Molly's Zone

  (March 1935: Lincoln County, West Virginia)   Birthdays are a special time in our family. The past seven months were quite an adventure for us as a family. We never forgot the Lord’s faithfulness throughout life and its rocky roads. We were especially grateful for the love of family and friends. The Great Depression was at its worst, but we weren’t wanting for anything. I long looked forward to my sixteenth birthday, and today was the day. I was ready for whatever great adventure came my way. Frank and I had grown quite close as friends and decided we wanted to be together. Frank has taught me to not be afraid of living life to the fullest. He’s the sweetest, most compassionate guy I’ve jever known. His love has been one of my greatest blessings. You just never can tell what surprises he might have up his sleeve. Mama and my sisters put together a little birthday dinner for me at the house. Frank, Mr. Lemaster, and his brothers all came. It was crowded in our tiny shack, b...

                                      (May 1934: Lincoln County,West Virginia)   The way Jesus started workin’ in my life was unlike anything I had ever seen before; the last seven months filled with so much goodness in our family. A new beginning brought us closer together, even though nothing would stay the same. I was still struggling to find my peace. My heart still felt torn. Even so, I knew and trusted that Jesus was with me. I knew He would always be that solid anchor for me.   The sun started to set as I headed back into the house. There’s something about fresh air and farmland that is soothing. I still enjoyed havin’ time to myself. As I said, things were changing in our family: Della married a couple of months ago. She was never too far away, while my brothers, other sisters, and I were gettin’ older. We had lots of new friends around.   The Lord was dealing with me an...

                                                          (Lincoln County,WV:October 1933)     The brightness and warmth from the sunrise always caught my attention. Another year of seasons passed by too fast and life was always changing. I never grew tired of fresh air and the chance to think about life. Mama made sure to remind us daily that the Lord would take care of all our needs. Despite all our blessings, something in me felt broken. I wasn’t sure if anyone could mend my heart. I needed someone to listen.   The sunrise finished coming up, its brightness blinding my eyes. I could hear mama praying inside. She was a true soldier of faith. There was never a time that she wasn’t praying for all of us kids. The courage she kept throughout every battle amazed me. I hoped that ...

                                                 ( Lincoln County, West Virginia: September 1932)   The one-year mark of daddy’s passing had come and gone by much too fast. September rolled in as usual but nothing about life felt familiar anymore. I wasn’t at all sure how we as a family survived such a loss. It was the prime time for harvesting crops and daddy’s favorite time of the year. His death created such an empty space within our family; the memories of him were now bittersweet.  Everything had changed. Whenever I needed a reminder to keep going forward, all I had to do was remember my mama’s words:   “I want to tell y’all somethin’, the Lord will take care of us. Things will be harder around here, but we have to trust Him.”   Those challenging words proved to be a harder task than we thought.  “I need you all to help out m...

                                            Lincoln County, West Virginia: August 1931)   My dad worked harder than anyone else I knew. Life on the farm wasn’t easy, but he always wore a smile through the most tiring of days. Daddy always kept his joy, and never wanted us to feel ashamed of who we were. He never made a big deal over small incidents. This was why I knew something was wrong and had been for the past three months. He grew more tired with each passing day and developed a nasty cough, which I had never heard before.   As I woke up on that hot summer morning, I could see Daddy tucked in bed, with mama rearranging the covers. She looked worried. I could feel my heart pounding. Della, the oldest of us, strolled past me and headed over to where mama was. Their conversation lasted several minutes. Mama leaned over, placed a reassuring kiss on Daddy’s cheek, and ...

                                        Lincoln County, West Virginia (May 1931)   “Melda, come inside before your supper gets cold!” A familiar voice echoed from the shack several feet away. I was somewhat of a daydreamer. I liked to come outside in the evenings to sit and ponder over life, well, as much as you could for a twelve-year-old. There ain’t much to do around here. If you’re looking for country living, then I suppose these parts are somewhere you’d want to be. West Virginia is a beautiful place. I’ve grown up on what’s called a poor farm, where farmland stretches as far as the eye can see. Everybody works on the land to keep roofs over their heads. Daddy drives the school wagon, while mama takes care of all ten of us kids. My older brothers help tend to the farm, but us girls help mama with all the housekeeping, cooking, and washing. I’ve been learning to sew. It’s my favo...