Hard work

Today I worked hard and it was a day off from work. I trimmed hedges and moved some rock and washed my car. But more importantly my wife worked harder last night making a Thomas the tank engine cake for my boys birthday. Now it is a woman thing I think to ask if a toddler will know the difference between lemon yellow or golden yellow or some other yellow. I can not remember the precise names that my used. There were other preparations other that the cake so it was a bright and early day to get ready for the big party. It was a success the cake was dug into proper fashion with dirty fingers. My daughter is a tremendous help but does not quite understand hard work. She is getting it and I have to be patient as I try to teach her. In our suburban lifestyle there are not many opportunities for meaningful work for children and as adults we think in the name of efficiency it would be better if we did most thing ourselves. My grandfather worked hard his whole life. I feel that was a part of his living to be as old as he did. The last time I saw him he was in need of dialysis but stubornly refusing. The little garden plot that he had in his yard had not ben tilled in about 4 years so I offered to till it for him. I always wanted to help till the garden but I was always to young and after being away from Ohio for over 13 years I got the chance. Needless to say I was not doing it correctly and he begins to show me at which point my grand mother comes out and berates him. Eventually he relents and lets me finish tilling the garden. I love the smell of fertile earth and the sweat of hard work. I am thinking of becoming an agrarian. I do not know where this train of thought will take me. I have had many" I am thinking of becoming" moments that have gone nowhere or that have turned out disastorous.

Grace and Peace, Mark