I didn't want to runaway but I had to get away yo*
When I was in 2nd grade I wanted to run away. We lived in Tallahassee, Florida. The back of my house was a wooded area with great sink holes scattered through it. (If you are from Florida you know of the sink holes where the ground has just collapsed like a fallen cake and looks like a great volcano crater. They were really cool to ride up and down on your bicycles.) I told my sister of my plans to run away and she was just tickled to be of any assistance. Tarzan was my favorite show. I loved Jane, boy and of course Cheetah and thought, since I would be traveling through a wooded area, I would most likely run into Tarzan and his little family so I opened my suitcase and packed only underwear because well when you hang with Tarzan how much clothes do you really need? My sister filled a great big jar of water and suggested she might just walk me half way there. I looked at my house one last time and me with my suitcase and Sharon with my water set out on our journey through the woods. Now there was a sink hole gang back in those woods. This gang was made up of boys that made Huck Finn look like Shirley Temple. During our travels, as luck would have it, we came up on the Sink Hole Gang and they began to taunt us. They asked me what I was doing and I tried to explain in my little southern 2nd grade voice and then it happened. The leader of the gang looked down at my suitcase and I just remember thinking, "Oh no, please don't open my suitcase" because somehow Tarzan and Jane seeing my underwear seemed alot less embarrassing than this gang of bullies. And so it happened..he grabbed my suitcase and threw it down to the depths of the sink hole. (It seemed like a great Abyss but it was just about 20 feet deep.) My suitcase flew open and flying through the air like wounded birds were all my underwear. Sharon and I ran all the way home and by this time I guess Mamma had found my good bye note and took Sharon in a room and spanked her. I kinda felt bad that Sharon got a spanking and I didn't. I never got to experience life on my own or life with Tarzan and his family but I did get a glimpse of truth that running away generally never solves things it usually generates more obstacles along the way.
To tell the ones who hear no sound Whose sons are living in the ground Peace on Earth*
I was watching the ESPY awards with Sam last night and was moved by this story of two men, from opposite sides of the war, bringing all the children together to play basketball. The story brought all the athletes to their feet when these two champions stepped onto the stage to recieve the Arthur Ashe humanitarian award.
Rugby player Trevor Ringland, a Protestant and Dave Cullen, described as a Catholic who "grew up using basketball to escape from the realities of war" teamed up to create PeacePlayers to bring both sides together on the basketball court.
Whenever I see your smiling face I have to smile myself*
Whitney at my niece's graduation.
Wonderful times with my girl this weekend:
-watching the Rangers beat Baltimore while eating our hot dogs
-me and Corey laughing our guts out because Whitney is excited to tell us what La Quinta means
-midnight breakfast at IHOP
-lying on a pier, on our new Texas Rangers blankets we got for free, at a pretty little pond talking about life
-just watching her move and smile and laugh
There's a lot I don't know but there's one thing I do know and that is she is one of the greatest people I have ever met and I am blessed to have her in my life.
“When the earthquake hits, or the tsunami inundates, or the twin towers ignite, you can see and hear the secret satisfaction of the faithful. Gleefully they strike up: ‘You see, this is what happens when you don’t listen to us!’ With an unctuous smile they offer a redemption that is not theirs to bestow and, when questioned, put on a menacing scowl that says, ‘Oh, so you reject our offer of paradise? Well, in that case we have quite another fate in store for you.’” from god is not Great
I was reading a review for a book titled god is not GREAT and found this quote. It makes my heart sad for those who have learned of God from the words of ignorant narrow minded christians. Of course, this christian seems to be the one they choose to speak the mind of Christians everywhere on Larry King. ugh...
I've seen Jesus work in my life this year through one who many would think the most unlikely candidates and I am thankful for them. We are all the same and yet we have separated ourselves from the world, the very world where Jesus walked and ate with those we would talk about.God have mercy on us when we have every religious book and can quote scripture but miss the very one who Jesus would want us to see.
Matthew 23:5,13 5 “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. 6 And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. 7 They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’ 13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.
Matthew 5:1-1o
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying: 3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
I was thinking back over this last year. I was thinking of the glimmers of light in the darkness just like the twinkling stars and the bright moon in the dark night sky. These were to me my little miracles. One came to mind that made me smile.One night I was on the phone with a friend crying and wondering how I was going to make it through another day. I was overwhelmed by everything at that moment when Sam came into the room and I quickly got myself together wiping my tears away. Sam said, "Mom, come here I want to show you something." I followed Sam out my bedroom door, into the living room out the back sliding glass door. He stood in the middle of the yard, looking at me smiling as if he knew that what he was going to show me was a miracle and would calm my anxious heart. He slowly lifted his hand and pointed to the sky. There was the most beautiful moon I had ever seen and I am sure that I will ever see again. Sam and I stood there silent taking it all in, filling our lungs with the oxygen of the moment. I looked at him and thanked him. Suddenly I was at peace... Imagine the surprise of my friend, who I had left on hold while I saw to Sam, when I got back on the phone laughing and crying and telling her that my worries had just melted away in my back yard beside my boy.
hmm... I'm Beverly, I love my kids and my dog...I love the ocean because it screams to me the awesome power of God....I am really afraid of heights, but I did go climbing and rappelling once...I love for people to make me laugh and I love to make others laugh...I love really scary movies but when the lights go out and I go to bed I find myself checking under the bed, and kicking myself for watching them..I love rain hitting the windows of the car..I absolutely love thunderstorms..I love children and how Jesus took snotty, loud, little kids on His lap, even at the protest of His followers...I sometimes jump in too quickly and that gets me in trouble...In my life, I had to actually touch the stove to believe it was hot..
to run away. We lived in Tallahassee, Florida. The back of my house was a wooded area with great sink holes scattered through it. (If you are from Florida you know of the sink holes where the ground has just collapsed like a fallen cake and looks like a great volcano crater. They were really cool to ride up and down on your bicycles.) I told my sister of my plans to run away and she was just tickled to be of any assistance. Tarzan was my favorite show. I loved Jane, boy and of course Cheetah and thought, since I would be traveling through a wooded area, I would most likely run into Tarzan and his little family so I opened my suitcase and packed only underwear because well when you hang with Tarzan how much clothes do you really need? My sister filled a great big jar of water and suggested she might just walk me half way there. I looked at my house one last time and me with my suitcase and Sharon with my water set out on our journey through the woods. Now there was a sink hole gang back in those woods. This gang was made up of boys that made Huck Finn look like Shirley Temple. During our travels, as luck would have it, we came up on the Sink Hole Gang and they began to taunt us. They asked me what I was doing and I tried to explain in my little southern 2nd grade voice and then it happened. The leader of the gang looked down at my suitcase and I just remember thinking, "Oh no, please don't open my suitcase" because somehow Tarzan and Jane seeing my underwear seemed alot less embarrassing than this gang of bullies. And so it happened..he grabbed my suitcase and threw it down to the depths of the sink hole. (It seemed like a great Abyss but it was just about 20 feet deep.) My suitcase flew open and flying through the air like wounded birds were all my underwear. Sharon and I ran all the way home and by this time I guess Mamma had found my good bye note and took Sharon in a room and spanked her. I kinda felt bad that Sharon got a spanking and I didn't. I never got to experience life on my own or life with Tarzan and his family but I did get a glimpse of truth that running away generally never solves things it usually generates more obstacles along the way.
Whitney at my niece's graduation.
