Dirt Roads

What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have been paved.

There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied if we just had more Dirt Roads, because Dirt Roads give character.

People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride. That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it's worth it if at the end is home...a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.

We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking a Dirt Road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along.

There was less crime in our streets before they were paved. Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun. And there were no drive by shootings. Our values were better when our roads were worse!

People did not worship their cars more then their kids, and motorists were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with dust and bust your windshield with rocks.

Dirt Roads taught patience. Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly, you didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk you walk to the barn for your milk.

For your mail, you walked to the mail box.

What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed out? That was the best part, then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody.

At the end of Dirt Roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.

Most paved roads lead to trouble, Dirt Roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a swimming hole.

At the end of a Dirt Road, the only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini.

At the end of a Dirt Road, there was always extra springtime income, from when city dudes would get stuck, you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out. Usually you got a dollar...always you got a new friend...at the end of a Dirt Road! ~by Paul Harvey~

How can we thank Him?

This will be another short one as I'm tired and want to go to bed, but just wanted to type about a couple of things that have happened already this year.

Can you believe it's 2009 already? Holy cow! It's been a whirlwind already. My brother, Ryan, leaves for Air Force boot camp TOMORROW (Jan. 6th)! We had a going away open house for him on Saturday which included making lunch for nearly 30 of our family members. I spent the day before at my parents helping with whatever (mainly cutting vegetables) needed to be done. I was there all day Saturday, then back to church on Sunday! We really should live in Norwalk.

Anyway, the most exciting thing that happened to me on Saturday was when my dad opened their mail. There was a refund check for the loan on our car (my dad co-signed the loan over 5 1/2 years ago so the letters and stuff go to his address). The note said that came with the check said that the car loan had been overpaid and they were returning the money. The first thing that came to my mind was that there was a pre-pay penalty on that loan. So my dad called right away, then came out of the office with his big grin on his face. He said that the loan was closed and that the money was ours. Hallelujah! I said to my dad, "Happy New Year to me!" We were originally suppose to pay off this loan Dec 2008, but we received a letter this summer saying that the payment book was printed wrong and that our actual last payment would be due in January 2009. We've been overpaying the loan just a few dollars each month. By doing that we removed 1 1/2 payments from the loan (and didn't even know it!).

THANK YOU, GOD, for a good start to the New Year!