A Farmer Rests

Yesterday, as gusty winds blew across the fields surrounding our church and cemetery, a farmer was laid to rest. In the last 20 years of his life, he had endured much adversity, but he always was in church on Sunday mornings with a smile on his face. His situation was such that if you thought you were having a bad day, all you had to do was think of him and you’d realize that your problems were miniscule.

He loved cows, though he was forced to sell his dairy herd 20 years ago due to a devastating car accident in which he and his wife were seriously injured and two of their four sons left permanently and profoundly disabled. Several years ago, this farmer was again badly injured in a farm accident, requiring a lengthy recuperation. As if that wasn't enough, he was diagnosed with late-stage terminal cancer just a few weeks ago and passed away last Saturday night, at 62 years young.

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This poem written by the farmer's 13-year-old granddaughter was printed on the back of the funeral folder:

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Little Girl

four years old

on the countryside

waiting on the front porch

picking flowers

catching fireflies

waiting for a tractor ride

and she sees him coming around the bend

she's smiling

its her special time

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Little Girl

nine years old

on the countryside

waiting on the front porch

chasing chickens and

riding her bike

waiting for a game of cards

and she sees him walking up the steps

she jumps up and he shuffles the deck

she's smiling

its her special time

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Teenager

thirteen years old

on the countryside

waiting on the front porch

and she's crying

because her miracle never came

the flowers aren't in bloom

fireflies have died

and there's no more tractor rides

but she remembers those times

and she'll be waiting on the front porch

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oh, I'll be waiting

on the front porch

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I love you, Grandpa!

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Amazingly, my eyes stayed dry throughout the funeral. The lunch serving and clean-up kept everyone bustling about, busy hands masking heavy hearts. Tears came while I took a walk last evening, though…...a good time for that to happen as the warm breeze quickly dried my eyes. The most beautiful cloud in the twilight sky seemed to hover over the deceased’s farmer's earthly home; that little pointer at the lower left of the cloud is directed right at his farmstead. Hopefully, it is a sign of God's care and blessing on the grieving family remaining there.

Across the road from his farm is farm where too much trouble and sorrow took place several years ago, also; sickness and death causing another top-notch dairy herd to be dispersed and a family scattered. A beautiful farmstead is still there, but those who really cared about it are gone. That makes me sad…..thinking of the departed farmers who had so much pride wrapped up in land and livestock and then the tides of sickness, injury, and death roll in and wash it all away. That's life, I guess.

Sorry to veer into depressing territory in yesterday’s and today’s posts. I need to get a grip and think of something cheery to blog about.

I’m supposed to rejoice that the departed ones are now in heaven…..ok, I’ll try harder to do that. Mostly I miss seeing them around the community and hearing their voices. Their souls have ascended to heaven, so we are taught. That reminds me…...today is Ascension Day and we have a church service tonight in commemoration of that event in the life of Christ. Does your church have an Ascension service?

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