A New Year's Story From The Past
Instead of looking at the year in review, or looking forward to resolutions that I might make, I thought I would start the new year with a story from long ago. This is a true story about a young boy who grew up to be my husband. Many years before I ever knew him, he was growing up in a little town in the Texas pan-handle. Every Christmas his family would travel to the big city of Amarillo for Christmas, and then to the smaller city of Lubbock for New Years. He was always excited about getting together with his cousins during the holiday season. There is nothing quite like several little boys between the ages of 8 and 12, who get together once or twice a year when extended families unite to celebrate Christmas and the new year.
There are never enough hours in the day to get in all the activities that only young boys can think of to play. There is something about little boys getting together that is so exciting. Even though they may be the best boys possible, they still think differently than little girls. For instance, not many boys would , when Trick-or-Treating at Halloween, even give it a second thought when presented with the opportunity of a bowl full of candy and a note attached to just take one.
Why, you just empty out the bowl into your bag, of course! If you don't the next luck (and smart) little boy will do it! But no! This poor boy has to go Trick-or-Treating with his older sister--and she is IN CHARGE! She is, of course, your conscience! She has taken in all the lessons from home and church to heart, and of course they are good in theory, but when some other little boy is going to score all the candy--why, you have to be practical!
But, no, she insists. If you don't, she will tell your parents, and that will be the end of it. You will end up with a lecture--or worse--all your candy taken away. So with a sigh, you only take one and sigh again when you see the next lucky group of guys walking up to clean out the candy bowl. Oh well, you didn't like that kind of candy anyway.
But, I digress. There's just nothing like getting with boy cousins, and playing cops and robbers, snowball wars, anything a group of young boys can imagine. Which brings us to our story. On this New Year's eve some forty-four years ago. After a night of ham, and rolls, and potatoes, and black-eyed peas. If you have never had black-eyed peas or dried beans of any kind, they can make you--well--flatulent! Little boys by nature are competitive and soon a contest begins! The Lubbock cousins lived in a small house and the bedrooms were tiny. Imagine several little boys closed up in a tiny room, each trying to out-do the other in--well--farts! After several hours, the black-eyed peas had done their worst, and the effects were wearing off. So the little boys sneaked into the kitchen to "re-load" their ammunition. Well into the night, they were happily playing their somewhat musical war. The bedroom door was suddenly flung open, and the little boy's aunt came into the bedroom. Holding her nose, not saying a word, armed with a can of air freshener, sprayed the room with the entire contents and closed the door. 
Now, that's what I call "Tooting your own horn"!Happy New Year, Ya'll!
I hope the new year is happy and healthy for all.
I am sure there will be many changes, tests, and challenges, and I pray for the wisdom and strength to meet them head-on with the presence of mind to stop and enjoy what life has to offer along with it's problems.
"The True measure of a man is not how he behaves in moments of comfort and convenience but how he stands at times of controversy and challenges."
Martin Luther King Jr.
