Fame...

This is my Uncle Jack when he was on the Price is Right.  He probably won't be excited that I posted his picture, but I felt a little famous because I knew someone who was on TV.

There are a lot of people living through someone else's achievements.   Go to the Little League fields any given summer and observe parents living out their dreams through their kids.  Ever watched those children's competitions as beauty queens?

There are many people in caregiving situations who once were in the spotlight.  There lives meant something to their families and they were in control.  Walk into a nursing facility and immediately you will see those people who once high fived the audience, but were now observers of everyone else's life.

Celebrate someone today.  Remember special events and have a conversation with them.  Allow someone to recall the highlights of their life.

Jeremiah 29:11

Heritage...

It is truly an experience to attend the Treat Family Reunion.  Troy and Clara had 12 children,  11 of them lived past infancy.  My dad was Jimmie.  The picture above shows the three who are still with us:  Joe, Geneva, Jack.  They represent so many memories of my growing up in Arkansas and Missouri.  We were always headed to Granny Treat's for the weekend.  

What I remember the most is the food. We would pull in the driveway and head to the table.  Fried chicken, some type of beef, biscuits, cornbread, fresh green beans, tomatos, and on and on and on.  I had the privilege of being surrounded by so many loving and interesting people.  Each of the kids were unique in their own right and had special talents.  The brothers loved music and would band together with their families asthe audience.

As I get older, I remember more and more my heritage.  I hope my family looks back and remembers the good and fun things they experienced during childhood.  Life can be difficult.  But, if you have the loyalty of the Treat clan, you have a treasure.  The distance doesn't matter.  The amount of time you haven't seen them, doesn't matter.  It is the love, that is what matters!

John 3:16

My Father.

I noticed this picture among my albums and found myself going back in time,  It was taken sometime around my senior year in high school and sophmore year in college...I think,  I'm not sure where it was taken, but I am glad it was.

My father was a comedian.  He would do whatever it took to make you laugh,  He would spin a yarn that left you wondering if it was real or just a story he had built on.  It was difficult to keep a straight face once he decided you were his focus.  I remember his humor and the many times it carried me through serious circumstances.  His view of life made him friends and his love of music endeared him to them for his lifetime.

My brother passed away at 46.  Daddy was never quite the same after that.   I observed a serious side that had been hidden from me before.  It was there, I just hadn't looked for it.

The thing that stands out to me is how loved I felt from both my parents,  Even when they had difficulties, I was always loved.  They made sure I was cared for,

It doesn't take much to show someone that you appreciate them.  Take a look around your world and choose someone to love on today.

What hat are you wearing?

It is often easy to tell where someone works by the hat they wear.  In this case, Kamri was a patron who borrowed a hat.  So, you cannot always trust what you see.  It is much better to get all the facts and not jump to conclusions.

Are you looking at someone and deciding who they are and what they are doing and why they are doing it?  I have been guilty of seeing the facade of a situation and not really understanding what that situation was all about.  I realize there are people who have watched my life and figured it all out without actually knowing me or the details.

I have asked God to help me never pass judgement without knowing the entire story.  I know that God has given me the benefit of the doubt many times throughout my life.

Jeremiah 29:11  Am I wearing the hat that is part of the plan?

Jimmie and LaRue...

I am older than my parents were in this picture.  I remember when I realized that I was older than my Pastor.  I have been struck with the passing of time and how stuck I was in dreaming ahead and not preparing for the days when I would be on the North side of 50.

The last few years have been very educational.  I have experienced Caregiving.  I have had to find who I am from who I was.  It has been an intentional direction to work on preparing my children for what they will need to know in the future for me.

There are so many in our families who are blindsided by sickness.  Having an idea of ones options takes away so much of the stress.  It isn't being negative to be prepared.  It is smart to look forward to our future.  I believe God has a plan for me and if I am aware of some of the choices or pitfalls or possibilities, I am good.

Check your family, your friends, etc. and with the best of your ability, guard them.  Look for signs of depression or fear.  If you know they are good at hiding their feelings, keep watch.  Love is a gift.  Share your love with those closest to you.

Jeremiah 29:11

Passing of Time: Maggie Valley -(from Facebook)

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I saw this on facebook.  It reminds me of the first time I looked into a mirror and saw the passing of time.  In my mind, I still looked like the left half of this tree.  In reality, I was changing to look like the right side.

Time passes.  That is a sure thing!  We cannot stop the sun from going down and coming back up. All the Botox and plastic surgery in the world cannot erase the days that we live.  Eventually, they will catch up to us and the leaves will fall off.  Gray will replace brown.  Eyesight fades.  There is an ache in the spot that once won the race.

Looking back can fill us with regret.  So, do good while you can!  If you find that there is more behind you than ahead, make the most of those days. If you have a loved one who is a caregiver, or know a caregiver, see where you can help them ease the passing days.  Love while you can.

Remember Jeremiah 29:11.  This promise is as much for the right side as it is for the left!

THE HOTEL GALVEZ

The Galvez.....

Located across the street from the Hotel Galvez is my favorite spot in Galveston.  Murdoch's is a souvenir shop that has been on the seawall for many years.  It has a breeze way that allows the breeze from the Gulf  to erase the tension and stress from my mind as I sit in the Adirondack chairs placed on the deck, between the two shops.

The pictures are of the Hotel and the breakfast buffet served in the dining area each morning.  It was delicious and plentiful.  There were omelets, fruit, muffins, donuts, bacon, potatoes, anything you might want,  The coffee was great.

There are some pictures that cannot do justice to the real thing.  Visiting this historic landmark hotel was a highlight of my life.  Visiting it with a friend who enjoys the water as much as I do, made it even more memorable.

When life gets difficult, pull out the picture albums.  Walk back in time to a place that spoke peace and comfort to your soul.  God has given us many inventions, and photography allows us to move around the past while in the present.

I can still smell the coffee, taste the scrambled eggs and bacon while sitting here in my chair.  The beach was wonderful and Murdochs as busy as ever.