SnapShots
We deny many things but the saddest thing we deny is our Heavenly Father, the very thing that would make us whole.
On my Facebook feed I receive snapshots and short bios on soldiers, mostly from WWII but also from other wars—for instance, WWI, Korean, Vietnam, and more as well. Their stories are amazing to read.
At this time I’m rewriting on my second book in the Ebenezer series, but in the last fifteen years, I’ve continued to work on several different stories. In the first book If I Should Die, I reached back into the Main Character’s past to his stint in the Vietnam war.
But much of the fascination with the war years began with another story I’ve been working on labeled as “Gene’s Story”. That book deals with a young orphan boy growing up during the Great Depression, and of course, his name is Gene.
I do enjoy research and no story of that era is complete without WWII and its legacy. Many refer to that generation as The Greatest Generation in terms of their accomplishments, their grit, and their determination.
It does take uncommon courage to charge into a battle knowing that it will probably be the last thing on this earth you will do. There were others who were not on the front lines as soldiers who were heroic and there were men and women who filled those shoes.
It was during the research for Gene’s Story I came across such organizations as SOE, and people such as LC Wade. SOE was begun as a British undercover organization birthed at the beginning of England’s battle. They trained agents to infiltrate France and Europe to stymie the advance of the German army.
I came across LC Wade partly because my main character Gene’s last name was Wade and I hoped I could connect some dots.
LC Wade was born in 1915 in Broaddus, Texas, a small farming community. He is touted as a ‘muleskinner’ from Texas but he wanted to fly. He’s a poor kid who joined FDR’s youth program the WPA, but found he was assigned to drive mules…but he still wanted to fly airplanes.
He tried to get into flying in the USA to no avail. He went to Canada, made up some wild story about his father training pilots in France during WWI and they accepted him. He became one of England’s most highly decorated flying ace pilots.
His history was fascinating—research, that’s why I enjoy it. So many people and they all have a story. But more than stories research shows much more than that. It shows that the big story, the one we used to call His-story is woven throughout time.
People are as a whole deniers. Folks seek everywhere for the things that will make them whole. We deny many things but the saddest thing we deny is our Heavenly Father, the very thing that would make us whole.
Psalms 68:
3 But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God: Yea, let them rejoice with gladness.
4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: Cast up a highway for him that rideth through the deserts; His name is Jehovah; and exult ye before him.
5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, Is God in his holy habitation.
6 God setteth the solitary in families: He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity; But the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
