Veterans Day 2013 - Revisited After Five Years

With Veterans Day falling on Sunday, the day I post my weekly blog, it seemed appropriate to republish the first Veterans Day post I wrote. Change has occurred since Veterans Day 2013- Dad's death, both Belle and Little Vet are no longer on the farm. But as long as Old Glory waves over our nation, we must always have a heart full of gratitude that we express to the veterans we encounter not just on Veterans Day but every day of the year. This attitude of appreciation must never change. Respect and gratitude must be fostered in the youngest of our citizens. To readers who have served our country in peacetime or wartime, "Thank you for giving up those years of your lives to preserve the freedom we enjoy today."

Pretty Good Gift for the 94-Year-Old Veteran 

Veterans Day has changed so much for Dad. Prior to his stroke, he was always gearing up for a parade, a Woodland School Veterans Day observance, or even on occasion, a classroom presentation about his tour of duty in the European Theater in World War II. Now that day is punctuated primarily with me saying throughout the day, “Happy Veterans Day, Dad!”  and my sister Angie sharing heartfelt responses of gratitude from friends and relatives to her Facebook posting of a Veterans Day tribute  to him.

Dad with Raymond Renfro as Raymond drives
them in the Fairfax Veterans Day parade in 2011

Dad served his country in World War II flying combat missions over German-occupied territory as an upper turret gunner and flight engineer on a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. Upon returning from his military stint, his father gave him some cows and Dad resumed raising cattle. He always had cattle even when he was working eight-hour days constructing custom-built homes for neighbors and friends. So I was not surprised when just a few years ago I asked what he enjoyed doing most and he replied, "I like raising cattle best."

My Dad, Edmund Gates, Jr., and me
 following the Fairfax
Veterans Day parade in 2010

Veterans Day 2013 turned out a little more exciting and rewarding than we could have ever planned or engineered it to be. Late in the afternoon, I headed down to feed pellets to the cows. I had been on baby calf watch with Belle.  What joy when, lo and behold, there came Belle and a tiny white bull calf!  By the time I arrived at the house after feeding, I had decided to name Belle’s baby, Veteran, and could hardly wait to tell Dad what a wonderful blessing God had given him on this special day. My sister has dubbed him “Little Vet" which seems to have stuck.

Belle and Little Vet on Veterans Day of 2013

Of course, Dad didn’t attend the parades or observances. No classroom presentations were made, but I truly believe God gave this courageous veteran who risked his life for his country one of the best gifts a cattleman, by choice, could want –  an indication of God’s blessing on the future of his herd – a new little calf. Maybe Little Vet is an unusual Veterans Day gift, but I think he is a pretty good gift for my dad , the decorated World War II veteran and still an Oklahoma cowman at heart.

A Perfect Addendum to Veterans Day 2013

Dad with his certificate from Woodland School

A large envelope addressed to Dad arrived in the mail on Friday. It had a note of gratitude from our district’s elementary principal, Claudette Mashburn, accompanied by a personalized certificate of appreciation and honor presented at the Veterans Day School Observance on Monday. It made his day!

Gardening, Symbiosis, and Relationships

Marigolds and Tomatoes – a Symbiotic Relationship

                 Early each spring, Dad and Mother ordered specific miniature marigold seeds to plant in rows along side his rows of vegetables as pest-preventatives. They selected zinnia seeds based upon the large flowers they would produce. These seed packets were ordered in a timely manner from Henry Field’s Seed Catalog. Their seed order included Kandy Korn sweet corn, Kentucky Wonder green beans, Black Magic zucchini, Clemson spineless okra, and Miss Pickler hybrid pickling cucumber.

                Since moving to the farm, I have only attempted growing tomatoes. Yet I recognized the need for the little marigolds and zinnias. Not being as forward-thinking in my garden plan, I had to grab the only seeds I could find for a fraction of the price. As I read the seed packets once I got them home, the description revealed I had indeed purchased marigold and zinnia seeds but quite different from the ones ordered by my parents in previous years. 

One of the little zinnias blooming on November 1.

                I didn't purchase my marigold seeds as carefully as my parents had so I did not have miniatures. Neither did I plant them in the distinct rows as Dad did. I just broadcasted the seeds. I shouldn't have been surprised as they grew in what appeared to be mounds.  

Mound of Marigolds

                As autumn wound down, the marigold bushes still looked gorgeous. The few ripe tomatoes were on plants close to the vibrant reddish-tinged orange marigold flowers. The last ripe tomato was on the tomato plant next to the zinnias.

                As I looked at withering tomato plants, dwindling zinnias, and robust, thriving marigolds, the term – symbiotic – came to mind. Symbiotic relationships in nature often indicate two species, quite different but frequently a helpful influence on one another. In the case of the beneficial little flowering plants, the tomatoes seem to reap the most advantages from the insects and pests being kept away from them by the pungent posies.

                Relationships of human beings can be categorized as symbiotic. Symbiotic relationships usually are characterized as positive. Scripture bears this to be true in I Peter 2:12 –

Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors.

Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior,

And they will believe and give honor to God when He comes to judge the world. (NLT)

                As believers, how we live affects those around us, just as the marigolds affect the health of the tomato plants. Our daily living should influence those near us. They should see God in our words, attitudes, and decisions. Those around us may never become believers, but our commitment to live godly lives in accordance with His commands will enrich their lives.

Marigolds on November 1, 2018

                Unfortunately, just as the tomato hornworm negatively impacts the tomato plants, (To read a blog post about the tomato hornworm, go to this link - https://bernadeanjgates.blogspot.com/2017/08/the-puffy-pest.html) so symbiotic relationships can be likewise. The Bible records multiple warnings of harmful symbiotic relationships. The corrosive impact of these adverse associations are documented in the life of King Solomon, with these foreboding words – ...His wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God… (I Kings 11:4)

                Paul mentioned the trouble-making coppersmith named Alexander who sought to personally harm him. He reminded Timothy in II Timothy 4: 14-15 to be wary of Alexander. A relationship with this man would prove destructive to Timothy's ministry.

                May our relationships have positive symbiotic results. Even if people around us disagree with our beliefs, may they see our authenticity, ethically upright decisions, and graciousness even in our dissent with them.
…Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope, that is in you, with meekness and fear; Having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, Those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.    I Peter 3:15-16

The Window Opening Mysteriously

          

           The cool, damp fall morning found me motoring into town. My once-a-week trip from the farm into town had an exhaustive list of errands to do. As I sang along with “Fear Not Tomorrow,” suddenly I felt air coming from the back-left window behind me almost simultaneously with hitting one of the many chug holes. I began to fear today! Without taking my eyes off the road, I moved my left hand to close the back-left window. Instantly, no more unwanted air blew onto me. I had hardly gone a quarter of a mile, hit a smaller bump, and sensed the same window was down. Instinctively, I reached to raise the window but unsuccessfully. Thoughts began emitting from my mind like fireworks exploding on fourth of July. Some of the thoughts blasting around me - The last time you had window problems was in the summer. It’s cold today. You went straight to the dealership. It was a pricey repair. Today you have responsibilities you NEED to fulfill. This is probably the end for your old car. You haven’t researched for car buying. Plus you have those two bags of trash. Lord, this wasn’t how I wanted today to go. FINALLY, Please stop me. Give me wisdom.

The Mysterious Open Window

By this time, I had pulled my car to a stop in a safe place. Hopping out, I opened the back door with the mysterious window. I breathed a prayer of relief upon instantly realizing the trash bag was the culprit rolling down the back window. As I re-positioned the trash bag to avoid a chilly ride the rest of the way into town, I said, “Thank you, Lord.”

Getting back into the car, I pulled onto the road. My mind rolled back to the years we cared for Dad. Many days found us in territory new to us. Moving from being a seasoned educator teaching third graders for over 30 years to an on-the-job crash course in caring for a stroke recovery patient. Even greater trepidation surrounded my transition from teaching little third graders to caring for large animals.. Novice provided the most accurate description when I assumed full responsibility for day-to-day cattle care. Suddenly being faced with “calling the shots” led to periods of anxiety and fear.

Mother kept many television programs on to build us up spiritually during those years. Reading, a hobby I loved, took second place to Dad’s care. I didn’t stop reading. I just read considerably less. During our care for Dad, I learned an acrostic from Zig Zigler, a motivational speaker. It impacted me so much that I posted a it on the refrigerator in large print.

  False

         Evidence

           Appearing
      Real

Acrostic attributed to Zig  Ziglar

Over the last several years, numerous times I recalled this powerful acrostic. The mysterious opening of the car window illustrated clearly the explanation given by the acrostic. The false evidence was the unexplained rolling down of the window. There was no person or animal in the back seat of my car. The only real evidence was the chilly breeze invading the car through an open car window. The only real explanation for me as I drove appeared to be a malfunction, but it proved to be false.

My little incident of the bag of trash opening the car window proved humorous to retell, but how many times do we allow our initial fear to dominate and propel us into ungodly or wrong thinking? Our perceived fear catapults us into worry, bypassing prayer that would affirm our trust in the Almighty God. Instead of reacting with faith in His control, we resort to weakening fear.
Ironically, I felt I had the opened window mystery solved when I pressed the window control on my car door. As if to remind me of how little control I have, the inanimate bag of trash opened the window again and kept me from shutting the cool air out of the car, no matter how diligently I tried to close it.

I thought I had control when I hit this!

Regardless of how knowledgeable, astute, and solution-savvy 21st century people may consider themselves, how humbling for me to realize a lowly sack destined for a landfill outsmarted me momentarily. 

Frequently, I find false evidence appearing real in my life. You may, too. As we include the Lord in our responses to the unexpected, may these verses encourage us this week when cold air blows suddenly into our lives.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, 
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:11

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Psalm 56:3