NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE

 You would think by moving to a new location---an entire state away--literally in the middle of the city--you could avoid some of the nuisances found in small town Louisiana.  NO SUCH LUCK!

My very first night in our new home, I woke up to find my very small front yard and flower bed had been visited the night before by this varmint~

Those of you who have read my blogs for a long time KNOW I have a long and sordid history with the armadillo.  I know some of you think they are "cute", but anything that digs up the grass and tears up the flower beds is my sworn enemy.  Let's just say I am known for my late night varmint hunting back in the good old days.  I lived in the country--you could shoot guns---I might have unloaded a pistol on one armored destruction machine and another night I might have been knocked on my rear when switching to a borrowed shot gun.  The tales are endless and I love to repeat them.  I DID NOT THINK I WOULD BE PLAGUED BY THESE GRUB EATERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.

Perhaps I was naive - I have seen two of the biggest raccoons I have ever spotted a block away from #1 Daughter's home.  There is a river with protected land and trees not far from my house.  I live on a dead end street which has trees, a railroad bed down a ravine, and an open field by it.  Obviously like the deer in North Louisiana these varmints have figured out they are protected by the no shooting in the City limits laws in the Big City.  In Louisiana, I had neighbors in the hood who "took care" of these varmints while we all turned a deaf ear.  We were surrounded by woods and the varmints were plentiful.  Guns going off in the Big City tend to create quite a stir.  We are packed in to a small area tightly and a stray bullet could do great harm.  SO--no shooting in the City Limits.

There is the trapping option.  Not to brag, BUT I am quite talented at trapping the varmints--you just herd them in to the trap with plywood chutes.  There is only two problems with this plan.  Where in the world am I going to find a live trap in the middle of the Big City.  We had them in several stores in small town Louisiana--they were a proven seller since we all dealt with varmints at one time or another.  Perhaps Amazon--which sells anything and everything- will have one.  The BIG PROBLEM---WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO DO WITH THE VARMINT?    I might look a little suspicious if I carry him across town and release him.  You know they have doorbell cameras everywhere now.  I can just see me going viral releasing an armadillo in the hood across the interstate.  I would have the SPCA breathing down my back and protestors lined up in front of my tiny yard.  I could just bring him back across the state line.  No one would blink an eye in Louisiana to see someone releasing a varmint.  YES--that might just be my answer.  BE WARNED LOUISIANAIANS--MORE ARMADILLOS HEADED YOUR WAY!

6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, 

and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”

Genesis 21:6

HERE'S YOUR SIGN

 A little light touch to end the week~

There is a comedian who has made a fortune from pointing out the stupid things we can say.  (GUILTY!)

His standard line is above.  Here are a few I found while flitting around on the WWW.

 

Have we not ALL been guilty at some time or another of asking some dumb question?  My question to end this week is when you are guilty (DO NOT DENY IT) can you laugh at yourself and keep on trucking?  OR do you take yourself FAR too seriously and become huffy?  I, for one, never cease to be amazed at the stupid things I can say---especially when I have my brain out of gear.  Neutral is a tricky gear---you can roll forward or roll backward, but seldom do you sit still.  If you catch me saying something that leaves you wondering where my sign is---go ahead and laugh and be thankful you see the fun in it all.  I do not mind being the subject of your jocularity!

"God has made me laugh, 

and all who hear will laugh with me."

Genesis 21:6 

 

THURSDAY'S TIMELY WORD

 My blogging friend Victor recently posted a blog HERE which reminded me of a story.  International travel can be rewarding (you see great sights), but also frustrating.  Those people in man foreign countries (we are a foreign country to them--think that over) do NOT speak English  ~  G A S P !   We Americans are arrogant enough to expect EVERYONE to learn English.  If you travel, you will quickly learn they ignore our arrogance and dare to speak their native tongue.

Anytime I have traveled to a non-English speaking country, I do not let their inability to understand English deter me.  I speak V E R Y slowly and VERY loudly so they will understand my English.  Most of the time, I also add the accent from their country as well---in ENGLISH ~ of course!  This leads to a shouting match with the same problem we  began with.  They do not understand me and I do not understand them---STALEMATE!

Compound that problem with speaking English with a Southern drawl and you have a problem even when you are crossing into an English speaking country.  One of the hikers' trips to Canada lead to a language barrier problem.  We were crossing the border when one of those good looking Mountie men approaches the car window to question us.  NOW remember, there are 6 excitable past middle age women and one quiet and calm guy in the vehicle.  You can imagine who does the talking.  One of our group has a VERY pronounced Southern drawl (GOD LOVE HER!).  We might have had some fruit in the car which was against all rules for carrying across borders.  (You never know if they will have fruit in foreign countries!)  (By the way ~ what is the statute of limitations for fruit smuggling?)  To distract  (AS IF!)  the cute but stern Mountie, the Southern belle proceeds to give him a long story about all the bears we have seen in the states.  He keeps asking her what she is talking about --- B   E   A   R   S.  FINALLY-he looks at her and says, "Lady, Bayer (her pronunciation) is an aspirin---BEAR is an animal."  We all cracked up--including him.  (Even if the statue of limitations has not expired, the evidence is LONG gone.)

Did you laugh at either story?  Today's word is

A friend I have known my entire life sent this word.  I must say, we have enjoyed MANY a laugh over these decades.  We grew up together and then raised children at the same time.  LOTS of history between us!

What a GLORIOUS GIFT God has given us with laughter.  It is SO important that it is addressed in The Word.  Proven to be beneficial physically as well as emotionally, laughter is good medicine.  We should double up on our daily dose during these trying days.

Perhaps my family is different, but we usually tell funny stories about our loved ones during those intense first days of loss.  Grief is complex and draining and I find myself trying to lighten the mood by remembering all those sweet and funny stories of our history together.  Do you remember this scene from "Steel Magnolias"

Yes, it is a movie, but it also is a wonderful example how laughter can be the best medicine for those intense moments of great anguish.  Do you think this is not the time for laughter?  What better way to show our love than to allow someone to laugh at us to relieve the anguish of the moment?  God gave us laughter and sometimes it is the perfect escape valve for the bottled up intensity of emotions we are feeling.

I love to make other laugh and laughing at my expense is well worth the cost of any embarrassment I might experience.  Laughter can sometimes be so close to tears that the tears overflow in the midst of the laughter.

When I get so tickled that it leads to tears, I have really let what is bottled up go.  Why at this point in life, sometimes I can get so tickled, the tears run down my legs .   Did you laugh?  Your welcome.

My prescription for a good life ~ at least one daily good belly laugh.  Find something to tickle your funny bone.  Let go and laugh without wondering what others might think.  Laugh with gusto. And enjoy the exercise of joy through laughter.  What a glorious gift from God!

21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy

Job 8:21

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GO AHEAD AND LAUGH

We all like to be known for something which we do well.  I have friends who exercise several hours a day and are constantly looking for the next dangerous adventure.  They are well known for their physical feats.

 I was forced to give up trying to keep up with them.  We all KNOW who gets eaten by the bear--the one at the back of the pack.

We all have those friends who look like they just stepped out of a fashion magazine every time they leave their house.  Make up perfect, not a hair out of place, and the very latest in fashion ensemble.  My question is always--HOW LONG does it take to get this look?  Patience is NOT my forte when it comes to putting myself together.  I look more like "Did she look in the mirror before leaving? when I leave the house.

                                      

A recent blog about  was about one of my gardener friends redeeming her broken blossoms by creating a flower arrangement.  After one reader's comment about our talented friend, I asked, "Don't we all get garden envy from her beautiful photos of her garden?"  Her reply, "ABSOLUTELY, I love a beautiful yard/garden, BUT I don't do the work to have one."  I LOVED her honesty and truthfully that is my problem in a nutshell.  I usually do not want to expend the effort it takes to be well known for an endeavor.

One thing which took little effort, but I seemed to be able to do with ease, was make my friends laugh.  I was known for a quick pun and great story guaranteed to get at least a snicker out of you.  Sadly these days either my humor is fading, my world is shrinking,  or my tack is no longer sharp, but the laughs are not as frequent.  WELL, except for the ladies at The Well who are constantly amused at my efforts to dance while teaching exercise.  If laughter is good for the heart, they should have perfect hearts because they are greatly entertained by my stumbling over my own feet while trying to lead them.  Recently one of the ladies was in my car for a ride home when I stopped to make a delivery.  I gracefully dropped the book in the door slot and made a less than graceful pirouette to head down the front porch steps.  She was staring right at me as I made a stumble toward the beautiful flower beds.  Throwing my arms out for balance, I jerked my entire body back toward the steps.  My friend is in the front seat cracking up as I took a quick bow before ducking toward the car.  She laughed all the way to her house.  

So today, I can still get a laugh, but the laughs are usually at my expense.  You know what, I'll take that too.  Nothing makes me happier than to hear a sweet friend laughing and if I have to show my obvious lack of grace to get it---SO BE IT!  Laughter means a moment of joy ~ and if I can bring one moment of joy into anyone's life ~ I am blessed.  

"We were filled with laughter,

and we sang for joy.

Psalms 126:2

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