ThanksLIVING

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
Psalm 107:1

We are celebrating Thanksgiving at our house today.  That's the way the schedule worked this year.  And I am thankful to have 20 feet under, whatever day it is! I love to gather with family and friends and feast on favorite foods.  Yummy.  I love the smell of turkey roasting in the oven, my Mom's dressing (we don't do stuffing over here!), and cranberry relish in my pretty glass bowl.  It HAS to go in the pretty glass bowl.  I love Thanksgiving.  Love the festivities.  The fellowship.  The intentionality of reflecting on God's abundant grace towards us...and thanking Him for it.  We aren't sticklers for rigid traditions nor for legalistic religious observances but our family started something a couple of decades ago that is a treasure to us all.  We all look forward to this and willingly arrange our Thanksgiving schedules so we can do it each year.  We go around the table 5x and each person shares one specific thing he or she is thankful for from this year.  Then we record it all in our journal.  It's precious time together.  The most fun is reading back the posts from previous years!  Hilarious!  We've seen boyfriends come and go, new babies announced, and gratitude for odd things like pine cones.  But it's one of those things that a Mom keeps stored up in her heart forever, looking round the table and hearing the hearts of her family praising our Heavenly Father for His steadfast love to us.  It's sweet indeed.

Now, I know that traditions aren't to be trifled with so I'm not about to change this one.  In fact, I gotta go locate that journal right now cuz it got packed up with my dining room stuff when we moved my folks in last week!  But I am gonna try something new this holiday season with regard to thanksgiving.  Let me explain....



For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  Mark 10:45
I want my life to not only be one of GIVING thanks but also of LIVING thanks, a pouring out of service for others.  Because the Son of Man loves me....and I love Him...and His people.  So He gave me this idea for us to try.  I'm a little hesitant to just put it out there, because I am not too creative and my presentation of things leaves a lot to be desired.  But I thought you might want some ideas, too, about how to live a life of service, some ways to demonstrate that for your kids, some projects to help them think of others instead of only themselves.  Maybe you can take my idea and customize for your crew and snazz it up a bit!
I thought of 24 simple projects that can be done from December 1-24.  An Advent calendar idea.  I wrote each one on a piece of paper and placed it in an envelope.  Then I taped all 24 envelopes on a piece of poster board and numbered them.  To make it a little sweeter :) I included a Hershey's kiss, too! The plan is to open each day's envelope and perform the project assigned within. And to eat the chocolate, of course!!!  The projects aren't complicated nor are they revolutionary but my hope is that Betsy and I (and Chip & Mary if they're home!) will pry our eyes off ourselves, pour out our lives to serve others, brighten a few days for some other folks, and have ourselves some fun in the process.

My goal is to post our activities regularly, just to give you some ideas of what we're doing.  But I know myself and I'll bet I don't get the post done every day.  Hopefully, the ThanksLIVING project will get done each day!

Wish me luck :)

There's no place like home....

Surprisingly, I didn't bawl my eyes out.  I went home....to Mama and Daddy's.....for the last time.  Packed 'em up and moved 'em here with me.  And didn't cry.  Any of you that know me, know that I cry over most everything meaningful.  Weddings. New babies.  Sweet letters.  Everybody home for the weekend.  Holding hands.  And loads of other non-meaningful things.  I cry.  Except this time.  I thought I would lose it.  But I didn't.


In spite of the memories that nearly suffocated me as I drove through my hometown.  Visited some haunts.  Walked around my yard. Slept in "my room" for the last time.

Sweet memories.  The house on Flat Shoals.  The yard seemed smaller and the trees were bigger than the pictures in my memory bank.  Pictures of snow ball fights and football in the front yard.  Countless sleepovers across the street at Lisa's.  Years of summers spent at the pool with DeeAnn and Natalie.  Baby oil and iodine.  Oh yes.  Homemade peach ice cream on the back porch. Impromptu fashion shows with Teresa. Backyard baseball games where Sinbad and Chief had to man the bases while Elaine and Teresa and I were at bat.  Crawling through the pipes that went under the road to the field that Robert and his friends and I may or may not have set on fire once..... The huge window that absorbed a fly ball but got replaced before we had to tell my Mom...

Down the road to my school.  11 years I spent on that same property.  With pretty much the same fabulous folks.  The baseball field where my brother stood on the pitcher's mound throwing some pretty awesome left-handed curve balls.  And that spot just over the fence behind home plate where my Mom nervously pulled up all the grass as she watched him.  The cafeteria and Mrs. Dees incredible cinnamon rolls. The room where Choraliers practiced and puddles of perspiration melted below my hands.  The basketball court that was full of cheers and crowns and One Act Play and graduation speeches. 

Towards town.  Past the tennis courts where Mama wouldn't let me hang out.  And the Lions Club center where I took ballet and went to parties and one time in Junior High Cathy and I hid in the kitchen during a party because we suspected some of the older crowd had something to drink and we were scared.  (For the record, we never saw it but we were too scared to check it out and I recall being very relieved when her Mom showed up to take us home!)  Cross the street to Coy's house where Natalie and I enjoyed a lot of biscuits and fried chicken.  To the drugstore where I mopped the back room while Mama did the books and Daddy filled prescriptions or provided medical care in the absence of a town physician.  Eventually I graduated to wrapping gifts and waiting on customers but never promoted out of dusting duty.

In one direction was the Gulf gas station where I came to believe that everybody got their gas pumped and windows washed.  Imagine my abject shock when I went to college and nobody ran out to serve me at the local Chevron.  I still have a hard time filling up my own tank.....

In the other direction was Mr. Jack's grocery store where you didn't need a credit card when you said "charge it".  The only hamburgers I would eat for over a decade.  And to the bank.  Kara spent her summers there helping her Dad, while I was across the street dusting bottles.  I still remember when the bank was on the corner, just down from the drugstore.  Before they built their new building across from the post office.  Where we had a box that you opened with a secret combination, not a key. 

On down the road was the church where I was baptized, sang in the youth choir, giggled through some sermons on the back row, and stood on the front steps with my Daddy while Terry straightened out my long white train and 400 of my dearest friends waited on me inside one hot September Day.

I drove past Mrs. Key's house where I learned to play piano.  (That was her name.  Seriously)  And Mrs. Chunn's house.  Mrs. Clements. Mrs. Gill.  Mrs. Adkins.  Miss Lib. Mrs. Mitchell.  Miss Williams. Mrs. Elliott. Mrs. Walton. Mrs. Copeland.   Mrs. Fowler. Mrs. Tweed.  Mrs. Barnes.  Coaches Holcombe and Westerfield. Mr. Moore.  Mr. Love. Mr. Helton. Teachers that left marks of kindness and love on my life. 

White House Parkway. Walking out to a cozy car on cold mornings cuz my Daddy had gotten there first to warm it up. Coming home from college late at night but knowing Mama would still be up waiting for me.  Still sharing a room on Christmas Eve with my brother until we were old enough to play Santa Claus ourselves.  Crowding around our dining room table with Amanda and Megan to celebrate the holidays.  The gazebo that housed my wedding cake to feed a yard spilling over with guests. Kittens being born outside my bedroom window.  Bringing my babies "home" and soaking up the serenity I desperately craved.  Seven grandkids taking turns racing through the trees on the golf cart...until finally Papa rigged it to slow it down a bit. Dogwoods blooming in the spring.  Two taps on the horn every time we pulled into the driveway...or out.

Tsunamis of memories and feelings consumed me.  Gratitude for a idyllic childhood.  Treasures of friendships.  But only a few tears instead of the hurricane I expected.  But I knew why.

There was no need for tears because, for me, home's not a place.  It's people.  It's where my family is.  Wherever that may be.

 And I came back here to bring home back with me.

All the single Mommies

This is a pat on the back to all the single Mommies in the world.  You are doing a great job.  Maybe there are some exceptions to that but all the singles Moms that I know are doing a really great job.  And I, for one, want to tell them so.

As I consider my friends that are solo in the parenting role, I realize that they are usually weary, often scared, and mostly lonely.  Yet I cannot recall a single one of them ever complaining or wishing they could check out of this job.  This role that they didn't sign up to do alone.  Whether by choice or circumstances, they have not only accepted this load but have embraced it.  And they are good at it.  And I am so proud to know every one of them.  So stinking proud of them.  What they are doing is really really really hard.  I don't think I could do it.  Seriously.  Wow.  Their path is steep and hard and long.  And lonely. 

Those of us with a cohort in this parenting thing,let's just think about it for a minute.  These gals (and I know there are some men that have to walk this path, too, so I also applaud them.  But for right now, I'm just thinking about my girlfriends) work all day.....so they can keep the lights on and pbj's on the table.  Then they come home and have no one to help slap the pbj's together and tag team to soccer practice, ballet class, and homework.  Then there's bedtime prep and hoping to remember to slip prayers in tonight cuz there wasn't time the last 47 nights when they had to referee the sibling wars and navigate the book bag contents and make sure there was something accessible the kids could wear the next day.  Clean might have to wait til next week.  Once that was done, there were bills to prioritize...as in which ones could wait til the next paycheck...then there would be prayers for a miracle.  Even a small one that would mean survival for a little bit longer. 

I know some Moms have to do all this and more even with a cohort...but, let's be real.  Sometimes we get a break.  Truly.  And we often get encouragement and support and at least someone else to discuss options with.  These Mommies don't.

When there's a sick baby, there's nobody to share the days off from work.  Or the night shift.  Or the decisions about care. Or the worry. No arms to hold them...or to hold them up. 

Nobody to say thank you.  Or tell them they are doing just fine and their kids are gonna be OK.  That's their main fear.  Not one of the single Mommies I know has ever worried about themselves but they admit to me their terror that they are not covering all the parenting bases.  Now, I know all Moms fret about that....but when there's Daddy in the picture, he's there to quell those fears and insist that the mistakes are not life-altering and to point out the good that we don't see in ourselves.  These single Mommies never hear that perspective.

So I'm gonna give it.  And I'm asking God to grant you grace and peace and strength...and hope. 

If you've got a single Mom in your circle, send her a text and tell her.  She's doing a great job.

Couple more that sound yummy.....

Crockpot ravioli casserole from Mary

1.5 lbs ground beef, browned
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp each oregano and Italian seasoning

Put in crockpot for 6-7 hours
Then add for 30 minutes:
10 oz frozen spinach (or fresh)
16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked and drained
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese


Creamy Chicken Pasta from Brionne

2 cups uncooked pasta (penne or ziti)
4 chicken breasts
1 can chicken broth
8 oz cream cheese
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper
3 chopped roma tomatoes
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Cook pasta.  Slice chicken into 1 inch cubes.  Cook chicken in large skillet with 1/2 chicken broth until no longer pink.  Add cream cheese, spinach, as much remaining broth as needed, garlic, salt and pepper.  Heat 3-5 minutes until cream cheese melts.  Add tomatoes.
Toss with drained pasta and cheese.

Update of Love for my Living Letters

With the whole gang here, I'm in cooking mode!  So I've got an update on Love for my Living Letters - check it out (especially the peach pound cake recipe.....)

Click here


NOTE - This link is currently inoperative - I'm working on it and I'll let you know as soon as I figure it out.  Sorry!!!!






https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ywkj3xxyvq9eg8/Love%20for%20my%20Living%20Letters.docx?dl=0https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ywkj3xxyvq9eg8/Love%20for%20my%20Living%20Letters.docx?dl=0