Ever since I visited my Aunt's farm in Kentucky as a child
I've been fascinated by country roads.
It was a good mile or so to the nearest little town from my
Aunt's home and each day I would wander down a dusty country road, past the
corn and tobacco fields, the migrate workers' hutches and meager farms to the
small town and its half a dozen shops.
There was something wondrous about that short walk. The smell of lilacs in the air, the sounds
of birds and cattle, the gurgle of water from the small creek that paralleled
the road and the occasional cheerful greeting from nearby neighbors as I walked
past their farms.
As I grew older I often walked the country roads around my
own small town in Milford, Michigan.
Several of my friends lived in the country: one to the south of town,
the other to the east.
Sometimes I
would walk to their homes alone or with my friend who also lived in town not
far from me.
When I entered college I hitch-hiked or walked to school,
first in Milford and later in Homestead, Florida to Miami, Florida.
I love to walk-especially on my own. I take in the sights and relish the quiet
solitude.
Even now as I approach the final years of my life I still
walk, often down small street and roads, more often than not down country roads
and soak up the sheer joy of what's around me.
My wife and I occasional go on trips and without fail I
consistently go for walks, sometimes alone or with my wife. Since most of my wife's relatives live in
rural Tennessee, walks down county roads are a must.
Country roads promise so much: adventure around the next
bend, new vistas just up over the hill, new people to meet, small hidden away
stores and shops, cool breezes, warm sunlight, surprise rain showers and a
glimpse of what I believe Heaven may look like.
Sometimes I think about the day I'll die and wake up in
Heaven. I picture myself standing on a
country road, sunlight streaming though lush trees, plants all around and a pleasant breeze
blowing on my face.
Up ahead is my final destination where I will be with my
Lord and where I will get to see my loved ones who have gone on before.
Country roads offer me the opportunity to ponder what my life is really all about and to be thankful for all God has done for me and my family and friends.
Call me sentimental and soft-hearted. That's OK.
I invite you to take the time to find your own country road, meander past trees, houses and creeks and take in life and what makes it worth
living.
It had to happen. Scientists have
predicted it for years. The giant earth
fault line running almost the entire length of California has finally
shifted. The results? An earthquake and widespread destruction
like no one has ever witnessed before.
