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