To Mom's Everywhere!

Happy Mother's Day to every mom everywhere! You may be a single mom, you may be 90 years old, you might be 15, you could be a widow that lost your husband and your children's father to some fatal disease or the current war on terror or a previous war, maybe a car accident, or divorce or any unplanned and unexplained loss. Nonetheless, you are still a mom, and you still have dreams, hopes and prayers filled with love for your children. You may be a crack addict or an alcoholic. You may be lost trying to find your way home. You may be incarcerated on this mothers day. You may be living in this nation or another country wondering where the next meal is going to come from to feed your children with , or dealing with the loss of children, jobs and loved ones. And nonetheless, you are still a mom. There are mom's we have known and loved and no longer have the privilege of letting them know how much they meant to us. I was thinking about my own mom. She really was a special woman. Her name was Mary Cecelia McTague and she was born on September 26, 1915. Her own father passed away when she was 3 years old, and was raised by her own mother, a child of a single parent. Quite a difficult period in time to be a single parent, with no government programs to offer assistance and her mom took in sewing to provide a meager living. She married my dad on November 9, 1936. This year will make it an event that happened seventy years ago. Hard to imagine. I knew her only for a short period of time, for as soon as I turned 17, a few weeks later she went home to be with the Lord. She passed at the young age of 57 on February 19, 1973, from septicemia as a result of renal failure. She was the best mom in the world. She had no prejudice in her heart, and was a friend of many people from many different backgrounds at a time when whites stuck with whites and blacks stuck with blacks. She always said there is one human race, always made in the image God, and the different ethnicities were the rainbow of God. She had a laugh that was contagious, a smile that was encouraging and comforting, words that encouraged you with possibilities, ears that listened to you with every beat of your heart. She loved to read, listen to music, sing, tell stories and play games. She took me on bus trips to New York at Easter and Christmas to see the Rockettes at New York's Radio City Music Hall. She took me to Philadephia at Christmas time to do some Christmas shopping. She took me to movies and afterwards to Woolworths to get a sundae or to Walgreens to get an ice cream soda. She taught me how to bake cakes and home made pies. She taught me how to sew and how to dream. We sat out on summer nights and watched the nightsky, contemplating the stars, the moons and the handiwork of God. She cooked meals enough to feed an army and then another army. She always fed my friends, telling me that maybe they don't have the love and the food that we had and she just wanted to share it. All my friends loved her and called her 'mom' . We popped popcorn and watch late night movies. We played cards, mostly 500 rummy with her always somehow losing. And I thought I was good at it! She took me to the doctors when I was sick. She told me stories at night when I could not sleep. She came to my elementary school class to share stories with the class at lunchtime. She taught me math by using pennies. She baked cupcakes for me to take to school. She came to every school event I was in. She knew my love of elephants and entered a contest for me to ride one one time at a circus, but lost the contest. She simply loved me and made sure I knew it. When I was disobedient, I felt guilty beyond measure at the thought of the disappointment I caused her. She defended me and shielded me, and instructed me in all that she possibly could. And she still cried with me and hugged me and told me she understood. And Mom taught me that a mother's heart will always be engaged with prayers for her child and or children, for their spouses and their families. She taught me that America needs moms to support the dads and be the comforter and nourisher for the family, and she taught me that until our last breath, we will always be moms praying for our children no matter what the age. This Mothers Day, I remember her as a mom who had a heart of courage and was privileged that the Lord saw fit to allow her to be 'my mom'. With certainty I know I will see her again someday as she was saved in May of 1971. And what a comfort to know that someday as well, she will meet a son inlaw, grandson and wife that she never had the opportunity to know and grandparent here on earth, but will be able to spend an eternity with in heaven! Happy Mothers Day! Psalm 113:9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.

The Elephant Surprise!

Well, today hubby and I went grocery shopping, and I have had a taste for Red Rose Tea---use to drink this a lot when we lived back in New Jersey. Harris Teeter had it and it was on sale. Now you know, this was a hard one to pass up. I reached down and picked up the bargain and placed it in the cart. At the check out, I also presented to the cashier with a coupon, so ended up paying pennies for a 100 count box of Red Rose Tea Bags! Now that rocked!!! Upon arriving home and putting the groceries away, I opened up the box of tea bags to place them into a glass jar and noticed that inside the box was a little porcelin figure-----I reached in and pulled out an elephant, hollering "its an elephant! I have an elephant!" Poor hubby was a bit confused at first and then realized what had happened! I actually got an elephant! I was so excited I started to cry and laugh at the same time. Looking at the box, they are presenting a collection of Noah's Ark and his animals, with an opportunity to collect each one of the animals! What were the odds of me getting an elephant? Even more, it is rare today to collect something from a package! And even more rare that it would have a product with a Biblical theme! No more Lipton! I am a Red Rose Tea fan all the way!

The elephant dance

this is a great elephant photo!

Lots and lots of Lollipops

Okay, I kept waking up from the same silly dream last night! I was selling lollipops, all different kinds and flava's on a cruise ship. Had my own little "pop shop". The sad part----I don't remember even eating one lollipop and I have a fave---the multicolored one that is big and looks like a pinwheel! I can't believe it. Not even one lick! UGH! What 'kid' don't like lollipops?