THE BEST FRIEND

 I'm up early this morning, showered and about to eat breakfast to prepare for what promises to be a very long day.  The past month has been very long with many uncertainties and fears.  Through it all, I have been reassured timeless times that my faith is strong even though my physical and mental abilities often are not.

I was riding to my parents' house in the rain yesterday morning to chauffeur to yet another doctor's appointment.  This activity has become a frequent one in life.  In my short drive to my destination, I found myself again with the radio off and in prayerful conversation with the Lord.  I was almost there when I turned the curve and the simple words on a church sign gave me comfort and assurance.  "What a friend we have in Jesus."  That was it.  And it spoke volumes.  Again.

You will even find in another prior blog post my thoughts about this wonderful comforting hymn.  The words and tune make me teary lately especially every time I hear it.  And yesterday was no exception.  I was remembering the lyrics "What a friend we have in Jesus....all our sins and griefs to bear....what a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer".  A privilege to carry EVERYTHING to HIM in prayer. Faithful.  True.  Yes, that's MY friend.  Jesus!

Consider..... 

THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD

The Grandbaby loves art...or more specifically as she pronounces it, "Awt".  If you give her some paper and colored instruments, she will make you a picture that she expects you to display.  And honestly, I love that kind of "awt" and display it in many places in my home.  Here's the latest that made it to the refrigerator.  It's a treasured one as it's of The Poppa, The Grandbaby, and me.  I especially love that I have knees, multiple fingers, and our eyes and hair are true to our likenesses--yes, true to life awt.

As I paused to consider, I was reminded of many years ago and an older couple who sang in various churches.  I remember one of their songs saying,  "If I could see the world through the eyes of a child, what a wonderful world it would be".  I looked up those lyrics and chose a verse to share.

If I could see the world
Through the eyes of a child
Smiling faces would greet me all the while
Like a lovely work of art
It would warm my weary heart
Just to see through the eyes of a child

So I ask you-- what you see when you think of seeing the world through the eyes of a child?

Consider....

CHANGES? OR NOT?

The Husband and I got in the car Sunday morning and headed to Sunday School and church, much as we have for the past 42 years.  We left about the same time, drove the same route, and parked in the same spot in the parking lot.    Yes, all was pretty much the same as usual.

It was on the ride to church that my thoughts traveled to change.  I put on my lipstick as we pulled out of the driveway as I usually do and I noticed several wrinkles and gray hair in the mirror.  I looked over at The Husband and his hair was whiter and grayer than mine.  Whew!  At least that's good news.  :)

Our road has more houses than it did 42 years ago and it's paved all the way through.  It also has houses that have been on the road longer than ours.  Houses that house friends, sweet neighborhood widows, and those we have known for 42 years.  As we drove on, thought, I began to notice on our route houses that used to house those we know who have now passed on to heaven.  There were several--the one across the street which housed the best neighbors ever, a widow who loved us, a widower who lived to an old age, and even a house where one of my elementary school friends had lived and I had spent much time there in sleepovers and play.  Those parents, too, had passed on to heaven.  Then at the end of the road was the house that had housed my sister's best friend and her family....grown now but parents and brother passed on and the house belonged to others.  So many changes...so many.

I think of our country and the turmoil that change is bringing.  I think of the dreaded covid that is changing so many lives either directly or indirectly. Who ever knew I would wear a mask in public just to try to remain medically safe?  Who ever thought one couldn't go to the hospital with a sick loved one?  Who knew the grocery shelves might be emptier and even bare in spots not even because of the threat of a snowstorm?   Yes, there are so many changes....and not even covid related.

I carried my camera in my purse to church.  I had been told it was Grandparents' Day by The Girl so I decided maybe we would get a photo with The Grandbaby.  We had also taken one when she was just a wee thing so we sort of recreated that photo.  Take a look.

I see some changes in the two photos.  We could play "how many differences can you find"?    My hair is flatter and the glasses are different, The Poppa has hair now even though it's very white,  and The Grandbaby has certainly grown.  Then you notice things that are the same.....the church interior, the white shirt, the same flowers in the sanctuary, and a hair decor for The Grandbaby.  If I had been smart, I would have worn the same dress from five years ago as I still have it and it's a favorite as it has been for the past twenty years but alas, I wasn't smart on Sunday.  The cross in the background on the wall was built by The Husband and represents a crucifixion and a resurrection that changed life for all believers....for me, for The Husband, for The Grandbaby, and for you, too.  

Other things that stand out to me in this photograph are the things that remain the same.  Things that really aren't "things".  Smiles, joy, expressions of love and happiness....those kind of "things".  Those are the important things that never change no matter what.   

Today has been a day of faith building and an answer to a long time prayer.  That answer was exactly what my family had hoped and in a way could be classified as one of those miracle things.  No, it's not my story to tell so you will just have to wonder, but you take my word for it--THE FAITHFULNESS OF MY GOD WILL NEVER CHANGE!  That's not to say if the answer had not been miraculous that the Lord would not have been faithful, He is always faithful,  but for today, I'll take a miracle!

So changes come and then some things never change.....consider....

BOOGERING

Here in the South, especially here in the RURAL South,  people like me just have a different language.  Now I'm thinking that many of you not in the South have become familiar with "redneck" because of a famous redneck entertainer from right here in my area.  And if we all here in the South be honest, when you saw the title of this blog post, your thoughts immediately went to nose activities.  It's okay to admit I could be right.

Now just to do the right thing in my writing, I took the time to look up the word "booger".  Uh huh, I did.  The dictionary says "slang for a piece of dried mucus from your nose.  When you pick dried mucus out of your nose, this is an example of a booger."  I kid you not, blog readers, I'm not making this up.  That's what it says and honestly, that's what I thought it was.  To the dictionary's credit, however, it also says it means a "problematic or difficult thing". 

I was remembering as a child when I would play with the next door neighbors.  The oldest child was a girl slightly younger than me and their second child was a boy slightly younger than their oldest child.  We would enjoy playing at dusky dark and a favorite game was "Ain't (see the redneck language?) no booger men out tonight".   We didn't say, "Ain' any boogeymen out tonight, we called them as they were--boogermen."  We two girls would walk around the yard singing that line over and over and over and the brother would be hiding and jump out to scare us.  We tried to be prepared for him, but somehow in that dusky dark, he would scare us every time.

I was reminded of this game earlier in the week when The Girl and I were talking about problematic and difficult things.  She remarked, "The devil is just boogering up my mind."  You know that stuck with me and I have thought of it often since then because truthfully, he does that to me, too.  And I'm betting, he does it to you, too.  Any time I have much going on and have problematic and difficult things on my mind and heart, here comes the devil to put all kinds of nasty "green mucus" thoughts in my mind.  

After giving this so much thought, I decided I would adhere to what the Scriptures say about it...."resist the devil and he will flee from you".  As many of you regular blog readers know, I think one of the scariest scriptures for a Christian in the Bible is in Luke 22:31 where Jesus tells Peter that "Satan desires to have you and sift you as wheat......but I have prayed for you...."  My mind has tossed that around and around and I have been encouraged that I'm in that number that Jesus has prayed for....and I will not tolerate the devil boogering up my mind.  

My week has been hard...and last week, too.  I will share a personal thing, though this thing was not as hard as a lot of the other "stuff" going on.  Over the holiday weekend, I self-diagnosed a kidney stone, hurt with it for two days, then rejoiced when it passed on Sunday morning at 5:49 a.m.  Uh huh, a jagged almost 3mm stone.  It was boogering with my body, I assure you.  No more time for that either!

So I encourage you via this blog yet again to not let the devil booger your mind.  Keep it clean and healthy and full of Jesus!

Consider....

ANSWERED PRAYERS

 So far in my world, it's been a week of many emotions.  I won't go into everything as it will accomplish nothing more than making words but I will say it's been a week of busyness, of unanswered questions, of medical visits, of trying to process and hold many things mentally.  Sadly, this is only the fifth day of the week.  I will share that The Husband actually tore a ligament in his knee just getting out of the car here at home after church this past Sunday.  We have determined events like these are a product of the dreaded aging process.  He's improving slowly and walking with a cane but we are thankful it was not one of those torn meniscus things.  I don't need my medical knowledge to increase in that, or at least I don't have time for that right now.  

What I did want to say is an observation I got just now this morning as I sat in my quiet den with my cup of coffee in my hands.  One can ponder well with a cup of coffee and quietness.  With all things behind, things in my life now, and unknown things ahead, I can look around and all I can see is answered prayers.  Prayers I have prayed 50 years ago, 30 years ago, 10 years ago, and even prayers I prayed yesterday.  Give it some thought.  How about you?  Surely you have those answered prayers, too.  Be encouraged in the unknown to come and see the works of the Lord in your own life if for no other reason because of the assurance that HE will never leave you and HE is in control.  

As I sit here typing, my eyes are drawn to a card sent to me a long time ago by The Sweet Pray Without Ceasing Friend.  It was so true then and still encourages me daily.  It might encourage you too so here it is:

Consider.....

ENCOURAGEMENT

I sit here finishing up notes for a Sunday School lesson I'm teaching tomorrow.  Odd how I always find the lessons speak to me the most.  This past week has been very eventful with good and not so good things but that's how life can be.  I am happy to say that I have a surgery date after meeting the hip surgeon on Thursday afternoon.  It's slightly less than three months away but I can be patient.  There's lots to do between now and then.

I found encouragement often last week from a couple of quotes that came my way.  This one was via the internet and goes like this:

"Grace is when God gives us good things that we don't deserve.  Mercy is when He spares us from bad things we don't deserve.  Blessings are when He is generous with both.  Truly, we can never run out of reasons to thank Him.  God is good all the time."

Now ain't that the truth?

The other came to me via my pray without ceasing friend.  She and I have had some strong, bold prayers going up together the past couple of weeks.  Her saying goes like this:

"If you're overwhelmed by the fact that there's nothing you can do except pray, then my friend, you undervalue your greatest weapon."

That, too, is truth.  

I also tend to find encouragement from butterflies.  Their beauty and freedom to fly and land on the prettiest flowers just blesses me somehow.  I spent a little time one morning this past week at my almost dead zinnia patch as I watched the most beautiful orange butterfly flit around.  I noticed the beauty of the spots that were practically equal on both wings and the delicate wings that flew them away.

 Hope these words and wings encourage you as they have me!  

Consider....

THIEVES

A thief is defined as "one who steals, especially in secret and without force or violence".  We think of stealing and even some of my readers have experienced stealing of goods.  I can recall a couple of times that The Husband's fishing and hunting supplies were stolen from his truck and boat.  Once the thief did damage to the truck to get in to steal, the other time the thief just easily helped himself to something that wasn't his.  We had insurance that helped with our loss a bit but not totally.  One feels very violated when a physical robbery occurs.  Even when it involves fishing rods.  Trust me.  

I was thinking the other day, though, about other things that are thieves in our lives.  When i considered those things, I decided to make a short list.

Covid is a thief.  It robs us of our health, our physical and mental confidence, and often our friends and family.  I have a friend now that is in ICU on a ventilator.  I know many who have battled this disease just last week.  Yes, Covid is a thief.  Covid has stolen many that I love.

Time is a thief.   Years, months, weeks, days, hours, and minutes seem to be stolen from us daily by whatever it is that makes time go by so fast.  It could be our busy lives or our lack of time management but I still say time is a thief.  It seems like yesterday that I was a youngster.  Today I am far from a youngster.  

Anxiety is a daily thief.  Becoming concerned and worried about things we have no control over (and things we do have control over) can rob us of our joy in the blessings we have already.  Of course I try to rid myself of that thief by remembering that "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6-7)  I would say, "Enough said."

Insomnia is a thief.  Of course, insomnia is the ability to lie awake for hours when you are supposed to be sleeping.  This happens to me so often as I age.  Goes back to that thief of anxiety in the paragraph above, doesn't it?  Yes, many of us are robbed of sleep and this hinders our physical and emotional well being.

There are so many things that we can consider thieves in our world.  I'm sure your thoughts go to thieves in your own lives.  I am so grateful we can look to Jesus when we feel and are robbed of these things.  HE is the insurance policy we need to recover our losses and move forward.  As a sign in my kitchen that reminds me daily says, "In Christ alone my hope is found."  

Be assured (and insured) that "Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him:  I will set him on high, because he hath known my name."  Psalm 91:14

There's no greater insurance policy than that!

Consider...

ONE MORE SLEEP

As is said in the world of The Grandbaby when she is anticipating an event, it's one more sleep.  What you might ask?  The  answer is the first day of Kindergarten for The Grandbaby.  Mercy, how fast is the time flying?!  It seems just like yesterday there were bottles, diapers, pacifiers--you get the idea.  And now, here we are....the first day of Kindergarten.

The week as seemed to be one of events "before school starts".  One of the events I was directly involved in was a girls' tea at our city's tea room.  We three girls, The Girl, The Grandbaby, and me, dressed up on a Wednesday and went to the nice restaurant.  It was the request of The Grandbaby to dress up and since she was the reason we were celebrating, we did that very thing.  I was able to find some hats from my summer of hat wearing with that dreaded skin cancer surgery and they worked nicely.  

We posed on the outside on Main Street...

The Grandbaby only drinks milk and water so she was brought a teapot of ice water and she kept her cup filled.

We got trays of savory and sweet treats...

Yes, that is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich dipped in chocolate and a sandwich dipped in sprinkles as well as a chocolate mouse.  

Chocolate dessert....the very best part of the meal.  Being dressed up doesn't hinder the chocolate on the mouth!  May we never be too dressed up to eat chocolate!

It was a beautiful blessed day.  

On Thursday, The Grandbaby, The Girl, and The Son-in-Law went to the elementary school to meet and greet the new teacher and see the classroom.  I will not lie to you.  The Grandbaby is not excited to be going to Kindergarten but I feel certain after a few hours there, she will enjoy it just fine.

I think change often gives us all a bit of grief until we adjust.  And we do adjust, sometimes sooner than others.  I see this as no different.  It's that growth that we long for in our children and our grands but it also shows us how time is passing.  

I gave The Grandbaby some kindergarten advice today.  I tried to make it simple and wise as she was anxious to hear my advice (bet that anxiousness to hear my advice doesn't last for many years, huh?).  I told her to be kind, be polite, and to remember her manners.  Then I whispered to her to remember to listen and learn as that's why she goes to school in the first place.  :)  After we talked about that, I told her that advice applied not only to little girls going to Kindergarten but to mamas and daddies, neemas and poppas, nanas and granddaddies and everybody.  I actually listened to my own advice and found so much truth in that for myself.  

As I considered this beginning of school, I was reminded of something a dear, dear friend said to me.  She and I became friends several years ago when our girls became friends in college.  After our first meeting at a college sorority event, she sent me a letter.  I will never forget what she said.  She said she had always prayed that both of her girls would have friends who would be Christian role models to them.  I thought it was such a great gift she gave them by those prayers.  Our girls, both excellent role models for each other, are still treasured friends today as are us mamas.  So I've already began that prayer for The Grandbaby....friends who will lift her up and be good, Christian role models as she grows.  

So one more sleep.  One more sleep then the time will become reality and life will continue to have growth and learning....growth and learning not only for the students but for us all.

Consider.....

A WALK DOWN AN EARLY MEMORY LANE

 I was at my parents' house today while a plumber did some work.  I decided to tidy up some of my mother's millions of photos.  I found some very old treasures which got my memories going.  I brought home a lot of really old photos to scan to my computer and save on my external hard drive.  Isn't that how it's done these days?  I was thinking of these photos of my young young days show a lot of "where I'm from".  Maybe one of my past blog posts speaks of that, but if so, it's okay if I speak again.

Yes, I was born in the 1950 era.  Many of these photos show the old cars, the old doorknobs, the handmade dresses, and so much more.  We were poor as were my extended families but we had smiles and joy.  So sit back and enjoy some vintage....

..my paternal Granny....

...and my maternal Pa and Mema....

My aunt and I had birthdays two days apart so there was a party.  I was one year old....but the candles surely were fun!  Look at that doorknob and that old door.  It was old in the 1950 era so it was really old.

I found this photo interesting in my life today.  Just a bit of trivia, I was at my aunt's house and the intersection in the background is what many of you know as Barnes/Arnold Mill/ N. Arnold Mill.  It's so fun to me that the roads were unpaved.  So much progress in so many years...This is the corner of Barnes/Arnold Mill looking toward N Arnold...

...guitar non-playing...

Who remembers RC Cola?  Reckon I had drank all the RC from all those empty bottles? 

Pig feeding.

Dressed up in the chicken house...

Cousins and Easters...always I had a purse....a girl thang....

I found this Easter bunny in storage the other day....

The memory I loved in this photo was not my cousin and me dressed up but the picture decor on my Granny's wall.  She always had that large Last Supper painting hung up high and somewhat crooked.  That memory made me a bit warm and fuzzy.

Guess I played in dresses.  Always.  And honestly, I wonder who owned the camera that was taking all these photos?  I know that a cell phone was foreign in this '50's-early 60's era.....

Out of all the photos, though, I was drawn to this one.  I know it is me but I had to really look twice.  It looks a lot like The Girl and the silly smile I have looks a lot like The Grandbaby.  Maybe we are somewhat alike.   Me....

...and The Girl.

Yes, walking down early memory lane is something we all should do on occasion.  It has a way of just making us see where we've been, how we developed, and how we got to where we are today.  Try it sometime....

Consider...

THE SWEETEST PRAYER

 Last night was a sleepover night here for The Grandbaby.  Sunday night was also but it was marred and shortened in the middle by The Grandbaby's very close encounter with a door jam....took her and her parents to the ER until 3:30 am so it wasn't a fun time.  We made up for it last night!

The Grandbaby, The Poppa, and I always do night prayers around the bed with The Poppa and me on knees (barely at our arthritic age) and The Grandbaby in the bed.  Rarely will The Grandbaby ever go first to pray.  Last night was the exception.  She gladly went first.  As she prayed, The Poppa and I teared up....so sweet.  Her prayer went like this:

"Dear God, I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so (I was about to shorten the "so" but kept quiet) so so so so so so so so thankful for my family....my Neema and Poppa, my Mommy and Daddy, my Nana and Grandaddy, my Moe and Grandaddy, my Uncle Kenny, my Aunt Ang, my cousins Jack and Emmy....and God and Jesus.  Amen."

My heart was pitter pattering all over that bedroom floor.  The Poppa and I prayed our individual prayers but I'm not so sure they reached the ears of the Lord as sweetly as The Grandbaby's did.  No requests for anything from her, just thankfulness and praise.  What a joy!

Consider....