He is Risen

When Eric and I were cleaning out his parents house a few years ago, we would find things that were broken or missing some pieces.  We would place those in an area while we continued looking and most of the time find the part that was needed.  One of the things that we found was an old nativity set from the 1960s that Eric could remember being set out for Christmas.  It was made out of hard plastic, with a barn and animals.  Mary and Joseph were near it, but we could not find baby Jesus.  We put all of the items in a box and kept cleaning.  As the attic became empty, we kept looking for Jesus.  We searched between the wooden floor slats, in the insulation, anywhere that something could have fallen and not been seen.  When everything was out of the attic, we made one last sweep to look for anything forgotten.  We had a flashlight and looked thoroughly all over to make sure we had not overlooked anything. 


As we were looking through the box holding the nativity set, we didn't know whether or not to throw it away.  Being the nostalgic and sentimental person that I am, I wanted to keep it and display it at our house.  But as Eric looked at each piece, he made the comment, "You can't have a manger scene without Jesus.  It isn't Christmas if you don't have Jesus".  The decision was made to throw it away. 


During the Easter season when the flowers are blooming and Easter egg hunts are taking place, we should remember that it isn't Easter without Jesus.  Christmas is about a baby, Easter is about a man.  A man who loved us enough to die for us.  A man that would rise again and would live forever.  A man.  Not chocolate bunnies, not new outfits, not a day off from work. 


A man.  A Savior.

Who Has Shaped My Life

I started attending church when I was 10 years old after being invited by my piano teacher's daughter.  There was always something going on for children and youth.  Weenie roasts, volleyball games, camping trips, anything to keep the kids involved.  The members of the church were always willing to do anything that was needed.  These same people were there for me when I got married, had children and when my father passed away.  I was a member for 25 years and firmly believe that what I was taught there helped to shape my life.


During the summer when school was out and I was too young to stay by myself while my parents worked, I stayed with my uncle and aunt.  My mom took me by their house every morning and I let myself in the back door.  My uncle wasn't there, he had already left to go have coffee with his friends.  When I would pass by their bedroom, I would hear my aunt reading her Bible and praying.  She wasn't loud, I would not have heard her had I not been in the next room.  Her everyday life mirrored how she acted behind closed doors.  That was MANY years ago but I believe she helped to shape my life.


I attended elementary school in the 1960s and rules were a lot different then.  Students were allowed to advance in subjects even if their classmates did not.  You could play dodge ball without complaining that someone hit you with the ball.  Every participant did not get a ribbon on field day, only the winners were recognized.  I had teachers who would encourage me in the subjects that I excelled at and help me with the ones I struggled with.  I can remember all of my teacher's names even though it was a long time ago.  They helped to shape my life to what it is today.


I have a great aunt that I have written about before.  She lived in the apartment beside of us when Eric and I got married.  She was a gentle soul who never raised her voice or gossiped.  I wish I could say that living near her made me be like her,  but I can't.   The memory of her quiet voice will always stay with me.  She will never know, but she helped to shape my life.


My parents grew up in the Depression Era.  Like everyone else, they did not have much.  Yet they worked hard, shared what they had, raised 3 children and loved us dearly.  Family meant the world to them and they helped us out many times.  I wish I had told them how much I appreciated all that they did, somehow I think they knew.   They shaped me every day.


My life could have taken on many shapes without these people.  They have made me what I am today.  I hope one day someone will think that I was a good influence in their life.  What a wonderful thing to be.

Family get-togethers

When I was growing up, my mother's side of the family had a yearly reunion in a neighboring state.  It was held on a Sunday in the state park about 2 hours from our home and my grandmother's sister and cousins would all come and people would sit around and visit.  The reunion started in 1960, the year I was born and I think it was the only time my mother missed going until the late 1990s. 


In watching all of our home movies, I have seen the way things have changed over the years.  The women were all in dresses and heels and the men had on suits.  Even the kids were dressed in their best clothes.  My mother would spend all day on Saturday cooking when the event was first held.  In later years, there were boxes of chicken that people would stop and purchase on the way.  I can remember the homemade desserts and the cakes that were 4 layers high, that were later replaced with a store bought cake in a plastic container.


As things changed and people could not attend because of work or choir practice or other functions that were important, the attendance grew smaller.   The family members who wanted to keep it going were no longer able to do so. 


Times are different now.  Homemade ice cream takes too long to make and we just can't sit for 2 hours while it freezes in the churn.  People live in neighborhoods and they don't have a yard big enough to play softball or horseshoes.  It's easier to meet in a restaurant to eat and not have to cook or clean up. 


The weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer.  Think about getting together with some old friends.   Be prepared to laugh and have a good time.  And if you need something to bring your food in, I have a container that you can borrow. 


It belonged to my mother and she used it many times to take food to the Bailey reunion.  It's full of good memories.

What I Write About

There is an episode of the Waltons where John Boy has written a story and submitted it to a magazine to be published.  As he is telling his dad and grandpa about sending it in, his dad asks him what he writes about.  John Boy replies, "I write about us mostly".  His dad tells him that he doesn't really think that there is much to tell about the Waltons.  They are just living their lives up on the mountain, day to day normal adventures.


Someone has asked what I blog about.  Different things, some of the posts would not mean anything unless they are a family member or a friend.  But I still blog every few days and maybe what I publish will help someone who needs a quick pick-up.  Nothing profound, nothing mind blowing.  It's all in how you look at life.


I write about us mostly.

Home movies

When my mother passed away a few years ago and we were cleaning out my parent's house, we found their old home movies and projector.  Several of the more recent movies had been transferred to DVDs, but there was still a box of the small reels and Super 8 reels.  I brought them home and put them away thinking one day soon I would transfer them. 


One day turned into 3 years and yesterday Eric and I spent the day watching old home movies.  Some of the movies had been spliced together and were labeled.  Some were just on a reel and it took watching them a few times to finally realize what it was. 


As we sat in our darkened den with no sound except the clicking of the projector, we were taken back many years.  There were vacations, Christmas and Easter films, reunions, weddings and other times.  When we would see one of my cousins at a young age Eric would ask "now who is that?  Wow, she looks just like your aunt."  Other times the comments ranged from "your niece looks more like you than your sister" to "you can never tell what year it is because your dad looked the same all the time." 


One part was my sister's 8th grade dance.  I asked my sister who had made the film and my mother had gone that night to the school.  It was 1962 and hearing that my mom made a movie of everyone made me suddenly feel very rich.  I had seen these home movies before and knew we had a camera in the early 60s.  But now I wondered what my parents had sacrificed to be able to purchase what must have been an extravagant expense. 


I am sure if my parents were here and I could ask what made them buy a camera when surely there were other things that were needed more, they would tell me that they wanted those memories to be here long after they were gone. 


The projector and screen are still set up in our den.  We will finish watching the stack of old movies tonight and have our list to be transferred this weekend.  And I hope if my mom and dad can see us, they will know how much my sister, brother and I appreciate them looking into the future so that we could look into the past.

Happy Birthday Andrew

In 1992,  Eric had an opportunity to work in Florida to restore phone service after a hurricane had hit.  He was going to be gone for a few months, coming home every second or third week-end.  Since our families were close by and our church friends were here if anything happened, Eric made the decision to go. 


Our son Andrew was 9 years old during this time and one night I noticed him going into each room before we went to bed.  After watching him do this for a few nights, I questioned what he was doing.  An elderly person at our church had told Andrew that since his dad was gone, he would be the 'man of the house'.  Andrew had taken his duties quite seriously and was going behind me and checking the doors and windows to make sure they were locked. 


He still takes those 'man of the house' duties to heart.  What a great feeling to know that we have raised him to be a good protector and a good provider. 


Andrew, you are a good husband, father and son.  We love you very much.


Happy birthday Andrew.

Welcome Spring

We live in the south where the winters are mostly mild.  This year we have had 2 snow storms, the most recent shut everything down.  It is so hard to imagine spring and warm weather being so close when you have a fire in the fireplace and snow is on the ground. 

A few days after the sun had come out and the snow was melting, I looked at the plants that we have growing in our yard.  Brushing away the pine needles and dead leaves, I saw the beginning of new life.  Knowing that in a few short weeks, flowers will start to bloom, leaves will grow on the trees and everything will be green again. 



God has a plan for everything.
Ecclesiastes says

1	To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2	a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

	May you always be patient and know that God will restore beauty to your life.