Presented in chapel August 29, 2005
Place has a lot to do with who we are. I was born at a certain place in a certain time in history--in the early 50s, shortly after World War II. I was born on a farm in the thumb of Michigan, in the Midwest, in the United States. All of these things shaped who I am today.
The photo shows me at a young age, throwing an ear of corn over the fence to the hogs. We had hogs and one of my great delights as a young lad was taking a pail of ears of corn and throwing them over the fence and hitting hogs in strategic places and making them squeal.
Chores were a regular part of my life for as long as I can remember. As soon as I could walk I was hanging around the barn, doing things, sometimes getting in the way. I had regular chores, morning and evening, all the way through high school. They were part of the rhythm of life for me, part of why even now I value rhythm and routine. They contributed to the way I value work today.
My first experience of the presence of God
Our "new barn" was built in 1956. Seeing it reminds me of a story from my childhood and the first time that I can remember experiencing God in a first-hand way.
When I was four years old, we were sitting at the table at noon one day. A neighbor boy came running in and said, "There's smoke coming out of your barn." Mom ran to the phone to call the fire department. Dad and my brother, Wayne, ran out to the barn. My sisters started yelling and I remember being frightened.
People came right away. This was a big fire. Three fire departments helped fight the blaze but the barn was a total loss. I remember seeing my dad go into the barn, but I didn't see him come out. I crossed the barnyard and headed toward the barn to get my dad. I didn't know where he was. A neighbor stopped me and held me. He asked me, "Where are you going?" and I said, "I'm going to get Daddy." "No," he said. "Your Daddy is okay. Your Daddy is out." I kicked and yelled. But he took me to where Dad was and then I was okay. That evening I remember our family getting together and Dad leading us in prayer and I remember that being the first time that I sensed in some unknown yet tangible way God's presence with our family.
The fire and the loss of our barn was a formative experience in the life of our family and we still talk about that when we get together.