Laura's Blog

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

My Texas Bunk Room

If anyone knows me at all....they know that my roots run deep down into the heart of TEXAS, where I was born and raised. So it only seemed fitting to have a Texas room in Florida. But not anything would do. My friend James Musser is a gifted carpenter from Hawkins, Texas. I commissioned him to build me a couple of bunk beds. He didn't get the lumber from Home Depot, but actually went out on his property and "harvested" the wood, as he puts it. (it is cedar, BTW) It took him a good while to build these babies....They are a work of art.

So....How do you get 500 pound bunk beds each, to Florida you may ask....good question....

You get a one way ticket, rent a Uhaul, drive to Hawkins, pick up the beds, and drive them back, silly! How else?

I just so happen to have a husband who went along with my crazy plan.

...And a husband who is talented enough to put these babies together. On our long ride back to Florida, we realized that the room we had planned for these beds would not do...just love when that happens! We needed a bigger room....so once home, we moved 3 bedrooms around, and of course, I had to paint this room in a Texas blue bonnet BLUE, right? My sister, Glenda, made the blankets for the beds. So EVERYTHING in here was made by a Texan! Only thing left to say is YEHAW!...Come visit us....your bed is waiting for ya!

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sundays 8-16-15

Why I love Sundays

Back in the day (1960's), Sunday's were sacred. Very few stores were opened, no-one mowed their lawns.... It was a day to rest, a day to go to church, a day to be quiet. I loved Sundays as a child. Got to go to Sunday school and learn about Jesus.... Got to go to church and sing about Jesus, then we would have a Sunday lunch (which was rich in love and calories) and thank Jesus for it. A childhood memory that I cherish.... Thank you Mother and Daddy for giving me such sweet times.

Fast forward to 2015......I still love Sundays......I get up and make coffee, watch a little church TV.... Who doesn't love Charles Stanley?... Then we head to church....sing good and loud during praise time and hear a good convicting sermon.... And if it is a really good Sunday, I get to witness a baptism.... That always sends chills up my spine, makes my eyes swell up with tears, and just warms my soul.....I so love baptisms.... Today especially....a gal got baptised who recently got out of prison, who is in our "just as I am" program.... The entire group of them all stood up when she entered the water and I thought I would burst with chills.... What a declaration of unity... Loved it!.... And then we all clapped as she rose from the"grave" of baptism.....shedding the old "man"... Or in this case "woman" and starting a new life with Jesus.....this is why I love Sundays!!!!

We always have the Lord's Supper every Sunday..... Does it get old?.... Sometimes.... But in my later years, it means the world to me..... It reminds me of why I am here, it reminds me of the sacrifice, and it reminds me to be thankful to my Lord and Savior.

We go home, change into our "house" clothes..... Eat lunch, which is usually leftovers, and watch a little Sunday Morning (our favorite show to DVR) .... Joe and I like to guess what the nature scene will be at the end... It is surprising how many times we have guessed it dead on....our little game we like to play.

When we are really tired, we get a nap in, or I catch up with Laundry, or watch Golf, or do an afternoon Jazz class.....or the grandkids come over for a swim..... All of those make up for a good Sunday!!!

So I have to ask...... Do you love your Sundays?....I am thinking the Lord wants us to. The older I get, the more reflective I become.... And love the Lord's day..... Actually, every day belongs to Him..... So Lord.....I give this day to you!.... Make it Rock!

BTW, that picture on top is NOT from our church, but a picture I took in Germany this year.....ha.....just needed to clarify!

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

65 Reasons

Last February my parents celebrated 65 years of marriage. I wrote them 65 reasons of why I loved them. I just ran across it and thought I would share it with you. Some of it won't make much sense, but it does to them, and that is all that matters.

65 REASONS WHY I LOVE YOU! FEBRUARY 13, 2015

You gave me life!
You brought the egg in from the front porch.
You loved me unconditionally.
You changed my bed in the middle of the night when I would wet it.
You spanked me when I needed it.
You also peppered my mouth a time or two.
You gave me my love for cooking!
You are the BEST cook, next to me, of course!
Daddy taught me how to fish & how to clean them once caught.
Loved all the times on the lake fishing.
I never went without.
Took me to church.
Taught me to love the Lord.
Showed me how to care for others.
Love watching you two give of yourselves.
Watching Mother put on her makeup.
Gave me my love for country music.
Road trips to Dallas.
White horse.
You taught me how to make gravy, the 5th food group!
You gave me my sense of humor.
Gave me a quarter for the ice cream truck.
Loved how Daddy could fix anything, so I married a man who could as well.
You made all my clothes, my dresses for church.
Mother was always the prettiest Mother around, and still is!
Making crafts.
Your love for the Rangers.
Fun times at the bowling alley and playing 42 with your friends at the house.
The way you love my children.
The way you love my grandchildren, your great grandchildren!
Your love of garage sales and saving a dollar!
Your love for dogs!
Handing me a piece of homemade pie and saying, “You won’t like it.”
On your death bed coughing and saying, “I’m just fine!”
Your positive attitude!
How you love to go singing at the nursing homes.
How Mother loves to go to Hobby Lobby and give people hug coupons.
Homemade book marks.
The way you tell me I am your favorite!
You pray for me.
Your sweet tea.
Sitting & talking at the kitchen table.
The way you love on others.
You gave me an awesome sister!
The way you tell stories.
The way you exaggerate.
You are a phone call away!
Your birthday song!
Sitting in church and hearing you sing.
Daddy’s hands, rough but strong.
Mother’s hands, bent but never idle.
Daddy’s pie crust.
Mother filling up those pies.
I will always be your baby!
Daddy’s step stools he made for all of us.
Mother’s sense of humor.
Chicken & dumplins
Being born & raised in Texas.
Picking pecans.
Getting a bag of pecans to take home.
Both of your “crafty” ways!
Your love of stamping.
Silver Alert in Walmart.
Your church gift bags.
The way you love me so!

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Weeds

They seem to follow me....I continue to buy Roundup from Home Depot.....I spray like I am painting a house.... But they continue to come back..... They come through concrete, cracks, rocks..... Really?......I pull em, I yank em, I curse em..... But they continue to laugh at me.... It seems like they come back even stronger... Like with a back bone..... Surely the garden of Eden had no weeds....I can't even imagine it.....I certainly don't live in Eden, but would love a weedless life.... Is there such a thing?.... Doubt it.... So now I have changed my attitude....I kinda respect these guys...I mean, look how hard they work.... Coming from nowhere through concrete.... That takes some doing!.... Then a few weeks ago Laura Jo pulled some weeds from a patch at church....a guess they were spiritual weeds.... There were Flowers at the ends of the green stalks and she said "Majo, I got you some beautiful flowers!" ....I went home and put them in a vase and they were transformed before my eyes!. Thank you Lord for the weeds you put in my path!!

Sunday, July 12, 2015

Texas meets Florida July 4th, 2015

This past week, we had my niece Paula and her hubby Kevin along with Landon, Evie & Julie come for a visit. Most of us here are in our July 4th clothes....Joe thought I said we were celebrating Hawaii....oh well, we will get his hearing checked next week!
We had a great time with hotdogs and the such....more food than should be allowed by a large group of relatives! The little cousins got to meet for the first time...SWEET! This family is growing as we speak....our Amanda is with child and plans to bring yet one more little munchkin into this family...another one for Majo's lap is just fine with me!....my lap is getting bigger by the day....plenty of room for little babies!

Monday, July 6, 2015

My summer so far...

July 4, 2015

This has been the craziest summer of my memory.....Now mind you, I have little memory these days.....being all of 61years.....it is slowly but assuridly slipping away...it comes with age...I thought wisdom came with age, but now I am questioning that as well.

In May, Joe & I went on a 10 day trip to Europe by way of a barge called a viking cruise boat down the Danube River. We returned only to watch 2 Jacksonville grandgirls, while their parents go on an Alaskan cruise for 10 days. A day later we go to TX to get in a U-Haul truck and drive from Hawkins, TX to Florida hauling two hand made bunk beds (thank you James Musser). We get home and decide to move around 3 bedrooms so that the bunks would have a fitting resting place. I manage to paint the bunk room a stunning TX blue and everything is in it’s place .... ready for my niece, husband, 3 kids, and 16 others made up of my children and 7 grands and 1 foster child to follow suit to celebrate the 4th!...I think I counted 21 total. We had a house full of sticky snotty nosed windows, one kid threw up, several hit, bit, and probably spit, and we had hot dogs of many sorts, mac-n-cheese, baked beans, corn on the cob, treats of many kinds, and full tummies all around! We swam, played tennis, made forts, managed a few theme parks in there (this is Florida, after all), and ate & drank ourselves silly! And we aren’t through....The summer is only half way done.

As I was sitting here in a quiet house....something that hasn’t happened lately, I reflected upon how blessed and wonderful my God is. We were walking into church yesterday, when Annie bends down to tell Julie, “Julie, this is Majo & Papa Jo’s church. You will love it. It is beautiful here.” They held hands and walked each other to class and I thought....”Thank you God....We managed to get 5 kids dressed, hair in place, and in class before church started....This is a beautiful thing....then Annie proceeds to tell Julie the memory verse she learned at Camp Majo.....””Be Kind to one another. Eph. 4:32”. And they were kind, if only for a little moment in time....before the hitting and biting took place once they got home, of course.!

This weekend came to an end with wonderful news of yet another Sherwood grandchild coming into our lives come January. Amanda is with child No. 3....making me a soon to be Majo of 8!...Eight as of now, that is...and who said “Eight is enough?” ....Don’t know why God continues to shower more grands my way....I guess it’s because He knows I will love them the best way a Majo can.....with all her heart and maybe a few ice cream treats!