These Are My JOTtings...

Youth in Lucas Grove

How sweet to live from day to day
in lovely, tiny Lucas Grove!
Right near the church, I lived to play
and learned of God by Momma's stove.

Not much would happen in our town.
I ran and flipped the church handrail.
My tummy tickled, quivered 'round,
then came the postman with our mail.

I'd run to town on Allowance Day
to visit the wondrous Five & Dime.
"How much do you want?" the man would say.
"A dollar's worth, please, of orange and lime."

The sour balls then would last a week,
and I was all smiles and set to go.
I'd run to the drawer 'fore school to peek,
thinking three for lunch would help me grow.

But one day Mom came out to school
at lunch, so sad and full of tears.
"Our life has changed. It seems so cruel,
but your Dad is gone in the midst of his years."

"That can't be true! Where is he now!
I'll go and wake him quickly up!"
"It's really bad, Son! I don't know how,
but the train has filled our bitter cup."

"We'll grieve a while, but we'll lean on hope,
and live the truth he always preached,
"'If life down here is how you cope,
then Heaven's Gates will ne'er be reached!'"

"But if you lean on Lasting Arms,
through good times and the truly bad,
"then Joy you'll know from all alarms,
and pain, at last, will make you glad."

by Jay O'Toole
on October 3rd, 2018