Yesterday, I mentioned that my Pops was a master carpenter who kept his saw in the barn--which was covered in sawdust...

My Gran saved a letter that I wrote Pops the year I was seven.  I guess she gave it to my mom, because my mom gave it to me years after I was grown.  I had written, "Pops, I need sawdust.  Please send me some.  I'm making a rag doll and need sawdust to stuff it with."  I don't remember whether or not he sent me a bag of sawdust, but knowing Pops, I'm sure he did.

He made my brother a swing that looked like a horse and hung it from one of the really tall oaks in his front yard.  It had hinges, a mane, and handles that you could pump back and forth to go sky high.  I don't have any idea how he got it so far up in the tree, but remember that the ropes were really high up.  Which meant that the swinging arc was long--and way off the ground.  Not like park swings today.  We thought we were flying.

There was a path from the house down to his grocery store, where he also sold gasoline.  He had two pumps--you'ld have to look at a 40's movie to know what the pumps looked like.  I just remember that when someone pumped gas, you could watch it bubble down in a glass container on the top of the pump.  I can still smell Pops' store when I fill my car with gasoline today.  Amazing how many memories are connected to different smells.

I had a wonderful childhood.  As I have taught classes in the church through the years, I have been saddened by the number of women who had horrific childhoods.

There is a scripture in Luke 12:48 that says: "From everyone who has been given much, much will be required..."   All of my life I have been aware, reminded, conscious, of the fact that God expects something "more" from me because he gave me such a a wonderful childhood with such Godly parents and grandparents.   Things like that are a jump start in life that you can't buy.

I think I will have to answer to God someday for all the things I failed to do with the blessings He gave me--blessings that I didn't do anything to deserve.