Birthdays in Heaven…

Birthdays in Heaven…

August 1, 2014 / 9 Comments

I wonder about a lot of things. I always have. Thankfully, there is the Bible, the inspired Word of God, to fill in a lot of the blanks. Maybe with all the things we really need to know. I know in Heaven there is no more sorrow, no more crying, no more night, no more illness – no more growing old. We are young and strong again. I know we “will know as we are known”. We will recognize one another! Since we won’t be growing old, as we do on this earth, then I have to assume we won’t be celebrating birthdays. Or maybe we will remember the birthday that we had on this earth? The Bible doesn’t tell us that.

If my sister Gerry were still on the earth, she would be celebrating her 84th birthday. But she’s in Heaven and young again. I dreamed about her last night. I dreamed about her birthday and everyone was celebrating. I believe that she is celebrating in Heaven today! Happy Birthday, Sis! I miss you more than words can say but I will see you again in Heaven!

Above: boating on Grenada Lake about 1963.

Below: At their house “on the hill” mid 1980’s.

She’s probably making a joke in Heaven about her 80’s hair!

August 1st is also the day of celebrating my daughter-in-love Amanda’s birthday. She really is very much like my sister Gerry – the same heart of gold. I will always remember when my son brought her home from college to meet us. His father and I fell in love with Amanda right there on the spot. I clearly remember telling my son, “you can marry her or I will ADOPT her, but either way, I am KEEPING her!” I’m so happy to be her second mom. Happy Birthday, Amanda! I love you!

August 1st is also my daughter and her beloved’s wedding anniversary! Tonight, I will be babysitting as they go out for dinner to celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversary. Where did the time go? Thankfully, that time gave me four wonderful grandchildren. I have two sons and one that I consider my precious son as well! I am blessed! Happy Anniversary! I love you both!

For more pics and stories of the first day of August, read here.

Dianne
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake…

July 31, 2014 / 5 Comments

I was at my desk working on (or at least contemplating) getting some bills paid and filing the stack of papers piled on the edge of my desk. As I sat there feeling more than a bit unmotivated, the phone rang. Susan, my friend and downstairs neighbor, was calling to ask if I could help her with a small writing/publishing project. I replied sure, but that it might have to be tomorrow sometime.

Wise woman that she is, she mentioned that she just happened to have a freshly made pineapple upside-down cake. Warm from the oven. Of course, she had no way of knowing that pineapple upside-down cake is a trigger word for home. In the dessert department, there are any number of trigger words for home that she could have used: lemon ice box pie, fresh apple cake, fried apple pies…yellow cake with homemade caramel frosting. Any one of these would have done it. Needless to say, I postponed paying bills for a visit and a big slice of pineapple upside-down cake.

When I was growing up, my Daddy usually worked the 3-11 shift on Saturday evenings. So, Mama and I had our little Saturday night ritual. She’d make delicious homemade spaghetti, salad, rolls and lemon ice box pie or pineapple upside-down cake for dessert. We’d take our plates into the small den adjacent the kitchen and eat while we watched Perry Mason. I was a mystery fan even back then.

Eventually, I was old enough to date on the weekends but usually preferred a Friday evening date to a Saturday evening one. I enjoyed our Saturday evening Perry Mason time together and our pineapple upside-down cake…

The photo above is from one of my favorite go-to sites: All Recipes!

Dianne
Peace and happiness…

July 30, 2014 / 2 Comments

I confess that yesterday’s post took it out of me. When the heart knows that there is so much to be done and so many children hurting, it is painful. I want to scoop everyone of the hurting children up in my arms and soothe them. I want to feed them and clothe them. I want to be a loving grandmother to them. But, of course, that’s impossible. So, I began the search to see what I could do here…on limited resources and energy. I would love to sit in the nursery at the hospital and rock babies who don’t have enough visitors. I am a Registered Nurse but I don’t want that role with the babies. I just want to comfort and cuddle them. I haven’t looked into that one yet. There is a possibility I could work with young adults with special needs. I think it would also be fun to work in a soup kitchen. I am researching and praying about it.

In the meantime, I needed some endorphins! I needed a sense of well being and the reassurance that not every child in this world is in harms’ way. So, I invited myself to an afternoon of play and dinner at my daughter’s house (I have an open invitation). I picked a good night because she was preparing Ree Drummond’s lasagna and fabulous homemade bread from the Amy’s Bread cookbook.

While my daughter and my sixteen year old grandson ran some errands, I stayed with the other children and finished rotating the homemade chocolate chip cookie batches through the oven. My five year old grandson wanted to play but I was manning the oven, so I suggested that I introduce him to a little 50’s and 60’s music. His dad has introduced him to the 80’s music, so he thought that was a cool idea. We began with Rockin’ Robin. Remember that one? Try standing still listening to that! Then Splish-Splash, I Was Taking a Bath! Then I wanted to introduce him to one of my lifetime favorites: Elvis Presley! I knew to choose wisely of course. He is, after all, only five but this sweet grandson has more than his share of rhythm…just like Grandmommy! 😉 So we listened to Teddy Bear, Don’t Be Cruel and then the movie clip from G.I. Blues where Elvis sings Wooden Heart in a puppet booth. We had a good time and, about that time, my daughter and grandson were back.

I returned home refreshed with leftover lasagna and bread…and a sense of peace and happiness.

Dianne
Cool air…

July 27, 2014 / 2 Comments

It takes very little to make me happy. Precious time with my sweet family. A slow, steady rain or warm sunshine with a gentle breeze. Blue skies overhead with white cotton clouds. A comfortable place to call home. (Notice I did not say large or extravagant…just comfortable with a few of my personal touches.) My books and time to read them. Sustenance of course. My morning coffee, good food, good water and maybe some Sweet Tea. Warmth for the winter here in this cozy condo…and cool air for the summer.

The A/C unit that came with this condo that I rented almost two years now was original to the building. My sweet “landlady” had previously had refrigerant added to it – twice. However, there was a leak and no amount of refrigerant (which is expensive) would last that long.

It has been hot and humid here – think Memphis. The condo had become very warm and uncomfortable. So, thankfully, she ordered a new Lennox central air conditioning unit. I was so glad!

Last Friday, they arrived with a very large crane. All the central air units are on the roof – although I’ve never noticed them from outside. The A/C unit was unpacked and securely attached to a sturdy-looking harness. Then the crane did its work. The unit literally dallied back and forth in the air. I held my breath. The next thing I knew it was unloaded and the crane lift was coming back down. It took a few more hours and then all the work was done. Installation successful. Sweet cool air surged through my cozy home.

I wished my grandsons had been here for the show! When my now sixteen year old grandson was less than two years old, he knew the names of all the earth/heavy moving equipment. He couldn’t pronounce them completely, but he knew them. All John Deere…of course.

Dianne
“I’ll go to my grave loving you”…

July 23, 2014 / 7 Comments

The year was 1975. My sweet, gentle Dad had heard this song on the radio and asked me if I could find the record for him. He loved my Mama dearly and he loved this song. At the time, I was not a fan of country music – and definitely not a fan of the Statler Brothers – but I bought a tape player and the song for him (and a few others).

I watched as he listened to the sweet harmony and the words of the song…and his eyes teared up. The next thing I knew, there was a tear trailing down my cheek.

He did go to his grave loving Mama and his four daughters and all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren…four years before Mama.

I think about this song from time to time…and about Daddy’s love for and commitment to his family. I’m thankful for that legacy.

The preview photo at top was taken about 1952 at the Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

I wrote a post entitled “All Too Soon” about the photo and the years on Mamie Road here.

Dianne
Peace that passes all understanding…

July 21, 2014 / 4 Comments

It has been an unusual week. A week where, on more than one occasion, I have had to pray for comfort in missing those I’ve lost…for understanding…for intercession…and for the peace that passes all understanding.

Thankfully, no one in my family is ill. No one is dying. No one is facing a severe crisis. Although, I did have to take my precious daughter to the E.R. the other night for an injury to her knee. Required an x-ray and several stitches, but she is fine. We laughed a lot in the E.R. – she through her pain. We were remembering all the other times we’ve taken her to the E.R. She has always been fearless and has only one speed – fast! Fast in track and the hurdles. Fast and competitive in basketball. Now, she’s a happily married wife and a busy mom of four. Still she doesn’t slow down. I threatened to superglue her to the sofa with her leg elevated.

My A/C has been out and turned completely off for the past 24 hours. The thermostat registered 83 degrees in the apartment. I have a vertical Honeywell fan that has been attached to my hand. I tried sleeping with it facing me last night…not too successfully. Thankfully, the A/C repairman arrived this morning and I came close to hugging him! He added refrigerant and the condo owner will decide whether to exchange the ancient unit (which has a leak) for a more energy efficient one! That would help on the electric bill! In the meantime, it is cooling down.

I have a sweet Facebook friend named Bonnie who is sitting by her son Brandon’s bedside. His cancer has resurfaced and he has begun his second round of painful chemo. She listens to his moans and feels helpless. She cries out to her Abba Father for mercy and healing. There are people all over the world praying for this family. I am one of them. Bonnie’s father and Brandon’s grandfather was David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade. Pat Boone portrayed him in the movie by that name. This family has been through so very much pain and loss. My heart hurts for them. Please join me in prayer to our YAHWEH-RAPHA “the Lord Who Heals” (Exodus 15:26) for Brandon’s healing and peace for this family.

Through all the changes in my life, those I share and those I do not, my ABBA Father reminds me that HE is in control…

“There are no ‘ifs’ in God’s Kingdom. His timing is perfect.

His will is our hiding place. Lord Jesus, keep me in Your will!

Don’t let me go mad by poking about outside it.”

Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

Dianne