Total peace and serenity

I love snow. Everything about it. The problem is I live in Atlanta. Snow is rare if ever a weather event here. Last year we had three days of winter when the temps plunged into the 30’s. That was it. Our winter.

I grew up in a small farming town in Southwest Iowa (5,000 souls). We had snow. Lots of snow. In fact snow was responsibifle for one my most precious childhood memories.

When a snowfall started filling up our yard and the yard next door I walked into our laundry room and looked out the window at the snow falling outside.

It was as if God turned off the sound. It was total stillness. Quiet and complete stillness.

It was as if God said to me, “Here, Steve, this is what total peace and quite feel like.

And I loved it. I’ve rarely felt so serene and in God’s peace. Often I’d gaze transfixed by the snow and stand at that window for hours. Several times I think I stood there till the snow stopped.

What a blessing. Even today I’ll call up those memories of looking through the window at the falling snow and rekindle that peace and serenity and feel it all over again.

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.

Amen.

Betty Jean where are you?

It’s 1954.  Central Elementary School. Shenandoah Iowa.

It’s third grade recess. We  boys are playing kickball. The girls are standing around acting silly, gossiping, whispering, . On the sidewalk Betty Jean Davis is standing alone watching. No one is paying her any attention.

Every class has a Betty Jean. Our Betty Jean was poor. Her only dress is faded and a disheveled Goodwill-hand- me down. Hair’s a mess and unkept.  She is sad and very alone. Then the teasing started. The girls were unmerciful and cruel. Betty Jean started laughing at the mocking. She’d rather be laughing with her tormentors than feel the awful sting of shame coursing through her body.

One by one a few of the boys peel away and join the girls teasing Betty Jean. I’m ashamed to say that on this particular day I was one of them.

My mom, who’s spiritual gift was mercy in spades, scolded me that night. “God never teases anybody, Steve,” she said. “God loves everybody, especially children. He loves Betty Jean as much as he loves you, or me or your dad. Now tomorrow when you get to school I want you to apologize to Billy Jean and tell her you’re sorry for teasing her. And I’d better never hear of you ever teasing anyone ever again.”

Well I didn’t apologize. I told mom I apologized, but never confessed to her that I lied.

I didn’t apologize to Betty Jean then but I would fall all over myself apologizing to her today. I have to admit, I’ve carried a degree of shame and regret around with me for 60 years.

Mercy is my main spiritual gift today, in part from the compassion God has given me. My heart breaks when I see or hear of children suffering. I have carried a soft spot for Betty Jean since the third grade.

Betty Jean, I wish I knew where you were today.  I would ask you to forgive me and hug your neck and tell you how much Jesus loves you. Hopefully you already know.  I would love to be brother and sister in Christ with you.

 The first day of fourth grade Betty Jean didn’t show up. No one including the principal or teachers ever knew  what happened to her or her family. 

The thing about corn

I grew up in Shenandoah, a small farming town in Southwest Iowa,

35 miles from Nebraska and 13 miles from Missouri. Corn is the primary agricultural crop in the state.