Month #7…the nation’s celebration of being the United States of America and birthdays of some special people who were in my life.
My dear friend in Florida sent me a note about a product she found. I’ve mentioned this product in a few of my past columns. Here is what transpired between us: Mel: “Do you remember us talking about bacon grease and how you should be able to buy it at a store. Well, I'm never out of bacon grease but I'm seeing a lot of bacon grease in a tub advertised and sold at Walmart. It's with the cooking oils, a shelf staple! Can refrigerate after opening, or not.” Me: “Yes, I found it and gleefully expressed my joy. Aisle 6 at Walmart will never be the same, and "HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH!!" was said over and over. My exuberance was not welcomed by management, but there were some ladies who were. I think they were from the FIRST CHURCH OF THE HOLY JOY and HALLELUJAH REVIVAL. They joined in. Some were even clapping and tapping/stomping their feet. I still buy cheap bacon just for the grease, and fry it or bake it in my big cast iron skillet. I put the grease in an old crock which was my mother’s. It’s red, of course.”
The older I get the less beer I drink for someone to hold. Imagine the look on owl enthusiasts faces when they entered HOOTERS. I’ve always wondered who the brilliant one was who saw fan blades turning and wondered, “I wonder what would happen if I threw excrement at them.” The older I get, the hell to the nopeist nope I get. My doctor told me I was out of shape; I told him, “Round IS a shape, Doc.” There is a street in my area which has a very wide utility pole on it. Behind that pole is the speed sign of “25 MPH”. You had one job, kiddo!!!
Aint Daisy was rocking very fast and determined as I approached her porch. Her face was red and her eyes flashing sparks. “Good almost-afternoon, Aint Daisy. May I sit with you for a while?” She kept on rocking, but nodded her head. Her eyes were blazing and her jaw was set with teeth clenched. I’d never seen her so angry. I gently asked, “You’re troubled right now, aren’t you? May I help in any way?” She just rocked a bit more, slowed down and smoothed her flowered apron. “Whall, chile. I jess had quite a grumble with old Horace Bills. He was a-whippin’ his old mule a-cause he wouldn’t work no more. It’s 95 degrees in the sun an’ mules are really smart. They know when to quit a-workin’ so’s they can cool off. They jess won’t budge, an’ he kept on a whippin’ and whippin’ that poor animal. I went to the fence and hollered at him to stop or I’d call the sheriff and animal police on him. He stopped and went to his barn. He shoulda gone t’ the out house--- that’s where waste goes. Finally, the mule wandered over into the shade of the big tree where there was a trough of water. I’m jess so mad! I swear that man is so mean and evil even a corpse would be scared to return to life.” I patted her hand and got up to get some lemonade for both of us. I knew my Lady of the Holler had to refuel her wisdom.
“Your importance is measured only by how important you make others feel.” Tjr
There was a convention of egotists meeting in a large, public room. Each was given an assignment to tell the saddest story they could think of which happened to them. After a while, the sprinkler system malfunctioned and came on. There wasn’t a dry I in the place.
My husband and I had tried a new brand of coffee. It didn’t measure up to the quality we liked. My husband said, “Maybe we could get some strong, expensive, 100% Colombian coffee.” I said, “Id much rather put the money toward something that would last in stead of something which just goes in one end and out the other.” “That’s for sure. You don’t own coffee, you just rent it,” perked my hubby.
Groups of living things interests me. I found: a group of fireflies/lightning bugs is called a SPARKLE. A group of feeding vultures is called a WAKE. A group of flamingos---a FLAMBOYANCE. A group of peacocks---an OSTENTATION. A group of otters---a ROMP. A group of parrots---a PANDEMONIUM. A group of giraffes when standing still---a TOWER; when moving together---a JOURNEY; and when moving in circles as a group---a KALEIDOSCOPE
I was in a very deep conversation with a dear friend. She told me she was so glad we became friends and believed God had brought us together. I agreed with her. I told her, “He supplies our needs through our relationship with others. He sends people to us in time capsules---some are here for a short time, some for a bit longer, and some (very, very few) are here for a very long time. Those are the ones who are steadfast and true. Those are the ones who stand firm in the definition of FRIEND. Those are the ones who love us and support us in our darkest moments and are joyful and dance with us in our brightest ones. Those who stand firm do not enable, they guide and are, sometimes, the brakes needed so we don’t self-destruct.”
It was TAKE YOUR CHILD TO WORK day. So, I took my four year old daughter to my high school English classes. She was very enthralled at the process of my teaching and their interactions. After lunch, another group came into the classroom. We proceeded as all the other classes had. Half-way though the class time, she raised her hand. I called on her and she asked, “Mommy, when do they take a nap?” I tried not to laugh as I knew she was serious and didn’t want to stifle her. I smiled and said, “Oh, sometimes they just fall asleep, in their seat, when they feel like it.” I heard some muffled agreements, and quickly told my students, “NO! That answer does not give you permission to take a nap.”
Correction is always taken personally when accountability is not taught and unfamiliar. Accountability is courage over comfort. It’s choosing principles over convenience. It’s choosing to practice good values instead of profession them. Words are just words unless actions back them up.
“Live for something…Write your name in kindness, love, and mercy on the hearts of thousands you come in contact with. You will never be forgotten.” Thomas Chalmers
Have you ever had someone, whom you’ve not seen for a very long time, say to you, “I’ll never forget the kind {words, encouragement, help, etc.} you did for me. Thank you so much.”? You leave “your mark” with everyone you meet. The mark can be good, bad, or ugly, but it is there and you might not even realize it. Sometimes you don’t care, but perhaps most of the time you do.
Brenduhh came over very angry. I asked her what the issue was. She growled, “I just had a strong verbal encounter with someone. I’m just going to go into my MAYBE mode.” I quietly asked her, “What is a “MAYBE mode”? She replied, “It’s MAYBE I’ll care, and MAYBE I won’t.” I totally understood.
Did you know love has a stethoscope? It helps you hear the “heartbeat” of another. Love is a pulley…it lifts up another.
I saw this on a drink mug and laughed out loud. Although I don’t have ADHD, I have a dear friend who does and a child who does. “I came, I saw, I forgot what I was doing. Went back, got distracted and have no idea what’s going on. Is this my cup? I have to pee.” Whenever I have a conversation with them, I have to keep my mind on “track” or the train of thought goes to the roundhouse and gets lost.
“Thoughts and words are just the thunder, be the lightning! Your actions are who you are regardless of what you think or say.” Andy T. If you think about the two, thunder is just sound and does nothing; lightning is the action which produces the sound and it does something----it either regenerates or it destroys.
In closing: I asked God why He led me through so much darkness. He answered, “It’s so you know the way out when I send you in for someone else.” I can’t argue that as I’ve experienced it throughout my life.
Peace and love-----Trudy
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