What Does It Matter?

My Mom has walked this out in her life. She has never been a "me first' kind of person...always an "others first and last " kind of person. She has given me the finest example of how to live and love... Please God, make me more like her.

Nothing's a greater challenge than present day's endeavor.....

Nothings a greater challenge than this present day's endeavor....sure. Because we HAVE to get it done today, right? We have to complete the list, get things in order, be prepared. Really? Don't get me wrong, I am the queen of preparedness and planning ahead...once in while it pays off, but usually life goes on and it mattered very little whether i was prepared or not. There is ONE THING we must prepare for....meeting our maker. Because meet Him we will either alive and by choice, or thru death kicking and screaming. We will all find ourselves face to face with truth and pure love and total righteousness. On my own i cannot stand before this righteous God- because i am not pure. Ah! but oh happy day- that day I chose to meet Him, and accept Him as my savior, my redeemer, my cleanser from all unrighteousness...and He extended to me His own righteousness in exchange. I'm ready. My Mom is ready. I had the humbling, awesome, priviledge to pray with her many years ago as she made the choice, willingly, to meet, to receive, to accept Jesus- as more than just her friend, but her Savior and Lord. She's told us she's ready to go and live with Him forever. She's looking forward to being reunited with my Dad. It's not important that you get everything right. But It is essential that you get this right.

Peace on Earth

greater, stronger, surer

In honor of my Dad

In honor of my Dad, Loren Carlson, who died 43 years ago today...I miss you so

Skydiving may not be for you.....

Making Plans....

No time to Vote

No time to pen a note...no time to cast a vote.... Here's a clue as to what was important to my mom: family, me- (that's my note to her) voting, singing, doing right, loving people, her history: she took the time to sketch a picture of the home she grew up in. Also a reminder that time is fleeting and you'll miss out on the best things if you're not careful. Words to the wise. P.S. I Love you, Mom

The Sweetest of times

A little late for sweetest day when they got engaged....but this is from high school went they met....author unkown

Every morning starts a new page in your story.

- from Mom's journal. So lately Mom has had her days and nights mixed up....she sleeps in her chair all day, and then is up bright eyed and bushy-tailed at midnight. The nurses at the care center told me, come up at midnight and we'll buzz you in. So I went last night. They buzzed me in and there she was sitting with all the night staff- having milk and cookies. She looked up and said,That's my daughter!" ahhh such lovely words to me...we sat and i fed her cookies, got some more milk for her, she kept asking me to help her change into street clothes and pack a few things so we could leave.:( She talked about us getting on a plane. (smile) We took a few vacations together to Washington D.C. and Florida and had such good times. Here's some prayers from her journal, and words to live by, which she has.

When she was good , she was very very good

ok, i know this is blowing someone's mind...lol The quote is from her journal; the book is one she read and loved. My mom was good, really good and pure, but she had a heart for "bad" girls. Especially the rejected and neglected. She told me when i was a young lady, that it was the good girls who ended up in trouble (code back then for you got pregnant out of marriage) She said this was because good girls weren't planning on being bad. Bad girls planned for it, accordingly. My father was quite the practical joker who loved teasing my sweet mother by telling stories that while they had truth in them- left out crucial details. Example #1. On Sweetest Day 1941 while at my Dad's house, his Dad offered my Mom some homemade wine. She had a few sips and not being a drinker at all, felt sick. His sisters had her lay down in their bed. While she was resting, my father came in and proposed marriage to her. She accepted. He'd tell me your mother was drunk and in bed when i proposed. She'd be horrified, and quickly fill in the missing details.... he would giggle. Example #2. He'd tell me, that they married on July 12th and their son was born on July 13th. True....however he failed to say they married in 1942, and their son was born in July of 1943. Again, my Mom would be horrified, firmly correct the record and Dad would giggle. I would be horrified too, and scold my Dad, and he would laugh. Hmmm wonder what kind of jokes he's be pulliing on us now.

The quote was in her journal..the picture is of Ginny Thrasher- this year's first gold medalist for USA in shooting. I don't know what my mom thought about guns. My dad had a collection of rifles. We shot into a trap in our basement. That's right, my daddy put a gun in my hand...I got a bullseye. My cousin, put a handgun in my hand out at the farm. My kids took me shooting a a gun range- insisting that i take a turn and shoot...and i got a bullseye. Now, I own 2 guns. If trouble comes knocking on my door- I'm calling 911 and The Lord, not neccessarily in that order....and then I'm loadin' and rackin', while i wait.

we remember moments....

We remember moments, not days. true. we recall a memory , a specific moment in time and how we felt at that moment. But we do not remember what time we got up that day, what was eaten, what other mundane things happened on that day....just that "moment". We go out into the world everyday and interact with dozens of people...but then, there is that "one". Perhaps they were extra kind, or maybe they hurt you, or told a joke. Maybe it was not you that was involved but you witnessed a interaction between others and it left an imprint on your heart and in your mind. When I think of my mom, and my life growing up, there is one moment that immediately come to mind. I was about 10yrs old. She was in the kitchen and i was standing in the hallway doorway. I dont recall what i had said, but she replied, "I like you. Your are my daughter and I have to love you, but I like you". I don't think I've ever had a complement that meant more to me. To this day when i think of it... I feel special and loved and unique and accepted. Thanks Mom. ( I like you too)

The Real People

To have a friend when old...

These are my mom's high school friends...and her thoughts on friendship

God Bless America

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." - Adlai Stevenson My Mother is a patriot. Not a showy, loud defender of democracy....but a quiet believer in a good government, good people, and best intentions. Her and my Dad always voted, and kept their vote private. Although when I was going to register to vote my very first time, she admitted, she was a republican and daddy was a democrat.

little old ladies

I've been on many a road trip with my mom. It always seemed when we were driving any distance that we'd get so caught up talking that we'd miss our exit (several times) and end up laughing as we turned around. She is the only person I've ever met who actually liked driving behind a semi-truck...she said, " I like to follow them becasue i figure they know where they're going"...lol apparently it was irrevelant if that was the same place we were headed.

A glimpse into the humor & heart of my Mom.

Neva is my Mom. She has alzheimers. Recently i found a notebook she kept and pasted poems, notes, jokes, pictures in that she liked. There was a note in the front cover that said "I think Linda would enjoy this"

Boy, was she right....I love this! ( i keep one like it myself) but this is special...this is personal...this is a note from My Mom to me..things she thought worthy of keeping and repeating. So my intent is to share some to these with you, and in doing so, give you a glimpse into the humor & heart of My Mom, Neva.