Oh Lord, Please Help......

Where do I start today? You see I happen to have a disease which is constantly fighting you and you can either fight back or give up and curl up on the couch. Don't get me wrong because I have couch days and sometimes two couch days in a row but then the stiffness sets in and I realize I NEED FRESH AIR. I am not sure fresh air would do it today. After hearing the news of the school shooting in Conn., I am physically sick. I have always attacked this disease and the other ones I have with a child's outlook. That outlook means you must not overlook the child within you and speak your piece. Everyone may not agree with me and I may not always be right, but I tried. Now I can honestly say I'm scared. What do I tell that grandson who is smart enough to notice the foam on the ocean and believe God put soap in there so we could stay clean?, How can his imagination grow if he is afraid? Oh please,Lord.....HELP US....I try so hard to remain upbeat and always spread a smile instead of a tear. This must stop. There is no time for innocence. These pre-teens know more than I wanted to know at twenty. I'm sorry but life is wrong if a child cannot be a child in safety. Love always, Pokie

The Rodney Vista Gang

This writing thing is really weird. I have never in 65 years felt so compelled to pour my soul out to a very diversified audience. So much of my writing has been playing around with no real taught skills emerging.. Yes I did have fours years English in high school and more in college but, did it soak in? I was more of a "fun haver" than student. I'd appear with my hair just so, in just the right cloths and try desperately to look smart and not be called on. In the sixties, life was so much less complicated. I emerged an old hippy with great memories to grow old with. My aunt Dorothy always said I was the storyteller of the family and I trusted her judgement since she taught English all her life. Maybe storytelling can be inherited like all the rest of your genes and sooner or later they come to the surface to drive you crazy. Just as Parkinson's and RA hit me late in life, so did writing and when I die people will find reminders of me on envelopes and scrapes of paper everywhere. Tonight's collection of nonsense is about some very dear friends whom I have literally loved all my life. We grew up, next door to each other, in a very unique and never to be experienced again neighborhood. Without my friends I would have never survived. Me and four to six guys spent every waking hour of the day together. We wandered from house to house eating whatever each mother or grandmother would put out for us. We attended every vacation bible school in town. One week we were Methodist and the next Catholic.....just who ever would come pick us up and bring us back. We played outside til all hours of the night catching lightening bugs and playing hide and seek. There was no fear. We were safe in our own magical world. Most of the time we were barefoot but wanted for nothing. I never remember a reference being made to me being the only girl in this pack. All for one and one for all....rather like Spanky and his gang. I'm sure the independence and respect for another human being has carried us through many a trial as we grew older. Thank you guys for all the love you gave me then and continue to send my way............love ya, Pokie

True Love....

This past Sunday, I got up at 5:30 A.M.knowing that a very special day was about to be had with my Lord. I arrived at church at 8:00, only two hours before the service was scheduled to begin. I had had a terrible week and my depression was not controllable. These weeks are view and far between for me. But once I was in this pattern I could not get out....no matter what. I pulled up in front of our church armed with my Christmas tithe, canned food for the needy, box tops for the school kids and a heart totally full of questions. From the car, I all but ran to the front door and as I entered the door the smile came on my face. I could feel his hug and reassurance that all would be fine. I wandered toward the sanctuary trying desperately not to break into tears. The room was beautiful. Though the day was foggy and very overcast,the stain glass windows were absolutely radiant. They sent their beautiful colors into every corner. The tree was all aglow from floor to high rafters with white ornaments and millions of twinkling white lights. As I moved to the last pue, the choir began to sing and went completely through their Christmas Cantata with me as their audience. Minister Roger came in and sat behind me. I looked up to the huge wooden cross over the communion table and I felt the love and it was huge. One of the lines from a song was LET THEIR BE PEACE AND LET IT BEGIN WITH ME. And may I add let it begin today. There was a calm in my soul and my heart no longer ached with pain. I felt extreme love and his plan for me was once again clear. I WAS RENEWED. My church is The First United Methodist Church of Vandalia, Illinois. Don't wait for an emergency to bring you to her doors.Get up your courage real soon and venture in to find out what true love is. love, Pokie