Covenant Church

It is etched in my mind that day long ago. I was but a lad of 13. My fancy was a young girl named Suzie. Oh I thought she was pretty and kind. There were no thoughts of marriage. It was just young infatuation. My hope was that she would notice me. She would pay attention. She would say something to me that she would not say to any other 13 year-old boy.

Well, in the spirit of those days, with the permission of her parents, I was allowed to visit Susie at her home. It was a most momentous occasion. My first experience.

With all preparations to look my best I walked to her home. The white picket fence was no obstruction to this bold enterprise. I opened the gate and proceeded towards the front door.

The romantic venture was frightingly interrupted by a Collie dog that sensed an invader. I lost the confrontation when the Collie sunk his tenth firmly into the flesh of the front of my left leg.

The commotion that followed included Suzie's dad, a medical doctor, insisting that I should come into their home, drop my pants and allow him to medically examine the wound. Can you imagine the chagrin, embarrassment, horrific consternation of 13 year-old frame being revealed to the daddy of the girl I had just come to court?!

While the dog did some damage, I did not die. However, that romance ended right there. Dead as a doornail. I never called on Suzie again, though I have remained friends with the family.

Recently I had occasion to pass through and visit with Suzie's Aunt and her mother. Her Aunt has been a Presbyterian prayer warrior for me for 50 years. Both the Aunt and Suzie's mom were in a hospital.

The granddaughter of the Aunt walked with me to the room of Suzie's mother. I had time to tell her about the courtship that ended with a dog bite. We entered the room for a reunion that had not happened since Suzie and I were in the 8th grade. We had been classmates along with the Aunt's son, Billie.

After exchanging cordialities I reminded Suzie of the dog bite that ended our romance. For me this was the closure of the story.

To my surprise Suzie responded, "Harold, I just do not remember your interest in me!"

Well, now, hear me, this was a devastating moment for me to realize that I had lived for almost 50 years thinking that Suzie would be regretting her dog biting me. Wondering what her future might have been if that Collie had not attacked. Wondering what if.

Instead, she did not even remember.

"Mercy, Suzie," I said, "Way to let me down. You do not even remember. You could have at least pretended. You could have made up some story. Now I am left with the knowledge that my first great infatuation did not even register on the Richter Scale!"

I was humbled. Not really. We had a good laugh.

Then I considered. I wondered how many things we remember that others who were present at the same time do not remember, or their version is so different folks would wonder if both were at the same place.

My in-laws would take trips together. When they told of their experiences Laila, My True Love (I hope she remembers me), and I would ask my in-laws if they were on the same boat?

I wonder how many times the Lord has shown his love towards us and we do not remember. I wondered how many times others have cared for and loved us and we do not remember.

A little bit of humility is a good thing. Probably more humility is better. It is difficult to have too much!

Food for thought,

Pastor Bare

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. “
1 Peter 5:4-7