The word “INFLUENCER” is a popular word these days, many people go to great lengths to become influencers on the Internet just recording daily life. People have actually been able to monetize it to the point,  that it is all they do…it is their job! I find that a bit humorous, since we women and especially Mothers have been doing this for years! Living and doing and creating and I just don’t remember getting a special paycheck for it…..but maybe I have?

Women have been influencers as far back as the beginning of people…anyone remember EVE? …And her ill fated moment with a unfriendly serpent who whispered in her ear…”oh come on go ahead…eat the apple!”  She did and then proceeded to hand it to ADAM…..who ate also! Maybe this isn’t a great example of a “good influencer” but, non the less it happened and it has been happening ever since. 

What we say and even more importantly what we do has a great influence on so many others. It is a heavy head that wears the crown and we women and Mothers are in direct line to help or hurt, our husbands, our children or anyone  we know. This is why we must live every day in the will of Jesus, to keep Him close in our heart, leaning on Him every single day….with out which we will surely stumble.

The Lord has called us to be “influencers” for the good, to follow Jesus, to work as a help mate to our husbands, to train up our children in the way they should go…so when they are old they will not depart from it, to be a friend to the friendless, to bring kindness with  a soft word or gentle hug to those in need. On any given day we are called upon to be like  Jesus to people we meet or work with or even stand in line at the grocery store.

We have the potential to make some one’s life more livable with a smile or just to say we care. Many women in my life and church have influenced my life in the nine years we have been here….to hug and say, “love ya much” or “ love you lots” or to correct me in love or be my friend. These are the influencers I want to be around, those that actually  pray for us, that are there to support us and love us. These are the influencers that the Lord raises up. Do they/we get it right every time? No, just like Eve we make  bad decisions or turns, or our attitude needs a little adjustment,  but when needed the Lord is there to catch us and encourage us and keep us from falling. 

So  to honor all the women in our lives and if you are not a mother you are not off the hook!, even you young girls especially teens listen to me….what kind of influencer do we want to be? One that lives for Internet “likes” or the kind that helps a sister out, encourages her and helps her find the Lord and grows old knowing she did what was right before GOD, even though the fruit of that may not be seen yet, when we stay in Him, we have the hope and the confirmation that our Lord will get it all worked out. He is our comfort and our shield, and no weapon formed against us will prosper! In tribute to you all….

 Don’t forget—we are women created in the image of GOD that give not just life…but abundant life. WE are caregivers, teachers, prophets…preachers…and leaders! Women who fight and struggle and pray and believe , who have HOPE and Faith and the courage to face off any demons that would attempt to overtake our families….DO NOT FEAR THAT SERPENT….he gets it in the end!

 For all the Moms and Women in their wide variety and many forms…. WE GIVE THANKS AND PRAISE TO GOD

For my sweet Mom, my Granny Maxwell, my Granny McKnight, my daughter Bethany and most precious granddaughter Ellie; my sisters, Sharon, Janice and Ann, my Aunts; Ornella, Nancy, Lois, Doris, Billie Ruth, Rene, Ruth; my cousins Susan, Nancy, Cindy, Naomi, Lisa, Tonya, Renee and Kim. Many friends thru the years and my best teacher ever, Mrs Maude Chrisman from Murray School … I did get blessed and I have a legacy of love and the confidence that I can be a strong women. That’s better than any paycheck!

Virus-free.www.avast.com

I left my house, I drove my car, I went to the store, I worked at my job!!! This was the best day to be had.. for me….a total chicken and despiser of weather especially SNOW. Sun is the only real acceptable weather that any reasonable human should allow…. If only this were possible! I braved up and left my house… creeping down my snowy driveway…creeping along my street… only to get to the main highway to see..black top!! Woohoo! What a great sight!

As I have stated I do not prefer SNOW, saying it loudly as if anyone who knows me could ever wonder. In case I ever forget(not possible )the Facebook reminds me every year showing me signs I have written in the snow stating “I hate snow!” Over and over every year I make it perfectly clear, it’s on the Facebook so it’s obviously truth! This one fact you can rely on… it is truth! I started January attempting to make friends with winter, I really tried but it only took two weeks until winter hit! even when it snowed, I took pictures of the gorgeous Redbirds, the snowy trees, I showered everyday, made my bed, cooked hot cocoa, etc etc, but by the fifth or how I remembered it Day 105! I was done… all bets were off, it was never going to end!

Today though, after I braved the snow.. for which I do believe I should get a medal! I mean okay I am not a first responder or a grocery store owner or HVAC worker or nurse, they do deserve a medal so I am not comparing myself…at …all, but maybe …no I’m just kidding! Although I will say I really wanted to talk! To someone..anyone…. I ran by the store for essentials, toothpaste, and oddly folks didn’t seem as chatty and cheery as I was, I am assuming they have had to drag their selves out in this horrible weather everyday taking care of the rest of us. I am humbled. So I just smiled and left them alone.

Freedom is a valuable commodity… I can’t even imagine not having freedom, on the regular, not being able or allowed to go and do whatever you want. All those people who live in a world that is not free, Jesus help them, wether it be their own fault like a crime or because they were born or married into a life of confinement, it must be horrible. Also the poor folks that are sick or older and unable to go out. I am humbled! I have no excuses. I’m also a tad bit spoiled…No wonder I am a chicken, I have always been one, I’m rarely brave enough to put myself in a pickle.. as a latch key kid, I grew up watching tv movies showing the worst possible things happening. Nope not for me… as a child of divorce I knew I never wanted to be in a position to not have a voice( I’m truly blessed on that one) and being a Christian is probably the only fight I would defend and stand up for, with the exception of if my children were in a pickle.. that’s when this Mom would go to battle, and I have before.

Freedom is one thing people have fought for so all of us can be thankful. I of course exaggerate usually when I write or in my everyday life. (Rarely take me too seriously folks!) I’m mindful of my place in the scheme of things, I do my part no matter how small. Today is only January 22, more winter to come I am sure of but it’s also my big sisters birthday for which I honor and pray she is blessed.. she loves the snow and kept calling me out for being so whinny… she’s one of those people who had to go to work even though before she retired, so because she is able to stay home safe and enjoy the beautiful winter scenes, she was full of joy. I’m humbled.

SNOW-vid ‘24 has done its best! Eight full days of keeping us all trapped. Well played winter, well played. It will be about 60 days until spring for which I know it won’t all be over, I’ve been teased by winter before, it’s a tricky season. Looking forward to what’s next, I’m pretty sure I will have something to say about it, I tend to be too chatty in case anyone didn’t know? Most folks just led it ride, I’m not made that way.. it’s my world and y’all are just living in it, remember?

The winter is one of those seasons that I try to, well… overlook. But that is an impossibility because on days like today, I suppose in honor of MLK, Jr day just being a national holiday wasn’t enough, the universe decided to “bless” ( she says cringing) us with a whole load of SNOW! Most people are thrilled with this fact, all my school teacher friends are loving life and giggles all day( they are dead to me now), every adult that still has that childlike joy for glorious snow are living their best lives(they are dead to me now) and there are all those precious children who still have hopes of a day filled with snowmen, snowball fights and snocream for which some will grow up to become teachers or adults with childlike hearts still( all of which are still dead to me!) it’s a conspiracy I say!

Further more.. I have the nagging feeling that this is only happening to me, yes I said it, this tragic awfully cold frozen tundra is all to torment me. In case no one realizes it.. it’s my world and y’all are just living in it! The world really does revolve around me! Also my super kind husband who I think used to love snow but has abandoned that cult and come over to my side. All four of my adult children hate it now also, working jobs and having to drive in it tends to do that. We are the only ones on earth that rebuke the insidiously awful “blessing” of snow. There surely cannot be snow in heaven?

Maybe I need to read up on that, are there books? Is there a holy scripture that describes frozen water in heaven? Surely not….. I think that Europeans don’t even use ice in their drinks( not that I have ever been, but I read) so my rationale is that Jesus was born in Nazareth and that’s in the neighborhood of Europe so leads me to think ice is not a thing.. there… in heaven. Okay I got that cleared up, good! So my need to hate snow must be a basic fear of all things cold… which of course is a basic life pattern for a person of my age for which I wear sweaters, a good invention for that. There is never any need for snow in my life especially one that covers the whole world ( my world I mean) when even the roads are impassable which hits all my being trapped phobias..stuck without a way out… it’s only Monday and I’ll be itchy by Tuesday nite to drive somewhere but it appears this snow is determined. Huge flakes, packed in high and tight!

I am sure that I may be the most ridiculous person in the world( my world) but this is normal for me. My brain is old but my heart is full of silly and when life doesn’t go the way I expected it to well…. I just have to laugh and try to make the best of it. Even trying to interject my inner Lorelei Gilmore (The Gilmore Girls) who can smell snow coming, who loves snow and who makes it seem wonderful …nope, I still don’t like it! This stuff snow is a natural part of life on earth and even living in the nearly most southern part of Tennessee doesn’t help, as a matter of fact we got the most.. how and why is that possible? We live closer to the beach than ever before.. only six hours away.. a mere short car ride yet here we are with it piled up… and yes I have googled to find pretty towns in northern Florida! But …. It is Florida so that’s not a good choice.

So far so good, our heat is still working and the electricity is still on so I have hope we will ( in my world) live through this snowmaggeden! I will just sit here and take pictures of red birds and woodpeckers in the snow .. they are pretty but I will keep fingers crossed for an early spring, looking on the bright side that this kills all the mosquitoes and bugs for summer. Soon enough my bulbs will sprout and the worst trouble in my world will be weeds in my flower beds. I guess I live in a pretty good world after all! Now for hot chocolate!

I must start this post off with a little comedy, picture this…three adults and one five year old goes on a trip! Everything works out perfectly, all the bags are packed, put in the vehicle with room to spare and we are right on time! Eeeeeerk! Wait a minute! What?

Well, that’s how it played out in my head at least….and actually it went pretty good, but this may be a one and done trip. Not that I don’t love to take a trip, I do, and I love these people in our vehicle and the ones we are going to meet, but my big mistake was feeling sorry for them all to have to go out to eat for Thanksgiving!

I had Mom guilt, ugh! See years ago when our kids were young and we lived in East Tn we changed it up and went to thanksgiving weekend at a TN State Park. NOT CAMPING! Of course, I’m not a outdoors person for any length of time I mean a camp fire is fun but that’s as far as I go and there has to be nice cabins etc. and the difference is back then we would have our Thanksgiving lunch at home then travel. See this year I cooked it all and we are hauling it there! Yep groan, can I get a witness? Plus all the other treats, sausage balls, pig n blankets, cheese ball etc etc.

This truck is loaded down with enough food to feed a army, but ya know we are piling in and hanging out, playing games and I will be smack in the middle of it with a huge grin because this is my heaven on earth! I have a gorgeous, kind husband, he puts up with a lot, I ain’t easy! I am smarter than everyone else and I tend to show I am daily, my opinion is number one, don’t-cha know! I come from a long line of “smart” women, pray for him, he deserves better. Then I have a identical twin, not sister but daughter, she’s as smart as me, and yet another, my granddaughter is “smarter” than all of us! It becomes ridiculously frustrating I know for all the rest of the world. But through it all the preacherman just watches the action. Like I said, he needs prayer.

As hard as it is for a day, I must admit now that all the cooking is done (please Lord let my turkey be moist) I am satisfied that we don’ t have to wait in a long line at Cracker Barrel to eat food that is not as good as mine(my opinion) there are seven of us, big table needed and that makes us have to wait, and wait. So when I see these faces comfortable eating our food and laughing its all worth it. I’m not saying that I will haul all this food the next time, Jesus will have to talk me into it, ha..but to be sure any chance I get to be with these sour patch kids I will.

The car ride has been content, the little one finally took a nap so far so good and all’s right with the world… until we have to unload it all!! Yikes! I am thankful, so very thankful to my God, for whom I live for and when I allow Him to make me a better person, I want to be kind and less bossy. (Skinnier too Lord?…oh that’s up to me? ok thanks, ouch!) thankful he gave me my family, they are my reason for being here, thankful for our first President George Washington who started thanksgiving holiday way back when, for a time of reflection to honor the God who created us, thanks for giving us a holiday before Christmas that gets nearly rushed through, thankful for all the freedoms we enjoy living in the best nation in the world, thankful I was raised to be a good Person and friend and thankful for car rides that give you a minute to breathe and reflect on life and what’s important. I am so In love with my family and my prayer for them is we all eat around the table in heaven together, that is my only goal. So today, is a good day …of course I miss my Mom and my sister in law and Charles beloved Dad and Mom, but they live in our hearts. Thanksgiving is a family thing, whatever shape or form it is, take a car ride with them, connect, agree to disagree even… just take the time to take the time, and might I say I’m also thankful I don’t have to fly a plane anywhere. Every year I feel so sorry for all those people stranded in snow storms and what not!……..Kinda makes a car ride fun!

Many, many…..many years ago, a girl met a boy in a sandwich shop, on a dare, and because she liked the looks of him in his rugby shorts…she got the nerve to talk to him while he was at the jukebox! This sounds like 1950’s B movie but it was’t, although if felt that sweet. It was a sweet time, all the firsts and all the feels….like a rollercoaster! So it began, the beginnings of a long love that continues today.

But, back to the story.. the start was in August, first date, first kisses(there were many) first love, the best of the best. It was a beautiful fall on that college campus and we never knew what would become of it. Zip ahead to October, we are still “a thing” and my birthday is here, another “first” happened! My beautiful blonde boy sent me Roses!!! never have I ever been sent roses or any flowers ever! This guy was a keeper I thought and I was correct! The day of my birthday we had a date, and when he left I politely thanked him for the six(6) red roses….. he was at his car in the street… and all of a sudden he exclaimed…”6!!!!!! There was supposed to be a dozen(12)!!!!!! He threw his keys down and began to fuss at the mistake! The florist had to have gotten it wrong… I was shocked yet laughing at his display of loving angst!

Finally I said….”was it really supposed to be a dozen?” He laughed a lot and said NO! But he wanted it to be!! Laughing he got into the car and left! I was hooked!! This guy was hilariously pulling me into the best decision I would ever make. You gotta love a guy that goes to such measures. The sweetest part of the story was to be heard later.

This boy of mine had um…frugal parents! So to earn the cash for the roses… he wrote a letter to them( planned ahead btw) and asked for the money to buy a girl flowers and he would work it off next time he came home! Which he did….he had to dig potato’s in the garden!!! His Mom kept the letter which I still have, this guy was so dedicated to me he was willing to earn the money however he could. And he was willing to owe them for it which was HUGE! So the amount of money they sent was only enough for a half a dozen, hence the exclamation to make it sound better, quick thinker as he was and even a funnier brain, but it did the trick! I was sunk! I loved this guy!

Now..41 years later, after many , many, many dozens of roses and flowers of all sorts, many more beautiful gifts and blessings and love, this big romantic sends me forty-one(41) yellow roses! I love yellow the most, he listens.. he knows and they are gorgeous! I have never matched him on gift giving… it’s an impossible task, and today is no different. I will never do it! I’ve tried but he’s too good. But I will say, I love this man! The blonde guy with the huge smile and the best sense of humor has been my heart for a little over 41 years. I could never repay him for all the joy he has brought me. Happy Anniversary my dear preacherman, April 24,1982 was a great day to begin so many great days!

I don’t think I have ever really explained my disdain for Halloween …so here goes. Only a few words in a facebook post, not wanting to offend nor point fingers or even to make anyone feel as if I judge their decision to partake.. I mean it’s all in good fun, right? Sure, I get it, I was a kid once.

Growing up on a farm with other houses a “fur piece” away, my mom only took us to my granny’s house and then it wasn’t actually a “trick or treat” adventure. It was more of a harvest festival time. Our small school, Murray School, out on Bradyville Pike, near Murfreesboro, TN, every year had a Harvest Festival. It was the most fun we had ever had. All the kids and parents were there, it was decorated for harvest time, hay bales and all. There were classrooms that each one had a different activity, my favorite was fishing for a prize! I was the best at this one and I always thought my Aunt Lois was the brains behind the operation. I’m not sure if that was true or just in my made up world but, nevertheless it was magical! Music was always playing and great food to eat. There was a huge cake walk in the Gym and my sisters and I walked to win.

So many good memories of that night, and never scary except I have one memory of a clown!! This was not good and super scary, clowns are scary by definition. This was hard for my young brain because I actually adored BOZO the clown on TV, as well as Red Skeleton but, he was on TV also, not face to face in my world, this clown startles me and that was it, I was ranking clowns right after snakes. The popcorn balls and candy apples made life better but that first fright stuck with me.

Later in my life at about ten we moved into the city. Oh my goodness kids walked the neighborhood…alone dressed up in costumes asking for free candy. That’s gotta be fun right? I’m sure my big imagination knew that there was a clown hanging around just waiting to scare me again, so I was not a fan, later years I would go out with my big sisters and it was more fun, less scary. Still not my thing though.

Further on into middle school high school ages I had good friends and slumber parties and great fun… but, this one time the girls wanted to talk about the Bell Witch that was a legend near that area, there may have been a time of conjuring up her spirit and seeing her creepy eyes on the wall. Jesus help me.. it happened! That was the last slumber party for me! I was timid in those years, real life had too many scary times and I had no hunger to be fearful for fun. In high school it was a thing to go to the house of the Bell Witch or a cave or not sure of it all, for which I was in a car and these kids wanted to find it.. nope! Not this girl, take me back .. they didn’t but I sat in car scared. They came back with no luck finding her.. whew thank you!

Zip ahead many years, I found my love, married and moved away. Then I met Jesus! I was home and safe but, one day I saw those eyes again … oh my was it the Bell Witch? Was it my imagination? Was I truly officially crazy? I’m not sure yet….but I spent many nites praying for it to go away. I had my first baby, I will protect him, many nights of prayer, feeling stupid, I finally told my husband who was kind about it, did he marry a witch? Did I become a witch and didn’t know it? Good grief my imagination is out of control! Thankfully NO I wasn’t a witch but I did have these crazy remembering that I needed to overcome and with the Lords help I did. I give Him the praise for calming my mind and heart. Anxiety can be a tool that can cripple a person, I had more back then, as I grew in the knowledge and understanding of what Jesus died for, for Me, it was in the Comfort of knowing the truth I became stronger to not live in such fears and anxiety. The what ifs will drive a person crazy, as well as realizing that I’m not the center of the universe..that helps. Pride is a huge blockade in freedom.

My children never partook in trick or treating, dressing up or any of the festive things this time of year. Mean mom I know but really? Did it hurt them, they heard about it at school and all. Our church had parties to off set Halloween in the name of Jesus, good clean fun ya know! I was not going to ruin other people’s fun but for mine it was a big NO! Their innocent minds did not need to be scared all the time. The kids eventually asked Why and I told them that it was the one holiday that had no good basis. Nothing to give honor to, nothing to give praise to or for. All Hallows Eve, it was all unnerving and suspicious. An open invitation to scare the heck out of all involved!

The kids grew up no worse for the wear, they didn’t hate me for it, by the time my youngest was older I allowed him to go out with his friends in our neighborhood but no dressing up. They got candy and came home.. I got nicer or older knowing that he would be ok. Peer pressure works! Still not onboard for it. As a church we have had to offer an alternative of course but I was not ever very GunHo about it. I’d apologize for it but I won’t since I didn’t make a fuss. This was my feelings, was I living in fear, was I allowing fear to rule me? No!

Why do we partake in a “holiday” that is not a holiday, to be honest. The Banks don’t close, the Federal Government does not close up shop! even Valentines Day has a Saint involved, of course it’s a stretch but it’s not spooky or scary unless you are single and then we’ll yeah! But anyways I’m just not a fan. What if it is the day all the “real witches” live for? What if there are predators who hide and wait for our pretty little blonde kids? What if the Demonic powers of the world are real ( they are!) there is a real Devil who fell from Heaven and it has minions of helpers! Why even get near it. I’m not trying to preach so I’ll keep it light.. but, have you seen The Omen, the Exorcist, Rosemarys Baby( the dreaded movie that kids made terrible fun of me about) and even Children of the Corn!! If you wonder why I have seen all these movies if I am such a scaredy cat, be cause as a kid it happens, not always my idea of fun.

Look what you get when young hearts are open to that junk.. ME! Thankfully I was led to the one who calmed all my fears and It was my job to protect my children from this underworld of fear. I did my job well, none of them enjoy scary stuff, although my daughter will venture in some scary movies, probably out of just because she can and it is with her if I ever have watched anything close to scary… but, I did my job, none of them were ever kidnapped by a scary clown! Now I just have to attempt to protect my granddaughter from afar. She likes to dress up for which Is ok with me but not scary stuff , dressing up is not evil, it can be fun they say!

So Halloween is not my favorite.. so what, I’m not the rule maker, but I won’t usually participate. That Is my choice, it’s all about choice right? Y’all have fun, I will continue down the Christmas Movie rabbit hole! Falalalala!