About Me Tuesday: One Of My Least Favorite Quotes

 Photo by Clipartmax

One of my 3 favorite movies is Steel Magnolias  (along with Beaches and Step-Mom.

One of my all-time least favorite quotes is in Steel Magnolias occurs in the scene where Shelby is telling her mother that she is expecting a baby. M'Lynn is less than enthused. and says:

"You are special, Shelby.  There are limits to what you can do."

I must admit, if this had been my Mama, I think I would have slapped her. (Probably not, because the Norman Boys would have KILLED me!!!)  I wanted to be a Mama all my life.  I can remember Mama telling me that I should focus on being a "doting" Aunt.  (She said this when I was a teenager and I do love my Nieces and Nephews.) 

So, I guess why I struggle with this quote so much is because I can emphasize with Shelby.  I was told that I couldn't and shouldn't have children.

As I said, I wanted to be a mother more than anything.  I knew it wasn't going to be easy.  

Teddy Roosevelt said that "nothing worth having comes easy."  I think most of us agree with this

The other great quote in this scene is when Shelby says; "I would rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."

Everyone has dreams and challenges.  How much are you willing to give for yours?

About Me Tuesday - Why I Write

 

 Photo by FAVPNG

We all have that 1 thing that we love to do.  That 1 thing we have to do.  That we are meant to do.  It makes your heart beat a little faster.   It consumes your thoughts and even your dreams.

Mine is writing.

My inspiration was Judy Blume.  Who could read about her character, Fudge, and not fall in love with her and want to be a New York Times Best Selling Author?

Writing was always a way for me to express myself when people couldn't understand my speech.

It was something that was just mine.  I could keep it to myself or share it with others.  I grew up with the first three Norman Boys: Jimmy, Luke, and Caleb.  As the only girl, (I'm 19 years older than my sisters) sometimes I felt like I got lost in the chaos.  (Don't be fooled, though, I could hold my own in a fight!!!)

I can remember when Mama and Daddy got us a word processor.  I was so excited.  I can remember how the words were orange against the black screen.  I haven't thought about this in years...I'm actually getting chills just thinking about it!!!

We were at a used bookstore and Mama got me a book about writing.   She signed it to her "budding author" I felt so special that she called me an "Author"  Being a writer was fine, but being an author held a certain social status that meant that you had made it as a writer.

Writing, to me, come in phases.  I can go days, weeks, and months even without writing anything substantial.  Then I  can get on a roll where all I want to do is write.

Every time I write; everything I write tells a little bit more of my story.

Wednesday's Word: Compassion

 

Photo by Pixy

Everyone needs COMPASSION!

The definition of compassion is:

"sympathetic consciousness of other's distress together with a desire to alleviate it"   Merriam-Webster

Covid has taught us many, many things.  We have been reminded of how heroic people can be; not just in America, but all over the world. I don't think anyone has been praised (and rightly so) more than the people in the medical field; especially those on the front lines: like emergency rooms and ICUs.However,  the other side of the coin is that not many people want to work in health care right now.Since I live in a nursing facility, I am seeing this firsthand. We don't have enough nurses or CNAs (certified nurse assistants).  They are always short.  Some of the CNAs work through agencies (because they pay more) and many of them really don't care how they deal with the residents because they'll be at a different facility the next day.  The CNAs who do care are stretched to their limits and many don't have time to give the residents the care that they need and deserve.But, what I want to talk about now is the compassion that we owe the people who take care of us.Our society has such a "the customer is always right" morality, that many of us don't show others the common courtesy that everyone deserves.I can remember when were kids, if we didn't say "yes ma'am, no ma'am; yes sir, no sir; please and thank you", we better hope our daddy didn't find out!!!Most people work really hard; it doesn't matter if you're the top neurosurgeon in the world or a garbage collector; EVERYONE deserves respect.Sometimes, all it takes is a simple "thank you" and a smile to lift someone's weary soul.


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Verse of the week: Sin's Crouching at the Door

Sin is crouching at the door... but you must rule over it.

Gen 4:7(CSB)

OK, Is it wried that I like the word crouch?  (I think it's a writer's thing just to find some words interesting. (No comments needed from the Norman Boys!!))  When someone is crouching they are deep in thought, ready to pounce or plan something strategically and sometimes even sneaky.  It requires great precision.  This is how Satan is with sin.  He waits until just the right time with just the right bait in order to entice us into sin.  What may cause me to sin, may not be the same thing that causes you to sin

This is why we all need our own personal relationship with God so that we have what we need to stand firm against the enemy.  

 

Thankful Thursday -

 

My life verse(s) is Psalm 139:13-14:

"You made all my body's delicate, inner parts and knit me together in mother's womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderful and complete. Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it."

I love these 2 verses for many reasons...

First and foremost, GOD gave me the most incredible mama ever!  I wasn't the easiest child to raise; (Shh, don't tell those Norman boys!!!).  The idea that GOD chose to gift me with my Mama amazes me.  My Mama is about 5" tall and you would never know she had 7 kids (5 boys and 3 girls [she was blessed with a daughter when she married my stepdad, Garry]).  She did everything for us.  She made it look easy.  It wasn't until I had my 2 kids that I caught a glimpse of what it meant to love someone so much from the depths of your soul that you feel love for them in every breath you take...

Thank you, Mama, for loving me like that!

The other reason I chose these as my life verse(s) is that with my Ceberal Palsy, but especially with the Bipolar, sometimes I can't understand why GOD allowed me to be wired like this.  (I know everyone feels this way now and then!)  I get stuck inside my head and it can be hard to tunnel my way out.

I think I naturally associate GOD with goodness and I can't/dodon't measure up.  I'm broken and because I can't see anyone elses' brokenness, I feel shame and guilt. I feel like I've disappointed everyone,  especially GOD. But Mama always "God doesn't make (no) Junk!!!

Still, I see flaws in myself, but not flaws in others.  I can forgive flaws in others that I can't or won't forgive flaws in myself.

Musician Adam Jones said: "I am my worst critic and I think everyone in the band is a perfectionist."

This quote is a perfect example of what we all think but won't say out loud. 

Why can't we see ourselves as GOD sees us?  After all, we are made in HIS image.

DA...DA...DA...SIN!!!

Sin broke the mirror that allowed us to see ourselves as GOD sees us.

It's only through accepting Jesus' love and the hope that HE will restore and fix the mirror for us so that once again we can look into the mirror and see the image of GOD reflecting back to us.