Countdown to November 26 has begun….

Sunday, November 1, will be the first time we will be back in the Special Ed Department at First Baptist Church in Columbia since the pandemic began. We will turn our clocks back one hour before we go to bed on Saturday, so I hope those of us who are planning to be there will not oversleep.

When times were normal, we sometimes had fifty in class. Our members are transported from all over the city. Every Sunday is great day of fellowship. There is so much love among our members, it will be very hard not to hug one another!

So far as we know, we will continue to have Sunday School from now on. Our chairs will be distanced and we will wear masks, but we will be together!

Tuesday, November 3, is one of the most crucial days in the history of our country. Never has our nation been so divided, so full of hatred and with no respect for anything or anyone. It happened so quickly and has been fueled by the consequences of COVID 19. America, once the land of unity and proud of our heritage, has become one of burning, looting and killing. This must change.

My calendar is almost blank for the month of November. Two day trips were canceled due to the pandemic. The one on November 9 was to pecan territory to buy nuts, candies and anything else we saw that appealed to us. I was so disappointed that the Annual Mystery trip will not take place on November 14. I love boarding the motor coach, having no idea where we are going, but still having a wonderful trip! The last one was to Atlanta to the “new”stadium. What a treat that was, plus the food they served was delicious!

The next BIG event is November 26! We have been told that there probably will not be a lot of large family celebrations and that there may be a run on small turkeys! Our church, plus many others, have always served a delicious Thanksgiving meal to the homeless and needy. I do not know how that will be handled this year, but I know that a way will be worked out.

Despite everything that has been disrupted or even eliminated, we still have so much to give thanks for. Every day is a gift from God. We are told to live one day at a time. When we are worried, we miss out on the blessings we do have and the concern robs us of joy. Remember the song we sang as children, “Count your blessings, name them one by one, count your many blessings, see what God has done! “ An early Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Cooking with Brenda Gantt…

I have a new Facebook friend….Brenda Gantt is her name…I used to enjoy cooking and I definitely enjoy eating, so when I saw several of her videos, I knew I wanted to know more! It is not that I no longer enjoy cooking, it is just difficult to cook for one, which I have had to do for twenty one years.

Brenda lives in Andalusia, Alabama. She is a retired science teacher and loves to cook! She has a Bed and Breakfast called the Cottle House. The name is in honor of the people who owned the house before she and her late husband bought it. I have seen a video of all the rooms. I want to go there for a weekend, if it is possible! That is on my bucket list!

Brenda said she is 73 years old, maybe 74 by now. She is a morning person and must have plenty of energy to do everything she does. After her husband passed away, she prayed for a way to overcome the grief of losing him. The answer was to begin a Facebook page with videos of her cooking many of the foods her mother and grandmother taught her to make.

Brenda is so charming! She is active in her church, Bethany Andalusia, and does a lot of yard work and caring for her flowers. She has found a friend for life in me! Every day I wonder what she will be cooking, so I have to take time to watch her as she demonstrates so many mouth watering dishes.

So far, there is not one thing that I do not like. She uses her computer for the camera and most of her videos are in her kitchen. The focal points are her chopping block and her stove! She demonstrates everything she does and explains so clearly that everyone can understand.

I know what I want Santa to bring me for Christmas….a chopping block, some long, sharp knives and a set of pots and pans like she has! I had a set of black cast iron pots and frying pans, but I gave them away. I have regretted that ever since! Brenda now has thousands of followers, so I’ll bet Santa will get many requests for the same things I want!

Just like Shirley Temple was given credit for keeping morale high in World War II, Brenda may be doing the same thing for her admirers during this pandemic! She is a jewel, for sure! God bless, you Brenda!

November’s message, “Ready or not, here I come!”

What happened to speed time to this rapid pace? Seems like only yesterday we celebrated July Fourth with barbecue, flag waving and fireworks! All at home, for me!

Not long ago we were wearing shorts, flip flops and some people wore bikinis at the beach. Not me, so far as a bikini! In fact, my beach trip was canceled! Taking a look at the entries in my 2020 Planner all I see are a few appointments and very few hair cuts! No vacation this year!

It has been the year of social distancing, doctors appointments on my IPad, skipping “monthly” haircuts, attending Sunday school, the Sunday worship services, as well as Wednesday prayer meeting were on my IPad. I keep asking myself, “How did I ever get along without my IPad?”

I can truly say, I have never lived in a similar situation…ever! For me, and many others, it has been a time of isolation. Being a friendly, loving person, who was always out and about going to classes at the Shepherd’s Center, taking day trips with my travel buddies, doing volunteer work at Still Hopes, grocery shopping and checking out what was new at Dollar Tree, it was a huge adjustment!

Some of my friends have told me they have gained weight. I fall in that category, but mine is not so much a big change in the numbers on the scale, but the rearrangement of the pounds! I hope my Fall clothes will still fit! I am not alone…I have heard those words time and time again from my bosom buddies. I MUST try to get this relocation of fat cells off and regain that once slender torso!

I love music, it is soothing and brings back so many memories of happier days. I am not a huge fan of “modern songs” but if I had grown up with them, I might appreciate them more. During this isolation period, it has allowed time to listen more. I have almost worn Willie Nelson out singing, “You are always on my mind” and Dolly and Kenny singing , “Islands in the stream.” There are many benefits to being forced to stay at home. I try to find good in every situation!

For sure, we can agree that this is the “year that WAS!” With November only a few days away, chiller weather for many areas of the US, Thanksgiving just around the corner and more eating, there is so much to give thanks for! I thank God every day for another day of life, for family and friends, for a wonderful church, for all the doctors and health care workers….the list is endless!

So November, we are ready for you! We will then get ready for December and will look forward to a brand New Year, with thankful hearts for a beautiful 2021!

Habits…some good…some bad, but most of us have habits

I was thinking about how regimented life can become due to circumstances. When I had to go out to work each day, I selected my clothes in advance, thought about what I would have for breakfast the night before so there was no wasted time when every minute counted, and usually had a list of what I needed to do after work, etc. Everything was in place to save time and make a speedy getaway the following morning.

With retirement, priorities changed. We never slept late, but had plenty of volunteer work and meetings to go to. Travel became a priority instead of going to the office. Depending on where we were flying to and the time of year it was, planning what kinds of clothes we would need and making sure the paper and the mail were being held was important. We had to be disciplined to make sure everything ran smoothly. Planning was an important habit.

After my husband became disabled due to an accident, I took full responsibility for his care because I wanted him to be at home. I did everything a nurse would have done from feeding him through a tube, to giving injections, taking blood pressure and checking blood sugar many times around the clock, mixing medications and keeping accurate records. He was a quadriplegic. This new set of habits were my way of life for three years. His doctors told me I was self trained as a nurse and made an excellent one. I have great respect for doctors and nurses.

When another chapter of life began for me, I started new habits, because now I had full responsibility for everything. I had certain routes I drove to businesses, certain stores I preferred to shop at and certain days and times I went out to avoid traffic and crowds.

Life is a constant process of making new “habits” and discarding others. Certain things we do remain constant, but not all do because each day in a “new beginning of change.” I remember when the State Newspaper decided to discontinue the Saturday paper. I liked my Saturday paper, but it was no longer available in paper form.

The pandemic has brought about so many bad habits for me. At first, my daughter bought my groceries so I would not have to go to the store. I always asked her to buy ice cream for me to have “on hand” in case I wanted some. It was very easy to eat some every night, then maybe as a dessert at noon. I didn’t want to be without bagels and cream cheese. I thought I should always have a pizza in the freezer, too!

The bottom line is, I eat too much of the wrong foods and several times during the day, at that! I stay up late, sometimes sleep late and have no plans to speak of for days on end. For the first year in my retirement years, most of the blocks in my calendar are blank! I have let bad habits run rampant in my life!

I hope to eliminate most of these “bad pandemic habits” and to get back to the good ones! Life is so much better when you have a plan! My old boss used to say, “Plan your work…then work your plan!” That is my new plan!

We live in the state of “instant.”

Those of us who have been around longer than the younger generation had a little getting accustomed to do due to the change! I overslept this morning. I was hungry when I went into the kitchen, so I made a bowl of instant oatmeal. My coffee was also “instant “ because I needed a cup in a hurry. I did take time to cook two sausage patties because I wanted that taste this morning. You can buy precooked patties that you heat in the microwave, but I chose the old fashioned route! In almost no time, I had my hunger satisfied and was ready to face today.

I thought about some of the changes that have taken place in my lifetime, as I went back to my bedroom to check my messages. I turned my IPad on and I had a long list that had accumulated over night. There were the grocery ads, the weather report, news about the new COVID cases, a dozen or more political messages and much more.

This is the Information Age for sure. In the blink of an eye, you have access to any kind data you want to check. I can remember the old days of communication, when you called an operator to make a long distance call and you waited for the cheaper rate, if you could. Now, with your smartphone, you can reach someone in a distant country instantly. I am not complaining. I am thankful!

In the past when you needed some money, you wrote a check and had it cashed at the bank. Now, anytime, day or night, you can go to an ATM and withdraw what you need, instantly. Since everyone has a credit card these days, people carry very little money, because it is no longer necessary.

Some of the ads on television make all sorts of claims about instantly transforming your wrinkled face to that of a teenager just by applying some miracle cream they are selling. Other ads say you can eat whatever you like, then take a pill and instantly you will have your teenage figure back! How gullible the public is!

I am not complaining about the advances that have come about, especially in medicine and surgery that is less invasive. In fact, I am just thankful! Thankful to still be alive to see the changes! My grandchildren know so much more than I did at their ages. Despite all the advances, I still like to pack a lunch and go riding down an unpaved road in the country. There are still traces of the past, when life was simple and people could actually take time to enjoy it!

It’s a marshmallow world that we live in….

Maybe it was when the author of this song wrote it, but life in the world today Is far from it. It is a beautiful Fall day, but so full of sadness for many people.

I received two messages from friends who have been saddened. One message informed our department that the mother of one of the teachers passed away early this morning. Another message was from one of the workers informing us that cancer has spread to the brain of his father. It is only a matter of time before the end will come. Just recently we lost two of our class members to a heart attack and leukemia.

I have encouraging news from two of my family members who have the COVID virus. They feel a little better today. My granddaughter is still sick and weak from it. Multiply these situations by many hundreds. Instead of being a happy, carefree world right now, many families have been devastated because of the virus that is worldwide.

Our President and First Lady have been stricken with COVID. He is a patient at Walter Reed Hospital and is doing well from recent reports. The First Lady is quarantined at home. Our prayers are with them and everyone who has the virus.

To look out my window and see the squirrels scampering around, jumping from one part of the fence to another and to see a bird fly by, so carefree, makes you feel that everything is peaceful and serene. Nature speaks to us just by looking at the innocence of God’s creatures. They don’t have a care in the world!

This morning which began with a heavy heart for so many, reminded me of the the hundreds of promises that God has given us. “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” “Cast all your cares upon me , for I care for you.” “If you ask anything, in MY name, believing, then you shall have it!” We know there are better days ahead. God just asks us to pray and trust HIM to see us through.

When I went out on the deck and looked at the sky, I thought to myself, those clouds do look like marshmallows! We are so blessed, if we just slow down, look up and cast our burdens on the Lord, everything can be peaches and cream!