Rev. A.J. Ogden

One of the things I remember most about childhood days was that we possessed very little of this earth’s goods. Until I went away to the Army in World War II, mother and I did not even have a lock on our front door. There wasn’t much crime and stealing in those more simple times. I’ve always jokingly said that not even a robber would come to my house to steal something; he would have to bring his own lunch. We had so very little.

One time mother and I had saved up enough nickels and dimes to buy a 24 pound sack of flour, which was a real treat because we usually had to eat corn bread. As I was riding home with my flour balanced across my horse, something happened I’ll never forget. A big piece of paper, propelled by that strong March wind, came flying across the road right in front of Bob, my horse. Bob got scared nearly to death and started bucking, jumping, whirling around in a circle, and somewhere in the process I went flying off and skidded to a halt on that gravel road. My sack of flour burst and mixed with the sand. With my shirt and pants torn, my flesh bleeding, I was lying there in the middle of my precious flour. I did not seem to have broken bones, but many cuts and bruises from the gravel.

In spite of all my pain I looked up to see Bob. Believe it or not he left me, went home and stood by the front porch hitching post. Mother saw I was not there and Bob refused to tell her anything about the activities. When I returned home to mother wounded, bleeding, and half dead, about the first thing she asked was, “Where is the flour?” I said, “Mother it’s a mile up the road mixed with blood and sand.” Some days it just doesn’t pay to get up, does it?

Surely the Lord kept me from having broken bones or maybe death that day. The psalmist David said in Psalm 103:1-2, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” The Lord has raised me up and saved my life in many ways and may times for which I give Him praise! He’s not only the God of our good times, but still God in the bad times.