A Picture of Happy

One of my favorite things to do is load up in our old Ford pickup truck. We bought it from Chuck’s Grandad several years ago, so there is some sentimental attachment to it as well. It’s nothing fancy. I am sure you can visualize the type; a two-door pickup truck, with one long seat across the cab, AM/FM radio, the gear shift is still located on the steering wheel, the air conditioner is the hand-cranked windows you roll down yourself and the seatbelts are buried so far down in the seat, it’s impossible to dig them out. And of course, there is the dashboard. It’s a little loose from all the wear and tear and has so many photos attached to it. That’s my kind of old truck right there. A small piece of Heaven.

We load up the dogs, Samson and Maximus, into the back. You would think they were going to a dog’s paradise or something. Chuck can barely get the tailgate down before they are flying in with their tails wagging in full swing.  If you haven’t heard me describe “the boys” before, let me fill you in. Samson is a Golden Retriever, and Maximus is a German Shepherd. Maximus is the Police Officer, continually patrolling and protecting, and Samson is the Politician, always shaking hands and kissing babies. Once we have the dogs loaded, we all find our place in the cab of the truck, and Chuck cranks ‘er up and revs the motor three or four times. Off we go, flyin’ down a backroad somewhere, windows wide open! Eva is squealing with the delight, and the boys are leaned so far over the sides of the truck, their tails are all that remain in the back of the truck. Everyone is having the time of their lives! All you have to say in our home is “TRUCK RIDE!” and everyone is scrambling to go.

I am reminded of one such day, we were just rolling back into town from one of these truck rides and a little ice cream to go with it when I remembered I needed a couple of things from the grocery store, so Chuck wheeled us in and parked. We had just gotten out of the truck when a gentleman walking inside the store stopped and held up his hands as if looking at our family, our dogs, and our truck through a movie screen and he said, “Now family, I’m gonna tell you somethin’ right now; If “HAPPY” had a picture next to it this would be it.” He smiled and continued walking on, shaking his head.

It doesn’t take a lot of money to build fun memories.  It only takes a little time and lots of laughs. My folks taught us girls as we were growing up that “life” was done together as a family. My father never bought us kids a bicycle. He bought the whole family bicycles. They knew we were going to grow up, but they refused to let us grow apart. They prepared for the future when we were young, and we had a wonderful time because of it.

Joshua 4:6 says, “That this may be a sign among you when your children ask in time, what do these stones mean? That you will answer them and say… these stones shall be a memorial to the children of Israel forever.

Build your memories, find your picture of happy and make it something your family remembers forever.

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