My Happy Place!

Events and time...they change us, and then time heals us.  Sometimes we even grow up when we're not even trying.  Next thing you know, subtle little changes have turned into life changing events and we move on to the next chapter in our lives.  Hours turn into days turn into weeks, months and years.  It's  been one of those kind of years.  I guess at 60, I was way overdue for the growing up part, anyway.  I still manage to keep that small mischievous child stashed away for when I need her.  Sometimes, a good game of hide and seek or a loaded squirt gun just make the day special.  Try it.  I promise it will make you smile.

When changes come around, you take a look around you and start taking it all in.  Some of you have been past my house a time or two, and you may remember the 40+ pine trees on our property.  No more!  They would be gone!  Lumber for a new house, pulp for paper, who knows, but they are not in my yard anymore.  They have been replaced with sunshine!  Sunny, hot Georgia is not one of those states that's really prepared for extreme winters.  It is the sunny South after all, and not the snow belt.  For years, we've held our breath and prayed every time it was windy or stormed.  This year, we got clobbered.  Snow is pretty but not when it's combined with ice and freezing rain.  We don't do too well with that down here.  After two winter storms within 2 weeks of each other and icy limbs laying on our roof,  we knew it was time for those pine trees to take a hike.  It wasn't hard at all to make the decision that they had to go.  Most of them were infected with beetles and it was a matter of time before one fell on the house.  It was us, or the trees.  We won.  

Ten days of whirring chain saws, grown men shimmying up trees like monkeys, brush and scrub piled 8' high all around the yard, AND SEVEN logging trucks filled to capacity, gave us a bright sunny yard.  Just one note, though, when you have men in trees with chain saws, they don't necessarily like to go up and down until they absolutely have to.  So if you hear "I gotta pee" coming from about 60 feet up in a tree, trust me, duck and cover!

Soooo, sunny yard and things growing like crazy, Brainiac here, decided "I'm going to plant a garden this year", and I did.  That was the beginning of Squashzilla!

My insistence got my garden tilled, raked, weeded and then all done again, until I had this perfect little garden patch about 10' x 18'.  One would think, just the right size for a few plants for 3 or 4 people.  Nope, I don't do anything small scale and simple.  Small and simple is now 5 gardens and squash is taking over my world!

Each of those tall, lanky pines was growing in a bed that had been cultivated and mulched for years.  Rich, rich dark soil resulted.  My little wheels started spinning and in my mind, I began to see each of those pine tree beds, now home to some huge stumps, as flourishing gardens.  My poor husband just shakes his head.  "One garden is enough!"  Yes, but 4, 5, 8, well that's even better.  Nine rows of raised beds, neat and tidy now, made up my first garden.  The pine tree stump beds are the other 4.   What started with 6 tomato plants, 1 cucumber plant, a couple of pepper plants and a whole lot of seeds has expanded just a little. I couldn't walk through the hardware store without buying more seeds.  Those seeds in raised beds ALL germinated.  Figured I would end up with about 4 squash plants.  Uh, no.  I have over 20.  Didn't plan on that!  I was so excited about the success of the seeds, that I didn't have the heart to pull up any of the plants, so they stayed put and they have grown and grown and grown.  Squash has taken on a life of its own.  So has everything else.  Needless to say, I will be supplying the county with beans, 4 kinds of squash, peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, melons, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, corn and herbs.  My 1 cute little garden, now at 5 definitely keeps me busy daily pulling weeds.  I have planted just about everything but the kitchen sink and if I could figure out how to plant that, it would be out there, too!  I'm quite proud that most of what I planted, I started from seed.  I've marveled at the miracle of tiny seeds, no bigger than a speck of dirt, sprouting, growing, and producing such wonderful things that can sustain.  Only God could do that!

Graph paper charts, Google searches, ruined manicures and poison ivy have been part of my life for the last 7 weeks.  I've posted pictures of my thriving plants just like they were children and my pride and joy.  My new nickname is Farmer Kaye and I'm seriously considering getting a pair of overalls and wellies.  I think they would come in handy.

I'm up early and when my better half leaves for the office, you will find me in my gardens, dressed in old khakis and shirt, white socks, crocs and my Daddy's straw hat.  You may even hear me singing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" or something totally unrelated like "The Crawdad Song".  Stand clear, because weeds will be flying over my shoulder.  Not promising that I sound like a songbird, but I sure am happy while I'm pulling those weeds.  I talk to my Daddy, I talk to God and after everything in the garden gets some encouraging words, I find myself dirty and tired, fulfilled and very, very happy.  My gardens are my happy places and I'm having a blast, though I readily admit, I might be a little out of control and most definitely up to my ears in yellow crookneck squash!

Remember Forest Gump and Bubba Blue talking about their shrimp?

     "shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it."

Just substitute squash for shrimp!


I'm so excited - just think, fall garden, next year's spring garden...oh, I've got it bad don't I?  Squash anyone?

K

Love you, Daddy...another talk in the garden tomorrow.

Life's Morsels: Dark Natural Blonde #????

Life's Morsels: Dark Natural Blonde #????:      Shades of red, green, yellow, blue, brown, whatever.  Somewhere over the rainbow, my natural hair color is mocking me, laughing at my e...

Dark Natural Blonde #????

     Shades of red, green, yellow, blue, brown, whatever.  Somewhere over the rainbow, my natural hair color is mocking me, laughing at my expense!  Home hair color, I use it and every time I do, I question my sanity.  Not really sure what my "natural" color is anymore, except maybe for the white "stripes" on each side of my face.  I got them naturally, handed down from generation to generation.  One would think that I would be used to it by now.

     I turned 60 last year.  Milestone, right!  Ahh, yes, retirement is on the horizon.  Travel, sleeping late (right, more like barely sleeping), flexible schedule, cooking, sewing, fun projects, and so on.  In all honesty, there are days that I don't really think I'm aging gracefully.  No, let's rephrase that.  There are days that I KNOW that I'm not aging gracefully.  Sometimes, it's hard to find the fun stuff when you start the day off with a horror show!

    60 used to seem old, but you know, it's not really that bad.  I make light of the issues and complain, but it's okay.  But, those white stripes, yeah, well they invited some friends to the party and it seems like they all showed up at the same time.  Doesn't seem hardly fair.

    The party guests, where should I begin?  For starters, let's add thinning hair to that list!  When you look in the mirror and you can't tell where your face stops and your hair line starts, that's a pretty good sign that what's growing on top of your head is losing the battle.  Its ranks are thinning!  Behind those baby fine strands of hair that don't remember what color they  really are, there's a chrome dome just waiting to make its debut!  I don't think I'm quite ready to load in a case of carnuba wax and and apply and polish the top of my head.  Really don't want to take delight in knowing that water will bead up on my head.  Wig, no.  Let's not go there.  No, not yet!  My every 6 week color ritual has begun and all with the preferred outcome that my complexion and hair color won't match when I'm done.  By golly, I want to see that hair line, even if it's desperately thin.  Yes, I really would at least like to be able to see what's up there.  So, $2.00 off coupon in hand, I journeyed to my local grocery and planted myself in front of the vast supply of home hair color.  Done it many times before.  I've always leaned towards those lighter shades, if for no other reason than to help blend in that defying gray.  Not this time!  I pulled 4 or 5 colors from the shelf and put them side by side.  I know the other people going up and down the aisle may have thought me to be crazy, but my mission pressed on.  If I look like I'm in serious study over the boxes all lined up in front of me, maybe they won't know that I can't really see them.  Maybe it will be just my secret that I'm only looking at the pictures because the words are in mouse type and that's a wicked bad thing when you're far sighted!

     They make those boxes so attractive.  You can look like this if you buy this product.  Of course, they conveniently left off certain details like being 20 years younger, 50 pounds lighter and have a professional hair care staff of 15 at your beckoned call.  They are so devious.  On the side panels of each of the boxes, there's a chart showing someone else's perfect, split end free, beautiful silky hair, and it consists of a range of 3 colors.  You know, a range of what the final "glow" could be of my not perfect, full of split ends, thin, limp and lifeless hair if my "natural", well in this case, let's call it "existing" hair color was a particular shade.  There was method to my madness.  You see, my thought here, is that if I take it darker a step at a time, it will be more "natural".  Who did I think I was kidding, except of course myself!  Only my hair dresser knows for sure, right!  So, last September, the color choice was light golden blonde.  Then, November, just plain golden, January, well, let's try medium natural blonde.  Today, today is different!  Using that old gradual change thought process, I finally settled on the dark natural blonde and according to that microscopic picture on the side of the stupid box, it should still look blonde, right?  Just a tiny tad darker.  No more white stripes.  No more skin tone matching the hair color.  Victory is mine!  Or not.  More on this later, but I think you already know the outcome.

     Somewhere along the path of life, much wiser "older" people already well along the way of this journey, collectively, shared an epiphany.  Growing old is not for sissies!  Ya think!  As kids, we tend to think we are indestructible.  Morning and night, no real difference there, live your life.  Chance fate.  Fall off a horse, crack your head.  Race down hill on a home made skateboard.  So what if there's a stone wall at the bottom of the hill.  Baseball trophies and paper thin plywood make great bike ramps, right!  Right!  Glowing rings of fire on windy days are awesome for your eyebrows and eyelashes.  Sure!  Wear a bathing suit while ironing that cute little sundress.  Knock a hot iron off and have it leave a lovely 2nd degree burn iron imprint on your leg.  That dog won't bite.  He likes me!  Uh-huh!  These and thousands of more scenarios played out from those days of "growing up", are now a source of aches, pains and regrets, and the knowledge and realization that we weren't as smart as we thought we were.  Oh, and, big duh, here.  We aren't indestructible either.    

     Achy knees, bunions, sore backs, arthritis everywhere, thinning hair - just a few of the delights of the average older adult.  The list is endless.

     If you've made it to this new age and your arms are the right length for reading a book, or playing the piano, OR, reading the consumer information on the side of a box of hair color, then my friend, you are lucky!

     If you've made it this far or further, and you don't need glasses or contacts, or denture cleaner or hot rub for the catch in your hip or knee, then you should play the lottery because your chances of winning might be pretty good.

     If you've made it this far and you don't have to write things down so you don't forget everything, well, you're just showing off.  More power to you!  I'm sorry, what were we talking about?  Oh, yeah, I remember.

     Dear friends, let's not even talk about wrinkles!  Where do they come from?  One minute, you have this beautiful, flawless skin, a healthy glow, and then you wake up one morning and put your glasses on.  OMG!  The Grand Canyon has taken over your face.  You'll be lucky if you don't scare yourself half to death when you look in the mirror.  Furthermore, gravity is thumbing its nose at you!  But, if you don't put your glasses on, you'll never know.

    In spite of turkey necks, facial caverns (wrinkles), disappearing "bum", brown spots, flushing, batwing arms, hot flashes, clothes that hang accompanied by sagging everything else, life is good.  It is really good.  God has blessed me in more ways than I count, and here lately, He's made sure that my sense of humor and the ability to laugh at myself, get a daily workout.

     I am married to a wonderful man for almost 40 years.  He tells me daily just how much he loves me.  Not a day goes by that he doesn't tell me I'm beautiful, and that's even more special on those days that I started off the day by scaring myself when I looked in the mirror.

     Dark natural blonde # whatever, well, maybe you shouldn't believe everything that you see.  I'm a temporary brunette now.  Didn't see that one coming, and the color of my hair right now, well, let's just say it is no where near any of those  colors on the side of that stupid box!  Guess where I'm going with all of this is getting back to the simple things.  Life is short, it's full of earthly imperfection.  It's full of change, regret, poor judgment, sadness, joy, brilliance, incredible knowledge and abilities, beauty, ugliness, good things and bad, wants, needs, being thin or fat, weak eyes, stubbed toes and dark natural blonde #????.   Those are all a part of living, and each of us has our own custom list.  But there's another list, and it's one that we don't control.  It's a sunrise, it's taking a breath, it's a bright moon and a starry night, it's the wonderful smell of a rose, it's new life, it's the end of life and it's all that's in between.  Just a few of the wonderful things that God has made for each of us, to experience, to share, to love, to cherish, to be grateful for.  

     Dark natural blonde #???, guess it doesn't really matter, because I know it's temporary.  Somewhere, masked under my new brown hair, are 2 white stripes waiting to make their appearance.  So, maybe instead of dreaming about the outcome, well, maybe I should just get new glasses.

     God bless...enjoy life's morsels.

     K

Small But Mighty!

Peek a boo!  That's my sweet little dog, Skyler, peeking out from under the Christmas tree.  It's his favorite spot this time of year.  Yes, he is still with us and feisty as ever.  Some days, you would never know that he is a sick little guy, because he romps and plays like a puppy.  Hard to believe that it's been three years since he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, COPD and a collapsing trachea.  They told us he wouldn't survive more than a couple of months, and look at him now!  The couple of months have since come and gone and he is our little miracle pooch, my little buddy and absolutely spoiled rotten.  I give God all of the credit for this sweet little dog.  He's a wonderful little companion and has brought so much joy to us.

Those big eyes of his are so piercing, and sometimes, I wish I knew what was going on in his little head.  There's no telling.  From spiteful and irritating to sweet and loving, he is pretty opinionated for his size and routinely reminds us that he is still here.  All we have to do is look down.

Recently, I moved his basket of toys into a corner in our bedroom.  He was not happy about this transition and each day, one by one, he would retrieve his favorite bobos and other squeaky toys and put them back in the living room.  I really think that if he could have figured out a way to drag the basket back, he would have done that as well.  Every night, I would pick up all of the toys and put them back in the basket in our bedroom.  The next day, he would again tote them to the living room, one by one.  After a couple of weeks of this routine, I caved in and put the basket back in the living room.  He won!  Small but mighty and one very determined little guy...

Remember when your children were tiny, laying there in your arms, gazing up at you with those big, trusting eyes.  You held them close as you tenderly rocked them to sleep.  Those big trusting eyes fluttered until they gradually closed and they were peacefully sleeping in the caress of your loving arms.  There's nothing like rocking a sweet baby as they sleep.  It is one of the most peaceful moments.  Little ones are so pure and innocent.  The unspoken bond of love between and mother and her baby is so beautiful.  Then, with little or no warning, the silence is broken by the cries of an infant that "needs" something.  Small but mighty and very determined...

Those sweet little babies grow up with their own personalities and ambitions, and before you know it, your lap is too small and your house seems so empty.

Christmas is just a few days away.  We are all caught up in shopping and cooking.  It's what we do year after year.  We celebrate God's greatest gift to us by remembering someone else and spending time with family and friends.  On the first Christmas, I can't help but think of how Mary must have felt as she and Joseph made their journey.  I can't even imagine how fearfully desperate she must have been knowing that she would soon give birth in a stable, a dirty, smelly barn, surrounded by livestock.  There were no personalized baby quilts or disposable diapers, no cute little caps, or booties with teddy bears.  Mary wasn't registered for baby gifts at the local department store.  No one threw her a baby shower.  Not a crib or high chair in sight.  God brought His Son into this world of ours under very simple, humble circumstances. Instead, straw became bedding and an old feed trough became the bed.  Ragged cloth, became the newborn outfit for the King of Kings, the Son of God, sweet baby Jesus.

Word spread so quickly about this newborn baby.  As he slept blissfully in His bed, people came from everywhere to see Him, bringing Him gifts, standing in awe of Him, this tiny baby, surrounded by angelic songs and Heaven's light was here to change the world and our lives forever.  Did the visitors know that one day, as a grown man, He would lovingly give His own life for all of us?  Did they know then the pain and torture that He would endure as He hung from the cross gasping for His last breath?  Did they know that as they stood gazing at this beautiful baby boy, that they were truly looking into the eyes of God?

Sweetly slumbering in an old feed trough, in a drafty old barn, this tiny baby was already showing everyone that He was small but mighty.

We take so many things for granted, not just this time of year, but every day.  We lead our own lives.  We do our own thing.  We get wrapped up in everything going on around us.  There are toy drives and food collections.  There are events that leave us speechless and our nerves raw, our hearts broken.  We have sickness and job loss and money woes.  Some people blame their problems on God, but what we need to remember is that He never promised us that there wouldn't be any of these things on Earth, but that He would be by our sides while we went through them.  What He did promise us, came to be because of the small but mighty baby who is the real reason for Christmas.  What He did promise was forgiveness and redemption, and eternal life with Him in Heaven.  There and only there, would we have perfection.

So, as you tackle the end of your shopping, wrap up your gifts, bake those famous cookies and get ready to share Christmas with family and friends, remember that everything good for us is a prayer away and it's all because of one small but mighty baby boy.  The King of Kings, born to humble beginnings celebrates His birthday on December 25th. Two thousand and twelve birthdays later, He is still the King of Kings, our Savior and Redeemer.  Happy birthday, Jesus!

Merry Christmas.  I hope that each and every one of you is truly blessed this Christmas and the small but mighty baby boy is your reason for this season...

God bless,
K

Snorelax and Being Right Brained

Meet Snorelax.  He's cute, isn't he?  Snorelax is a puffy cuddly creature from the Pokeman game and anime series.  The reason for his name is obvious if you have ever seen the cartoon or played the games.  He literally sleeps all of the time and makes such a racket when he does.  There are times, however, that I know that Snorelax lives at my house.  Not that I don't enjoy those frequent serenades of long drawn out nasal symphonies from my husband (love you, honey) and our 12 year old dog, but they do make it difficult to sleep sometimes.  If they could just get the timing perfected for the chortling, gurgling and log sawing, I would sleep better.  The worst part, though, is when they stop, and even then, the silence alarms me and I want to make sure they are both still breathing.  I'm sure you've been there before, too.  My dark circles have dark circles and some days, there isn't enough concealer to make a difference.  Oh well!

Desperately seeking sleep on this cozy rainy Monday, and now my brain with no off switch has taken over and the mere fact that my head knows it's daytime outside, is blocking me from closing my eyes getting that one extra hour or sleeping.  I've got all of the right props, cuddly pillow, warm blanket, Christmas tree lights are on and the couch swallows me as I curl up, cover up and close my eyes...well, at least for about 30 seconds.  Stop it brain, eyes stay closed.  PLEASE!  No good, eyes pop open and I lay there for just a few more minutes continually trying to convince my brain to chill out.  Brain wins, I'm up.  Time to be productive.  

How did we do it when we were kids?  Were we good at taking naps then?  I'm not sure I ever was.  I can even still remember pretending to be sleeping when my parents would creep into my room to check on me, but that brain always seemed to be working overtime, those eyes would always pop open.  So, nothing has changed..  I guess I will never medal in the sleep Olympics.

I guess the reason my brain never chills out, is because I am dominantly right brained.  That amazing hunk of sponge with all its little capillaries and zones and lobes has to always be doing something, making something, designing something.  Seriously, it wouldn't hurt my feelings if it decided to rest once in awhile, but it always has to be a real spitfire and go go go all the time.  From grocery lists to poetry to decoupage to floral arrangements, it's no wonder I'm exhausted when I get up every morning.  Good grief, I've put in a 24 hour day before I ever get out of bed!

I'm being fussy, and I know I shouldn't be.  God made me the way I am and for a multitude of His reasons.  He blessed me with the ability to design, to bring things from paper to reality, to be a problem solver and an advocate.  But what I cherish the most, is that He gave me a tender heart and arms to give hugs and hold someone tight when they need it.  He gave me emotions that allow me to cry not just when I'm sad or  happy, but when something is so beautiful that anything other than tears just doesn't seem appropriate.  He gave me the gift of love, determination, expression and so many, many more.  

Here I am on a rainy Monday morning, getting ready to tackle my day.  News reports are still heart wrenching with the coverage of the school massacre last Friday.  Knowing that 20 innocent little lives and those of  7 heroic adults were taken senselessly, leaves us all feeling numb and asking why.  Knowing that Heaven is blessed with the laughter and sweet spirits of 20 more children as the play and sing with Jesus, gives me comfort.  I can't even begin to imagine the heartache of their families and friends.  My prayers are with them all.  

Christmas is a time to rejoice in the birth of a King.  It's a time to share with family and friends, to give and give some more.  It's a time to remember old memories and make new ones.  It's a time to love and look beyond anger.  It's a time to be thankful.  If we can do all of these things during the celebration of Christmas, why can't we do them all the time?  Why?

1 Peter 5:14 "Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace [be] with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen."

Double amen.

Thank you God for this beautiful rainy day.  Thank you for the many gifts you've given, including snoring and sleepless nights and a brain that never stops.  But mostly, God, thank you for my family and friends and the gift of Your Son, Jesus.  Amen

Do me a favor today, please go splash in a puddle and be a kid at heart for just a little while.  God may have put that puddle there just for you.  I pray for your travel mercies, health and well being and that peace and charity maybe radiate from you and be shared with everyone you meet.  Touch a life, share a hug, offer Jesus to someone through what you do and say.

God bless and Merry Christmas!
K

Life's Morsels: Roadblocks and Blessings

Life's Morsels: Roadblocks and Blessings: Everything in life, everything we do, is surrounded by technology.  Sometimes, it frustrates me beyond belief, especially when they don't qu...

Roadblocks and Blessings

Everything in life, everything we do, is surrounded by technology.  Sometimes, it frustrates me beyond belief, especially when they don't quite want to work.

I remember the old blond wood television when I was a little girl, 2 stations, maybe 3 at most.  I even remember the very first episode of the Flintstones!  A few years later, we were introduced to Pa, and Hoss and Little Joe on the Ponderosa, and it was in living color.  On Sunday nights, I would be stretched out on the floor at my grandparent's home, thinking that the NBC peacock in color was the coolest thing I had ever seen in my life.  Who knew that it was the beginning of more channels than any of us could ever even dream of watching and a picture that was so realistic, that you feel like you could step right into it!  For those of you that remember the first television, period, or listening to Little Orphan Annie on the big radio in the living room, I'm pretty sure that technology and progress have moved a little fast for you, too.  See the USA in a Chevrolet was a catchy theme song on a commercial.  Who would have ever dreamed that places we only saw in books or in movies would become so accessible!  Let's not even think about moon landings and pictures from Mars!

My husband used to tease me because I am one of those right brained people that couldn't ever fold a road map to its original condition.  I was essentially, origami challenged.  I don't have to worry about that anymore.  Technology has provided me with GPS and a map on my phone, and, with the touch of a button, it will even show me the roadblocks and traffic patterns around the city!  A phone is no longer just a phone.    Phone numbers used to start with a series of letters and if you didn't have a party line, you must have been rich.  A rotary dial phone is in most homes, a thing of the past.  It takes so long to dial a 10 digit number (10 for those of us that live in cities large enough that they have multiple area codes).  Speed dial on a digital phone takes mere seconds (provided you can get a signal, that's one thing that still has a long way to go).  With all of the technical wonders that surround us every day, you would think our lives would be much simpler than they are, but I think they are more chaotic than ever.  Don't get me wrong, I am never more than a few feet from my cell phone, and if I don't play my daily run of Words with Friends and Bejeweled, I almost feel frantic.  What did we ever do without instant communication and constant entertainment at our fingertips?  Mind boggling, simply mind boggling.

Somewhere, sometime, someone decided to take some hours out of our days. Time seems to just fly by without getting anything accomplished.  Those missing hours, well they've been replaced with high anxiety and stress levels that are off the chart.  At least, it sure does seem that way.  Gosh, what fun elements to be added to our daily life.  Simply not enough hours in a day, too many things going on and roadblocks popping up at every turn, and not just on the interstate.  I don't know about you, but sometimes, I yearn for a time when things were so much simpler, a good night's sleep and fewer choices about anything and everything.  Memorable television quotes would be "yabba dabba do" and "to the moon, Alice".  Now, there is language used on both radio and tv that is so vulgar that it wasn't even whispered.  Commercials for "personal" use products are everywhere and there is a 1-800 number for things that they tell us, we can't live without, on every single one of the hundreds (or is it thousands) of channels on the tv.

I know what the solution is.  It's always right in front of me, a breath away, a prayer away, simple and complex all at the same time.  It is spirit filled but, yet it is filled with a peace beyond anything that we could ever comprehend.  It is the answer to every question, a road map for our lives, one size fits all, the perfect gift, the greatest sacrifice, forgiveness, grace, beauty, love and forever.  It is not an "it".  It is God.  It's Jesus.  Short and simple.  Walking away because there are so many other things going on,  well, that's also easy.  Making plans and having them change course halfway through, that's daily.  But, so is finding your way back, admitting that it is His plan, and not ours, that matters.

Whether we choose to admit it, roadblocks are there for a reason.  Our daily roadblocks, well, they are blessings.  God uses them to get our attention for so many reasons and those reasons are not always ours to know.  But we need to trust Him.  It's not always easy.  I know that first hand because, sometimes, I am the queen of "my way".  Been there, done that, more times than I can count.  We live in a world that is filled to the brim with "awful" things, aggravation, fear, hatred, pain, illness, death. Things that we can't fix.  There are things that leave us all stunned and grieving, overwhelmed with sadness, and events that are out of our control and beyond belief.  How do we handle that?  We trust, we feed our faith, we believe, we listen, we pray...and then...we do it all again.  Moment by moment, day by day, we get a little stronger, and then, we do it all again.  I'm so grateful that God puts things in my path to help me out.  Sometimes, it's a single song on the radio, a Christmas carol or a whole cantata.  It's a special prayer, a much needed rainy day or that one Bible verse that keeps popping up everywhere.  They are all blessings and I am so thankful for each of them.

Batteries run down in all of those "can't live without it" electronic devices, but God's batteries never run down.  He is a constant power supply for our lives, His word is our GPS, and He loves us all the time, in spite of "us" being "us".  He wrapped the greatest Christmas gift ever in pieces of ragged cloth and presented Him to the world in a rough hewn wooden trough.  He sacrificed His life for our sins and offered us forgiveness and perfect eternal life, walking in Heaven with Him.

You know that red light that seemed to last forever, well, it may very well have been God's way of keeping you out of harm's way.  Your roadblock was just one of many blessings.

It's been a long day, actually a long couple of weeks.  There are a lot of things going on right now, praying and trusting and counting blessings.  Time to head to my quiet place, and a recently discovered GOOD dose of technology - I have the audio Bible on my cell phone, and in more languages than I ever knew existed.  How cool is that!  I started the chronological Bible study.  This is one feature on my phone that is truly amazing, and that, is a good thing, a very good thing!  Definitely couldn't do that with the old rotary dial models!

Good night and Merry Christmas.  May God bless you with many more roadblocks and the faith to know that they are really blessings!

K

The Christmas Story

Today, I simply want to share the words and a beautiful reminder of the reason for the season.  The following, is a posting by Judi Rainey, on Facebook on December 14th, 2011.


Simply said, powerful, beautiful...Be blessed.


"Judi Rainey

In eleven days we who are Christians will celebrate and give thanks to God for the greatest gift that He could ever give to us His only Son Jesus Christ. I invite you to share this gift with others so that in Eleven days they too will have the opportunity to experience the greatest gift ever in a whole new way. Remember the reason for the Season is not what someone will buy for you but the amazing gift our Father in Heaven gave us."

Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you.  

God bless you and remember the real reason for Christmas and the greatest gift ever to be shared.

Kaye

Grown Up Christmas Lists, Don't Be Afraid to Make Them Happen!

Remember those wonderful moments when your children were small and the excitement in their eyes shined bright as they flipped through one of the colorful catalogs that came out at Christmas?  When my daughter was little, we always received the good old Sears Wishbook, maybe even Penneys.  Now, those are long gone (I think) and have been replaced by the Toys R Us booklet that comes out way before Thanksgiving and of course, the newspaper ads.  I can remember my daughter, laying on her tummy on the living room floor, feet in the air, pieces of torn paper in a pile next to her, and the bright, colorful and very enticing copy of the Sears Wish Book opened up in front of her.  By the time she finished marking all of the pages, the book easily gained an extra couple of pounds.  

I remember one of her big favorites was anything and everything to do with My Little Pony.  I especially remember one Christmas when Santa delivered a Disney World Main Street USA play set that had those 3 horrid letters on the box that strike terror into the heart of every parent - SAR!  My husband still trembles at the thought of assembly tasks that lasted to nearly dawn, sore fingers from plastic push pins and aggravation due to missing parts.  Some Assembly Required - honestly, now, I think I would gladly pay someone else to handle the task.  I don't think I have the patience for that anymore and I know my poor husband doesn't.  Pink ponies, purple saddles and dress ups were all part of our little girl's dream world then (actually, they still are!).

When our son was born, he went straight from crib toys and stuffed animals to video games on the original Nintendo and eventually, the anime type items and, now, many years later, we're still in that mode.  He never really liked the big fancy yellow Tonka trucks that he received, or the remote control goodies that ended up in the hands of my husband.  Instead, he was tuned into electronic themed entertainment from early on.  Most of them were the high tech goodies that required lots of hand eye coordination and intense concentration.  

Gadgets and gizmos rapidly took over his young world.  He still has some of them.  One set I remember very well was something called Beyblades.  They were these really unusual looking tops that all had crazy names and wild paint jobs.  Some had been designed to do different types of spins and "attacks".  There were plastic stadiums for competitions that literally cost more than the crazy tops and they were nothing more than vac formed plastic!  Insane!    However, those brightly colored tops kept him entertained for hours. He still has most of them.  But at the age of 20, they have been neatly tucked away into storage boxes and have taken a back seat to mmorpg's (yay...got it right and for those of you that don't understand that mass of letters, it means multi member online role playing games...ie, World of Warcraft), and the latest, greatest video game for who knows what system, (because we have them all!!!)  He collects Sonic comic books, usually buys 2 of each issue, one to read and one to neatly slip into a plastic sleeve to save for posterity.  If he likes a game, he can tell you anything and everything about the game, the designer, the voice actors, the composer of the music, and so on and so on and so on.  Some, no, actually, most of the names are Japanese and he routinely corrects me on their pronunciation and gives me the evil eye if I look at him and just say "wha what or who?".  Too much info for my brain to take in.  I have enough to remember with the everyday things.

Signs of the times, the world really does seem to progressing at a much more rapid pace now.  Keeping up with it just leaves me exhausted some days.  Anyone agree with me on that?

So, here we are, Wednesday, December 7th, 2011.  Today is the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.  No, I am not that old, but I did study it in school and I do know what it is.  I'm not even sure it's in text books anymore.  They seem to discount a lot of historical events as impertinent to events of today.  Such a shame.

Back to Christmas, sorry, chasing rabbits again.  Pearl Harbor aside, we are now also 18 days from yet another commercialized Christmas.  I've had my fill of Black Fridays, Cyber Mondays and crowds at the mall.  I'm over it, but 3 weeks ago, my daughter shared a special wish with me, that I am now calling her Grown Up Christmas List.  After years of letting that inner kid come out and present her family with a list that was very similar to that old Sear's Wish Book with all of the torn paper page markers, I am so proud of the words that came from her mouth.  "Mom, I wish we could convince everyone to take all of that money spent on those gifts and turn it into helping people.  I wish we could give a donation to a childrens' organization or homeless shelter in the names of everyone we buy Christmas gifts for.  We don't need anything, but there are people that do."  I nearly cried, and from those words that flowed with passion from her heart, we had a conversation that left no doubt, that in spite of those rough and tumble teenage years, and the "I'm over 21 and a grown up" years, she listened, she learned, she became so compassionate, that she literally glowed when she talked about what she wanted to do.  I'm so proud of her, so very proud of her.  My son is the same way, he will take the last dollar, the last quarter he has, and put it in the red kettle at the grocery or the mall.  They have both grown up, they have both seen beyond their "wants" and realized that the "needs" of others just might be more important than spending their money on a new CD or video game or pair of ridiculously overpriced jeans.  Yippee!  I raised real people!  Compassionate, loving, feeling, concerned people.  Thank you God for helping us do this right!  Thank you for my two beautiful, caring, talented, gifted special kids.  The best part of all is that now, they are not only still blessing Mom and Dad and the rest of the family, but they have reached beyond their comfort zone and are beginning to bless those that they don't know.

Friends, I've had such a wonderful week.  My encounter with the old man last week, the craziness of the geysers in my kitchen, a birthday that will go down in the record books as one of the best, and the pride and joy that my now grown up children have brought to me.

It's such a neat feeling to know that your child learned how to spell their name or count to 100.  It's a feeling that I can't even describe to see them turn into "grown ups", "people" and know that they have reached the point in their lives, that taking on the world is not a video game or gossiping on Facebook.  It's knowing that they have figured out this whole thing and are now looking at that Christmas Wish Book from an entirely different perspective.

Kids, I love you both so much.  You have both made your momma very, very proud.  Change the world, one quarter, one random act of kindness at a time.  Share your grown up Christmas Lists with the world and don't be afraid to make them happen...

Okay, so the rest of you already figured out that I'm a proud momma.   I know that you are proud of your kids too.  No matter what age they are, set an example for them.  Teach them about those Grown Up Christmas Lists.  Teach them that there is more to the 25th of December than just new toys, new clothes.  Teach them the reason for the season!  Christ was born in Bethlehem, a tiny baby born into a cold world, 10 tiny fingers, 10 tiny toes, born to wear a crown of thorns.  Born to give us the ultimate Christmas gift, His life for our salvation.  Teach them to care, teach them to love, teach them to feel, teach them to be joyous, but also to weep.  Teach them to give thanks, to share, to give.

Merry Christmas everyone.  God loves you, Jesus lives within each of us that have claimed Him as our Lord and Savior.  He is in our hearts, let others see Him through our actions.

Now, go write down your own Grown Up Christmas list and see if there is room to squeeze in a couple of extras.  You might just open a heart, restore faith, give life, in the process.

Love you all, God bless you and keep you.  Merry Christmas!

Kaye

Enjoy!

Life's Morsels: Angels On Our Doorsteps....

Life's Morsels: Angels On Our Doorsteps....: I am a firm believer that God puts people and ANGELS in our paths for all sorts of reasons. We may not always know why at the time, and as ...

Angels On Our Doorsteps....

I am a firm believer that God puts people and ANGELS in our paths for all sorts of reasons.  We may not always know why at the time, and as Earthly inhabitants, we may never know why until that day, that one special day, that God calls us home.

It's really hard to not be cynical these days, who to trust, who not to trust.  We see people sleeping under bridges that are homeless, the not so scraggly man standing at the end of the exit ramp asking for money, people everywhere, in every town, in every setting, are hurting, some for real and others just acting the part for the handout.  BUT, you never know when that one person that you avoid like the plague may actually be that angel in disguise put there to test you or bless you.  So, what do you do?  How do you know?  The answer is simply, you don't...

Every day, we each have an opportunity or two to make someone's day better (including our own), to change a life, share God, bring a smile, basically, we all have the chance daily to be the blessing to someone else.

You never know what form it will take, it could be as simple as a smile, as warm as a hug or as lasting as just listening when someone needs to talk.  The blessing comes from your heart and your willingness to give back or be there for that one Angel on your doorstep at that moment in time.

Last week, I wrote that sometimes, we all just need a good cry.  It's cleansing, it's restoring, it's a release, but it's also a way that we know our hearts, our tender spots are still there.  There are people and situations all around us that we tend to tune out because we have become desensitized to the cries of those around us, the world around us.  We have turned off our senses to those that are a little different, seem a little threatening, a little diverse.  Last week, I learned a very important lesson and thanked God for that Angel that He planted on my doorstep at work and the impact it has had on me ever since.  This is His story....

On Friday, I was wrapping things up at the office, sorting mail, answering phone calls, and just getting ready to tie things up for the week.  I'm there by myself a lot of the time and have gotten very cautious about who I open the door to.  I keep the door locked all the time, as we've had some pretty unsavory characters show up, looking for handouts our free advice.  But this day, it was different.  I had been on hold with a contractor for quite awhile and as I sat there blankly starring out the window, I saw a car pull up and park and an elderly man, all stooped over, got out and started walking slowly and carefully down the sidewalk, tapping his cane with every step he took.  He appeared tired and very weary and I noticed that he had what looked to be a fresh head wound.  A long gash, with numerous stitches, reached from one side of his head to the other.  I'm ashamed to admit that I almost didn't open the door and greet him, but there was just something about him that gave me the feeling that he was okay.

He stood before me telling me that he had been in an accident earlier and was looking for a doctor.  He said  that he was from down south of Macon and he had been driving an acquaintance up here to be with family.  He wasn't real familiar with the highways up here and the exits and all.  Someone side swiped his car while he was changing lanes.  His car was damaged, but even worse, he and his friend were hurt pretty bad.  He refused an ambulance when the State Patrol offered, and he took his traffic ticket and drove his friend to the hospital for treatment.  That's when the patched up the gash on his head.  I'm not real sure what happened after that, whether the hospital offered to get him help or if he just left, but he had been driving around for quite awhile, looking for a doctor's office and an attorney.  Lost, alone, confused and afraid, he found our office and pulled in.  I felt so bad that there was nothing I could do short of calling 911, so I did the next best thing.  I listened and I just let him talk.  It was 30 minutes that has changed me and I won't ever forget it.

As he talked, he shook, his eyes were filled with fear, and with tears beginning to spill from his eyes, he began to talk about his life.  His wife had passed away as had his children.  He had no family left.  He was 87 and had been driving around all day since he left the ER, because he didn't know where he was or what to do or where to go.  He just needed someone to tell him what to do.

As he talked, he seemed to be reliving memories and he began to tell me stories from his life.  At 17, he joined the navy and was stationed at Pearl Harbor.  He told me about being blown off of the ship he was on and then getting caught up in the wake it created as it began to sink.  He survived, but all around him were the lifeless bodies of many of his shipmates.  He was rescued and tended to and later on, was aboard another  ship that went down off the coast of Scotland and he nearly lost his life again.  He watched as his ship went down with many of the crew and the admiral on board as it did.  He tearfully said, "I survived, but they didn't."

He asked if there was a doctor available.  no' I'm so sorry, and I offered again to call 911.  He had already been to the ER.  I think he just needed someone to listen and to care enough to treat him like a human being and not a number or just another case in the ER.  I told him over and over that I was sorry there was no one there to help him, and he said "it's okay, you already have...thank you for just listening to an old man."   With those words, I reached out and gently put my hand on his crooked shoulders and gave him a hug.  He walked away, tears rolling down his ruddy cheeks, and he turned and looked at me one last time before he got in his car.  The only thing he said was "thank-you".

I waved goodbye and stood there and watched as he drove off, tears streaming down my face, and I said to myself, "no, I need to thank you."  He had no idea how much he had done for me.  He had no idea of the gift that he had given me.  He had no idea that he was the blessing that I needed at just that moment, on just that day, in just that place.

Since Friday, I haven't been able to stop thinking about him.  I can still see him standing there, afraid, hurting, lost, and I wonder where he is, if he is okay, if he blessed someone else that day as much as he did me.

I know that he is in good hands.  God has him, of that I am sure and I thank God for that special angel that made my life just a little bit better because of the time that he spent with me...

I'm not asking you to take risks or to do anything unsafe, but I am asking that you look twice at that person  standing on the corner with their hand reached out for help.  There are a lot of scammers and ruthless people out there that know the time is right to mooch and panhandle instead of trying to work, but there are people that truly need the help, whether it's clothes or a job or money for food, or shelter, or just an ear to listen.  If you don't feel safe with that person on the street corner, go volunteer to help at a shelter or soup kitchen.  Lend an ear while, offer a hug and let them know you care, and so does God.

It's Christmas time...give of yourself.  The gift you get in return may turn out to be the blessing you receive when you greet that "Angel on your doorstep".

Love you all, God bless and Merry Christmas,
Kaye

Life's Morsels: A Tale Of Two Geysers Otherwise Known As "The Day ...

Life's Morsels: A Tale Of Two Geysers Otherwise Known As "The Day ...: It has been a beautiful day, bright sun on a December Saturday, good visit with my folks and a wonderful drive home, totally enjoying a gorg...

A Tale Of Two Geysers Otherwise Known As "The Day Old Faithful Arrived In My Kitchen"

It has been a beautiful day, bright sun on a December Saturday, good visit with my folks and a wonderful drive home, totally enjoying a gorgeous sunset the whole way.  Oh, can't forget the Christmas carols on the radio.  Just couldn't be any better....and then I pulled into my driveway!

My husband of nearly 37 years greets me at the car door with "don't be mad at me"!  What.  What do you mean?  What did you do?  Did you break something?  What's wrong?

"No, no.  Didn't break anything, but I did kind of make a mess"

I'm afraid to ask, but to make the rest of this story fall in place, let me give you a little background.

We live in an older home.  It has its share of issues from time to time, one of which is an old cast iron pipe that is the main drain line for the plumbing in the house.  Periodically, it gets "gunky" and we have to rent the power auger, and my husband, with his achy knees and paining back, has to crawl through a window of sorts that leads into the crawl space under our house.  Not a lot of fun!  Every time he has to do it, he threatens that the next person that puts something down the drain other than liquid, has to make the journey into the black abyss called the "hole".  So, needless to say, on Thanksgiving night, when the kitchen backed up (after multiple rounds of dishes and the turkey sliding off the cutting board), he wasn't a happy camper.  He tried the obvious stuff, and I was not about to take on Walmart at 10 pm on Thanksgiving night to buy Drano, so we cleaned as much as we could and decided we would tackle it when he got home from work on Friday.

Fast forward to Friday afternoon.  Ran the dishwasher.  Oops, my bad.  Momentary brain lapse....sink filling up quickly, me plunging frantically, son holding drain stopper on other side of sink.  Phew.  It goes down, slowly, but it goes down.  So, do I call him and tell him?  Nope.  We'll just wait until he gets home.

Home Depot is a life saver.  He wasn't happy to be doing the drain thing this late at night, but it had to be done, so off he went, returned with the power auger and an attitude of defiance over the whole situation.

Not gonna be a good Friday night.  I had dragged all of the Christmas totes out of the storage room in the basement and overall, the den looked like it had thrown up Christmas.  It was everywhere, absolutely everywhere and making your way through that colorful chaos with a 6' ladder and a 50 pound power auger wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do.

Okay, he's made it through the "window" into the "hole".  Fussy, but handles the task and our son and I run trips back and forth to the garage to retrieve screw drivers, flash lights, trash bags, etc...  Four hours later, the drain, for all practical purposes, seems to be running clear.  One a.m., the men are in the back yard, cleaning the line on the power auger.  Nasty job.  Just a nasty job.  Glad it wasn't me doing the cleaning.  I did however, have to hold the utility light during the process, so I wasn't totally free from the task.

Good job!  Sink doing great, everything else seems to be good, UNTIL......Friday.

Ran the dishwasher, twice!  Washed Christmas china and glassware...uh o.  The sink is half full of water, and that's just not good.  Phone call, "um, honey, the sink is backing up again".  "Did you spill something down the drain?"  "Nope, nothing.  Been very careful.  But it is backing up again."

Quick run to store, Drano, down the drain, fingers crossed, better, but not perfect.  At a family dinner that night, my brother-in-law suggested we try running an auger from the roof vent down.  Maybe a bird's nest, maybe leaves.  Who knows!

So here we are on my beautiful Saturday with sunshine, Christmas carols and beautiful sunset and here he stands at my car door asking me to not be mad.  Do you see where this is going?  I'm sure by now that you've got a hint about what's coming next.

I'm prepared for the worst.  He walks me into the kitchen and our son is just finishing up mopping up the floor, counters, walls, stove, basically, you name it!  Anything that was within 5' of my kitchen sink was fair game, including the brand new kitchen rugs that had only been put down on the floor a few days earlier.  The first words out of my son's mouth were "mom, don't be mad at dad, it was an accident, and I cleaned it up...don't be mad, please don't be mad..."

Here's what happened.  The Man, accompanied by auger, climbed up on the roof, and he ran that line down through the roof vent into the trap for the kitchen sink.  Nothing, absolutely nothing came up, no leaves, no bird's nest, no squirrels, no pine cones...literally nothing!  So, frustrated about what's next, he ponders the whole thing for awhile and decides that maybe, just maybe, he might need something with a little oomph behind it, so he drags an extension cord and the leaf blower up to the roof and positions the leaf blower over the top of the vent and let's it rip!   OMG!!!!

Our son, who is quietly sitting in the living room playing a video game, shoots up out of his chair, totally freaking out over the two geysers that are shooting up out of the kitchen sink drains.  Screaming, running crazy searching for towels, whatever to block the jets of water that are pretty impressive.  He heads outside to find out just what is going on....and that's when my husband paled and moments later, greeted me in the driveway begging me to not be mad at him.  I huffed and puffed for awhile, especially while I was stripping counters of everything, sanitizing everything in sight and steam cleaning the floor.  OY!  Okay, so I was mad, but when it was all over, I just sat there and laughed about it.  I would have given anything to see the look on my son's face when that water shot up from the drains.  And, I kind of wish I would have taken a picture of my husband while he was standing at my car door begging me to not be mad.

It just all became very funny, and yes, we are speaking!  I got over my frustration quickly and quietly chuckle to myself.  Besides, I can't tell you how many people were probably rolling on the floor in hysterics when I told them about "The Tale of Two Geysers" in my kitchen.

Life's little moments...that's what keeps us going.  Besides which, it was just water, after all!

I'm sure that God had a good chuckle.  Maybe it was a lesson for me in patience.  Maybe it was a lesson for my son in diligence, or perhaps for my husband, a lesson in being persistent.  Who knows, but things are cleaned up and now, well, it's just funny.

Love to all of you and God bless!
Kaye

by the way, the drain is still backed up!  Any ideas?

Sometimes, You Just Need to Cry

It's true, sometimes, you really do need to just have a good cry.  My problem, when I am having one of those moments, my tears usually fall when I am in places that I think require me to act like a big girl and hold them in.


Tears are cleansing.  They help to release stress or sadness or fear that is pent up inside of us, and when we let them out, we are often able to regain our focus and think more clearly.  Not always, but sometimes.


Over the past few weeks, whew, I've let them flow on more than one occasion, and as you can probably guess, not always in a place where I want to drop my guard in front of everyone around me and cry, cry, cry.


Being a "type A" personality, I thrive on challenges, enjoy being told that something is not necessarily possible and then proving the one behind that statement, to be wrong, totally wrong.  I enjoy sappy movies and commercials with kids and dogs that tug at the old heart strings.  I am basically the person with very sloppy sleeves, because more often than not, that's where my heart is.


There is not a person on earth that doesn't have moments of hardship, fear, sadness and joy in their lives.  Over the past week, I've had my moments, one right after the other.  So, I've been vulnerable to any of the sappy moments that open those floodgates and let those tears flow.


Last week, as a thank you to my wonderful son, we went to see the Muppet Movie.  Good grief!  Who knew that Rainbow Connection would chink a hole in my exterior.  I was more than a little embarrassed when my son leaned over and said "Mom, are you crying?".


Sunday night, Mitch Albom's Have A Little Faith was on television.  Granted, Hallmark is notorious for shows that melt away your protective coating and let your emotions flow.  And they did it again, oh yes, they did.  By the time the movie was over, I was sitting on the couch, quietly sobbing as I watched the movie, (which was wonderful, by the way).  My head was so clogged up, I had to sleep sitting up!  Broke out the Vicks and put some under my nose!


This morning, I watched a video about 7 precious beagle pups that experienced freedom outside of a cage for the first time in their whole lives.  They had been rescued from a medical testing facility that went out of business.  I sat in the middle of the coffee shop with tissue up to my eyes, and sniffed my way through the video as these little guys experienced sunshine, grass and freedom for the first time ever.  Trust me, it was a 2 hankie event.  They were tears of joy, not sadness.   According to the posts on Twitter, I was not the only one that found themselves in a public place mopping their face and wishing they could find a cloak of invisibility to hide under.  So glad, so very glad, that there were only a couple of other customers in there and they were wrapped up in their own little worlds and were way too busy to notice the crazy woman crying at the other end of the shop.  Oy!


Finally, I am sitting here, tear stained face, damp tissues and all, and I find myself reflecting on feeling foolish and wishing that sometimes, I wasn't such a sap.  But......


The "but" is a big question.  What would the world be like if we didn't wear our hearts on our sleeves?  Bigger question, what would the world be like if it weren't for countless others that are the same way?  I can answer that.  The world would be in even greater need, there would be even more people reaching out for help but getting back empty hands.  There wouldn't be shelters and soup lines to provide warm, safe spots to sleep or a hearty meal, there wouldn't be people who wanted to be foster parents, or animal rescue groups, or meals on wheels, or any of the other thousands of organizations and individuals that make the effort to bring a little love and comfort to countless people and animals that need the helping hand.  Sometimes, it's nothing more than a smile, a helping hand with a stuck shopping cart, sharing an umbrella in the middle of a downpour, or mentoring a student that needs that extra little oomph.  Sometimes, it's just a hug.  We don't need a socialized system of government to make the world a better place.  We need to all have a heart.  


Some of you may have friends or family dealing with catastrophic illness or situations at home that are making life beyond difficult for them.  You may know someone who recently lost their job or lost someone special.  Maybe, it's a neighbor that just needs a ride to the grocery or doctor's appointment, because they can't afford to repair their car.  Maybe you know someone that is totally alone in the world and is trying to cope with the sadness that overwhelms them during the holidays.  Maybe, you have a friend facing a terminal illness and dealing with fear or anxiety about leaving family behind to deal with things on their own.  It doesn't matter what the circumstances are.  Take their hand in yours, hold it tight, let them know that you are there for them, no matter what, and one way or another, things will be okay.  Share your faith with them at a time when theirs may be non-existent or dwindling.  Pray with them, for them, hold them tight and give them a hug and just hold on and let them know it's okay to be afraid, it's okay to be sad, it's okay to cry.  Your strength, your faith, your love and friendship will do more for them than all of the medicine that gets pumped into their bodies.  


Our world needs a hug.   We all need is to know that sometimes, it's okay to cry, whether you are a corporate mogul or a single mom with 3 kids.  You are not any less of a person, it doesn't make you weak, and it doesn't mean you are not a good leader.  It means you have a heart and  sometimes, hearts break.  Sometimes, they deal with fear.  Sometimes, hearts are so full of love and joy, that they literally burst, and that is often in the form of tears of joy.


So, yes, sometimes, you just need to cry.  It's not always bad thing and you are not any less of a person.  In fact, those wet salty drops running down your cheeks, may very well make you a better person, because they help tell the story about what's inside of your heart.  


Now, I'm not suggesting that each of you run out and find a reason to burst into tears, but do remember that the next time you feel that lump in your throat or warm, moist drops begin to roll  down your cheeks, that it's okay.  It's really okay.  And if anyone tries to tell you differently, well, maybe they've never allowed themselves the experience of a good, cleansing cry, no matter what the reason.


Christmas is 26 days away.  Thanksgiving leftovers are long gone.  Trees are up, shopping under way.  But, please, please, please, take a moment to remember someone that may not be able to help themselves.  Buy a gift for a child whose parents may be out of work.  Adopt a family in need for the holiday.  Supply a week's worth of groceries for someone that is hungry.  Visit a shut in, work at a soup kitchen, gather clothing for a shelter, read stories to children at the library or family shelter.  Make a dinner plate for a neighbor that is a shut-in and sit with them while they eat.  The food is good, the company is even better.  If any of these situations bring tears to your eyes, that's because they were supposed to.  If you have to choke back tears, that's good.  It means that your heart is working and I don't just mean the beats and blood flow...


Remember, there is nothing so big,  bad or scary or sad that you can't deal with if you ask for that extra help from God, from Jesus.  In Philippians 4:13, the passage reads "I can do all of this through him who gives me strength..."  It is one of my favorites and it is true.

Turn your tears into action.  Believe that you really can do anything through Christ Jesus who loves you and gives you strength.  You will feel better when you do something to help another.

If you haven't had one lately, don't be afraid to let those tears break through.  It's okay, it really is okay.  With every tear shed, think of the drops of blood that flowed from the wounds on Jesus' body as He is crucified.  Cleansing...

Sometimes, you just need to cry.  

Love y'all.

Kaye

Life's Morsels: Wonder Dog and Moments...

Life's Morsels: Wonder Dog and Moments...: Last year, I devoted a whole chapter to introduce you to my little Wonder Dog, Skyler! He has congestive heart disease, and now, apparently...

Wonder Dog and Moments...

Last year, I devoted a whole chapter to introduce you to my little Wonder Dog, Skyler!  He has congestive heart disease, and now, apparently, we can add COPD to that as well.  Nothing we can't handle with some modern medicine and the power of a mighty God.

October hit Georgia and for the first couple of weeks, we didn't know if it was still summer or we were really going to get a much anticipated fall, with hopes of beautiful leaves, trips to the mountains and open windows.  You might just as well figure that any animal of mine is going to be high maintenance.  As soon as those windows opened up and the fresh air spilled in, Junior, started coughing worse and having allergy issues.  We did the Benadryl routine, up-ed the water pills, prayed and cried.  The meds didn't help much, and after a weekend of reality checks, we knew, in spite of everything, that it seemed like it was time, once again, to make that one way trip to the vet.  A couple of weeks earlier, our favorite doggie doc told us that we would know and from everything we saw, we all tearfully agreed, that it was indeed, time.  Poor little guy, he coughed so hard, he would get woozy from lack of oxygen and fall down.  More than once, I picked him up and supported him.  This poor baby hasn't had anything to eat or drink since the previous day and he is weak on top of his breathing and heart issues.  We had been warned that his last days would be like this with the coughing and the shortness of breath.  We didn't want him to suffer or be afraid, so, we loved on him, cradled him in our arms and prepared to say goodbye.  That little dog has been rocked on my lap so many times, I've lost count, and on that day, when he looked up at me with those big dark bulging eyes, I cried and cuddled him a little closer.

With the puppy pillow, blankie and sweet little dog in tow, we loaded up and headed to the vet's office for what was to be our last visit, or so we thought.

He is a resilient little guy and has a voracious appetite for life.  When we walked in to the lobby, the ladies at the desk were so sweet and so sensitive to our needs and feelings, they quickly got us into a room, and with every step, we swallowed hard and prayed a little more and cuddled and hoped that may be, something wonderful would happen, yet one more time.  His temp was 104, crazy high for a little dog, and he was struggling with every move he made to take in a breath.  They asked if they could do chest x-rays, because, as it turned out, they were pretty sure he had bronchitis, maybe pneumonia, and if they x-rays showed them what they needed to see, it just might be treatable and highly possible, that this was going to end up being, yet another chapter in this little dog's miraculous life.

Well, praise God, modern medicine and canine determination!  He has bronchitis, and 2 shots and 2 prescriptions later, we took him home, already breathing better.  We knew the first 24-36 hours would be the "wait and see" period, but we had to try.  If it didn't work, we would know 100% what the next step was.

That first night, I slept on the couch with my sweet little pooch curled up next to me.  When he coughed, I held him upright so it was easier for him to breathe.  It was a long night on a less than comfy couch, but that didn't matter.  I think I finally dozed off at around 4 a.m..  I've gotten used to dark circles that seem to be getting deeper and darker every day.  Sleep deprivation here lately, seems to be a way of life, for one reason or another, but let's not go there on all of the other reasons, this little story is dedicated to my special little Wonder Dog, and the many other miracles in my life.  After a very short sleep, I was awakened by a cool, wet nose and frantic ear shattering barking, he was letting me know with all urgency, that by golly, he had to go outside and FAST!  This in itself, was pure blessing.

Business tended to, he literally ran back into the house and begged for food and water.  Got all of his pills in him, thanks to canned dog food (he turns his nose up to the dry stuff now), but he ate, and the first thing he did after that was raid my husband's laundry basket and dig out a sock.  Play time!  Any other time, he would reluctantly drop those smelly socks in my hand, if I demanded, but, nope, not this morning.  He growled and snarled when I tried to take them from him.  He meant business and he was making up for lost time.  He had survived the night and awakened with a new lease on life, yet one more time.

What makes this "tail" even more special, is that 3 times in 2 years, we've gone through this.  We sadly and tearfully said our goodbyes and made that decision to take the one way trip.  3 times now, he has beaten the odds.  He has given us one more reminder that everything is in God's hands and in spite of what we think and see, only God knows!  Miracles happen every moment of every day, and we shouldn't ever take things for granted.  Trust, have faith and believe....

Life is precious, whether it is ours, a family member's, a friends, or even a little 17.8 pound 11 year old Shitzu's.  It's easy to forget that sometimes, but through the daily miracles we all experience, and the precious life of one very determined little dog, I am always reminded and I hope you will be too.

In my life, I am very blessed to have many 2 legged miracles and moments, 2 of which are very, very close to me.  4 years ago, I sat with my mother, tears aside, faith strong and responded to a very highly acclaimed physician specialist, that God has His own reasons, and that very special someone that was still alive, was quite simply because God wasn't done with him yet.  That special someone is my Daddy.  He has survived over 8 major strokes and is still taking things a moment at a time.  He celebrated his 80th birthday and now his 81st.  My Mother is his cheerleader and instigator and she does everything she can to get him up and moving around every day.  We've even made our annual trip to the apple orchards.  I am so proud of both of them.  A lot of people would have given up, but she sets out every day, to make sure that he has a quality life.  They are making memories and I've been part of some of them.  I love them both so much.  Make memories...they are part of your tomorrows!

Back to Wonder Dog, so, here we are 8 days after our 3rd life changing trip to the vet.  My little 4 legged kid is happy, bouncy and living his little canine life, one moment at a time, and we are over-joyed that we get to love him a little longer.

Simple things, blessings, unanticipated non-endings, miracles...they are all a part of our daily lives, yours and mine.  Don't take a single one of them for granted.  Remember Who made them all possible!

If you have a special loved one, or a dear friend, or even a little 4 legged buddy that are still living life and enjoying it one moment at a time, let it be the example for you to follow.  Your life will be better because of it/them.  Thanking God for my special someones and little 4 legged miracles...Praise God from whom all blessings flow....Love to all and God bless,
Katydid!

Life's Morsels: You Can't See Me!

Life's Morsels: You Can't See Me!: Craft Time! If you ever worked with kids from preschool up to high school age, at some point in time, you probably made or helped make the ...

You Can't See Me!

Craft Time!  If you ever worked with kids from preschool up to high school age, at some point in time, you probably made or helped make the famous Eye of God.  Remember, the crossed popcicle sticks and yarn.  Yes, that's the one.  You  may even have one tucked away in a drawer or box somewhere.  I remember  getting my fingers horribly tangled in the yards and yards of yarn.  In spite of the tangled messes, they really turn out pretty cool.  Helping little guys hold those sticks together and get that yarn going the right way was usually good for a little tongue biting and frustration, but they always ended up making you proud of your accomplishment.  Some of  the ones that I saved even end up on one of my Christmas trees.  

Let's fast track to this exact moment, wherever you are, whatever you are doing.  Are you invisible?  We all have incidents during our lives that we convince ourselves that we are.  You know what I mean, those moments when we are doing something wrong or sneaking around because what we are doing isn't on the up and up.  Perhaps, your mother told you "no" a thousand times over not to do what you are doing, but you do it anyway, and you convince yourself it's okay, because she can't see you!  My grandmother had this capricious little schnauzer named Roger.  He had a habit of leaving presents in the house when he didn't want to go outside.  Roger was a smart little guy, or at least he thought he was.  He would do his business behind a chair, probably thinking in all of his doggie wisdom that if no one saw him, it was okay and he wouldn't get caught.  Guess he forgot about the smell.  That was usually the giveaway.  Grandma would scold him and he would drop his head and sulk over to a corner and look ashamed.  Couple of times when growing up, I remember my aunt taking claim for the mess so he wouldn't get in trouble.  Really?  Did you honestly think that was gonna fly?  Obviously, my aunt and I forgot about those all seeing, all knowing eyes on the back of Grandma's head.  I can remember wondering on more than one occasion how my mother kept hers hidden.  I think in all of those times that I was perched behind my mother, brushing and combing her hair, I'm pretty sure I peeked to see that extra set of all knowing eyes.  Those invisible eyes are a special gift that mothers receive with the arrival of their first child.  Mine are still functioning periodically, but now we refer to it as mom's "spidey" senses.  Regardless, we all have those moments in our lives when we think we are immune from rules and invisible to the rest of the world.  Grown ups aren't immune from the "You Can't See Me" condition any more than our kids are.  Nowadays, security cameras capture nearly every move we make.  how about that guy in the car next to you that you caught picking his nose.  Did you wash your hands after using the bathroom?  How many of you had kids that would hide under a table or in a corner when they had to go to the bathroom.  Ew...just ew!  You may not have seen them dash under that table, but you sure did sense what was happening!  Did you ever hide a dress deep into the center of a rack at the department store?  You hoped no one saw you do it.  That was your treasure to go back and buy later, right!  How many times did you go back to retrieve your hidden treasure and find it gone.  Yep, that eye in the sky gotcha!  But the biggest eye in the sky belongs to God.  Who needs those cameras, He knows everything and most of the time before we even do it.  You Can't See Me!  Right!  BUT, HE CAN!

Back to the Eye of God, in all its yarn and popsicle stick crafting glory.  One of the jobs I loved more than any other was the time that I spent working as a children's minister.  Kids are so cool, mischievous, but really cool prototypes that grow up in spite of themselves.  Trying to convince a 5 year old that God really does see all, know all about what we do, but what we are contemplating doing as well.  Remember, HE is always there.  HE really does see all and know all about each and every one of us.  HE loves us all so, so much, even in our imperfection.  HE is the One that knew us before we were born.  Remember, He knows how many hairs are on our heads now and how many we're gonna lose tomorrow.  Why do we convince ourselves that we can't be seen.

Sometimes,  it's hard for children to comprehend the breath and depth of Someone that is big enough to hold the Universe and everything in it in the palms of His hands, and still be able to welcome us onto His lap for a hug and comfort when we need it.  Kids "size" things up to their own comfort level and sometimes, they out-do us grown ups when it comes to that whole faith, trust, and obey thing.

Did you have a fave hiding spot when you were a kid?  Remember feeling all giggly inside and trying to be so quiet so you wouldn't be discovered, whether you were playing a good old game of Hide and seek or whether you were hiding because of something you had done wrong.

Hey, what do you say!  Let's all get together a good old game of Hide and seek.  Who wants to be it?   Don't know that I want to make a run for the base, though.  Can I phone in my part?  Remember, it sure was fun to be the last one found or to high-tail it back to base and get there before the "seeker".  I'm sure I went home with grass stains and muddy messes on my clothes more than once.  Don't forget about sliding into home base.  I never wanted to be "it".  Somehow, I always felt isolated when I was "it".  That was the tough part.  You had to find all your friends and beat them back to that tree.  I bet in tossed in the towel more than once and ended the game.  All you had to do was yell out "all-ee, all-ee in come free"?  What a strange saying.

Where are you sitting right now?  What are you doing?  

At this very moment in time, I'm sitting in a Caribou Coffee in Woodstock, Georgia.  I have my usual spot, back in the corner, and I'm on my first round of mint tea and a cup of yogurt.  You Can't See Me, but God can.  I can't see you either, but God can!  Are you living this day, this very moment in time, in a way that gives Him all the Glory and praise for everything you are experiencing right now?  Because He is watching you, and me, and the man at the next table and the barista behind the counter.  Make Him proud.  Make your Daddy proud!  Always give Him a reason to nod His head and smile and say to Himself..."that's my kid down there!"  

Take time to think of Him today.  Remember, even if you don't call on Him, He is still there for you, any moment, any time, any day, anywhere...He is always very very good and He will always love you very very much.

So take off your cloak of invisibility and go out and play.  There's a great big playground out there just calling your name and it's called Life.  Live it the right way, live it out loud, live it bright and colorful.  Live it for Him and make Him proud.  And remember, I can't see you, but HE CAN!

Love you and God does too!  Come out from behind that tree and have a great day...and remember, God gave His only Son that we might be forgiven and "all-ee all-ee in come free"!

Tag, you're it!

Kaye