Journeys 10-8-06

Journeys 10-8-06:

I love the fall; the fullness of the trees and the fields before the emptiness of winter. This year we have color in the turning of the leaves; more gold than yellow now, with promises of red to come. The rains have left the corn to dry while huge green and red monsters create moving clouds of dust through the bean fields. The grass is in one last growth spurt before the frost. And Indian Summer wants to happen in-between the rolling storm fronts. Maybe we’ll have a slow Fall instead of a fast one this year.

This fall, I’m proud to have the duties of a Drum Major Dad. Since our oldest, Katie, was chosen to be one of the Drum Majors for the Beatrice High School Band, Cindy and I have inherited certain responsibilities as a Major Dad and Major Mom. Cindy dove right into the lion’s share of tasks in helping organize the band parent’s support efforts. In my limited physical state, I do what I can do right now. And one thing I can do, is hold the ladder.

During the pre-game and half-time band performances, I hold Katie’s ladder while she stands up high to direct. The ladder sways to the rhythm of her waving arms, and I push the legs down and out. I can’t carry the ladder out to the forty yard line, or, bring it back. But I can hang my cane on one of the support beams of that ladder and hold on and add my weight to the base. And that moment when Katie runs over and steps up on that first rung, smiles, and looks me in the eye and says, “Hey Daddy,” makes all the pain and work of rehab and physical therapy worth it. I whisper my standard prayer of thanksgiving, “God is good.” And I thank God for letting me be there for my daughter for this one simple thing.

I am on the field, under the lights, once again. The band plays and goes through their steps as the sun sets to the west and the smell of the grass takes me back to my days of high school football playing and refereeing. My fall is full, once again. “God is good.”

Grace & Peace,