A time to ponder

Summertime often brings the opportunity to be a part of reunions. And whether they be family, school, or whatever, they help bring memories for you to ponder on. Sometimes these memories have been tucked away, out of sight of everyday life. But a chance meeting or maybe a thought stirs a slumbering chord that causes a memory light to flash, and you find a smile or a sigh or a frown. Memories are the timeless treasures of the heart. Yes, and all memories are not meant to flutter to the top of the think tank, but somehow, they manage to elbow their way to the top. Then it is your choice to ponder on them or banish them back into obscurity. We each have our day in the sun, just as memories find opportunities to surface. It is then as we face reality that we can feel a smile wiggling our lips into action, causing you to breathe that sigh or blink a tear, knowing that was then and now is now. You see, life marches on, but we have the pleasure of recalling a special moment from yesteryear!

A TIME TO PONDER

The harshness of winter, here on the high plains, Had slowly begun to change, From frosty winds to the gentle warming rains, That brought new graze to this range.

He sat quite with his thoughts, as the ponies drank, An’ pondered what lay ahead, Knowin’ that he had the Good Lord to thank, For these blessin’s so widespread.

His vision was blurred by the mist an’ the fog, With a slight chill in the air, His thoughts came to words in a quiet dialogue, An’ he sent aloft a prayer.

Just the clean scent of an early spring morn, That comes at the break o day, Brought memories strugglin’ to be reborn, These visions from far away.

The quiet of the morn stirred mem’rys somehow, Swarmin’ like moths to a flame, As a gentle breeze brushed his furrowed brow, He sighed as memories came.

And as memories surfaced, he sat entranced, Watchin’ the pictures come through, Visions of yesteryear, bold an’ enhanced, Mixin’ the old with the new.

He thought of home an’ his sweet Mama’s smile, As mem’rys marched through his brain, He’d left home, just a kid, livin’ life in style, Learnin’ quick not to complain.

He grew up fast an’ learned the cowboy way, Bringin’ good along with the bad, Bolstered by his Mama’s prayers each day, The thought of her made him glad.

An’ as each thought rushed to burst upon the scene, He sifted through them with care, An one by one, they circled there unseen, ‘Cuz some he could never share.

He shivered from the early mornin’ chill, As he pushed his thoughts around, Knownin’ that some mem’rys gave him a thrill, An’ to most he was not bound.

But the mem’rys were there to remind of the past, To reflect on yesteryear, An’ serve as a guide where his lot was cast, allow no quit an’ no fear.

He knew that he was blessed in a cowboy way, T’was the only life he knew, It was early to late, hard work, an’ low pay, An’ your pards all counted on you.

Yeah, they counted on you to do your part, An’ they expected your best, An’ that’s what you gave, your soul an’ your heart, It takes that here in the west.

So he sorted ‘em out, an’ he brought some in, As a smile came to his face, An’ he realized these mem’rys had all been, Blessed an’ granted by God’s grace!

© Ol’ Jim Cathey

A good lesson to learn and to p”Time and memory are true artists; they remold reality nearer to the heart’s desire,” Join us at First Baptist Church Marlin, where memories are born!

God Bless You and God Bless America!Bless America