ON MARCHING BANDS AND SOLITARY TURKEYS (October 5 - November 5, 2019)

Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Missouri

October is the month that we have scheduled each year to visit our oldest son, Aaron,and his family in Missouri.  It is a time to enjoy the coming of autumn and to watch our two youngest grandsons participate in marching band.  They are days spent renewing relationships with those whom we deeply love.  This year had an added blessing as our youngest son, Andrew, was also there in the "Show Me" state.

Marching band is an interesting organization.  It is a gathering of several dozen students who practice hours on end to develop a ten minute presentation to be performed several times in several venues.  This year our time included an overnight adventure to St. Louis (about a three hour drive from Republic)

Much of my time, while in southwest Missouri, is spent inside the Wilson's Creek National Civil War Battlefield.  This beautiful large piece of ground is just 4 minutes from Aaron's front door.  The cost is free (I have the old person's National Parks pass).  I like to go in the morning for my daily walk along the wooded trails and then go back in the late afternoon for a couple of loops around the five mile road.  It is during this drive around that I have been able to spot dozens of white tail deer and numerous wild turkeys.  It is the perfect place for a wildlife photographer (wanabe) to hone his skills.

Now, after a few days back in Indiana for doctor appointments, we will be off to an extended WYNDHAM RESORT TIME SHARE travel adventure (160 days) with stops in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Mexico, and South Carolina.

REFLECTIONS

When making my loops within Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, I try to find unique pictures of the abundant wildlife; something out of the ordinary.  Sometimes it's a deer in the middle of crossing a rushing stream, sometimes a fox walking stealthily between grassy fields, sometimes a armadillo nosing his way across a green meadow.  I can get any number of photos of deer standing beside the road but it's the more interesting ones I seek.  Perhaps this year's best was a hen turkey who decided to land on top of a hand hewn wooden fence with a backdrop of the setting sun as it set, the yet to be harvested. corn on fire with golden wonder.

I wondered as I watched her sit there, turning her head from side to side, where were the rest of her flock?  Was she looking for them from this elevated perch or was she simply enjoying her solitude?

I don't know why she was on the fence. She just was and I had never seen this unique pose before.

I guess I'll never know her reason.  Yet I know that in our lives there are times when we have to be in the marching band.  We have to be organized and in step with all those around us.  There are times when it is critically important that we know where we are in relationship to others.  There are times when working together to accomplish that which we could not accomplish alone is the most important thing we can do.

I also know that there are times when absolutely the best thing we can do for ourselves is to find a place away from the crowd and just be still.  There are times when we just need to stare into the sunset and enjoy all that is before us.

We are all different and the balance we need between "marching band" times and "fence sitting" times are unique to our temperaments and personalities.  An extreme of one or the other can lead to troubled times.  Find your balance.  Find your place and learn to enjoy both the regiment and the rest.

MY HEROES (Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2019)

Our standby flights winged us from Indianapolis to Nashville, Tennessee, without a hitch and we were able to spend a couple of days with friends before heading on to Crossville, Tennessee, and the Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Glade.  We would spend the next five days there enjoying the company of seven other couples from our past.The Dicers, the Solomons, the Rosses, the Dunningtons, the Halls, the Bittenbenders, the Moores, and the Smiths have been friends for a long time.  Some since childhood and all since our days at Olivet Nazarene University in Illinois.  We have gone our separate ways but have somehow managed to keep the flame of friendship alive.

For the past three years we have been able to clear our calendars and meet for some days of remembering and just being together.  Everyone is free to be themselves and do what they would enjoy doing.  Some hiked, some played golf, some shopped, some did picture puzzles, some watched sports on TV, some went to bed early, some got up early, and some played games.

This year I was able to book two 4 bedroom condos at "the Glade" for five nights at a 50% discounted rate.  This meant that we could add two couples to our usual group.  Dr. and Mrs. (Jane) Don Dunnington from Bethany, Oklahoma made the long drive to Tennessee as did Wes and Marcia Bittenbender from Indian Lake, Michigan.

Eight couples, all married around 50 years ago, shared side splitting laughter, and quiet tears as they reflected on their journeys through life.  No two couples the same but all with continued faith in God and His plan for their lives.

What a wonderful time we had as we told story after story of days gone by and consumed so much food that we didn't think we could eat another bite (but we did).  They were days that, I hope, we will never forget.

REFLECTIONS

As I looked around at all who had gathered I was overcome with a sense of gratitude.  I was reminded how blessed my life has been.  I had wonderful parents who loved me and each other.  I have a big brother who has become my friend.  I have pastored some wonderful churches and folks.  And I have a great number of "long time" friends (that sounds so much better than "old")!  

My heroes are not in the political arena, they are not on the sporting fields, they are not in the entertainment industry.  My heroes were with me at the Wyndham Resort at Fairfield Glade this week.

These 14 who gathered on the Cumberland Plateau for five days are an example of lives lived rightly and marriages that have endured.  It can be done.  Unfortunately, it seems that today many give up too easily.  Friendships are cast aside over trivial matters and marriages are ended without much effort to sustain them.  We have become a throw away society in way too many ways.

So I pay tribute to these wonderful people who have bucked the trends of the times in which we live.  I pay tribute to these who, when they said "til death do us part", meant it.  They are my heroes!

The Solomons

The Halls

The Rosses

The Smiths

The Dunningtons

The Moores

The Bittenbenders