Memories of 11/22/63: Grief to Gratitude to Grace

Sandra, Paul, Debbie, & Cindy
November 1963

Several have posted memories of Kennedy being assassinated 50 years ago today. My parents, brother, my best friend, and I had come to Alabama for a few days. This photo of Sandra, Paul, Debbie (my cousin), and I was made about that time. I know I was sitting on my grandparent's front porch when my mom came outside crying, telling us that President Kennedy had been shot.

At the time, I did not truly grasp the enormity of what had happened. Since Daddy was in the Navy, I know we immediately had to return to where he was stationed in Goose Creek (near Charleston), South Carolina. All I remember about the trip back was my parents sitting in the front seat, quietly taking, and Mom continued to have tears streaming down her face. Of course, I cried because Mom cried. 

Caroline, Jackie, & John Kennedy
11/25/63

At first I thought she was upset because we had to end our Thanksgiving vacation early, but reality sank in once we got to a television and I witnessed the sights and sounds of what had and continued to happen. Images of a grieving widow, and 2 kids brought it into a sharper focus. These kids no longer had a daddy. John-John's daddy was being buried on his 3rd birthday! Caroline's was just 2 days later, and she was the same age as my little brother. Suddenly, my world expanded beyond my circle of family and friends.

I remember when Thanksgiving came a few days later, I was more aware than ever of the blessings I had received from God. I knew that Thanksgiving was a day we thanked God. We always prayed before eating anyway, but Thanksgiving Grace was for more than just the food we were about to eat. When it was my turn to ask the blessing, I always used the standard, "God is great, God is good, Let us thank Him for our food.", but I think I matured a little between Nov. 22, and Nov. 28, 1963.

That Thanksgiving I asked permission to ask the blessing. I still remember getting to the table early with my Bible because I wanted to read Scripture too. That is when I discovered a Psalm about thanksgiving! Psalm 100 immediately became a favorite and I remember reading it before asking the blessing and thanking God for all of the blessings I had received and could look forward to receiving from Him for all eternity. So, more than just a "Where Were You When...?" moment, this expanded to a week of where I experienced the grief of others as we mourned as a nation, realized how much I had to be grateful about in my life as the Kennedy family received the gratitude of a grateful nation for their sacrifice, and realized there was more to saying grace and thanking God for my food. I could also experience God's Grace and He became very real to me that week. 

Tis The Season...

Hunting, Gathering, Preparing

Which season? Depends who you are talking to, I guess. Last weekend was the opening of Hunting Season here, but we are now readying ourselves for Holiday Shopping Season!! Just think about it: avid fans are preparing to hunt, gather, and provide for their loved ones. And, of course, bragging about who bagged the biggest. I just see it as another weekend hearing all about racks, bags, early morning hunts, bucks, and doe/dough. Whether you are hunting for deer, a bargain, a parking space...or a leftover piece of pecan or pumpkin pie, this weekend will seem like the beginning of a rushed season. More and more store ads are popping up about shopping; Some even plan on starting as early as 8pm on Thanksgiving! One of the things I am most thankful for is that I will not be among them!! Due to the traumatic experience when my cousin, Debbie, convinced me to go along with her to check out the early specials at Walmart nearly 30 years ago...my shopping ends before Thanksgiving and I avoid stores until several days into the New Year...unless it involves necessary food or cleaning supplies. Truthfully, I pretty much avoid shopping anytime of the year. So many of my relatives could spend hours just browsing that I sometimes would ask if I was adopted! Apparently it was merely that my brother got both of our shares of the "shopping gene".

Thanks to the internet, online shopping has created "Cyber Monday" to go along with "Black Friday" (by the way, does anyone know if Saturday and Sunday have special names?), and that is more my style...if I MUST shop!! There are 3 things I like to take into consideration:

1. Avoid Crowds! The internet may be busy too, but I can shop in an old pair of sweats ( or my sleepwear), and a pot of coffee nearby. Win/win!
2. Save Money! Sales and coupons are a great way to cut the cost of items, and especially if it is for something you planned to buy anyway. There are coupons available to download.
3.  Helping Others! This time of year, many in this country are preparing for a huge feast with family or friends, and we make it a point to remember our blessings. This often proves to be a time when charitable giving to others less fortunate rises tremendously. I feel that we are blessed so we can bless others.

Recently I was made aware of a group that combines all 3 of the above. Save1.com provides the opportunity to shop from home, save money, and help save lives!! Shoppers simply need to visit the Save1 website, type the name of any store in the search box, find the most relevant coupon or offer, and click "Use this Offer." Even if you love the thrill of the chase in stores, there are some things that are easier to track online!



Watch the video of Todd Smith of Save1.com explaining more about the company:

Family owned and operated, Save1 provides coupons and special offers from thousands of top online retailers on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and throughout the year---enabling shoppers to feed a hungry child with every offer redeemed. Incorporating the Save Money, Save Lives principle, Save1 donates the cost of a meal to one of its nonprofit partner organizations every time a shopper uses a coupon or special offer from the site. For more information, please visit http://save1.com.

LIKE Save1.com on Facebook and you will see that they are serious!! Explore their page and I believe you will be impressed! So, by all means, count your blessings and enjoy your shopping. God blesses us and we should enjoy His provision. However,  to also be able to share our blessing with others is a gift above no other. So happy hunting/shopping...and enjoy this special season in your life!!

And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased ~ Hebrews 13:16

Burnt Offerings.....And That Is On The Good Days!

Thanksgiving is approaching and a question that I am sometimes asked....although not as frequently with the advent of Facebook....is, "What are you cooking for Thanksgiving?" My answer is, "I'm not...at the request of my family." And I am serious!! They don't even try to be polite about it anymore.

Ironically, I did work in several restaurants throughout my life. To be fair, most were fast-food...and I was usually a cashier. My first job following my divorce, though, was as a biscuit cook. When I asked if someone could show me how, the manager replied, "You make them the same way you do at home." My answer: "I go to Hardee's. I noticed there is one across the street...how many should I pick up and what time do you need them?" Despite serious misgivings...they were obviously desperate...I was hired. My cousin, Debbie, said that she thought her husband would pass out from laughter when she told him about my new job. I am glad my employment brought such joy to my family! :)

My kids learned early on that I can seldom even heat up anything without burning it. You would think I would get better, but I haven't. When my grandson Zac was younger, each time I went near the stove he would point at the smoke alarm and cover his ears! (This is the same child who used to pop his pacifier into my mouth whenever I would try to sing him to sleep. Some critics are made, some are born!)

My former husband confided in me once that he honestly suspected I was trying to kill him during the first year of our marriage. After too many attempts  to eat foods that were burnt on the outside and raw on the inside, he realized that I simply do not have the patience to cook a meal. (The man was so grateful when we got our first Crock-Pot!) Fortunately for us, Michael was an excellent cook... and actually enjoyed it. He would even let me help him sometime. Considering that I have even had problems boiling water, I had to be supervised.

I did have 2 favorite cookbooks when I was raising my kids: Campbell's Soup had a good one...as long as there was no more than 3 ingredients involved.... and Kool-Aid had a fantastic cookbook. I loved recipes that involved adding Kool-Aid.  Food coloring was made for people like me. The food may not be edible, but it was colorful!! Sadly, neither my children nor my grandchildren enjoy my fascination with brightly colored foods once they passed the preschool age. Chakote just shakes his head at me on Dr. Seuss' birthday as I am enjoying my green eggs & ham!

That  reminds me of a story with Kote: A couple of years ago he asked if I would make him some scrambled eggs. I looked at him in disbelief and asked, "Me?" He thought for a couple of seconds, grabbed my phone, & I heard, "Aunt Brandy, can you come make me some scrambled eggs?" Now he cooks them for me.

Caitlyn, on the other hand, just flat out lets me know that she is a better cook than me. I suspect she may not like it any better than I do, though. She did once try to get out of cooking by explaining that she could not make chicken and dumplings because the recipe was a 'family secret' and she didn't want me to know the ingredients!! Gotta love that ingenuity!!

All 3 of my kids are good cooks. It had to be self-preservation since they did not learn from me. I did teach them to cook everything at 350 degrees. Why? I don't know. That just always seemed like a reasonable number to me. Brandy even asked me for 2 recipes when she moved out on her own!! Let me share them:

Chicken & gravy: Cook chicken at 350 until it's done. Pour a can of cream of chicken soup over it and stick it back in the oven....until the soup/gravy is hot.

Sausage-Cheese Balls: Buy Bisquick, sausage, shredded cheese, & milk. Drop it all off at Grandma's house. She will call you when it's done.

Jason is the one who is constantly explaining to me that "close enough" is not always good when I am trying to remember a recipe someone has sent (I do love my optimistic Facebook friends!!) that I have left at home.

David is more adventurous & willing to eat when I have made soup or stew. He only says: "Ah, cleaned out the refrigerator today. Just tell me what you had leftover first."

So, while I really wish I was one of those who slave for hours over the stove.........oh, who am I kidding!!!! I will gladly purchase the food, clean the kitchen,...just ask me to do anything, but, for the good of all...

DO NOT ASK ME TO COOK!!!!!