I have several memories of playing on the front porch, at the Homeplace, as a kid.

Of course, it wasn't as large or as fancy as it is now, nor did we have things called "porch furniture" to sit on, back then. We kids just sat on the old wooden floor.

The rafters were rough and unpainted, and there was no finished ceiling... just a few weather-beaten boards laid over the dark beams, more for storage than trying to fashion a ceiling.

I remember one hot summer afternoon, a playmate and I were sitting on the porch and for some reason, I looked up above my head and saw a grey, round thing sticking out over the edge of the board.

Thinking it was a piece of pipe one of the men folk had placed up there, I went on playing with the little neighbor girl. Yet, I kept looking up at the pipe every so often, just to see if it was still there. Oddly enough, it made me uneasy, although I didn't say anything to my friend.

As our playtime progressed, she jumped down off the porch into the yard for something. I asked her to look up and see if that was a pipe over my head.  When she looked up, she started to scream, "It's a snake!" Well, I was off that porch in a jiffy, also screaming.

Several adults came running, and when they pulled the snake down, it turned out to be a poisonous Copperhead!

Ahhh, sweet country memories of childhood!

A strong faith in God was already taking root in my young soul in 1950, as well as the first baby steps in learning how to sense the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life. He was warning me of danger, but I didn't realize it was the Lord's prompting. So until the threat was finally seen, God had kept the snake still, until help came.

From that day forward, I learned to pay attention to those inward urgings. This gift has been more developed in my adult life, and I stop and listen when I feel the Holy Spirit speaking to my heart-ear.

When we invite Jesus into our heart, He literally indwells our soul, and is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and is our ever present help in times of trouble! Even if we are but a six year old child.

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Pastor Moser
July 20, 2002