Bittersweet Farm

I have waited for years for what happened last night. Kyle Kenneth, our first grandson, came to visit the Granville Cottage. He brought his parents and his little brother, Oliver. He is two years old now.

For the first time last night I told him a story and he listened intently to every word. I think he knew that he was about to be banished to bed. I finished my story and it was quiet for a second, then he said; “More ‘torries, Gampa. More ‘torries.”

Ahh, music to my ears. More stories. Little man, you have no idea how many more stories I have for you.

He’s eating Cheerios and blueberries right here at the table while I am writing this.

Someday we will camp together and I will build a fire and we will lie in the tent and as the cool of night closes in the loons call and the crickets sing I will tell him stories until his little head nods into sleep.

Give ear, O my people, to my law; Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old, Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done. For He established a testimony in Jacob, And appointed a law in Israel, Which He commanded our fathers, That they should make them known to their children; That the generation to come might know them, The children who would be born, That they may arise and declare them to their children, That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments. Psalms 78:1-9

Ken Pierpont
Granville Cottage
Riverview, Michigan
June 5, 2009

How often do we jump to conclusions and blame others before really examining the situation?

The irate customer called the newspaper office loudly demanding to know where her Sunday edition was.

“Ma’am,’ said the newspaper employee, ‘today is Saturday …

The Sunday paper is not delivered until tomorrow, on Sunday.”

There was quite a long pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a ray of recognition… As she was heard to mutter

“Well, now … So that’s why no one was at church today.”

Solomon wrote proverbs. Psalm 78 says stories and proverbs are a father’s tools for parenting. Now that I’m fifty, more and more I have an ear for wise sayings. I’m reaching toward the “sage stage” of my life so I am collecting wise sayings. Here is a small sample:

“Before you criticize a person be sure you walk a mile in his shoes that way when you criticize them you will be a mile a way and you will have their shoes.” — Read on a dorm room door.

“Two heads are better than one, even if they are cabbage heads.” — Lee Allen

“Anyone who is not awed into silence at the sight of a clear night sky would not make a good companion outdoors. Anyone who is more interested in beverages than loons on the margin of a northern lake by the side of a fire as day fades into night is not someone I would choose for my companion in the wild.” -Thoughts inspired by Jerry Dennis