Come Set a Spell: A Lesson in Patience and Faith

When I was a child, visiting my grandparents was one of the greatest joys of my week. They lived about fifty-five miles from our home, and every Friday evening, after my daddy got off work, we’d pack up the car and head their way. My father always helped my grandfather in his shop on the weekends, meeting the quota he had for a local mill.

As soon as we turned into that familiar driveway, all of us kids would start bouncing around in the backseat with excitement. We knew we were about to have the best kind of weekend — the kind filled with sunshine, laughter, and plenty of playtime while the grown-ups worked.

When we reached the front porch, the screen door would creak open, and without fail, my grandmother’s sweet voice would call out, “Y’all come on in and set a spell!”

Now, proper English would’ve said sit a spell, but in our Southern home, “set a spell” just felt right. Back then, I didn’t care about grammar. The only thing that mattered was that she wanted to spend time with us — to stop what she was doing, welcome us in, and make us feel loved.

Those weekends were simple, but they were rich. The air always smelled faintly of machine oil and biscuits baking. The hum of my grandfather’s tools mixed with the sound of my grandmother’s shuffling around in the kitchen. And no matter how busy everyone seemed, there was always time to “set a spell.”

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about those visits. This week especially, it feels like God has been whispering to my heart in much the same way: “Come and set a spell with Me.”

Life gets so busy — the days blur together, filled with things to do and places to be. I usually start my mornings with coffee and my Bible, but some days I rush right past that quiet time, thinking I’ll get to it later. But God waits patiently, just like my grandmother did — eager for me to pause, open the door, and spend a little time with Him.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” That verse has taken on a new meaning for me lately. God doesn’t just want our quick prayers in between appointments or our distracted thoughts before bed. He wants us to be still long enough to feel His presence — to truly know Him.

When I picture my grandmother’s porch and her warm invitation, I can almost see my Heavenly Father sitting there too, gently calling, “Come and set a spell.” And just like those visits long ago, when I take the time to sit with Him, I always find peace, comfort, and a love that never runs out.

Dear Lord, thank You for the gentle reminders to slow down and spend time with You. In a world that moves too fast, help me to be still long enough to feel Your presence and hear Your voice. Teach me to rest in Your peace, just as I once rested on my grandmother’s porch. Thank You for always waiting with open arms, ready to spend time with me. Amen.

Random musings ©️ Bonnie Annis

A letter to my forever friend

A letter to my forever friend, the red headed wonder:

Where should I start? I guess I'll start with my first memory of you. I had just been diagnosed with breast cancer and was on Facebook looking to join breast cancer groups. I had no idea what I was facing and needed some support. I don't remember which one I met you on, but you took the time to answer one of my posts and not only that, you offered to come and visit me. You said you'd help me understand some of the things that I was going to be facing. I was both excited and nervous to get your response. I don't normally meet with strangers and I was scared.

You weren't able to come until a few days after I'd had surgery. I remember when the doorbell rang I was so embarrassed. I didn't want you to see me with the Jackson Prstt drains dangling from my neck. They were so ugly and my wounds were so raw, but you said you didn't care. You'd already been through that. You knew what they were, drainage tubes that pulled fluid and blood away from the wounds. 

Within just a few minutes of talking with you, I felt completely at ease. You smiled a big smile and gave me a bear hug. It was so nice to have an instant friend, one who understood the things I couldn't say.

I wasn't sure at that time whether I would go through with reconstruction surgery as my breast surgeon advised and I told you so. You threw your head back and laughed. You even offered to show me your "Foobs" as you called them, fake boobs. You told me they were great and that I'd get a free tummy tuck, too. You wanted me to know what they might look like if I decided to go forward with surgery. I said, Thanks, but no thanks." Though I didn't explain, I think you understood I was afraid to look at them. I was afraid seeing them would freak me out. 

I don't remember how long you stayed that first visit but the day seemed to last forever. When it was time for you to go, you promised to come back again soon. I was thankful. 

Since that first meeting over 11 years ago, we've done our best to keep up but often life gets in the way. I love it whe we find time to meet for lunch, it's so nice to talk freely, sharing our hopes, fears, and dreams. Those times are rare because of conflicting schedules. Thankfully, we can touch base through social media or quick texts. But after each contact, I want more. It's almost like you're a drug and I need a fix. You're so strong in your cancer walk and I'm still figuring things out.

One of the things I love most about you is your attitude of gratitude. You've taught me to look for things each day that I can be thankful for and that has helped me develop a spirit of positivity.

When I look at you, dear friend, I don't see a breast cancer survivor, I see a thriver. I see a brave woman on the outside. I see a woman who is a world traveler, a person who never meets a stranger, and a person who always loves. You give so much of yourself to each who meet you. 

None of us know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. I pray that you will always be safe in your travels, that you will always know you are loved, and that you will always have the opportunity to share your story to others.

You are a blessing and it is my honor to call you friend.

With love,

Bonnie 

My TBR pile is growing!

Books, you either love them or hate them. Personally, I love and collect them. Lately, I've noticed my TBR (to be read) pile is growing. I don't know how, but it seems my books are multiplying while I'm not looking. But I'm not finding any book babies, just grownups waiting their turn to be read. 

Some days I feel like reading, and some days I don't. When it's hot outside, I don't care to sit and read. On the other hand, when it's cool and there's a nice breeze, I love sitting outside reading for hours. There's just something about being in nature and holding a book in your hand as a story comes alive. 

Just a few of my recent haul

I'm finding I enjoy many different authors now than I did in the past. Some of my current favorites are Elin Hilderbrand, Susan Wiggs, and Sandra Brown. I especially love their series, but hate it when I buy one of their books without knowing it's in the middle of a series. When I read the third or fourth in a series and then realize my faux pas, I have to order every book in the series and start over. That can be a costly mistake! Thank heavens for ThriftBooks. I can usually find good used books there or through Better World Books. 

 Not only do I read for fun, I also read for businesses. I review their books and in exchange for my honest opinion, I get a free book. It's a win win situation. Sometimes the books are boring but most times they're very interesting. I love reading different genres but stay away from anything that revolves around the occult, witchcraft, or dark topics. 
 

Books are so fun and I hope all of my children and grandchildren take joy in reading. There's nothing like opening a book and finding yourself thrust into adventure.  

Insomnia sucks

Whe tired, most people look forward to the end of the day. They long to crawl into a nice, comfy bed and go to sleep. I used to feel that way, but for some reason, over the past few years, insomnia has taken over my life. 

I've tried every natural remedy I can think of from tart cherry juice to melatonin and all things in between, but nothing has worked. So I've resorted to asking for help from my doctors. 

The primary care physician wanted me to be on benzos but I said no thanks! The pulmonologist wants me to be on an antidepressant which is also used off label for chronic insomnia. I agreed to try it. So far, day one was a bust. No sleep for me! Hopefully tonight will be better. 

Dealing with things we can't control is hard. Our bodies do things that confound and amaze us. They're quite remarkable. And that's why I'm hoping this situation will come to an end soon and things will start working like they used to. It's no fun being broken. 

The Blessing of Little Things

 It's been a long time since I've thought about the blessings I receive from little things, but today, I was reminded I need to remember them. 

I was walking through the Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens with my youngest granddaughter. As we were weaving through the beautiful plants, we came upon a pond filled with turtles. Leaning over the rail, we watched as they moved their webbed feet back and forth, gliding slowly through the water. It was such a little thing, but it brought us both joy. 

When we finished watching the turtles, we moved down the pathway and were surrounded by beautiful butterflies. Flying overhead, we saw Yellow Swallowtails, Blue Morphos, Cloudless Sulfurs, and a million other butterflies I can't name. It was beautiful and overwhelming. What brought me the most joy was watching my sweet granddaughter trying to catch a butterfly. 

I'd brought her to this butterfly center for years, and she remembered past visits where I taught her how to get a butterfly on her finger. Very patiently, she waited for a butterfly to land, then walked slowly over and slid her finger in front of it. Without moving, she waited. In just a few seconds, a butterfly was walking up her finger. She smiled a big smile and then moved her hand slowly to show me her catch. Naturally, I snapped a photo. I wanted her to remember this moment, and so did I. 

Throughout the day, we experienced one little joy after another. By the time the day was over, our hearts were full. 

Life is so short and if we don't pay attention to the blessing of little things, they'll pass us by. I hope you'll look for the little blessings that come your way. Take time to savor them. Commit them to memory! Make each one precious. When you look for them, you'll find them. I promise. 




 

Getting more mobility

It's been 8 weeks since I had my knee replaced and it has been a very challenging time. Granted, the pain and swelling have decreased, but they are still here. I'm still taking Lyrica twice daily to help manage nerve ending pain and find myself having to take extra strength Tylenol two or three times every day. I've chosen to do that instead of continuing on the opioids. 

Yesterday, my husband and I went to walk in one of our local state parks. It was hot but we were thankful for the cover of trees almost of the path. We enjoy being out in nature. We saw several deer, butterflies, and beautiful wildflowers. As we were walking along the path, we were startled to find a snake. Upon close examination, I determined it was a copperhead so we gave it a wide berth. I'm thankful we had chosen to walk on the accessible trail instead of the wooded trail. If we had been in the woods, we would not have even seen the snake! 

I was proud of myself for accomplishing a one and a half mile trek. Though difficult, I pushed myself. I know that I have to do this to get back to my normal love hiking. 

When I got home, I made sure to ice my knee for about half an hour. Icing definitely helps the swelling. 

To be honest, I'm very tired of dealing with physical issues. My body feels like it has been cut and mutilated so much since 1962! I've had a lot of surgeries and I'm ready to call it done.

A month since surgery

It's hard to believe it's been a month since I got the new knee. 30 days have passed quickly and painfully. I had no idea I'd experience such pain with this surgery. I figured since I've already had several major surgeries, this would be a piece of cake, but I guess age has played a factor in this one. 

I wish people hadn't sugar coated it when I asked about their experiences with the same surgery. I like to know what I'm up against. That's why I normally tell it like it is. I guess they wanted to protect me and encourage me to go ahead and do it. 

Yes, I needed the surgery. Yes, I could have waited a little longer but I'd already pushed it off for 2 years and I'd already had 2 surgeries on that knee during those 2 years, so...I figured I'd better go ahead and do it before I got too old. 

The physical therapy has been tough and gets tougher every session. I think physical therapy should be called perpetual torture. 

The doctor had said I'd need 6 weeks of therapy post surgery. I did 4 and told them I'd do the rest at home. There's no reason for me to have my insurance company billed almost $600 a session and for me to pay my share when I can do the same things at home for free. 

So, I'll be working toward getting a good range of motion over the next few months so I can get back to doing the things I enjoy, like hiking. Right now, I'm using a walking when I need to and using a cane when I feel steady enough to do it. 

If you want to know the real scoop on knee replacement, it's a really challenging surgery. It's extremely painful and will take months and possibly years to recover from. Don't let people fool you into thinking it's a piece of cake, because it's not.