Truth, or Dare to Believe A Lie

The title in and of itself, is such a huge topic. But only one aspect of it has peaked the activity in my brain waves this morning. There's no anxiety, just wonderings. "Why?" I ask. What causes one to not seek out truth, and all I can come up with is "fear". Fear of being wrong (the what-ifs). Fear of looking foolish. Fear of losing friends.

Fear causes one to be angry when confronted, or challenged, even in the smallest of ways. Fear always accuses those with an opposing opinion, of being "stupid" and of "spouting lies." Yep. I have experienced this, just recently, in fact. I'm pretty sure most of my readers have, as well.

For me....I prefer the pain of being seen as "stupid," to the pain of not knowing the truth. Truth shines a light in our darkness. Truth always reveals a wrong being done. Darkness hides from the truth because the light can be blinding to those of us who have lived so long in the dark. Truth is painful. Yet, truth is worth the pain...

I have been asked, "Why don't you give back what is being served to you?" My answer is simply, "There is no need for that." Why stir a pot when it's already overflowing with hatred? The battle is not ours to wage. My hope is in God, not in humanity. Humanity is flawed, even as perfect as we claim ourselves to be. We do make mistakes. God doesn't.

A spiritual battle is a given in most of our dealings. Why do I believe that? Because we all are spirit beings simply having a human experience. The body may die and decay, but the spirit lives for all of eternity. And because God purchased us back from certain death, from the evils of this world that would try to consume us, our enemy (you know him), will always try to make our lives miserable, contentious, and overwhelmed. He knows our future as well as he knows his, so all kinds of road-blocks will be thrown in our path to keep us from seeking truth. THE TRUTH, not "our truth." Which will in turn bring peace to our spirit. Regardless of the opposing accusations. Nothing will move those who rely upon the God who saves. Perfect peace in the midst of any storm belongs to those who have given up the rights to themselves. No "thick skin" needed. Just truth. THE TRUTH.

"You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free." ~John 8:32 We now belong to the One who has already conquered death. What more do we need? Words are just words. But when light is shown on them, any deception must back away.

I've never liked a dark room. Maybe this is why.

Constantly seeking the truth, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

This Is Us...

I've gotten to the place where scrolling back to past events, gives me a sense of belonging. One might think that a bit odd. Even strange. But, I'm here to tell ya...strange, or odd, it's heart warming. You see, I keep those interactions that give encouragement, just to remind myself that I am loved. 

I can't believe there is even one person, walking upon this earth, that doesn't need an encouraging word(s) from time to time. Am I right? We tend to forget where love resides when facing loneliness, troubling questions that roam around inside the files, and files, labeled "the What Ifs" that take up space inside that great cavern of brain cells.

Today is not one of those days, yet when I stumbled upon this exchange of love, I knew it was time to share it.

I can only imagine why I was feeling low on Jan. 8th, because I failed to actually record it in my journal. Maybe that was because the cloud lifted after these two came to their mommas rescue. Whatever the reason, can I just say that family (loving family) will always rescue?

Family should be a safe place. A place where fears and the unknown can be shared. A place where excitement about what is to come, or a place where questions that need answers can be asked. Even though we are all "a work in progress", we are perfect "for such a time as this".  Some will agree with me, others, maybe not. But that's okay, too. And if we choose to change what we are at this moment, then that change will hopefully enhance what we have already aspired to. What God has led us to...for today. The best is yet to come, right?

Family should be solid and faithful, in spite of the occasional drama. In spite of the "what was that?!" Family should be a place where forgiveness is always the go-to, and where love embraces when life throws a curve we didn't see coming.

Hold onto the amazing parts and allow the hurtful ones to melt away. 

Life truly is "breathtakingly beautiful"!

Reaching always for that which is true and faithful, here you will find me...in Mary's World. (Oh, how I love my girls! My family!)

Husband Alert!

I'm considering getting a "Beware of Husband" sign to hang on all the entry doors of our home. It's a known fact that he and I are easy to startle. Well, at least I am. He's a bit harder to get a really good reaction out of. But last night....

Oh man! I'm finding it so HARD to type this little story in completion, because tears of laughter keep pooling up, blocking my eyesight. 🤣 It was getting late (yes, 7:30 is late for us 🙄), last evening, when I headed to our bedroom to put away some fresh washed and dried laundry. As I rounded the corner into the room, little did I know that D.W. was headed out of that dark room. He had just visited the master bathroom and had turned the lights out as he began his exit. 

All I could see was this huge form moving towards me. Y'all KNOW what happened next, right? A blood curdling scream flew forthwith out of the depths of my lungs, into the closing distance between D.W. and myself. Side Fact: For those of you who don't know him, he is one of the most laid back people I have ever met, that still walk the earth. Most usually a calm, cool, everything-will-be-okay, kind of man. I'm here to tell you I have not seen what happened next more than 2 (possibly 3) times in the whole 50 years we have been together. However, don't ask me when they happened. For all I know, maybe they've never happened at all.

Out of the darkness, I am face to face with the unknown. A hulk of a man heading my way was enough to cause a little over-the-top excitement. Once this very startled woman emitted her vocality, two large arms, one drawn back as the other took a position of defense, both with fists clenched, locked and loaded, became clear as a bellow right out of a war zone, the fighter emerged. "Aaaaaaaaahh!" was the war cry. I knew I was dead as my whole life became a movie, right before my eyes. 

I froze. And we both exploded into gales of laughter. Whew! THAT ONE WAS CLOSE!!!

As always, here (hopefully) you will find me...in Mary's World.

The Girl Who Walks - Episode 4

Where could she be? It is 7:30, right? Two hours past the usual time for her excursion around the neighborhood. My mind begins playing its games of searching out the possibilities of what could be happening. Because I've grown to really appreciate this girls determined spirit, it seems only natural that I would question when something seemed off. And because there have been days that she appeared not her usual self, I began the process of eliminating possibilities. That fast moving gait she is most known for, just hadn't been there on those days and her posture had been a bit more slumped, so of course I wondered what was happening in her world today.

I knew I must head out for work with an added burden today. I suppose she could just be feeling under the weather and chose to stay in. But even that hadn't seemed to deter her in the past, so if it were indeed the case, she must be super sick. Not knowing where she lives, I couldn't just drop in to check. Also, I don't think she is aware of my interest in her and how she has inspired me to be more than my present circumstance.

And just like that, she appears! As I inched out of my drive, I noticed a form making its way quickly down my street. I moved the car slowly so as to get a better view without being obvious that I was looking at her. I know how creepy this must sound, but it's only out of concern for this girl (who actually isn't so young so that she should be called a "girl"), and finding that I had grown accustomed to using her walk-a-bouts as proof of what time of day it was. I did a half-hand wave from the steering wheel, as I drove slowly past her. She responded in kind. Good! She's okay!

One might wonder why I care so much about this lady. She is me. A bit older than me, but me. I love seeing her determined spirit. It inspires me to be determined. I love seeing her consistency. It inspires me to be consistent. I love seeing the days where a lot seems to be on her mind. Because I have a lot on my mind some days. I love seeing her happy gait. It also inspires me. It tells me she has conquered what was weighing on her mind. That means I can do the same. 

Moral to this story? We're never alone, even though we may think we are. Humanity is basically the same in that we all have mental challenges from time to time. We all have physical difficulties from time to time. We all rejoice and see the good in most things, from time to time. We all allow ourselves to dive into an abyss from time to time. Life is complex, yet so simple, that we overlook the stability it can have, at ALL times. 

Grateful for this life, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

 

 

But "WHY?"

I love it when a little human keeps asking "Why?" It is the beginning of our life's journey when there are questions needing answered. But why???? Without the why, we become robotic, simply following the crowd without understanding why we are. Because someone said to do it. We must know our "why" if we want to become leaders instead of followers.

Sometimes it can become just a game to the kiddo, but it always starts with a serious need to know the "why". They may know "what" it is being asked of them. They probably know "how" to carry out what is being asked of them. But until they know and understand the "why" (other than "because I said so"), they will never be able to achieve their deep-seated purpose, cause or belief that becomes the source of their passion and inspiration in this journey we call life. We must see futuristically if we want to equip our off-spring. There will always be a "why" that needs answered. We ALL have a "why", but sadly, many never find, let alone understand, it. Because it's too easy to believe a lie...

So much of the time, parents, or whoever is watching over the small person, will become frustrated with the simple question of "why" asked over and over again. Try not to. Simply realize you may be raising the next legendary leader. It's your job to point them to their "why", without causing them to needlessly give up, never fully understanding why the action has been required of them. We DO want to equip our littles to think, to ponder, to reason. Right?

It begins simplistically. The following example is for a toddler just learning the "why", not a teen-ager who should already know the answer...if we've done our job.

EXAMPLE: "Put your dirty clothes in the hamper." "Why?" "Because they smell bad and need laundering." "Why?" "Because you played outside all day in the rain, dirt, at the playground, etc..." "Why?" "Because you needed to get some fresh air and exercise your muscles." "Why?" "Because without those things, your body becomes weak." "Why?" Just continue the answers for as long as it takes, understanding your own "why"; that possibly you are raising the next Steve Jobs, the next Martin Luther King Jr. The next Wright Brother. Without the "why", we're not able to think for ourselves.

The "what" and the "how", isn't important if I don't understand the "why".

Just to be clear, money is never the answer to why we work. Money is a result. It may be a part of the picture, but it isn't what inspires us to get out of bed in the morning. We must ask ourselves what the reason is we want the money. Is it for financial freedom? Maybe we want to travel the world. Do we long for our kids not to have the life we had growing up? Is it to keep score and show how much more we do than others? My point is money isn't the thing that drives us. WHY goes much deeper to understand what motivates and inspires us. Because it is the sole purpose, cause or belief that drives every persons career.

And it all begins as a toddler asking "why?"

Always reminding myself of the "why" my business exists, the "why" did I get out of bed this morning, and the "why" should anyone care, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

Gather?

Leaves gather. Squirrels gather. Thoughts gather. People gather. You know you've always wanted to know. What really constitutes a "gathering"? Are you a social misfit? A social wall flower? A loner? How about just an extroverted introvert? Well, that's me. If I'd have my druthers, I'd druther have as much space as possible. Don't really care for the definition of leaves gathering. Although, I do love watching them gather, and how beautiful they are when they do. I know. Gatherings can be beautiful. I also realize "having my space" sounds like a very lonely existence. But I promise you, I am far from lonely. Okay. Somedays I do have lonely feelings. But don't we all? Seriously, I would be a little concerned if all of humanity was always happy. Always fulfilled. 

So, just for fun and giggles, I looked up the definition, according to the Law Insider. I used this one because I didn't like Webster's definition. Isn't that what we're suppose to do? Just move on if we don't like an answer? That's kind of an inside joke, and those I share it with will know what I mean when saying it.

Social gathering means an assembly of 2 or more individuals for any purpose, unless all of the individuals attending the assembly are members of the same household or immediate family.

Social gathering Definition | Law Insider

Law Insider

https://www.lawinsider.com

Why did I want to know? Because I gathered with another person this morning (for a moment in time), other than my tried and true mate. Just the 2 of us. I have no idea if she is of like mind as myself, but it was a pleasant interaction. It happened on my morning walk ritual. I have never seen her on any other morning, so I'm guessing she is a guest at my neighbors house. And she said she was heading to Arizona tomorrow morning. We visited for approximately 10-15 seconds and was then on our way, each heading in opposite directions. I had interacted with a stranger, a person that crossed paths with me, for more than a simple wave and an utter of "Good Morning." It was nice.

So that you might not begin to worry about me, I do have the ability to "gather" with many. Just not for long periods of time. Two hours in and I'm ready to head to familiar places. I have acknowledged to myself, and others, that I have huge trust issues. I don't play games and try to hide from truth. Some would say I'm well adjusted because of that fact. Others brows crease when they learn this fact. Anywho...

For those of you who have a hard time gathering, I hear you. Maybe we should try harder...

As always, here you will find me...in Mary's World.

She Calls Me "Big Bootie Grams"

It began several years ago. She was staying with me, Grams, during her momma's working hours back in 2016, beginning when she was only 2 months old, through her 4th birthday. Somewhere during that time, she became an adult with the freedom that only the very young have. The freedom to speak truth. I think the term, "Big Bootie Grams" has become a nickname now. But she says it very lovingly. 🤣

Our girl has always been a very observant tyke with very keen ears with which to hear. With all that youth pent up inside her, truthful words had a tendency to fill the atmosphere whenever we were together. Especially while chatting up a storm during our afternoon ritual of swinging and solving all of our little piece of the world's problems. "Our Time" was always a refreshing time of conversation because I knew truth (as seen through a toddlers eyes) would shine its light. 

I do miss those afternoons of it being just she and I, watching nature being nature. Our feet would touch the sky as the challenges began between the very young and the not-so-young. We noticed the colors of the trees changing, the squirrels gathering nuts (and only God knows what else), the deer peeking through the wooded area just to the left of us, as birds sang their songs while flapping around in the water fountain. We shared secrets. We talked smack about Gramps and how much she loved him. We played "Tag! You're It!" We raked up mounds of freshly fallen leaves so we could run through them, just to hear the sounds they gave back to us and the universe. We examined the beauty of butterfly wings and when a white or yellow one appeared, we were sure they had come just to make us smile. On days when the heat index was a little much, we sat in our perspective swings, waiting for the breeze we knew would come suddenly. It was only a matter of time before the movement of angel wings came to cool us. We never lost those moments. We jumped from the swings and with arms stretched out from our sides, we lifted our heads and stood very still while it swirled around us. And play ensued. 

We built tiny insect houses made of gathered sticks and leaves from the yard. Nor could any home be left without a flag waving on a pole, pushed deep into the earth for stabilization. We gathered sticks and piled them up just in case the tiny creatures needed a fire. Much of the time we would also leave directions along side the path (aka our driveway), to any such home available for residency. One day we even created a safe "Monkey Trap" so the monkeys wouldn't destroy the newly built home(s). Reagan's imagination took flight as we created very important structures for homeless insects. 

There were days we spent mostly inside, as well. Those were times of so much laughter as we rose to the challenge of "Statue" creeping. In case you are wondering what in the world that is, it was a game we made up, just to pass the time of day. I would "go for a walk-about" and she would "stay where she was" until I got back. I just needed some time to think. As I began my journey, she would leave her place (quietly) and fall in behind me. Me: "What was that? I think someone must be following me." I would quickly turn to look, with eyes wide, to see who was there. But all I ever found was a really cute statue that looked soooo much like our girl, Reagan. They would be frozen in place and always different. Once I examined the "statue", I would make some comment about taking it home with me, or painting it, or laying it on the couch out of my way. Then I would move on, only to "hear another noise as if someone was following me." This game could go on indefinitely! 

Another game she loved was "Ole!" This one had me holding a tea towel as I waved it around saying, "Ole!" That was what the "bull" was waiting for and then the charge was happening. She ran as fast as she could down the galley kitchen's floor, heading for the waving white flag. This is where pretend is needed, 'cause I didn't have a red towel. It didn't matter to her. We were having fun! She would try to grab the towel as she charged through it. If she could manage to catch it, as it flowed up over her head, she won. Then Grams had to be the bull. She got way too good at this game. 😂

I love this kid so much! She's our first grand-baby, and as the years would have it, has grown now into a stunning young miss. New memories are being made, when time allows. Being in school limits our together time and makes memory catching a looked for event. But look for them, we will!

The hours spent with "Snookums", as I called her (among other things 😂), will live on in my memories for which I will be eternally grateful. I have so many endearing moments captured in my heart from those years. Meg said I was helping her, by watching over Reagan while she worked. But truth be told, it was she who was helping me. 

Big Bootie Grams, taking a stroll down memory lane, here you will find me...in Mary's World.