Being "nice" and dipping at the lake house

I recall when I first saw someone take a chip and dip it into something. My parents were with their friends at a lake house for the weekend. My brother, myself and their son were playing on the boat when everyone was called to supper. The folks had grilled some burgers and hot dogs. We came up to eat and on the table sat, among other things, a bowl of chips and a bowl of dip. I recognized the chips but I didn't know what they called "the dip" and I sure didn't know what to do with it. I watched as my friend took a chip, slid it through "the dip," popped it into his mouth and ate it. I did likewise. My mother leaned over to me and said very quietly, "That didn't look nice, put the dip on your plate." Nice was one of Mom's favorite words. So, I had dip on my plate even though my friend and his parents dipped into the bowl with their chips. That incident didn't seem like a big deal because we ate quickly in order to get back to the boat. The next day at lunch, however, I was shocked as Mom and Dad were both dipping out of the bowl with their chips. Mom said it was "Okay." I guess all of life is about learning new things, even figuring out what "nice" really means.

Spring is in the air

We are having rain, lots of rain. There are numerous flood watches and warnings throughout our Commonwealth of Kentucky. There are also every-so-slight evidences of spring. Our front yard Crabapple tree has the smallest green buds poking out of the bark. You have to get close to see them, but they are there. When the buds begin to appear, they push the last of the berries--those that somehow survived the winter--off the tree and onto the sidewalk. It is kinda messy but another sign that spring is close at hand. Sometimes our bad habits are like that Crabapple tree and its fruit. The fruit/habits survive our determined efforts, but then new and healthy habits push, the older ones away. Ash Wednesday is this week, and it is similar to those green buds--a sign that redemption/life has always been present, even if it didn't look like it, and First Fruits (First Fruits is the Biblical word for Easter) is coming. The other signs of spring are the beginning of basketball tournaments, and baseball has begun its spring training games. Go "Wildcats" and "Reds." Yes, spring is in the air with the promise of new life.