APRONS, FRONT PORCHES, AND FRIED CHICKEN

AFTER CHURCH....IT WAS HEAVEN!!
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If you've never led the music in a Baptist Church
    (in Texas at mid-twentieth century)
         for a Sunday morning service...
or a week's revival, you've missed out
    on something fine and
         memorable.

You've missed directing hymns, such as
    "Come thou Fount of every blessing..."
    "What a fellowship, what a joy divine..."
    "There is a fountain filled with blood..."
    "Jesus paid it all---all to him I owe."

And you've missed the colorful aprons,
   of the lady hostesses---
    the white clapboard houses,
         with the wide front porches---
            the rocking chairs, porch
                         swings...
              and...the fried chicken!

Houses on unpaved dirt streets, with no
    curbs or sidewalks---with elm trees
         seventy-five years old, roots
               above ground, through
                   the sparse lawn
                     in the sandy
                           soil.

Yes, nice big white houses---some two-story,
    and with wooden shingles...well painted
         and kept...an old tire hanging by
              a rope from that big branch...
                          for the kids...

(Many such Texas towns, as described, are etched
    on my memory: Mart, Colorado City, Ozona
             Henrietta, Haskell, Iowa Park,
                 Childress,  Aspermont,
                    Abilene, Aamarillo,
                      Waco, Paducah,
                          Perryton...)

After church, we (the preacher and I) were invited to
    eat with these marvelous, loving, warm, people;
         No mistake---they loved the Lord.
              They had been redeemed
                        by the blood
                        of the Lamb.

The women (often another family was invited)
    would go home and put on their finest
         colorful print aprons---the kind
             you just kind of walk into...
                         and it was:
              FRIED CHICKEN TIME!

In the spring, summer, or fall, all the men and
   kids sat on the front porches...visiting...
        the cooking aromas wafting
             through the screen door...
                they were talking, yet
                 all the while thinking
                    of a great meal
                     soon comin' up...

A  couple of big platters of golden fried chicken---
    Mashed potatoes and cream gravy---
         Buttered English peas, deviled eggs---
              Fried okra, homemade pickles---
                        Corn-on-the-cob
                   A big tossed salad and
                    Apple pie and coffee!

I forgot to mention---all through the meal,
       the hostess would come into
            the dining room with a
              little basket of hot
               biscuits, covered
                 by a little towel,
                   and she was
                      saying---

"HAVE A HOT 'UN....HAVE A HOT 'UN!"

Oh... everything was HEAVENLY!

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BY MIL
01-05-14