Ark Valley News - Hope and hilarity

Hope and hilarity
By Chuck Terrill
Last Updated: June 01, 2017

Many weeds to chop

When I accepted the call to preach at Mulberry Christian Church, I inherited Annie Smith. She was 97 years of age, and her life was far from being over. She was spunky and full of energy. She delighted in telling people, "I live in the same house I was born in."

She inherited the house from her parents. It was an old, white farmhouse. Annie took pride in it. When you walked through the front door, you walked at least 100 years into the past. The furnishings were vintage Victorian. Annie didn't go to auctions or antique shops. She continued to use what her parents had left to her.

I went to call on Grannie Annie. It was a hot summer day. She was in her front yard hoeing weeds. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, and we sat down on her shady front porch for a few minutes. I told her that it was too hot for a 97-year-old woman to being hoeing weeds. She told me a story that I haven't forgotten.

"My dad was so proud of this place. He built the house by himself while he and mom lived in a tent. When I was a young girl, if we were going to have lunch guests after church, my job on Saturday was cutting this lawn. I did it with a pair of scissors. I would sit on the grass and cut as far as my arms could reach. Then, I would scoot and cut the next section. Dad wanted it to be even, so I had to pay attention."

I looked, again, at her big front yard. "How long did that take you?" I asked.

"All day long," she said. "I hated weeds then, and I hate weeds now. Did you know that there were no weeds before Adam's fall? Weeds, thorns and thistles sprang up as the result of sin. Every time you see a weed, you're looking at sin. I won't let weeds grow in my life, and I certainly won't let weeds grow in my yard!"

"I agree," I said. "But, it is a whole lot of work for a woman your age."

"Don't matter what age you are," she said. "You have to keep chopping weeds and sins. ‘Man will live by the sweat of his brow.' There's not many working up a sweat, these days. I intend to keep a weed-free life as long as God gives me breath."

When I drove away, she was chopping weeds. Annie lived to be 103. She was a strong and vigorous 93-pound saint. She lived like we all ought to live.

I have a big yard. I also have many weeds to chop.

"I passed by the field of the sluggard and by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, and behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction." (Proverbs 24:30)

Chuck Terrill is pastor of Valley Center Christian Church. Reach him at chuck@valleycenterchristianchurch.org or 755-1233.