Today is Daddy’s birthday. I am wondering if birthdays are celebrated in Heaven. If so – and I’m inclined to think they are – then Mama, Daddy, my sisters Dot and Gerry, Bill – my husband of 39 years and his parents Frank and Bobbie, my maternal and paternal grandparents and all the host of family and friends who’ve gone before are celebrating…
Read More
Happy Birthday, Mama…
Mama was born on the 4th of July. Every year, the family gathered for a picnic and cookout with all the trimmings in her honor. In later years, it was held at my oldest sister Dot’s house because she had a swimming pool. Memphis is hot in the summertime and the kids loved the pool. Dot would bake a large…
Read More
Legacy…
Today is my Daddy’s birthday and I’m missing him. He was born on February 17, 1905…the youngest of seven children. His father and grandfather before him were farmers in the rich farmland of the Mississippi Delta. With a legacy bestowed by their Scottish immigrant ancestors, they had strong work ethics, Christian values and believed in the strength of family. I…
Read More
Happy birthday, my sweet boy…
I was there when you arrived HOME from Ethiopia after a long two day journey with your Mom and Dad. You must have been tired, but you didn’t cry. You carefully looked us all over – your new family – from the safety of Mommy’s arms. Those dark eyes danced and then you smiled, revealing dimples that stole my heart….
Read More
Fifty-five years and a lock of hair…
A box came down from the attic today that I knew held some treasures. There were letters from my older son and my daughter when they were away at college. There were letters I had written to my parents after we moved to Kentucky. There was a card to my older son at college written by my third grade son telling his older brother that he “didn’t…
Read More
Behold, the Lamb of God…
Do you remember the first time you saw your newborn baby’s face after nine long months of waiting? I do. I remember all three of their precious faces. I remember checking tiny little eyelashes and soft fine eyebrows. I counted baby fingers and toes. I marveled at their exquisite noses and tiny little ears. The amazing faces I’d waited so many months to…
Read More
One amazing life…
In memory of my sister, Sarah Geraldine “Gerry” McGregor Harden. August 1, 1930 – October 13, 2011 I was in Chicago when the sad news came. My sister had lost her courageous battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). She was, at that moment, in Heaven…surrounded by a host of loved ones who’d gone before. The Bible says “absent from…
Read More
Father’s Day…
Today is Father’s Day and my mind is full of memories. I was 45 years old when I lost my Dad at the age of 86. I look back now and realize that forty-five was young to lose my father, but my children would be younger still when they lost their Dad. Life is precious…and altogether fragile. Five years ago, my…
Read More
Time traveling…again
I’ve spent the past few days attempting to restore all the photos to my blog that were “lost” in the process of changing servers recently. I’m about half way finished with this tedious task! During this long process, I’ve reread many of my old posts. Thought I would share this one again. It was originally published on May 7, 2009. I’m amazed…
Read More
Down memory lane…
Growing up on Victor Drive, Halloween was a fun time. We dressed like hobos or some other easy costume and went “trick or treating”. Walking around those tree-lined blocks, we’d gather homemade popcorn balls wrapped in cellophane, hand-dipped cinnamon redhot apples or caramel apples…and lots of candy bars. We never ventured too far from home. It was safe because these were…
Read More
First day in Heaven…
I’ve been thinking about Heaven since yesterday. My eighty seven year old “second mother” of almost four decades went to be with the Lord yesterday morning in Memphis, Tennessee. She had been really sick for the past two weeks, and we had all prayed so hard for a complete recovery. Our Heavenly Father answered those prayers. He took her home….
Read More
Mama and the pizza…
It was the late 1950’s. We were living in the house on Victor Drive with the sunny windows and the knotty pine dining room with the corner china cabinets. It was a time of early rock and roll, dancing and pizza. Our first introduction to pizza was from George, a big, strong, dark-haired cajun planter from Louisiana. All these years…
Read More