Family reunions were a wonderful part of my childhood as 25 cousins always provided great entertainment.  It was also a handy time to “get lost” in the crowd, especially if you were one of the younger ones and nosey which I was.  The older cousins were in charge of herding the younger ones as our mothers busily set up the lunch, a continual din of voices and laughter mixed with the sound of picnic preparation.  Our dads played horseshoes under a blue haze of cigarette smoke, harmless joking and the clanking of the horseshoes hitting the stakes.

This was a perfect opportunity to slip away and investigate this odd- looking object in the distance. Before I knew it, I found myself there joined by two grizzly old men who reeked of cigarettes, booze and body odor.  They beckoned me to join them which I did and placed me on the monument as if I was a part of it.    They offered me a drink  from their bottle which I declined because of the smell and continued to chat with me, asking me my name, where my parents were and my age. I felt no fear of them at all.

It was about this time I heard a panicked voice screaming my name.  Looking in the direction of the voice, I noticed my parents and a whole herd of aunts, uncles and cousins following close behind like Moses leading his people through the parted Red Sea.  They were obviously in a hurry and wanted me to join them so I waved and beckoned to them.

My sobbing mother swooped me down off of my perch and hugged me close.  That was quickly followed by admonishments of why had I left the older kids and did I realize what could have happened to me. I didn’t of course as I was an innocent, three-year old little girl with no idea of evil in the world. That day could have ended very differently if not for God loving me (and all of us) unconditionally as promised in Psalm 21: 1-2

I lift up my eyes to the mountains-where does my help come from.  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Patty