WALKING IN GRACE

Today I am overwhelmed by the thoughts of my past.  All of my yesterdays seem to be as vivid as in the days I lived them. 

Daddy loved being outdoors.  He loved to hunt and to fish.  He would take me fishing on Sundays after church. Mama would  pack us a picnic lunch with lots of fried chicken and  potatoe salad,  and of course corn on the cob.  Mama didn't fish with us but she loved being outdoors as much as Daddy did.  You would often find her tending to her roses or planting flowers, or gardening.  Always busy.

I can see the three of us driving down the road to some far away grassy knoll to eat her home-cooked food.  In those days you did not have to worry about getting robbed or killed  or ran over by some idiot driver.  You could just pull off the side of the road and enjoy the day.  OH, Those memories bring tears to my eyes. Money was not an issue for spending time together when I was a child.

Mama would often take me to a little place called "Camden Park "  It was Close to home and was a great amuzement park.  I guess it wouldn't seem like much to somebody who has been to Bush Gardens or Disney,  but to a kid it was the greatest place on earth.  Our church in the summertime would make this an annual event.  Older members of the church (who got so many FREE ride tickets) or bought them  4 tickets for a quarter, would give them to children (and I always had enough to ride ALL day.)  The one ride the older people enjoyed was the train.  Quite a simple thing but so relaxing.  You rode past a robotic display of Daniel Boone fighting the indians.  It was complete with the old cabin,  and it was on fire from a flaming arrow. My favorite ride was the  SPIDER (and the Scrambler).  I went back home a couple of years ago and sure enough that special place was still there BUT closed for the season.  I closed my eyes and felt the warm breeze on my face of  the many rides I had enjoyed in my past.  I couldn't imagine that a place that seemed SO BIG  when I was a child,  now looked so small.  I would have given anything in the world to have been able to walk again through those revolving gates,  walk over to the corn dog station,  and head to that old train ride.  I felt my heart melting with burning memories.  It wasn't just about the park but also about all the wonderful CHURCH FRIENDS  who loved this little red-haired, freckled faced kid so much that they made sure I could ride till I was too tired to walk.

Today I reflected on all of this and I had a vision of Heaven.  I could see Me and Daddy,  and Mama searching  Heaven for a place to sit down and enjoy the company of each other,  just as we had when we went out for a drive and stopped for a while on the side of a dirt road.  I could see Daddy bowing his head and Thanking God for all that we had been given.  I could see the smiling faces of all those wonderful people that I came to love in that little country church,  who had long since left this world to be with thier creator.  I could see my Mama tending to God's garden with all the love that she used to tend to her family,  and I know that God made sure there were some rose bushes, because she loved them so much.

As I thought of all these beautiful memories and all the joy they bring me,  I could not help but think how they pale in comparison to that day when I shall see GOD and  Thank him for those two people he gave to me for a time.  Because my Daddy read the "GOOD BOOK "  and pased along it's content to me,  I know that there is a better place.  Because my Mama took care to see to it that I went to church regularly, I believe that one day I shall leave this world and be re-united with them in that place called Heaven.  Because I have chosen to make GOD my life's goal,  I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that one day I shall be ...   IN HIS PRESENCE.

OH WHAT A GREAT REUNION DAY that will be,  Family and Friends gathered together for all eternity. No more tears of pain and sorrow,  what a promise  of a NEW TOMORROW.

I can hardly wait for that great reunion day.  If you think being with friends and family  here is great,  just wait till that great HOMECOMING in the sky.