhood. Now the children were excited as Mother began telling a new story: "A caravan of trucks arrived at a vacant lot not far from our house one day. They aroused a lot of curiosity as they began to put up tents, a merry-go-round and a Ferris wheel, ice cream and candy booths. Sooner than you might think, lilting music filled the air, and sounds of 'Step right up, ladies and gentlemen...
Mother continued. "I went just as far as I was allowed to go away from home—just to the end of the block, and from there I took in all I could. I saw other children going there and after a little while I ran back home and asked my grandmother if I could go too. 'No,' she said, 'that is the world's attraction—it all looks and sounds so bright and gay, but it's empty pleasure, and would not be pleasing to the Lord.'
Mother looked around at her audience. They well knew how disappointed she had been. "Back outside I swung on the front gate, thinking grandmothers really didn't understand at all—in fact, maybe grandmothers didn't love little girls very much! But this dear old grandmother did understand—and well she remembered the night my Mother had died, leaving grandmother to take care of me.
“It was going to be hard for grandmother to bring me up for the Lord, as she so wanted to do. Especially since her eyesight was very bad. She could hardly tell the difference between day and night. Sometimes she felt she couldn't keep her promise to my Mother for she was so tired. She sighed and prayed to the Lord Jesus, asking Him for wisdom and strength to keep me from this world's snares and temptations, and that I might know what it meant to be truly saved.
“After supper was over and I was putting away the dishes, a knock sounded at the door. It was a little school friend who had stopped to see if I could go to the carnival with her.
`No,' grandmother answered, 'but maybe you can stay here and play with Ann.' "We were close friends, maybe because both of us had lost our mothers and were drawn to each other in our sadness. Pearl thought for awhile—she was plainly disappointed. Later she showed me her money. It was four dimes—enough said she, for two rides and candy and pop, or else just four rides. Even for my sake she didn't want to give up the fun.
“Pearl held out her hand to me. 'Here, you can have these two dimes' she offered quite unselfishly. I shook my head. `No, I can't.' Why not?' Grandma said I couldn't go.' She probably wouldn't even know, if we ran fast.’ ‘No, you go ahead.' Sometimes I think you're nothing but a scaredy cat' Pearl finished, ending the conversation.
“Nothing much was said after that. The time passed slowly, for we were not friendly and talkative as usual. Shortly afterward we noticed grandmother was nodding and then—quite soundly dozing. Without saying a word we both tip-toed out of the front screen door into the summer evening and ran pell-mell for the twinkling lights and blare of music.
“REJOICE, O YOUNG MAN, IN THY YOUTH; AND LET THY HEART CHEER THEE IN THE DAYS OF THY YOUTH, AND WALK IN THE WAYS OF THINE HEART, AND IN THE SIGHT OF THINE EYES: BUT KNOW THOU, THAT FOR ALL THESE THINGS GOD WILL BRING THEE INTO JUDGMENT." Eccl. 11:99Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. (Ecclesiastes 11:9).
“My heart was pounding so, I felt almost sick as I climbed on a horse on the merry-go-round. Round and round we went till all was a confusion of sight and sound. I tried to smile as Pearl did—but inside was a sickening feeling. Around went the merry-go-round—it seemed as though it would never stop whirling.
“Pearl asked 'What shall we ride next?' 'Nothing' I said. ‘Let's go back home.’ ‘Well, wouldn't you like some candy then?’ ‘No, I'm going back.' Come on.' Then I called goodbye to my little friend.
“When Pearl saw that coaxing was useless, she raced along behind me, till we drew near the house. The twilight had deepened a trifle-and the house which had looked shadowy when we left, was now ablaze with lights.
“I was filled with disappointment—grandmother was for sure awake, and had found me gone! Oh, what had she thought? I felt shaken between fear and worry. I knew my grandmother must be terribly upset.
“Shakily I ran up the front steps and opened the door. There I saw a picture that time would never dim; my dear silver-haired grandmother, with tears welling up in her sightless eyes, praying-praying for me.
“The tears came as I said, 'I'm sorry, grandma' for I was broken-hearted at the sorrow I had caused her, and for my being naughty too. 'But how did you know?' at last I asked.
“Grandmother nodded at the little cat sitting by the stove. `Why that cat—where did it come from?' she asked. 'I don't know what cat it was, or where it came from—but you must have let it in. It jumped up on the kitchen stove and set up an awful racket, enough to waken anyone.'
“Pearl and I looked at each other, confused. 'Did you see any cat?' she asked me. `No, neither did I’ ‘Whose cat could it have been?' I asked.
“Mother looked around at the little faces gathered about her. "Can any of you guess where the cat came from?" she asked. "Well, I'll tell you. It was the Lord's. He prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah when Jonah was disobedient, and He made a dumb ass rebuke Balaam, and He made a rooster crow to remind Peter of his warning that Satan desired to have him that he might sift him as wheat—but the Lord had prayed for him. When Peter heard the cock crow he thought of what the Lord had said—and just then the Lord turned and looked on him—their eyes met, and I know just how Peter felt when he went out and wept bitterly. And He sent that cat too! To think the Lord so loves and watches over His own unworthy ones, and seeks to keep our feet from the wayward path! "He made... His own people to go forth like sheep... and guided them by the skillfulness of His hands." Psa. 78:50, 52, 7250He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; (Psalm 78:50)
52But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. (Psalm 78:52)
72So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. (Psalm 78:72). "He that keepeth thee will not slumber." Psa. 121:33He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. (Psalm 121:3).
“It spoke to my heart and conscience and not long afterward I was saved when I realized the Lord's love and goodness to me, even when I was sinful and wayward. I owned and confessed my sinfulness and accepted Christ as my Saviour. Then I could sing with a happy heart for my sins were all forgiven. Do you know the Saviour?”