55 Years and counting

We did it! December 18, 2020 came and we celebrated 55 years of marriage. They have been wonderful years. Our goal has been to work for the Lord, and that is what we have done. It has been an interesting life, and we wouldn't change anything about it even if we could. 

I remember when mother and daddy celebrated their 55 wedding anniversary. That was really something special. It wasn't long until Daddy got sick with an inoperable brain tumor and finally died. 1985, September 22 was the date. I remember it well.

Homemade biscuits

Oh my! I have been watching "Cooking with Brenda Gantt," and seeing her make biscuits. A friend, who I will not name, posted a Mama's Famous Dinner Roll recipe on FB, and I was game to try it this morning. Oh boy! I could blame it on my oven not being hot enough at 350 as the recipe suggested, my amateurism (can you believe that one?), or who knows what, but mine were not good. 

The biscuits gave me a good reminder of my daddy. All my life daddy had a little rock he would show me, or it would always turn up someway, and he said it was one of Mama's first biscuits she made when they first got married. The rock looked just like a small round biscuit baked just right, but hard as a rock. Well, it was a rock!!!

Oh Mama. It still brings a chuckle as I remember her always saying, "Oh Grady, it ain't dunn it!" Probably if daddy was still around, he would slip one of my morning biscuits in his pocket to remind me of my attempt at biscuit making and yes, he would show it to me from time to time and anyone else who would listen.

Doing something for Jesus each day

Dr. Phil McGraw has shared on numerous occasions on his daily television show how he gets up each morning and asks himself what he can do to make his wife’s day better, or more enjoyable, that day. There’s no doubt fewer marriages would end in divorce if each person asked themselves that question about their companion.

As I was thinking about that statement the other morning after reading my Bible, I thought, “What can I do today for Jesus?” Immediately, I thought of the poem below.

Christ has no hands but our hands to do His work today

He has no feet but our feet to lead men in the way

He has no tongue but our tongue to tell men how He died

He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.

We are the only Bible the careless world will read,

We are the sinner’s gospel; we are the scoffer’s creed;

We are the Lord’s last message, given in word and deed;

What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?

What if our hands are busy with other work than His?

What if our feet are walking where sin’s allurement is?

What if our tongue is speaking of things His lips would spurn?

How can we hope to help Him or welcome His return?

—Annie Johnston Flint

Of course, I want to make my precious husband’s day better every day. I want to make it special and one he will long remember. At the same time I want do something for my Lord every day. I want to be able at the end of the day to look back at that which I have done and see things I have done especially for my Lord.

Mr. Rogers penned the song, “There are many ways to say I love you.” The song states ways to express our love for others. May we look for ways each day to express our love for our companion and our Savior.

Glenda's Glimpse - "I'm scared"

Honestly, I am scared. I am afraid of this virus and the danger I might face if I caught it. The danger I would put Doug in if I caught it. We take precautions as best we can, but I am still afraid. I pray about it and ask God to please protect us, and I’m thankful that He is protecting us. At the same time I know God expects us to use good sense during this time and follow the rules. 

Some say, and I know the Bible teaches, we are not to be fearful. I remember how Ananias pleaded with God when He came to him in a dream and told him to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He said he was praying and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight. 

Whoa!!! Ananias said, “Lord, I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” Ananias was afraid, but he went and did what God wanted him to do.

I remember the replies Moses gave God when God asked him to go to Pharaoh to bring His people (Israelites) out of Egypt. Who would have ever thought of talking back to God, right?  After going back and forth with God several times, Moses finally said, “O Lord, Please send someone else to do it.” God’s anger burned against Moses, and He suggested Aaron go with him to speak, and that is what they did.

Moses and Ananias were desperate. They were fearful.

God knew. He knew about Saul. He had a plan for him…a great plan, and He needed Ananias to help with His plan. God had plans to get the Israelites out of Egypt and from under the rule of Pharaoh, the King. He selected these men to help fulfill his plan.

Who is to say that we haven’t been chosen for such a time as this to execute a plan God has to redeem his people from this sinful world? Lord, help us not be afraid, but trust You as we tread life’s highway.               

                                                           - Glenda Williams Williams

Mama sewed enough to pay for her groceries every week

Mama was a thrifty and wise little lady. I say little because she was little. She was about 4'8" high and weighed around 107 pounds.

Mama couldn't drive, so after Daddy died she made her time count when she was able to go with someone to the grocery store or shopping.

Mama did alterations for the public until she was well in her 90's. She had a stroke at 93 years, and it shut her down basically. But, up until that time, Mama prided herself in sewing enough each week to buy her groceries. I've mentioned in a previous post of how she told me on one occasion, "I've made enough this week to buy my groceries." She didn't like to go into her bank account and spend money from her measly little Social Security check. I think the most she ever drew was $794.00 a month, if that much. But, as I said, Mama was thrifty. She didn't want for things and look to get them even if it put her in a financial bind. She owned her home, and she didn't have any debts. She owed no one when she passed away at 102 1/2 years of age. She was wise, indeed.

The thing I want to share most of all about Mama is the time when I was at her house while she was eating lunch. Often times I would go visit her on my lunch hour...just to check on her. I think she had baked an Irish potato in the microwave and had mayonnaise on it. She wouldn't eat butter or beef for anything!!! I mentioned something about what she was eating, and her reply has stayed with me ever since. She said, "Oh, I can eat enough of anything to be satisfied."

Tonight after being shut in all day due to the virus, weather, and office work I had to do, I wanted so badly to go to Captain D's and get our usual weekly meal and eat in the car. But, it was getting dark and later in the day than I cared to get out, so I dropped that idea. Then I thought of how delicious beef nachos would be from one of our Mexican restaurants in town. I mentioned it to Doug. He asked about going to get them. And then I remembered Mama's comment about how she could eat enough of anything to be satisfied. I said to Doug, "Let me see what we have in the refrigerator." There was a bowl of homemade beef vegetable soup I had taken from the freezer a few days earlier. Why, after that was warmed it was delicious with saltine crackers. And there was enough of it to satisfy us.