Could You Sing?

Several years ago this week, our community and surrounding areas were hit by a hurricane.  Because we live so far from the coast, no one expected as much damage as there was.  Billboards, trees, road signs, power lines and telephone lines were all down by early Friday morning.  Restoring power was more important than restoring phone service but Eric and his co-workers were suddenly scheduled 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Other states sent their employees to North Carolina to help get us back to normal.  Seeing everyone work together left an impression on Eric and he made a promise to himself.  If he was ever asked to go out of town to work in an emergency, he would go. 

One September 10 years later, a hurricane hit Eastern NC.  Unlike other times where the wind had  been responsible for all of the damage, this particular storm dumped rain on the town.  A lot of rain in a short amount of time.  The town was devastated by the flood waters.  Eric signed up to go and was soon in a convoy headed East.  After arriving in the town the guys were given their assignments and they drove to one neighborhood.

As far as they could see, miscellaneous items were piled by the side of the road.  Clothing, furniture, bedding, all things that had been ruined by the storm.  Sitting in his rumbling bucket truck, with the radio playing, Eric watched as an elderly gentleman made several trips back and forth from his house to the pile.   Only after he had shut off his truck did he realize the man was singing.  As Eric rolled the window down and listened, the still air was broken by the words, "Oh, how I love Jesus".  Carrying out what appeared to be an accumulation of his lifetime, the elderly gentleman still had a reason to sing.  Losing everything and watching helplessly as the water destroyed what he had worked for, and yet he was still able to sing.

Could you?

Milk Money

School is back in full swing now and the ads for 'Back to School' supplies are no longer on the front pages of the sales circulars.  It was always exciting to get the few new things that I needed for the upcoming school year; a pack of pencils, a pack of notebook paper and usually a new lunchbox.  I enjoyed packing my lunch everyday when I was in grade school.

At our elementary school we had a milk break early in the morning.  You could buy a carton of milk to drink with whatever snack you had brought from home.  Milk was 4 cents when I was in the lower grades of school.  My parents had a cup and saucer sitting on a desk where they put their spare pennies each night.  Every morning before school, I would get the pennies out for my milk money.  It's funny how you can remember certain things about your childhood.

When my mother passed away and we were cleaning out my parent's house, the cup and saucer were right where they had always been-sitting on the desk in the bedroom.  I brought home the 2 items that had no value other than sentimental. 

We made a promise to our grandchildren that they would always have 'Book Fair' money.  If it were possible, we would give each of them something to keep their 'Milk Money' in.   A small cup but overflowing with love.

School Is Out

When I was growing up in the mid 70s, things were not quite as fast paced as they are now.  When school was out for the summer, we went to the community pool, our best friend's house, the movies, shopping at the mall or just riding around.  Seatbelts were not required and we rode with our foot out the window (if you were the passenger).  The radio was usually loud and the car full of friends were singing along to the latest hits.  Everything was within a 5-6 mile radius of our home and only once in a blue moon, did we venture to the 'big city' 20 miles away. 

When our sons were starting to drive, we told them to only drive within a certain area of our small town until they were used to driving.  Cell phones were not to be used as they were driving and other rules were given to them as the days passed by.  Many jokes were made by them and to them about what mom and dad would allow them to do.  Only after many years later did we find out where 'Old Blue' had been driven.

My mother bought Andrew and Paul a Guardian Angel sun visor clip when they each got their driver's license.  I am sure that she thought that any extra help would be appreciated as they drove to school, church and soccer practice. 

School is out.  Parents, please talk to your children about the responsibility of driving.  Tell them not to text while they are driving, not to get distracted as they talk to their friends, not have too many people in the car, no drinking and driving and that everyone HAS to wear a seatbelt. 

Please.  It's not the 70s anymore.

Life is Fragile

My family spent time together this weekend to celebrate Eric's birthday.  It is always fun to watch the grandchildren play together and to listen to everyone laughing.  A few days later I heard the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow".  We had made a DVD of pictures and used that song for my mother's funeral.  I thought about all the things that had happened since then and the babies that have been born.  How I wish the great grandparents could have met them. 

My family has been blessed.  I thank God every day for the gifts in my life. 

Life is fragile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_DKWlrA24k

Our Chance to Love Adam

This week Eric and I became grandparents for the 4th time.  No matter how prepared we are or how much we anticipate the new arrival, I am always amazed at the gift of life.  I have no idea how each baby is selected for their parents but I am glad that God picked each of our grandchildren to be given to our family. 

Our new grandson Adam is healthy with all of his fingers and toes.  That seems to be what all moms and dads ask the doctor first, "does he have 10 fingers and toes?"  And when the baby cries everyone says, "well, we know his lungs work."  While mom or dad is holding and talking to the baby, they are sure that the baby opens its eyes and looks RIGHT at them. 

The plaque hanging outside of Danielle's hospital room said-

                                      

We will be glad of the new life and as we look up at the stars, I will say thank you to God for one more miracle.

We love you Adam and pray that you will have a long and happy life.  We pray for good health and that God will bless you in everything that you do.  You have made our lives so much better just by being born. 

Lessons Learned From Cinderella and Georgia

I watch my grandson a few days a week while my son and daughter-in-law work.  Usually when I arrive at their house in the mornings, his big sister Georgia is watching one of her favorite movies as she is eating her breakfast.  On Tuesday she was watching the old animated Cinderella.  It is the one with the birds and mice that sew her a dress to wear to the ball.  Cinderella was always so humble as she cooked and cleaned, wore clothes that were rags and made sure that all of the animals were fed and taken care of.  What a sweet girl she was.

When the night of the ball arrived, Cinderella finished all of her chores then put on her 'new' pink dress and ran downstairs to get into the carriage.  As the 2 wicked step sisters saw her, they immediately grabbed her necklace made out of discarded beads and an old sash that belonged to them.  Cinderella's dress was torn into shreds as they laughed and headed out the door.  I wanted to cry for her, knowing her chance was gone.  Instead I said, 'those 2 are so mean.'  And Georgia said in her sweet voice, 'yes, but I still like them'. 

Thanks Cinderella for teaching me that things will be brighter one day.  And thank you Georgia for teaching me that you can find good in people if you just look.

Happy New Year

There was a movie made about 10 years ago where a 13 year old girl wishes that she could skip over her teen years and become an adult.  She is granted her wish and wakes up in NY as a 30 year old woman.  During the following days and weeks, she realizes that she was one of the popular group of girls in junior high that also was a group of bullies.  She has lost her best friend and doesn't visit her parents.  She has sabotaged her job and boss, who she thinks is a really nice guy and doesn't deserve to lose his company.  Her co-workers dislike her and her secretary is afraid of her.  In short, her life is nothing like she thought it would be.

In one scene, she goes back to her childhood home trying to reverse the wish.  At breakfast the next morning she asks her mother if she regretted making any mistakes in her life. Her mother tells her "no, because if I hadn't have made them, I wouldn't have learned how to make things right."  And at this point of the movie I want to yell at the TV, "of course you would change some of your decisions!"  Who wouldn't want to change some things in their life?

Whether it is not going into debt for that new car when you had a perfectly good car, or something as simple as not cutting someone off in traffic, who of us wouldn't change a few things in our life?  (And no, you can't find out the winning lottery numbers.) 

Today is the start of a new year.  Make this year one that on Dec 31, 2015, you won't have to say , "If I could change what I did this year...."