As a small child, every major occurrence seems like a life-or-death situation. As most children, we had our share of what we thought were horrible times where we felt as if we were being hung by a thread over a chasm deep enough to reach the bowels of the earth. Most of these were simply little inconveniences that we needed to work through.
Some of the things that happened to our family included coming home to find our basement flooded; getting called in the middle of the night to say that our boat had sunk, and numerous reports of accidents and health emergencies involving our extended family. Each time, we, as children, were often scared and confused.
In the depths of this fear and confusion, we would turn to Dad and ask: “What are we going to do?” Dad would reach into his past and calmly reply with a phrase he had heard years before and often repeated: “Just keep on going to Sunday School.” At the time, we neither understood nor appreciated this little bit of wisdom and often asked just what he meant.
In further explanation, Dad would tell us that, for the moment, we often could do nothing more than go on with life and trust God. Regardless of the situation, Dad would always look over the damage, consider the options, and go on with the best choice. I cannot remember Dad ever floundering for more than a few moments. I attribute this to his deep trust in God and an understanding that this life is short and everything here will pass.
For as long as I can remember, we went to Sunday School. Some of my earliest memories include the church we attended in Jonesboro, Arkansas until I was four years old. The special “aroma” of the church building had a savor that I’ve only smelled in other church buildings. I don’t think I remember much about the lessons that were taught during my first four years, but I do remember that I went to class and that the people around me loved me. And although I have not been back to Jonesboro in years, I know of at least one family there that would take me in as a son if I appeared on their doorstep.
Our family continued to go to Sunday School. And I have tried to keep that “tradition” going in my family as well. Because I know that it is through the understanding of God and his will for us that we can make our way through anything.
Often, we look around us and see that we are in dire straits, requiring seemingly impossible accomplishments to make it through. I may sometimes feel like giving up or screaming, or running away from it all. But deep inside, where it counts, I can hear Dad telling me in a whisper: “Just keep on going to Sunday School,” and I know that trusting in God, it will be all right.
