Strawberries and Sundays

Every July, the hills of northern Oakland County, Michigan come alive. The village of Leonard, where one blinking light at Rochester Road and Elmwood Street keeps you from missing this hundred year old town, starts to look more like a city. After more than 40 years of living here, I've never seen a traffic jam on Elmwood — except on that third Saturday in July.
   On that one day, it seems as if a traveling circus came to town. Overnight the street fill with tents, ponies, horses, fire trucks, inflatables and neighbors you haven’t seen since the last festival. There are all kinds of things to see, including my favorites - Spezia’s little bald piglets and the horses in the parade.

   This year, I was even more excited. A local church was planning an old-fashioned tent revival on Sunday afternoon. Pastor Porter said it would be a medley of new and old songs, a sort of gospel music celebration.
   “We need to sing and rejoice a little,” he explained.
   I have to admit, I was disappointed. Between the election this year and the latest Supreme Court ruling, I felt we needed an old-time fire and brimstone sermon.
   Then, as I was enjoying my Bible reading one morning, the words of James 4:14 jumped out at me -  “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
   The Lord reminded me the Strawberry Festival committee just lost it's founding member, Sandy Walendzik, to cancer in May. A month later a neighbor who lived just up Rochester Road died of a heart attack. And my dad, who rode as one of the veterans in the parade last year, wouldn’t be there, he died in January.
   I’m not perfect. I often aim for the stars and end up falling on my face. But that’s when I’m in the perfect position to pray! There is plenty to praise God for right here and now. He sent me his son so that I, too, will see a tomorrow in paradise with Jesus. Meanwhile, I get to live in a free country and can vote, worship the way I choose and give my loving savior praise and worship right out in the open!
   Even if you can’t make the Strawberry Festival or Sunday’s praise and worship, you can still join us. Just send a prayer to our loving God and Savior between 3 and 5 p.m. on July 22, thanking him for the blessings we have - even though we don’t deserve them!
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Catherine Ulrich Brakefield is a published author of two books, numerous short stories and has written for magazines and newspapers. Her writing exemplifies Jesus and her love for people and animals. She and her husband, Edward, reside in Leonard, Michigan, where they enjoy their Arabian horses, dogs, cats, and chickens. She and her husband have two wonderful children and two awesome grandchildren. Check her out at www.catherineulrichbrakefield.com.