Super Bowl Memories

I think back on the years of Super Bowl memories. I never watched it or showed an interest in anything but the commercials but now the day brings back memories.

• Chaperoning the youth with my brother at a Big Super Bowl Bash Youth function.
• Flying to Indianapolis with my Mom and brother on Super Bowl Sunday to go to a Christian Booksellers Convention, yes the year the Colts made it there. Well, I hope it was the Colts....I don't know my teams. My brother said that he was not interested in the game and we would all go to Steak and Shake. That restaurant was a treat because we did not have one and we loved their chili-mac. He started into my Tostitos. Time started ticking and ticking. Mom and I waited and waited. We finally said that we were hungry and ready to go. He responds with the fact he is not that hungry and wants to watch the Super Bowl. I was peeved with how long we had waited and the fact my Tostitos were half gone. Mom and I left and went to Steak and Shake which was right across the street. We ate happily then received a call....It was my brother and he wanted us to bring him some chili-mac. Oh....MEN!
• One year , our convention was in Nashville ...( Jen...this was before you and Mike were there). We were watching a blizzard report which would affect our travel home. I had bought tickets to the Grand Ole Opry and was dying to go. My Dad had been keeping in touch about the storm and telling us to leave Thursday. I said it was not going to happen that I had tickets the Opry on Friday  night and I was going. I have my Dad's stubbornness sometimes too. SO we stayed. We saw the Opry , we walked to Teddy Bear's shop and had a great time. We left the next morning and made it to the mountains when the weather reached its peak. Out wipers were freezing before wiping. We took the first exit and stayed at a Howard Johnson that had a Subway. Howard Johnson's employee said that it was a good thing we stopped because there was not another exit for 5-10 miles and we were lucky that they had a Subway for dinner. We get up the next morning, Super Bowl Sunday. We head out to right past the exit and traffic is stopped. We hear that 2 tractor trailers had jack knived and it would be hours. So we sat for hours as we received phone calls from my Dad and my grandmother about our or MY stupidity and we were going to freeze to death on the interstate as my grandmother cried and hung up. We finally started moving only to discover the Howard Johnson guy lied and there was another big exit 1.5 miles down the road and if we had gone further the night before we would have avoided the tractor trailer accidents. So off we go and my brother is trucking at this point. He was bound and determined to make it home by Super Bowl time. Well, he succeeded we dropped him off 10 minutes before it started.
• One year , my brother in law won a Super Bowl party from a rock station. We spent it with them at their house. All of us as a family plus friends.
• My Dad was in a medical rehab one year after hip surgery. We had permission to take him out for the Super Bowl. He was so keyed up about being in a rehab and so much noise at my sister's house that he wanted to go back to the facility before halftime where it was quiet. All of us were shocked about that.

I look back at all those memories and what was sometimes frustrating times are now memories with a smile. I miss my Dad and brother dearly but am so thankful for the memories that keep popping up. I was so blessed to have them in my life. I miss them beyond words. No holiday is the same....not even Super Bowl Sunday.


Grief ....you go from daily mourning to daily memories. .You go from the tears of them not being there to make new memories to the slight smile of remembering all the times you spent with them,

Prayer

Needing prayer ....very down and very frustrated.

Reflection

Our Pastor has been choosing advent devotions to put in the bulletin each week. He is getting them from a devotional booklet that various members contributed to years ago. The one for this week dates back to 1992 and was written by my brother and I want to share.


The Often Forgotten Gift
John 14:14 and 26
Romans 8:26


At this time of year all of our focus is on God's gift to us, Christ Jesus. The importance of and the great sacrifice God made in giving up His only Son to save us will never be repaid in its full value.


Until the time of Jesus' return, God gave us another gift that is so often forgotten. The only mystery about this gift is why so many Christians tedn to live their lives on their own with no consideration of that power this gift could have. It is like giving a gift at Christmas to someone who is very close to you only to find out years later that this person took these gifts , put them in the closet and never opened them. The contents of these gifts could have made life incredibly easier.


It's the same concept with God's gift to us. What are we missing by not fully using the gift that He gave us? If only we would open His gift, we would find this gift would guide us in all understanding in every aspect of your life. Not just in your worship Sunday, but in our every decision that we have to make. Do you think He would count the hairs on our heads and not help us in every chore and decision we make? I don't think so.


Let's not forget one of His promises that He made to us that can only be fully appreciated after we open His gift to us. " You may ask me for anything in my Name, and I will do it." Isn't about time we unwrap the gift God gave us, the Holy Spirit and benefit walking the Spirit filled life?

Thoughts

• Thanksgiving is this week. I am in a depression. I miss my Dad, my brother and the family we used to be. The "New Normal" stinks.
• Some days I feel guilty because I feel ok knowing they are together with Jesus.
• Some days I am just angry with everything.
• Some days I have great days then someone says something and that is the end of the great day.
• Today someone asked at church....are you placing a poinsettia in the church in memory of your Dad and brother. I stood there and looked at them like why....then it hits me again ,,,they are gone....it still seems so unreal.
• One thing I have learned is to never question God just keep on believing and having faith....that is what I do because without faith and hope there is nothing. My God is too big and powerful for nothing. I have hope in being reunited with all my loved ones one day....in the mean time....Keeping the Faith!

Love this Christmas Cd.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ_MGWio-vc










Pentatonix

Some Things

My sister surprised us on their anniversary and had requested the slide show that was presented at my parent's 50th anniversary celebration 4 years ago. We thought we would never see it again because of stupid decisions and circumstances of a certain person but my sister broke down and asked for it .Lots of tears.


My nephew and I have great conversations in the car. We were driving past the cemetery yesterday and I got a little teary eyed and shared with him that I miss my brother and my Dad, his Be-Bob. This lead into me asking him to guess what I had for dinner last night. His hint was it was Be-Bob's favorite dinner. He first guessed Eggo's, well you have to know my Dad had two Eggo's every morning for breakfast. He then guessed fish. I told him BeBob liked fish but it wasn't his favorite. Now, I have to let you in on a secret. My Dad hated catfish on pure principle that it had whiskers and he loved cats. My Mother and I love fried catfish and she can cook it wonderfully. We would never tell him we were having catfish, we would just say fish. If he was persistent, we were just as persistent at just saying fish and he would eat it. I let my nephew in on this secret about a year ago. So after I said no to the fish answer, he asked, "I think BeBob knows about your catfish secret now". I had to laugh cause I am sure he does know but at this point he didn't care anymore. He finally guessed I had a hamburger but could not guess where from. I finally told him the local What-A-Burger. He would call and say 2 all the way with no salt and they knew it was for Mr. Bob. Lots of smiles after this conversation.


We have been thinking of the 4 words to put on my Dad's marker at the cemetery. He is a veteran and the military provides his marker but with only 4 words. I thought of the perfect phrase but my Mother does not see my sense of humor. My suggestion was....LET GO MY EGGO......I still smile cause of his morning Eggo ritual......when I die tell my family to put something fun on mine. Life is too short to not be silly sometimes. The person that has pre-bought the one across from my brothers and fathers says.....What a strange journey this has been. I laugh everytime I see it .




I do have to say, it is very hard going to gravesite and seeing my brother and my fathers names there. I am so young to have lost the two most important men in my life.

Prayers

I know I have not posted in a while. I have things to type then I don't want to type.


Please pray for our family tomorrow as it is a bittersweet day.




My parents would have been married 54 years. He left us 5 weeks shy of that momentous day.




My sister and hubby celebrate their 20th anniversary tomorrow also. What a joyous occasion for them.




Tears will be shed as we remember my Dad and the love that brought me and my siblings in the world.


Smiles will be seen if only briefly of celebrating the sanctity of love and marriage that is still carrying on.