Graduation-- Yes, there are angels among us!

I have lots of stories about kids and the adults in their lives.  Some are funny, some are sad, some are unbelievable, and some make the love of God so tangible you swear you could touch it.  I’ve seen things that seem unbelievable, listened to holy words that come from the most unlikely places, and watched the actions of our Lord at work in mundane circumstances.  Anyway, I think I have.

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Before graduation, all of the seniors had been seated alphabetically in the Monument Room of the Macon Coliseum.  This class is on deck.  It's time to get ready.  The mortar boards are pinned on.  Medals are worn.  Stoles are passed out from different organizations. This is what the students (and teachers) have been working towards for the past thirteen, or fourteen, or even fifteen years.     

The graduations are running like clock work.  One after the other-- individual schools are holding graduation ceremonies.  It's a joyful time, but everyone has to be somewhat quiet while the school in front of them are completing the formal graduation exercises.  

Teachers are getting the gum pried from the mouths of the non-complient.  Pictures are being taken.  It's solemn but exciting.  The students know that they might never see some of their classmates again.  The students are looking at the programs.  People are teasing each other about their full names.  There are more smiles than tears.

The principal stepped to the podium.  The room became quiet.  "Thank you for the honor of being your principal."  

A certain frisky senior raised his hand, "Can you lead us in prayer?"

"No, I can't," she stated.  "I can't lead you in prayer."

The student smiled, nodded, and began, "Our father....."

The entire class stood and said the "The Lord's Prayer"  together.  No prompting.  Everyone.  Together.  Solemnly.  In unison.  

At the end, they sat down.

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The principal looked at the group. Smiled.  And said, "You're ready to graduate."

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Planting those Seeds of Happiness...Right in-between my Teeth!

Doing stupid things is second nature for me.  I get a kick out of some of the stupid stuff I do.

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Maybe I have learned to laugh at myself because life is so darned funny.

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For example......bagels.  That sounds benign, doesn’t it?  Well, greed takes me places I shouldn’t go.  

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One of first times I ever had a bagel was with Daria Chesnut.  "Here," she said. "Put a little cream cheese on that.”  I was hooked.  I love bread anyway but bagels are just so, so chewy.  It’s like the ultimate carbohydrate for me.  

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I like poppy seeds on about anything.  Couple that with bagels and I’m in hog heaven.  Oink!

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There’s a problem....poppy seeds nestle themselves by my teeth.  Look, I told you I floss.....I just sometimes miss one or two.  So, I try to resist.  BUT....

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Have you ever had a Bruenger’s Poppy Seed Bagel?  They have poppy seeds on both sides of the bagel.  Fresh, heavenly, a taste treat.

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I have learned not to eat a poppy seed bagel for breakfast and then go to a meeting.  I’ll feel one of those seeds and devil myself until it’s gone.  Or worse, I will eat one, go and look in the mirror to make sure I don’t have any in my teeth, and miss the one right in the front of my mouth.  

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I got home from a big event one night.   I looked in the mirror as I brushed my teeth getting ready for bed.  Yep, I found at least ten seeds in my teeth from my morning bagel.

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My poppy flowers are coming up this spring.  I laugh every time I see them and think of my teeth.

Beauty is only skin deep but ugly goes clear to the bone!

I witnessed some foolishness today....a woman was creating a scene in a store.  She hadn’t gotten the answer she wanted, so loudly she announced to all of us that she going to film us.  All of us.  All of us witnesses.  I sucked my teeth and walked out the door.

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Mr. DeMille, I DON”T need my close up.

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Big whoop.  A middle aged lady threatening a young worker.  Screaming that she was going to record all of this for the Internet to see as she fumbled with recording this craziness on her cell phone, this lady wanted all of us get in on the action.

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Wrong playmates, wrong playpen!

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“Hey, Lady, it wasn’t scanning correctly because you had picked up the wrong-sized can.”  If you want to fight, pick an old heifer like me.

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Film this, Ma’am.

The ad said that the smaller can was on sale. You had the great big can.  That dog won’t hunt.


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Does it hurt to be that stupid?

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I’m usually all "self-concept”.  I’m the "let’s not humiliate anyone, sing Kum-bi-ya and get along, Erin."  If I worked with the general public, I’d wear a Go-Pro around my neck and I could have my own tv station of crazy.

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I better just keep on walking.

Confessions of a Midnight Cat Wrangler: It’s a God Thing

Confessions of a Midnight Cat Wrangler: It’s a God Thing: Dan sent us a picture of Mike that we had never seen.  We got it about noon.  I’ve looked at it 20 times.....  in the past six hours! ****...

It’s a God Thing

Dan sent us a picture of Mike that we had never seen.  We got it about noon.  I’ve looked at it 20 times.....  in the past six hours!

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Jessica Sims, a friend that had lived down the street from the famed Doles Boulevard house in Milledgeville, sent the picture to Dan.  Dan sent it to us.

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It’s a God thing. Thank you, Jessica.

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Molly, Dan, Bill and I were so excited.  It is like getting the best Christmas gift in the whole world when you see a new picture of your child.  Many of Mike’s friends have surprised us over the years-- they find a picture of our middle son and immediately send us a copy.

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So, today, I am encouraging you....when YOU come across a picture of someone who is no longer with us on earth, send it to their family.  They will love it.  I promise.  You don’t have to say anything more than, “I ran across this photo today.  It brought me great joy.  I thought you might like to see it.”

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OR you don’t have to say anything at all.  It’s a God thing.

Do you need any help with that?

I love going to my grocery store.  It reminds me of ......home.

Ingles, in Forsyth,  is a friendly store and I go for the good vibes as well as the good food.

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There’s a young man that has assisted me numerous times....especially when I had my bad knee problems.

He still always asks if I need any help with that (anything from oranges, kitty litter, gallons of milk) (one bag to ten bags) (sunshine or cloudy day) and he asks me before I leave the store, “Do you need any help with that?” And then he smiles.

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He means it.  He likes helping people.  I have heard him ask others....I have seen him helping people.

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If Ingles could bottle his enthusiasm for customer service, they wouldn’t be a grocery store anymore.  They would just be selling his goodwill to all of us and the world would be a much better place.

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Note:  I need to help others more and have that same smile on my face.  He is ready and willing to share the load....I need to be ready and willing to share the burdens of others.   Doesn’t that really sum up our life here on earth?

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Hey, you need help?  I’ll help.

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I think I saw Jesus’ words in action today.

If You Lay Down with Dogs

I have two grand dogs, Mille and Charlie. Charlie thinks I’m the ....well, he thinks I’m the cat’s meow.

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I spent the night with Molly’s family this past week.  I knew my buddy, Charlie, and I would share the couch. 

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We did.  

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He hogs the covers.  But, he’s warm.  

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I hope I’m half as good as sweet Charlie.  He is loyal, true and wants nothing more than to give all the love he can give.   He thinks HIS girls are wonderful.  Brad and Molly are wonderful.  Balls are wonderful.  Walks are wonderful.  Charlie sees the best in all of us...and he also thinks that he can flip-flam the Nana so she’ll give him an extra scoop of puppy chow.  

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Yep, we’re on the sofa together.  Nope, I’m not sure where my left leg is.  Yep, he got an extra scoop of food for being such a good heating pad.