“They” say you should love people not things.
I agree.
Yet, when I was walking this morning, and this was my view I thought to myself – two things I am proud of and love dearly. The American Flag and the farm.
And then Jesus and I were talking, and he helped me realize it isn’t the things. It’s what’s behind the things – and that is sooooo true in so many situations.
The American Flag.
I well up with tears when I see the American Flag. It’s not the three simple colors on the fabric. It’s the men and women who have fought, bled, are physically challenged and died preserving those three colors on the cloth.
And it’s the families connected to those heroes. I have always had a profound sense of honor, awe, and reverence for the military. There were no veterans in my family to help me form that, it was just there.
It became more important when my best friend’s son was in the hell hole of the fighting in the Gulf Wars.
This year it’s different. It’s more urgent because my first grandson is serving overseas.
So, when I see the American Flag, hear the National Anthem, or hang my flag on the cross for military holidays the tears flow and my heart swells.
The Farm.
A little over 50 years ago I was a stranger to the farm. It was an enemy for many years taking Farmer away from us, his family. I had to learn a whole new way of life with different expectations and realities.
Through the years every son has worked, complained, and have garnered some sort of injury from the critters or the workings on the farm.
The animosity of the farm became a love through the investing of my time, my mind and body.
The love has grown with the boys growing up learning so many life valuable lessons that have carved them into strong, amazing, God fearing, responsible men – men the world is so in need of now.
Because of those things this farm is now a physical part of me. It’s difficult to separate the two. And now with the transitioning and the time of life there is separation taking place slowly. Even so, the pride and love of what this chunk of land stands for is hard to explain. And when I turn down our road and the farm comes into view the tears well up and my heart swells.
So, it’s definitely the people that I love yet the love flows when I see these things.
