Today, the temperature was 106. I had to go with my brother out to Geary, a small town about 30 minutes west and north of Oklahoma City. He had experienced car trouble on Monday, having to leave his car there to get a new radiator.

This heat for so many consecutive days is really hard on automobiles, especially if one has to travel much, as he has to in his work.

As we were driving out there, we were talking about how we used to work out in heat like this every day on the farm and think nothing of it. We didn't even break a sweat. Today, all I had to do was step out of the car and perspiration formed on my forehead and neck.

The big difference back then was that we did not live under central cooling. In fact, we didn't even have an air conditioner in our house or car until I was in high school.

My bedroom was in the southwest corner of our house. It was often so hot in it that I elected to sleep outside as did my brothers.

I used to love to lie out there, far away from any city lights, and gaze skyward trying to count the millions and millions of stars that blinked and winked down at me. I remember being able to clearly distinguish the Milky Way and all the constellations.

It was comfortable by about 10 in the evening when we would climb into our soft feather ticking mattresses laid atop an old set of bed springs. By morning it was downright chilly, so our thick, colorful home made quilts felt really good.

Nothing was more exhilarating than awakening with the dawn, tranquilly watching the sun peak above the horizon as the sky turned lovely hues of pinks, reds, and purple.

I always wanted to show G my childhood home, perhaps even spending a sweet summer's night reveling in God's nightly super show.

I still have faith.