SHE STILL HAS TIME TO WRITE----------------------------------------
The S t o r y Beh i nd a Co l umn
A bout a year ago we received a rather fascinating letter from a woman in Roanoke, Va. Her name was Althea Miller. She said she was a pastor’s wife, mother of eight children and in her spare time she Wrote. Would we be interested in seeing some of her writing? We would. We are always interested in seeing anyone’s writing. In due. course of time along came several short articles entitled Under the Parsonage Roof. We liked them. Arrangements were made and now this month (see column on the right) we bring to you the first in a monthly series. Let us know if you like this new feature. About herself Mrs. Miller writes: “ I’m the wife of a Brethren pastor (Ghent Brethren Church, Roanoke) and I run to keep up with him. The mother of eight regular kids, I have discovered that rear ing them isn’t exactly a Sunday school picnic. Housekeeping I love, but cooking—don’t ask me; see friend husband about that. “Bom the first time in Philadelphia, I thank God for the par ents He gave me. My second birthday was in the First Brethren Church at Philadelphia when I was eight and how I praise the Lord for the sound Bible teaching I’ve had from a child. “When I answered the call of God for full-time service, my parents gladly helped me on to further training in college at a time when this was a real sacrifice for them. “What the future holds till our blessed Lord comes for His own I cannot tell, other than lots of hard work as I help mold and shape the lives of eight little Millers. I -hope to go on writing in those spare moments and someday if it please the Lord, my husband and I hope to collaborate on writing a really worth while book. We need some more experience in living to do so.”
Lo v e and F r u i t » ear Jesus, bless Dotty Lou. She’s sweet. I like her. Bless Aunt Dot, too. She makes good apple sauce.” One would think that by the time child No. 6 is 4% years old, Mother would be braced for any kind of prayer or announcement at prayer time coming from her off-spring. But such is not the case. This prayer by Paul Kent threw her off balance. Her laughter was so close to tears that one could hardly be distinguished from the other. It seems that children,— or is it just children?—hold adults in re gard on the basis of what is done for them. The loaves and fishes determine many a friendship. Mother is convinced that most of her little ones, as well as some of the larger children, are 90% stomach! What an item food is, especially these days. And an apple in any form is a way to Kent’s heart. Perhaps at his age it is too much to expect Kent to love an Aunt Dot or any other soul just for her own sweet self. Such an appreciation comes with experi ence and years. In looking around, however, one sees Christians who should be ma ture in spiritual development who are far from the goal. If they were to be judged by their fruit they seem to love God for the loaves and fishes from His. hand. As long as life is fairly comfortable and rosy they go on in their usual ways, ending in a rut. Just as soon as the trials come they blame God and think He no longer loves them because the loaves and fishes are no longer plentiful. Oh, to love God in Christ for Himself alone! “ Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (test ing) : for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12).
Mom, Dad and eight young Millers
49
A U G U S T 1 9 5 3
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter