Sunday, July 27, 2014

A Childhood Memory and Perceptions

 

No Supper Tonight
 
With empty tummies, we climbed the chipped
linoleum steps. At the top of the stairs,
Mom gave our backsides a slight shove and stated,
“Get into bed; there will be no supper tonight.”
 
I spotted the picture of my brother and me as we
passed the bookshelf in the hallway,
and I wondered how things had gone so wrong.
 
 
In our bedroom, I ventured to the window; the sun was shining behind our big red barn. I stretched to catch a glimpse of the damaged fences, but it had happened on the other side of the barn.
 
I crawled into bed with my clothes on.

I was sweaty and my hands were dirty.
My jammies were downstairs in the bathroom....
hanging on my special hook.
I had never gone to bed in my clothes before.
Should I take my socks off?

Brother stared at me from his bed.  It was summer, but his covers were pulled up to his chin. We had nothing to say to each other.  I felt isolated from the world.  I tried closing my eyes.

Slowly, the room darkened as the sun did its evening thing, and there was a knock on the door. Dad came in with a tray: saltine crackers and two glasses of milk. He sat on the edge of the bed and helped us drink the milk. We had never had milk in bed before. He helped us with our prayers, said nothing about the day’s events, patted us on the head, and left the room. I felt a little better.


 

What had we done?

Big brother, at five, decided to show me, his younger sister by thirteen months, how to drive the farm tractor. He pulled me up and showed me where to stand as he sat on the iron seat, stretched to shove in the clutch, and worked the throttle with his fingers.  Dad’s Oliver rumbled and came to life. Our excitement grew.
B5097.JPG - 1940 Oliver 70 row crop tractor , Straight six cylinder gas engine , 12V electric start with manual ...
 
As he released the clutch, the tractor catapulted across the farmyard. Chickens squawked, and the family dogs started barking.  My tiny fingers clutched the wheel well and the back of the tractor seat as we bounced along.  We hit a rut or two, and the monster took a different direction and headed straight for our massive barn.



Fences were flattened, and the barnyard cows kicked up their heels and fled to the corn fields as we blasted into the side of the barn and jolted to a stop—the tractor silenced.

My mother ran from the house screaming --apron strings flying.
Dad scrambled from the tool shed and  carefully lifted us down.

In a frenzy, Mother scurried us to the house making unintelligible sounds.  I’m not sure what the hurry was. Although speechless, we both could walk and apparently were uninjured.

Interestingly enough, the most vivid memory was going to bed with no supper. It hadn’t happened before. It never happened again.
 
Mom took this picture weeks later.
Notice who is in the driver's seat!





 


Perceptions
 
 
          My empty tummy, my parent's unusual behavior and feeling alone were my child-like perceptions.
          Looking back, my parents' perceptions were extremely different: fear of losing one or more children in a horrible accident.
          We view the world and situations differently as we age. Our perceptions change. Some of us mellow; some of us become more anxious. Does wisdom come with age?
          I'm relieved that as a child my memories were of an empty tummy and not the fear of death at age three.
          Life passes so quickly. I was reminded of this in church this morning. One of the pastor's sons had returned from over-seas. I remembered him as  fresh-faced little boy when they arrived as a family a couple of decades ago. Now, he is tall, whiskered, and visits with the other members of our church--adult to adult. Yesterday's couples with high-school aged children are now the revered members who stay seated throughout the service--the getting up and down being too difficult for their aging bodies.
          Someone said, "The only thing we can be sure of is change."
          Change is inevitable.
          But there is something that does not change and that is God's unconditional and unfailing love for each of us.
           Although we are directed by God to have a child-like faith, our perceptions of ourselves and our faith need to mature as we are the living image of God in His kingdom. We have responsibilities because of who we are.  Through study of his Word, loving your neighbor, God will reveal His love to us more each day.

This is a blessing.
 
 
May your perceptions
of the almighty God
and his love for you
bring you joy and peace.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Saturday, July 12, 2014

Chilling Out In Alaska



In the beginning
God created the heavens and the earth.
 




If you have never been to Alaska, you need to go--
the sooner, the better.

 
And God said, "Let there be an expanse between
the waters...
Let the waters under the sky
be gathered to one place,
and let dry ground appear."
And it was so.
 
If you have never read Genesis, you need to read it--
it is the book of beginnings.
 
Without Genesis our knowledge of a creating God
would be pitifully limted....
    Henrietta Mears
 

 

 
 
When in Alaska, it came to me that this may have been
what the world looked like when God first created it.
There are places where there are no
 telephone or electrical wires, no houses--
Just nature at its best: the various greens, shifting clouds,
the aqua blue water, flying eagles, the ocassional bear,
a moose with a young one, and rivers teeming with salmon.
 




 

While the men fished for salmon,
I walked....


 
 



...and looked and listened...
rippling waters, the wind in the trees.
 
 
Be still
and know
that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
 
 
I visited the quaint, little shops, ventured into the library.....
 



 



 
and tried not to miss the beauty of ordinary things..wild flowers...
 


a former sled dog... needing a friend...
 


 
a birthday celebration....
 
 
 
Being still means stopping, relaxing, "chilling out."
When we behold God's magnificent creation--
a mountain top, a double rainbow, a simple flower, the ones you love--
we feel joy and a confidence that God works things out.
 
We are finite.
God is infinite.
Therefore....
 
 
 
Give praise!
... and book that Alaska trip.
 

View 0628142145a.jpg in slide show
 
 
 
Nature's Creed
I believe in the brook, as it wanders from hillside into glade.
I believe in the breeze, as it whispers when evening shadows fade.
I believe in the roar of the river, as it dashes from high cascade.
I believe in the cry of the tempest amid the thunder's cannonade.
I believe the light of shining stars; I believe in the sun and the moon.
I believe in the flash of lightning; I believe in the night bird's croon.
I believe in the faith of flowers; I believe in the rock and sod.
For in all of these appeareth clear, the handiwork of God.
    Anonymous