FOR THE LOVE OF FAMILY

By Vernalee

Family! Remember them? Related through blood line, they are the people that we feel close to, grew up with, talk to, share time with as we show love - most of the time. They can also be the people that we engage in verbal warfare with, get upset with, refuse to talk to out of anger. You know the list as I do. We can for sure hold on too long to things that we should let go. The interesting thing is that there are times that we can't live with them and times that we cannot live without them! At the end of the day, there is something that we share that supersedes the frustration that we can sometimes feel. It's called family; it's called togetherness; it's called love! It’s that permanent bond that glues us together no matter how weak our individual pieces may be! When we sit down and bless the food, how joyous it is to look into the eyes of family members, let bygones be bygones, and move on in God’s purpose as he created the family. Photo Credit: About Us

COUNTING DOWN TO THANKSGIVING

As we countdown the days to Thanksgiving, I thought that I would share a story or two. We all have our holiday stories buried somewhere in our memories. Well this one places me in my hometown, Glen Allan, Mississippi many years ago. Anyway, my Mother short of taking me across her knee really chastised me upon discovering that I had not taught my daughter, her namesake, the basic essentials of cooking. I remember her words to this day when she said, "It's a down right shame for a woman in our family not to know how to cook!" You see during my daughter's adolescent years, I was extremely busy balancing corporate and entrepreneurial duties that we ate out a lot! For those of you who were building careers, you know what I mean; right? So off to the drawing board, the two Phoebe's (my Mother and daughter) went! "You and your Grandma are going to cook Thanksgiving dinner together baby girl. I will show you the ropes so pay close attention," my Mother told her. Excitedly, my daughter spent the next two days with her iPad writing recipes and cooking side by side with her Granny. Word spread around our diminutive town that "Little Phoebe was cooking Thanksgiving dinner." Many town folks came over to see and taste the feast. Drumroll please … Well the meal turned out perfect and my daughter has been cooking ever since...thanks to her Granny! My Mother stepped in and picked up the pieces. That's why God gave us the extended family (It does take a village) to help where we may fall short.

TWENTY DOLLARS

By Vernalee

Above you see a twenty dollar bill. Over the years, I as you have held many in our hands  and have seen them come and go. I have a twenty dollar bill story for which some of you can relate.

In the early 1970’s, I was attending summer school at Jackson State University to take elective courses. My friends and I had our first apartment. We were as they say, "Living the life!"

All was going well until we ran out of money. In fact, we didn’t even have a dime which was the cost of a collect call at the telephone booth (remember those). Being desperate, we had to make that embarrassing long distance call to our parents to let them know that all four of us were broke and had no food!

Miraculously, I received a letter that Monday morning from my Mother.  The words were “Baby, I thought you might need this!”  Inside the envelope was this glowing shiny brand new green bright $20.00 Bill. Nothing never looked so good! I had hit the jack pot! I could never figure it out but there was always something clairvoyant about my Momma. How did she know over one hundred and fifty miles away that I didn’t have a penny to my name? Did she telepathically read my mind? Later as I matured, i learned that it’s called a Mother’s sixth sense.

Since Momma had taught me early on to share, off to the grocery store, my friends and I went. “All for one and one for all.”

I vividly remember ... We bought a 20 pound bag of potatoes and oil to make French fries. Yum!

My Mother saved the day!

It’s a special memory that I will always cherish. From near or far, Mothers always know! Don’t they? That is why they wear the crown of wisdom! Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org