A penny for your thoughts



 

 

This print showed up on my Facebook page on Thursday, January 28, 2016


"This is what you were doing three years ago:" 

 

Hum, I'm still doing exactly what that print depicts. 

 

And I 'm probably thinking about the exact same thing  that I was thinking of three years ago - my children, their children, my mother and whatever "project" looms ahead - if nothing more than in

my head.

 

Truth be told, thinking is what I do - most of the time.

 

In fact if I had a penny for all of my thoughts...well if I tried to put a monetary value on my thoughts I would be accused of bragging of my riches.

 

Many years ago I came up with a "title" for what was then called "a column".  It was called "I've been thinking because if there is anything I do a lot of - it's thinking.  AND if you know me even a little bit you probably know that with the thinking usually comes some doing and it's "you" that I'm hoping will be the doer - or at least a participant in the scheme I have somewhere up my sleeve.   

 

When I was thinking about being a thinker I thought of this work of art. I think it's because I often find myself in that same pose (you'll notice just the head and a hand).

 

                       

        

 

And what do I do with my thoughts - do I journal?

 

You would think that any one who thinks as much as I do would have scores of them.

Oh I do -- just not mine.  

I have my mother's journals.  Years ago she told me that some day I will want to read them so I must keep them.  And so it is that they are packed away - in safe keeping and I am sure that I will glean much knowledge, enjoy laughing and yes, will no doubt shed a tear or two when I decide to start reading them.

She recently told me that she no longer writes in a journal...said she doesn't have anything to say.

My Caring grandson (grandchild #6) would beg to differ with her.  When we were about to open Christmas presents a few weeks ago, he produced a red spiral notebook that he had carefully wrapped in colorful paper. 

"It's a journal, great grandma", he proudly proclaimed.

Less than a week later, as my mother was recuperating from pneumonia that same grandchild had a question.

"Have you been writing in your journal?", he asked her.

I was visiting her in rehab last week and I found a small notebook that included some of her thoughts...

"If you could bring me that red notebook, I would write in it," my mother told me.

Hum - my mother will be 93 years old in five weeks and she is ready to return to writing in her journal

 

So I am taking her lead...This week I got serious - I'm writing in my journal...and who knows some day one of my children or grands will read what I wrote - and decide the thoughts are good enough to "sell" and they might make a penny for my thoughts!

 

 

 

 

 

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Instilled in me as a child

The voice on the other line was clear - "Your mother has fallen and we are taking her to Baptist South".

I had seen "Iva Lou" earlier that day and I knew she was more than "puny".  My siblings and I were wondering if a doctor's visit was necessary.  We thought she would be okay until Monday. 

Once she was in the hospital we learned that she had pneumonia and then we learned that she has COPD.  Interestingly enough - the fall produced no broken bones.And now she is in Rehab with a goal of reclaiming her strength so she can get on with whatever is ahead.

As we begin to process Iva Lou's next adventure, I think my siblings, our children and their children can all agree on one thing that we are thankful for -- and that is the fact that our parents instilled a sense of faith in God in us - from our earliest days.

Cindy and I particularly remember a Gideon trip to Minneapolis in 1957 when we heard the Palermo brothers sing "Don't send your kids to Sunday School, get out of bed and take them" as well as "Oh let the sunshine in, face it with a grin, smilers never lose and frowners never win...".  The exposure that Jonathan and Lester got was a little different.  I don't think they remember Gideon trips, but they do know that our parents took them to Sunday School AND church each week.

We, of course, had to make our own decisions about following Christ, but they certainly exposed it all to us - in many ways.

At one point, she became convinced that she might be dying.  I encouraged her to concentrate on the fact that she is still living and then Lester came to see her and reminded her of something daddy told us just weeks before he died in 2009. 

"I have heard about heaven all of my life", daddy said.

"And I am excited to be going there".

Now - none of us think Iva Lou is going to die - now.  We believe she is going to continue to improve.  We do know, however, that one day, it will be time and we are all as prepared as we can be for that.  In the meantime, we are going to keep loving her and praying for her and so much appreciate our extended family and our dear friends for the wonderful love, prayer and support that you are offering.

And about that other song the Palermo brothers sang - the one that said to let the Sunshine in....of course it's the SON shine that we need - and the faith that was instilled in us as children...is in that SON.

PS - here are some Scripture references that are dear to our mother's heart -

Romans 8:28, 29
I Thessalonians 5:18
Philippians 3:10

Without Wax

"Do you take calcium, Vitamin B, a Multi-vitamin?"

It was my annual physical in the office of a new doctor because of insurance changes.

I probably lowered my head as I answered.

"I have them in my medicine cabinet".

Her response to me was - well I think it was the nicest compliment I have ever received - right up there with you are just like your mother, you have a nice smile, you are a good writer...

"You are so sincere".

It seems that years ago I read that the word sincere actually means "without wax".

When I was growing up, I always wanted to go to Potter's Wax Museum in St. Augustine.  That never seemed to be something that my parents believed was worth the money.  However when I was in the 9th grade some cousins came to visit from South Carolina and they thought it was a good thing to do - and that my sister and I should join them.

I remember that I loved the clothes, the way the statutes were placed, the settings -- but I remember that I thought that's pretty close to how someone looks - but still lacking.  Or course they lacked something - life.  I mean after all - they were WAX.

As I remembered the doctor's compliment, I checked out the meaning of the word sincere.  I can find nothing that gives me the definition I remembered.  I did find:  free from pretense or deceit; proceeding from genuine feelings.

Well - one thing I strive to be is honest, although I am oft accused of embellishing because I have such a vivid imagination.

Sounds like a paradox to me.   But then most of us are a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly.  So I think my goal for 2016 is going to be ...

Keep telling the truth ...AS I SEE IT!

I am also going to take those vitamins that are in the medicine cabinet.