Ephesians 6:2 "HONOUR THY FATHER AND MOTHER; which is the first commandmentwith promise;"
After Mama died in 2001, my sister, Joanne, and I had to sort through her personal affects and papers. Mama didn't like to throw away anything, so we found canceled checks she had written in the sixties. My sister and I laughed at some of the checks; five dollars for a tank of gas, seven dollars for my high school graduation cap and gown, and the three dollar check for "farm labor". These small items brought back precious memories of our Mama and made us realize the deep love she had for her children.
One of the canceled checks she had written was for $700. It was the payment for that red 1952 Farmall Super A tractor she had bought me. I had always loved tractors(Mama said my first word was tractor) but had never had one of my own. My Daddy died in 1966. He was 40 and I was 14 and the only son (I have four sisters). We lived on a 15 acre pecan orchard and as the only boy, I felt responsible to upkeep it. That little Farmall meant much to me, and I also used it to plant and tend a large garden. Those fresh vegetables sure were good when mama cooked them. I also used my tractor to plant neighbors' gardens, so I made a little spending money that way. After school, I would come home, crank up that Super A, and ride it til dark. I loved doing this, and it helped me keep my mind clear.
In November 1971, I entered the U.S. Army and stayed for many years. My little Farmall sat under the shelter and collected dust. When I would come home on leave, I would crank it up, and ride around on it. I had to go overseas, and I knew my little tractor would just fade away with nobody to use it. I told Mama to sell it for whatever she could get out of it and to use the money for something she wanted. She sold it to her first cousin, Alvin Gill, for $500.
In 2001 after I had found that $700 canceled check, I started having thoughts about tracking down that Farmall so I could maybe buy it and bring it back home. I called Alvin and asked about the tractor. Unfortunately, he had sold it to someone and could not remember to who. I hope that somewhere out there, my Farmall Super A is still purring away bringing joy to its' owner. Mama didn't have much money when she bought me that tractor so that $700 was a small fortune to her. She knew that her son would enjoy this gift so she sacrificed to buy it.
Maybe one day, I'll run across that red one row Farmall Super A. If not, I have precious memories of it, and of my Mama who bought it for me.
James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
Author of My Walk with the Lord, www.selahbooks.com, various other articles and poems (do a google or yahoo search on my name), preacher, retired military, graduate of Excelsior College, Chaplain of American legion Post 181
