Should Have Charged Admission

I was dead this morning.  I was lying in the bed, it was still dark outside, my eyes were unopened, I was unable to move. 

Three hours later, still in the bed, still dead.

 A friend called, "Whatcha doin'?"  She asked.

"I'm paralized - dead, I think."  I replied.

Muscles I didn't know I had wouldn't move.  They didn't even know they existed - until yesterday.

This is what the end of my driveway looked like yesterday morning. 

Under that cloggmation of leaves is supposedly a gutter, or dip, or whatever that thingy is called at the end of a driveway.

Mud.  Lots of mud.  See the tire tracks?  No way to enter or leave.  Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink.

To keep my anger in check this morning, which burst wide open yesterday morning, I will simply say a neighbor rerouted his water problem into our yard.  Seriously, a trench, onto our property to solve the run-off problem in his backyard. It has been a gradual process but my yard has slowly transferred itself to the street.  Grass is now growing in the street - my grass - in the street.

No one can come, no one can leave.  Help.  We are down to our last ounce of water and dry cracker.  Hallucinations have set in, the mailman won't run  . . .

I have been patient, I have been a good neighbor.  For three years I have watched my yard wash away - while keeping my mouth shut.  So, yesterday, armed with three slaves - otherwise known as my children - and looking like this . . .

. . . I set out to put my yard back in its place - at least until He's Too Good To Me can block off the trench this weekend and do a little building up - or another torrential rainfall, whichever comes first.

All that mud you see is just in one of the spots and is just some of what we shoveled back over the gutter, dippy, thingy.

I'm not sure why I did it in my jammie pants, spur of the moment anger, I guess.  Or, maybe it's because this is how I normally dress . . .

. . . but I didn't feel my pearls and heels were appropriate.  If you believe that I've got a swamp in a Mississippi street to sell you.

Remember the I Love Lucy (and I really do) episode in which Lucy was going to model in a fashion show but stayed out in the sun too long?  She was so sunburned she couldn't move.

Isn't she great?

That is what I felt like this morning.  Not sunburnt, but sore and unable to move.  Paralized, dead.  The muscles I used to shovel two tons of mud are not the same muscles I use on a daily basis.  Sad, but true.

Pedicures, manicures, facials, and spa treatments are what I'm used to.

You, my blog friends, should have been here.  Me, in all my glory, in the rain and cold, shoveling the street in my jammies.  Cars honking, men whistling, and neighbors gawking. 

Quite a show.  Should have charged admission.  Should have bought Ben-Gay. 

What the Word? Wednesday

Welcome back to . . .

What the Word? Wednesday.


This week Maxster wants to make, or bake, a what?

This one's kinda hard, so if you get it you must be psychic, or a genie, or a gypsy, or a carnival fortune teller, or a fairy, or a fraud . . .

Put on your head wrap, or your turban, or whatever else baloney you got. Grab your magic ball . . .

and listen closely.





Post your guess below.  As always, I'll hide all comments till Thursday.
Good luck on this one.  Check this same post again on Thursday for the answer.

Ya'll are good.  So are the peanut butter balls he made.

Same time next week.  Y'all come back now, 'ya hear?

The "Other" Baby Boy

I've been hearing the word "kks" around here alot lately - "kks" lights, "kks" tree, "kks present".   Each and every time it makes me smile.  It's obvious to all of us that Max understands many things about Christmas this year.

What is not obvious to me is that he is "getting" it.  To be honest, he looks confused and he seems to lose focus when I talk about Jesus and Christmas together.  I think he is confusing birthday and Christmas. He doesn't quite connect the "baby" Jesus with the Jesus we normally teach him about.

He is almost three, and it is never too young to learn love.  I needed a new plan.

He's Too Good To Me and I were out doing a little Christmas shopping Friday evening when I found this at Lifeway. 

Their website - What God Wants for Christmas.  This is a storybook with a pop-up Nativity scene.  It comes with seven "presents" to open as you read the story.  There are Bible verses to read and questions to answer.

Their website has some great activity sheets and scavenger hunt ideas.

We included this with our dinner and a movie night last night with Isabela's friend- Emily, Shelby's guy- Joe, and Delia's hon- Ruben.

Shelby read the story while we all took turns with the Bible reading and the opening of the little "presents."

Box #7 contains a surprise.  It has what God really wants for Christmas.  When you open it there is a mirror inside.  God wants you.

Most of the time Max was listening, the story is geared to slightly older children but he seemed to be soaking it up.  His box contained baby Jesus and he liked the mirror.

It is a good way to help children focus on the meaning of Christmas.  I love to decorate and we love Santa, but teaching my children about the gift God gave us when He sent His son, Jesus, is my job - not only at Christmas, but all year.

It is not a cliche', there is a true meaning to Christmas.  The season flies by, and so do the teachable moments.

God's grace, Max is saying it here. 

And by that same grace he will grow to become a man that searches out his Father's will.  He will teach his babies one day, and they theirs.  It begins with his daddy and me - and the story of a baby. 

Merry Christmas baby boy.  May you intimately understand the birth of the other baby boy -who came just for you.

The Man - My Daddy

My brother-in-law, Chuck, has a group of people he shares Song of the Day with.  It's pretty special to be included in this group.

When he sends me one I feel y'all will enjoy, I share them - over in the right hand column.  SOTD's.

My mama says I'm going through - da da da dum - the change.  Whatever that means.  Yes - I know, please, no one send me a biology lesson.

Because of this I seem to cry easily lately.  For someone that never cries, I must say I've sent my family on a rollercoaster ride.

So, on Monday when I got my SOTD, I cried.  Not because of - da da da dum - the change, but because of the man.  Chuck wrote about my daddy.

Here is Monday's SOTD.

Just in time for tomorrow,
here's this week's Song Of The Day:




We tend to think of the people around us strictly in the present sense. If a person is, say, 74 years old, we can only "see" them as "being" 74. I'm really trying to break free of this limitation by imagining older people as their younger selves, and younger people as the older folks they will eventually become. That having been said, if I were to write a song for my father-in-law (who happens to be 74), this is precisely the song that I would attempt to write. I like to imagine him as being a bashful, funny kid from Carthage, and I like to think that this song would make perfect sense to him. Sending this one out to the 12-year-old in you, James.

This is my daddy as a skinny twelve year old boy.

When he started first grade my Ma would walk him to school.  When she got back home he'd be there, on the front porch, having beat her back.  Everyday when she walked away from the school he would escape back home by way of the shortcut.

The teacher finally taught him alone - on the front steps of the school.  Teachers did that then, because they could. 

Daddy was shy.  Still is.  His ears were big.  Still are. 

But he's mine - and I would have no other.

My First Ever Cell Phone Conversation

I dropped my cell phone today, for the hundredth time, in the rain even.  One of these days when I have to tell He's Too Good To Me that I drop my phone - often - and on that occasion it will have passed on to gadget heaven, I will remind him that he loves me.

I remember my first car phone experience.  I thought car phones were for those kind of people.  You know the ones - $$$$.

The first car phone call I ever received was from He's Too Good To Me, February 26, 1988 -  A day after meeting him.  Remember this post?  Pillow Talk.

There was a lot of static and background noise on the mobile phone and this was the conversation.

"This is Marie."

"Hey, this is Gregg, we met yesterday at the Groves' house."

chit chat

"Where are you?"

"In the truck."

"How are you calling me?"

"From the mobile."

"What mobile?"

"The mobile phone in the truck."

chit chat while I'm thinking to myself . . .

I thought car phones were for those kind of people.  Is he one of those kind? mmmm . . . $$$.  If he is, this is good.  Looks, chivalry, and $$$.  My ship has come in, my boat is floating, my cookies have been frosted, my fancy has been tickled, my need has been met, my . . . 

"What?  Oh, I can't tonight.  I've got supper at my sister's."

"Can I come?"

What?  Did he just invite himself?  Rude.  But . . .  mobile . . .  my . . .

"Sure, I guess, if you'd like."

say you'd like, say you'd like

"Yeah, and afterwards we could go see a late movie."

Heart flutters, knees weak.

chit chat - time, directions, etc.  Do you have money?  To myself, I said that to myself.  Gimme a break.

At the end of that evening when he opened the car door for me and I got out he picked me up and carried me to the front porch and kissed me perfectly.

Girls, I don't recommend this.  Don't kiss on the first date.  String 'em along a little.

Fast forward two weeks to March 10, 1988.

"Will you marry me?"

Sure - you gorgeous, chivalrious, absolutely penniless guy with your dad's mobile phone.

"Yes"

 "Love you honey - by the way, I dropped my phone in the rain."

Did You Hear My Baby Girl Sing?

I am so proud.  Stick a pin in me and see if I burst.  Untie me and see if I float.

Isabela had her first solo ever Sunday evening during our annual children's Christmas musical.





Yes, she gets her singing voice from me.  Wrong.  Give me a bucket and watch me not be able to carry a tune in it.

This was supposed to be blogged on Monday, and Monday's post on Sunday, and Sunday's on Saturday - you get the point.

But . . .

He's Too Good To Me was good to me and got me a new computer.  He does all the gidget-gadget tech stuff and I just sit here and look pretty.

I could not blog this because I could not find the video.

But like I said, I'm not supposed to.  I'm just supposed to sit here and look pretty - like the good trophy wife that I am.

So, I'm a day late and more than a few dollars short - but . . . did you hear my baby girl sing?

I said - did you hear my baby girl sing?

I know, I know.  Good enough to listen to again.





It is good news and great joy and my baby girl is helping to tell it on the mountain.

Proud of you, Love Daddy and his trophy wife

What the Word? Wednesday.

This week Maxster wants to go shopping. 

Shopping with his daddy. 

If you know my guys it won't be hard to guess where.

And they don't shop - they check things out.  They hang out.  They do boy guy men things.


Here goes.





Bye camera. 

Comment on your guess.

So many correct answers this week.  Shopping at Bass Pro Shops - next best thing is Lowe's - that's my boy.

Thanks for playing.  See 'ya, same time, same blog, next week.

Snow - Our God is Good

It's hard to contain my excitement when it snows here in Mississippi.

Snow was in the forecast for several days, but just like waiting on that first five pounds to fall off, you learn not to get your hopes too high.

But we got it.  We got the white stuff and all the beauty and good times that come with it.

It began to fall beautifully and gracefully - just as God our Maker planned - Friday evening while we were at Mom and Dad Cupstid's house for birthday celebrations.

Remember this?  My Birthday is Tomorrow . . . to Nana's House We Go.  Curiously enough, Mom's theme was snow. It looked like a winter wonderland inside, she had more faith than me.

Shelby and her hon, Joe.  Joe's had some rough times.  He and his family moved here after Hurricane Katrina destroyed his home and all he knew.  When Joe was six he lost his father to cancer.  It's true that adversity makes us stronger, but there are some trials I can't wrap my mind around.  This kind of pain children should not know.  That is why his mother teaches him that our Father in heaven knows best.

There was an instant attraction between these two.  We love Joe and the joy he brings to Shelby.

They had a snowball fight, one right after another.  Joe won, I'm sure, but don't tell Shelby.

Delia and Ruben, aren't they lovely?  We overlook Ruben's choice of clothing because he is a permanent fixture around here we have grown to love and enjoy.  Go Mississippi State.  Sorry, baby, I couldn't resist.

Our neice, Cloeigh.  A beautiful birthday surprise for her.

Brother and sister-in-law, Marcus and Rhonia.  The beautiful people in our family.

Our porch sorta finished decorated.  See the Mississippi leaves?  Our seasons get a little confused around here.  It's part of our charm.  We might be wearing shorts Christmas day.  Well, I won't , but some might. 

The nativity scene in our front yard.  It was the first thing I saw when we got back home.  It keeps me focused.  This is a beautiful time of year, with much excitement. 

God gracing us with this glimpse into heaven - that's what snow feels like around here in the deep south - displays His goodness to us.

He was laughing right along with us Friday night.  Thank you, Father, from the Cupstid clan.

"She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all of her household are clothed in scarlet."
Proverbs 31:21

Kicking Desperation in the Butt

Due to an unsatisfied heart in our home a while back there was much prayer and discussion going on about God's will for our lives, waiting on God's timing, and open doors.  Along with all of this we discussed how to be content with where you are in your life.
 
An opportunity had arisen and I was desperate to know God's plan.  Before, Desperation was peeking its ugly head around my corner - now it had its talons sharpened and was circling overhead, waiting for my kill.

Desperation is an alais for the one that I do not belong to. He has a long wait - to be exact - an eternity.

Isabela has a Pygmy goat; his name is Dodge.  Pygmy goats are like pot-bellied pigs - farm animals that make good children's pets.  Dodge is gentle and loving.  There are two things that make him unhappy.  One, the rain.  But life is fine, if it starts to rain he just goes to his house.

The door is always open - probably because there is no door - but I'm trying to make a point.  Here comes the rain, there goes Dodge.

Two, Dodge does not like to be hungry.  But life is fine, he just knocks on the door and lets us know.  He stands up with his two front legs on the storm door and goes to knocking with his hooves.  He will knock as long as it takes for someone to come to the door and feed him.  The door is closed but he is persistant until it opens and gives him what he wants.

Like Dodge has the door of his house to walk thru for comfort and refuge,  our Father God always has an open door for us.  This open door leads directly to Him. 

What about the other kind of doors?  Chances, opportunities, risks, blessings.

Sometimes I'm guilty of viewing an opportunity as a door that God has opened, when really I am just being persistant.  I am hungry for something and want what I want, so I imagine it as God's timing or desire for me.  I go to knocking and don't know when to give up, or better yet, wait.

Remember the game show Let's Make a Deal? 

Host Monty Hall's job was to make you choose Door #1, #2, or #3.  Sometimes, if you didn't like what you got, you could trade it in.

Life is not a game show.  But I do have free will.  If I walk thru a door that is not in my Father's will, there are consequences.  Just like on the game show, when your prize could be sidekick Jay sitting in a highchair with a baby costume on, those consequences ain't pretty.  I need to choose wisely. 

If I don't, I can't trade my life in; but, I get something even better -forgiveness.

Choosing wisely is not easy when I am desperate. So God gave me a gift - His Word. A roadmap.

I found an excellent writing on God opening doors in our lives. Reading it gave me much to think on and pray about. A new perspective for me and bibically based.

I love to be taught something new when my brain is foggy with confusion and Desperation is hissing overhead.  The only thing I will be desperate for is my God - so the other is a goner.

God's Word. Excellent defogger and shotgun - all rolled into one.

“Therefore I am now going to allure her, I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of (Trouble) a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the days she came up out of (bondage). “In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’

Hosea 2:14-16

What the Word? Wednesday 3

Welcome back to What the Word? Wednesday.  By the way, credit for that cute and quirky title goes to Izzy.

Maxster's language isn't quite as hard this week.  Extra credit if you can figure out the whole sentence at the end.

 He wants to ride a what?

Take a guess and post it.  As usual, I'll hide all comments till Thursday.

1-2-3-5-6- Go

Maxster rides an elevator. 

Last sentence is -

I can ride an elevator one time like that.

Funny thing is, what he says really does sound like what ya'll guess.