text: First Baptist: Weatherford, OK > Childhood is Wonderful
  When I was a child, my parents allowed me to be a child. During the summer, I played with my siblings and my cousins without being on any rigid schedule. We went places and did things at a pace that allowed for many spontaneous activities. My mother has always enjoyed "serendipities" – the unexpected pleasures that occur while going through life. More serendipities tend to occur when we are not going through life at breakneck speed with a stress-filled schedule.
  I actually skipped kindergarten because Momma needed to be at home taking care of my two younger sisters. There was not time to run to town at noon every day to pick me up from school. I was more than willing to delay entering formal education. My non-regimented childhood was extended by a year as I skipped a bit of formal education in order to enjoy life on the farm. Our dog, Sitka, was glad I stayed. So were my sisters, Sandra and Sheri.
  Even as children, we did have chores. We were taught to be responsible and respectful. However, we were not expected to be actively involved in multiplied activities that kept us going from daylight until dark seven days each week. My greatest frustration with organized activities was the two-week Vacation Bible School we attended every year.
  I am thankful the entirety of the summer was not scheduled for me. The baseball I played did not require all of our time. We had time to swim at Sandy Beach at Lugert. We had time to explore Pa-pa's barns and look for arrow heads and ride Marshall's horses and catch horny toads and pack lunch boxes for hikes and build forts out of fence posts and catch crawdads in the creek. The activities my parents did not sign me up for allowed me to create my own fun with others. I forgot to mention Tonka trucks in the sand box.
  The day came when I went to work with Daddy. I continued to work with him every summer and every break until I married and began ministry full time. I have maintained a fairly full schedule for the entirety of my adult life. I am grateful I didn't have to start that schedule when I was a child. My childhood was wonderful! My adult life is wonderful!