Hard work, provident living: appreciating the blessings we take for granted

Another Thanksgiving now resides in the past. Dare we hope to practice permanent thankfulness in the temporary present?

Seventy-two years ago, I heard an old farmer tell one of my uncles, “You and me won’t live long enough to see the day when a man will be willing to trade one potato for one diamond; if it is a pretty big diamond.” But your grandchildren may see such a day.

Another old, seasoned farmer rolled his chew of “Beech-Nut tobacco” from one side of his mouth to the other and replied, “won’t be nobody from round here; ain’t nobody round here got no diamond.”

That discussion occurred in Mrs. Eva James’ store just down the road from Friendship United Methodist Church between men who had farming “in their blood.” During the summer months back then, Granny would send me to Mrs. Eva’s store with 10 cent and a used burlap bag to get a small block of ice to be chipped-up for “iced tea” at dinner time.

Mrs. Eva was an expert with an ice pick. She would go to the outside ice house, rake back the saw-dust from a huge block of ice and chip off 10-cent worth of ice.

She had one of the first televisions in the neighborhood and sometimes she would tell me to “tell Leona to come watch The Edge of Night with me.” After the famous episode when Sarah, a leading character died, some in the community signed and mailed a sympathy card (Yes, they did)!

There are some who will read and relate well to what I have written so far. To them these memories are becoming more precious as ‘ol man time rolls on.

They have always known where food comes from.

Maybe we should all try observing Thanksgiving every day for a while.

For various reasons these stories above will have very little meaning to younger generations. They don’t remember how diligent those farmers lived the principles of hard work and provident living to produce the food and fiber necessary for us to become and remain a free nation.

Many folks today think that food comes from the grocery store.

We are the beneficiaries of hard working farm families—then and now—for their efforts under difficult conditions. Many would-be advice givers about America’s problems and shortfalls have never been hungry or had blistered hands from hard work.

Recently there has been a resurgence of well-founded national patriotism which respects and promotes the exceptionalism possessed by past great men and women. They, despite their weaknesses, imperfections and sins helped establish America as a Christian nation with the noble motto of “In God We Trust.”

So confident were they in Christian principles that they established a Constitutional Republic that welcomed all religious faiths. They realized that our rights come from God not government.

They did not prohibit those in government from living and making decisions based on their religious faith. Neal A. Maxwell stated, “Acting on religious beliefs does not constitute establishing a religion.”

If this resurgence of promoting freedom and liberty and putting America first fails, a strong dose of poverty may be required to turn America back to promoting work, industry, thrift, self-reliance and long term religious freedom.

My uncle Cecil now has the great grandchildren mentioned by the old farmer in 1952. What will they and we choose? Will we choose Secularism or the God given freedom and liberty to be thankful for our great heritage?

We, the people must remember to be thankful or we may have to trade one diamond for one potato–unless, “ain’t nobody round here got no potato.”

Jimmy Dixon (R-NC04) represents Duplin and Wayne counties in the N.C. House of Representatives.