Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: OVERLOAD (10/06/16)
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TITLE: A Field of Potatoes
By Roy Proctor
10/12/16 -
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In my immature mind, all we had to do was wait until our crop was ready for harvest. But I soon learned about the necessity of what we country people called “hoeing potatoes.” Essentially, one took a hoe and built a mound of dirt around the growing plants. Modern commercial equipment makes this process unnecessary. But my project took place in the early 1950's, on a small farm.
So, dad took me to the field and showed me how to hoe one potato plant. Then he gave me the hoe and left to conduct his business. Looking around, I thought the task was impossible. “I could never do all that.”
In an attitude of despondent self pity, I walked back to the house and laid my complaint at mother's feet. “I would never get all that done,” I said.
Mother didn't seem to be sympathetic to my whining. “Well, didn't you know you had to hoe the potatoes when you planted them?”
“No. Dad never said anything about that.”
“Well, I'll talk to your dad when he gets home tonight. In the meantime, why don't you hoe as many potatoes as you can.”
“But, Mom.”
“Roy Edward Proctor, quit your whining and go do it.”
The problem was eventually solved. Dad took time off from his business and I enlisted some friends to help. Mother even got into the act. We eventually harvested a good crop of potatoes and sold every one of them.
I was to learn later in life that one cannot help but become overwhelmed at difficult times of this world. My humanity wishes that the mountains we face today were as simple as the solution for hoeing five acres of potatoes. Oh that solutions to situations were still that simple. But endless rounds of evil buffet the peace of our minds. The author of strive says, “There is no hope. Give it up. You can't handle anything that is hurled upon you.”
But I hear a different message in my spirit. God is speaking in His unique encouraging way. He reminds me that His love and power, during these trying times in which we live, are more than enough to meet all our needs and to defend our peace of mind. He says that when evil comes in like a flood that He builds a wall against it. He has the power to be our defense and to bring us through in victory.
The Lord would have us to think about the solution of caring for those five acres of potatoes. He tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 to “comfort each other and edify one another.” Wherever we assemble He is there and his comfort and edification flows between us.
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The story demonstrates several good qualities in both the parents and the child.
I liked reading it.