Does anyone know the name of this flower/vine?
“Hello?”
“Wake up, boy! I know you’re trying to sleep in.”
“Hey, Grandma.”
“I figured if I was up then someone else needed to be up with me.”
I rolled onto my back . “Yeah, misery loves company, huh, grandma?”
Grandma giggled like a school girl.
It was wonderful to wake up to her call this morning.
Beautiful Blooms
This year was her Third Annual Summer Week Visit and I hadn’t spoken to her much since then. The last time being late August and I was determined then to find out how she had stayed a Christian for over 70 years.
“What am I missing, Grandma?” I asked. “You have it together. We come to you for advice and prayer. You’re still hanging in there.”
She was quiet for a moment. “I wish I had it together,” she began, “But, I don’t. It’s more God hanging on to me than me to Him, Reid.”
It was always humble answers like that that kept me asking questions. For instance, the first year she came to visit me, we went walking because Grandma lives to walk. I asked her about being Seventh-Day Adventist and why they are so screwed up in the head (that’s my humble opinion). She gave me a lot but the one thing that stuck out was her statement: “When I was coming up, it was known that you go to the Sunday churches for the Holy Spirit, then you go to the Seventh-Day Adventist church to learn how to get to Heaven.”
This morning was no different. She was just as honest and raw as ever: “Baby, I’m realizing that my mission field is my family. I look around and I see so many of our family outside the ark of safety. Some of them that used to be inside. What am I doing for them? That’s why I have been praying for your momma. I told the pastor the other day that they need to get stepping with building our church. I think if we had our church maybe your momma would start coming. At least that’s what I’m hoping and praying for.”
Over seventy years of being a Christian and she admitted that she’s just realizing that her mission field is her family! I could hear that it was really troubling her. I think, too, that she is feeling the closeness of her time. She makes no qualms about it.
Grandma said, “I also told that preacher to hurry up with the church because where am I going to have my funeral.”
Bulbs & Seeds
I guess as she looks around at her brothers and sisters that have passed away and those that are slowly lying in the lap of Alzheihmer’s, she knows she better prepare.
me and grandma during her Third Annual Summer Week Visit
“Your aunts and uncles asked me why I was at the funeral home making arrangements and buying my casket,” she said, “I told them because y’all ain’t gone know what I want so I better get it now.”
“You would think they’d be happy,” I said, “That’s less they’ll have to do.”
“I know,” she said, “Because I remember how I ran around stupid after your granddaddy died. Oh, it almost made me crazy. I don’t want them to have to deal with that.”
And that’s just how she is. She even commented about not caring what anyone thought of her.
She said, “Somebody told me one of your cousins was mad at me and didn’t like me anymore. I said, ‘she doesn’t take care of me.’ Reid, I don’t care. I know it sounds bad and I told the Lord that I probably shouldn’t feel that way. But I live to please Him not to please people.”
“Well, that’s good, because when you please God you begin to please others,” I interjected.
“Hmph,” she retorted. “I aim to please God. I don’t care about pleasing these folks.”
The funny thing is, I know she does
I'm planning a train trip to Chicago with @acedrew & @reidklos. Does anyone have any recommendations? Things to see and do? Place to stay?
i read your texts this morning @oustcat & @acedrew. thank you so much. i needed 2 hear that.
In a good way or bad way? --> RT @reidklos Just had a sundried tomato & basil flavored tofurkey "sausage" ... interesting.
Perennial Conversations
Does anyone know the name of this flower/vine?
“Hello?”
“Wake up, boy! I know you’re trying to sleep in.”
“Hey, Grandma.”
“I figured if I was up then someone else needed to be up with me.”
I rolled onto my back . “Yeah, misery loves company, huh, grandma?”
Grandma giggled like a school girl.
It was wonderful to wake up to her call this morning.
Beautiful Blooms
This year was her Third Annual Summer Week Visit and I hadn’t spoken to her much since then. The last time being late August and I was determined then to find out how she had stayed a Christian for over 70 years.
“What am I missing, Grandma?” I asked. “You have it together. We come to you for advice and prayer. You’re still hanging in there.”
She was quiet for a moment. “I wish I had it together,” she began, “But, I don’t. It’s more God hanging on to me than me to Him, Reid.”
It was always humble answers like that that kept me asking questions. For instance, the first year she came to visit me, we went walking because Grandma lives to walk. I asked her about being Seventh-Day Adventist and why they are so screwed up in the head (that’s my humble opinion). She gave me a lot but the one thing that stuck out was her statement: “When I was coming up, it was known that you go to the Sunday churches for the Holy Spirit, then you go to the Seventh-Day Adventist church to learn how to get to Heaven.”
This morning was no different. She was just as honest and raw as ever: “Baby, I’m realizing that my mission field is my family. I look around and I see so many of our family outside the ark of safety. Some of them that used to be inside. What am I doing for them? That’s why I have been praying for your momma. I told the pastor the other day that they need to get stepping with building our church. I think if we had our church maybe your momma would start coming. At least that’s what I’m hoping and praying for.”
Over seventy years of being a Christian and she admitted that she’s just realizing that her mission field is her family! I could hear that it was really troubling her. I think, too, that she is feeling the closeness of her time. She makes no qualms about it.
Grandma said, “I also told that preacher to hurry up with the church because where am I going to have my funeral.”
Bulbs & Seeds
I guess as she looks around at her brothers and sisters that have passed away and those that are slowly lying in the lap of Alzheihmer’s, she knows she better prepare.
me and grandma during her Third Annual Summer Week Visit
“Your aunts and uncles asked me why I was at the funeral home making arrangements and buying my casket,” she said, “I told them because y’all ain’t gone know what I want so I better get it now.”
“You would think they’d be happy,” I said, “That’s less they’ll have to do.”
“I know,” she said, “Because I remember how I ran around stupid after your granddaddy died. Oh, it almost made me crazy. I don’t want them to have to deal with that.”
And that’s just how she is. She even commented about not caring what anyone thought of her.
She said, “Somebody told me one of your cousins was mad at me and didn’t like me anymore. I said, ‘she doesn’t take care of me.’ Reid, I don’t care. I know it sounds bad and I told the Lord that I probably shouldn’t feel that way. But I live to please Him not to please people.”
“Well, that’s good, because when you please God you begin to please others,” I interjected.
“Hmph,” she retorted. “I aim to please God. I don’t care about pleasing these folks.”
The funny thing is, I know she does