I SAW Him First!

I was born on his 20th birthday. For that reason, he was the hero of my 2-year-old life. It didn't matter to me that he was stationed with the US Air Force in London as a radio man during WWII. It just mattered to me that he was my uncle and his name was Lawrence and I was born on his birthday. I loved him sight unseen. (This picture was taken in 1943, the year I was born.)

At my first glimpse of him, I knew him immediately! He came home from the war without letting anyone know when he was going to arrive. He wanted to surprise his Mom and Dad -- and he DID.

But I SAW him first. I was in the big, blue bedroom upstairs in my grandparents' home (Grampie Ellery and Grammie Muriel). Just as I looked out one of the windows, I saw a car pull up to the mouth of the driveway and a man in uniform stepped out. Instantly I recognized him from his pictures. MY UNCLE LAWRENCE!

I started to shout as I ran down over the stairs and to the shed door: "Uncle Lawrence is HERE!" My mother and my grandmother yelled, "Come back here!" But I kept running. I wasn't used to disobeying, but even Mama and Grammie weren't going to keep me from running to my Uncle Lawrence. They yelled, "Where are you going? Uncle Lawrence isn't out there!" I threw my words over my shoulder, "Yes he is!" And I outran my beloved caretakers on the swiftest feet I could muster.

By the time I got to him, he was about half-way down the driveway. I ran wildly toward his smiling face and outstretched arms with absolutely NO fear at all. They had shown me lots of pictures of him and his face was dear to me.

Certainly as soon as my Mom and my Grandmother rounded the end of the house, they saw that I was right. I suppose they saw him scoop me up in his arms to hold me over his head. He held me aloft, looking into my eyes and laughing. I'll never forget that moment. His face said it all! He loved me as much as I loved him. It was love even BEFORE first sight!

I remember nothing else about that home-coming. Surely it was a blessing beyond words to my mother -- her brother was home safe and alive from all the bombings of London! My grandparents, my aunt and the rest of the family must have bowed their heads and thanked the LORD for his safe return.

Well, that was our first laugh together, but far from the last. What a fun-loving uncle. He is 87 now and very ill. He is getting ready to go and live with the dear LORD that he loves. If he is in Heaven before I am, I wonder if he will see me coming when it is my turn to go home? Maybe HE will see me coming and come running to meet ME and greet me to my "forever home". It's something wonderful to speculate about.

Oh, you might want to know that somebody else shares our birthday. Lindsey Longstaff -- my cousin and his grandaughter -- shares July 2nd with us. All three of us think that is special. Neat, isn't it?

Note added: This is Uncle Lawrence with Lindsey at their birthday celebration 7-2-10. He turned 87 that day and it was to be their last birthday together. Uncle Lawrence left for his eternal home in Glory on November 1. We will miss his dear and smiling face and his quick wit.