Pearsons and Their Blogs

I know our family is a little bit on the weird side -- always have been, surely always will be. How many Moms do you know who stay in touch with what their children might be thinking by reading their blogs? We don't call each other all that much. They are just TOO busy. I'll occasionally get texts from them. Laura will call every few weeks, and we'll chat for a half hour. Matt calls every couple of days during his five-minute drive home from his office. Julie? Well, most of the time, Julie has no earthly idea where her phone even IS. Julie lives the closest, but even she lives an hour away. The others are in Arkansas. See why I'm glad they all blog?

Now, by reading my blog you may already know more than you ever wanted or needed to know about Pearsons and how they think. But, just in case you're still a little more curious, I'd love to point you to the blogs of my brilliant children (you KNEW I'd say that). :)

Going in birth order:

Laura's blog is found at http://bloomingbaggetts.blogspot.com It is based on the "bloom where you're planted" idea since she and her family have moved 12 times in 13 years. She put her blog aside for awhile but has recently resurrected it and has some wonderful new entries.

Matt uses his blog to give the members of his congregation some extra thoughts to ponder between his Sunday sermons. Sometimes he recommends books or articles. Other times he just shares his heart. Find it at http://theheartofpastormatt.wordpress.com

Julie focuses mainly on the daily operations of her growing family, which currently consists of 2 parents and 5 children. Hers can be accessed at http://housefulofrodgers.blogspot.com

Allow me to recommend just one more. Danny Franks is not a Pearson by birth, but he did marry my cousin, so we do think of him as "family." (He is the son-in-law of Reitzel and Ginger Murphy, in case you happen to live in Athens and know them). He is the Campus Pastor for the Brier Creek Campus at Summit church in Raleigh-Durham, N.C. You will be highly entertained by Danny's blog and his insights into how we can make our churches more attractive to unchurched people. His is called "Connective Tissue" and can be found at http://dannyfranks.wordpress.com

Happy reading, everyone!

Facebook Prayer Meetings

I've attended countless Wednesday night prayer meetings in my 61 years. Some were mostly Bible studies or devotional times with a little prayer thrown in for good measure. Some were all-out worship services. Some became Children's Choir programs or times for Missions Recognitions. A few were times when we broke into small groups and earnestly agonized in prayer over some very specific issues and requests. Most, however, consisted of a time where a long list of prayer requests became much, much longer with everyone mentioning every sick person that they knew with both slight ("Uncle Harvey's bunions" or "Aunt Myrtle's hangnail") and serious illnesses. My mother said that she was even in a prayer service once when someone asked for prayer for a person on a SOAP OPERA who had an illness (purely fictional, but the person making the request was obviously so caught up in the drama that it had become real to her). Rarely did the list include people who were unsaved and for whom someone was diligently and consistently sharing Christ. Even more scarce were times when people shared honestly and transparently about needs in their lives that weren't related to health issues. I guess we just thought those things were too personal, and we certainly didn't want to be gossiped about, all in the name of "sharing prayer requests."

Now, Facebook has come on the scene. Prayer requests are typed daily, shared by many, and include all kinds of problems and issues. Some are urgent and have quick conclusions. Some are gut-wrenching and ongoing for months. Some are answered miraculously, while some are answered in unexpected and unwanted ways. Still others appear to go completely unanswered -- although we KNOW that isn't truly the case. In other words, God continues to say "Yes," "No," or "Wait," just as He has since the beginning of time. But, somehow, in the Facebook format, we have become more open with our daily struggles and challenges. One person is taking a test in school that day. Another is getting on a plane for business or for pleasure. Yet another is worried about some lab work that the doctor has ordered. A young Mom has a sick child. An older adult has an aging parent who is beginning to forget and decline. A man and woman fear that they might lose their jobs. A wife has a fuss with her husband before he leaves the house that morning. A couple is in the process of adopting a child, as another couple wonders how the bills are going to get paid. A young single is lonely. Many are recently divorced and searching for answers. Even more are worried about their spouse, their job, their own health, their children, or their grandchildren. ALL OF US have "stuff" going on in our lives. Happily, some have received wonderful blessings and just want us to rejoice with them and give thanks to God along with them. It's fun to share in those times, isn't it?

Through this avenue of Facebook, we can choose to "throw it out there for all 650 of our closest friends" to read and share responses, we can send private messages to just certain "friends" that we trust most, or we can just read about the needs of others and decide privately how we will respond to their urgent petitions and requests for our prayers.

I've started a Facebook Prayer Request Journal. In it, I write down the needs that I read about that are ongoing and for which I can intercede over time. If someone sends out a quick, immediate request, I try my best to stop right then and lift the request to God on their behalf. I have also made a promise to myself that I will not type that I am praying for someone or some issue unless I am genuinely doing so. That's what I would want from someone else. Wouldn't you?

We ARE assured in Scripture that we can bring EVERY request to God, and I, for one, am glad that social media in the form of Facebook can be used to share our needs with others. Not just bunions and hang nails, and not always (but sometimes) a scary cancer diagnosis, but the real tugs in our hearts and the tears rolling down our cheeks.

Not all of my Facebook friends are Christians, though the majority are. I'm very glad that I don't have to wait until Wednesday nights, and I don't have to go to a specific place at a scheduled time in order to ask my brothers and sisters in Christ to join me in "making my requests known to God." And, yes, I recognize that Facebook has also been abused and used poorly for bad purposes. I, however, continue to see it as a positive tool, and I look forward to honoring prayer requests and sharing my own in the days ahead.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. . . . And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4: 6-7, 19.

Grudging, but Genuine Admiration

First for the Disclaimers:

1. I am an Auburn graduate and ardent fan. So is my husband, and so are 2 of our children. Our first idyllic year of marriage was happily spent as students at Auburn.

2. I love sunsets because they are filled with so much orange and blue.

3. When our children were small, we taught them (against the valiant efforts of many fellow church members) that Santa Claus wouldn't come if they said, "R___ T___." They believed it.

4. My husband, who was very carefully trained by his daddy, was once quoted as saying (back during the Cold War, mind you): "If Alabama played Russia, I'd be for Russia."

5. I have many relatives who are Bama fans -- including a brother and a nephew with engineering degrees from UA and a cousin who is a former Crimsonette.

6. During a summer long ago, a college student named Les Fowler took piano lessons from me while he was on break from school. He was on the Bama football roster, but his room in the athletic dorm was decorated in orange and blue in deference to his parents, both Auburn pharmacists. Les went on to become Dr. Les Fowler, the orthopedic specialist who was on the sidelines of Bama games for many seasons.

7. Another former piano student was Tommy Barkley, now Dr. Tom Barkley, who was the drum major for the Million Dollar Band.

8. My beloved piano teacher at Samford, Dr. Betty Sue Shepherd, was a UA graduate, and in my opinion, there was no better person OR pianist in the world.

9. There are many people for whom I have utmost respect who are graduates of UA.

10. Still, if you ever hear the words "R___ T___" come out of my mouth, you will know I am unconscious or deathly ill. And, if I am given anything with a hounds tooth pattern, I can tell you up front that it WILL be re-gifted. :)

BUT -- and these are VERY BIG BUTS

The University of Alabama football team and coaches deserved that crystal football they won last night. Their defense shut out the #1 team in the nation, and their offense rolled up many, many yards.

I am very happy for UA's place kicker. He had to overcome some terrible humiliation from his performance on November 5th, and his smiles last night lit up the Superdome.

I am pleased for the people of Tuscaloosa who suffered such losses last spring. They deserve this time of joy.

I am proud for Carson Tinker and his parents, Carlton and Debbie. Carson was a young boy and his parents were much-admired and appreciated members of Central Baptist Church in Decatur during the years that Steve and I were there. They are quality people.

Alabama football players left no doubt in anyone's mind last night that they were this year's best college team. Congratulations, Bama.

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!