Opportunities

In July, 2006, my husband, Patrick, was diagnosed with a Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Origin, which is unlike regular Squamous Cell Carcinoma in that the doctors are unable to locate exactly where it started. This makes it very hard to treat. His presented as a knot behind his left ear which increased to the size of a large orange before chemo therapy reduced it. He then had 39 rounds of complete head and neck radiation. Needless to say, by the time it was all over, we were very thankful that the cancer was completely eradicated but very sad to have to treat terrible, black burns on his neck and an almost complete loss of hearing. The hearing loss was caused by the first round of chemo. It is a very, very rare side effect and one that the doctors did not expect. They immediately changed the type of chemo he received but the damage was already done.

At that time, I was already on disability and Pat was out of a job. Our only concern was getting him through his treatments and cancer free.

Since that time, my health has deteriorated to the point that I am not able to stand on my feet for more than 5 minutes at a time due to excruciating pain. Pat is doing all of the cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping and at the same time, still looking for a full time job. He has worked some since 2006 but has not had anything steady. Our savings is about gone and if he does not find something soon, our fate, as always, will be in God's hands. He's never let us down and I know He won't do so now. Whatever His plan, it will be for our benefit and to His glory.

As you read this poem, keep all of the above in mind, putting yourself at our dinner table in July, 2006. See if you would be as humbled by the faith of your husband as I was.

God Bless,
Mimmy


OPPORTUNITY

One night we sat at the table
With my sis and her husband George,
Ready to eat a steak dinner
So much food we nearly would gorge.

As we sat hands held in a circle
Ready to go to God in prayer,
My Patrick began to send his words
To our Father floating on air.

We sat there with problems many,
My poor health the oldest one,
And Pat was without work again,
Due to some unkind deed that was done.

And just the day before we sat
With the doctor, thoughts spinning round,
We heard the word called cancer
And it was a dreaded sound.

Pat thanked God for our many blessings
For our family and our friends,
For the food that we were blessed with
For our Savior whom God did send.

And then he thanked our Father
For the opportunities sent our way.
He didn’t ask to have them gone
Just for strength to get through each day.

Since that evening just two days ago
I’ve thought how could he see
The trials we have been given
As chances for opportunity.

But as I’ve looked into his eyes
And been held in his arms,
I knew that he was very right
For God never sends us harm.

Opportunity number one will be
For our faith to grow and grow
And for us to come much closer
To our God as on life’s path we go.

Opportunity number two will be
For family members who are lost
To see that God is with us
And we can’t lose no matter the cost.

Opportunity number three I know
Is the hardest one for me,
For it’s to let others serve us
And use their talents to fill our needs;

To share their love and blessings
As we’ll need them in times to come,
And know that God will get the glory
Along with His dear Son.

Opportunity number four is quite
A selfish one for me
As it brings our family closer
And helps us all to see

That we must work together
If we are to truly overcome
The opportunities before us
Without become gloomy and glum,

And to know that we aren’t guaranteed
A life that’s full of roses,
But with God and friends beside us
We’ll learn what God proposes.

There’s one more opportunity
That I mustn’t fail to see
And that is that my Patrick
Will always love and care for me,

And I will always love him
Through days both good and bad,
And we will turn our sadness
Into hearts that make us glad.

For no matter what the next months bring
Whether ease of step of muddy trod,
We’ll always have each other
And we'll always have our God.

And we’ll know that all works together
For those who love the Lord
And He won’t ever give us
More than He knows is our fair load.

So if life should send you struggles
And the way out you can’t see,
Don’t think of them as troubles
They’re God’s blessed opportunities.

Joyce K. Smith
July 29, 2006

Can You Guess

This past Sunday I was unable to attend worship. There is a program aired by the Gastonia Church of Christ on Sunday mornings which is a true blessing to me. The Bible based preaching is clear and right to the point.

The lesson presented this past Sunday was entitled "The Least". In one portion of that lesson, the speaker presented a thought that pricked my heart. Of course, my mind started whirling in rhyme and the following poem grew out of those thoughts.

This particular sermon, and many others, are presented on the internet, either for viewing or for listening. It would be my suggestion that you go and take a peek at their congregational website. You will not be disappointed.

Wishing for you a super week and

God Bless,
Mimmy

CAN YOU GUESS???

There is this little item
That I use all of the time.
I don’t leave home without it,
It’s an integral part of life.

If you have just a minute
I’ll give you lots of hints.
It’s really quite amazing
But it can’t help put up tents.

Messages that were left there
By ones I love and need
Are checked for very often,
There might be one to heed.

Every day this little thing
Is always by my side.
I’ll share with you its contents.
There’s nothing there to hide.

This will help me send a message
In oral or written form.
It can tell me where I need to go,
What I hear may leave me torn.

There’s a list of lots of people,
Where they’ve lived and what they’ve said.
I place it on my table
When I’m ready to go to bed.

My pride to have this item
Is quite evident you know.
I’ve bought a special cover
So I’ll know which one I own.

Telling people all about it
Is really lots of fun.
They want to see some action,
Not just hear my old mouth run.

There are lots of numbers listed,
Some of them I know by heart.
The ones that are not in my head
I can look up on a chart.

Have you guessed the thing I carry?
What do I use each day?
It’s really not my cell phone!
It’s my Bible telling God’s way.

God’s left me many messages
To help me through my life.
If I use it like my cell phone
My days will have less strife.

Before I end this message
There’s a little mistake I made.
My Bible did once build a tent,
The Tabernacle from plans God made.

Mimmy aka
Joyce K. Smith
July 19, 2009

"Not My Child Monday"

Welcome to Not My Child! Monday! Today MckMama decided to do something a little different so, rather than post about yourself and all of the kookie things you do, she wants you to post about your children. For more details, you can head over to her blog to read what her children and everyone else's children have not been doing this week. You will surely be able to spend several hours of good, humorous, and maybe some heart wrenching reading.

Since my children are all adults, I've had to delve into my memory to come up with some wonderful "Not My Children" goodies.

As for my children, I will start with the oldest. Monica most certainly did not constantly walk by me when she was about four years old and say, “You’re gonna die”, without looking at me at all. She was referring to my very bad habit of smoking which I quit 18 years ago this coming September. Thanks for caring Monica. It did stick with me. Now, please take your own advice.

Monica also did not, during labor with her second child, shout profanities with each contraction. Her husband met me in the hallway begging me to “Do something, Mom, anything!” I walked into the room, told her to lay down and shut up, and she did just that. Never heard another “dirty word” out of her mouth. Sweet little Hali, who is now 16 years old, missed out on the whole thing. Or did she.

Jenifer, who is our second child and second daughter, most certainly did not walk from our house to the neighbor’s house totally naked. Thank goodness she was only 2 years old. However, I think she still hates clothes to this day. As far as I know there haven’t been any other incidents of streaking. Jerry, do you know of any?

She also did not decide in second grade, that she was no longer going to school. The temper tantrums she would not throw would have made the Guinness World Record Book. On one occasion, she did not grab hold of a double bed and with me pulling on her and her holding on to the bed we did not drag it clear across the room. She finally let go when we got to the door. At least she knew it wouldn’t fit through. On another morning, she did not “fake” an asthma attack hollering at the top of her lungs, saying “Mommy, I can’t breathe, I can’t breath”. My reply was not a cold, “Good, then you’ll pass out and I can get your to school easier.” This whole thing would have been much funnier if, when I got home from taking her to school and called to check on her the secretary would not have told me that she had quit crying before I got to the front door. Oh Jeni, those were the days.

Hey, Josh, it’s your turn. Josh is child number 3 and our only son. His favorite snack, when Mommy was not looking, could not have been dog kibble or biscuits. He did not repeatedly go to the laundry room and raid the dog foot bag. He also did not share lolli-pops and popsicles with his dog.

Josh also did not one day did not decide that he wanted to run away, did not pack his little suitcase complete with his blankie, a box of cereal and his favorite pajamas. He then did not proceed to walk to the end of our yard, sit down just below the knoll of a hill on his blankie. He did not sit there for about two hours, eating cereal and playing with his ET doll that had been tucked under his arm. This was one time I made a good parenting decision and just let him sit there until he did not decide to come home. All I did was go to the front window and check on him every little bit. You see, I could not see the top of his head. Josh, I think the whole idea of running away is to go further than the front yard.
To all of my children, the memories you have given me are priceless. They will prayerfully remain with me to the end of my days. The love that I have for your is boundless, unconditional, and as I say in my prayers, God be with you and keep you always. Love and kisses to you and your families. (Especially my grand-babies.)

The poem I’m not sharing with this post is one that I wrote in 2006 that tells how I feel about babies in general and their making a family complete. One of these days, I’ll introduce you to each of my children complete with bios and pics.

God Bless,
Mimmy



Families Complete


You’ve waited such a long, long time
To hold me in your arms,
To count my fingers and my toes,
And be wooed by my charms.

The day has finally arrived
When we will be together,
Not just for a little while
But from now until forever.

For God has chosen you for me,
And me to be with you.
He knew we each had special needs
And He knew just what to do,

To fill them all and make us whole,
A family that’s complete,
Full of happiness and joy
And all that makes life sweet.

Mimmy aka Joyce Smith
February, 2006

Teen Guest Poet

Today's post will be extremely short, particularly compared to yesterday's.

The poem that I'll be sharing today is from a 14 year old, young lady, who attends Bible study and worship with us. She is a very sweet young lady, extremely cute and is very, very talented.

She has written a short story that she has also shared with me. My heart is very humbled that she considers me proficient enough to critique her work. In my book it is A-number one.

My advice to her has been to write, write, write. So far, she is doing just that and Jessica, please keep it up.


Another good job, Jessica. Give me another one to share and any other young readers who would like to be a guest poet, please feel free to put a note in my comments or e-mail it to me. God bless all our upcoming young writers. They are the future of poetry.

Have a super week and God bless,
Mimmy


HORSES

Manes flowing
Nostrils blowing
Hooves beating
Bodies fleeting.
Ears perked
Bits jerked
Spurs jingle
Muscles tingle.
Necks arching
Throats parching
Horses galloping
A rider's Halloween.
Dust flying
Riders crying
Stunning horses
Running riders.

Jessica
July 19, 2009

Cool, but spoiled!!!

This last week we were without air conditioning in our home for about three days. We have been blessed with temperatures that were a few degrees cooler than last week, but even at that, the average temp for those days was 90 degrees. Blessedly, we were loaned a window air conditioner that, after several hours, was able to cool our great room and helped to lower the temp in the master bedroom a few degrees.

During those days, in order to keep cool, I didn’t get much done and since we didn’t want to possibly overheat the computer I haven’t blogged for several days. I’ve missed you guys, really missed you and it will take me forever to get caught up on my reading.

As I was sitting in my chair and crafting to pass the time, my mind went back to days gone by. We have really become very spoiled.

My thoughts went to the days when we only had fans to keep the air moving all summer long...And, at Granny’s house, and many time at Mama’s and Daddy’s friends’ homes, there weren’t even fans. Of course, these years were spent mostly in Ohio and I was much younger so things like that didn’t affect me in the same way they do now. Isn’t menopause just wonderful? However, a portion of these non-central air days, in our homes as well as our cars, were spent in Memphis, TN, West Helena, AK, and Winston-Salem, NC.

When I was in junior high school, we lived in Elyria, OH, in a three-story home...that is three stories and a basement. My bedroom was on the third floor along with Daddy’s study. (My father was a preacher from the time I was four up until he retired about 12 years ago.) There was a huge fan in a third-floor window that, when on high, would pull air all the way through the entire house. You could actually see the curtains blowing. At night, the house was so cool and smelled so fresh, particularly after a rain. That house was probably one of the favorite places I ever lived.

When we lived in West Helena, we had a fairly large room air conditioner that was mounted in the wall in the living room. With a fan in the hallway back to the bedrooms, we could actually cool the whole house without making the electric bill any higher than it was in the winter for heating.

One of my strongest memories of Memphis was having to hang my clothes, all of them, on the line to dry after I got home from work. They would be so drenched with "purty ole’ sweat" that if I had put them in the hamper without drying them first they would have mildewed. The days of our youth were harder than they seemed at the time. It's probably a good thing that we didn't know it was hard. We weren't that smart yet. Guys, 18 is much too young to get married. Trust me.

We traveled many miles when I was a youngin' without anything but 4/50 air conditioning. Singing hymns at the top of our lungs we would all stick our hands out the windows waving at everybody that went by. Most of the people we waved at would wave back. Isn’t it a shame that we have to tell our children not to wave at drivers today because they might shoot at us?

While all of these memories were flooding through my brain I began to compose this poem. Hope it will bring back pleasant memories for you.

God Bless,
Mimmy


H-O-T

Hot, man is it hot.
Wet, man am I wet.
Dry, man my mouth’s dry.
Upset, yes, I’m upset.

Why all these things
do you ask do you ponder?
Well let me say
all our AC has wandered.

While not doing much
to help me stay cool.
My thoughts drive back
to days while in school.

We didn’t have air
in our home or our cars.
Nor any TV
to steal our kids charms.

We opened our cans
with a handy can opener.
Washed all the dishes
in a sink filled with "soaper".

If you were lucky
you might have a vacuum.
At our house Mom cleaned
with dust mop and "broomum".

Kids did their research
from library books.
Blogging not yet
a spark in Gates’ dad’s looks.

If you were blessed
with an automobile
You cranked down the window
some cool air to feel.

The radio that could
be in what you drove
Might have three stations,
not much need to rove.

If Daddy had short legs
and Mom’s were quite long
She’d sit with hers pulled up
while calming our throng.

‘Cause no one had heard
of split bench seats
Or captains’ chairs
that can warm your "seat".

Kids played with boxes
not computer games.
We all knew all
of the neighborhood names.

Am I going to close
with a wish to go back?
No way Jose’
I’m a well spoiled brat.

Mimmy aka Joyce Smith
July 18, 2009

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! Today, and I hope on all Mondays, I am bringing to you this blog carnival that was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Are there things in your day that you have left undone. Have you forgotten to unplug your curling iron for hours on end, or have you forgotten to thank someone for a kindness they did for you. Write about it on your post and link back to MckMama's blog. Then take a few minutes to read the posts of her other readers.

This week I most certainly did not make my oldest daughter mad at me by telling her that she needs to grow up. I know that I didn't forget to brush my teeth for two whole days even though I did walk by the bathroom sink a kazillion times. There is no way that I didn't tell my hubby to bring me the load of laundry that is in our dryer to fold and I'm sure this was not intentional because I know he'll get to it "one of these days".

And the biggy for the week, I did not stay home from the funeral of a dear friend today because I know if I did I would have absolutely fallen apart and I didn't want to embarass myself and others in the audience.

As this may be the only post I am able to do today, I must include my poetic daily entry here. It is a poem I wrote at the very beginning of my blogging career when a dear friend of mine lost a granddaughter. It expresses my feelings, not only at this time, but today, when I am thinking about our friend, Loyde, and his family as they grieve.

God bless all of you who did things this week that would have made others cringe and thank you for having the courage to admit your bloopers to your readers.

Take care and have a super week,

Mimmy

Shared Tears

Our Father says we are to weep
With others when they cry,
And that we are to laugh with those
Who are happy by and by.

News came to me that you have lost
Someone much too young to go.
She was beautiful and loving;
I’ve heard from those who know.

So please do know that as I sit
And pen these words to you
The tears are flowing freely
And my heart is breaking too.

I’ll keep you in my nearest thought
And in my earnest prayers
That God will hold you strongly
And you’ll feel him ever there.

Just know I’m one of many
Who will share this pain today,
As you’ve shared pain and laughter
With others along life’s way.

Mimmy aka Joyce K. Smith
May 2, 2009

Friendship

Tonight I'm posting about a friend. It just happens to be a blog friend who lives clear across the country from me. Isn't cyberspace wonderful.

We share a common interest of poetry and I absolutely love her work. She can paint such vivid pictures with her words that you can actually see the event she is immortalizing. Take a look, read her words and see if you don't become as enamored as I have.

Thank you Margaret. Sharing your most inner feelings with such soul seeking truth makes you a poet with heart.



WHAT CAN I SAY, WHAT CAN I DO

What can I say when a friend is in pain?
What can I do? There’s no sunshine just rain.

What can I say when I know her heart’s achin’?
What can I do? This ache has part of her taken.

What can I say when her daughter won’t speak?
What can I do? She yearns to hear just a peep.

What can I say when she’s tried to amend?
What can I do? She has been homeward sent.

What can I say when she comes home in tears?
What can I do? She is so full of fears.

What can I say when she needs a companion?
What can I do? She is lonesome, needs compassion.

What can I say and what can I do
To return her cheeks to their once rosy hue?

What can I do and what can I say?
My thoughts have been churning all night and all day.

You’re probably thinking I’ve so much to impart.
An answer I must have to her broken heart!

A king’s ransom I’d give if that only were true.
At this time I do not know at all what to do.

There are two things that I can think of to say.
Only two out of all of this thought out word play.

One is to tell her that I truly care,
That I wish for her happiness beyond compare.

The second is what is most wondrous by far.
It is that God cares and knows all her scars.

He has answers for her that I do not have.
Her heart can be healed with His precious salve.

To God I’ll surrender myself to the end
And entrust to Him my dear poetic friend.

Joyce K. Smith aka Mimmy
July 12, 2009

"Love In His Eyes"

On Wednesday evening while our congregation was in the midst of our mid-week Bible Study one of our dear members, Mr. Loyde Deason, went to be with our Lord for eternity. Loyde was a very special man. As I told his wife and children (grown) in a card that I sent to them today, he could just look across the room at you in such a way so as to let you know he was glad you were there. His eyes were the most soft, loving, caring eyes that I had seen in a long while, except for those of my "Heroe Hubby", of course, and I guess I'd have to put my Daddy in that category too. (I've got to introduce you to him soon. You will love him, probably not as much as I do but you will love him.)

Loyde leaves behind a wonderful Christian wife, a daughter and a son, both of whom are Christians, and some grandchildren. I'm not sure how many, but I know that at least some of them are Christians also. His wife is a jewel and was the reason that Loyde was a member of Christ's Kingdom. She practiced winning her husband to Christ through example and was a very worth example of exactly how to do it.

After Loyde obeyed the gospel and became a member of the church, he had the same kind of influence on his son who had not as yet obeyed the gospel. He did so only a couple of weeks ago. Loyde was not well enough to be in the service at which his son was baptized but he was sure proud of the fact and glowed the next time I saw him. Loyde was only able to return to services once after he became ill in the spring. When he walked in the building, every head in the place turned in amazement, except for mine, and I was too busy getting out of my wheelchair and going up the aisle to sit beside him for a few minutes. I needed me some Loyde huggin'.

The following will explain a little of what my family feels about Loyde and the entire Deason family. They all love the Lord, his Church and it's members. We need many more families like this to make our congregation strong and sure.

God Bless you all,
Mimmy

"LOVE IN HIS EYES"

A quiet man
with not much to say.
There was always love
in his eyes.

A man who loved God
and lived God's ways.
There was always love
in his eyes.

A man who cared
for his family each day.
There was always love
in his eyes.

A man who would let
you know that he cared.
There was always love
in his eyes.

A man who through pain
did not lose his faith.
There was always love
in his eyes.

A man for whom many
knelt and prayed.
There was always love
in his eyes.

A man who has now
received his "just pay".
There was always love
in his eyes.

Wishing we had grown closer
on life's way
There was always love
in his eyes.

This man will be missed for
many long days.
There will always be love
in his heart.

Mimmy, July 9, 2009

Grosgrain GIVEAWAY!!!!

Kathleen at Grosgrain has found another contest for us to enter. Simply visit her blog at Grosgrain to find out what the give away is. I'm not sharing it with you this time because I really do want you to visit Kathleen. Her blog is full of great sewing and crafting tips that are seeped in fashion. It will be well worth your time.

If you leave her a comment, and I would ask that you do, please let her know that I sent you. I'm thinking about a contest of my own in the next few days so "stay tuned for details" same station, different day, different time.

God Bless,
Mimmy

Out Of Hiding

Today's post won't contain a poem so I'm asking that you write one that is appropriate and send it in a comment. That way, I can share it with the few readers that I do have.

The last couple of weeks have been hard for me to handle due to just plain old hurtin'. When I can't get to the computer to at least read the blogs I follow, you know I don't feel well. We are hoping, in the not to distant future, to get me a wireless laptop so that I can "blog" from my chair, travel the world over, and write, write, write to my heart's content. Writing, I mean the actual kind of pen to paper, is hard for me if I do it for any length of time and I try to save it for letters, Bible study and anything else that comes up that can't be done on a computer.

Reading the blogs that I follow is very therapeutic for me, as is posting and sharing my feelings with you. It is my plan to post more often than I have in the near past. When I do miss a couple of days it takes me forever to get caught up and sometimes, by the time I get through reading, I have no energy left for posting. Maybe I need to do it the other way around. Anyway, enough complaining and if all goes well I'll come up with something poetic for tomorrow or the next day.

One bit of good news before I sign off, the insurance company called me today and advised that they have approved my getting an electric wheel chair. Once it arrives it will be much easier for me to get around in the house and my legs won't get as tired and experience as much pain.

Take care, God bless, and wax poetic,

Mimmy

Fourth of July, 2000

For the last nine years the Fourth of July has held feelings for me that are quite a conundrum. Patriotism has always been very near to my heart. Many of my memories are of my family celebrating all of our country's holidays.

Thanksgiving and Christmas were always fabulous celebrations with cooking started weeks, if not months, ahead. The freezer would start filling with cookies in October. The week before Thanksgiving was always a frenzy. There were at least four congealed salads, two or three types of potatoes, green bean casserole and just plain old green beans for the finicky eaters in our family, plain corn, corn on the cob, black eyed peas, lima beans, the turkey filled with dressing and another pan of dressing on the side, ham with pineapple slices, home made rolls, mincemeat pie, pumpkin pie, chocolate pie, sometimes lemon meringue pie, a cake or two and Mama would break out a few cookies and peanut butter balls just to hold us over until Christmas Eve.

There were always a couple of tables surrounded with family and friends. If not many of the family could be there, Mama would always find those who would be spending the holiday alone and invite them to share with us.

Christmas was the most wondrous Holiday at out house. Decorating would always start the day after Thanksgiving. A lot of our decorations were those that were homemade at my Mother's hand with our "help". I remember the year that she made an army of toy soldiers, all different sizes, made from everything from toilet tissue rolls, paper towel rolls, oatmeal boxes, cans of all different sizes and the largest was the container of Lincoln Logs my sister was getting for Christmas that year. Mama made all of the others just to camouflage this gift. She knew if she just wrapped it and put it under the tree, Tracy would know what she was getting. Mama was a great stickler for surprises.

To this day I do not know for sure how she managed to do all that was done. I know that she had a lot of help from my Dad. We kids would help with the fun stuff but a lot of it was done after we were all in bed.

On the Fourth of July, our house always flew an American Flag. It might just be a little one but it was always there. Our dinner table would have red, white and blue plates and napkins that she had bought on clearance the year before and put away for this particular celebration. One time I remember she had made a cake iced to look like a flag. We were thrilled.

When I was in the first grade we lived in a very small community called Raymond, Ohio. The Fourth of July celebration was one in which the entire town participated. What I remember most about my first Independence Day celebration there was that I had just gotten my "new" bike (My Uncle Pat had pulled it out of a ditch a few weeks before and had helped Daddy rework it for me.). Daddy helped me decorate it with red, white and blue streamers and it won first place in the decorated bike parade. I also managed to win the hula hoop contest. At that time I could keep four of them going at the same time, work them from my neck to my feet and back up again. Boy do I wish I could still do that today. For my efforts that day I got two fifty cent pieces. A whole dollar. That was a fortune to me at that time. I could get 100 pieces of bubble gum at the General Store.

Now for the many mixed feelings that surround this day. On July 4, 2000 we buried my mother in a cemetery in Huntington, West Virginia, her hometown, and the cemetery in which a lot of my family members are buried and where, unless things change, my Father will someday be buried. (Don't hurry Daddy. I need you for a long time to come.). On that day, after my cousin had completed his service, I could hear Mama's voice singing, "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the morning, Jesus in the noontime... I began to sing with her and soon some of the others were singing with us. It is an indelible memory. I can still hear her singing. We used to sing a whole lot in the car when we were traveling.

While looking through poems to include with today's post, I came across one that I had forgotten about. It will show you how I feel about my Mama and why July 4th is a somewhat difficult day for me. One thing that makes it easier is a comment that was made to me after returning to work. One of my employer's said, "Joyce, the 4th of July will always be your Mama's Independence Day". Well, he wasn't quite accurate. June 30th is her Independence Day as this is the day she passed from this life into the next, but it did made the remembrances of that day a little easier for me.

As you enjoy your day with your family, think of the memories you are building. Make a little extra effort to put out red, white and blue plates and napkins. If not this year, go buy some for next year at your local clearance sale.

God Bless,
Mimmy

**************************************************


You Are Beautiful To Me

Do you recall when I was a child?
My world was centered around you.
The days were filled with love and kindness.
And no sacrifice was too great for you to make.
You were beautiful to me.

Do you recall when I was a young girl?
My world was centered around you, and myself.
All things were bright and beautiful.
And you were my teacher and my comforter.
You were beautiful to me.

Do you recall when I was a young woman?
My world was centered around you, and my friends.
Most things were bright and beautiful.
And when things were not so bright, you were there.
You were beautiful to me.

Do you recall when I was a young mother?
My world was centered around you, and my family.
Some things were bright and beautiful, but filled with challenges I never imagined.
At every turn, you were my confidant, and my friend.
You were beautiful to me.

Do you recall when our families grew up?
We were still young and full of dreams.
We shared lovely moments.
We looked to the future.
You were beautiful to me.

I look to the day I will become the age you were when you passed.
Some days will be dark and scary.
Some days will be filled with wonder and thanks giving.
I am will be a better person because of you.
You WILL ALWAYS BE beautiful to me.


Mimmy aka Joyce Smith
February 15, 2006

RockPaperScissors GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Kathleen, as usual has introduced us to a wonderful online business that offers a very wide variety of paper products from announcements to wrapping paper. Check out Kathleen's lint at her blog, Grograin, today linked as RockPaperScissors GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!. If you are the lucky winner, you will get a $25 gift card to purchase your hearts desire at RockPaperScissors. Good luck and

God Bless,
Mimmy