Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

Miriam. Toward the end of the meal, I placed the two chocolateson the table and put a strawberry on top of each.“Daddy! Daddy!” the children exclaimed.“When you have finished your meal, you can have the sweets,”I said.Peter ate his meal and claimed his prize. At that, Miriam stretchedher arms out crying, “Eh... Eh... Me! Me! Me!”“You will sit in that chair and when you’ve finished your meal,”I said, “Daddy will give you the chocolate and the strawberry.”Miriam began to cry. She puffed and kicked and struggled andthen began to scream.“When you’ve eaten your crusts, Daddy will give you your chocolateand your strawberry.” I had given my word she couldn’tcome down out of the chair and have her treat until she finishedher meal, and now I found that my words, which tied my littlegirl to the chair, also tied me to the chair. The Bible says, “…letyour yea be yea; and your nay, nay…” (James 5:12), and I knewGod was tying me to the baby chair as well as my little girl.I never dreamed how long I’d be tied to that baby chair. Miriamscreamed and kicked for an eternity — which must have lasted 45minutes. I continued to tell her, “After you finish your crusts, youcan come out of the chair and have your chocolate and strawberry.My mother came to see us during this upheaval. She was appalled.“I never did this to you! You are cruel, Arthur. Oh, youare cruel!”into her situation, never enjoying crusts so much in all my life, Ilearned not to be hasty in speaking a word that I wasn’t preparedto fulfill. I also learned that even as I am the father of mychild, God is my father. When God speaks, His own Word bindsHim. But once my will is broken, He will enter my situation whereHe picks up the heavy end of my burden.1943. Sentenced to PrisonWhen our government mobilized all the men into military service,I received an ultimatum to join with the others. Appearing81