Remembering My Home Town

Sergeant Joe Friday of the TV show of yesteryear Dragnet always began his story, "This is the city." And anyone familiar with Sergeant Friday and Dragnet knows the name of that city. I even had my residence near there in a suburb for 15 years. But this piece I am writing here is my story about my town; I cannot begin this story as Joe Friday started his because my city is barely a city; it's not exactly LA. It's not quite a town even; it's more like a village, but I will identify it as "one neighborhood." So then, this is the neighborhood – my neighborhood – the environment of my youth and the contribution to my growth.

I could put it this way perhaps: my town is situated halfway between the first and second Burma Shave signs. The most impressive landmark likely to be remembered is a considerable large inland body of standing water called a lake. Perhaps remembered more so than the stagnant pond located about a block down the street from where I lived.

That lake, however, was where I spent the majority of my hot summer days growing up. It was there also, as well as that stagnant pond that the frozen water became the center of attention for the ice skating enthusiasts during the winter months.

My town then is (or was) indeed known as a year-round fun spot; during the summer season my town comes alive (sort of). On the Fourth of July, the whole county (sort of) comes to my town for the celebration and the big parade. In the summer the amusement park draws large crowds (sort of). Although not much of a park, it has been billed as "Ohio's Family Playground," and such it is (or was) too. But I suppose it served its purpose in its time.

When most people talk about their towns, they may boast of their skyscrapers, their subway trains, and their variety of entertainment happening every night. My town has none of those.

There are no tall buildings to scratch the surface of God's blue sky and no pollution machines contaminating the air as they race up and down the streets charging and discharging its passengers, getting them where they want to get to and back.

My town boasts (or did) of one used car dealer, two service stations to service the cars that people purchased from the used car dealer.

My town boasts (or did) two grocery stores, and a third, a post office, a fire department (volunteer), and a police force (sort of).

This town, where I grew up, is my kind of town (sort of) because it's (or was) my town. It is situated about 30 miles south of the hurry and scurries of the great metropolis of Cleveland, and about 20 miles west of the hustle and bustle of Akron.

If anyone ever gets up that way, visiting the Lake, please accept my invitation and drop in. However, since I'm no longer there don't take me literally. (Nevertheless, perhaps you’ll find a neighborly resident still there who will be glad to give you a tour.) My town, the artifacts remaining, is now historic Chippewa Like, Ohio.

I lived in Chippewa Lake, Ohio, from early childhood through high school. I then joined the Air Force. And that began my transient life -- from Ohio to Texas, to Florida, to South Carolina. Later, to Pasadena, California, and then back to South Carolina.

From Ohio, God brought me out of my old life way back when. Roundabout my travels, God brought me to Columbia, South Carolina, to Bible college, where my life has been renewed to the greater and more purposeful ambition. My parents' passing, my home in Chippewa Lake had then been dissolved. I since remained in Columbia after graduating from college. Hence my new home town is now Columbia, South Carolina, living there and serving Jesus (Yeshua), my Lord and Savior (Adonai and Messiah) in the greater cause for Elohim's glory.