Todd’s Notes

Living in the Light

Abreak from school, beach and mountain vacations, visiting kin with grandparents, going to the pool or lake, fishing expeditions, fish fries, shucking corn, shelling peas and butterbeans, Bible School, baseball games (and, more importantly, Charlie Barefoot’s hot dogs), visits by the Pine State man with his ice cream and popsicles, playing in the dirt with toy cars and trucks, movie matinees, swinging and sliding at the playground, Cub Scout day camp, childish mischief, barning tobacco, riding with Daddy on his potato chip route. These are the images that come to mind when I think about summertime and the longest days of the year when I was much younger and had hair.

I did not realize just how good I had it back then until I became an adult. I was blessed to grow up on a family farm with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We played outdoors, took midday naps, often stayed out late watching Little League baseball games. Families enjoyed life together. Bad things sometimes happened, of course, but those memories are not the ones I cling to. Those dark days are part of who I am. However, I grow and learn from them, and they don’t define me.

The gospel of John says it best: “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) Light is God’s first and last word. As a people of faith, we are to live in it.

Happy summer y’all!

Todd

K. Todd Johnson

Minister of Music todd@bensonbaptist.org EXT. 24