Happy Birthday, Mama!!

Not sure what to write today, not because I don't have a lot to say, more like I have so much I could say.  My mother is an amazing woman with a caring spirit.  She lives fully into her roles of wife and mother.  She is also a nurse.  She's been a RN forever (at least forever in my world). She's worked in hospitals, nursing homes, teaching other nurses, an OB-GYN, and now she's working for our local hospice.  And I have to say her commitment to care for others is one of the things I most admire about her.  Its an outward manifestation of her beautiful spirit and faith and needless to say an inspiration for myself and my sisters.  Anyway... I could go on listing more things I admire about her or reflecting upon our friendship and how blessed I feel to have a mother who chooses to be so much a part of my life... listening, talking, laughing.  I think I'll stop here though, except to say:  I love you, Mama, and it is a blessing to celebrate your life with you today.  

Just, Margaret

A British tea in Georgia

A few days before I left Georgia, my mom, Aunt June (not really an aunt, but a dear family friend), and I sat down together for tea.  Our menu included tea imported from Bath, Cadbury chocolate, wedding cookies (a Southern delicacy homemade by my grandmother), and blueberry scones baked by my mother that morning.  The scones were made using a recipe we found before Christmas.  They don't taste exactly like scones I've had in England, but pretty close and dare I say it... a little better... maybe its just the extra sweetness of being homemade by my mom.  [smile]  I'll try to get the recipe from my mom and post it soon.  See photo below of our "tea party" with my mom on the right and Aunt June on the left.  

This other photo obviously has nothing to do with the "tea party" pictured are my dad and our sweet dog in front of the fireplace.  During my last week at home our warm Southern winter was replaced by several bitterly cold days... which meant we could use our fireplace.  I love sitting in front of an open fire.  There is just nothing better... so warm and inviting on a cold evening and there are usually few days in Georgia that it gets cold enough to really enjoy the warmth.  

Just, Margaret  

Around the table

Today is Thanksgiving in the US and I'm here in the UK missing it.  Thanksgiving is such a special day and I've tried to explain it more times than I can count to my international friends, but each explanation seems to come up wanting.  Thanksgiving is a day when we as a nation give thanks for our birth, survival skills, ect., but that's just part of it.  And really I have to say its a very small part of my family's celebrations.  I do remember as a little girl dressing up as a pilgrim or Native American (although at the time we still used the term indian) at school complete with the pilgrim bonnet or indian vest homemade from a paper grocery sack and either a wide brim collar or feather in my hair, but it has been a really long time since I've actually thought about Thanksgiving in those terms.  

As I contemplate Thanksgiving today, I envision a large table with my family seated around it smiling in the glow of having eaten their fill (and some overfill) of the bounteous feast prepared by the hands of my grandmothers, mother, aunts, along with help from a man or two I'm sure.  Now as they sit and think about the day one of my grandparents is sure to initiate the long held tradition of speaking our gratefulness aloud.  Each member of the family is ushered to say what they are most thankful for this day.  Much thanks will be spoken for the meal and the hands that have prepared it.  Others will remark about the people in attendance and I'm sure my Grammy or Mom will say something about the family who could not be gathered with them this year.  And to close a reading from the Bible or poem chosen by one of our many United Methodist pastors in attendance and read by one of the now grown-up grandchildren, then a prayer, and perhaps even a hymn.  

Then the meal will end and many hands will make light work of all the straightening up the kitchen and eating areas.  Leftovers will be put away waiting to brought out later that evening and the day after for more repast.  And it may seem like the end of a holiday, but it always seems to feel like the beginning.  Its a lovely holiday and a tradition I intend to keep even while celebrating on this side of the pond.  So I've asked members of my friends and family to join in around the table early this year to share what they are grateful for so that I can now share it with you.  

Liz, a fellow Young Adult Missionary serving in Hong Kong

-Communication.  Being so far from my family, my boyfriend and other loved ones, I have realized how hard we have to work at communication.  It is a gift that should never be overlooked.  

-Solidarity.  It sounds funny, but being in an international community, every time we find something that we connect over, it brings our worlds a little closer. When they miss their families, I understand the pain of separation.  When I'm frustrated with a language I can't grasp, they can tell their own stories of language mishaps.  Laughter, tears, dreams, hopes- they are all the same no matter where you are from.  And that is comforting.  

-Every year I celebrated Thanksgiving in the States, we always say grace over the food- reminding us to be thankful not just for abundance, but for the ability to acquire food, to prepare it to our liking, ect.  Last year, I was humbled with a single meal, nothing related to traditional holiday foods (think tofu and rice), and solitude.  And it made me think of all those who work hard everyday to harvest the rice, to prepare the tofu, to raise the chickens, grown the vegetables... their hard work is to our benefit.  And for some reason, last year it hit home even more that my food comes from the hands of individuals.  To be thankful for their hard work and dedication to cultivating food. 

Barbara, family friend

-the chance to start over every day!

-that the Lord is my Shepherd!

Sally, family friend (claim to fame:  being my dad's first babysitter) and fellow LaGrange College Alum

-The presidential election of Barack Obama which few of us could have dreamed of back in the 60s. 

-Knowing your [mine] family and learning more all the time about being Christian from them since 1957.

-Being married to Albert for 47+ years and sharing in ministry with him across the conference and general church.  

-Our son Dennis, his wife Kim, and their three children. 

-LaGrange College and what it has meant to me for more than 50 years.  

-Good friends across the entire world.  

-Opportunities to travel.  

-Living in a country where I can worship as I wish and come and go at will.  

-Having enough money to live comfortable and being able to share with those less well off.  

-Health and the opportunity to grow old.

Uncle Tim, my dad's brother and one of the many ministers in our family (this is a selection from his weekly email newsletter to his church congregation)

-The grace of God that is beyond all logic and understanding.  It is that grace which primarily defines my life.  The most important core value for me is to figure out creative ways of sharing grace. 

-The joy of reading a good book.

-The profound wisdom of children.

Grammy

-I'm thankful that my number one grandchild is getting a chance to fulfill her childhood dream of studying archaeology at Bristol University no less.  

-I'm thankful that we have elected a president who believes that we can be one and is concerned about all people.  

Granddaddy

-I am thankful that I was born into a Christian home.  

-I am thankful that God provided my Margaret [i.e. Grammy] at just the right time.  

-I am thankful that God has provided me with the resources to do some giving to others.  

-I am thankful for new beginnings. 

-I am thankful for our seven grandchildren.  

Daddy

-Always thankful for my family.  

-For good food, pumpkin pies and good soup and peanut M&Ms (you would think that after all these years I would get tired of them, but I don't), dark chocolate, and coffee.  

-For good music, like James Taylor.  

-For my guitar.  I enjoy making music.  

-For a yard to work in.  

Mama

This year I have been especially reminded of my wonderful heritage and for this I am very thankful.  Through my family and Bill's family we have parents very committed to marriage and family life and the Christian faith.  I am so grateful for the long life and good health of Elick and Margaret, my parents, (Grammy and Granddaddy) and John and Bertha Nell, Bill's parents (Mom and Pop).  After helping to clean out the John and Bertha Nell's household as they moved to Macon, I was reminded of many years even before our parents' generation of the love and gracefulness of faithful life.  For those beautiful gifts in my life, I am truly thankful.  

The Nine, my best friends

-Reconnecting with old friends.  (Meghan)

-I'm thankful for blogs.  They are another wonderful way to keep in touch.  I like writing mine and reading others.  I makes me feel connected. (Katie)

-Our house:  I remember when Meghan got her house.  Chuck and I walked by it one day, and I remember us saying how much we would like to have a DASH house one day.  I honestly never thought it would happen.  (Noelle)

-The opportunities I have to work to really get to know my kids and what they struggle with. (Courtney)

-The internet! How many times have we said that in the last year?  Yes it is easy, but it allows us to be in relationship.  I was sitting in class the other day and we didn't have an opener that week (something to center our thoughts).  The discussion leader told us about an exercise that AA and other recovery groups use.  She asked us, "Do any of y'all write grateful lists?"  (They ask recovering individuals to remember life is more than addition.)  I perked up in my chair and slowly raised my hand.  "Each week," I responded.  The class looked at me with amazement.  I smiled and explained our weekly routine.  It happens because of the great invention that is the internet! (Blair)

-Charlie Brown- my fave four legged friend. (Jane-Marie)

-Being able to do the Turkey run on Thanksgiving morning with my sister, mom, matt's mom and dad and matt!!!  It is going to be so much fun... it is a 5K downtown. (Laura)

-For friends who appreciate my appreciation of cadavers..... of rocks in our heads..... and of other such 'weird' things.  (Amber, med student)

And me... what am I grateful for?  The above individuals and the revelations that their demonstrations of thankfulness bring to my faith journey.  Thank you all for participating.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Just, Margaret

Promised photos

Have you ever turned on the shuffle on your MP3 player, iPod, iTunes, ect. and the exact song you needed to hear but didn't know it began to play.  I was getting ready to write about how these photos are the best ones I've shared on this blog so far and was kinda feeling down about it and then what begins to play through my headphones but the sweet sounds of Nancy Griffith's "This Old Town."  The song has these crazy lyrics about a town "that should have burned down" after all these things that happened there, but "it still stands."  I don't really know why it connected with me tonight, but it totally put me in the best mood.  So glad that I accidentally turned my iTunes on... now I'm jamming out to Indigo Girls.  I'm listening by genre.  Some James Taylor and Kathy Mattea is sure to turn up shortly.  You can blame my obsession on folk rock music on my parents, but mostly my dad. [smile]  I miss them.  I consciously try to keep this blog upbeat, not that I'm really depressed or anything (although we have had the awful British half rain weather pattern today), but I try to stay positive on my blog because it helps put my mind in the right frame.  Ah... Derek Webb, "Love is Not Against the Law."  Lovely.  Anyway I don't think missing my family really qualifies as a sign of not enjoying my UK life.  So I miss them... and thats okay.  Finally some James Taylor from his new album Covers.   

Okay on to a brief explanation of my photos:  The first three are from my service night with the Bristol Rotary Club.  (As a side note I did give my first Rotary presentation today to the Bristol Rotary Club and it went great!  Wahoo!)  So on the service night we visited the Water Survival Box Depot belonging to the Chichester Rotary Club and got to put together several boxes... actually 26 total.  It was so nice to meet some more Rotary folks and hang out with some of my club members in a more relaxed setting.  Also totally reminded me of my time in Louisiana packing health kits with my Grammy, Grandaddy, Mom and Pop.  More Nancy Griffith, "From Clare to Here."  I'm so loving this impromptu mix.  The service project was exactly what I needed Thursday night.

Okay so these are the best photos I have of Bonfire night and I know they aren't great, but maybe they'll give you an idea of what I was doing.  Any confusion left after looking at the photos... join me next year for Bonfire Night in the US or where ever I am.  I'm thinking that some where on West Point Lake in LaGrange will be a perfect setting for a bonfire and fireworks.  We'll see... 

Now more Indigo Girls, "Multiply Life by the Power of Two."  About to change so I'll tell you what's up next... James Taylor's cover of "Why Baby Why."  Could it get any better?  

Just, Margaret

Family Vacation

So I know that it appears that I've slipped off the face of the earth this past month.  And I hate to make excuses, but I do want to say that I have had my computer with me most of the time with the purpose of blogging, but have been out of wireless range.  Anyway last week my dad took a few days off and we all headed out of town for several days.  Our destinations were Americus to visit Mom and Pop, Broxton to visit Grammy and Granddaddy, and Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia.  Callaway Gardens is spot for international tourism and is basically what it sounds like a very large and beautiful garden resort.  Below are some of my photos. 

Mom and Dad in the Victory Garden.  (Sarah and Rachel, my sisters, went on the vacation too, but I don't seem to have any photos of

 them... I'll look in Mom and Dad's photos and try to post one later.)

We were all especially looking forward to the Butterfly House.  

I think I can speak for all of us in saying that we enjoyed having time to be alone together as a family... movies, Mancala, good food.  Just great.  

Just, Margaret

Wednesday 5/14: At the General Board

Today we visited the General Board of Global Ministries at 475 Riverside Drive, a.k.a. the God Box. Something I always find very fascinating. Whenever I step in the doors I have this feeling that I will work there someday. But as we were in sessions literally from the time we arrive at 10AM to 6PM I don't have much to record that I think would be of much interest.

So I just wanted to share that today is my Mom's birthday! Happy Birthday! Love you!

Just, Margaret