My Reading Blog

What do you remember about your grandparents? On my Mother's side, my Grandma died at  the very early age of 33, so I did not know her, but knowing my Mom, I'm sure she was a very compassionate, caring woman.  I remember my Grandpa somewhat, but he passed when I was very young.  He was a tall man and very serious.  A hard worker.  He had a "wooden" leg - he lost his leg in a train accident.  I'm sure most of these memories are from pictures and from my parents. On my Dad's side, I have a few more memories although my Grandma died when I was ten.  My grandparents were farmers all their lives until they moved into town.  They spent the winter months in Kissimmee, FL.  My grandpa was an avid shuffleboard enthusiast.  He went so far as to have a shuffleboard court build in his front yard.  He loved to teach everyone how to play.  In FL, they had courts directly across the street and this was his passion. I remember when...

Last week we had a day of spring-like temperatures and enjoyed having the windows open, hearing the birds chirping and getting the staleness out of the house. After a day of spring, summer hit full force.  The temps have soared into the high 80's and as usual in Arkansas, the humidity has started to climb, and the oaks are shedding their green dust.  The spring flowers have dropped their blossoms.  We went from open windows to air conditioning. While it seemed we waited forever for winter to be done and for spring to appear, it happened so quickly and now another season has appeared. We planted some shrubs and annuals this week and now we water and pray that they will take hold in the heat.  Hopefully we'll get some rain to aid in their growth. It's been a crazy year of weather so far, but I guess no matter what Mother Nature throws at us, we'll survive and persevere.  It give us something to complain about. .

What a fun week we had!  We traveled north to Illinois to visit our kids and granddaughters AND to CELEBRATE birthdays! The girls turned EIGHT (8).  Yes, eight years old! It seems like they should only be a couple of years old, but they are no longer babies.  They have become grown up overnight (or over so it seems).  They are individuals with totally different personalities, smart, always wanting to learn more, they love to read and create. We celebrated our coming up on Friday night and then Saturday we watched them play soccer - they won - P scored two goals and M had an assist.  Then we celebrated again with hamburgers and fixin's.  Monday we took them to gymnastics - they have made a lot of improvement over last year.  Tuesday was the ACTUAL day and we met them after soccer practice to again celebrate at the Tap House.  Thursday we got the whole day with the girls as they were off school and Momma had to work.  Friday - another c...

As I struggled what to write today, I went back to what got me thru the March Challenge - The Question Jar. Today's question: What things did you NOT have as a child that we have today? When I grew up, there were no cell phones, no cordless phones, only phones attached to the wall that you cranked to get the operator so that you could place a call.  But first you had to make sure no one else was on the line, because it was a "party line" consisting of probably five or more other families.  Calling someone was only done out of necessity, not because you just wanted to chat. No computers or laptops or I-pads, Kindles or electronic devices - we had dictionaries and encyclopedias and reference books to find out information. No internet or satellite tv -only three (yes, 3) channels to choose from and after midnight the screen went blank and then a test pattern.  No remote controls, you had to get up to change the channel. No fast food restaurants (except ma...

Last weekend we met our son and daughter-in-law in Branson for some fun, shopping and good eats.  While we have lived in the Ozarks for over 18 years, we had never visited the campus of College of the Ozarks which is located just outside of Branson.  We had heard about the college and the wonderful restaurant, but had never taken the time to visit. We had mentioned it the last time we were there, and our daughter-in-law remembered.  She made reservations for Friday evening.  What a wonderful experience it was - the menu was extensive and made for a hard choice of what to eat. So for those who haven't heard of the College of the Ozarks, let me explain.  It is a college of about 1500 students, totally tuition free (yes, let me repeat that - tuition free).  The students are required to WORK rather than pay for their education.  They work 15 hours per week at a campus job - which could be raising and feeding the animals, crops, work in the bakery or re...

Today, my parents are celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary in Heaven.  I wrote about their wedding during the March Challenge Mom & Dad's Wedding . Mom and Dad were made for each other and God blessed them during the 45 years they shared before Mom passed away.  They were dedicated to each other.  I don't remember them ever fighting or getting angry at each other, but I'm sure there must have been some disagreements.  They worked things out.  They made decisions together before doing anything or buying anything.  They were the most caring and loving couple, not only to each other, but they shared that love with all who surrounded them.  And they taught by example of what it meant to love. And so today, as I remember celebrating their 25th and 45th anniversaries and each one in between, I know that their love continues to this day and that they are still celebrating and sharing that love. Thanks Mom & Dad for the great example of a l...

This year we decided to attend our church's Easter Sunrise Service.  But, let's back up to Maundy Thursday - a celebration of the Last Supper.  The altar is stripped of all the paraments and candles - it is bare for the Good Friday service.  Everything is draped in black.  There is a wooden cross with seven candles lit and a crown of thorns.  The Good Friday service is called a Tenebrae service remembering the last words that Christ spoke on the cross.  After each of the words are read and a short homily, a candle is extinguished.  Until the 7th candle - it remains lit, but is removed from the Sanctuary.  The hymn "Were You There" is sung, the Sanctuary is dark.  But the lit candle is brought back in to remind us that Christ will come again. Then comes Easter - a day of rebirth, a day of renewal, a day of hope, a day of peace, a day to celebrate. When we entered the Sanctuary, it was dark, but as the Cross is carried in, the organ comes a...