Thursday, November 23, 2023

Turkey 'toup, spinach and pumpkin

 I suppose most of us have a Thanksgiving memory that includes a favorite food.

My friend, Sarah, was surprised to have heard macaroni and cheese from a friend.  Her favorite, she said, was cranberry sauce.  And her mother piped in with her least favorite - green bean casserole.

Our daddy had definite ideas when it came to food. Once when my brothers were small - I think Lester was four - we were visiting friends in South Carolina and after a lovely meal - when we were all in the room our parents shared - I guess for an afternoon nap - mother told daddy that we were having turkey soup for supper.

Daddy was not impressed.  And Lester heard his response.

And so it was that when it was time for the blessing and Lester was invited to pray - he thanked the Lord for the turkey 'toup.

Sometimes I am not as kind as I should be when I share memories of my life with Ray Parker.  I do have some good ones.  He was a great "preacher".  I remember some very good sermons.

He often used this analogy when talking about accepting things we didn't like when we know God has a purpose.

He loved chocolate cake - especially when his mother made one.  He would describe in detail the taste and texture - and the way it looked on the plate.  But then he would say that before he could enjoy the cake his mother insisted that he eat what was good for him and that often-included spinach.

Yuk!

And then there's the pumpkin. Since late summer we have been "bombarded" with all the ways to enjoy pumpkin

What a great marketing ploy.

Which is not to say that I don’t enjoy pumpkin – especially the pumpkin bread that is made each year by my neighbor, Marie, and my daughter-in-law, Kristen

Whether it is what we eat, what we experience, or even what we BUY

The important think about this day: 

   For family, friends, and faith -not necessarily in that order.

 May you have enough sunshine in your life

To make you appreciate the shadows

Monday, November 20, 2023

Sunshine and Shadows

                                                          May you have enough sunshine in your life

To make you appreciate the shadows


It's in my DNA

"everything's gonna be all right," was Earl Huffingham's mantra.

 "All things work together for good," was Iva Lou's.

When Cindy and I were little girls, we heard "Que, Serra, Serra”, so often that we still believe "what will be will be."

That's probably why I am often called a Pollyanna.

I was a sophomore in college and was enjoying my first Creative Writing Class. I was also the starry-eyed fiancĂ© of Ray Parker.  The assignment was to describe how to cook an egg.  In addition to the steps, I also included the fact that I would serve what I had prepared to my golden drop of sun *

Hum -- sunshine - and then many years of shadow.

And sunshine once more through the three children that Ray and I share.

For 15 years those bundles of joy, and I were a single family of four. By1998, Becca and Renee had married, and Tray was engaged to be married the next year.

And once more sunshine! 

I married Rich Suhey. 

We had great plans - buying a house (in Mandarin), working at Vistakon, enjoying our boat.  And I was going to finish college.

And we had plans to fly to San Francisco on this day, November 20, 1998.  My parents were taking us to the airport.

They did go to JIA that day but Rich and I were not with them. They met a plane from New York.  Rich's brother Bob and his wife, Carol, had come - to Rich's funeral. 

That night - amidst the shadows - was sunshine - as many friends and loved ones came to share that love and respect for Rich (and for me).

That was 25 years ago today.

Shadows - yes -- but Sunshine. I finished college, bought a home in Mandarin, invited my parents to live with me, and cared for them until they died. I have had the opportunity to be gainfully employed in interesting and fulfilling ways.  I have many friends - including one who is the sunshine of my life.

And those three children have given me more sunshine through the 7 children that call me grandma.

A Pollyanna??? Maybe.

But for sure the result of two parents who loved their children and taught them to love God and each other and to always remember -- a shadow is the result of sunshine!

I am thankful!!!

*CLUE:  Think The Sound of Music