Memorial Weekend

Memories were made this Memorial Day weekend. I think I will do a list since I am too tired to write about each one.

1. Rough Rider game on Thursday

2. Went to the lake. Ate with family and friends on Friday night, then Music on Main in Denison to hear Marlon play the drums.

3.  Rick, Missy, and I sat around a fire pit and just chilled after we got back to the lake house. 

4. Randy agreed to come cook catfish at the lake. Diana, Jenna, and I planned Rick's birthday meal and then went to Walmart.

5. Justin brought kids out to the lake.

6. Great food. Catfish cakes were a big hit. 

7. Jenna and Ashley started jumping rope. The rest of us nuts joined right in. Diana hurt her foot, Teresa fell on her bottom, Randy's knee swelled two times its original size. The highlight was Randy, Rickie, Jenna, and Ashley all four jumped at the same time.

8. Jonah dug worms. They were deep fried in the catfish pot. Weisal and Rickie did eat one. Jonah started to eat one, until Jenna grabbed him.

9. This is Rick's birthday. SS and Church. Debbie Keats sang a song that words can't explain how good it was.

10.I went back to the lake. Before we packed up - I watered the grass we laid two weeks ago at the bunkhouse. Without me knowing, I flooded the bunkhouse. Then we had to sweep water out for the next hour.

11. We were invited to another fish fry. So we had more fish and catfish cakes with family and friends.  I will share the recipe later for the catfish cakes.

12.  Monday - Rick and I went to Lowe's to get the lumber for the dock. We screwed all the boards down. It is almost finished.

13. We then went to the garden to plow and replant a few vegetables.

14. Flats were fixed on the Ranger and Cade's bicycle. 

Needless to say, we are dragging right now. He has the foot massager on his feet right now. But I have to say (other than Jack LaLane) I do not know another person near his age that has his stamina and energy to go nonstop from sun up to sun down. I forgot to mention that he put an extension ladder on top of the lakehouse and leaned it against tree with a chainsaw on a pole to cut off some branches so that satellite TV would work. He did get it stuck in the tree, and that is where the calamity of this story took place. You would have had to see him 30-40 feet in the air with Big Rick with a ski rope tied around his body and the tree. It was memorable as was the entire weekend.

OK I have never been a person of a few words. My list got a little lengthy.

 

Muggly Utt

The picture says it all. I took Missy to the groomers and for some reason Rusty cut her like a lion - an ugly lion. I said cut her "a little". He must have thought I said cut her like "a lion." (So - Greg, you do not get the priviledge of doing this to her for a joke.) Sachmo has longer hair than she does. This is the second bad haircut in a row that she got there. I will be taking her to someone else if the hair ever grows out. 

What an Awesome God we Serve

Last year at this time I was a little disappointed. I was not mad, and I sure wasn't going to question God; but I could tell that our church was fixing to hit another bump in the road. As  you know, I love my church; therefore, this bump was very disturbing to me. I could paraphrase many scriptures here about God's ways are not our ways and that He is in control, but let me say that He proved himself once again. Today God provided for us a new pastor for our church. I know that God has great things in store for FBC. I am just so thankful that He has chosen me to be a part of this. What an awesome God we serve!

I am My Dad's Child

            Last week I wrote about the influence that my mother was in my life. Yes, she was everything beautiful, gracious, and loving. But just as there is a balance in life, mother and daddy were a balance in ours. In our Bible study we have been studying about balancing Mary and Martha. In some situations Mother and Daddy were opposites just as these two ladies.

            Next month as Father’s Day approaches I will write several articles about the influences that he had in my life; however, for this blog I will write about a passions we both shared – Las Vegas. Through the years, he and mom went many times with the Kinnaird’s. Actually the first time I went was with Mother and Daddy in 1979. It was truly love at first sight - the lights, the music, and the SLOT machines. It was my first exposure to this form of entertainment. I had no idea what paid or how to bet. I learned that two cherries were good and you wanted things to match on the center line. Back in those days you played with real money and you pulled the arm on the side. I remember I would get rolls of nickels and play forever. At the end of the day your hands would be so dirty from the money.

            Today the machines are different. No dirty hands and the nickels have been replaced with a coupon or ticket that you just move from machine to machine. I am a big fan of the penny slots that have 15 to 20 lines max. I do have my favorites – Kenny Rogers, Money Storm, and 50 Lions were the ones that were good for me on this trip. I really do not sit at a slot machine and play, but I rove. My logic is three spins and I rove on if I do not hit. However, if I hit then I will stay until I have played either a dollar or three spins without hitting. I usually go in a line of the machines. As you can tell I am very methodical about my slots. I am never going to get rich or hit a BIG amount, because 15 cents a spin is not going to give you a lot. It is just the excitement of is it going to hit or let you play the bonus round. I think the other part of the challenge is how long will my twenty dollars last. With my method – it is amazing how long a person can play on a twenty.

            This morning as I was in bed thinking about coming home, I had to get up and go say good-bye to the one-arm bandits one last time. As I walked to the elevator, I was feeling nostalgic, because I knew if Daddy was alive he would have been with me. So I was doing this for us. I got my 10 dollar bill, and I was ready to start my farewell. As I got to the Money Storm slot, I looked down and there was a real penny on the floor. Yes – God is ok with me playing pennies, and I believe that He did have an angel leave it for me. Not only did it make me smile, but I actually left the machine with 6 dollars ahead to say goodbye to the other machines. When I cashed out, I did leave a penny in the change bin for someone else to find.

            I alluded to the fact that I love Vegas for several reasons. It is only fare that I mention all the attractions that go with Vegas. When I travel I do not miss much wherever I am. This trip was no different. We did all the usual tourist things, but this year we found a new one. At the Winn, they have a wall with a waterfall behind a pool with lights in the trees. I will share just a little of this with you. My camera did not do it justice, but you can get an idea.

            We did two shows. The last time I was here I did a little culture- Phantom of the Opera and humor. This time I did pure humor. We saw Gordie Brown and  Terry Fator. I highly recommend both of these guys. As the lady that sold me the tickets said, “Gordie Brown sure doesn’t hurt the eyes.”

            As I write this I am on the plane and my computer is losing its charge fast, so farewell to Vegas. Dad, you would have loved it. Diana, you were missed! She is one of the few people that I know that can sit or rove with me at penny slots. She has a little of our Dad in her, too.

Viva, Las Vegas

Hello, from Vegas. There is a penny slot machine calling, so I will have to write about my trip when I get back home. Love to all!

Part 3 The Tribute Continued

4. I have told this story many times, but it is worth repeating. One day after school when we were probably in the 4th and 5th grade, Diana and I came in from school to find the china and crystal out. The table was set. Of course our first thought was who is coming to dinner. No! Mother decided it was time to teach and practice our table manners. 

This is just one of the many things that she did to make sure that we knew right from wrong - down to our table manners.

5. Bennie Scoggins believed that cleanliness was next to godliness. I can assure you that our house was never dirty or messy. Dishes were never left in the sink. Clothes were never left in the dryer. The bathtub nor commode never had a ring around them. You could eat off the kitchen floor. Beds were always made. I am sure that you get the picture. This ended up being a blessing for us in the end. When Mother was at the Howard Apartments, she would get up and go outside and dust her car before everyone else got up and about. She did not need to be driving, so instead of us having to take the car away from her; she was ready to give it up so that she would not have to dust it everyday. 

National Day of Prayer

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 

2 Chronicles 7:14

Join me in praying for our nation today. Obama is the first President to boycott this day since it has been in place. Our nation needs healing.

part 2 The Tribute Continued

Remember that these are in no particular order.

2. Mother was a great cook, and she did cook a lot of food in her life. Some of the sweets that she was known for are: pecan pie, coconut pie, chocolate chip cookies, a chocolate scotch cake, seven-minute frostings, and banana pudding. We always had a homemade birthday cake with the seven-minute frosting on it with the candy sugar decorations. Anything she cooked it was good. We always had a dessert with every meal. When we were in school, she made our lunch for us. The other kids were envious because we had such good lunches. Also when we got in from school, we knew that there would be a home-cooked meat waiting on us. You never left the table of Bennie Scoggins hungry.

3. Mother took great pride in the way that she always dressed. She would get up early and get her makeup and clothes on. She loved clothes and like to dress up, even if no one was going to see her or not. She went to the beauty shop on either Saturday morning or Friday. She took care of her hair so that when she went into the beauty shop that her hair was still in place. No one every saw her hair messed up. Her old clothes were better and looked nicer that most people's good clothes. When she was outside working, her clothes still looked like she was headed somewhere important. In the 50's she had hats and high heels to match all her dresses.

A Tribute to a Great Lady

This weekend is Mother's Day. Last week at our Bible study Mother kept coming to my mind throughout the night. Using the title from our study, Bennie Henderson Scoggins was the Martha in "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha's World;" and a great lady she was. So this blog is going to be a tribute to her and the legacy that she left to us. I will be adding to this as the week goes on. If you are reading this as a grandchild, feel free to add your stories.
1. Mother was the epitome of a Christian. She read her Bible, she prayed before every meal that she every ate, and she did not miss church until her health declined. She went three times a week or as we used to say - every time the door was opened, she was there. She did not ever drink, smoke or cuss. Her ministry was to send words of encouragement through the mail. Proverbs 31 was written with her in mind - "Her family will rise and call her blessed" (paraphrased as usual).
It is said that when you are squeezed or down -what is inside comes out. Well good things came out of Mother. The last time that she was in the hospital for a lengthy stay, we were with her almost around the clock. One of the nights that I stayed with her and she was a little disillusioned, she literally said her good night prayers all night long. Every time that I encouraged her to lets go to sleep, her response was that we had to say our prayers. She would say her prayer, and would pray for everyone by name and what she wished for them or for blessings for them. Thirty minutes later the whole process started over.

Other stories to come - food and cooking; clothing; cleanliness; holidays; family; teaching us to be little ladies- right from wrong.
I will also find a couple of pictures to add.