Empty Chairs

Ok it's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I feel like if I don't sit down and blog this whole month is going to pass me by!!!  The plan was to get some rest during my break, but I think Life had other ideas!  At any rate, here I am, just in time to organize some thoughts.

So, I am sitting here, watching Charlie Brown on television.  I can't help but think back to holiday seasons when I was a kid.  Holidays back then meant road trips, people sleeping all over my grandparents house and a meal for no less than 50 people.  It's mind boggling to think about the amount of work that went into preparing that meal.

I got my assignment for tomorrow's meal and I can happily report that my work is done.  I made sweet potato pies and chocolate pies.  They are all wrapped up and ready to go and all we need to do tomorrow is get up and head out!  I hate that it will be a one day trip for Johnnie.  He'll have to make a flying trip since he has to work on Friday.  At least he's able to be with us this year.  This is the first year in as long as I can remember that he wasn't scheduled to work the holiday.  Hopefully this will be the last holiday season that he works full time so scheduling won't be a problem.

I can't help but think about loved ones who will be celebrating their first holiday season with empty chairs.  My family has had an empty chair for several years.  In time I have come to understand that we have all dealt with that differently.  I have personally tried to avoid holidays, schedule trips to keep busy throughout them and just to face them head on.  I have to say that no mater which way I chose to deal with them the empty chair was the same.  The chair was still empty and my heart was still sad.

In the past few months I have resolved myself to really trying to mend some of the frayed edges of my family. I may take a little time, as I have become somewhat slow to fully invest myself into the lives of others, but I will get there.  I am interested in seeing where the journey will lead.  I hope I can look back a year from now and see that some real progress has been made.  Stay tuned!

If only I had some words of advice or encouragement to offer those around me who will be looking at those empty chairs for the first time this year.  Unfortunately, there aren't any!  No cliche's will make things better.  What I can do is offer a shoulder of support and a word of prayer.  If you are reading this, and you know someone in need, I am asking that you do the same!

Our loved ones have not run away to hide.  I know, in my own case, only the finality of death could keep my mother from me, but her absence is palpable just the same!  So I guess the best I can do is offer up extra prayers for those who mourn losses this holiday season.

We are taught to pray for those in need and I guess I have always done that, but I have to say that this year something is different.  I mean, I have no problem praying for the things I want or need and I have no problem offering up a brief "God Bless _______", but this year I have taken some real time to lift others up in prayer.  That's one benefit of my job.  I have a lot of time, while I am driving from school to school, to have some real conversations with God.

Maybe that is the reason some of my general holiday funk has lifted.  I mean, if I stay busy focusing on others, there is less time for the blues to creep in.  It's funny though because my purpose was not to make myself feel better, but that's the result I got.  So, I think I will spend the rest of the year being thankful for the many blessings in my own life and lifting those around me who need prayers.

There was a huge black cloud over my holidays until just last year.  A little blonde hair, blue eyed boy named Beckham brought with him sunshine and warmth I had forgotten existed  He didn't fill the chair that was left empty, but he did make his place at our family table.  It's only been a year and a half since he joined us and I can not imagine life without him!  I thank God that he is happy & healthy!  

When I look at where I am in life, and how things are in my world,  I can see blessings all around me.  I know that there are people in this world with some real problems.  I guess that's the real lesson.  No matter how bad or low we may be, there is always someone whose struggles are greater.  There is always work to be done.

I hope that the ones that I care about, who are grieving this year, find that one special thing to lift them out of their sadness!  That'll be my prayer for the rest of the year. I will ask God to bless them, as he has me, and that I can be the kind of friend and support that Jesus has called me to be.

Maybe that's just the way life works.  Over time we find ourselves with empty chairs here on earth, but up in Heaven there is a banquet table set where all our friends and loved ones will be gathering.  There will be no more pain and no more illness.  I have this picture in my head of what it will be like, and I am sure it will, only better!!!  I can't wait to join the party one day!


It's almost time to go to bed.  Just one more sleep and I will be spending a few days with my sweet Beckham.  If I could say anything else it would be that if your loved ones are still here, hug them tight and let them know how much you love them.  If you know someone who is grieving, love on them.  If they need a shoulder to cry on, give it.  If they need someone to listen, turn an ear to them.  If they need to be lifted up, do that.  Pay it forward!  Not only will it help someone along their journey, but I can promise you will learn some things about yourself in the process!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Be Thankful

This has really been a pretty ordinary week & I am glad of it!  I always enjoy the weekends that Johnnie and I have off together. I did attend a class on Saturday about nonviolent crisis resolution. It was pretty interesting. It was definitely worth the time!

The countdown is on til Thanksgiving break. We haven't officially made any plans yet so I guess I need to get on that!  All I really want is a low key day with family!  That's what I am most thankful for!  This will b the first thanksgiving that Johnnie will be off for the holiday in years and I am really looking forward to that. I know he looks at it like just another day, but to me the holiday is about family n being together. 

Tomorrow we celebrate Veteran's Day at one of the schools I go to. I am so glad they make a big deal about Veteran's Day because it is a big deal!  This country has produced several generations of people who feel entitled to all our country has to offer.   They seem to care less about the fact that people have fought n died to keep us free!

I could go into a tirade about how I feel about war or this country feeling like it needs to be the conscience ofthe rest of the world, but that would be an exercise in futility n prolly take me all night!  I just wish that people followed one single rule.  If they would simply treat one another as they would like to be treated there would be no need for war or the military. Families wouldn't have to be separated by everything that comes from fighting with others. I can't even imagine how a world like that migt be... Oh, yes I can!  That's what heaven is going to be like!

I am scared to death of he world that my Beckham will inherit one day.   Sometimes u just wish Jesus would come on back for us so we wouldn't have to fret about that any more!  Oh well, there will come a day!

I haven't even begun to think about  my Christmas list yet. Johnnie and I have decided not to go crazy buying gifts for one another. Instead, we have an Alaskan cruise planned for this coming June. We will celebrate our 10th anniversary in Alaska and British Columbia!  I am hoping for a better cruise experience than last time!

I do like this idea about gift buying. It's a 4 gift Christmas. It's where you give something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. I really like the idea and am considering it for my family. I have to say, however, thanks to my friend Cyndi for sharing the idea with me. 

ok makeup November is going well!  I am so thankful to my girlfriends who took the challenge with me!  I was a little scared to do it alone. I am thankful that I have friends who will stand up for their convictions. The funny part about not wearingakeup in the miring is that I thought it would give me all thus extra time in the morning, but it really hasn't.  I don't know how things will be when I go back to wearing it again in December. 

Oh and I am also being more conscious of my blessings during this time of the year. I am 10 days in and so far here's what I have to be thankful for:

1. The Gospel of Jesus Christ

2. My sweet husband and the life we     have built together

3. Daylight savings time

4. My coworkers

5. My job

6. My parents

7. My Katie 

8. Social Media

9. My in laws

10. My sweet Beckham

That's a lot to be thankful for, but happily there is so much more to be thankful for all around me!

So anyway that's what is going on in my world. I guess I will wrap up this blog post for now. Monday will be here before we know it!

What a Week!

This week ended much happier than it began!!!  I am so thankful for that!  We started out the week with finding out that my uncle (mother's brother) passed away.  He had been sick for a while and I know it was a blessing, in a way, but it is never easy to lose someone you love.  He was the brother who my mother was probably the closest to and so that brought back the pain of losing her as well.  One bright spot, for me at least, was knowing that they were reunited in heaven!

At his graveside my cousin Alan pointed out that he managed to get almost the whole family together.  If you knew my family, you'd understand how difficult that is!  To say that my family is unique and colorful is putting it mildly!   I am really glad that we were all brought together because I believe it reminded many of us just how important family is to us.  It also gave many of us the opportunity to get contact information on each other so that we can stay in better touch with one another.  We all promised that we would.  I don't know about the rest of them, but I do plan on keeping in better touch.  It was weird because the gathering reminded me of all the gatherings I remembered in my childhood, except that now WE are the grown ups!  Other than a few wrinkles we seemed the same to me!  It's funny how memories work.  At any rate, it was really good to get to see them again and like my cousin Chad said, "Let's get together again when we can wear blue jeans and we aren't burying anybody!"  I like that idea!!!

Today is Saturday and I am happy to say that I am winding the week up with some of my favorite people!  Katie, Beckham and I participated in the Susan G Komen Race For The Cure 5k.  We walked with students and faculty from her school.  Those of you who know me know that I am NOT ATHLETIC AT ALL!!!  I am pretty proud of myself because I completed the course!  I have never walked in a 5k before and had no idea what to expect.  I don't think my husband really thought I would be able to do it and to tell the truth, I wasn't sure about it myself!  As we got near the end of the race I really started to lose steam.

Just when I was wanting to give up I remembered what I had seen at the start of the race.  People had the names of people they were walking for pinned to their shirts.  Some were walking to celebrate survivors and other were walking to honor those who lost the fight.  Two of the names people wore belonged to ladies who are very special to me.  My aunt Dewanna and aunt Mary both survived the horrible disease.  I wasn't able to find my aunt Mary's name but I did see my aunt Dewanna's on the back of some stranger.  I thought about both of them as I gathered the energy it took to finish the race, the whole time thanking God for letting them stay down here with us for a while longer!

I can proudly report that I completed the race.  Our time wasn't the best (1 hr 19 min) probably because I had to stop and potty about half way through.   I gave thanks for a port o potty that was located along the route.  It wasn't even a part of the course actually.  It was there for some workmen who were roofing a house.  I'm sorry, but at the time it did not matter to me (or the 20 folks ahead of me)  I think it was an answered prayer cause I don't know what I would've done if it hadn't been there.  Actually I do know what I would've done and I don't want to talk about it!

Anyway we did it!  Beckham was a doll the whole time!  I think I might need a little Yaya refresher course though, cause Katie asked me to grab a sippy cup before we left.  I did what she said, but I didn't put anything in it!  Needless to say Beckham started asking for "Meek" (milk) and all I could give him was an empty cup.  Thankfully he didn't fuss too badly and we found him some water.  *Note to self if Katie asks for a cup for the baby..... PUT SOMETHING IN IT!!!

Oh, and lastly, I have decided to participate in No Makeup November.  One of my cousins did it last year and I think I was afraid to do it.  I read about it again and talked about it with a couple of girlfriends and we've decided it is something that we want to do together.  Lets RAVE about what Christ has done for us!!!  I am going to try to add a link. (or should I say get KT to add a link for me! lol)

Here's the link.

Photos to follow!!!

                                                                        We did it!!!!!

                                                             Beautiful day for a race!!!

                                                        Isn't he the cutest little racer???

                   This is my AFTER photo and I am still smiling and standing upright!!!  GO Yaya!!!