Small Things Bring Happiness

There are four things that I am thankful for this time of year.  They are -- my four-wheeler --- a sharp spade --- a bean field --- and "pigweeds"

Whoa -- you say --- this woman has to be crazy!! -- Your thankful for 'PIGWEEDS'  You must be kidding!!  But --- no I'm not crazy --- at least not all the way crazy.  I really am thankful -- and this is the reason why ---

My husband and I are farmers --- small farmers really --- compared to all the other ones around us.  One of our crops is soybeans.  There are these weeds you call "pigweeds" and they love to grow right along with our beans.  My hubby sprays -- and sprays -- those little burgers when the beans are small--- but some of those weeds just will not die.   So now --- when you look out over our bean field -- you see all those weeds popping their ugly little heads up all over the place.  The beans are way to tall for the spray business ---  so guess what???---

Yep --- you guessed it --- Now don't you go feeling sorry for that poor little lady out there --- walking up and down in the middle of that field --- a spade in her hand.  Don't think she is lost --- or strange.  Really she is the luckiest lady alive --- at least in her eyes.

What other lady has the time to hop on the four-wheeler and ride to the bean field --- the sun on her face -- the wind in her hair?  The sky a dark blue --- not a cloud anywhere.  Up and down the rows she walks -- whack --- plop --- whack --- plop.  It is so fun to look behind you --- and not a weed is standing  --- only beautiful --- even --- green beans.

Sometimes I go out in the mornings --- sometimes in the evening.  This morning -- when I was out there -- I happened to look up -- and there was a single hawk soaring there in the open skies.  I just stood there --- leaning on that old spade -- watching as he glided around and around.  It was so beautiful --- black against the dark blue sky --- lazily flopping its wings --- then straitening them out as he soars on and on -- up and over the trees --- up into the blue -- that goes on forever.  It doesn't make a sound -- not a peep -- just gliding there --- as free as the wind.

I wonder --- "What would it be like --- to be free like that --- soaring on and on up there so high?"

Well --- that is not possible of course --- but could it be possible to have a heart that free --- that content --- that happy?  Can you live in the busy world we live in --- but live free -- free of trying to please everyone --- free of worry?

As I stood there watching --- I discovered some thing about myself.  I love nature --- I love to be alone out there --- under that big blue sky. That is where my heart can rest -- that is where I can soar above all the worries and concerns of life.  That is where I can dream -- that is where I can sing --- all burdens gone --- all lifted --- just for a little while.

Sometimes --- when the dew is gone -- I go out when the sun is just starting to peek up over the eastern horizon -- peep up -- waking up my little world of wonder.  There I am --- all alone in that big field of beans -- a little haze hanging around me.  In the distance the trees stand tall and strong --- branches reaching out against the brightening sky.  I hear a meadowlark call from somewhere in the pasture grass -- a momma cow moo's for her little one.

I take a deep breath of fresh country air --- and my heart soars --- like that hawk -- not a word spoken --- just gliding there --- for a little while --- in that beautiful quiet --- the reassuring --- that you will not walk today alone --- because you belong --- you belong to the Great Creator.

Sometimes I go out to my bean field in the evening.  When I do that I stay until the sunsets --- because for some reason --- I love to watch my day come to a end.  After hurrying here and there --- listening to this and that --- busy --- busy --- I hop on my four-wheeler -- and out I go --- out there so far away from everything.  Up and down the rows I walk --- whack --- plop --- whack --- plop.  As every weed falls --- my concerns --- my worries lift.  One at a time --- whack --- plop --- whack -- plop --- until --- once again my heart is soaring up there --- high in the skies that are turning a crimson color as the sun goes to sleep in the west.  Darkness is settling in all around me now. A coyote calls to me from somewhere in the darkness. I stay there --- I don't want to leave --- I love it here --- its me.

But home calls to me --- life calls to me.  I load up my spade --- set for a bit there on my four-wheeler --- taking in the calm --- being once again thankful that I am a farmers wife --- that I can get dirty --- live free --- feel the wind in my hair --- the sun on my face.  I turn toward home --- back to him ----