Bittersweet Farm

When I was a boy it seemed that the adult men that I was around spoke in secret code that I couldn’t fully understand. It was like I was listening to someone speak in a foreign language. I understood only bits and pieces here and there.

Mostly I was left with a with a large hole of mystery about manhood in my mind. I would lie awake in my bed at night and try to imagine what they meant by what they said. I wondered if I would ever understand well enough to navigate manhood.

My father was never that way. On long rides at night he would decode life for me and explain humanity and manhood to me in simple, clear, lucid terms that even a confused young boy could understand.

When we did chores or ran errands he patiently answered my questions without making me feel foolish for asking. Every boy should have a man in his life like that.

James, the brother of Jesus, said something like this: “If you have questions about life ask God. He is very generous with His answers and won’t rebuke you for asking.”

Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
May 21, 2016

Sunday morning early on Mother’s day I called my mother to thank her for all that she did to raise me. I promise you raising me was a significant task. I thanked her sincerely for all she did. I listed a number of those things.

There was a long pause then she asked; “So you have forgiven me for pinching you in church?”

A assured her she had carried that upon her conscience unnecessarily for all these years. Long ago I recognized that the pinching was justifiable under the circumstances. She was trying to teach me to show reverence in church. It worked.

It is my most joyful and holy business every day of my life to inspire reverence for God in others. As a pastor I have to do it without pinching thighs, but for mom, at the time, the thigh-pinching in church had its usefulness.

So for the thousands whose hearts I have faithfully tried to stir up for God, you can thank my thigh-pinching mother.

Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
May 10, 2016