This weekend, I got the chance to reminisce. Saturday night I emceed the beauty & beau pageant at Benton Academy in Benton. Traveling on lonely highway 16 reminded me of some of the back roads I grew up on. Sunday night I spoke at First Baptist Church in Yazoo City and drove through Flora. I smelled something that was so familiar to me and I had to roll down the window--the smell of cotton defoliate. Driving through these small towns brought back memories of a slice of Americana many people will never experience. When I was a teenager, all I wanted to do was to LEAVE home and move to the big city. After all, there was "nothing to do" in Marks, Mississippi. My daddy once told me, "You're going to miss this one day," and I would always roll my eyes at his wisdom.
My parents were always diligent in teaching us about God's Word. When I was told not to do something, I usually got a mini-sermon from my mother explaining what the Bible said about that particular subject. It reminds me of Deuteronomy 6:7, "Impress my commandments on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
Not all memories of growing up are fond. But isn't it funny how some of the things you didn't enjoy as a child are some of your fondest memories now? And isn't it amusing how many of the rules and regulations you were given by your parents you have passed them down to your own children? My, how things have a way of coming back to us all...
4 comments:
All the rules and sayings I despised hearing as a child from my parents have somehow found their way into my "rules" for my family. And now I hear it from my son and daughter-in-law with their son, so the circle of life passes these on. Aren't we glad to have had parents who cared enough to send us on the right path? Wish that it were true for more....
I remember my dad making me get up at 5 a.m. in the summer to ride with him to my grandparents farm in Brookhaven. There I would pick whatever was ready.. butter beans, green beans, peas etc. And we picked a ton! Never less than a bushel. It was hot and nasty and I was on my own while he worked in another field or helped my grandparents with something at the house. Then that night and the next day I had to shell or snap the pickings and then help can them! I hated having to do that when my friends were having fun. But I so miss those good home veggies and I have some great memories from those times with my dad!
barbie~
i woke up often to hear cropdusters flying overhead. my "city friends" didn't like it at all that i always woke up so early. it was what i was used to!
i, too, remember those backroads of the Delta. only you probably had more in marks than we did down the road in minter city! and i said that i would never go back. i would give anything to be there now. it's interesting how much we appreciate home once we have to go.
i got the prayer request today about william's family. please know that you are all in our prayers.
I remember when I was a kid, on summer days my cousins and I would all pile into the back of a pickup truck and one of our parents would take us to the swimming hole. Nowadays, it gives me the chills to see kids riding in the back of a pickup. Not that our parents weren't concerned about our safety, I guess it was just a different time. I am thankful for the memories of childhood. Thanks for stirring 'em up:)
Post a Comment