Walter's Grandmother Feeding the Chickens

This is an old picture of Martha (Fink) Lowry, Walter's maternal grandmother, probably taken in the 1920's in West Virginia. Can you guess why it is a favorite photo of mine? In her later years, Walter's grandmother Martha, mostly confined to bed because of a heart condition, lived with his family. Walter remembers her darning their socks and reading her Bible. He knows that her prayers for him brought him to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Walter can tell you the story of a particular experience when he was a little boy living in Derwood, Maryland. One winter day he was upstairs with his grandmother when a fire broke out in the downstairs of the house. His grandma sent him down the stairs to check out the smell of smoke. When he opened the stairway door, smoke poured up the stairs. He reported that to his grandma, who took him by the hand to walk him back down the stairs to get out of the house. On the way Walter got separated from his grandma. She safely exited the house without him. Everyone wondered, "Where is Walter?" They feared he was still in the burning house. But Walter later emerged and does not know to this day how he got out. He just remembers the overwhelming smoke.

Walter's story always reminds me of a similar instance in the life of young John Wesley in England! Have you ever read the life story of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism? That's a worthwhile read.