I feel like I am so far behind that there is no way that I can catch up. But, I will try. It will have to be like eating an elephant, I will take it one bite at a time.
Our story, or my story for now, will have to start with a little background. I am 32 years old, and a born again Christian. That being said, I will share the long road it took to get to this place I am at now.
If you did your math right, you would have guessed that I was born around 1980. I was the first born child to John (Eddie) and Susan Giles. We lived in a very small community called Pearson, AR. We lived next door to Charlie and Marie Todd, who were my grandparents on my mothers side. They had a fairly large farm, and raised chickens and Polled Hereford cattle. It was a very simple kind of life there. It was also a very poor life. Farmers didn't make it as well as they did in the past. Everything was going to the giant farmers, and the little guys were getting left behind. I loved it though. It was a free life. I enjoyed the ability to roam as I wanted.
My earliest memory was just that, me roaming. I was not quite 3 years old at the time, and apparently I liked my freedom even then. One day I set out on an adventure in the wooded areas of grandpas farm. Me and my dog Poochie. You might be wondering how I knew that I wasn't quite 3 yet? Well I am almost exactly 3 years older than my brother and sister, and I know that mom was pregnant with them when this all happened. Anyway, back to my adventure. I remember that I just liked to walk and check things out, however on this day I went a little too far from the house. It was about 2-3 miles away. I was really enjoying the stroll, with Poochie by my side. That dog hardly left my side back then. Well I remember getting lost, and coming up on an open field of the neighbors. Mr Sartain was out there on his tractor feeding hay to his cattle. I stood and watched him for a while and then he noticed me. He stopped his tractor and came over to talk to me. I remember he asked me if I was lost, and I answered yes. He then told me to turn around and go back exactly the way I came. So I did. The only problem is I didn't know which way that was. The woods all looked the same. On a side note, my mother says that Mrs Sartain really got in to him for not taking me home. After all a three year old shouldn't be that far from home alone right. Anyhow, I was wandering around in the woods. I had no concept of time, I was just looking for my way. Mom says that I was out there for quite a few hours, before I eventually made my way out. I remember my dad honking his horn on his 1967 Ford Ranger truck. It had a unique sound. It's almost like I can still hear it today. I heard it that day and began to follow that sound until I made it back to the truck. Oh the spanking I got that day was horrible, however the hug I received was tremendous.
Looking back now I realize why I remember that event, even when most people can't remember much before the age of 5. The outcome of that day set stage for things that were to come next. It almost is the perfect metaphor for my life story. I see now that I was wandering a lot in my spiritual life. I would not let anything stop me from searching for that fulfillment in life, whatever it was. You know that desire to fill a hole in you that you aren't quite sure what goes there, but you know that you need to fill it.
I searched for 27 years before I found it, and I would like to share my journey with you. I will tell you this, it's not a pretty story, but it is my story, and I want to tell it. Keep posted, and I will continue writing as often as I can. Hopefully I will get caught up to the current day soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment