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Leaving the past behind

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Today was Palm Sunday. We celebrated with one of my daughters and her husband at their church. On the way home, we stopped by our old house. We always feel nostalgic when we pass that area of town and stop by as often as we can. But today when we passed, we were dumbfounded. The man who'd purchased the home last year had taken down all of the trees on both sides of the house and in front of it! He'd totally decimated the property! Our house used to be lush and green, filled with beautiful trees! I loved those trees! They gave us lovely color in the fall and soothing breezes in the summer. As we looked over the terrain, my heart felt crushed. One of the reasons we'd purchased that home in the first place was because of the huge wooded lot. I couldn't understand how someone could destroy God's beautiful creation so easily and quickly.  We pulled onto the gravel road beside the house and saw the new owner out in the yard. I rolled down the window and called out to him....
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It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do for a body

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Insomnia sucks! For the past few years I've been struggling with it but over the last several months, it's become unbearable. Trying to function on 3 or 4 hours of sleep has been challenging. Not only have I been physically exhausted, I've lost mental clarity.  I have tried everything in the book. No amount of herbal remedies or bottles of melatonin have worked. Even adding in Sleepy Time tea hasn't helped. Finally, at my wit's end, I made a call to my doctor. I was desperate. Thankfully, he listened and was willing to help.  When the pharmacy called and said my prescription was ready, I was hesitant. I didn't want to have to take a medication to fall asleep, but when you can't make your brain stop, what do you do?  Last night, I slept for 8 and 1/2 hours! That's the first time I've done that since I was a teenager! I woke up feeling rested and ready to face the day. I was so thankful.  It's amazing how sleep affects one's ability to function...
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Childhood Memories

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It's funny the things you remember on a warm afternoon. Today I was thinking about my childhood and all the wonderful things my parents did to make it special. Money was tight as we were growing up so little extras always meant a lot.  I remember one year when I was six or seven. Easter was coming and everywhere we went we'd see these tiny little chicks for sale. They had been dyed bright, beautiful colors - pinks, blues, greens, purples, and oranges. My sister, brother, and I thought they were the cutest things ever and begged for one of those little chicks. We promised the promises all little children make when they desperately want an animal - the promises to feed, clean up after, and care for the tiny creature. We whined and begged pulling on Mama's dress hem. The answer back then was always, "We'll see." We learned quickly that hint of hope usually meant "I'm sorry, we just can't afford it right now." But this one year, was different. Ma...
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Crazy Weather

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We had a tornado touch down in our county today. It got pitch black here and rained hard. The sky began to look an eery shade of green and I expected a tornado to drop down right in our back yard! Thankfully it wasn't close to our house this time. We prayed before the storm started asking God for protection. We've really had some weird weather this year and next week is supposed to be a repeat of today. All this is going on while up North they're getting ice and snow! Flowers are blooming everywhere and look so pretty other than being covered in pollen. This time of year the blossoms pop out just in time for Easter. I love seeing all the beautiful color but the pollen irritates my eyes and sinuses. Today I went for my pre-op bloodwork. Knee replacement will be April 18, so please be praying then. I'm very nervous about it and the rehab after. I definitely don't want to go through any more pain. I've had my share in this life. I guess the older you get the faster...
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Hiking in the Rain

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Some days you just get antsy and have to get out of the house. That's the way I felt yesterday. It was a dreary, gloomy day and was drizzling rain but I knew if I stayed inside, I'd get depressed and I didn't want that. After talking with my husband, we decided to pack a picnic lunch and head for our closest state park. Weekdays aren't normally busy.  Pulling out our big Buccee's insulated bag, I quickly made sandwiches, bagged up some chips, gathered fruit, and slid drinks into the bag. Next, I tucked in paper plates and napkins. Within fifteen minutes the bag was packed, I'd grabbed a jacket, and we were out the door.  It was spitting rain as we drove to the park but we didn't mind. The weather app said it'd be letting up soon so we were hopeful.  We arrived at the park and half an hour later and found hardly a soul visiting. Our stomachs were growling so first stop would be a covered pavilion where we could eat without getting wet. It was nice to feel...
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Make time for the ones you love

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I have four children whom I dearly love, but it's hard to spend time with them because none of them live close. And while I do my best to be part of their lives through phone calls, texts, and emails, I'd rather see them in person on a daily basis like I did when they were younger and all lived at home. I understand they're grown and have their own lives. I'm proud of each of them and know they're busy with their own families, but I still need them.  My youngest daughter is in constant touch. I get phone calls every day and our relationship is just about as tight as it always was but with the others, it's a challenge. My son works 2 jobs and is now spending time running back and forth helping take care of his grandchildren. My oldest daughter lives in another state and is always busy with her 5 children and their extracurricular activities. My middle daughter only lives about an hour away, but homeschools her daughter and spends a lot of time serving in her chur...
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Something wicked this way comes

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It's the middle of March and it's 70 degrees. The air is humid and eery. Weather men are predicting powerful storms tonight and the possibilty of long tracking, deadly tornadoes. As we sit outside, we can feel a type of energy in the air. It's ominous and makes me nervous.  In 2021, an EF4 tornado hit downtown Newnan which is about 15 miles from our current house. Back then, it was less than 10 from where we lived and we stayed up all night praying as we huddled on the floor of our laundry room. That was one of the scariest nights of my life.  After that huge tornado slammed into our city and decimated it, I told my husband we needed to be better prepared for the next weather event. I ordered some thick, sturdy bike helmets from Amazon. I bought a solar cell phone charger and gathered thick pillow and blankets. We came up with a plan. The next time tornadoes were predicted, we were going to be ready.  I don't like living in "tornado alley," a wide swath of lan...
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