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Friday, February 11, 2011

Mr. Hey-yo!

There are a lot of things I can do without, but when I run out of sugar, it is NOT a good thing! I don’t mind diet drinks, diet soda, etc. But when it comes to coffee or tea, I NEED sugar ---- that good old, grainy, white stuff that we are supposed to ban from our lives. But for me --- no sugar???? No coffee!!!! Period! Bottom line. I’ve tried a million times to go sugarless, use sugar substitutes, and all the rest. I’ve given in to my weakness, so sugar it is.

I went to the grocery store for sugar and came home with a cart full. Plus, I stopped at the roadside veggie stand. Poor old guy --- his fingers were so cold that he couldn’t even get the plastic bag open.

So I’m good to go for a little while. I have my sugar, my veggies, and Buster is restocked on treats and dog food. He checks his stash carefully, gets a bone, and lays down with a big sigh that tells me, “Life is good!”

On the way home, I passed a little “farm” --- just as I have a million times before in the past few years. Mr. Hey-Yo lives there. Not his real name, but we all seem to know who we are talking about when we refer to “Mr. Hey-Yo!” Several years ago, this little piece of land was parceled off and a “For Sale” sign was posted. It looked like a slice of pie, or a little wedge of left over land. This three-sided weed patch borders on a busy road, a large utility corridor, and a church property. Across the street is a grade school. NOT a quiet haven for a home, for sure.

It wasn’t long before it was sold. Then a home. Then a farm fence. Then a barn/shed type building. Then cross fencing. Then. . . A truck! And we knew someone was making their dream come true ---- a little piece of Heaven in the middle of nowhere. It wasn’t long before we saw an older man working around his property. Then we saw chickens, goats, a turkey. . . And then, miniature horses. I can’t remember why, but my sister had some questions, and I mentioned to her that perhaps this guy could give her some answers. Her response was, “What am I supposed to do. . . . Stand at the gate and yell at the top of my lungs, HEY-YO!!!!!” So, to this day, the man with the slice-of-pie farm is quietly called Mr. Hey-yo, and we all know who we are talking about.

Today, as I passed by, Mr. Hey-yo’s goats and miniature horses were grazing by the fence. I glanced over and looked, and the old man was standing there looking at his animals. Though I never met this man, I felt I knew so much about him. He seems so content with what he has. So gentle with his little baby goats. And there is just something about miniature horses. . . They make me smile. I can’t imagine why this man raises these little horses --- they seem so useless. I think if I were to ask him, he would just smile and say, “Just because!”

I learned a lesson today. It seemed to hit me and I couldn’t get it off my mind. I wondered what people see when they look at ME???? Do I show contentment? Am I gentle? Do I make the best of my little slice-of-life God has given me? Am I a sheltering person? Do I have the kind of faith that sees a weed patch become a realization of a dream?

Thank you, Mr. Hey-yo, for reminding me today that all that I have is truly all that I need! And thank you, Lord, for sugar!

9 comments:

Tammy@Simple Southern Happiness said...

What... you have sugar right there in Buster... just have him stick a paw in your cup... do it first before the water is hot so he wont hurt himself. "Dats" all the good-ole sugar you need.... Yalza.

I am with you, I need that white grainy stuff. I ran out the other day and hubbyman said he would pick some up. He came home with Raw sugar, this brown big fat grains. Not the same...sorry.. Gotta' have the white stuff... So for 2 mornings I have been somewhat coffeeless shall we say. I feel a headache comin' on.

Oh wow, I adore this post, you so have a way with words that keeps me hangin' on to every word and such a visual to go along with it. I could picture Yo'man in my minds eye... and the property and his vision for it.

I can tell from your bloggin', THE LORD! is pleased with you and I SEE the lord in you.

Ladybug said...

The post so wonderful filled
the loving spirit of the Lord
Caring,compassion for those around
you...Thanks for sharing your
thoughts...So re-freshing having
these type of bloggin...";_)

Blessings
Trish

Garnetrose said...

I love sugar in things but I am a diabetic and I have found that splenda is the only sugar substitute I like so I do use it in my coffee but try to bake with a mixture of it and sugar since our whole family has become more conscious of the amount of sugar they eat daily.

I have know sevaral Mr. Hey-yo's in my life. They seem so contented with their lot in life even if it is very little.

Very good post.

Patty Sumner said...

I must admit.....I must have my creamer or no coffee, so I completely understand. Yes, I think often of how others see us. We are the only Jesus some may see. Always compelling thoughts and challenges from you. Blessings!

Denise said...

HEY........ I just love this post! Just love it... What a wonderful neighbor to have...... I think that God just gives us little bits of something special if we look for it... that includes SUGAR.....

Primitives By The Light of The Moon said...

It's amazing how something that seems like a weed patch in life when given a little bit of care can become a dream. Of course it takes tending too to make it flourish and sounds like your neighbor is doing just that.
Glad you got your sugar!

LOVE, MERCY AND GRACE...GOD'S GRACE said...

Well, if it's any consolation, I heard on the news the other day that is has now been proven that diet drinks and artificial sweeteners can increase your risk for strokes by 60%!! Now, to me that is pretty high, so sugar may be the best choice in that case!

Enjoyed this post immensely!

~Beth

Megan said...

As I read your post, I could simply "see" everything you were describing so perfectly. I love the unique words you picked and Mr. Hey-Yo's secret name. How funny! But I totally understand how this goes. There was an unemployed man who lived at the end of our road. Usually he'd be sitting on his te-nincy front porch in a cobbled-up chair with a pipe in his teeth. He had one eye that was always scrunched tight. He was skinny but had muscular forearms. He was known as Popeye to Dwain and me. To this day I have no idea what his real name was (he has since moved or died, not sure which). He didn't raise miniature horses, but he certainly took in about every stray cat known to man, God Bless him. Somehow he found a way to feed them. I only know that when he left, so did all the cats -- the interior of the house had to be gutted and renovated before the next renters could move in.

nancy huggins said...

Loved that post Cora and could picture everything you said...even Buster with his treat. Thank you for sharing and that story made me think more about some people I have known but never knew their name. I have also wondered about my LL and the life he had growing up in the house we are now renting from him..If only walls could talk:)
And I to need my sugar in my coffee and on my cereal AND when I whip up a batch of Fudge. I have also heard very bad stories about sugar subsitutes especially sugar free soda..I will stick to my sugar and may only cut back if I gain a lot of weight and can't fit into my jeans..I can't afford new clothes but I can afford sugar:)
Would love to hear more stories like that..and Simple "T" was right..you have Buster. I would give up sugar before I would give up my fur babies :)