Alex and I recieved a great surprise today. Don came home from work early…which is unusual unless he is sick. He walked in, and then we heard an awful noise. Alex and I heard it at the same time…and went running. We did not know what was going on. But, when we got to the door…SURPRISE!!!

Meet Finn…as in Huckleberry Finn. He’s only 6 weeks old….and just a big pile of cute!

He’s so sleepy. And, whimpering…just a little. Don has gone to get him some food and a collar. Meantime, Alex and I have been giving him a spa treatment…well, a bath, at least.

Getting comfortable…

I think he’s found out it’s gonna be quite comfortable here….’Nite, ‘Nite

I wonder if you are like me in this respect. Sometimes, just one word can send my mind back in time to a memory I didn’t even know about. It’s like the memory is there all along…waiting to come forth when triggered by the right word. That is what happened to me today. Just a word I read from another blogger sent me back to the time I remember spending with my Granddaddy Townsend.

I can not tell you much that is specific about him. The memories I have are more of a feeling. I can remember staying with he and my Grandmother. There was also an aunt who lived with them. He would be gone to his store by the time I would get up in the morning.

His store was a little grocery store in downtown Atlanta. In my mind, it is a corner store. That maybe right or not. But, I do have memories of being inside the store. The picture above shows him behind the counter . I remember the smell of that cigar. The store had a wooden floor and several aisles. There was a meat counter in the back. My granddaddy got his start in business as a butcher in larger stores. Several of his sons followed him into the same business. Being in the store, I remember an upright box of cold drinks on one side…no coke machines. And, he would always go to the box and get Joy and I a YooHoo drink.

Do you know what that is? I think you can still buy them in places…they are a chocolate drink…not milk, just a chocolate drink. But, to Joy and I they were the best things on the world. One of the things you had to do with a YooHoo was SHAKE IT! I think that was part of the fun! About half way through, you would have to put your thumb over the top and try to shake it again because the chocolate had settled. This was before we had the screw on tops. I never remember having one anywhere else than in his store, or his home. When he came home from work at night, he would always have one of those cardboard cartons that hold 6 bottle drinks filled with more of delicious drink!

We were excited! We would have one with supper, and then 2 for the next day….just enough to last till he got home from work again. Though I don’t remember any conversation I ever had with him, just this act shows me that he wanted these 2 grandchildren to feel special. Cause I’m pretty sure he didn’t take a carton of 6 YooHoo’s home for my Grandmother and Aunt!

After dinner, he would go into the den. There was a fireplace and a television and a radio. And, cigars…lots of cigars. It was always hot and funky smelling in the room. Iwould go in and sit on the arm of his chair, but I’d never stay very long. The TV was always on an Atlanta Braves game. And, if there wasn’t a Braves game on TV…there was some game….somewhere….on the radio. And he and Grandmother would sit and listen. Doing nothing, but sitting and listening. I thought it was pretty boring.

I have another memory of him, and it’s just a glimpse. We were in Atlanta with our parents, and we all went to church together…just the main worship service. I can remember that it was a big church. When the ushers began to take up the offering, he leaned over and gave me a $5.00 bill. Wow! This was something very unusual for me. We were very active in church, attending Sunday School and Worship Service, Sunday Night and Wednesday night. Every Sunday morning, Pop would fill out our offering envelope. We would check if we had read our Bible, or studied the lesson or contacted anyone who did not go to church. Then, he would give us some change. We would slip it into the envelope and lick the 2 little dabs of glue and close it up tight. Then it would go into our Bibles to be turned in to our Sunday School teacher. So even though we always took an offering to church…we never got to put money in the offering plate when it would pass in front of us every Sunday. The fact that I had 5 dollars…5 whole dollars, was really a treat for me! There was the offering plate…being passed down the row in front of mine. I could see other bills mounding up on the plate…all wadded up like they wanted to keep it secret how much that piece of green paper was worth. Not me…I was proud that I had a great big ‘ole $5.oo bill. So, I laid it out on my lap and smoothed out all the wrinkles as best I could. I kept on smoothing until the plate got in front of me. I carefully lay my beautiful offering on top of the mountain of other bills. It balanced just so on top, and it gave me such pleasure to see it there. I knew God was looking at that offering, and that He was pleased. I was giving Him 5 whole dollars! Then…TRAGEDY! As I passed the plate to my Mom, the offering blew off the top and landed on the floor. She was not happy. She did not like any kind of disturbance…even if it was an accident. I looked at her…wide eyed and scared. “Get it!”, she said in a tense whisper. I hopped down and got it off the floor and put it in her outstretched hand. She took that beautiful $5.00 bill and folded it! Folded it up tight, I tell you! Then she put it in the plate that Pop was holding and it passed on to many other rows. And, my offering got covered up and mixed in with all the rest. I thought for sure I was going to get a ‘talking to’ after church. But, it was never mentioned. Sometime later, after we were back in Dothan, I asked her why she folded up my $5 when she put it back in the plate. And, she explained to me that we should never be boastful over the things we had. And, we should never flaunt our blessings over anyone else. When we put money in the offering plate it should be done humbly…never proudly. It was a valuable lesson I learned that day.

The last memory I have is when we went to Atlanta to see him in the hospital. I didn’t know that he was very sick with cancer. Just that he was in the hospital. Joy and I were allowed to go up to his room and we went in and spoke to him. We stayed just a minute…gave him a hug….and then we were ushered out. The last image I have of him was of tears running down his face.

I asked Mom later why Granddaddy was crying when we left. And, she explained to me that he was very sad. He knew how sick he was, and that he would not see us again this side of heaven. How sad he really must have been. Not just not to see us, but knowing how close to death he was. He was a good man, and raised a big family…..7 sons and 1 daughter. From what Pop has told me, he always worked hard…with a family that large, he had to.

I so wish that I had more pictures of him. And, I wish that I could remember more about him. I wish I could remember a conversation we had. But, that will never be in this life. I was so young…and never knew him at a time that I would remember. But, these little snitches that I do recall, make me long for more. I think I would have found him very interesting. And, I bet he had some excellent stories to tell.

However, he knew me. And brought me YooHoo drinks. And, made a little girl feel bigger by giving her money for the offering plate. And, he was sad that he would not see us grow up. Sounds like a pretty good guy.

All that……and he gave me my Pop, too!

Suzanne and Adam are in Birmingham today. She had a procedure done at 8:30, and Adam is having the 10th surgery on his eye. I talked to Suze yesterday, and told her I would be on my knees in prayer. Well, I tried, really I did. But, I could only stay on my knees for about 20 minutes…but I continued praying and reading the Bible quite a while longer…from the couch! You understand. While I was reading, I read again this chapter from Psalms and it is so beautiful. It fills my heart with joy and confidence and trust in God. I felt quite compelled to share it with you today.

Psalm 139…New Living Translation

A psalm of David.

¹ O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
² You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
³ You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
⁴ You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
⁵ You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!

⁷ I can never escape from your Spirit!
I can never get away from your presence!
⁸ If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the grave, you are there.
⁹ If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
and your strength will support me.
¹¹ I could ask the darkness to hide me
and the light around me to become night—
¹² but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
Darkness and light are the same to you.

¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.

¹⁷ How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
¹⁸ I can‚Äôt even count them;
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
you are still with me!…..

……. ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
²⁴ Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life

EDIT: Just talked to Suzanne and all is well with her….Adam is in surgery now.

EDIT, 2: Adam is out of surgery, and the doctor is pleased with the way everything looks.

Thank you, God

Do you have trouble finding somewhere to be alone? It seems to me that as the world gets bigger and faster, more and more of it is being taken up with ‘progress’. While it seems difficult to find, there are plenty of places in the world where you can still be the only living soul around. Not so sure I’d like that. ( Well, maybe on an island in the South Pacific ) . Those pictured here have gone to extreme lengths to find this solo experience.

I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least – and it is commonly more than that – sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements. ~Henry David Thoreau

We live in a very tense society. We are pulled apart… and we all need to learn how to pull ourselves together…. I think that at least part of the answer lies in solitude. ~Helen Hayes

No man should go through life without once experiencing healthy, even bored solitude in the wilderness, finding himself depending solely on himself and thereby learning his true and hidden strength. ~Jack Kerouac

I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion. ~Henry David Thoreau

I don’t think this one actually qualifies, do you? His best friend is along for his walk. However, your best friend does tend to know when you need silence.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Hope you find your own quiet spot…and, don’t stand so close to the edge! It makes me nervous!

On the way home Sunday, Joy drove me through a new part of the Eastdale shopping mall in Montgomery. We were glad to see a new Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts there. We decided to go in quickly and check it out…and to stretch our legs…and to use the restroom. We meandered through the aisles. Everything was so orderly and clean. We enjoyed browsing. Our Jo-Ann closed a good while back and we miss it!

Joy went to check out and get the car. I waited in line, and my turn came up.

Boy: How you, Ma’am?

Tonja: I’m great, and how about you?

Boy: I’m OK, too.

Tonja: Isn’t that on sale?

Boy: No, it is ringing up 2.99.

Tonja: No…I got them in a bin that was marked $1.00.

Boy: I’ll call the manager.

He finished all the other things, and we were waiting on the manager. While I was in the store, I found a newspaper with a coupon. So, I gave it to him.

Boy: I don’t think you can use this, it’s the 25th.

Tonja: Are you sure? (yes) Do you have a cell phone? (yes) Would you check it? (he did)

Boy: It says 25.

Tonja: Let me check my phone….oh, it says 25, too. OK, I just lost a day somewhere.

A well dressed OLDER LADY was in line behind me.

OLDER LADY: I know the way to settle this. (and she reached into her bag and pulled out a calendar on her checkbook) This is always right. I use it all the time. Look here, sugar, it’s the 25th!

Tonja: Well, I guess I’ll have to accept it. My coupon’s no good.

Lady: You remember, we went to Gulf Shores this week end. ( I has never seen her before)

Tonja: Oh! I had forgotten.

Lady: Well, I want to tell you something. And, you can write it down. And, you can tell anybody you want to. There weren’t no oil on that beach. It was beautiful. I just don’t know if those ‘Bippy’ people are telling us the truth. I’m just not sure.

Tonja: Well, I hear it’s not bothering the people in Panama City or Destin, either. Their beaches are still looking nice.

Lady: Well. there ya go! What have I been telling you? It’s just those crazy Bippy folks. You live here in Montgomery?

Tonja: No, Ma’am, I live in Dothan.

Lady: That’s a wonderful town…our pastor came from there. We love him. Y’all should never have let him go. And, you can’t have him back.

Tonja: And, what is his name?

Lady: L*wson Bry*n.

Tonja: Oh, I remember him. I did not go to his church, but I had several friends who did, and they loved him. He was well respected in the community, too.

Lady: Well,they’ll never get him back. We got him now. Was he your preacher?

Tonja: No, Ma’am. I went to another church.

Lady: He’s a fine man. He had a church in Dothan. We really like him. Did you go to church with him?

Tonja: Boy, it is hot here in Montgomery! Are you staying cool?

Lady: There ain’t much cool here. I try to stay home.

Tonja: Me, too! It’s too hot getting in and out of the car.

Lady: Well, It doesn’t look you went to church this morning.

Tonja: No. No, I didn’t. I’ve been in Birmingham for a wedding and I’m heading home now.

Lady: Is it cool in your car?

Tonja: Yes Ma’am. Very cool.

Lady: I DID go to church this morning and our air conditioner was busted or something. It was hot. I love my church. We’ve got a great new preacher. He came from Dothan.

Boy: (He had been listening intently and was obviously enjoying this exchange very much..so he thought he ‘d get involved, too) to me……..”.Hey, aren’t you from Dothan?”

Tonja: Why,yes, I am.

Boy: I bet you knew her new preacher…L*****B*****.

Tonja: No, don’t think I’ve heard of him.

Lady: Well, you must not cause he is the best preacher we ever had. He came from Dothan.

*********All this was done completely straight faced! The young man was enjoying it very much***********

Tonja: Do you think that manager is still looking?

Boy: (on microphone) Mr. Brown….Mr. Brown……to check out.

Mr. Brown comes ambling up…not in any particular hurry…

Boy: Did you find out about these boxes? They ring up $2.99, and she says she got them in a bin that states $1.00.

Mr. Brown: to me….Where did you get them? …….I told him….. Well, you can have them for $1.oo…but they are really in the wrong place. …….And then he said, “People always trying to get something for nothing.” ******He really did…He said that.******

Now, friends, I try to be so careful. I want to always say things that are kind and helpful to others. I try to let unkind words roll off my back. But, his words….they just got stuck right around my backbone and I had to speak up….you understand…I had to……

Tonja: to clerk…Will you call Mr. Brown again? He did. Mr. Brown came up and asked the boy what he needed, now? The boy said this lady needs to speak to you.

Tonja: Sir, I was offended by what you said when you walked off. I am not trying to get something for nothing. The package( of 4 small container) were in a bin marked a dollar. And obviously it was intentional because there are many more in that bin. If you had walked over there you would have seen it and known I was just going on what the sign said.

Mr. Brown: Well,they were marked wrong.

Tonja: And, I would know that….how…?

Mr. Brown: ignoring me…He told the boy again to charge me a dollar. And, he walked off…never apologizing.

Lady: (whispering to me)…You think he’s mean…or just a little slow…if ya know what I mean?

Tonja: I think it’s a little of both!

I paid my bill, and was gathering my packaging while he checked out the church lady.

Lady: Ain’t that just something? I’m betting he didn’t go to church today either. Where did you say you went to church?

Tonja: Well, I live in Dothan, and I go to Southside Baptist Church there.

Lady: I guess Baptists are OK…like the Methodists better, myself. Hey, I think we got our pastor from Dothan!

Tonja: Was it L*wson Bry*n?

Lady: Yes!!! That’s who it was!! We just love him! Would you want to go to church with me tonight?

Tonja: I’m sorry, I’d love to, but see that car and that Lady in the drivers seat? She’s ready to go and she’s not going to slow down till we get to Dothan.

Lady: Dothan? That’s where our pastor came from!!!

Tonja: Bye now! Tell L*awson I said hello! (he does not know me)

Lady: Bye, now, Sugar!

*******************************************************************************

And that’s what happened on Sunday, July 25, 2010 in Montgomery, AL! I told Joy about it when I got into the car and we had a good laugh. And, I had another good laugh as I wrote it down for you. I’m not laughing at her, understand. She’s probably a whole lot smarter than she acted. But, the whole incident was just fun! I think these little ‘journeys to the delightful’ are a gift from God. Just a little escape from the sameness and everyday. I bet we could all experience more of these if we only take the time to look……..and listen.