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Sisters, Shock Collars, and Seeing Joy

October 6, 2011 in family, joy with 0 Comments

When the little American Eagle “crop duster” plane landed at the airport in Longview, Texas, I pressed my face up to the window hoping to catch a glimpse of my sister through the tinted airport windows. I couldn’t see her, but I knew she was there. Her anticipation was palpable.

Can you see me? My Blackberry delivered her message.

It seemed as if I’d never get off that plane, but finally my sister and I were a tan and white sister pretzel, all hugs and smiles.

We aren’t birth sisters, but we couldn’t be more bonded if we were. We’ve seen each other through some of the most beautiful seasons and some of the ugliest ones.
I can talk to her about absolutely anything with no concern about judgment or misunderstanding. We speak the truth to each other with nothing but each other’s best interest at heart.
I. am. blessed.
Yesterday, Karla asked me about my latest writing projects. (She’s my biggest fan ya know.) I just completed a short story about the miracle love story she’s living with her wonderful hubby, Bubba. Here’s a post I wrote about their story last year.

Most recently, I wrote an article called “How to Lose a Friend in Three Easy Steps” about what God taught me through a friendship broken by my own neediness.

Karla asked me to explain what brought the article about, so I shared the embarrassing story of being so needy and demanding that a friend had to write me a “Dear Lee” email telling me to get lost.
“The Lord is helping me make sure I keep healthy boundaries in my friendships,” I explained.
“Well, Lee, do we need to get you a shock collar? You know…to keep you in your boundaries?” Karla deadpanned.

And the laughing began. I was taking myself way too seriously, and she took care of that. We do that for each other.
Yesterday, we moseyed over to Linden, Texas to visit our cowboy dad in the nursing home. He was pretty sleepy, but he did open one eye and give us a looking over.
I never got him to say my name or an “I love you,” but I got to hold his tremory hand and kiss his forehead. He gave me a tiny peck on the cheek, too.
I sang all the songs in my repertoire: Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, I’ll Fly Away. The only song he joined in on was the little ditty, “I love you a bushel and a peck…a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck.”

I mentioned to him that it was Mom’s birthday. He and Mom were married for 33 years before divorcing in 1990.  ”Dad, what do you think Mable’s doing today?”

“Shopping,” he uttered as quick as a blink. Some things, he’ll never forget.

After visiting with Dad, Karla and I drove to Jefferson, a town close by known for its antique shops and bed and breakfasts.

We had a homestyle lunch at the cutest little diner I’ve ever seen, a new place called Beje’s Diner.

Not only was the food yummy, the owner was walking around the place with her “Jesus Christ: The Real Thing” t-shirt on.

Karla was in the market for some inexpensive end tables, so we scoured the local shops and found just the ones she had in mind. I thoroughly enjoyed browsing through the antique shops. Around every dusty corner, I saw something that reminded me of my childhood.

Hollie Hobbie Christmas glasses. Old picture books with all-too-familiar covers. Dishware with those cute little Campbell’s Soup kids on them.

Today, we did a little shopping and stopped over to visit with my dear friend, Toni Tate. Toni’s in a long-term rehab center learning how to walk again after having her leg amputated. The last time I saw her, she was still waiting for her stump to heal so she could have her prosthetic leg fitted. Well, today, I got to see her walking! She still needs a walker at this point, but she was upright and on two feet! I wish I’d thought to take a photo, but I think I was so overjoyed, I couldn’t take my eyes off her!

Seeing her walk was like seeing joy.

Joy. That settledness of spirit that whispers, “All is well.”

I’m only two days in on this little vacation, and I’d say things are going pretty well.

Tomorrow, my two Mississippi aunties are driving in to spend the weekend. If my Southern accent hasn’t returned already, it will happen within the hour of reuniting with those Southern belles.

Lord, thank you for such a sweet time with my family. A time to just relax and enjoy life. Thank you for my sister’s love, for the chance to sing to my daddy, for the sheer joy of seeing Toni walk, and for healing my needy heart without resorting to a shock collar. I’m laughing, and I’m loving. AMEN

Five Minute Fridays: Joy

September 16, 2011 in five minute friday, joy, pain with 2 Comments

It’s been a while since I participated in a “Five Minute Friday” post hosted by Lisa-Jo from The Gypsy Mama blog.

Seems as if Fridays have been especially hectic for the ol’ Leebird lately.

I’ll give it a go this week in honor of a sister-in-Christ I’ve never hugged. Twitter introduced me to a modern-day Rapunzel named Sara, aka Gitzen Girl. Sara has a rare disease that has left her homebound and in almost constant pain. She hasn’t left her condo in years. Social media has been her contact to the outside world, and boy has she made contact!

 Despite her difficulties, Sara’s life calling is to be God’s JOY ambassador. “Choose Joy” is her song.

While many women her age are raising babies or building careers, Sara lies in her bed under hospice care. Soon, she will meet her precious Savior IEL (in eternal life). Very soon, Sara’s joy will be complete. No more pain. No more restrictions. No more dreaming of what His face looks like. Soon, Sara will see Him as He is.

I, for one, am thankful God gifted me with Gitzen Girl on Twitter. The word “joy” will always remind me of her. Praying you home, dear one.

I hope you all will join me for this Five Minute Friday post on JOY. If you decide to be one of the cool people and join me, be sure to link your post up on Lisa-Jo’s post. (I linked her earlier) Five minutes…no worries about grammar or spelling…just let your heart spill out on the screen and see what you and God come up with!

Here’s my five minutes on JOY.

Breathing in the aroma of my bath bubbles, my heart crumbles.
My family is in crisis. Husband hurting and hopeless. Sons going their own way…a way that scares me and clinches at my momma heart. A home in chaos, and all I can do is cry in the tub.
I hear movement across the room. In the middle of his personal pain, my husband settles himself on the edge of the tub and bathes his bride. He scrubs down my achy back and massages cleansing cream onto my tired face. He washes my hair and rinses until every tangle is set free. 
My tears flow unhindered now as he tries to dab them away with a purple scrunchy sponge.
With swollen eyes, I struggle to make eye contact with my man. “I love you, Sweetie. I’ll have enough hope for both of us ’til you get yours back.”
He smiles ever so slightly and replies, “No more tears, Sweetie. You do the joy.”
Lord, the pain is deep but your joy is deeper. Like Gitzen Girl, may I choose joy and may that joy bring hope to my home once again.

(ok, ok, I took about seven minutes)

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