Turkey, potatoes, gravy, dressings, salads, vegetables, pies, cakes ... all sat on the table. Friends and family chattering and laughing all around me. We never go without, here in our great country. That is we never do unless fate steps in. This is the normal picture you see at a original Thanksgiving dinner. This year as I stood there I noticed something else...something I take for granted every day.
As I stood there among all those wonderful friends and family, my eyes settled on a young woman and her soon to be husband. She was so happy, standing there. The future all new before her. I then saw a "mother to be" smiling from ear to ear. Her face full of anticipation. There were two little babies all wrapped up in blankets, cuddled in the arms of a happy mother, who was gently rocking back and forth, as she stood there visiting with a friend. Middle age ladies and grandma's bend over the pies and cakes cutting them just right.
A grandma walked in with a big plastic box of toys and three little girls waddled as fast as they could over to her as she opened it and so kindly putting out the toys for them to play with. A little school age boy walks outside with his little black and white dog pulling excitingly at the end of its leash.
Teenage boys and young men play basketball or volleyball in the large room. You hear the echo of the ball hitting the floor, the sound of feet running here and there. Shouts of "I got it" fills the air. A college boy bends over his shotgun, aiming just right to hit the target. He fires and misses. Aims again and boom, he hits it square.
The sun is just setting when our car pulls out of the drive way on its way home. Grandpa is driving and setting in front with him is daddy. Grandma is setting in the back, two little sleeping heads laying gently on her shoulder, their little dog snuggled down between them. Mommy stayed behind, getting ready for a baby shower the next day.
We are up early the next morning. We hurry around to get the calves fed and a bale put out. We get dressed up all nice in our suit and white shirt. We are driving south down that old highway on our way to say good bye to a dear old friend we will never forget. After a beautiful service, we stand there so quiet, with friends and family as we watch six young men place his casket under the little green tent. As I stand there, so many memories go through my mind and I whisper "Good bye dear, dear friend."
In those two days I saw a picture of my life flash before me.
God sent down a little gift to my mother and dad, all wrapped up in a cuddly blanket. God gave that little baby the gift of life...the breath she breathes. She went from being completely dependent, to learning to walk, one wobbly step at a time. She grew into school age on into teen years...all in the comfort and love of caring parents.
She fell in love and became a happy bride. She walked beside her new husband for three years until God reached down and placed in her arms a wee baby all wrapped up in a cuddly blanket. When she looked into his little eyes, her heart fell in love all over again. For three years she gave him love and care and toys to play with....and then once again God reached down and placed in that mothers arms a precious little baby girl. When she saw her perfect little fingers and toes, her heart fell in love all over again.
They worked together, her husband and her, in caring and providing and loving and playing with those little lives God had given to them...until the day came when they stood on the back porch, hand in hand, waving good bye to that young man and woman who were off to college.
On a cold December day she sat so quiet and still beside her husband, tears falling down her cheeks, as she watched her tall, handsome son take his beautiful wife to "love and to hold...until death do them part".
On a warm August afternoon she stood quietly alone, tears falling down her cheeks, as her husband all dressed up in his suit and tie, came up the aisle, holding the arm of their beautiful daughter...taking her to the side of her waiting husband.
Their old telephone rings in the farm house. They run to answer. They hear....God has reached down once again and placed in your arms a new little grand baby all wrapped up in a cuddly blanket. There has been six of those telephone calls over that old telephone hanging in that old farm house. Six beautiful little faces, all full of life and giggles...and once again her heart fell in love all over again.
And so....life goes on. One day at a time, one step at a time, laughter and tears, love and hugs, running and playing, working side by side. One sunset, one sunrise.....until we too will someday be carried by six young men, and quietly placed under a little green tent......
As I stood there among all those wonderful friends and family, my eyes settled on a young woman and her soon to be husband. She was so happy, standing there. The future all new before her. I then saw a "mother to be" smiling from ear to ear. Her face full of anticipation. There were two little babies all wrapped up in blankets, cuddled in the arms of a happy mother, who was gently rocking back and forth, as she stood there visiting with a friend. Middle age ladies and grandma's bend over the pies and cakes cutting them just right.
A grandma walked in with a big plastic box of toys and three little girls waddled as fast as they could over to her as she opened it and so kindly putting out the toys for them to play with. A little school age boy walks outside with his little black and white dog pulling excitingly at the end of its leash.
Teenage boys and young men play basketball or volleyball in the large room. You hear the echo of the ball hitting the floor, the sound of feet running here and there. Shouts of "I got it" fills the air. A college boy bends over his shotgun, aiming just right to hit the target. He fires and misses. Aims again and boom, he hits it square.
The sun is just setting when our car pulls out of the drive way on its way home. Grandpa is driving and setting in front with him is daddy. Grandma is setting in the back, two little sleeping heads laying gently on her shoulder, their little dog snuggled down between them. Mommy stayed behind, getting ready for a baby shower the next day.
We are up early the next morning. We hurry around to get the calves fed and a bale put out. We get dressed up all nice in our suit and white shirt. We are driving south down that old highway on our way to say good bye to a dear old friend we will never forget. After a beautiful service, we stand there so quiet, with friends and family as we watch six young men place his casket under the little green tent. As I stand there, so many memories go through my mind and I whisper "Good bye dear, dear friend."
In those two days I saw a picture of my life flash before me.
God sent down a little gift to my mother and dad, all wrapped up in a cuddly blanket. God gave that little baby the gift of life...the breath she breathes. She went from being completely dependent, to learning to walk, one wobbly step at a time. She grew into school age on into teen years...all in the comfort and love of caring parents.
She fell in love and became a happy bride. She walked beside her new husband for three years until God reached down and placed in her arms a wee baby all wrapped up in a cuddly blanket. When she looked into his little eyes, her heart fell in love all over again. For three years she gave him love and care and toys to play with....and then once again God reached down and placed in that mothers arms a precious little baby girl. When she saw her perfect little fingers and toes, her heart fell in love all over again.
They worked together, her husband and her, in caring and providing and loving and playing with those little lives God had given to them...until the day came when they stood on the back porch, hand in hand, waving good bye to that young man and woman who were off to college.
On a cold December day she sat so quiet and still beside her husband, tears falling down her cheeks, as she watched her tall, handsome son take his beautiful wife to "love and to hold...until death do them part".
On a warm August afternoon she stood quietly alone, tears falling down her cheeks, as her husband all dressed up in his suit and tie, came up the aisle, holding the arm of their beautiful daughter...taking her to the side of her waiting husband.
Their old telephone rings in the farm house. They run to answer. They hear....God has reached down once again and placed in your arms a new little grand baby all wrapped up in a cuddly blanket. There has been six of those telephone calls over that old telephone hanging in that old farm house. Six beautiful little faces, all full of life and giggles...and once again her heart fell in love all over again.
And so....life goes on. One day at a time, one step at a time, laughter and tears, love and hugs, running and playing, working side by side. One sunset, one sunrise.....until we too will someday be carried by six young men, and quietly placed under a little green tent......
Heartwrenching and soo Beautiful Helen!!!
ReplyDeleteSo sweet!
ReplyDelete