Moo Jesus

I have learned over the last several months that if you stop sometimes and think, you can find the lesson that the Lord and life is trying to give you. Sometimes in this world because of the all the crazy we are forced to deal with the lesson is harder to get. Believe me, I have had a hard time lately being able to find the lesson amid all the crazy. And, though it is hard for me to believe, I know that I am on someones list as a crazy person.

Awhile back I got into some investment property for a friend and it is really becoming hard to deal with. I have bitched and moaned about this situation to almost everyone I know, except the person that I truly have the problem with. That is wrong of me, and I might should stop writing about this situation right now, but then you really would not understand the story. What started as a favor has turned into something that is causing me thousands of dollars. As a matter of fact, on a daily basis, there is something new that must be overcome. Out of pocket. And yes, it is Christmas time people (!!!) and that new Louis Vitton purse and the GI Joe with the Kung Fu grip and Eagle Eye look like they might not make it under my tree!!

Well, anyway as I was on my way home this morning from dealing with another issue with this same property and cussing at no one (which I am sure makes me look sane as I am driving down the highway), I noticed a bunch of cows sitting in a field. This is nothing new. Those same damn cows have been in that same field as long as we have lived on this side of town and I see them most every day when I am on my way home. At least I think they are the same. Some may have gone to hamburger heaven over the last two years that we've been here. Well anyway, today I noticed that instead of walking around grazing, they were all just lying as a group in the middle of the field. When I thought about it, I realized that they usually lie down on days when it looks like it is about to storm. Sure enough it was overcast (was I so mad I missed that?). When the storm is over, they get up and continue doing their cow business. You know, grazing and manufacturing manure.

So where the hell am I going with this?

I think sometimes you have to just sit down and wait out the storm. You do what you need to do for yourself and not put yourself in a dangerous position. For example, with all the trees in the field they were sitting in the middle. Any middle school student knows that you don't stand under a tree in a storm. I guess cows know that too. I don't think it means that you don't have emotions or feelings, but if you just wait it out and do what you need to do (in the cows case, lying down)eventually the storm will pass and you can keep going on your merry cow way! MOO!!

I don't know if God still gives signs. Back in the day he did things like send hoards of locus, light a bush on fire, or afflict the population with boils (and come on, do we really want him to go back to that!). I think now our lessons come more subtly and probably more frequent. We just have to be open and be responsive to them. My mother said that this whole situation is preparing me to handle other situations that are coming up in my life in a better way. I must worry about me and my bottom line first. I have a bad tendency to worry about how a situation is going to affect someone else. The effect is usually something will happen that will make that person(s) not worry about me. It has happened more than once, but I am not too sure about it happening again.

So...will I be mad about this whole situation again tomorrow? OK, yes that is not going to change. Hey, I'm human and that will most likely happen. Will the anger last as long, probably not. Thanks to the cows I know that I need to just lie back, do what needs to be done and wait for the storm to MOOOOve on (OK now that really was funny).

MOOOOOOOOO!

Happy Turkey Day

I had the pleasure to spend this weekend in a car with Hubby, my 3 nieces, nephew and my sister on a 10 hour drive to Mississippi. All I can say is that I really love my mom!!


The weird thing is that this entire weekend was actually fun. My mother lives in the middle of no where. I know there cannot be any more than 1000 people in there, and I really think I am being gracious. However, when they put on a Thanksgiving dinner, they don't pull out any stops. I have not had a Thanksgiving with my family since my grandparents passed. And although these people were only my family by default, it was really nice to just be with folk who enjoyed laughing, eating and enjoying each other's company.

My sister and I don't often get to spend time together. I am sure she does not know this, but I just loved being with her and her kids this weekend. We have started out new family football tradition. I really think that my niece had the speed to be the start on her powder puff team next year. I think I will start calling her 'Bruiser'.

What I think I liked best about this weekend was that I did not have to think. There was no conversation about the store, no anger about friendships, no money issues, just family and fun.


The way Thanksgiving should be.

Going to the Chapel of Love

So I get this text message yesterday morning from Crimes Legal saying that she and her fiance were headed to the courthouse yesterday to marry and that they would love for us to join them. In my world 'us' usually refers to a small group and before you could say " I wonder who else got this" my phone rang.

It was Ms. Athens who was just recently back in town after a week in Hawaii (I'm so jealous) and the always 2 hours behind schedule BFP calling to discuss this text message. My cell phone rang at exactly the same time Hubby's cell phone rang. At that moment I knew that this small ceremony was really going to be the social event of the season and I immediately began thinking of what I should wear that would be courhouse wedding affair chic. After a brief conversation, I told Athens that I would pick her up within the hour and that she should see if she could talk her dad into making me a bacon, egg and cheese to go.

I picked up Ms. Athens (without the requested BEC), and we headed off to the courthouse! I was kinda excited. This was kinda cool. It was like something that you would see on a reality show or read in an Eric Jerome Dickey novel. Since Crimes called to tell us that she was running late, we stopped at a local bakery. We decided that even though this was not her official wedding, every bride needs a cake (and a good pair of shoes but we did not have that kinda time). I was hoping to find a simple white cake at the bakery, but no luck. The only thing I could find was a rum cake. Hell, sounded good to me. We like rum. We like cake. So off to the courthouse we went rum cake in hand!!

Soon everyone was at the courhouse, including one friend who I am not sure was the best man or just EXTREMELY overdressed for so early in the morning. We can be loud as a group and since we still had some folk to wait on ( I bet you can guess who one of those folk were...don't know yet...keep guessing) we cheered on all the other couples that were gettng married that day. When all the wedding party had finally arrived, it was time to start the show!

As always, I had my camera and proclaimed myself the photographer for the event. In the back of the courhouse is a little spot called the Arbor of Love. Now, I am not sure who they got to come in early on a Saturday and put this together, but it is an outdoor gazebo with ivy and little birds stapled all over it (PETA would be hot as hell about this). In a weird way it was kinda romantic. All of us piled in and waited for the officiant.

Now, this is where is gets blurry because I was trying to capture the moment, keep CD's husband from saying anything out of hand, not hit my head on the Arbor of Love and listen to the woman preforming the ceremony. Something about what she was saying was not right. When I looked over to her I noticed she had no teeth. ( Jesus be some Efferdent and help this sistah secure some dentures in her mouth! )How can you be a part of someones special (or as she said it speeshull) day without any damn teeth? I know that the city pays them well and has a dental plan. It is my hope that she had a bad time with some popcorn the night before and irritated her poor gums because that was just uncalled for. I think her not having teeth is an everyday thing. I tried to get a picture because I KNEW no one would believe this, but she was too quick for me and kept turning her back or holding up her hand. I guess no teeth makes you pretty darn quick.

Anyway, with many cheers, hugs and love, we helped Crimes move into the next stage of her life. I wish you much luck and love, my friend.