Indian Summer

Recently I asked a fellow-resident if we were in "Indian Summer" yet. He said, "No, it arrives after the third frost!" Well, it did frost last night, at least for the third time, so I guess we are officially enjoying Indian Summer with 66 degrees outside temperature, a warm breeze and beautiful sunshine. Across the street we can see the huge combine parked, after harvesting the corn and soybean fields nearby. We oldsters are amazed at the modern farming methods and miss the excitement of fall harvests years ago. I recall my schoolmates who lived on the farm and helped their parents after school and on the weekend, the boys arguing about whether a "peg" or "hook" was best for shucking (or husking) corn...and, how many bushels they had shucked in a day's work! We had no way to determine which boy was the best shucker or just a good liar! At any rate, Dad's supply of "Corn Huskers Lotion" at the store was greatly reduced in a short time. But speaking of competition, it wasn't just the teenage harvesters who made great claims, because their dads were just as handy or even more experienced with a peg or hook, or in reporting huge numbers of ears of corn tossed into waiting horse-drawn wagons. In the late 1930's we remember a stellar event for the shuckers -- the National Corn Husking Contest held near Newport, Indiana...and in fields actually bordering Grandpa Jackson's (Mary K.'s father's) farm! This contest held more excitement then for country folks than a Nascar race does nowadays, but especially for Grandpa, as he was warned that his corn field might be needed for parking for the big crowd anticipated. So he had to work overtime to get his corn shucked. We don't remember who actually won the national competition, but Grandpa should have received a prize for clearing the way. At least he set a record for getting his own harvest done! With fall rains and approaching winter there is always an urgency about the fall harvest. And this reminds me of another, eternally important harvest that God is concerned about (and we should be): "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!" (Jeremiah 8:20). Dear reader, if you have put off a decision to receive Christ as your Saviour, we urge you to take advantage of this "Indian Summer" of grace and to trust Him today! Truly, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation!" (II Corinthians 6:2).