Saturday, January 7, 2017

It is a God thing

The snowy day project.
Instead of finishing the multitude of unfinished...just sayin'
Tonight, I started something new.
I have a million, or so pre-cuts that I got from online sales while in despair..
I found these tonight and started "Jelly Beans"  from Thimble Blossoms.
Of course, flying by the seat of my pants, as I do....I did not read the directions and put the corners on...all wrong.
Tomorrow is another iced in day.
The Charlotte snow day left us with barely a half an inch of snow..and plenty of ice.
Of course, school. closed on Monday.  The South cannot handle much winter weather.  Stephanie and Stasi cannot get into the neighborhood to help...All frozen out ...
Old tired me, with three young children and four animals..."snowed in"  ha ha.
I almost had a heart attack when I found the internet and TV with no power.
But the God thing kept the electricity on and soon the rest resumed.
Oh, well....we are doing the best we can.
I found the hidden Halloween candy..It .makes it so much easier..
Here we have the kids sledding with Zoe....Trying to make the most of a little bit of snow.
.My idea of joy...a nap by the fabric..
Evan wants to be a mechanical engineer...He put two flashlights into a green water cup..voila.
This may not be engineering stuff, but it is creative and that is what counts.


Guess what????
I have not talked to my son in forever.
We are having a snow storm and temperatures of 5 degrees F
Of course, I imagined my smart and kindhearted wonderful son
frozen to the pavement in his homeless location.
Alas...He called tonight quite chipper.
While flying his sign on the highway...
He saw a girl he knew from UNCC
She stopped and gave him a hotel for 4 nights
$50 gift card to the grocery store and $20.
He called from there to tell me not to worry.
He had a shower for the first time in a month.
It is a God thing.
The stories;
#1..I decided to call my mother's best friend to wish her Happy New Years.
She is 95 and lives alone.
It was in reaching out to someone else, that the gift became mine.
She knew my family well thru chats with my mother...as girl friends do.
She lost her own son a few years back from tongue cancer.
On this call, she leveled my mind.
She told me that the stress of the children still living now with their parents,
would be much worse for me, than the stress of them being here with Grandma.
Got me thinking...she was right.
From age 95, she told me that life was hard..for all of us.
She told me that she woke up one morning when she was young and her husband
was dead in the bed beside her..a heart attack..She had young children.
She said that when people ask her how she is...She always smiles and says "fine".
And when she says "fine". 
 It becomes  fine.
I do not know about that.....but..
I felt like I was talking to my mother again.


#2. I went to Walmart to prepare for this storm..
I live tucked in the woods with all my dogs and cats and three grands.
If it snows, I cannot get  up out of my driveway, nor can I get up out of my neighborhood.
I bought ice melt, dog food, cat litter, etc.
Sustenance for the family:  candy canes on sale for 27 cents, after Christmas sales.
.
Old Grandma needed help loading the supplies into the car.
Along came Tye, my very favorite of all workers there.
As he loaded, we chatted.
He and his 4 siblings were raised by his Grandmother.
She was 70 when she took them.
She died last  year at 95.  His tears welled.
Tye is 25.
I gave him the grandmotherly lecture of going back to school.
We chatted about happenstance and the hand of God,
about serendipity and this crazy life.
The term, "old soul" came to mind.
Really, if you have it at 25, for sure you will have it forever.
He is happy and positive and helping.
Our chat outside of Walmart gave me hope.
Tye was the breath of fresh air that I needed that morning.

Someone told me once that when I was whining that I had no one and no support, etc.
Good Lord am I a great whiner...!!
He said that I was looking in the wrong places.
He was right.  I am now looking everywhere..grateful..
and doing the best I can.

A Southern Snow Day....thank you Paula

7 comments:

Mystic Quilter said...

An up-lifting post from you - I am happy for you! Keep warm and safe.

Dora, the Quilter said...

I stretched my snow day to three--although my school doesn't begin until tomorrow so it didn't afford a day off work that we'll have to make up later.
What a lovely conversation with your mom's friend!

Karaquilts said...

And today you have me in tears ~ ~ for you, for me and for all of us who determine to live our lives fully. Thank you for writing and sharing and growing. Blessings dear one. Happy New year!

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ES said...

I hope you are all keeping warm! We wish it would cool down a bit here!! We have two hot days forecast, then it should cool off a bit. I have bought some interfacing and some zips and I'm googling zipper pouches!! I just gotta google how to apply my interfacing, I bought it on eBay, so maybe I can message the seller for instructions!! I got $20 eBay voucher, so I enjoyed filling up a shopping cart on there!! I must sit on my hands for 6 months now, no more online shopping!!! X

IHaveANotion ~ Kelly Jackson said...

Thanks for getting my tears flowing...now like I needed a lot of help! I don't think of your speaking about your troubles as whining....I hear it as a release valve for pain and stress. I know you see the good, the gifts and the joy in each and every amazing thing in your day. Sometimes life really hurts...and sucks....and is crappy. Taking the good with the bad isn't always as easy as the phrase makes it sound.

Hugs in recognition of a rough road!

Kelly

Michele Bilyeu said...

Just beautiful in all ways...just like you!!!