Good Gifts

Gifts received and some still waiting to be delivered.
Seth and Luke working hard on paintings to give their parents for Christmas. They spent a weekend with us in early December, and I took them to a Kids Art Camp, which they loved.
Penelope happily showing off the ladybug/flower painting she got from Grandmomma (me) while Nathan, Maggie and Luke looked on.

In my opinion this Christmas will go down in our family history as a Year of Very Good Gifts. It just seemed as if there was a lot of care, deliberation, and forethought given to the special items that were exchanged during these holidays. It was NOT a year of Big Money gifts. As a matter of fact, I don't anticipate that we will ever have a year where that will be the case. But, I think I'm more impressed than ever by the creativity of my daughters and daughter-in-law, and I'm pleased by the love that they shared with each other and with Steve and me.

We were also united in our desire to model gratitude for our children and to reinforce the idea that giving is fun, too, and not just getting. A former student and current Facebook friend Beth Southern Carter had posted that she always makes sure her children GIVE gifts before they RECEIVE any, and I thought that was a wonderful practice. We did that this year with very positive results. Also, Laura, Matt and Julie decided that they would exchange FAMILY gifts, rather than just trying to buy a toy for every child. Another meaningful and inspiring idea.

Julie painted a colorful quote for each of her siblings' families -- "Do Something Amazing Today." What great words to have hanging in a prominent spot and what a motivating challenge.

Katie (Matt's wife) gave Seeds of Praise CDs to the other families -- the wonderful new tool that is available for helping children memorize Scripture verses through music.

Laura based her gifts on the book "Every Day is a Holiday" and chose a random holiday within each month of the year and bought fun things to be used for celebrating that day.

Julie and Brian gave Steve and me a set of Lincoln Logs. Yes, Lincoln Logs. But her explanation was so touching. She said that she remembered having fun playing with Lincoln Logs when she was a little girl visiting Steve's parents' house, and she wanted her children to have the same kind of experiences at our house. (This, of course, was particularly poignant since Steve's mom died this past year).

Laura and David gave me some beautiful earrings. For one thing, I know she had observed that I was wearing the same couple of pairs over and over, but she also said, "I knew green was your favorite color, so when I saw those I thought you'd like them." She also gave me a book called "Grace for the Good Girl -- letting go of the try-hard life" by Emily Freeman. Is this a daughter who knows her Momma or what? They gave Steve some wonderful gift certificates for his new computer and for his Kindle.

Matt and Katie "knew us well" with their gift certificates for my Nook Color and for Steve, the Bass Pro Shop. Yay! Happy future shopping/browsing for both of us.

Steve took to heart all of the suggestions my Facebook friends made and then decided to give me a generous amount of money so I could select my own gift. Again, he "knows me well." I love anticipating things AND having some input into anything that involves me. He accomplished his goal in fine style.

My brother created a pictorial calendar with all of the family birthdays and anniversaries clearly recorded -- a testimony to his thoughtfulness, his creative skill, his attention to detail and a large amount of his time.

I had a lot of fun giving gifts this year. For much of the past year, I've been taking painting classes with mostly fun, whimsical subjects, so I painted pictures for each grandchild, for each daughter and daughter-in-law, and for my sister in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I'm not trying to be the next Grandma Moses or anything, but it felt so good to give these people something that I had done with my own hands.

And, there was one more project that Steve had been urging me to finish for quite a long time. His mother's death and the fact that my own Dad is now 84 years old spurred me to finally get it done. I made a CD of 15 piano arrangements of my favorite hymns and worship songs and did it with my Dad in mind. He, after all, paid for all those years of piano lessons and college tuition. Maybe he deserved a little token of my appreciation. Once more, giving that gift felt very good.

I'm glad we had an occasion to think/plan/create and enjoy giving of ourselves this year, and I suspect the Pearson women are already scouting out ideas for next year.

Steve, hon, don't worry. I still remember the avocado green blender that you gave me the first Christmas after we got married. It will always have a special place in our family history, too. :)

"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:11

"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow." James 1:17

Good-bye, Casserole Season. Hello, Steamed Veggies.

Just how many 9" x 13" casserole dishes does a girl need in her kitchen? Well, if you were trained in the culinary arts by Mildred Rose Collier (my sweet Momma), the answer has to be "just one more." In our family, a casserole was defined as any pleasing combination of favorite ingredients. Most of the time our casseroles were topped with cheese and/or crushed Ritz crackers, and they almost always contained cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, cream cheese, butter, mayo, or cream of chicken soup. On a few rare occasions, all of the above were in the same low-cal (yeah, right) dish. And, there were a few that leaned toward the dessert variety, such as sweet potato casserole with the requisite topping of miniature marshmallows.

Casserole season never really ends at my house, but it has its peak between mid-November and early January every year. During those weeks, we invariably have hashbrown casserole, green bean casserole, squash casserole, Poulet de Normandy casserole, pineapple/cheese casserole, broccoli/rice casserole and breakfast casserole . . . and not just ONCE. My son Matt so associates casseroles with me that he once used a casserole dish for his visual in a Mother's Day children's sermon he shared. I believe he mentioned the regularity of tuna noodle casserole when he was growing up, but I promise we didn't have it nearly as much as he perceived.

This past holiday season was no exception. However, I did slip a few new ones in on my family this year and even used a different shaped cooking apparatus -- a crockpot.

Just as with 9" x 13" dishes, how many crockpots does a cook need? Well, I currently have three, and "I'm not afraid to use them." :) Two dishes in particular that were big hits were Crockpot Mashed Potatoes (after all, who wants to be mashing potatoes when it's time to have fun with the grandkids and start pouring juice into their sippie cups?) and Crockpot Corn. Here are those recipes:

CROCKPOT MASHED POTATOES

5 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes

1 T. minced garlic or to taste

3 cubes chicken b0uillon

1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter, softened

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, cook the potatoes, garlic and b0uillon in boiling, lightly-salted water for about 15 minutes or until tender but firm. Drain, reserving water. In a bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding water as necessary for desired consistency.

Transfer the potato mixture to a crockpot, cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, adding butter, salt and pepper just before serving. 8 servings.

CROCKPOT CORN

1 (15-oz.) can kernel corn, drained

2 (15-oz.) cans cream-style corn

1 (8-0z.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter

1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low until well-heated, about 3 hours. Makes 10 servings.

Tonight we're getting our veggies in steamed form in honor of our January healthy-eating resolutions. It's also soup weather, though, so those crockpots will be getting lots of use this winter. Maybe I'll share my Chicken Chili Success soon.

Lessons to Remember from 2011

(These doors lead to the old sanctuary of the church that Steve and I joined about a year ago. It also represents the spot where my parents married on June 19, 1949. They wanted to be the first couple married in the new church, but the building wasn't quite finished when their wedding day rolled around. Not to be outdone, they just stood in this doorway to speak their vows, and their names were put in the cornerstone, fulfilling their wishes to be "the first.")

Today is just weird around here. The USA (a.k.a. the college football world and the Rose Parade committee) has chosen to celebrate New Year's Day on January SECOND. What's up with that? My husband is back at work while some big bowl games are on TV. We ate black-eyed peas yesterday -- certainly couldn't risk changing THAT tradition -- but the rest of the world appears to be off work and is busy consuming chips and various dips. I have gotten a good start on my 2012 Bible reading plan, and I have started filling in my shiny new calendar, but, other than that, it's a quiet, non-celebratory day around this house.

I always enjoy reflecting and planning at this time every year. It is easy to pick out BIG, significant events for our family in 2011. Baby Samuel Pearson Rodgers was born on June 18, and Steve's mom Mary Nell Pearson died on July 27. We escaped the effects of the April 27th tornados with only the inconvenience of 4 days without electricity. We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary on March 20. I started going to painting classes and learned a great new creative outlet. Steve cut down on his work schedule, providing himself with more free time for visiting grands and for pursuing his many non-veterinary interests. I started singing in the choir at First Baptist, Athens, and we both made many new friends within our church family. Each of the children and grandchildren grew a year older, as well as a year more precious to us. We were blessed with healthy reports from medical tests and doctors' visits (Praise the LORD!).

2011 was filled with blessings but also with frustrations, hurts, challenges and deep concerns. But, as in every previous year of my life, God has kept every one of His promises, and He's been faithful, loving and merciful.

About mid-way through 2011, Steve and I made a list of lessons we had learned -- some "the hard way" -- in very recent years, with the idea that we wanted to KEEP these lessons learned and to continue to be reminded of the negative consequences of allowing the lessons to come un-learned.

If you are smart enough to learn lessons just by hearing about them from someone else, then maybe this list can prevent some heartache and regret in your life. If you are (sadly) like me, stubborn and bull-headed, then I just hope your path to learning your own lessons won't be too painful.

1. Attitude is everything. Happiness and contentment are choices that we make.

2. Friendships provide perspective. Spend more time with friends.

3. People (grandchildren) are watching. Don't just be saved. Act saved and continue to live out your faith as long as you have the physical/mental capacity to do so. Intentionally allow God to influence your daily life.

4. Have a life. Stay interested and interesting. Keep learning new things.

5. Being proactive about health is a good thing. Medicine/doctors/hospitals can be dangerous. Make choices that will minimize the need for them.

6. Go ahead NOW and forgive anyone who has ever wronged you. Deal with anger and get over it.

7. Be generous.

8. Be grateful.

9. Be thoughtful.

10. Laugh at every opportunity. It feels so good.

Adventures are for Somewhere BESIDES Auburn

Steve and I had a great trip to Auburn this past weekend, but we messed up one big time. That was in our restaurant choice for dinner on Friday night. We were trying to "be good" and stick to the low-carb diet we've been on, so when we saw a bright, shiny, new place with Diner in the title, we thought, "It's bound to have meat, vegetables and salad, so why not try it?" Big mistake. Huge. The service was lackluster, and the food tasted bad, really bad and was overpriced to boot. When we left, I sent a text message to the kids spelling out our tale of woe. Matt quickly responded with a text of his own: "Who goes to a diner in Auburn???" The clear implication was that he wouldn't be caught dead there. His choices -- and what should have been our choices -- would be Chuck's BarBQue, Guthrie's, Cheeburger/Cheeburger, or Niffer's. He wouldn't be looking for healthy, home-cooking. He'd be wanting to feel like a college student again. Laura's text said: "Why would you go anywhere besides Cheeburger or Guthrie's?" When I told her that we decided to be a little bit adventurous, her reply was classic -- "You don't go to Auburn for what's different. You go because of what is the SAME! War Eagle!"

See why I love my children so much? They are such delightful people, and they were exactly right. Why do the old grads like Steve and me make pilgrimages back to the Loveliest Village on the Plains? Because of what's the SAME. The traditions!

We learned our lesson the hard way and spent the rest of the weekend reminiscing and enjoying the tried and true.

The top picture shows the back of my latest t-shirt purchase. Notice that "rolling the trees on Toomer's Corner" is featured because their fate has been so much apart of the news since last winter. In the next picture, you can see for yourself how the trees at Toomer's Corner are faring. Look closely at the tops, and you'll see some sick-looking yellow and brownish leaves, especially when you compare their color to the trees behind them. It's sad that this particular tradition may not survive much longer.

I always enjoy walking past Langdon Hall, the site of my Senior Piano Recital given in December of 1971. I started my college journey at Samford, studying with my much-beloved teacher Dr. Betty Sue Shepherd. But, I gave that up to marry Steve and ended up here. I'd do it all over again, dear Steve.
This is Gargis Hall where many of my music classes were held. It was old then, so it's REALLY old now. :) Stately architecture, though, don't you think? And there's a glimpse of Samford Hall's iconic clock tower in the distance.
Here Steve and I are headed to the game, and you can see Jordan-Hare Stadium in the background and Haley Center. I hear that they're planning to tear down the Haley Center. I guess that piece of landscape will change soon -- hopefully for the better.
Here is Aubie -- award-winning mascot -- entering the stadium before game time. Right before kick-off, he came onto the field carrying the crystal football, symbol of Auburn's 2010 National Championship. Definitely a "goose-bump moment."
With 30 seconds left in the game, the score was 42-38 and thankfully, it stayed that way to the end. It was another day of chanting the cheers, singing the fight song, and pulling for the Tigers.

This is not the place to color outside the lines. We'll stick more closely to what we know and love next time -- hopefully in the not-too-distant future. War Eagle, everybody!

Receiving Acts of Kindness

Last Saturday was a scorcher of a day on the campus of Auburn University. The first game of the 2011 season, and the first game since Auburn won the National Championship over Oregon last January. Steve and I, along with 76,000+ loyal fans, made the trip to see the Tigers add yet another win to the nation's current longest winning streak.

I knew it was going to be a good day when we walked into Cracker Barrel for breakfast and a young, 20-something young man wanted to know where I had gotten my shirt -- a sure sign that I had chosen a good one the previous day when we were in our favorite campus bookstores.

Later, when we were standing in the crowd waiting for Tiger Walk, a nice man who was at a security tent beside the gate brought over a sturdy metal chair and asked if I wanted to stand in it to get a better view of the coaches and players about to enter the stadium. What a treat!!!! It almost made being a "fluffy senior citizen" worth it. Bless his heart.

Steve and I thought we were being smart and careful about surviving 4 hours in a sweltering stadium. We applied thick layers of sunscreen, we had on comfortable shoes, and light-weight clothes, and I had a big floppy hat to cover my neck, ears and thin hair. We were lucky enough to have found tickets where the sun was to our backs, and Tropical Depression Lee, coming up from the Gulf, provided a very pleasant breeze. We went in with large, ice-filled Diet Cokes and thought we'd be "set." Happily, the folks around us were fun-loving and NOT drinking -- a definite plus for a morning game.

The game was tense and disappointing. For 57 1/2 minutes, the Tigers looked mediocre at best. Then, with 2:07 left they scored 14 points to win the game by 4 points. Definitely, a thriller. We were so glad we stayed until the final buzzer. The end to a great day, right? Just walk to the car, turn on the air conditioner, get something cool to drink, and head home. It should have been so simple.

However, about the time we got out of the main flow of people leaving the stadium, I knew I was in trouble. The best way to describe it is that I just started fading away. I was sinking into a semi-conscious hole of some kind. I would take a few steps and then stop to sit down or put my head down, take a few more steps, try to "get a grip" and then go again. It wasn't long before I was incapable of going another step -- very frightening with the car parked blocks and blocks away.

Random acts of kindness started popping up from everywhere. Two guys stopped and offered to use their Smartphones to find the number of a taxi service. (Steve called but the taxi couldn't get very close because of the flow of traffic implemented by the campus police). One lady stopped to give us her fan (shown in the picture above). Who would think that a funeral-home-type fan would become such a symbol of kindness? Steve approached some nearby tailgaters, and they quickly brought ice water, some Sprite, orange juice, and even generously offered my teetotalling husband "a cold beer." Don't worry. He graciously declined the beer but gratefully accepted the other beverages.

I couldn't open my eyes. All around my mouth I could taste salt, and my skin was grainy. Steve described me as having "a funny color." (Glad I didn't look in a mirror.) The seemingly insurmountable dilemma Steve had was how to get me back to our car. At that moment -- completely through the loving provision of our Heavenly Father -- an ambulance came down the street where we were, obviously looking for anyone needing help. Steve flagged them down, and the paramedics jumped out and started assessing my situation. Amazingly, my vital signs were good, but severe dehydration was determined to be the culprit. Those three ANGELS got permission from their boss and carried us in their ambulance to within 2 steps of our car. They even buckled me into my seat belt!!!! They treated me with such kindness and respect. I will likely never know their names, but I DO know that God used them as vehicles of His protection and blessing in my life last Saturday afternoon.

If anyone reading this has any connection to the emergency personnel that were on duty last weekend in Auburn, PLEASE express my sincere thanks and appreciation for their work and tell them how much it meant to Steve and to me.

Within an hour or two of sitting with the air conditioner blowing full blast in my face and my dear Hero Husband forcing me to drink lots and lots of water, I started to come back to life. We definitely learned the "importance of staying hydrated" and will be much more deliberate when faced with a similar scenario again.

I have to say it. This day made me even prouder of being a member of the Auburn Family. Win, lose, or draw, I'm "ALL IN!"

Matthew 10:42 (Jesus said) "And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones EVEN A CUP OF COLD WATER to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward."

The Passing of Steve's Mom

From looking at the children's sizes/ages, I would guess that this picture was made on Easter Sunday in 1982 or 1983. It was always our habit to keep the kids dressed up after church until we could drive from Hartselle to Grannie and Granddaddy's house on 8th Ave. in Decatur and make some pictures. Then, we'd change clothes, enjoy Grannie's much-anticipated lunch, and Granddaddy would hide Easter eggs for the kids over and over again.

Steve's dad, Elton Pearson, died at the age of 73 in a boating accident while fishing in the Tennessee River -- his very favorite past-time -- on October 30, 1997. His mom, Mary Nell Pearson, died at the age of 86 in Baptist East Hospital in Montgomery on July 27, 2011, from complications due to congestive heart failure.

2011 was a miserable year for Grannie. She fractured a vertebra in her back on two separate occasions, both causing intense pain and requiring surgical procedures. She was also hospitalized with bronchitis and heart/anxiety issues on several occasions. In less than seven months, she went from a 2-bedroom independent living apartment to 1 room in an assisted living place then to a nursing home/rehabilitation facility. She was tired of fighting pain and illness and was ready to die, in both a physical sense and a spiritual one.

Her five grandchildren conducted the funeral service. They all shared favorite memories of their Grannie. Jon David gave the eulogy, Jenny and Julie shared Scripture passages, Laura played the piano, and Matt gave the message. I can't imagine anything that would have pleased her more. Although they witnessed some of Grannie's suffering and unhappiness in her final years, they had much to share about the Grannie that was so much a part of their growing years.

As her obituary stated, Mrs. Pearson was very smart -- making a 4.0 in Medical Records at Calhoun AFTER her boys had graduated from Auburn. Mrs. Pearson was a phenomenal cook -- as anyone who ever tasted her food could attest. And, she was a devoted student of the Bible, having taken part in many Community Bible Study series, as well as Kay Arthur and David Jeremiah studies.

But, her grandchildren remembered other things. One year she made life-size stuffed tigers for the boys and life-size stuffed dolls for the girls for Christmas. She must have worked for months and months on those and had to hide the evidence every time we went to visit. :) Jon David mentioned a great cake she made for his birthday. It was in the shape of a flower pot, complete with dirt (Oreo crumbs) and gummy worms. When we were planning the menu for Matt's rehearsal dinner when he was getting married, he requested Grannie's chocolate pie to be the dessert. So, she made 10 of them for the occasion.

We laughed remembering that she was visiting us at Cedar Cove one time and was using a walker because of a broken ankle. We were out in the front yard looking at the pond, and someone noticed a snake in the grass. The next thing we knew, Grannie was up on the porch, and her walker was still in the yard. :) We teased her unmercifully about that.

Steve remembers coming home from school on a Halloween afternoon crying because he had forgotten that his Boy Scout troop was having a costume contest. Grannie quickly put her creative talents to work and whipped up a scarecrow outfit for him. He ended up winning First Place!!!

Grannie made the tenderest pot roast I've even eaten, but that is such a small thing in comparison to the job she did of raising a wonderful son who became my husband. I will always be grateful to her for that.

I had never been in the room when someone took their last breath until a few weeks ago. In God's providence, Steve and I were in Montgomery when Grannie died. We knew she probably had only a few months to perhaps a year left to live, but we weren't expecting the end to come on that day. Nevertheless, God arranged for us to be there. Steve was holding her hand as her breaths became shallower and farther apart. Her eyes fluttered open in the last minutes. I couldn't help but wonder if she might already be glimpsing heaven. The end was very peaceful and quiet.

I thank God for her life and her legacy.

Proverbs 31:28-31 "Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: 'Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.' Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the product of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates."

A Clumsy Cast Can Still Produce a Great Catch

Look at this face of a very happy man. If Steve can't be hugging on grand kids, then at least put him in a boat on a sunny summer day when the willow flies are out, and watch the contentment glow out of him. On this particular day, he was in the boat WITH 5 grand kids. Supreme happiness in his book. :)

My husband has many amazing skills, some well-known, some not-so-well-known. Most people know that he's a good veterinarian. He has a great sense about what is wrong with an animal and knows how to use diagnostic tools to get answers. But, I think his clients appreciate him even more for his consistent integrity and honesty in dealing with them and their pets.

Some more personal skills are his thinking/reasoning/dispensing of wisdom to his children and to me. And, one of his talents that I get to enjoy most is his ability to cook a great breakfast.

Over this past weekend, though, I was able to observe (again) two of his great abilities that are like viewing great works of art when you see him in action. One was on Sunday morning when he was teaching a Bible lesson to our Sunday School class. It is awesome to watch and experience a person who is so obviously caught up in using their spiritual gift. His smooth delivery, his style, his knowledge (produced from study and insight), and his approachability are all apparent when he's in his element. I love seeing him AND hearing him teach.

The other great skill that I observed was on a recent late afternoon fishing trip when I decided to join him. Sadly, I don't do this often enough. I figure that's "his thing," and I'll just stay home and do "my thing." I'm so glad I went this time. Watching him cast his rod with uncanny accuracy is really a thing of beauty -- meant in the most masculine terms, of course. It shouldn't be a surprise. After all, he's been honing this skill for well over 50 years, but still I love to watch the expert at work. He knows how to place each lure in precisely the best spot for attracting that unsuspecting bass.

He handed me a rod and reel that he said was simple enough, "even the grandchildren used it during Cousins Camp," and gave me a few, hurried instructions. My casts were clumsy, jerky, short, inaccurate. But, hey, I got my bait in the water and felt several definite nibbles.

As you might expect, that led me to a spiritual correlation. So often, my witnessing attempts are like those casts. I don't always use the "right words." I seldom follow the methods or scripts that I've been taught. I just try to be faithful to "get my bait in the water" and trust the Holy Spirit to produce a great catch. I'm never going to catch a fish by staying home, now am I? I need to spend more time out where the fish are and continue to learn the best baits to use for certain fish and the right casting motions to use to get my bait in front of the hungry fish. My witnessing and my fishing can improve with practice. My husband will be pleased if I go fishing with him more often. My Savior will be pleased if I share more boldly and more often of His love and saving power.

John 21: 5-6, 11 "Jesus therefore said to them, 'Children, you do not have any fish, do you?' They answered Him, 'No." And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find a catch.' They cast therefore, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn."