Friday, August 28, 2020

WHO? WHAT? WHERE? WHEN? Q & A Time



Yippee!!!  Happy Dance Time!  I got my computer back from the techie people and it’s doing well….FOR NOW.  Keep your fingers crossed please (and you can say a little prayer if you want to.)  It’s good to be back in the DIGITAL WORLD!!! 


As I’ve mentioned before (several times), I have to have a PROJECT at all times or this old brain just can’t handle it.  BOREDOM is not CANNOT BE a part of my vocabulary!!!!  During all this COVID isolation business, I have organized & reorganized every closet, drawer, cabinet, & niche in our house…even hubby’s underwear drawer! (Yes, I was desperate that day!)  So now I’m on to my next project, actually it’s one I’ve been working on for awhile now, off & on.  It’s a QUESTION & ANSWER JOURNAL.  I found the questions online, printed them out, “cuted” them up a bit (you know what “cuted up” is…right?), and am now in the process of answering them.  I thought it might be a fun thing for my grandkids to find one day when I’ve flown the coop here on Earth.  They can read about me and probably laugh…but hopefully discover a lot about me that they never knew.  And hopefully learn some valuable LIFE LESSONS too.




 

I thought I would share just a few of the questions & my answers with you.  One of the things I enjoy about reading other blogs is learning more about the writer on a personal level.  So here goes…probably telling you more about myself than you would ever want to know!!!!

 

QUESTION:  Describe your personality.

ANSWER:  I’m not sure how to answer this question!  I feel I am a rather complicated person.  I also feel what people see on the outside doesn’t always reflect who I am exactly on the inside.  I think most people would say I was “bubbly” and friendly, thoughtful & caring…and that’s true (at least, I think so).  But people don’t know that on the inside I am very serious & thoughtful (as in, full of thoughts).  My mind often jumps from one thought to another, and it can get very crowded inside my head at times.  I tend to think deeply about a lot of things, maybe even overthink them.  I am a worrier (a BIG one), and I know this drives my family crazy.  I think I am a good person who cares about others.  I think I am hard-working and very seldom am I lazy about anything!  I do my best to put on a happy face and smile at others and show kindness wherever I can. I am not a perfect person…I have lots of flaws…but I am not a bad person.  When I love, I love BIG!  I can have a quick temper sometimes and can be defensive in certain situations.  I fight hard for myself and for others.  Like I said…I’M COMPLICATED!!




 QUESTION:  What jewelry do you wear everyday?

ANSWER:  I “must” wear earrings EVERY SINGLE DAY!  I feel naked without them.   Of course, I always wear my wedding ring:)  Gotta show all those eligible bachelors I'm unavailable:) 



 

QUESTION:  With whom did you have your first kiss?

ANSWER:  I think it was Bubba Breedlove.  I was in the 8th grade and he was in the 10th.  We were both at school early every morning and we would talk.  One morning he just leaned over and kissed me.  Wow!  My toes curled!



 

QUESTION:  What are some things you remember your mother saying when you were a child?

ANSWER:

 “Go get a switch and make sure it’s big enough!”  (Those danged things hurt, but they were effective!)

“Stop crying or I’ll give you something to cry about.”  (I never understood that one!)

“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”  (Good advice, Mama, and I still remember it.)

 

QUESTION:  Do you cry easily?

ANSWER:  Oh my yes!!!  Very easily!  The older I get, the worse it gets.  I cry at sad or sweet movies or stories.  I cry if someone else is crying.  I cry if I just think of something sad.  I do HATE to cry though

Don't you hate it when you cry and your mascara runs????


 

QUESTION:  Do you believe in extraterrestrial life?


ANSWER:  I don’t believe in little green men or UFOs, but I do believe there are spirits around us.  I think some are angels and/or good spirits sent to Earth by God to help do His work, but I also believe the Devil has his soldiers fighting to keep evil alive and well in our world.  I’m not yet sure how I feel about “ghosts”.  I’ve heard some mighty convincing stories that give me food for thought.  But the verdict is still out!

 

QUESTION:  What are some of your pet peeves?

ANSWER:  How much time do you have???

*being blamed for something I didn’t do

*drivers pulling out in front of me (and then going 10 mph!)

 
I don't "usually" honk...but I sure want to!!!!

*people who want to hog the conversation (and make it all about them)

*teachers who are just there for the paycheck (but most do a great job!) (since I'm a retired teacher this is a passionate issue with me!)

*having to wear masks and not being able to see people's nice smiles!!!

(Note:  I had to scratch one I had written...it was a political one!!!)

 

Well, that’s enough for now.  I am really enjoying this type of JOURNALING.  It has made me really look inside myself for some of the answers, made me do some soul-searching, given me food for thought.  And I truly hope that someday “IF” my grandchildren take the time to read all this, they will do some thinking and reflecting of their own...and laugh a little too:) 


How about choosing one of these questions and letting me know your answer.  I love finding out more about you wonderful blog readers😊

 

And on one last political note…whether you are REPUBLICAN or DEMOCRAT, I pray that each and every one of us will do a lot of praying and will vote for the agenda that in our hearts we truly believe is right and good and what God wants for our country.  I feel this year is the year not to so much vote for the actual "people" on the ballot (because they all have their good and bad points), but for the parties' agendas.  What will be good for our country and what in the long run will be good for our children and grandchildren?  We may not agree with each other and that’s OK…as long as we respect each other.  May God bless you, your household, and the United States of America.



Thursday, August 13, 2020

GOD WINKS

Preface:  I am a Christian and this will be a Christian post.  If you are not a Christian, I really wish you would read it anyway.  Good food for thought.

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Do you know what a GOD WINK is?  The phrase was coined by Squire Rushnell in his book WHEN GOD WINKS:  HOW THE POWER OF COINCIDENCE GUIDES YOUR LIFE (1) The Godwink Series.

You can buy it on Amazon.

Here is the definition:  An event or personal experience, often identified as coincidence, so astonishing that it is seen as a sign of divine intervention, especially when perceived as the answer to a prayer.

 My personal definition would be something like this:  a personal experience that when it happens to you, you just know it was God.  I have believed in GOD WINKS for quite awhile.  They probably happen everyday but sadly myself and others often just don’t take the time to recognize them.  But then there are times when something happens, and I know without a doubt God showed up and showed out:)

Here is an example of a recent GOD WINK for me.  I was really feeling very down…all this Covid running rampant, the violence & hatred my country is experiencing, and some personal problems of friends and family. I woke up that morning feeling a heavy load on my shoulders and in my heart.  I set out for my morning walk, praying as I went, and all of a sudden a little bunny just hopped out of the bushes and sat on the side of the road watching me.  (We live in a neighborhood and don’t often see bunnies!)  Now this may not seem like anything to you, but I have a “real thing” for bunnies.  My daughter-in-heaven loved and collected bunny rabbits, and since she left this earth I can never see a bunny without feeling her presence.  That morning I just stopped and actually talked to that sweet animal, and in my heart I felt God had sent it to let me know He was with me….GOD WINK😉


I could write about many other GOD WINK moments I have had, but today I want to write about my most recent encounter.  To preface my story, let me say that in all that’s been going on I have felt helpless.  I am a “fixer”…when something goes wrong my gears engage and I go into FIX-IT MODE.  (Sometimes I succeed, but often I’m not a very good repairman repairwoman.)  Needless to say, I haven’t been able to fix anything that’s going on in our world. (Remember this.) All I’ve known to do is PRAY…and believe me!  I have PRAYED & PRAYED & PRAYED!.   (But I digress!)

 


I walk most mornings and I “try” to get out early before the heat sets in.  However, lately I’ve been getting late starts (lingering a little too long over morning coffee!)  But yesterday, for some reason, I was up and out the door earlier. (Remember this!)


As I walk I always pray, and on Wednesdays I spend a little extra time praying for myself (but that’s a story for another day).  One of the things I spoke to God about yesterday was how helpless I feel; I want to make things better, but I can’t.  So I asked Him to show me how I can help, show me what I can do.  When I arrived back home, I noticed the recent storm had blown lots of sticks down in our yard, so I got the golf cart and went to work.  Then I noticed my neighbor’s yard had quite a few also, so I drove over and got those sticks too.  I then drove to a back corner of the neighborhood where we all put out yard clippings, limbs, and stuff for the city truck to (eventually) pick up.  (Be patient with me…I’m getting there.)

 


As I was driving my cart back home I noticed a young black male walking down the adjacent street with a bookbag on his back.  The high school is down that (long) street and around the corner, and since I know everyone who lives on that street I knew he had to have already walked a long way.  As I watched him walk by, all of a sudden I heard this inner voice say, “Go pick him up & take him to school.”  However, that thought barely passed through my mind, when another thought barreled in…”You don’t know that boy and he doesn’t know you and you will probably make him feel uncomfortable if you ask him if he wants a ride.”  Sooooo….I proceeded to drive the cart to my backyard.  But not 5 seconds later that inner voice jumped in again and said, “Cheryl, go get that boy!”  You, of course, know what I had to do!

I caught up with this young man and we shared “Good Mornings”; then I asked if he would like me to give him a ride to school on my cart.  Since he looked a little hesitant, I quickly said, “I live right over there, I’m a retired teacher, and I promise I’m safe.  I will be happy to give you a ride if you like.”  The young man smiled and said “yes, mam” (he got a Brownie point for having good southern manners:)  As we began to talk, I learned he was a senior this year and I congratulated him on that.  He asked what grade I taught and I explained.  All the way down the street we had a wonderful conversation; so much so, I was sorry to have it end.  I carried him to the end of the street and let him off to go the short distance left. 

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But there’s one more part to this GOD WINK story….as I was picking up this student, a white pickup passed us and at the moment it didn’t register that it was actually my two grandchildren on their way to school.  But right then I got a text message.  I looked down to read it…it was from my granddaughter and it said, “you were so nice to pick up that boy.”  (Remember this.)


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I drove back home with a smile on my face and a warm, fuzzy feeling in my heart.  And I knew without a doubt I had just experienced an encounter with God…let me explain.......

Remember, I had prayed earlier that I felt so helpless.  I also asked God to show me if there were ways I could help.  I think God answered my prayer!  You see, I have no doubts that God put all this in place for me.  Remember those things I told you to remember???

 

1st:  God got me up and out earlier than I have been getting out.

2nd:  He put that young man on the road walking at just the right moment.

3rd:  God put on my heart the need to pick up all those sticks (because if I hadn’t I would have gone straight in the house on my arrival home and never seen the boy.)

4th:  God put that “still small voice” inside me…he put it there twice in order to push out the negative voice that was also speaking to me (bet I know who that was!)

5th:  He gave me the gumption to go to a stranger and this boy the gumption to trust a stranger.

6th:  And the icing on the cake…God allowed this situation to be a learning experience (hopefully) for my grandchildren.

 

Yep!  God showed up and showed out!  He answered my prayer of helplessness.  He showed me that there are things I can do to help, even though they may be small and even though they don’t remedy all the hurtful things going on right now.  Hopefully this “African American young man” will understand that an “old white lady” cared enough for him (no matter that our skin was of different colors) to help him out and hopefully somehow maybe it will spur him to do a random act of kindness for someone else.  We never know when we might plant a seed.  “What the world needs now is love sweet love, that’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”  Let the love begin with each of us. 

 

I know God is all around me all the time and I know He hears all my prayers, but I just love it when GOD WINKS and my heart and mind are open to see those special moments.

Let’s all watch more carefully for the GOD WINKS in our lives.  They’re there…we just need to open our eyes…and our hearts.

 

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Since this blog is often my journal, this part is just something for me.

One of my former students died yesterday.  She had many major medical issues and then she got Covid and died.  I taught Rebecca in 1988/89 in one of my all-time best second grade classes.  Rebecca never married nor had children but always wanted them.  She was an old soul in a young body, and I loved her dearly.  We have kept up with each other through the years.  I have lost two of my “babies” in this same class now, and my heart is just broken.  So much potential for such young lives to be lost.  Rebecca had been suffering for awhile, so I am thankful to God that she is now at peace and in no pain.  I love you, Rebecca, and will remember you always.  (P.S., I won’t be surprised if I see you jumping through the stars and laughing all the way!)     Out of my sight, but always in my heart.

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Now a housekeeping issue:  My basically new laptop is a lemon.  Tech support via phone has not helped so now it’s got to be sent off to “hopefully” be repaired because they won’t give me a new one without extra money.  Note to Self:  NEVER BUY ANOTHER DELL LAPTOP…shoulda read lots of reviews first!

Anywho…this will probably be my last blog post for awhile.  Hopefully the laptop will come back having been resurrected and hopefully I won’t lose my mind without it (or what's left of it!)

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Hug your family close and call or write those you can't hug.  We never know what tomorrow might bring.  May God bless the United States of America and all its people.  And may those who don't know Christ as their savior ask Him to come live in their hearts...then they can hear that still small voice too:) 


 

Friday, August 7, 2020

PINTEREST PLEASE

 

Thinking of something interesting to write about has really been difficult during this awful pandemic.  When you don’t go anywhere and you are mostly isolated for months, what do you write about???  I have a good friend who sometimes calls me and says, “Tell me what you know.”  Lately, I’ve been able to tell her about the only thing I know is my name…and some days I’m not sure about that!!!

I hate not to post for a long period, so without anything interesting, exciting, mysterious, funny, earth-shattering, or anything else to write about,  I’m just going to post some of my favorite finds.  You do use PINTEREST…right????  Oh my, I thought I had hit the lottery when I discovered PINTEREST.  I have many, many boards and too many pins to even begin to count.  (Here’s the rub though…I have boards and pins I haven’t looked at since I pinned them!!!  Need to remedy that!!!)


So here for your entertainment (if you’re interested), are some interesting, exciting, mysterious, funny, earth-shattering (well, maybe not earth-shattering), but hopefully delightful pins😊from some of my favorite boards…


from my board ALL GOD’S BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN…aren't they precious?


from AUDREY  HEPBURNmy favorite actress, so classy! 


from BOOKMARKS…I love a good read!  Have you read REDEEMING LOVE by Francine Rivers?  It’s fiction but based on the Bible story of Gomer & Hosea.  As described by Amazon: a life-changing story of God’s unconditional, redemptive, all-consuming love .  I've just finished it and it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read; such a beautiful, meaningful story.

from BOUNCING  BUNNIES…I love adore bunnies!


from  CHEERY  CHERRIES…of course, I have to have a CHERI  CHERRY board!

from CRAFTY with BOTTLES, JARS, & CANS…a great recycling project…



from CRAFTY with FRAMES…lots of old frames can be found in thrift shops (just bought 3 last weekend)…


from GARDEN  INSPIRATION…so inspiring!


from GARDEN SHEDS & OUTDOOR SPACES…a “she shed”  is on my
“want bad enough to eat dirt” list!


Sooooo many boards…so little time.  I’ll share more another time.  If you are interested in any of these just check out all my boards @ https://www.pinterest.com/cheriluckie/boards/ 


Do you use PINTEREST???  If not, you might not want to start…it’s addictive!!!!!

And just to leave you laughing...



PS:  What has happened with BLOGGER???  I don’t like the changes