Mama D's Childhood CHRISTMAS

I Love Christmas! Christmas is an amazing time of year. First and foremost it's the day we celebrate Christ's birthday.

I grew up in a Christian home. Christ was an ever present person in our family. Maybe not in a human form but in our hearts and heads. My parents talked and lived Christ every day not just at Christmas and Easter.

Christmas was always about Christ, family, love and getting together. Christmas Eve we would go to church for the Christmas Eve service, usually a Children / Youth play. This is when I was young (1960s and early 70s). Every Sunday before Sunday School, we gathered for opening exercises where we sang Happy Birthday to those that had birthdays during the week. We put money in a jar totaling our age. (It always confused me when adults would put in a dollar.) That money was used to purchase Christmas gifts for the kids on Christmas Eve. We also got a small brown paper bag with an apple, orange, tangerine, box of raisins, peppermint stick and some chocolate and nuts. I was reminded that daddy would help us crack the nuts and sneak a little for himself every once in a while.

Christmas morning started with one of us (5 kids) going into mama and daddy's room and telling them, "It's Christmas". According to what time it was, if it was 4:00 AM we were told to go back to bed for a little while. But if it was 6:00ish we would get up and get cleaned up and dressed for the day. (The excitement built until we could all get dressed.) Then we would stand along the wall at the top of the stars. At mama and daddy's call we would be allowed to go downstairs to the tree and the gifts.

The gifts Santa brought were never wrapped. They were in piles for each child.  We would eat something, but I can't really remember breakfast! I remember reading the story of Christmas from the bible. We would play with our toys until it was time to go to Grandma and Grandpa Humphrey's for dinner (lunch). This is one of the reasons for having us get dressed first. Another reason was so daddy could get a little more sleep. After all the presents were opened (gifts we made or bought for each other) we would pick up all the trash. We would pick out one present to take with us. For us girls that was usually a doll, (until we got older.)

Grandma Humphrey always had a spread, mama and our aunt helped. I remember grandma made two platers of chicken salad, one with celery and one without. We always had homemade pickles. (Mama and grandma canned the pickles during the summer.) And her homemade biscuits were awesome. Of course she always said they were burned or under cooked but I never remember one being left at the end of the day. Papa made the tea. We drank a lot of tea (sodas didn't enter the picture until we were nearly grown) and he had making it down pat. We knew the tea was getting low when the tea pot was in the bathroom sink sitting in cold water. There were several pies and cakes but the creme da la creme for me was grandma's Pineapple cake covered with 7 minute frosting.


We played with our cousins until time to eat. As we got older we helped set the table, counter, etc. We sat anywhere there was a space. I remember not being allowed to eat in the living room until we got to big for the rest of the house. The food was on the stove and kitchen counter, top of the washer to the back had pies and cakes. Someone stood at the front of the washer to eat. (I think that's when grandma gave in to letting us sit in the living room. The men went to the den. After we ate we would help clean up. Then we would play for a little while longer and have desert. After the eating was done we opened presents. And played with our cousins again until time to go to Grandma and Grandpa Richardson's for supper (dinner).

Grandpa Richardson

Grandma Richardson

At Grandma Richardson's we all (mamas mostly, until we were older) brought food and put it out on the counters and tables. Again because of the number of us we ate wherever there was a space. We never thought anything about it. Some of us may have sat on the floor or chairs grandpa borrowed from the church and sat around. We were just excited to have everyone at grandma's at one time. My mama was one of five kids and you add aunts, uncles and cousins you have one BIG HAPPY family!!! We drew names for Christmas presents. Passing out the presents was almost as much fun to do and watch as getting the presents. People went from room to room looking for the people on the presents. The men were usually in the den with the TV. The women would be in the kitchen putting the food away and taking turns holding the babies. But us kids would move around looking to see who may have our presents. We could hardly wait till we could be the ones to pass them out.

One of my favorite memories was the year I went to one of my aunts and thanked her for the gift. She said, "Danette can you remind me what we got you? I bought it after Christmas last year and went ahead and wrapped it."  That memory puts a smile on my face every time I think about it. Note to self, buy early, wrap later.

Have a Blessed Day,
Mama D

Luke 2:7 NIRV
"She gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him in a manger. There was no room for them in the inn."

Family Videos

As I drove to Arielle's on my way to a family reunion. I was remembering when Arielle was a baby. I would put a video camera at the food table at family Christmas dinners.  After the reunions were over I would take the videos home. Then on the nights when Kev would be at meetings I would show the videos to Arielle. I would point out each family member and tell her who everyone was. I wanted her to get to know my family, her family. I also had family pictures in her room and we would name each person before bed.

So when Arielle was probably two years old we went to a family reunion at my cousin Debbie's. I went in and started setting up the camera. The video camera was huge and we had to carry the VHS player with us to attach the camera.  Kev was bringing in the food. When he came by the table, he asked where Arielle was. I told him I thought she was with him.

We went on a search. As we walked through the crowd everyone said she came by and said hi, and went that way. When we found her, she was on the front porch with the older men and  sitting in my Uncle Grady's lap with her glow worm. I said, "I'm sorry", and when I went to get her, Uncle Grady, said, "She's fine, go visit."  That showed us that the videos worked. She was at home with a family she had only seen a couple of times.

I'm from North Carolina and when Arielle was a baby, I really wanted her to feel a part of my family even tho we lived so far away. I grew up in a close knit family. I lived near grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. My church had lots of family and we went to grandparents every Sunday for dinner (that's lunch).  The videos truly helped.

Now lets fast forward to today. You do not need a huge camera and VHS player, you can use your phone. FaceTime is a perfect example. Your kids can visually speak and have a relationship face to face even though they are hours apart. You can send videos to each other. We sent videos to my nephew on his daughters adoption day for her to watch. Everyone wanted to make sure she knew who they were and that she is loved. My daughters mother in law has started a Facebook group for her kids and grandkids. She reads stories and sings songs, so even if she isn't there physically for her grandchildren she can still read them to sleep.

Have a Blessed Day,
Mama D

"Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

From BRAT to BOSS

 "From BRAT to BOSS" is the name of my book. I had the title for probably 10 years but every time I thought about writing it I would come up with lots of reasons not to. My favorite was, I'm too busy!

A little background before I finish telling how God worked in my life to finally bring the book to fruitition. I've been teaching children in Sunday School since 1994ish, Arielle was in the 3rd grade. The teacher was a very sweet older lady with a soft voice. She would tell the bible story and then the kids walked up and down the halls, go sit in the church library, etc. you probably get the idea. Rev Kev (my husband) asked me to pray about helping her. After I prayed about it, I decided since Arielle was not the sit quietly in a chair for 30 minutes after a story was told kinda kid, that helping the teacher was the right thing to do. After 3 weeks of helping, the teacher asked me if I would teach and let her go back to her class. She said she'd been teaching children 40 some years. Oh my! I was a teacher. 

Arielle grew up to be a wonderful Minister of Students and I stayed with the 1st to the 5th grades.

Okay, now back to my story. I started my book after I lost my job in 2014. I was walking my dog, praying and crying. I was telling God, I just didn't understand. I worked hard, met my deadlines, and really enjoyed the people so I was totally floored when it happened. God told me, not verbally but in my heart and head, "So you've always said you were too busy to write the book. WHAT'S YOUR EXCUSE NOW!!!!" Needless to say I went home from walking the dog and started writing.

I was also sending in resumes, painting the house and downsizing so when or if the Lord sold our house we would be ready to move. I got a part time job a year later. I went in early so I could work on the book at lunch before my shift. We were still working on the house. Then another year passed, I was able to get a full time job. It's an hour away but I like listening to the Christian radio station and sometimes I listen to books on CD. 

We were still trying to sell the big house and we had bought a smaller home that needed some renovations. I put the book on hold again. I needed to put time into learning my new job and getting the new to us home ready to move in. 

Last week I finished my book and I sent it to the publisher. It is a Bible Study book for Tweenagers (9 to 12 year olds). It is about the life of Joseph. I started the story with Joseph's parents because I think the readers need to know why I think Joseph was a BRAT. He was the only son of the love of his life, Rachel, for several years before his younger brother was born. He had 10 other brothers. 

One of my goals is for the young people that get the book to learn that they, like Joseph, can stay positive even while going through hard times during their life.

It will be probably 3 months before it's ready to be put on Amazon and the other book lists. It has to go through several stages with the publisher. 

I am very excited!! Please pray for the young people that study the story of Joseph.

Have a Blessed Day,
Mama D

3 John 1:4 NIV
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

FOOTBALL AND FAMILY

Does your husband or wife love football! (My daughter loves football as much as her dad - so I know it's not just a guy thing.)
My husband has been talking about the first day of football for at least a month if not since right after the Super Bowl last winter. He loves football, especially the 49ers. (He was born in San Francisco, California.)
Football is not my thing but it is his. I like murder mysteries like, "Murder She Wrote".  But more than anything except my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I love Kev. I want him to be happy. He wants me to be happy and that makes ours a happy home. (Not to say we don't disagree sometimes, or that we don't get frustrated, that's just part of life.)

Now back to football, or whatever your spouse loves that you don't. Okay substitute hunting, fishing, scrapbooking, crafts, exercise, shopping, etc. where I have football. (Sorry if I just stepped on some toes but fair is fair.)
Plan around it!
While he enjoys his time with football, I personally go to another room and watch my shows, color, sew, write, work whatever I like to do that are things he would normally not do with me.

We are different, God made us that way. And different is OKAY!

I could choose to fuss, pout, get angry - but why? That just ruins my day.
Sometimes I like to watch with him. If the 49ers, Carolina Panthers or the Redskins are not playing, I will ask him, "What color are we pulling for?"

Let me interject here for a second. We like to spend time together, we have many things we both like. But it may mean I watch some of the game with him or he watches TV with me. He may not have made it all the way through "Princess Bride" yet, without falling asleep but it's the thought that counts!

Ask yourself,"Do I really want to spend my day angry or upset?" Because it is my choice! And it's your choice too!

Have a Blessed Day,
Mama D

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." Romans 12:18 NIV

Concord Baptist Church celebrates 175 years

Last year the plans were coming together for the 175th Anniversary of Concord Baptist Church. The date of the anniversary was July 10, 2016.

Ms Danette and Rev Kev

The women talked about plans to make or get a period costume. The men talked about growing their beards out. And one young lady made plans to create a cake that looked like the old church building.

It's a Real cake! And it tasted real good!

The research began. Sewing machines were invented in 1846. Mr. Butterick created the first pattern for his wife in 1865, for their son's clothes. He started a business of creating grades patterns and in 1866 he started manufacturing women's clothes patterns.

I will admit that I used a sewing machine to put them together. I also admit that I used patterns to cut out the period clothing. Unlike my grandmother who drew clothes on fabric from pictures in the Sears and Roebuck catalog!
Just as sewing has a rich history, so does CONCORD BAPTIST CHURCH! It is a shame to spend as much time on the costumes without much public use. It was suggested to enter them in the State Fair of Virginia's annual contest for handmade items. I didn't know there was a category for period costumes! And with help from Ms English, my costumes are going to the State Fair.

So if you are at the State Fair of VA, September 23 - October 2, check out the Adult Arts and Crafts section. And help us CELEBRATE 175 years of ministry at CONCORD BAPTIST CHURCH in the Frog Level community of Southern Caroline County.

Have a Blessed Day,
Mama D

(Ephesians 3:21) NIV
"In him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

I CAN'T!

  How many times have you said that?

When my daughter was a cheerleader one of her coaches made them do pushups anytime the phase "I can't" was used. 

The other day in my Sunday School class one of my students said, "I can't...." No, I didn't make her do push ups. I told her my favorite quote is by a man named Henry Ford. He said, "If you think you can or you think you can't, You're right."

Then I had everyone look at me. I told them each morning when they are getting dressed, I want them to look at themselves in the mirror and say this, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." And if during the day you come upon something that is hard, say it again, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." 

We practiced a few times then we started our lesson. It was the story of Daniel being faced with having to not only tell Nebuchadnezzar what his dream meant but also what the dream was.

God is amazing!

Now it's your turn. Repeat after me, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." If you are racking your brain trying to remember where it's found. It's Philippians 4:13.

Philippians 4:13 (KJV)
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

    

Have A Blessed Day,

Mama D

The verse the Lord gave me this morning in my devotion was Romans 8:31. 

Romans 8:31 (NIV)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us who can be against us?

BE CONTENT IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES

     My devotion this morning was to be content in whatever the circumstances, from the book of Philippians. As I get older, I've found I am more content with my life than I was when I was younger. I have enjoyed my life, each stage has had it challenges and positives.
     God has truly blessed me. Even though being blessed I used to let myself worry quite a bit. So much so I would have panic attacks, and headaches.
     I know what you are thinking. It is easier to be content when you get older. Life is just slower and easier. That may be the case in some people's lives but for myself, the last few years have been challenging.
     A little more than three years ago I lost my job. I decided I didn't want to go to my next job and sit at the desk and think I wish I had done this or that. I started cleaning, organizing and working on the house. We owned a 3100 square foot house. It was nice and we loved it.
     I started cleaning and putting Quick Shine on the hardwood floors in the living room. I then started to move to the dining room. My husband said, "Don't you think we should wait until we strip the wallpaper off the walls and paint the room before you do the floors."

Such a beautiful shine!

     When Kev came home from work, he asked, "What are you doing?" I told him I was getting everything out of the room so I could work on the walls. We (mostly me, Kev was at work) stripped the wall paper, clean the wall and painted. The room looked great. After the floors were done we decided to make it our office and to add the dining room furniture in the large living room. We had talked about taking the wall out between the kitchen and the living room. So we decided to leave the dining room set up in the living room to see if we liked it.
      We decided to make the old dining room an office. The existing office was moved downstairs and we made two work areas. I needed room to work on the book I had started after losing my job.

Danette hard at work

     Next was the main floor guest room, hall, kitchen... You get the idea. Kev and the guy at the home improvement store got to know each other pretty well.
     All this time I was putting out my resume and praying for a job. I went on some interviews. The interviews seem to go well but no job offers. I took a part time afternoon receptionist position. I loved my job and I was praying and believing that my book would make up the rest of the finances we needed.
     We put our beautiful home up for sale. We found a smaller house closer to the church (Kev's the pastor), and my job. I am working with a team at church to develop the children's programs for Sunday morning and Wednesday night. God gave a full time job in December of 2015.

      We were and are still renovating the smaller home. We moved in January of 2017.
We also had the everyday things. Making sure the larger house was in order to be shown when I left for work in case the realtor called, laundry, dishes, etc. Forgot to mention that I made two 1841 costumes for our church's 175th anniversary. They won prizes at the State Fair which was a positive experience for sure.
   So, I wouldn't say my life is easier than when I was younger. I just think, I've learn to trust God more. I used to give my worries to God and then take them back again. Now I don't take them back so quickly. That's not to say I don't think about all the things facing us.
   I knew the house would sell in God's time. I was hoping God's time would have been much sooner but it wasn't. But it did sell and we love our new home. I believe I will finish my book and it will get published. I believe God will take care of our financial, mental, physical, and spiritual needs. I believe this because it didn't matter how much I worried in the past, God took care of us! Worrying didn't speed up the process. But it just took a lot of the joy out of the waiting time.
    Do I still wonder when and how? Oh yes, but I am content where I am. I choose to look at the positives in my life; my loving husband, my daughter and her husband, my family, my new job, the kids at church, my book, and the plans I have for my new home.

    So, if your life is crazy! If you are worried about what's next. Remember, BE CONTENT IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES! Let yourself enjoy today!

    My daddy told me when Arielle was young, "If I knew my favorite time of life was going to be when you kids were young and life was crazy. I would have let myself enjoy it more."

   That is my wish for you, That you will let yourself enjoy each stage of your life. Look for those positives and be content.

Have a Blessed Day,
Mama D

Philippians 4:11 (NIV)
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.