The Eighteen Wheeler Philosopher

Miracle

By Mel Hanson, The Eighteen Wheeler Philosopher

What many take for granted every day, some took, prayed for, and saw every day!  A miracle.

Talking with my Dad the other morning, I told him about the book I've been listening to.  It is about Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Dad's commanding general in the Pacific Theater during WWII.

The only slightly negative comment I've heard my Dad say about MacArthur was in relation to his comment to the Philippines: "I shall return." My Dad was one of the very first to hit the beach on Luzon in the retaking of the Philippines. "I was there getting my $&@ constantly shot at two weeks before he waded ashore!" he'd say. Dad is now 92+ yrs old and has a harder time with the everyday happenings of life, but he'd take anyone to task if they bad mouthed his General!

During our conversation, he started to tell me again about his best friend, John Scott (Chillicothe, Ohio, died 4-5 years ago.) 

Scotty, as Dad always refers to him, as both of them were Sergeants of 30 cal machine gun squads that served side by side with each other.  Scotty always claimed to be an Atheist and chided my Dad about his faith, and belief in God until the first time they came under intense Japanese machine gun and mortar fire while sharing a foxhole, during which Dad looked over and saw ol Scotty on his knees, hands clasped together and praying as loud and fast as he could!

Dad said,"From that second on and throughout the rest of the war and his life Scotty believed in God and wasn't ashamed to be seen or heard praying!"

I asked my Dad, “Did you pray Dad?”

"As much as I could during the day while getting shot at and during the evening while trying to fight off Banzai attacks!"

I asked again, "What did you pray for Dad?"

He was silent for 10-15 seconds, I've never asked my Dad if he prayed during the war before and began to wonder if I had overstepped my bounds,but he held my gaze, then he said to me in a quiet, reverent tone, "Well my son I'll tell ya! At first, I prayed for the usual things, like the way and for the things you grow up praying for as a young kid.  I soon found out there simply wasn't enough time for drawn-out prayers, and because of the things that I'd seen, and did, to save my men's lives along with my own at times I even wondered if maybe ol Scotty was right about there being no God. But my Mother raised me right. I knew/know there is a God.”

“My constant prayer was very simple and short! I asked God for just one more miracle!, one more day for all my men and myself and thanked Him for getting us through the day and night we just had because it truly was a miracle we made it!"

I'm thankful that the Lord heard, and answered, my Hero's simple prayer for just one more day at a time!