I remember a lot of things about being twelve going on twenty. For one, all my friends started wearing sunglasses, super cool sunglasses that  made them look, well, like twelve year olds in shades, but that’s beside the point. The thing is I couldn’t participate in this new coolness because I wore glasses, and not just any glasses but Ms. Four Eyes wore big round hoot owl glasses that someone had convinced me were cool when we were picking ‘em out at the doctor’s office, (thanks mama.) And yes, I tried the clip-ons. They left something to be desired.

I don’t really have a reason to bring this up other than to say that life is a strange one, the way it goes in repeats itself. I was taking a walk with Dixie Belle earlier when I noticed that I was having to choose once again between shades and glasses, only now they are reading glasses that make it a lot easier to see the text on my bberry while I’m walking, (the better to twitter/facebook with y’all, my friends.)

When I was twelve I used to get in big trouble over my glasses. If I wasn’t breaking them by sitting on them, (why ask why), I was scratching the lens so bad you couldn’t see my eyeballs. And with that, I’ll leave y’all with a pic of the super cute new reading glasses I just bought at Wally World and the shape I found them in after ONLY one day. Sigh.  

Hugs,
Shellie

Hey y’all! A few days ago I grabbed a thought that was cycling through my brain, hammered it down into a 140 character count and sent it to my twitter friends, (@shelliet speaking), which in turn shared it with my facebook buds as we’re all synced up into one big happy family: “Sometimes,” I wrote, “we can feel a mysterious lonliness despite a host of friends and family– I think that’s God calling.” 

That’s usually enough to get a thought to move on out of the merry go round cycle that is often my brain but this one’s been staying with me. Much, much, much, much (did I say much?) remedial learning with the Good Lord has taught me that there is something more for me here and since I often think/hear best with my fingers, well, y’all are welcome to listen in if you’d like.

The thing is, (and this is where I’m hoping y’all will hear me out because I’m not at all as sad as this is going to sound), I’ve been lonely lately, and not just a little bit lonely but all sorts of lonely. At first I thought it was because Beloved Hubby is working such long hours on the farm and granted that may indeed be a part of it, but then I realized that I was feeling lonely when I was alone and lonely when I wasn’t. I’ve got friends and family a plenty, and readers who feel like friends and family but there it was– I was lonely, and I didn’t really understand why, which brings me to the day I twittered that little message.

“Sometimes,  we can feel a mysterious lonliness despite a host of friends and family– I think that’s God calling.” 

At the time of that post, Dixie Belle, my ever prsent canine companion, and I were taking our evening stroll. I’d been walking, thinking, and praying/praying, thinking, and walking about this unusual lonliness, when those words fell in my heart. It made sense to me, so I sent ‘em thru my fingers without much hesitation. Again, the insistence of the thought to hang around has me looking up the definition of lonliness tonight. Here’s what Webster just offered:

Lonliness  a : being without company : lone b : cut off from others : solitary 2 : not frequented by human beings. 

Ah…did you see that last one– not frequented by human beings? We may be getting somewhere. 

It shouldn’t be a news flash to any believer that God wants us to love Him with everything we have, hence his admonition from Matthew 22: 38 that we ”love Him with our whole heart, mind, and soul.” I’ve become convinced that this includes our emotions, the whole lot of  ‘em. I believe God gave us this wild range of emotions that we might use them to know Him better, experience Him more deeply. (No, I’m not suggesting we follow our emotions! Trust me, that’s a really bad idea every time and a completely different post!) Just this weekend I had a blast speaking on the subject to a marvelous group of women at a ladies conference in Jena, LA. We talked  about a range of emotions, but we didn’t cover lonliness. I think the Good Lord has been sending me a Divine P.S.

The thing that’s occuring to me now is how people the world over talk about feeling lonely in a crowd. And it isn’t a new development. I’m far from the first to describe this age old human condition and I won’t be the last. Books, movies, and songs have all been written about it. That in itself piques my interest. A part of our makeup that has always been with us? I see fingerprints. Big. Omniscient. Fingerprints. A uniquely designed love letter, imprinted in our DNA, calling the created to the Creator.  

Sometimes I get so excited thinking about all that I don’t know about this God of ours that I just can’t stand myself. The next time I feel the least bit lonely, I’m going to be ever mindful that my God could be calling my name. How about you? Ever felt lonely in a crowd? 

Hugs,
Shellie

Hey y’all! I spent most of the day preparing for next weekend’s day retreat, to be held at Midway Baptist Church in Jena, LA. As you can see from the adorable flyer, the theme is “Put on Your High Heels and Follow” — and girls, let me just say that the Good Lord been literally pouring into my heart for this one! I’m looking forward to talking about what’s right about our emotions (how’s that for a change?) and how to love Him like a girl!

Admission is free, T-shirts are $10.  The ladies do ask that you call Leann at the church office if you plan to attend so they can plan for you. That number is 318-992-5001. I hope to see y’all there! I’m expecting a great day.

Hugs,
Shellie

I do believe that nothing I might say could add to this post. I hope you enjoy a few shots from the sweet time the girls and I spent with our favorite beach bums.

This post is about twelve hours overdue. My bad. It appears a number of y’all want to know “the rest of the story”. That would be the one behind yesterday’s S.O.S message, my distress post that culminated in our sherrif’s office calling to check on my whereabouts because the sherrif’s office in one of our neighboring communites got word thru someone on Facebook, who got word from someone on Twitter, that I was stranded in the middle of the lake with a dead cell-phone. Let’s hear it for Social Media!

First, I’d like to send out a huge thank you for everyone who was worried and twittered/facebooked/emailed/called with offers to help. I would’ve responded on the spot, that spot being the back of my dead as a door nail SeaDoo, but my cell phone had followed suit shortly after my S.O.S. And I realize my “I’m home and alive” message was brief a couple hrs later, but really, I was tired and hungry and my knight in shining armor needed supper, too. I don’t know that the full story is actually that interesting, but since y’all have been asking. What it was, was…

After a long day writing, I had ran up to the grocery store for taco fixings, (favorite meal of the Hard-working Knight featured in our tale.) On the way back down the drive, I glanced over at my neighbor’s dock and saw my SeaDoo. (Our dock has been dismantled in advance of the new dock that is supposed to start whenever that sweet crew can get tied up from their current job. Mr. Van has been kind enough to let us tie up at his place.)

So, I think to myself, I do believe I’ll just unload these groceries and then take a nice DESTRESSING spin around the lake before I start cooking. Destressing being the key word and all in case you didn’t get that from the caps. It was delightful, too, at least for a while. I rode fast. I rode slow. I did 360’s, I drew patterns in the water with my wake. I even did me some singing to the Good Lord. Oh, and I docked at the Madness Czar’s house and called her on my cell to see if she wanted to come down and play. Couldn’t do it– headed out to eat with her man. So I headed back towards the house and I almost called it a day, but really, I was having so much fun. Onward!

And that’s how I found myself at the other end of the lake, somewhere close to alligator land when the SeaDoo beneath me went from wide open to nothing. Nothing. Not a thing. Nada. I wasn’t that concerned at first. I just lay back on the SeaDoo and watched the clouds. Surely it was overheated or something, right? I mean, I had just filled up with gas and the oil was fine. And it had just gotten out of the shop. Hmm….Self, I said, you didn’t leave a note at the house and no one knows you’re out here and Phil might be dark-thirty getting home. I sat back up and tried again. Nothing. I decided to pray. “Excuse me, Lord, but could you fire this thing up?” This isn’t an exact quote mind you, but I think He must’ve said something like, “Nah, I don’t think so. This’ll be good for you” Hey, I said it wasn’t a direct quote.

Fortunately, I had double bagged my cell phone and stored it in the on board tool-box in the front hull. Unfortunately, Beloved Hubby didn’t answer his phone, nor did Beloved Son, nor did Beloved Daughter-in-Law. I was about to try other Beloveds when the phone gave it’s “I’m dying” signal. YIKES!!! What to do?

And so, dear ones, being uneasy and all about drifting towards gator land, I decided to harness the power of social media. I twittered as fast as my little fingers would twitter, happy that it was snyced with Facebook, thinking to myself that this way I was calling a ton of folks for help at once, thus conserving the phone. I’m smart like that.

“S.O.S! Anyone with a boat on Lake Providence: I’m kinda sorta stranded in the middle of the lake and my cell phone is dying.” And then I turned off the phone to save battery. And I waited. And I waited. And I waited. Where are the boats?????? Where are all the people???? No one to be found. Seriously. More waiting. And more waiting. Off and on I would turn the phone on and try to make a call. No signal. Are you kiddin’ me?

I thought about Dixe Belle. I had left my version of Lassie moaning on the end of the dock because I was supposed to be taking her for a walk instead of going out on the dock. Chances were she wasn’t going to appear swimming towards me with a rope in her mouth. Best try the phone again.

Some time later, I have no idea how long but it felt like three days, I got Phil and Phillip on the farm.  I went into overdrive trying to talk before the phone died again, assuring them that contrary to what they might immediately assume (what with my prior record with this sort of thing) I was not joking. Please come get me. And they did…

FYI, towards the end of my adventure, a boat full of Brown’s showed up. THANKS MARK AND CATHY. They kindly began towing me towards the other end of the lake to meet up with Phil and Phllip since I was OVER the joy of waiting.

The phone call from the sherrif’s department came soon after we made it home, as did the message from Madness who had been trying to get me ever since the first post, and being the imaginative, visual friend that she is was way ahead with her vivid imagination. I don’t know this for sure, but I do believe she was picking out songs for my funeral. Oh, we do have a flair for the drama, Red and I!

And now you know, the rest of the story.

Hugs,
Shellie

Wow! Fair or over the top?

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/gilberts_letter_to_fans_james.html

You tell me

Hugs
Shellie

Emerson Ann and Grant Thomas take to the wading pool before they get their bathing suits on. Yeah, it was the day before the Fourth and it happened kinda accidentally on purpose. The biggest attraction of the afternoon, as you will soon see, was definitely the water hose. In this first picture everyone is happy. So far, so good…

Then Cuzin Grant decides to help Emerson cool off.  Yikes!

Come on, Grant. Let’s make up.

Emerson: If you let me play with the hose, I promise not to get you back. Here, we’ll shake on it.

Grant: Okay, but I don’t know…Can I trust you?

NO! Psyche!

Now, THIS is more fun!

Baby Czars on parade.

That’s all, folks! As you can see, we had a blast celebrating our freedom and our Nation’s birthday. If you have pics of your celebration that you’d like to share, I’d like that, too! Take care, dear friends!

Hugs,
Shellie

I’ve just about got the house put back in order from the Fourth. We had a blast! I miss the Houston folks already, but I’m glad they’re home safe and sound. Now, FYI, it may look like I’m posting a lot of pictures here, but let the record show that I waded through 393 to choose the ones you’ll see here. Hey, at least I broke it up into two posts!

This first little critter is Jack, the tiger cat, my niece’s son. Mr. Jackson is alllllllllllll boy!

Jack’s beautiful mommy and sister, Emmie.

Number one son-in-law Patrick working the grill.

Uncle Phil helps his niece and nephew fill up the pool.

Dixie Belle, Squirrel Patrol Czar, was convinced Pops brought in a shop fan just for her. (Shhhh….)

My precious Papa and Hillary.

A girl can only hope to look as good as her mama. Nanee is a great grandmother, if you can believe it?!

Carey, my number one daughter-in-law and mother to be of The Bellerina Czar’s baby sister!

Patrick and Jessica taking a spin.

We said smile and Emmie struck a pose!

Yes, I know I have me some bad, falling-down-from-my-clippie-lake-hair, but I had to include a pic of me and my man. I love this fella!

Get this boat going, people!

Grant Man trying to wear Uncle Phillip’s big old shoes.

Jessica keeping an eye on the Baby  Beau Czar.

And here it is! Miss Emerson Ann’s first innertube ride with her daddy. Carey was pretty sure that Emerson would like it but she was wrong. Emerson didn’t like it—she loved it! Here she is, nineteen months old and waving at us, the passing boats, and the people on the docks, in true beauty queen style!

Zooming in for y’all!

The Baby Beau Czar, at fourteen months, wasn’t quite so sure he was ready for his first time on the tube but he perked up once we got going and he could watch the wake behind us. Still, we still kept it short for the little man!

The two children I birthed trying to tear my hands off the handles and throw me in the water. What can you do? You try to raise ‘em right…

Miss Emerson styling in her mommy’s shades…

And this is how Mommy pushes ‘em up on her head.

Hey, Cuz, you look cute!

Me and the Baby Czars. They look MUCH better after a day on the lake, yes? Yes!

Had we been asked, we wouldn’t have chosen to deal with removing the big limbs that fell from The Aging Beauty (see previous post) AND tearing down the old dock on the same weekend but, alas, we didn’t get a vote. The good folks that are building the new dock should be showing up next week and the agreement was that we’d remove the old one.

Allow me to give thanks one more time for this limb not falling on that red sandbox while the ATS Baby Czars (my grands) were playing in it. Thank you, Lord.

Our number one son, Phillip! He is such a blessing.

Unfortunately, the grill did end up a casualty. One more thing to fix before the Fourth. Oh– but the good news, I almost forgot– we may NOT have to lose The Aging Beauty after all. If you read the previous post, you know we were concerned about the safety of keeping the rest of the tree. Well, the general consensus is that she can be rescued. Apparently the limbs that fell had stretched out way too long and were bearing too much weight. So hoping this will be the case.

Sorry, didn’t get a before pic of the dock until the demolition was already well on the way.

My job was to carry the boards to the pile while Phil and Phillip tore it down!

Our neighbor came over to supervise. We love you, Mr. Van!  

The men take a breather just in time…

for homemade ice cream! So, that’s where Shellie was when she was missing in action!

And now, back to work. We won’t get thru today but once dark falls it’ll have to wait ’til Monday. Tomorrow — we’ll worship.

Hugs,
Shellie

I’ve sat with the old girl, my babies on my lap, swatting mosquitoes from their chubby little legs while their older cousins lit up the night sky with fireworks. I wrote my first ever book under contract to a major publisher surrounded by her thick brown arms.  I’ve chatted on the phone over big news and poured out my heart to the Lord for hurting loved ones in her quiet and stoic presence. And most recently, I’ve played with my grandchildren in the big red sand box as she shielded us from the sun’s harsh rays.

Two days ago, without warning, on a picture perfect day, without a cloud in the sky nor a single breeze stirring, The Aging Beauty that has watched over our backyard for so long, bowed low, almost a third of her girth coming to rest on the grass at her feet.  The decay revealed in the break coupled with the stress it may have on the rest of her trunk suggests that we may have to take her down completely. The thought is hard to bear. I miss her already.

Of course, lest I get too melodramatic over her passing, Dixie once again intervened to lighten the mood. Please notice her playing dead in the last picture. No, she was NOT hit by the falling tree. Yes, she IS an incurable ham.

It’s just one tree, but it was my tree. As a tribute to her lifetime of service, I offer the following tribute to The Aging Beauty.

Advice from a Tree
By Ilan Shamir

Dear Friend,

Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long term
Go out on a limb
Remember your place among all living beings
Embrace with joy the changing seasons
For each yields its own abundance
The Energy and Birth of Spring
The Growth and Contentment of Summer
The Wisdom to let go of leaves in the Fall 
The Rest and Quiet Renewal of Winter Feel the wind and the sun
And delight in their presence
Look up at the moon that shines down upon you
And the mystery of the stars at night.
Seek nourishment from the good things in life
Simple pleasures
Earth, fresh air, light Be content with your natural beauty
Drink plenty of water
Let your limbs sway and dance in the breezes
Be flexible
Remember your roots

Enjoy the view!

Hugs,
Shellie