“The Many Reasons Why I Believe in God” Series
In my early years, before society’s influence got a hold of me, I often thought about God—as frequently as a child might think of anything interesting, fascinating, or beloved. When we reflect on our childhoods, a few things usually stand out more than others and bring heavy nostalgia. For me, it was the moments with my grandparents, my time at Greers Ferry Lake, Baseline Elementary School, and anything to do with God, church, and the Bible.
At Greers Ferry, it was the anticipation of opening gifts on Christmas morning, big Thanksgiving dinners with my favorite turkey dressing and pies, and then running off to play in the creek with my cousin Buckey. Easter egg hunts on my grandparents’ large land, swimming in the lake, and big family reunions. And I’ll never forget my best childhood friend, Dusty, my great-grandmother’s German Shepherd, who followed me everywhere when I went to the woods alone—it’s no wonder I remember those times and still cherish the moments decades later.
Much of my childhood was spent at Baseline Elementary School in Little Rock, Arkansas, five days a week for months. I learned and grew as a young girl there. I won first place in a spelling bee competition in third grade and first place in an art contest in fourth grade. I anticipated the Scholastic Book Fair every year in the library; I made a model of Crater Lake with my dad for a science project one year, and I remember I was called “teacher’s pet” every year from first through fifth grade. It wasn’t a great thing to be called, but I kind of liked it because it was true—I loved my teachers! I also experienced my first national tragedy at this school when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. I vividly recall sitting on the green-carpeted floor of a classroom with the rest of the school, all of us children glued to the television that had been wheeled into our view. Baseline Elementary, like Greer’s Ferry Lake, was a significant part of my life.
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