Thankful Tuesday

Today, I am so thankful for my mind. Thankful that all my memories of my past and present are still there.

A couple of weeks ago I sat with a lady that is suffering from Alzheimer. It broke my heart. She is a sweet, kind lady whose life had been filled with being a wife and a mother.

It is almost like all of her memories are locked away in a little room in her brain and can't get out. Sometimes one of them will escape and she'll remember that time in their life. Maybe it was her wedding day or when she held a newborn baby in her arms. Maybe it's an event she remembers - a special Birthday, graduation, a day spent with family.

Sometimes I would look at her and she would start crying. All I knew to do was to hug her and tell her I loved her. I'm sure she knows that her mind is not what it should be.

So today I am very thankful for the mind that God has given me. It contains all the wonderful things that make me who I am.

Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the

Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Fun at Walmart

Walmart is not my favorite place to go, but ever so often I have to buy food and pick up prescriptions. Today was exciting.

They had watermelon on sale. $3.48 for a seedless watermelon. They had them all piled up like a pyramid. I thought that is not too smart. I couldn't reach the one on top and so I knew what was going to happen as soon as I found the one that I wanted. So after a couple of minutes I decided to go for it. So I pulled out the one I liked. Sure enough watermelons started sliding everywhere. I stopped them all but one and "What a mess!"  Right in the middle of the aisle - watermelon everywhere.  Like I said - FUN AT WALMART!!

 

The one I chose was sure worth it. It was red, juicy and delicious and will probably last about two days.

“When one has tasted watermelon he knows what the angels eat.”

- Mark Twain

God's Faithfulness

Psalm 36:5

Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.

One evening there was a most beautiful sky in North Carolina. It was amazing.

I thought about Psalm 36:5.

GOD'S MERCY AND FAITHFULNESS

What a wonderful God we serve!



Memories

It's strange how just a little thing can bring up memories from the past. Sometimes it's a song I hear, a season, the feel of the air. Today it was a smell. I was going through a box and there was my husband's cologne. I had forgotten that I still had it. There were several different bottles. I opened up his bottle of English Leather. Jerry had worn English Leather in high school and when we were first married. He had bought some a few years ago just for nostalgia.

Well you know what happened next - the tears started coming. I could still remember after he would hug me, the smell of English Leather would linger all day.

 

And then I started laughing. When he brought it a few years ago, he thought I would really like that. For some reason, the smell just wasn't the same. In fact, I kept hoping he wouldn't wear it. But it was fun trying to bring back the past.

 

I know I will probably still have some sad days. But I'm so glad for the good memories. I believe our memories make us who we are.

So we need to live our lives and make lots of good memories!

 

June 1967 - We had been married a week.

We were so young.

My teased hair do - I look like I'm wearing

a football helmet.

GOOD MEMORIES!!!

Crepe Skin

The other day there was a commercial on TV about "crepe skin."  I thought what is that. I looked at my arms and there it was. Age and gravity are a woman's enemy.

I already have lines and dots  - and now crepe paper skin.

I tried to imagine what I'm going to look like the more I age - lines and dots, crepe paper skin, turkey neck, jowls, crow's feet, and I'm not sure what else. What a sight I'm going to be. And I'm sure there is no reversal. All the miracle creams and exercises in the world won't fix age. 

 

The wonderful thing about age is that it is only a number. Whether you are still in your twenties or nearing your seventies. They are just numbers. What matters is what age you feel in your heart and mind.

 

You grow old by deserting your hopes and dreams. I know my body doesn't do all the things it use to do. I can't jump as high or run as fast. I tire more easily. My get up and go got up and went.

 

But in my mind and heart, I still feel young. I think the secret to growing old gracefully -  HANG ON TO YOUR DREAMS.

 

Proverbs 29:18

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

An Eagle When She Flies

I just found out that a dear friend of mine has passed away.  Judy Newcom. She was a great friend who was always there for me and my husband. We first met her and her husband, Perry,  in 1989. She was a member of our church in Kentucky. She was a faithful, loyal servant of God. She helped head up our nursery and volunteered to work in our Christian School.

One of the things I liked about Judy - you never wondered where you stood with her. She was straight forward and always spoke her mind.

I am going to miss her so very much. When my husband was sick, she was always there for me, loving me and praying for me. She also had leukemia and fought the battle with determination. Her grand daughter, Gwyndolyn, told me if prayer and determination was all it took to get well, her grandma would probably outlive us all. I'm so thankful I was able to spend a little bit of time with her this summer.

A couple of years ago, she told me she wanted the song, "An Eagle When She Flies" by Dolly Parton played at her funeral. I downloaded it for her and put it on a CD.  The song is a perfect picture of Judy.

Eagle When She Flies

By Dolly Parton

She's been there, God knows, she's been there
She has seen and done it all
She's a woman, she knows how to
Dish it out or take it all
Her heart's as soft as feathers
Still she weathers stormy skies
And she's a sparrow when she's broken
But she's an eagle when she flies.

A kaleidoscope of colors
You can toss her around and round
You can keep her in your vision
But you'll never keep her down
She's a lover, she's a mother
She's a friend and she's a wife
And she's a sparrow when she's broken
But she's an eagle when she flies.

Gentle as the sweet magnolia
Strong as steel, her faith and pride
She's an everlasting shoulder
She's the leaning post of life
She hurts deep and when she weeps
She's just as fragile as a child
And she's a sparrow when she's broken
But she's an eagle when she flies.

She's a sparrow when she's broken
But she's an eagle when she flies
Oh, bless her, Lord
She's an eagle when she flies.

At The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Judy and her husband, Perry

I love you Judy and I am so thankful that God allowed you to be a part of my life.

Sunshowers

The other day I looked outside and the sun was shining along with a rain shower. To me that has always been so amazing. I know science has an explanation as to what causes the sun and rain to happen at the same time, but I have my own explanation. It is God letting  me know that He loves me.

Our life is going to have good times and bad times. We're going to have the greatest days ever, but every now and then a trial will come along. Sometimes, we'll wonder why. The most amazing thing about a sunshower - it is always followed by a rainbow. God's promises are always there  giving us hope through the trials. And sure enough, a little bit later I looked out and there was a beautiful rainbow showing me that there is always HOPE.