Father's Day, Old Home, Grandma, a Song

I hope all the fathers had a good Father's Day. Charlie, the kids (including our niece Samantha) and I went to La Hacienda for dinner. I thought maybe he would choose a steak restaurant or Italian, but he went for cheap (but delicious) Mexican. Well, it was his day and his choice. :-)

Shortly after coming home from eating, I took Samantha back to her home in Raleigh. Charlie stayed home to paint the doors and trim on the storage building he built several years ago. After talking with my SIL for a bit, I took my kids by the house I lived in in Raleigh when I was 11/12 years old. It's only a couple minutes away from the apartment Sheila and Samantha live in. The last time I had seen the house was in about '94 and whoever was living there had really ugly'd up the place. But now it looks really nice. The brick has been painted a cream or light taupe color and the siding has been replaced with what looks like cedar shingles/siding. The deck has also been spruced up and painted. It made me happy to see the house looking nice and updated. I'd love to know how it looks on the inside, but at the same time I want to only remember it the way it was when I lived there.

By the time the kids and I got home it was about 8:00 and I was pretty hungry. Charlie said he didn't care what we ate, even after telling him that it was still his day. Kelly wanted Steak and Shake (she'd never eaten there before and I had only eaten there once about 16 years ago) and that was fine with Charlie, so that's where we went. Kelly got a hot dog, though she'd talked about wondering what their burgers were like, and Charlie and I got burgers, which were pretty good. We may have to eat there again sometime.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been doing some much needed housework today. Seems like I wasn't home much over the weekend and between Charlie, the kids and Charlie's 9-month-old puppy Milo (a Jack Russell) who vomited on the carpet twice after eating those black 4th of July "snakes", the house is a bit of a wreck. Though less so now after getting some cleaning done.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fourteen years ago today my paternal grandma passed away. She and I were very close. I wish she were still here so that my kids could know her and so she could know them. She was a very funny woman and I loved her very much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie had to go to Norfolk, VA, today for work. He said he might be home by Wednesday or Thursday. I miss him already.



An old song, but they've been playing it on the radio a lot lately and I love it.

For the Men

I don't get many men reading my blog. My husband once in awhile. There could be others I'm not aware of. This is for the men. It's from T.D. Jakes music CD - He-Motions.

Chapter 7: Inspired by the He-Motions Book

"Statistics say that they [men] are three times more likely to commit suicide in the middle of their lives. 40s, 50s. Three times more likely. They get right about that age and quit.

"When I was pastoring in West Virginia, one of my sons there, sons in the gospel, came home and opened up the door to his house (he and his father stayed together), he walked into the house and it smelled funny. He flicked the light on. There was red stuff all over the wall - it was blood. It had hunks of stuff in it - it was brain. His father had stuck a pistol in his mouth and blown his brains out. And his son found his father dead.

"I never will forget how that man screamed at that funeral. They couldn't even open up the casket. And I was too young to understand that he wasn't just screaming for the death of his father. His father pulled the trigger, but it blew the son's brains out too. Because what you do to yourself does effect everybody who loves you.

" ' How could he quit with me loving him? Did he know that I cared about him? '

"And though my father didn't kill himself, I did relate to it as I preached the funeral and bit my lip trying not to scream. Because when anything like that happens to you you say, ' Don't die yet. Tell me who I am. Lay your hands on me and tell me who I am. I need you to stay here. Tell me, did you love Mama? How did y'all stay together? Were you happy? Hey Daddy, did you ever cheat on Mama? If so, why? Daddy, were you happy? And if you weren't happy, how did you get the strength to get out of the bed every morning? '

"See, I used to think that a boy needs his father, but a man does too."


It Doesn't Matter

Verse I:

You been on a long and rocky road.
Had times you felt cheated
To have to bear this load.
While others who would barely even try
Would spread their wings like eagles
And soar into the sky.

Chorus:

It doesn't matter who you are.
It doesn't matter where you've been.
It doesn't matter what you've done.
Jesus is softly calling.
But because of who He is
And because of where He's been,
Because of what He's done
You can start all over again.

Verse II:

This guilty burden you have had to bear
Has made your life weary,
Though others aren't aware.
But the mountains of mistakes
You've tried to hide
With a smile on your face
And a broken heart inside.

Chorus:

It doesn't matter who you are.
It doesn't matter where you've been.
It doesn't matter what you've done.
Jesus is softly calling.
But because of who He is
And because of where He's been,
Because of what He's done
You can start all over again.
[Repeat]

You can start all over.
You can start all over again.


"Your tomorrow begins today. Start over again. Your weeping may endure for a night, had a long night, had to wrestle, had to fight. Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock. It's morning. Start over again.

"Tell the devil, ' I'm back! Got my courage back. ' Tell your woman, tell your son, your daughter too, ' Daddy's back. '

"Clark Kent back to Superman. ' Got my fight back! ' Superman, get back up again! You can do it. On your mark, get set, go! Go!"