Remembering Yesterday and Yester-Years

It’s early Sunday Morning, Father’s Day, and I’m taking in the sound of the melodious rainfall. I look out my back window and my eyes go right to that yellow rose bush being watered from heaven. Don’t tell me otherwise! Sure, I know there’s scientific reasons for rains, but on this day, Father’s Day, I’m imagining my “love” reminding me he remembers – and so do I.

That little yellow rose bush has fully bloomed twice this season already, and here it goes again. Of course, it reminds me of the man of my dreams and my reality – my sweet husband and the father of my two children, the grandfather of my seven grandchildren. Oh, how blessed we were to have known and loved this man. Our wedding included yellow roses, every home we ever lived in (even the two homes since his passing on) has had a yellow rose bush planted there. When my babies were born, yellow roses were at my bedside. So, of course, the rain and the yellow roses compounded my awareness that he isn’t here, but, oh, yes, he is. He lives so big in our hearts.

Just a memory to spark so much gratitude for those little things in my life, that on a day like this, I can rejoice and be glad and not sad. Oh, how I would love for him to still be here with me enjoying our family together. He’s not – but I am. I’m not done imparting the best of me, the best of us, to these I love.

My crew in Austin sent me photos of their fun times and this crew in Frisco, celebrated with huevos rancheros for breakfast, online church, Hutchins Barbeque for lunch, piano serenades from Payton, and great fun playing the fishing game that Papa gave Payton 13 years ago. What a day! Yes, we would have rather been real fishing, but since we couldn’t, the game brought back some of the best memories.

I’ve loved the photos many of you, my social media friends, posted of their dads and husbands – those who passed on, those still alive and well, and even those who have a baby “still cookin' in the oven”. I know your journey and my journey may be completely different, but if we'll all practice gratitude and watch for all the sweet kisses from heaven like I did when I heard the rain and saw those yellow roses, you, too, will see the beauty all around you. You'll laugh with children, you'll start being a light to others, and you might even dance in the rain. It's been raining a lot lately, so why not put on those dancing shoes -- and DANCE?
“You have turned my mourning into dancing; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with a garment of joy.” Psalm 30:11

Life Moves Pretty Fast

In the words of the great philosopher, Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you'll miss it!"

That is so true, and unless you're my age, or more, you may not give those words a second thought now.....but give it a few years, and beieve you me, you'll understand them so much, you'll be glad you did or you will regret NOT stopping and lookind around

I'm just so thankful I come from a long line of folks who did recognize the importance of living each day as if there were no tomorrow. I remember it being a big deal for my parents to be sure to go see their elderly parents often. I remember them visiting close friends and family, regularly, and them coming to visit us. I remember our big family reunions. Those were "matters of the heart" that are still with me today.

I woke yesterday morning at 4:00 am, to get breakfast going for the gang before they headed down to the dam again to catch those early morning, hungry trout. When I went into the kitchen area, Staci was already there, had made peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for later, coffee was ready and so was she.....since 2:30 am. I told her I think she lives by John Wayne's famous words, "Daylight's a'wasting. Time to get moving!" But it wasn't yet daylight. You know you're a "red neck" when your biological clock is set to the time that fish are feeding.

I'm so proud of this girl for so many reasons, but here in the great outdoors, I see her not as the girly, girl on the outside, but I see the girl that lives out loud with every breath she breathes. She's an adventurer and outdoors-woman to the core, so just the thought of those fish being there for the taking, had her awake and ready to hit the day. You know you're a "red neck" when you sleep in your clothes....ready to hit the ground running.

We had the birthday celebration all ready to go for Payton, the birthday boy -- cinnamon rolls with a big candle in the middle. You know you're a "red neck" when you've got the cabin covered with balloons, and because there was no tape for hanging, you use the cracks at door trims, the cords from the blinds, and the cabinet door knobs to hang them all. At 5:15 am, all the fisher-boys and girls were out the door -- ready to bring in a haul of fish for tomorrow's meal. What can I say? They love my beer-batter fish!

I stayed back at the cabin to make the birthday cake and get Payton's meal request ready for their return -- that beer batter fish fry -- from our big take yesterday!

Not long after they left, Staci called me with disappointing news -- the dam gates were wide open still which meant the waters were so furious that they couldn't get the fish to bite so they returned back to the cabin for Plan B. Staci had a heart-to-heart with Lake Tenkiller's Corp of Engineers for Lake Tenkiller. She was educated on why they had to release so much water out of the lake, which halted our big fishing haul. Apparently, Oklahoma has had above normal rainfall and if they don't release the quota needed, there is potential flooding that will happen, especially, since Oklahoma is supposed to have more storms this weekend. That makes our little whining about not being able to fish, so unacceptable.

But, not to waste "daylight", Larry and Staci headed to the river behind our cabin to try to find the secret for catching fish in those heavy moving waters.....and the birthday boy with his two friends tried another fishing opportunity. The management here at the camp said they could use their bait net to go down to the river and haul in shad to use for catfish and striper fishing tonight. Then the boys and Alexia and Staci used those rushing waters for good, and decided to raft down the river. No matter what they were doing -- they weren't wasting a minute of daylight. Once again, "All thing work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes." Romans 8:28.

Like Ferris Bueller said, "If you don't stop and look around, you'll miss life." Life is everywhere -- in little kids, in our loved ones and friends, in our surroundings and in everything that God made. Fishing was slower for us -- but no problem, the birds were still chirping, the waters were still flowing, and the enjoyment of each other -- laughing at silly shenanigans of the boys making spears, climbing trees, and making more memories carried on.

I overheard those three guys talking about buying a cabin and splitting it 3-ways (they're all already entrepreneurs). That's the stuff that life and God's goodness is made of -- getting great ideas, being creative, living with a grateful heart in the ups and downs, and enjoying the littlest of things that makes the biggest of things seem so trivial.

How awesome it is to "Look upoon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living!" Psalm 27:13. So, to put John Wayne's "Daylight's a'wasting" to scripture words, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!"

Blessing or Curse?

I'll admit I was quite amped up with excitement when I saw gas prices yesterday (Kum n Go was $1.43/gal and Sam's Club -- where I purchased -- was $1.38/gal).   Though my car wasn't on empty, I filled it up just in case that number changes today.  A few months ago, when I posted about the low gas prices, a friend of mine commented "what a shame that so many people in the gas & oil businesses are losing their jobs and are suffering because of those low prices".  I think I replied "Let's keep them in our prayers."

I heard a sermon last week about this scenario and it was coupled with the craziness of the torrential rainfall in the Texas area, especially when it has usually been drought conditions.  The pastor said that Texas has received history-making downpours of rain.  I reminder last summer how my kids' neighborhood in Texas was under water restrictions -- no watering their lawns, washing cars, etc.

Think about it....when it rains so much, we are happy that our lakes and rivers are filled, our lawns are watered, farmers are ecstatic that their crops are getting the moisture they need to produce a healthy harvest.  But at the same time, there are people that are quite dismayed that their work depends on "no rain" -- building contractors, landscapers, road construction workers, painters, etc.

Plummeting gas prices means winning at the gas pump for us, but the obvious losers are energy companies and their employees.  There are winners and losers in the continued decline in the price of oil. The obvious winners are consumers at the gas pump. The obvious losers are energy companies. And it will have a ripple effect on other industries.  The same with the weather.....building costs and other industries will sky rocket if the workers can't work.

So REALLY, who are the big winners -- regardless of what the weather or the economy and our future holds?  I don't profess to know the answers, but I DO KNOW the ONE who does, and He gave us His Word to guide us.  Take hold of His promises....and, for sure, our future is so bright, we need shades!

Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

1 Peter 5:7 "Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you."

Matthew 6:25-34 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Proverbs 3:5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."