DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR SO MUCH!

Well, another holiday weekend about gone and am I ever glad.  I never did care too much for Memorial Day which was called Decoration Day before.  It just never was my favorite time of the year.  Everyone was so somber and sad and I didn’t care much for that part.

My father was a printer at the local newspaper and there was a printer’s plot at the very old local cemetery.  So, every year, we had to attend this somber,  long memorial service for these dead printers.  The cemetery was so old that it had broken grave markers and everything smelled musty and moldy and old.  But my father was very respectful of those who had gone before him and so we went, like it or not.  And we better not have any other plans and we better not complain either.

Usually, it was humid and uncomfortable weather and we had to get all dressed up special for this occasion. That meant Sunday School clothes all the way.  And then we sat on these very old benches that had rusty spots on them.  The whole day was just difficult to deal with.  But we were brought up to always have good manners and be respectful and kind.  So we smiled nicely and spoke to all those older people that we saw once a year.

A Preacher would make a small sermon and say a few prayers.  And then came the really special treat of  a quartet that sang several songs.  They were usually much older people who could not carry a tune in a bucket and they certainly had no harmony between them.  But they had a juice harp to sound out the note and then they would all sing, sometimes together.  We sat glued to our seats, not daring to look at each other for fear we might have to laugh or cry, never sure of which it would be.

When it was all over, we had to stand around while our parents talked to all their old friends and visited for awhile.  However, I wouldn’t mind getting to do that one more time.  Might be fun to see all those people again and sure would be nice to see my parents again.

Miss them all. And all those like them who worked so hard every day to have a better life for everyone.  And all those who taught us children all the manners and niceties of life and reminded us to be ladies and gentlemen no matter the situation.

I know this holiday is for remembering all those who have fallen in the quest to save our country.  And I respect and honor that myself.  I miss a lot of that patriotism that was so prevalent in that day and time too.  I still honor the flag every day at my home.  And I truly respect all this country has stood for all the years.  I miss the moral fiber that always held everyone together, the honor for the parents and the respect for Almighty God and the other things that made us all one big family belonging to this wonderful country.  I remember it all very well.  And I miss all that, too.  I hope we can all get back to that very soon.

Happy Memorial Day!

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR MY FATHER

I grew up in this really great typical family.  There was a mother, father, grandmother, sister and brother.  We lived a perfectly normal life in the decade of the 1940′s.  Everyone was treated fairly, both in praise and in reprimands.  And I am so glad I was placed there by Almighty God because it couldn’t have been any better.

My father was always the last word on anything.  He was very fair and very kind and very strict.  But he always was striving to make people happy and to feel better about themselves.  We had this neighbor who was always talking about his ‘hogs head cheese’ that his family ate when he was growing up. My father had eaten some of that before, too, down in the country where it was made.  So he talked with the neighbor and they both agreed that cheese was just simply great.

Next month or so, the neighbor family invited us over for Sunday dinner. And guess what!  They served hogs head cheese, the real kind, made out of real hog’s heads. The neighbor had made a trip to the country just to get that for us.  We had been taught all our lives to be nice and complimentary and kind to anyone, so when it came time to eat that hogs head cheese, all us kids smiled and swallowed – really, really hard.  I remember my brother looked a little green, but he didn’t say so.  And it was all I could do to eat mine, especially thinking about those hog’s heads.  But we ate it and raved over how good it was.  My father was raving over it, too, complimenting the neighbor for such a wonderful treat.  But, oh boy, we were really glad to get back home so we could brush our teeth and say what we really thought about that hogs head cheese.

Another time, our Great Aunt Mary was coming for a visit.  I had never seen her before as it had been so long since she had visited.  She and her husband were driving from California just to see us.  She had helped in raising my father and so he was really excited about her visit.  He kept talking about how he wanted her to make some of that great chili she had made for him as a kid.  He kept saying it had big chunks of garlic in it and we would just love it.  Well, after visiting for a couple of days, Aunt Mary decided to make some of that chili that my father was just raving about.  You know, the one with the big chunks of garlic in it.

My father watched while she cooked and he was so anxious to taste.  That night  at dinner, we had garlic chili with a little meat thrown in for flavor.  It had so much garlic in it that it was all we could do to swallow it.  But we did.  And we all complimented Aunt Mary for such wonderful chili.  I can still taste that garlic every time I think about it.  But we were kind and thoughtful and smiled a lot even if we did smell sort of funny that evening.

It was truly a great family full of all the things that families did back then.  And lots of fun and happiness.  You might like to read a little more about this family of mine along with living history about what was really going on in the world around us.  My book IN THE 1940′S  tells all that.  The War was raging all over the world and we were living with the rationing and the allotment checks since my father went to War and the air raids and everything else that was going on.  It was a very interesting time and if you like my writing, you will really enjoy this book.

Each book only $10 plus $2 postage.  Send check or money order to BET   P.O. Box 2249   Benton, AR  72018    Thanks, Bet

 

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR MOTHERS

I can never Thank God enough for the fact that I have such a wonderful family and can enjoy them all so much.  I am a very fortunate person.

When I was growing up, I never even liked kids at all.  They always just got in my way.  Never babysat except one time and went to sleep that one time and the people got furious with me.  Never did that dumb thing again. If I wanted to make money, I got other jobs besides watching kids.  That was really boring to me.

I was planning on having one of those careers that everyone talked about.  I was going to really have a great life ahead of me.  I was an excellent secretary of the day and could manage people and things very well.  Had a great job waiting for me the day I got out of high school.  I was on my way!

And then this guy came along and messed it all up for me.  I got married instead of a career.  Worked a few years and then started a family.  By that time, I was really ready.  Because of medical problems, I could not carry a child before this time.  So after surgeries, I was able at last to begin a family.  And boy, did we ever.  We had that first child and then a couple of years later, another one came along and then another year later, here came another one and then another year later, another was on the way.  I had 4 children and the oldest was 5.  Was I ever busy, too.  And loved every minute of it, every day, everything I did.

I thought the life of a stay at home wife and mother to be the best life possible. I had a lot of fun during those growing up years with my own preschool/kindergarten.  If I ever wanted to be important in my life, I certainly was now.  I could tell that because there was a constant, ‘Mom, Mom, Mom’ all day every day.

I learned how to cook to feed them all and I learned how to pinch that penny when there weren’t many of them to be had.  And I learned how to balance my time and how to organize everyone and how to keep them all healthy and reasonably happy. And after I learned some of that, here came some more of those same type children along the way.   We had a house full of fun and work and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

So glad that God gave me this life that I could never have imagined.  Never even crossed my mind that I would live this sort of a daily life.  How could I have possibly known what was best for me.  But God did.  And He put me right smack dab in the middle of it. And I am so glad and forever happy that He did.

Thank You Dear God for letting me be one of those Mothers.    Happy Mother’s Day everyone.  May God bless you as much as He has me.

 

STILL BEING GOOFY

I have a very sore arm and shoulder today.  I broke this shoulder several years ago and have pins and rods in it.  Usually it causes no trouble at all, but today, I am pretty sore.  I’m not sure if I should tell people I hurt it while playing tennis yesterday.   Or maybe I could say I was doing extreme Yoga.  Perhaps I could even say advanced Tai Chai.   I know, I could say I was playing tournament Volley Ball.

Who would know?

I really hate to say that I threw it out scratching my back.  Sounds sort of goofy.  Oh well, the usual.

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR FATIMA, (CONTINUED)

Lucia was almost 10 now, Francisco almost 9 and Jacinta almost 7.  They shepherded their sheep every day leaving home early in the morning, carrying their lunch and going home again in time for supper.  They played games, danced, sang, and always remembered to say their Rosary along with the prayers the Angel had taught them.  This was in the midst of World War I.

After Mass on Sunday, May 13, 1917, the children drove their sheep to one of their favorite places.  They stopped to eat lunch and then set about playing a game.  Suddenly a bright shaft of light caught their attention.  Thinking it a flash of lightning, they decided to take the sheep home in case it was going to rain.  As they started down a hill, they saw another shaft of light.  Then they saw a most beautiful Lady.   She was dressed all in white and more brilliant than the sun.  She stood above a small oak tree.

‘Fear not’, the Lady said.  ’I will not harm you.’

Lucia asked the Lady where she was from.  ’I am from Heaven’, the beautiful Lady answered.  Then Lucia asked, ‘What do you want of me?’

The Lady answered, ‘I come to ask you to come here for six consecutive months, on the thirteenth day, at this same hour.  I will tell you later who I am and what I want.  And I shall return here again a seventh time.’

Then Lucia asked if she, too, were going to go to Heaven.  ’Yes, you shall,’ the Lady said. Lucia asked about Jacinta and the answer was ‘Yes’.  And Francisco? The Lady answered ‘He, too, shall go, but he must say many Rosaries.’

Francisco still could not see the Lady nor hear her voice.  He suggested they throw a stone at the Lady to see if  she were real.  But Lucia refused.  Then she said, ‘So you are Our Lady and Francisco can’t see you?’

The Lady answered, ‘Let him say the Rosary.   And in that way he too will see me.’  When told this, Francisco began to say the Rosary and the Lady appeared to him also.

Then the Lady asked ‘Do you want to offer yourselves to God to endure all the sufferings that He may choose to send you, as an act of reparation for the sins by which He is offended and as a supplication for the conversion of sinners?’    Lucia immediately answered for all three, ‘Yes, we want to.’

‘Then you are going to suffer a great deal,’ the Lady promised, ‘but the grace of God will be your comfort.  Then she spread an intense light upon the three and they knelt on the ground saying the prayer, ‘Most Holy Trinity…..’

‘Say the Rosary every day to earn peace for the world and the end of the War.’  And with that, the Lady began ascending towards Heaven.

 

 

 

 

MY SEWING – SO?

My mother sewed beautifully all my growing up years.  My sister can sew perfectly.  I am a real mess when it comes to sewing.  Just never could manage to do any sewing or needle work of any kind.  When I finished it, it looked like I had done it for sure.  Some people just can do things and others cannot.  I tried.  I really did.  I darned my husband’s socks when we first married and he threw them in the waste basket after they hurt his feet all day at work.  I took Home Ec like all the girls did in my age group.  The teacher hated me by the end of the year.  You can read all about that one in my humorous and pure fun book entitled In The 1940′s.  Remember, all my books are $10 each plus $2 postage and they are well worth that much.  True fun and lots of living history.  Great!  Can order from me anytime at P.O. Box 2249, Benton, AR  72018.  Just send check and I will send book – gladly.  My storeroom is getting full.  Thanks.

Anyway, getting back to my lack of sewing ability, I have all these wonderful kids and by the way, I am also a great cook and can do just about anything else except sew – So?

So I decided to make each of them a quilt.  Now, I know that most people don’t decide to make quilts, but I did.  I figured I could do that one easy enough.  I bought 2 flannel sheets,  each one twin size.  Then I drew a picture on one of the sheets.  This was all free hand drawing.  Starting with a big clown and balloons, I painted the picture. Then I joined the two flannel sheets together.  After putting on the binding, I embroidered around the picture.  This attached the two flannel sheets to each other with the padding in the middle making it a quilt.  It was really pretty and I was duly proud.  By the way, that quilt is still in use today and it is really old so must have done a pretty good job.

Then the Fair came to town and I decided I would enter it just to see what happened.  I carried it proudly to the judging booth and presented it.  The lady looked at me and looked at the quilt and then she fingered it all over and looked at me again and asked me what I wanted to do with it.  I told her I wanted to enter it in the Fair.  She said, ‘But honey, it’s not quilted’.  I just looked at her and started to sputter a little bit and then the lady in charge of the booth came by and said ‘take it anyway.’  So the lady did.

Now I was so excited.  I had actually made something and it was entered.  Hot Dog!  Then when the judging was over.  I somehow missed out on the judging part, probably by intent as I didn’t want anyone to know that it wasn’t really quilted like everyone else’s.  But I didn’t care anyway.  That evening, my husband drove me to the fairgrounds and I hurried inside to pick up my quilt.  Sure enough, there was a ribbon on it.  An actual ribbon.  Of course it wasn’t first place by any stretch of the imagination.  But I still got a ribbon.  I think I still have it somewhere.  And I also had an envelope with $.40 in it which was my prize money.

After that, I was so proud of my quilt forever.  And I continued to make  a total of 16 over the years.  Each one has a different picture on it. Everyone still uses them.   I had kindergarteners who took theirs to show and tell.  Some have taken them to camp.  Others wouldn’t dare spend a night without their quilt.  One of my daughter-in-laws suggested I make them and sell them.  She said I could sell all I wanted to. But that would defeat my purpose.  I just wanted to make something that I could be proud of and I have done that.  It was fun but I sure wouldn’t do it for the money.   It is a lot of work and takes a long, long time to make one.

But, it was fun.  And I would do it all over again if I had a reason.  But all my reasons already have a quilt.  And besides, it isn’t quilted.  That lady at the Fair just didn’t know that I had made new rules about quilting.  Mine was quilted just fine.  Wasn’t my fault I didn’t know how to really quilt.  My way works o.k. anyway.   I have proof of that since all those quilts are still being used today.

 

STILL BEING GOOFY

I am always having goofy things happen to me.  Not my fault either.  No way!  Just happens to me when I’m not looking.  Anyway, I washed my everyday sneakers and put on another pair out of the closet.  Some of them are very old.  I have been buying the same kind for years and wear them for everyday stuff.  It doesn’t matter which two I pick out because they all match.

Anyway, after I washed the shoes I put them in the garage to dry as usual.   Then I went on about my business.

After a few days, I began to notice that things just weren’t right with me.  I stumbled around a few times.  And dragged one foot occasionally.  I noticed this but didn’t put much emphasis on it.  Then I had some pain in my heel and the ball of my foot, not anything spectacular, just a small twinge now and then.  I also had some pain in my ankle.  This disturbed me a little more because I really began to notice it.  When I was a kid, I was always turning my ankle when I played outside.  This felt pretty much the same.

I normally don’t have much in the way of aches and pains so I really began to notice all this.  And then I started having trouble with my balance.  I was getting very concerned and felt like old age had finally crept up on me.  But surely not.  I am not that old and wouldn’t be having all these things relating to old age.  But, as I said, I was getting just a little bit concerned.  I never related any of this to each other though, so didn’t see any pattern specifically.

Then my sock slipped down into my shoe and I sat down in a kitchen chair and pulled my shoe off to straighten the sock.  When I did, I noticed that I had written in big letters on the inside of the shoe – 9-1/2.   I normally wear a size 9. I remembered getting the wrong size a long time ago.  I guess this was one of those shoes.  I thought I had given them  away.  But here was one that says clearly 9-1/2.

Then it dawned on my goofy brain that I had been wearing a shoe too large and that was why I was dragging my foot, having trouble with my balance and stumbling around.  It was also the reason for the aches and pains I had been having.  I was very relieved and glad I had written in my shoe.  I guess that was to tell me not to wear it as it was the wrong size.  Wouldn’t think that a little thing like that would make me so lopsided that I would have all those seemingly unrelated problems.

Oh well, never know with me.  Just another of those goofy things that seem to lurk around the corner and jump on me when I’m not looking.  Really not my fault you know.  Never is.  Don’t know who to blame it on but I’m sure I’ll think of someone.  Meanwhile, another goofy thing out of the way in this life of mine.

I’ll put that one size 9-1/2 shoe in the rag bag and I’ll just bet that anyone who gets that will wonder why in the world there is one size 9-1/2 shoe.  They will think someone is goofy for sure.  And I usually am.

 

 

 

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR A SENSE OF HUMOR

This has not been an easy week, so much to do and my head full of problems and thoughts.  And so many errands to run and so many people to keep happy.  Don’t know that I am doing a very good job either.  But as always it will work out.  Always has, always will, I’m sure.  With God’s help, I keep telling myself that I can do anything, I can accomplish all this somehow.

And so when I got up this morning, I was already in the hole on my time.  Too much to do and too little time.  Hurrying to get ready to leave the house, I was lost in my thoughts of what all I had to do and how I was going to accomplish all.  Hurrying the kids along, I was getting irritated at everything and everyone.  Don’t need to start the day like that.  Never pays.  Lost in my thoughts as I brushed my teeth and combed my hair, I was surprised at one of the younger ones talking to me outside my bathroom door.

I opened the door and there she stood – with a Christmas sweatshirt on.  Looked beautiful as usual, but it really isn’t Christmas anymore.  That thought struck home and I began to laugh and then to laugh some more.  I could just imagine what everyone would think if she went out in that.  Oh well, such is life.  I convinced her that it wasn’t Christmas anymore and she needed to change her shirt.   She hurried to find another one.

But I am still laughing.  Dear God:  Thank YOU for a sense of humor.  I sure needed it today.  And it worked.  Have had a smile on my face ever since.  Thank YOU!

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR THE CHILD JESUS

There are so many things going on in my life right now.  Makes me almost overwhelmed so I try not to think about all the individual things and instead focus on the big picture and just know that I will do the best I can in my life every day.  And I also know that God is always with me and holds me by the hand and walks with me all the way.   So I try to remember to Trust in Jesus and get on with whatever needs to be done.

Right now, there are too many issues to even remember.  One family member having trouble with his eyesight. Several grandchildren graduating this spring and more in December.  And they are all going their separate ways and beginning their own lives.  Several of my families are on vacation or going on vacation or just coming home from vacation.  It is hard to remember who went where and when they went and when they are coming back.

And then we have weddings coming up and that calls for showers and presents and all that good stuff.  In between all that is Mother’s Day and more birthdays and lots of family together times.  I love those.  They are always such fun.  We all have a great sense of humor and use it to our best advantage.  It is always fun and lots of laughter.  And we truly love each other and it shows through on our every occasion to be together.  God has truly blessed me in this family.

Right now, there are a couple of medical issues going on in the family and those, too, will be addressed when it is time and we have to live through them.   Once again, I try to make myself Trust in Jesus and put my hand in His and walk with Him every step of my way.  Always something going on.  I just try to keep my head on straight and my memory intact  (and that ain’t easy to do sometimes).

Meanwhile, I have been praying just as hard and fast as I possibly can.  Need lots of prayers just to keep going some days.  But I will do just that.  No matter what comes down the pike.

One particular prayer that I meditate on is the Chaplet of the Infant Jesus.  This is just a small Rosary.  The first three prayers are said with one Our Father for the Infant Jesus, one for The Blessed Virgin Mary, and one for St. Joseph.  Then a Hail Mary prayer is said on each of 12 beads while meditating on Jesus’ life as a Child.  I say the first one while thinking of Mary sitting in a chair holding her Infant Son, the second also holding  the Child but he is about 2 years old now.  The third one of Jesus about the age of 3 kicking his feet on the chair while sitting with His Mother.  Then the fourth one with the Child Jesus fidgeting just a little more.  At age 5, He is standing beside the chair swinging on the arm;   age 6, He is walking away but looking back at His Mother.  Then age 7, He is walking further away and no longer looking back.  Age 8, He turns once again to look back and then age 9, He is at the top of a hill hurrying to see what is on the other side.  The other side is all downhill with 3 figures waiting for Him.  I assume this is The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.  The Child hurries down the hill towards them.  Now, I have no idea exactly where these pictures in my mind come from nor why I have them.  I just thoroughly enjoy the depictions while I meditate upon them and say those Hail Mary prayers.   And somehow, after I have been there and said those prayers, things are just a little bit better for me.

Years ago, when I was having some particularly awful difficulties an elderly lady at my parish church told me to pray to the Child Jesus.  She said that He would always answer my prayers.  I had a lot of occasions to do that and I always remembered her words.  And you know what – He really does answer those prayers over and over again.

So I am so grateful to pray to the Infant Child Jesus and to know that He does hear me.  Dear God:  Thank You for the Child Jesus.  What a blessing this is.

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR KEEPING ME SANE

I really do have to thank Almighty God every day for keeping me sane – if I am.  Seems like there is always something going on.  This past week has been one of those weeks and every day has brought new challenges.

For instance, I found out just this morning that it is not a good idea to put your blouse on  and comb your hair and spray it and all that good stuff and then find out that the blouse is on wrong side out.  Obviously, this called for me to have to redo my hair and turn the blouse right side out and get it on again.   Stupid!  But that was a good start to another interesting day.  As usual.

Also, just read that a clear conscience is a sign of a fuzzy memory.  Boy, is that one ever true.  If I ever have time before I lose all that fuzzy memory, I plan to sit down and think through my whole life and see just how many mistakes I have made.  There are a whole lot I am sure.  Some deliberate, some honest, some just plain mean, and some because it was always someone else’s fault.  That’s the best excuse always anyway.  Have to move that one up front and start using it again.  If the politicians can use that one, so can I.  Works for them.  Why not for me.  Always remember, it is someone else’s fault, no matter what it might be. Only problem is trying to convince myself and others that this is true.  May not use it after all.  Sounds like a lot of work to me.  My mother always said, ‘Tell the truth the first time and then you don’t ever have to worry about what to say the next time.’

Decided to see about moving to another place  this past week.   Did all the research, talked to everyone about it and then asked God to please help me to make the right decision.  I knew that somehow because of the feeling I would have, I would know what to do.  I met the owner and walked through the house.  Then I walked through it once again.  So far, so good.  Then I went outside and walked around and still had a good feeling about everything.  Then I walked back into the house and immediately I had an overwhelming feeling of loneliness.  Don’t know that I ever had that feeling exactly like that before.  That is not a normal feeling for me.  I am always surrounded by people and never have a feeling of being lonely.  But this was what that house felt like.  I could almost touch the feeling because it was so strong.  I turned and just said I was not interested and left the house.  But it took me quite awhile to get over that strange feeling that I had experienced while walking through that house.  I just knew absolutely that that particular place was not for me.

The only feeling like that ever experienced by me was when I went to my grandparents house for a week when I was 4 years old.  My brother who was older  was also with me.  My grandfather worked for the railroad and we actually rode a train to their town and then they drove us back home a week later. I’m sure it was an exciting, wonderful trip, but all I wanted was to go home.  Back where I belonged.  I remember standing in the bedroom and crying to myself because of that feeling of homesickness or loneliness that I felt.  This was sort of the way I felt about this house I was looking at.  Except that this time, it truly overwhelmed me.  Just covered me up completely.

All this probably sounds stupid to some people, but I really trust in God to show me the way through my life.  I really depend upon Him every day to keep me on the path He has marked out for me.  And that new place was definitely not what He wanted me to do.  Oh well, just have to wait until He tells me what to do.

Meanwhile, I am still trying to remain sane in my everyday life.  Hope I make it.  Sometimes I wonder if I will.  First thing tomorrow is to watch for that tag on the blouse so I won’t put it on wrong side out or backward.  At least that will help get the day off on the right foot – if I remember which is my right foot.