Ms. Redo

Sunday Morning - Mothers Day

2012-05-12T17:55:00.003-04:00

Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Proverbs 22:6 NIV

Happy Mother's Day to each of you!

When I was a little girl, my mother took excellent care of me.

She was not perfect, but she gave me of love and care
the best that she could.

Momma did our laundry in wringer wash tubs for our family of five and my grandmother's family (which fluctuated from three to six, depending on how many foster children she was caring for at that time). That, my friends, was a whole lotta wringer washer laundry hung on the clotheslines several times a week!

She ordered our clothing from Sears or Montgomery Ward catalogs. She apparently liked me in plaid because most of my
childhood pictures show me in plaid dresses.
Girls and ladies did not wear pants to school, church,
or most other places back then.

Things were a lot different in the '50s.

Momma took a break each afternoon to sit in her

rocker and listen to gospel hymns. Then she read to me from my one-and-only storybook.

She only completed seventh grade due to her mother's

poor health and the passel of younger siblings who needed care. Momma was determined that each of her own three children would complete high school. Many nights she called my spelling words;
in high school she called test questions for me to practice.
I treasure all these memories today.

Momma has been gone for seven years. For the first few years
aftershe died, I was bereft. The hardest part was that I could no

longer talk to her daily. Time does heal, but as a
beloved friend told me many, many years ago,
"You never stop missing your Momma."

Today I give thanks to the Lord for placing me in a home with a loving mother. And I think of, and pray for, the many children all around the world who, for various reasons, are not so fortunate. Then I try to follow my mother's example of love and care as I parent my two children, adopted from a Romanian orphanage.
And I remember those we left behind.

Will you join me on this Mother's Day in praying for the world's unwanted, unloved, uncared for, or abused children?

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

With a Grateful Prayer

Exciting New Blogs I've Discovered

2012-05-11T11:10:00.000-04:00

For those of you who like to craft and/or sew,

check out this blog, Mollie Makes, I just stumbled across ...

and fell in love with! So many fun ideas, I can't wait to get started.

There's also a magazine which looks fabulous.

I haven't seen it in stores, but since it's a British magazine,

it may only be available by mail.

Via Molly Makes, I found another new (to me) blog

that's having a handmade pin cushion swap, which I've already joined - hope you will too! The blog I joined is Sew Far Sew Good - click on the pic below to go to their blog ~

Meanwhile, I'm working on a redo of what used to be our "parlor" but recently became the "breakfast room." Is there such a thing as a "breakfast room?" Well, there's one at my house, and I can't wait to show you next week all the fun we've been having taking it from blah to cottage style!

See you this weekend for another "Sunday Morning."

Hugs ~ Mary

Chic on a Shoestring

Sunday Morning

2012-05-05T17:15:00.000-04:00

"...Encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone."

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Isn't it easy to ignore a shy person? While
we're busy chatting with our closest friends,
they're sitting alone in a corner...

Or an elderly person in our midst who
is hard of hearing or doesn't have anything
to talk about except the same old "back
in the day" stories?

Do we sometimes snap at our children, because we're tired, or they're too loud, or they won't listen?

Throughout my Christian walk, begun when I was 28 (30 years ago!), the Lord has worked on my heart regarding these matters

(and lots of others).

My husband is extremely quiet and shy - I've learned that one of my jobs as a helpmate is to involve him in conversations by directing questions his way. I was shy growing up, so I know how painful it is to be ignored.

My parents came to live with Mr. Redo and me when they were in their mid-80s. We spent seven years helping my parents until their deaths just three years apart. Helping included pushing the wheelchair, assistance in or out of bed, and bathing.
It involved speaking in a very loud voice so they
could hear what we said.

And my kids ... oh my, I have raised my voice way too many times, way too many! This past year, I've worked on talking calmly and quietly to my kids. It's amazing how much better they listen when I am more relaxed.

This week I've been reading the page in my Bible which includes most of 1 Thessalonians 4 and all of chapter 5 ... just meditating on the instructions. Because none of us ever completely "gets it," do we? I know I have to stay in God's school of learning where His values lie. What's He teaching you this week?

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:
With a Grateful Prayer

A Trip to the Country

2012-05-03T22:00:00.000-04:00

Miss E and I took Uncle Thomas (just turned 97) to his farm in the country today. We avoided the interstate and stayed to the regular roads - the spring scenery was gorgeous. Uncle Thomas and I agreed that spring is our favorite time of year

(minus the pollen, please).

He asked me to drive my van from the farmhouse down the path to where the old barn used to be. Then he asked me to drive through a hay field where the hay was about two feet tall.

I hemmed and hawed, seriously not wanting to do that, and he finally let me off the hook.

Isn't this tree amazing? It must be several hundred years old!

After running his few little errands, we ate at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and all my best laid plans to begin eating healthy today were ended in view of two pieces of (greasy) chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a biscuit.

With sweet tea, of course.

Sigh. Perhaps tomorrow I'll start eating healthy. We'll see.

Hugs ~ Mary

Mouth-Watering Strawberries

2012-05-02T15:43:00.001-04:00

Miss E was in charge of capping the strawberries this week.

I laughed when I walked into the kitchen and saw her

strawberries lined up like sentinels ~

They marched into a bowl of sugar and were

devoured minutes later - delish!

Hugs ~ Mary

I'm sharing at:

Rednesday