PSALM 127:3

I ran across an article today that I found very interesting. It was from a Time Magazine article, dated 8/19/10/, titled : TEN THINGS TODAY’S KIDS WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE

1. Camera film…..2. Land line Phones…..3. Real Books……4. Being Lost…..5. Music Videos on MTV…..6. Walkmans…..7. The Glory Days of Nick at Night…..8. Czechoslovakia…..9. Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator…..10. Tan M & M’s.

Most of these made sense to me, but I called on my resident ‘Expert on Current Affairs’, AKA Alex, to help me understand the list a little better. Some didn’t make sense to him, either. So, maybe they will to some of you.

1. Camera Film…..Now, here’s one I do get. I have always loved making pictures. And, have always had a camera at my disposal. But, I wish I had a $ for every time I put a roll in the camera and it didn’t roll onto those teeny, tiny, little bumps that the squares on the edge of the film were supposed to catch on! Then, what to do? Do you risk opening up the camera to carefully try to slide them on without letting too much light into the camera? Or, roll all the film on through and just throw the whole roll away? Or trust that it’s in place and make a whole roll of the beauties of St. Thomas, or your newborn, or a mission trip to New Orleans? And, it’s not…in place…and the whole roll comes back with just a black box on each pic. And, you still have to pay for the processing. BIG BUMMER! And, just so you know, the newer ones that said all you had to do was stick the roll in the back and it would do it automatically…didn’t. So, I, for one, am forever thankful for digital cameras…where you can make all the pics you want and delete the ones you don’t, you just have to be careful not to drop it. Because that will kill it…every time you drop it…even on different brands of cameras. I’m just saying….

2..Land line phones…..a few, like us, still have them. But, more and more are giving them up. I remember my cutest ever Pink Princess Phone…rotary dial of course, that I had when I was a girl. Many an important life decision was made while talking on it! Or so I thought! Now, they are all punch numbers, but maybe they will pass away to never never land, too. I remember, too, when the first answering machines came about. Do you?

3. Real Books…..I just don’t think so. Remember, this is their list, not mine. But, I do not think real books will ever go out of style. At least, I hope not. I have a Kindle, and I like it OK…but it in no way compares to a book! The feel of a book, the turning of the pages, the smell of the print and the dust, the yellowing of the edges on older ones…you just can’t get all that in a piece of plastic with words that scroll on a screen! Long Live Books…in their original form!

4. Being Lost…..The GPS has taken care of that! Don has one that is built into his truck, I have a portable one, and now my new phone has one built into it! I guess if you are techno savvy enough, you’ll have it made. I have no illusions that I will ever be techno savvy…..and am sure I will forever rely on the kindness of my children! Now, Alex did something to my phone, so he could tell where I am at any time. His phone, which is just like mine, will tell him and even show him on a map where I am!!!!! I left and went to my friend Bonnie’s house and he said he could follow me on the map the whole way! I’m not sure if I like that or not. Sometimes, it’s nice to just get lost and nobody know where you are for a few hours, don’t ya think? I wonder if I turn my phone off if I could disappear…just don’t think I like being tracked. When you think about it…(and I know Alex was just playing with it)…that could be quite scary. But, having the GPS in the phone is a nice feature.

5. Music Videos on MTV…..Alex answered this one for me. He says you can only watch the videos on there late at night or early in the morning. The programming is mostly taken up by reality shows and the like. According to Alex, Fuse is the place to watch music videos. I never heard of it, either. The singers still make the videos, he says. And, you can also see them on the Internet anytime you like.

6. Walkmans…..Oh, yes, I know I bought a many of these for my 3 boys! How great it was to be able to carry your music around with you! You just HAD to have one, with a certain kind of earphones that gave the best sound. And, to be honest, I had one, too. But, these are gone, too, and the cute little cassette tapes with them. What do you do with all those cassette tapes that had such wonderful music on them? And, I have several that were recordings of my children. Sad, a little.

7. The Glory Days of Nick at Night…Alex got the biggest smile on his face when I read this one to him. “Those were the best times,” he said, “me and Ian and Adam would watch all those old shows.” I asked him which ones he remembered. “Get Smart was the best, but it came on at 8:00,and that’s when my bedtime was. I would always try to sneak into you and Daddy’s bedroom and watch it real quiet.” I asked if I ever caught him. “Sometimes”, he said. He told me they also loved to watch the original Batman with Adam West, and Green Acres. What fun and innocent shows to watch. Compared to the filth on now, it’s enough to make you want to throw your TV out the window! I would hate to have little ones watching what is on these days.

8. Czechoslovakia….. Czechoslovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe, which existed from October 1918, until 1992. On 1 January 1993, Czechoslovakia peacefully split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Oh, well…it was a hard word to say AND spell, anyway!

9 Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator…..I don’t get this one. Why can’t they watch the old movies? Alex said he thought it may be because Arnold can’t make any more new ones…he’s too old! His words…not mine!

10. Tan M & M’s…..In 1995, the candy head honchos ran a promotion to let the consumer vote on which color would replace ‘Tan’. The choices were Blue…Pink…or Purple. ‘Blue’ was the winner and ‘Tan’ faded away as ‘Blue’ came to the forefront! As I was checking this one out, I saw that there are petitions and FB pages in place in an attempt to ‘Bring Back Tan’.

They went on on to add ‘watches’, ‘writing in cursive’, and ‘the awesomness that was Nirvana’…that was a rock band…and I knew that….Curt Cobain and Courtney Love.

Well, that’s it. That’s their list. What would you add to the list? Here’s a few of the things I remember coming into the marketplace…and leaving.

These are some of the things I remember at their beginning. I can vividly remember getting our first color TV. I do not remember the year, but it was before 1963, because we moved from that house about then. I recall that Joy and I were disappointed that all the programs were not in color! The first color TV system began commercial broadcasting in 1953…the year I was born! And, actually, the cable TV programs began the same year. Then came a product called ‘Lazy Bones’ in 1956. Can you guess what it was? That’s right…the remote control! But, it is very much still in use!

I had my own transistor radio when I was a school girl. As did most of my little friends. I do remember how disappointed I was when I realized that it would not run forever, due to a dumb thing called ‘batteries’! And, I felt even worse when Pop told me that I had to buy the new batteries with MY allowance! I ask you, is that fair???? 🙂 A few years later, I had an 8 track tape player put into my car. Then came the cassette tapes, and they are about gone now.

I don’t know if this is still done in other places, but it has ceased here….Home milk delivery. I can barely remember Mom having me to put the empty bottles on the front porch, and bringing the milk inside the next morning.

I recall when we bought Adam an Atari, one of the first video gaming systems. He was 5 or 6. And, I also remember when the talk started going around about the World Wide Web…not that I understood it, just remember folks talking about it.

Oh, time passes and the things we think are so important come and go, fade out and something else,in, and we so quickly forget what was and look ahead to the next new thing. And, I suppose there always will be that…the next new thing. As long as God allows this world to continue and smart men and women dream. Dedicated scientists and doctors spend their lives trying to rid the world of diseases and illness. I pray so often for someone to discover a way to help those who suffer with cerebellar atrophy, like Alex. And you have diseases that are more real to you that you want to see eradicated. Other scientists look for ways to bring food and water to the millions who will die of starvation, if someone doesn’t help. Tiny babies with swollen stomachs and sad eyes never learn to smile, for their lives on this earth are so miserable. So many inquisitive minds full of great intelligence will never learn any more than the ways of their elders because there is no one to go to their village and teach. No one to open up the wonders of this world to those who want so badly to know.

God help the great minds today use their gifts for the greater good of all people. To serve those with little chance of a better life if they don’t. Help me remember that I have a part to play in the global community, as well. I must pray…daily…for these. I must contribute my monies to programs that promote the right things. Help us to all be more mindful. Amen.

EDITTED: You have added typewriters, and ice trays! Also carbon paper and mimeograph copies.What else can you think of? Here’s some more: home hair dryers, Cracker Jacks with a REAL prize, Magic Decoder Ring, Cartoons and Serials at the movies, joy ar receiving a quarter, playing outside after dark till parents called you in! Sending in box tops for a prize….I actually remember sending in actual box tops. Now there is a tiny little square on the box that you send in…and they still call it a box top!

My! I have been surrounded by death all the last few weeks. We lost 2 fine men in our church recently. Then, yesterday, one of the dearest women, went on to glory! She wasn’t my aunt, but that’s what I called her…Aunt Eunice. She taught me piano for many years, and was organist in our church. Her daughter and I were close and I went on summer vacation with them many times to Gatlinburg, Tenn. She knew the Bible, chapter and verse. And, she became a wonderful Bible teacher to many newly marrieds in our church. She could explain Revelation better than anyone I knew. She will be missed…but she is where she has always wanted to go.

For as long as I can remember, my parents and she and her husband had been good friends. She has been quite feeble lately and in a wheelchair. She was not able to be out and about much. But, after Mom died, she made it a point to call me one day. She had quite a few questions about Mom, and was concerned that Mom had suffered or been in pain before she died. I explained to her that Mom had only a few minutes of pain, before she left her house, but no more after that. She was so happy to hear this. She cried a little and then she said, “I just had to make sure.” She then told me how much she loved Mom and Pop, and Joy and I. And, I reminded her of how much we loved her. We then said our good-byes. Aunt Eunice, you were a special lady. I’ll miss you.

And this morning, I got a call from my cousin, Lisa, in NC. She had the sad news that my mother’s sister, Aunt Della Mae had died. As far as I know this was not expected.

She was a dear, sweet lady. Her husband, Uncle Jefferson, died quite a few years ago. My cousins Kaye, Tony, Jeanie, and Kim adored her. They had given her quite a few grandchildren…who she enjoyed very much. I am just so sad to know that her children, my cousins, are going through what Joy and I did recently. And, as with Mother, she did not linger in pain. I am so thankful for that. Her children have sweet memories, and those will give them comfort. But, most importantly, they know she is in Heaven today with her Savior. I imagine that Mother was there to greet her with open arms!

Here is a picture made in 2007, of Mom and her brother and 3 sisters. Aren’t they all beautiful? They are all such wonderful people. These aunts have been in my life since I was born, even though we lived 600 miles apart. I am so thankful for that. I am blessed to have watched and learned from them. And, my thoughts and prayers are with them, her brother, and the rest of the family as they deal with the next few days and weeks.

L-to-R…Marie…Mom…Elwood…Della Mae…Evelyn

I love this passage from 2 Corinthians…

2 Corinthians 5…NLT

” ¹ For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. ² We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. ³ For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.^{[a] 4} While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it‚Äôs not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. ⁵ God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

⁶ So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. ⁷ For we live by believing and not by seeing. ⁸ Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. ¹⁰ For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.” AMEN and AMEN

With all the talk being ‘back-to-school’, it brought back some memories from long ago, when my own children were in school. I had many friends and co-workers whose children were along the same age and grades as mine. The times we were together, the talk would always turn to *the great grades their child was making* the scholarships they were getting* their grade point average* graduating HS early* awards they were receiving* etc., etc., etc.

And, because I loved these friends and their children, I was very happy for them. And, they had a right to be proud. But, my child was not on that level. He struggled in school. He worked very hard to get a ‘C’. A ‘B’ was THE most wonderful thing. Just finishing a project on time and remembering to turn it in was a major accomplishment. We struggled to keep up enough to pass. And, it had nothing to do with intelligence. It had nothing to do with ability. It had nothing to do with ‘want to’. It all had to do with ‘learning differently’. Some children can read a book and then sit and write a book report on it and pass a fill in the blank test. Other children read that book and actually go to that place and fight the dragons and save the princess…they live the book. They probably couldn’t pass that fill in the blank test…but that book is now a part of their soul. Which one is right?

So many times, we get caught up in seeing our children excelling…and it is important to have a goal and strive to meet it. But, for some, the goals must be different. There is, however, the same sense of accomplishment when met. I see parents who push and pull and punish and make it their responsibility to get their child through school with the highest grade point average ever. When a mother or father sits with their children as they do every single bit of their homework, every night…I want to tell them to ‘get a grip’! Homework should be done by the child. I’m not saying not to help when they get bogged down…but, so they miss some, that’s what it’s all about. New subject…work on problems…get some right…good…get some wrong…figure out why…LEARNING! But, if you have sit beside them and do it all with them, where is their opportunity to make some mistakes? There is nothing wrong with missing some on a test. There is nothing wrong with getting a ‘C’ or a ‘B’. What IS wrong is for them not to do THEIR best.

I think what I am trying to say is this. When you are in a group of friends, talking about your children…remember to include all the children. Celebrate the goals reached…even if they are not the same. And, this may come as a surprise to you, but…every child is not cut out for college! That’s right! And, that’s OK. Maybe it is a JR. college. Maybe it’s a training program. Maybe it’s going to work and being an apprentice to a craftsman. And, this is all honorable. When we were building The Creek House, it was staggering how much the hourly wage was for the man who laid our stacked stone fireplace. It is a work of art. But, a dying one. What a shame. Are their students who would love to work with their hands and create their own works of art, but are pushed and pulled to go to THE right college?

I was in Texas one summer with my family, and we stopped by a T-shirt stand, reading all the clever sayings that had printed on them. One of my boys came to me, and quietly said, “Look, Mom, I wish I had this one.” I looked at the one he was holding and it said, “THE WORLD IS RUN BY ‘C’ STUDENTS’. Finally, some acknowledgment of the average, middle of the road student. Finally, someone had said that these students mattered as much as those who were getting 2 or 3 degrees. We bought the shirt…he wore it proudly.

Is your world run by ‘C’ students? Who fixes your car, who cuts and sells the lumber you use to build this or that? Who comes and cleans your pool, who plants your yard and keeps it free of debris? Who runs the cleaners, the gas station, the zippy mart? Who grooms your dog, who resoles your shoes, who brings food to the farmers market? Who cleans your church, unstops your toilet, who fixes your quarter pounder with cheese, who paints your house? And, we could go on and on.

“For the Lord has blessed you in all the work of your hands.” Deuteronomy 2:7

All work is honorable. And, all who do honest work are to be admired.

Stop and think about the world you live in…and be thankful that there are ‘C’ students in it ! Hey, you may even want to thank them once in a while! They would love it!

Yes, yes, yes…I’m moving on up in years. But, I really don’t mind, I have only 1 other choice…and I’m not ready for that…well, I’m ready…just not homesick!

Anyway. A few years ago, in some reading, some where…I read this story about Julie Andrews.

To commemorate her birthday, actress/vocalist, Julie Andrews made a special
appearance at Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall for the benefit of the AARP.
One of the musical numbers she performed was ‘My Favorite Things’ from the legendary movie
‘Sound Of Music’. Here are the lyrics she used:
(Sing It!) – If you sing it, its especially hysterical!!!

Maalox and nose drops and needles for knitting,
Walkers and handrails and new dental fittings,
Bundles of magazines tied up in string,
These are a few of my favorite things.
Cadillacs and cataracts ,and hearing aids and glasses,
Polident and Fixodent and false teeth in glasses,
Pacemakers, golf carts and porches with swings,
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the pipes leak, When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
I simply remember my favorite things,
And then I don’t feel so bad.

Hot tea and crumpets and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy hot food or food cooked with onions,
Bathrobes and heating pads and hot meals they bring,
These are a few of my favorite things.
Back pain, confused brains and no need for sinnin’,
Thin bones and fractures and hair that is thinnin’,
And we won’t mention our short shrunken frames,
When we remember our favorite things.

When the joints ache, When the hips break,
When the eyes grow dim,
Then I remember the great life I’ve had,
And then I don’t feel so bad.
(Ms. Andrews received a standing ovation from the crowd that lasted over
four minutes and repeated encores)

Very clever, huh? Soon after that, my friend, Bonnie, and I were celebrating our birthdays, just a few days apart. This was while I was still working. And, we knew there was going to be a party. I thought that it would be fun to surprise the rest of the teachers by singing this to them after they sang Happy Birthday to us. But, the more I looked at the verses, the more I realized that it was written for folks way older than us…and it would never do. So, I began working on my own version. Bonnie and I talked back and forth, and finally we had it right. Now the verses fit these ‘middle ages’ much better. We did indeed surprise the rest of the teachers…and they loved it! We did NOT, however, receive a 4 minute standing ovation! 🙂

So, here is our version…and remember…it’s funnier if you sing it!

MY FAVORITE THINGS

REVISED for the 50-something crowd…by Tonja Owens
—————————————————-
Maalox and eye drops and clothes that aren’t fitting,
Holding the handrails and cushions for sitting,
Sweating profusely that hot flashes bring,
These are a few of our favorite things.

Gravity and cataracts and hearing aids and gasses,
Correctol and prilosec and bifocal glasses,
Weddings and grandkids and porches with swings,
These are a few of our favorite things.

When the ‘pipes’ leak,
When the bones creak,
When the knees go bad,
We simply remember our favorite things,
And then we don’t feel so bad.

Toast and hot coffee and corn pads for bunions,
No spicy dishes or food cooked with onions,
Elastic waist pants and the old songs we sing,
These are a few of our favorite things.

Back pain, confused brains, and no time for sinnin’,
Old friends and new friends and lines made from grinnin’,
Being so careful while spreading our wings,
These are just some of our favorite things.

When the joints ache,
When the hips break,
When the eyes go dim,
Then we just remember the great fun we’ve had,
And then we don’t feel so bad.

Fun…..Friends…..Memories !