Frogs...............

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I send out a newsletter on Tuesdays to the ladies of our church and a few others who are not from our church and I have entitled it "Tuesday Tidbits"and I just wanted to share with you the one for this past Tuesday.......(which by the way did not get sent until yesterday!!!)

Thank you "Queenie" for your inspiration for this one!!! Love ya!!!
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Hello Ladies,

Sorry it's late............all I can say is......"migraine yesterday..............still today"...............but here you go!!

Most of you know that I was born and raised in the South on a farm for the greater part of my life. There wasn't much to do on a farm with the exception of slopping the hogs, milking the cows (squirting the cats and kittens with the milk was great!!!), feeding the chickens and gathering their eggs. Being an on ly child only compunded that problem. It was kind of lonely. So.......being the non-creative person that I am........I continually looked for something to do. The closest people lived miles away, therefore, I had no friends who could just run over and play and my grandmother just wasn't into that "let's make a play day for our kids" kind of thing like today's moms do. For the most part I would sing out of those old hymnals that I told you about before. I loved to sing.......still do!!! I was kind of with singing like a man who is called to preach. I sang to everything that would listen and to things that didn't listen!!! Anyway......back to the point at hand......my boredom as a child!!! For as long as I can remember..........I have loved frogs. I was not the kind of girl who screamed at a frog. I was not scared of them in the least bit. I knew they didn't bite although Grannie always told me I'd get warts if they peed on me!!! I can promise you beyond a shadow of a doubt that is an old wives tale. You don't have to look on "snopes.com" to find out if that ones true. I would be one big wart if it were!!! I picked them up and played with them. I actually held them in my hands......put them in my lap...petted them.......named them......even made cardboard houses for them!!!! I even kissed a few of them to see if they would actually turn into a prince!!! Ugh!!! (That's turning some stomachs as they read!!!!) I loved to watch them hop and I would follow them all over the yard. I would get two of them, put them side by side, and then try to make them race. Somehow that didn't work very well. They always seemed to go opposite directions and I could never keep up with both of them at the same time. And yes.............I sang to them!!!

As I grew older I can remember going "frog gigging." For you "city-slickers" that's code for "hunting for bull frogs!" We'd go at night on the river banks with these really bright spot lights and poles with spears on the ends of them. When we spotted a big bullfrog, we'd shine the light in its eyes and it would usually stun it just long enough for you to try and spear it. Most of them were very quick and it was hard to get them. My dad was very skilled at it though. We'd usually take home a good "mess" of them. If you've ever cleaned a frog to get the legs you know why it's called "a mess" of them!! You'd think I would not have wanted to do something like that...............loving frogs and all!!!!!!!!

As a young mother one day I walked outside my back door and there it was...............a huge toad. I picked it up, brought it inside the house to the kitchen and just assuming my love of frogs would have automatically transferred to my children, I sat my middle daughter, Shelley(9 or 10 months at the time), in the floor and put it between her legs in her lap so she could play with it. Much to my surprise she screamed like someone was killing her!!! I was in shock. I couldn't believe she was so scared of a harmless frog!!! I never even dreamed she would have that kind of reaction to it. After all, it was just a frog!! I just assumed she would want to play with it like I did when I was little. She didn't see it that way!!!!!

Obviously frogs have been a part of my life since I was very little and still are today. I think there is some kind of frog in 8 out of the 9 rooms in my home and some in my office at church. If you visit my blog, (darlenespencer.blogspot.com) you will see they are there too!!! I think that shows God's infinite wisdom. He knew long before I was ever saved that there would come a day when I would serve Him. He knew the very thing I played with as a child out of boredom would take on a whole new meaning to me as a child of God! When I was a child and had no one I relied on frogs to play with. Now when I feel I have no one I simply:

Fully Rely On God

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding

Proverbs 3:5

Relying on Him to get me through!!!
Love lots!!!
Always,
Darlene

Living in the car!!!!!!

Well..............here I am again..........finally.........I have a spare minute!!! I'm in the car again. It seems like that's the only place I ever sit down at really and have nothing better to do than play on the computer!!! Well, actually I "do" have something better to do.........I did bring the "prospective" Christmas Cantata's with me to listen to!! I know the choir is looking forward to that practice beginning!!! Yeah!!!

I just finished reading one of my GGF's (great girlfriend's) blogs and I was duly inspired to make an entry on mine. After what............an eternity of not making any updates!!!!!??? Actually I was on last week and was trying my hardest to put an updated picture of my garden on here to show you that it is truly growing...........I somehow couldn't upload the picture though and my honey wasn't home......therefore I got disgusted and just shut it down!!! I do have some awesome pix as soon as I figure out what the problem was!!! I won't talk about that now though!! You'll just have to wait to see the pix!!

If I thought my life was crazy up until now..........it's about to be crazier than it's ever been before. School/College is about to begin. I'm just curious to see how everyone's schedule will mesh together. Sami having tennis practice daily and classes on Mondays & Wednesdays, her work schedule(we're praying God just leaves a car in the driveway for her!!!!!).....Jason's bus schedule........getting Adam to the school we are trying to transfer him to and picking all of them up at different times!!!! I think I might get a taste of what if feels like to live out of your car. I figure I will just put a change of clothes in the van for everyone who I will be transporting.........some snacks......maybe real food depending on the times.........baby wipes.........diapers...pull-ups.....Depends..........a cooler with ice and bottled water....always remembering to have the flavor packets for the water............I may even put a hot plate in there since we have a "Mobile AC Outlet" adapter for the car that connects in the cigarette lighter!!! I could even cook!!! I might get a small microwave and put in there!!!!!!!! Wow........that sounds like it could be exciting!!! Oh my..........back to reality here!!! Anyways, it will be very interesting to see how things fall into place within the next few weeks!!! I won't know what to do with myself between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. It will be just me and my "weetie-pea!!!!" That would be Malena for those of you who don't know!!! I think we'll just have some "girl" time!!! Yeah!!!!!!!

Ok........we're almost to our destination........so........till next time!!!!

Jesus loves you!!!!!!!!

"How does my garden grow???"

Success!!!!!!!! Yes...a garden finally planted after.......ummmmmmmm....how many years?? Well, that doesn't really matter. At least it's finally planted!!! Yeah me!!!! Of course, there are muscles that ache that I didn't even know I had!! Planting a garden is actual work!! Duh!! As you will notice I have "varmint" proofed it!!!!! I'm sure no creature living and breathing will dare come near my "deterrants!!!!!!" :-) Right!!! I'm sure they will be laughing at me as they march right through the middle and feast on a few plants!! I'm praying not!!! We already had a hail storm last night that I have not checked the damage on yet!! Oh well.........we'll see as time goes on!!

Remembering............

Memorial Day has taken on a whole new meaning to me this year. My life has been like a rollercoaster for the last week or so. Bittersweet moments have filled my days and most likely will continue to for a good long while. Most of you all know the elderly gentleman I was taking care of went to be with the Lord a week ago this last Friday. We had a memorial service for him this past Friday and it was well attended. We were so proud that many of our friends who didn't even know him came. They came to support me and my husband just because they care and love us. It's so wonderful to be cared about the way those friends do.......it just makes you feel so special. I wanted them to be as acquainted with him as they could so I sat out everything I could think of that was associated with the brief time I was blessed to care for him. Things he doesn't need anymore......glasses, walker, blanket to keep warm with......lamp for light.......birthday banner and card............There's no need for these things anymore.....his sight has been restored and his legs are strong......he's finally warm enough and Jesus is his light.......he celebrated the greatest birthday of all.......the day he entered Heaven's gates to spend an eternity with our wonderful Saviour. I was so privileged to be able to care for such a wonderful man. I was changed in a way that I can't explain by a man who didn't know me very well, but trusted me as if he'd known me all his life. For all my friends who came and those who couldn't, yet you still prayed for me: "Thank you!!!" Your generosity has not gone unnoticed and I asked God to bless you beyond measure!! I look forward to the day I can meet up with him again and all those who've gone on before me!!

Have a safe and happy holiday!!!

"Till death do us part......"

There's an old song that Michael W. Smith sang called "Friends." Awesome song.......great meaning......"friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them and a friend will not say never 'cause the welcome will not end...." Well, we all have friends and then we have real friends!!! I want you to know that it's not really hard to tell who your "real" friends are!! If you are ever in doubt, just feed them poisoned food and if they eat it.........well.........they are your friends!!!!! You know.....at my age (and we're not gonna discuss numbers here!!!) you'd think I would just have enough sense to realize some things..........nope......not me!!!!! We had some friends over for a cookout the other night and I decided I wanted to make some "deviled" eggs. I boiled the eggs, turned them off and let them set on the stove to cool. When our guests arrived, I realized I had not finished making the eggs so hastily I began to put them together. Not paying attention (oooooo......big surprise for me!!!), I reached into the sink drainer and grabbed a bowl to mix up the yokes with all the fixin's and began to blend them all together. I love "deviled" eggs so as I was making them I ate a couple of them and handed one to my friend. She ate one as well. They were so yummy!!! I finished and put them in a covered container and sat them to the side on the counter. Time came for dinner and the guys were finished cooking the hamburgers and hot dogs and we sat down to eat. Half way through dinner I realized I hadn't set the "deviled" eggs out so I grabbed them and began to offer them to everyone. Three of us took one. I noticed my girlfriend didn't take one this time, but I just thought she didn't want another one or was getting full. I took one bite of mine and realized something was "very" wrong. I looked at the others and I said: "These taste awful!!!" I tried to discern what the taste was and then to my horror I realized they tasted like the Pinesol I had been cleaning with previously in the day!!!!! Needless to say.......I was mortified!!! My husband, being the gentle man he is, simply asked me if I had used the same bowl to put Pinesol in as I had mixed the eggs in!! I didn't give it the first thought when I grabbed the same bowl that any such thing could happen!!!! Well......it most certainly did!!! I spent the next several hours, (actually days now) wondering how I could have done such a thing and feeling so bad!! As the night progressed we all began to have stomach aches, heartburn or at least nausea and one even got sick on the way home. I also learned that Pinesol and Tums do not mix well and actually cause somewhat of a chemical reaction when taken in conjunction with one another!!! We were all eventually fine, but it sure did give new meaning to "deviled" eggs!!! And, my friends never said a word. Later when I asked them why they didn't say anything, they said they didn't want to hurt my feelings!! No........they didn't want to hurt my feelings, but they were willing to eated my tainted eggs and die!!!!! Friends are friends forever...........even when you try to poison them!!!!

Grandparents Day

This is me and my "baby!!" Jason!!! You've all heard about Jason.......well, if you haven't you will!!!! He had "grandparents" day at his school yesterday and I was invited to go. Yeah me!!! The second he caught site of me there was nothing that could have stopped him from getting to me. He shot up out of his chair like a ball out of a cannon!! Things like that just make your heart race and makes you feel proud!! We spent the next hour with him showing me all that he does and where everything was at.....and with me making sure Malena didn't go out the door to visit another classroom!! :-) She tends to wander if you don't keep a close eye on her, but I had a great help with Adam there to corral her for me. But Jason, the great brother he is, made sure Malena has some "goldfish" to eat and made sure Adam knew where all the toys were so he could play while he was showing me around!!! Jason has a very sharp memory and he doesn't forget....(well....with the exception of using the potty!!!!)..so we managed to examine almost every single nook and cranny in the room!!!



We did a project together (that's what I'm holding....it says "I LOVE YOU!!!) and he was so proud that he made it for me. One day I hope he will know how proud I was to get it and to be there!!!!! Then it was time to leave and I feared they would require him to ride the bus home, but the teacher gladly accepted my offer to bring him home with me. Jason has been in school now for about 2 months..........I'm sure they knew better than to make me walk out the door without him!!! :-)

Just call us "Daddy & Mama"

Ok........now I know we are just "slightly" older than most of our friends, but this weekend showed that we must be aging......and not gracefully I might add!!!!! Let me tell you my "pitiful" story....grab your tissues.....it will break your heart or at least bring tears to your eyes from the hysterical laughter!!!! So.......we got to Nashville for the retreat and we were to early to check into our rooms so we decided to go get a bite to eat. We went into one of the quaint little restaurants and as Pastor Jeff(from Portage Missionary) always does, he introduced himself as "Jeff" to the waitress and then introduced my husband as "Jeff" to which the waitress replied, "Oh, is he your dad?" All of us nearly fell out of the booth laughing. Well, the poor waitress felt so bad she just kept coming back and apologizing. We finished eating lunch and decided to stop by an ice cream shop and the guys were telling the lady behind the counter what happened and as we were walking out the door she looked at me and said: "Is this your daughter?" pointing to my friend Shannon(Pastor Jeff's wife)...who I might add is "only" 10 years younger than me....she looks really young though.........really........she does!!!!!!!! I just laughed and said, "yeah" and went on out the door! So, we went on and that was the joke of the day......we called my husband "daddy" for the rest of the day and referred to me as "Mama!!" It was time for us to go to the first session that they had planned for us in the evening and as we were standing around talking, we made some new friends and here it came again........one of the other Pastor's wives looked at Shannon and said: "Is this your mom?" (once again pointing to me!!!!!!) Well, talk about the straw that broke the camels back!!!!!!!!!!! I nearly came unglued (not really.........) Wanda (the other Pastor's wife).......spent the next 20 minutes trying to explain how she didn't really see Shannon well and how the lighting in the place was dim and so on and so forth.......it was to funny to watch her squirm and try to work her way out of the predicament she got herself into!!!!! (Wanda, I still love you!!!!)

Ok, ok.................I told you the tissues would be for the incredible laughter that would come!!!!!

That's it..........Maybeline has lost out........obviously it's not doing the trick!!!!! Then again, how many coats of paint can an old barn take before you can't cover the flaws anymore!!!!!!!! Oh, the pain, the pain...............Botoxing here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)