If you hang around me much these days it doesn’t take long to realize that the positive, uplifting things of life appeal to me so much more than all of the negative that gets spewed out into the world these days.
The old adage that it takes fewer muscles to smile than it does to frown comes to mind often, and there has been a concerted effort on my part to look for the things that bring smiles to faces more often than frowns or tears, That said, there is a whole lot going on around our little corner of the world that leads to smiles, happiness and buckets of lemonade.
Let me give you a few examples.
If you were to look around aour communities on the west end of Bowie County, one thing that is fairly easy to see is that our churches are busy doing God’s work. A cursory glance sees local churches working to feed the hungry through food pantrys, churches working to help those in need by giving out free beds and free school supplies.
Our local churches are investing in the lives of our young people with VBS, Wednesday night youth classes and activities, and also by going into our local schools to minister to students.
I have heard it said that churches should do more to help instead of folks leaning on governement assistance. One thing is for sure, our churches are doing their part and kudos to all of the local pastors and congregations for making all of this possible and doing the work to get it done.
More lemonade can be poured if you look at our business community.
Everywhere you look in west Bowie County you can see new businesses, and though there have been some, very few businesses closing.
To me, that is a testament to the kind of people we have living here. Our people see the benefit of shopping locally, and our business owners have dug their feet in and have vowed to weather the storm of a hostile economy.
Let’s face it. With gasoline at $4 a gallon and diesel over $6 a gallon, things are getting harder.
But it seems that all of us who work for small businesses have done what it takes to hold on despite the hardships that have come along.
And then, for me anyway, there are literally buckets of lemonade being poured with the coming of the annual DeKalb Oktoberfest and the Pioneer Days festival.
Oktobefest holds a very special place in my heart, and the hearts of many others. It is a time where a whole community comes together, for at least one day.
We sit at the fire station early in the morning and eat pancakes with friends and family, then we watch an always fun parade, and then there is bingo, music and laughter for every age, all day long.
If you want to come by and say hey to me at Oktoberfest, all you gotta do is come by the Williams House. The plan is for me to be perched on an old church pew on the front porch, eating my beans and cornbread, watching the parade go by, and seeing old friends.
Come by and see me, check out the treasures inside the museum, and maybe we can talk a minute about the Oktoberfest fairy, our old friend Joni Haldeman.
All in all, in our little corner of the world, there is a literal waterfall of lemonade falling over us to be enjoyed.
Sure, you can focus on the crime, the trials going on at the courthouse, and a world of negativity to be ranted about on social media by idiotic keyboard warriors. Or, you can choose to focus your attention on the positive, the pretty and the pastoral beauty of our world.
Think about it, isn’t lemonade far better than castor oil?
Let’s all sit back and enjoy an icy glass.
