The local family members gathered Monday evening for a spontaneous fried chicken dinner on the deck for Memorial Day. It was nice and cool out there and I love to eat outside whenever I can. The birds had been fairly quiet that evening, probably because we were talking so much. When we'd tried to tell Mom what an Indigo Bunting sounded like (we have tons of them here) my brother pulled an app for a sample. The next thing we knew all the birds in the woods were getting a bit agitated and I can tell you that the closest Indigo flew right over our heads several times before landing on a bird feeder pole on the edge of the deck. He was so close and very beautiful. Everyone said "Don't move" at the same time (too funny)!
So that was fun. Next we pulled up the Cardinal sounds. Lo and behold, here comes a curious Red Bird after flitting from one side of the yard to the other, scoping us out. He also landed on a feeder pole to see what was up! Needless to say, we sat like stones watching him for a while.
We did have a lot of fun. Of course, like most country folks, it doesn't take a lot to make us happy. I can remember when Daddy was farming happiness was taking a break for a few moments in the cool of a shade tree with a luke-warm Coca Cola and a pack of nearly stale Nab crackers!
Lately I've been trying to see what memories I still have from when I was very little. My earliest memory is when we went to the hospital to pick up Mom and my new baby brother. I remember leaning over the seat to gaze on the little fellow in the front seat of the car. Of course back then there were no car seats, lap belts or even head rests. We lived in dangerous times then and didn't have the good sense to know it!
Another early memory is of our swing set. Bro and I used to see how high we could swing and say "Beat you to Jesus!" and the other would say, "No, I'll beat You to Jesus first!" as we went higher and higher, which wasn't very high at all. I like this memory because it tells me that Jesus has been part of who I am since the very beginning.
One more, from when I was old enough to ride my bicycle down to the church (and through those curves to boot)! That was back when the church was unlocked and I'd go there to play the piano in the coolness of the sanctuary. I kept wanting to play for Jesus but it had to be perfect. Every time I'd hit a bad note I'd have to start over again. I don't think I've ever gotten it perfect yet and most Sundays I'm still sitting there in church trying my best. Trying is the optimum word!
I guess trying is all anyone can do, right? Just think how the world might be if everyone just tried to do their best to each other! But even if the world doesn't strive to reach that goal we still keep on trying in our own piece of the world, to make it a better place, just because we were in it for a while.
Have a great Summer!
