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.

 

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR FATIMA – PART 3

The children agreed not to tell anyone about the Lady’s visit.  But Jacinta couldn’t wait to tell her mother.  Her mother only laughed and called her a little saint. But Jacinta kept telling the same story over and over.  Finally the mother insisted she tell it to her father and the rest of the family who had gathered for supper.  Jacinta told the story once more.  Francisco agreed with all that she said. Some of the family made fun and laughed at them.  Their father believed them though. He knew they would not lie.

During the coming weeks, the children tried to follow the Lady’s requests to offer sacrifices for the conversion of sinners.  They gave their lunches to the sheep and ate the acorns from the trees instead.

Lucia’s sister heard the story in town and asked her sister.  Then her mother heard the story and was incensed to think her youngest daughter would lie so.  Over the next days, she threatened her child with various punisments, but Lucia would not change her story.  In desperation, the mother threatened to take Lucia to see the local Pastor.

Meanwhile, the story spread all through the town and people were laughing at the thought that a Lady from Heaven would come here to visit with three children.  Very few of them believed the story.  Even other children laughed at them.  Adults ridiculed the parents, saying they were not fit to raise their children.

Lucia’s mother did  talk to the Pastor who suggestd the children be allowed to visit the Cova de Iria the following month.  He said he would then talk to them individually.  Jacinta’s father also went to see the Pastor.  The Pastor  told the father to make up his own mind.  If he wanted to bring the children, the Pastor would talk to them.  If not, do not bring them.

The 13th of the month was also time for the local Feast of St. Anthony which was celebrated with great festivity.  Both mothers tried to discourage their children from returning to the Cova da Iria.  But the children were determined to follow the Lady’s request.   When they arrived, other people were also waiting.  One lady named Senhora Maria Carreira was there with her 17 year old crippled son.

The children sat down under a tree, ate their lunch and waited for Our Lady. They all began to say the Rosary.  Then Lucia jumped up and said, ‘Jacinta, Jacinta, here comes Our Lady.  I just saw the flash.’  The three ran to the smaller tree.  Others followed.  Lucia was heard to say, ‘You told me to come here today. What do you want me to do?’  ’I want you to come here on the thirteenth of the next month.  Say the Rosary, inserting between the mysteries the following ejaculation – O My Jesus, forgive us.  Save us from the fire of Hell.  Bring all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need.’  I want you to learn to read and write and later I will tell you what else I want.’

Lucia then asked Our Lady to cure a certain person.  The Lady answered, ‘If he is converted, he will be cured within the year.’

Lucia said, ‘I would like to ask you also to take us to Heaven!’ ‘Yes’, Our Lady answered.  ’I will take Jacinta and Francisco soon.  You, however, are to stay here a longer time.  Jesus wants to use you to make me known and loved.  He wants to establish the Devotion to My Immaculate Heart in the World.  I promise salvation to those who embrace it and their souls will be loved by God as flowers placed by Myself to adorn His throne.’

‘Am I going to stay here alone?’ asked Lucia beginning to cry.  ’No my daughter.  Does this cause you to suffer a great deal?  I will never leave you, My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God.’

Then Our Lady opened her hands and an immense light covered her.  The three were in it, as if submerged in God.  Jacinta and Francisco were on the side ascending to Heaven.  Lucia was on the side spreading over the earth. There was a Heart before the palm of the right hand of Our Lady with thorns piercing it.  This was the Immaculate Heart of Mary so offended by the sins of mankind, desiring reparation.

Our Lady then ascended 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.

 

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: CAN YOU HEAR THE CHILDREN CRYING?

In this supposedly enlightened world of today, our poor children are crying and moaning and hurting.  Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?  I can.  I hear them over and over again constantly.  I see them on television and I read about them in the newspapers and I get gobs of mail every day telling me to listen to YOUR poor children.  As You have said, ‘whatever you do to the least of these, you do also unto Me.’  But those people are not listening to You anymore.  They think they are in charge of Your world.  And the children are crying. All the time.

There are those that are slaughtered in the wombs of their mothers.  The poor baby has no one else in this world to protect him. He is completely dependent upon his mother.  And who is she that she would deliberately destroy his life.  Surely, she cannot mean to do this.  Surely, she cannot intend to destroy the very basic being within her own body.  Do those poor children cry throughout eternity?  Do their mothers cry throughout all eternity?  The only animal that destroys their own is the Guppy that eats their babies.   Surely, we have not descended to that level.

I read of other atrocities against children every day, too.  Just today, I read of a child only 3 months old who already had broken ribs and a concussion from being thrown around or mistreated in some way.  Why on earth would any human being do that to a 3 month old child.  I certainly remember that babies cry and it is hard to listen to them sometimes.  But no right thinking adult would ever hurt a tiny child like that.

In another instance, a child had actually walked to school and when he arrived, his teacher noticed something wrong.  By that time, the flesh was  falling off his bones because he had been scalded in a tub of water.  Why would anyone ever think to do that to a small child.  Oh, Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?

And then there are those whose parents do not feed them nor care for them in any way.  Why is this?  Why in the world would anyone not feed their children.  All animals feed their offspring.  I see pictures in my mail and on the television and in the newspapers every day showing small children who need a good meal.  Most of them also need a good home. Why has this happened in our beloved Country.  The government is not supposed to be feeding them.  The schools are not supposed to be sending food home with them to tide them over the weekend until they can come back for a meal at school again.  What is wrong here.  Why are those parents not being made to take care of their own children.  Surely there is something akin to responsibility within their hearts, minds and souls.

Meanwhile, Dear God:  Can You Hear The Children Crying?  I can.  Please help them.  Please wake those parents up so they will start to take care of their very own children.  Please Dear God Help Them.  YOUR children are crying.

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR RESPONSIBILITY

I read every day about how irresponsible everyone is in this world of today.  Especially the children.  Seems those children are coddled every day of their lives.  That means, of course, that they are not allowed to grow up.  They are always kept safe behind Mama’s apron and shielded from that horrible cold, cruel world out there.  As a result, they never have the opportunity to really cut those apron strings and grow up as they should.

People cannot learn to be responsible unless they have the chance to practice responsibility.  One of my children raised his children with the words – what is the magic word?  Responsibility was the answer.  That meant they were responsible for their own lives, whatever it might be that day.  When they were much younger, they were responsible for keeping their room nice and clean.  This was THEIR responsibility.  Of course, we all understand that responsibility must always be age appropriate.  This means that if they are 5, they can only understand responsibility on a 5 year old level.  And that means, try to keep the room clean enough so that no one trips and falls trying to walk through it.

Then by age 8 or so, they should take even more pride in a clean room.  By age 10, the room should be automatically kept uncluttered and pretty clean.  Then by age 15, it all starts over again.  They have forgotten what the words ‘clean room’ mean.  They do not understand anything said to them about any mundane subject such as that.  They hardly even know they have a room because they can’t find it under all that stuff they have. But they are in no hurry to clean it up because they have more important things to do like talking on the phone and eating a snack.  But remember, that will soon pass.  No doubt it will. Or you will.

When they reach the ripe old age of 18 or so, they will once again take some pride in having a clean room and return to a semblance of responsibility.  So don’t give up on them.   They will eventually get there.  And you know what?  They may even sometime thank you for making them responsible.  One of my daughters told me one time that she really appreciated me teaching her to keep the kitchen clean.  Seems she had gone to another’s house for dinner and the guests had to wait while the lady washed the silverware they were going to eat with because her dirty dishes were in the sink.  And had evidently been there for some time.

So, you see, sometimes it really does pay off.  Sometimes, they really do appreciate those little responsible things they were told to do as children.

Teach your children to be responsible and you will be truly amazed at what wonderful adults they become.  I know that from experience.  And I have had lots of experiences with my big family.  Mostly fun, by the way.  But they are all growing up to be very responsible adults, ones to be proud of.

Dear God:  Thank you for responsibility.  And Thank You for those parents who care enough about their children to teach them to be responsible in their growing up years so they can be responsible as adults.

DEAR GOD: MAYBE PEOPLE WILL EVENTUALLY LEARN

I wonder sometimes why people don’t just play it straight in this life.  Why not.  It doesn’t take a bit more effort to live a good life than it takes to live a bad one.  So why risk everything you own for nothing.  I was just  reading the latest sorrowful tale of a man who fell for a woman half his age and has now lost all he ever worked for.  Isn’t that just plumb stupid though.  Why risk it all for nothing.

Life can be so nice for everyone if they all just play it straight every day.  Rick Santorum and his family are a very good example for everyone to see.  They may not be what you want in a politician, but they do live a very honest life.  They stand up straight and look you in the eye and tell it like it really is.  Most people don’t want to hear that these days, but it doesn’t make it wrong.  In fact, it makes it even more right.

God, Himself, is the One who set the rules for living in this world.  It is up to each one of us to live by those rules.  Period.  Can’t change anything about them.  Rules are Rules.  Period.  Have to get up each morning and do the best you can.  Or at least try.  And that is what is said – that it is the trying that counts.

I know when I was growing up, my mother and father lived a good, honest, decent life.  They didn’t cheat or lie or try to steal from someone.  If they didn’t like someone, they might talk about it to each other, but they didn’t blab it all over town.  In fact, my father was one of the very few honest politicians in our state.  And proud of it.  Everyone that knew him knew first and foremost that he was honest.  No matter the consequences, he was always honest.  And my mother wouldn’t even talk to people who were out to get someone else.  She would be civil and nice but then wouldn’t have anything to do with women who didn’t take care of their families right or raise their children right or treat others the way they should be.  And she took care of her own business without trying to take care of someone else’s.  I remember all these lessons and have tried to follow them myself over the years.

It takes very little to just remember to be nice and pleasant and live a good life.  I’m sure you do just that every day.  Maybe if enough of us persevere for morality and honesty, maybe, just maybe some others will follow along behind us.  Dear God:  I hope so.  Maybe people will eventually learn.

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR FREEDOM OF CHOICE

I was writing about those feminists yesterday.   You know they also gave us that wonderful Freedom of Choice that is purported to have solved all the problems in this here world.  Oh yeah!  Supposedly all the young women could choose whether or not they wanted to have children.  That way, they could have that wonderful sought after career and get all dolled up every day and have to go to work.  And they could choose when they wanted to have those children.  But nowadays a lot of them wait too late and then moan and cry because they are truly barren.  What a shame.

Well, I have some news for them.  I already had that choice for years.  My husband and I made that choice together in our bedroom.  We didn’t need any courts to tell us that was our choice.  We worked it all out with God and our choices were made for us by Him.  That way, we weren’t burdened by trying to plan every facet of our lives.  We were very responsible people and God knew all that.  He chose when and if to give us more children. We happily accepted whatever He gave us into our lives and always had a very happy life.  We didn’t think we missed out on a single thing.

But nowadays, these younger people all think they have to plan and plan and plan some more.  They really think they are in charge. They don’t know that if they would quit planning so much and trying to run everything, that God is just waiting for them to accept Him and to invite Him into their lives and then they would not have to plan everything themselves.  All that planning would be done for them and God would make sure that they survived just fine.

Isn’t it really amazing that those who put their trust in God don’t seem to be all worried all the time about how to live each day.  They are not always trying to stay one step ahead of  the daily grind.  Somehow, things always manage to work out o.k. for them.  And, as Rick Santorum has recently stated, ‘Get married first and then have children’.  That way, things will certainly work out much better.

If there are no ties that bind, then there will be no binding promises made.  There will be nothing to hold each other together as a family, so then one of both decide that they will just leave and leave the other person tied down with the  children.  If there were those ties that bind, everyone would stay put or they should stay put while they work out any problems and develop that  true and everlasting family.  All anyone has to do is live by the rules.

Place your life in God’s hands.  Let Him be the one who leads and guides you along. Ask for His help when you need it and thank Him for the help he gives to you.  And then live the most honest life that you can.  Don’t lie, cheat or steal.  Don’t curse God.  Don’t hurt others.  Stay true to each other. Don’t envy everyone else. Just settle down in your life and thank God for his many blessings.  And then get on with your life, whatever it may bring today, tomorrow and all the next tomorrows.  Somehow, some way, God will plan and work out everything for you just like it should be done.  You can count on that for sure.

So that Freedom of Choice was always there anyway.  You are free to make all your own choices.  We didn’t need some feminists to plan all that for us.  If we marry as we should and live as we should, there won’t be any problems to have a Choice over.  Try it.  It works every single time.  I know.  I have lived through lots and lots of trying times and still manage to somehow laugh at life and live a very good life.

You might want to read my book entitled The Real Story which tells of my husband’s alcohol problems and our life before, during and since that time.

Bet   P.O. Box 2249, Benton, AR  72018    Each book $10 plus $2 postage.  Thanks.

DEAR GOD: THANK YOU FOR THE LADIES

Ever since the so-called women’s movement began, women were relegated to the not so lofty station of ‘women’.  Before that, there were ‘women’ and there were ‘ladies’.    Women were the type who were out in the world causing trouble wherever they went.  And they still are.  Ladies were thought of as above all that.  They held themselves to a higher station and maintained their dignity in all situations.  They would not dare to shout or to cause trouble or to be in the middle of the so-called ‘fray’.

Instead, they accomplished much but they just went about it in a very dignified way.  For instance, if the community needed a particular item, they would raise money and community support by simply talking to their friends and the members of the business community.  And they would always reach their goal.  But they did it all quietly and efficiently.   They never found it necessary to make a scene nor to be a bully.  Women on the other hand were always making a scene and being a bully in whatever happened to be the situation.

The women made fun of the ladies most of the time.  They talked about their clothing and their manners and their status in life.  In most cases, this was because the women did not have the dress up clothing nor manners nor a status in life. Instead they banded together to simply bully their way through any situation.

Personally, I’ll take the good old fashioned lady any day over the loud mouthed trouble causing women of today.   A lady goes about her business, taking care of her family and doing whatever is necessary in her life to keep all her loved ones happy.  She is perfectly happy doing what she is supposed to be doing without telling everyone else how to live and what they should believe in today’s world.

It is refreshing to see a lady who teaches her children those important manners and provides the comfort in her home for her family and her friends.  She is satisfied in her daily life and makes those around her happy in their daily lives.  She may have a job, that is true.  But she doesn’t use that job to beat everyone over the head with.  She doesn’t find it necessary to be that bully in any situation.

Dear God:  Thank You For The Ladies in all our lives in today’s world.