Of course, the best part of going somewhere is getting home... But first...
Saturday Paul left around 6:00 and I got up and got myself together for my trip to Iuka. I stopped by McD's for coffee and a biscuit, took Oscar to the kennel by 8:00 and was on my way. (He really looked small in his large comfortable kennel. I took his blanket for him, but went back out to the truck and got the furry seat blanket for him as well. I'm sure he appreciated it. It wasn't easy leaving my baby, but it's such a nice kennel - Classy Pooch - clean, warm and a big play yard for the doggies to run around and get some exercise. I have never seen Oscar loose with other dogs and that would be so interesting to see!)
I got to Bren's around 11:30; we talked about our heart's most pressing issues, cried, passed Kleenex, hugged, prayed. We had lunch and went for a long drive through the county roads, to Pray Pottery (which was closed - we missed it by about an hour), to Pleasant Hill Church, to Holcut and the overlook at the Tenn-Tom. Way across the canal a network of other roads wound up through the hilly embankment and she said the canal eliminated the road that way to her uncle's house. "See the top of the hill? That's where he and Aunt Vonn lived." He still does, but Aunt Vonn passed away in the summer. Now they take another route over the Burnsville bridge and back oh, south, I guess. It was drizzly/misty, so we just walked to the edge of the bank and looked all up and down the waterway at the trees showing some fall colors with summer green fading fast. Honking geese flew overhead. I love that sound! On through the coloring leaves she drove us, past old homes, new ones, and not really knowing exactly where she was. We came out at the road that goes up to Woodall Mountain, the highest point in the state. (I told someone in her SS class the next day all that was missing was her daddy's old straight-shift truck!)
We drove by her son's family's home and her grandsons were out by the back deck. Later they came down to her house on the Chuckwagon. I was amazed at how they've grown and equally astounded to see the plate of brownies quickly disappearing! Growing young men! They were going to the county fair later that night, and I thought, oh, young families that can withstand the cold! Brenda had cooked white beans and she put together the finishing touches on the meal - my favorite - just home cooking - fresh okra (off these stalks, below), potatoes, cornbread. (She cooked her cornbread in a "Munsey" Rival toaster (I'm sure that's a brand name of one we had, but they are all munsey now to me), made from their fresh meal that Jim grinds and bags from local corn. He's president of the Flywheelers (antique tractor club) and we watched a CD of pictures of a recent "play day" in their "front yard" which is seveal acres. Their church across the highway had cooked soup that day, so the Flywheelers contributed to their fundraising and had a good place to eat nearby as well.
Austin (L), Andrew, holding Austin.
After good hot showers, we watched TV for a little while with Jim, then retired to "my" bedroom where we talked some more. We both know from similar circumstances that some things we just can't change and we have to trust God for the outcomes. Some things that happen to us or in our lives may not be for us particularly, but for someone else. We still have a choice about our reactions and decisions about how we'll handle things. We still must trust that God is in control, not us. We pray, and God, knowing our hearts, knows we grieve and hurt. But He tells us, "Hold on to Me. I have plans for you. I have the plans for all of it." So not easy to do. I told Bren that God puts our tears in His bottle. That may be why there are oceans. How do we know what shape His bottle is? Or how big?
We looked at the big coffee table sized "Mississippi" book and we just had to go to bed so we could get up for church. I slept so good in that bed and was barely stiff Sunday morning when I got up. But I'd taken one of my "whole big pills" Saturday night. (Oh, and my bp is getting lower - she took it with J's monitor and it's come down a good bit!)
Sunday morning we were up around 8:15 or so, Jim having gotten up a couple times already since about 5:30, read the paper and had coffee made. He said he started to get us up when he did and I assured him it was a good thing he hadn't! We went to Sunday School (Bren teaches her ladies' class) and church. Something occurred to me, or God showed me this thought while I was sitting there: We know satan attacks our weakest points; she had brought that into the lesson. and I said, "Yes, and the older we get it seems the more we have to struggle against his attacks. He knows his time is limited because we are getting older and he has to step up his attack to get us if he can, before we leave this world." Now I'm not giving satan any credit, but the Bible does tell us to remember God in our youth; to finish the course, to run the race, to fight the good fight. The older we get also, the more and more we must rely on God - our bodies become weak, but our spirits must remain strong. God has won the war; we must face the battles with what He has left us - His Good Medicine, His Word. And I'm not saying that we lose our salvation. It is that satan would like for us to leave here defeated and unhappy. God wants us to meet Him rejoicing!
They are meeting in the fellowship hall temporarily as the sanctuary is being remodeled. Their son David is painting the interior, but was not really happy with the ceiling paint/texture. I'm sure they'll decide before he goes further. Their stained glass windows all have to be taped around and covered, so they're having a work night Tuesday.
We had lunch at North Crossroads, where Bren, Charlotte, Martha, Sher and I went last year. Where Charlotte and Martha met their old classmate Danny Lynch, who died suddenly in the spring. It was a good home-cooked meal - fried chicken breast, which I haven't had for ages, creamed potatoes, peas, slaw. Jim and I ate a piece of cake, which looked like someone's leftover birthday cake - it had writing on the icing - but it was okay. I told Bren I'd have to have a nap before I started my trip home!
Goats at the pond.
Okra stalks. They save the big pods for next year's seed. Jim had a small basket of okra seed drying out.
New Prospect Baptist Church, where Bren's family attends.
So after Bren and I slept a little in their recliners, I packed up and headed back out west. It was late enough and some clouds that the sun wasn't so bright in my eyes. And I had on my RX sunglasses. I left Bren's around 4 and got home a little after 7, so not a bad trip. It was a beautiful day, I listened to NPR, while thoughts and memories surfaced and I am truly thankful for what I can do, for my friends, for a little hometown back in Mississippi, for time just to be, and for home and family.
Paul had a prize for me when I got home: a MS State hoodie! He'd gotten us both one in Starkville, not campus prices, but at Walmart. I can wear it on Friday this week if the temps hold as they are. Oscar was so glad to see him when he picked O up at the boarder's, and me when I walked in at home sweet home.
No comments:
Post a Comment