Pa-pa led the singing. It was funny seeing him

dressed up and wearing his reading glasses. We were in the congregation and sang along with everyone else. I thought he should’ve moved his arms a bit more but, what did I, a kid, know?  We all were happy and sang hymns not only to praise the Lord, but for our after service ‘dinner on the ground’. Actually, it wasn’t on the ground and it wasn’t dinner. In my book, anyway. It was a delicious and sumptuous lunch in spite of the flies and it was on boards set up on charley horses covered with yards of white tablecloths. A lovely out-of-doors sight and array of scents.

Mama was the happiest thing being back in her home county and ‘stomping ground’. She was pleased to see many of her relatives, near and distant. These dinners were held only 2 or 3 times during the summer months, so, they were special events. Mama would cook like they were special events too. And we’d skip our own church to visit this one.

Mama loved her folks dearly. Daddy loved mama and us, so, I guess the ‘circle’ was kind of complete. We kids played and played and then ate and played some more. It was good to see our cousins—the ones we didn’t see many times during the year.

Pa-pa led the singing. Daddy sang so loud it embarrassed us. His voice, however firm, was far from being the voice of a Pavarotti or a Domingo.   

But, ‘where 2 or 3 are gathered’ in His name…

Pa-pa led the singing. He did it quite well, actually. Almost a natural. Baptists—some hard shell, some soft shell. What did I, a kid, know?