BLESSED BE THE FOUNTAIN
BLESSED BE THE FOUNTAIN
1942 We moved in a trailer to Watertown, MA - outside of Boston MA. Here I am at 9 almost 10. We moved just before Christmas, with the Christmas Tree already up, and I remember how hard it was when we were traveling INSIDE the trailer, to go to our new place.
Dad was working on Construction, which meant moving a lot. Mother did well in teaching me, but I had lots of questions. My little brother would be 6 in November. We spent a lot of time together.
Skip and I played a lot together, and because we moved so much, he would find in me his support and help. There was a River there.
There was a river there. Our trailer was parked on a vacant lot,
we had no utilities, and it was not directly in the city. Skip (Harry) and I would scramble up the hill back of our trailer, and we played in the woods and the large TREE. Pretending we were
Tarzan and Jane, we were happy. I remember that Skip saw a swing - from the tree - and wanted to get on it - I thought he should not do that, but he persuaded me. Then I remember telling him
"HOLD ON TIGHT" I all of a sudden SAW HOW HUGE THAT RIVER WAS and thought, OH DEAR ! What if he falls into it?
I knew I had to get him off that swing. So I remember thinking, Please, God, don't let him fall. Get him back safe." I waited until he came close and then I told him, "you must get off, now !" He was not happy with that. He did what I said. I took another look at the River and thought - God helped us. He listened. Skip is alright.
At nine years of age, I was "a little mother" to my brother.
He liked to play cars, and to pretend. It was not easy.
It must have been summer when that photo was taken, for we would have no school then. I remember how E M P T Y my heart was for having a REASON behind my life, and WHY ? WAS I BORN ?
I remembered what Mother had said to me at age three. "When you grow up and find out WHO God is, I want you to tell me and then I will believe too."
So let me reflect on that a moment.
When I was Five years old, my Aunt Althea took me to church. It was the First Baptist Church in Adams, MA. It was 1938 when I was five years old. It was EASTER. And so I clearly remember, Mother speaking to me, before I went, that she wanted me to listen and learn, and tell HER what I found out.
First Baptist Church,
Adams, MA
still looks the same today as it did then.
Notice the four windows in front.
That was the NURSERY where I went on that Easter Sunday morning so long ago. I remember my expectation of a STORY...but all I saw was a lady on the floor helping a little boy build with the blocks. Other children were coming in. One child sitting in a small rocker with a doll. I decided, "that is not what I want to do." I was looking FOR A STORY.
Well. All of a sudden I stopped, and looked at something
right between each of those four windows.
three pictures taped to the wall - of THE LORD JESUS.
Now you understand, I did not know who Jesus was, but
I knew Mother had said the stories would be about Him.
So I looked and it was like I was in
a CLOSED ROOM SHINING AND GLOWING
WITH THE PICTURES TO LOOK AT,
I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING
I ONLY SAW THE PICTURES.
THERE WERE 12 OF THESE PICTURES.
I do not know much else.
I remember them.
The first was this one.
It was as if there was A HUSH WITHIN ME
AS I LOOKED AT THESE PICTURES.
I STOOD AT IT LOOKING, WONDERING
THEN WENT ON TO THE NEXT.
Mary was going somewhere. And I knew she was
expecting a Baby.
These pictures are not the same as the ones
I saw that day, but they were similar.
I knew from the Christmas Songs that this was Baby Jesus who was born so long ago.
The Second Window had three more pictures.
I saw the Shepherds worshipping the Baby,
and knew from the Christmas Songs that they had been
told by the Angel that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
There was Jesus, with the Wise Men who had come a long way to worship Him.
Here I knew somehow it was young Jesus
Now I turned and went to the spot between the second and third window.
I saw Jesus being baptized by someone. I did not know at that time who John was, but the pictures were telling me it was Jesus who was here being baptized.
I knew Jesus was in this photo calling for followers.
Here is a picture I drew of the painting that I saw in Jesus with the children. I remember looking at the picture a long time.
So now I was at the last panel of three pictures.
He made the blind to see.
Jesus on the Cross died. I pondered on that.
on the road to Emmaus
This picture held me in its grip
Last of all, this picture
I KNEW HE ROSE TO HEAVEN.
I KNEW THAT WAS JESUS WHO
HAD COME AS A BABY
WAS NOW GOING TO HEAVEN.
Then
S U D D E N L Y
DddddddinnnnnNNNG !
SUNDAY SCHOOL BELL JUST RANG
voice
talking some child crying blocks noisily being put away.
The holy hush and quiet that had wrapped me in it
was
gone.
I saw my Aunt Althea come to get me.
Or was it Grandma?
I do not know.
I only know that I knew God had visited me
in those pictures.
When I got home, Mother asked me,
June, What did you learn today?
I said, Mother, I do not know, but it seems like God has sent Jesus to tell me about Him, and when I grow up I will understand it better. I want to be like Him.
This was my Aunt Althea who took me to church that day.
At 95 she still lives in Savoy MA and is in touch with me.
I will never forget that day when I went on Easter Sunday to the First Baptist Church in Adams, MA.
It may have been my Grandmother who took me that day, I
only remember that I was so glad I went.
At five years of age, I knew somehow
that WHEN I GREW UP
I would KNOW HIM.
June Estelle Donato
was my name.
This was my Graduation Picture in 1951.
I found Christ as a girl at age 11 1/2.
That will be my next post.
bye for now.
The blood of Jesus Christ
washes away
all sin
completely
and
forever
I am washed
and made clean.
Jesus said, in John chapter 14,
"He that seeth me, hath seen the Father,"
I have placed my trust in the Living One
who came and humbled Himself
to become a Baby, grow up,
show us The Light, and
saved us by His death, burial and resurrection
from the dead !
He is alive.
He is coming again.
I am waiting,
looking,
trusting,
in Him.
