Wow, what a day! Kim and I had a chance to visit her family farm in Northern Sampson County, NC. I have to say I had a blast watching her as she triggered memories from her childhood at every turn!
The most interesting thing to me was the state of the house. More than 30 years since the family last stepped out of the door – the old house is almost as the family left it: Table set, dishes in the cabinet, an old gallon jug with aged cider, even cooking utensils in the sink.
The floor is covered with years of built up leaves. The roof is caving in and the floor barely held my weight. The memories on the other hand couldn’t be stronger! Kim was no more than 6 years old when her grandpa died, yet some of the best memories of her life were forged on that old porch. She even found a 6oz Coke bottle she may very well have chugged! Kim recalls a family Mule eating a hole through the wall one day while she, her mom and brother hung out in the living room. He stuck his head through the wall to say “hi”.
I think it is so amazing how, even though decades have passed, she felt as though she just left. I couldn’t help but see a video playing on the wall. The smell of fried chicken, the hint of flaky butter milk biscuits, flour on the counter, even the refreshing sight of ice cold tea waiting to be poured was so strong I could almost pull up a seat at the table. As I stepped out I caught a glimpse of she and her brother holding their coke bottles with two hands on the porch as they kicked tales of farm animals around with their granddad. It’s both interesting and sad too, how little anyone else in the family seems to feel toward this old place. Kim has wanted to go back since we married 17 years ago. Problem was we couldn’t find it! Her mom and dad had no desire to share. They actually thought no one else in the family would possibly want to have anything to do with that old place. Until today!
You see, everything is made perfect in God’s time. Her mom and dad were simply amazed as they watched their 39 year old daughter bounce around the place jumping from ground to porch, porch to ground, and even up into an old smoke house like she was 6 all over again! Just a year ago, this wouldn’t have been the case, but today Kim IS like a kid all over again! Just a few months ago she dragged around the weight of a weak heart. Today this little gal teams with hopes of returning and a mind racing with memories – some good, some bad – mostly memories of a safe haven. A place where time stood still.
I’m humbled God! Today you opened a window and allowed me to peek through time.
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