A SIMPLE CUP OF TEA!

A SIMPLE CUP OF TEA

With my tear-filled eyes, a heavy heart, and facing adversity,

I sat there quietly watching her sip a cup of tea.

She had deep lines of joy in her face and a sparkle in her eye,

  And I listened as she told of the pain-filled years gone by.

“How did you ever manage, how did you overcome,

You’ve faced so many hard times, and I have trouble with even one!”

Slowly picking up her teacup and looking straight at me,

She said, “My dear, there is much to learn from a simple cup of tea…”

“There’s MaturiTEA, CreativiTEA, and ProductiviTEA to start,

Then let’s take a closer look at the “TEAS” of the heart,

There’s LoyalTEA, HumiliTEA, and GenerosiTEA, too.

HospitaliTEA and ModesTEA, just to mention a few.”

“Also there are always ‘TEAS’ we wish to overcome,

Like AdvertisiTEA, ImpuriTEA, and we’ve only just begun!

Instead of spending time dwelling on my struggles and pain,

I try focusing on the ‘TEAS’ the Bible will help me gain.”

So take some time away each day with a simple cup of tea,

Hold your life up to God’s Word, and search for all that you can be.

You’ll soon realize that without God, you are lacking, only one,

But with Him you will always find new strength to overcome!

Roberta Pledge

For Forestview Ladies Day 2010

1/2 DOZEN PRINCES

½ DOZEN PRINCES

For the last quarter of the year I have had a ½ Dozen Princes in my life.  Strange, you think, since I live in a house, not a palace, and have a husband and children.  Why would I have ½ a dozen “Princes”?  Now if you look at me, you would believe a ½ dozen donuts, yes…but ½ dozen Princes…well let’s just say I am not really “Princess” material!

In June at Bible class promotion time, I lost some of my very favorite of all time students (of course, I do say that EVERY single year).  I had some of the sweetest, most adorable little girls you would ever lay your eyes on.  They would arrive each Sunday morning in cute smocked dresses and big bows.  Some have dimples as deep as wells, and they would tell stories that would make you struggle to keep a straight face.  When they were promoted, I told them that I would REALLY cry if they didn’t come back for hugs.  A couple of them have taken me so seriously that when they see me they run up to hug me.  They do it so obligatory that I think they possibly believe I will immediately burst into tears if they don’t. 

The very next Sunday, in walked my ½ Dozen Princes…six little three year old boys.  I had no idea what I was in store for…literally!  I had never had only boys in my class before...never!!  I had often had a classroom filled with girls, but never only boys. 

The result has exceeded my wildest imagination!  I wondered if they would listen, sit still, and sing along with me.  They have indeed, from the very first week, been excellent listener and learners.  They caught on quickly and since our class thrives on repetition, have each week been vigorously singing the songs back to me.  They mock my actions, so the more animated I am, they respond likewise!  It is sometimes more than I can manage to see six little “Roberta’s” singing back to me.  One Mom told me her son told her, “She does it like this!”

So this will serve for more than a single writing, but a conglomeration of gathers through this coming year of the lessons I am to learn from my ½ Dozen Princes!

Riley:  Riley is a true prince, being our minister’s first son. He has always been shy and close to his Mom and Dad, not really branching out to others.  I have said for the past couple of years, “That’s okay; he will love me when he is three!”  And so it goes…he watches every move I make and sings back to me and answers the questions, and at the end of class I always get a huge hug.

Jack:  At the young age of three, Jack is already outnumbered with girls at his house, having an older sister and a younger sister, so I think the all boy class is the perfect getaway for him.  He tends to be very absorbed in whatever he is doing and so he soaks each lesson in like a sponge.  He can always retell the story with every detail easily.

Logan:  Logan comes in always wearing the same thing…the sweetest smile you have ever seen.  He loves everyone and can listen even with his head down and repeat back answers you think he hasn’t even heard.  He has a soft spot for the girls and is extra kind to any visitors we may have.   

Davis:  Davis is too large for words.  I had his older sister a couple of years ago and she was quiet, loving, and shy.  There is not a quiet or shy bone in Davis’ whole body!  He, undoubtedly, is one of the very funniest children I have ever had in all of my 100 years of teaching!  Some Sunday’s it takes all the self-discipline I have not to just let him talk and turn the whole class over to him. 

Pierce:  Pierce is my youngest and it probably the hardest to hold his attention.  He has way too many things to think about in addition to class.  He is a child that can only run, not walk, from point A to point B.  He always smiles and hugs and he is probably the one that will be the most fun to watch how much he grows up over the year.

Elijah:  Elijah likes to begin class with a tear in his eye just to let his Dad think he will miss him.  Actually as soon as his Dad walks away he replaces any tears with a big broad smile that stays there until the end of class.  He loves to sing, although does not like to pick the song, and always listens intently to the Bible lesson.

I already have favorite stories about this class.  They all could care less about the doll house, but go straight for the cars and truck.  They love the bar-b-que grill and I have actually witnessed them playing tug-a-war with it. 

My list of “Davis” stories is growing, including the Sunday he walked in, took his seat, and after a few minutes noticed there was a visitor in our class….and not just any visitor, but a girl, and not just any girl but a BEAUTIFUL girl with long curly blond hair!  He looked at her long and hard and then turned to me and said (he speaks with a looooonnnngggg Suthern draawwwllllll) “Teacher, I didnnnn’ttt know we had a girrrrrllll in our claaaass!”  I said, “Yes, Davis, we have a visitor,” and he stated, “Buuuut, I didnnnn’ttt know we had a girrrrlllll in our claaass!” He could barely keep his eyes off her, and you would have thought it was a Disney princess sitting in our classroom!  One of my other favorites is the Sunday we were talking about what they wanted to be when they grow up.  Riley wants to be a pilot and Davis said he wanted to be a pirate.  “Oh, you want to be a pilot too, Davis?”  I mistakenly asked; “No, I want to be a PIRATE and fight with swords when I grow up,” he stated. 

My Bible class is my single favorite hour of my week…every week, without fail.  No matter how tired or burdened I am, I always get to teach them about The Best Book, laugh hard, act ridiculous, and receive six big hugs in the end.  It is so wonderful to watch these children learn of God’s amazing Word and of His unchanging, unending love.   More to come on my ½ Dozen Princes!!

Roberta Pledge

8/29/11

NORMA JEAN GWINN HAYS

NORMA JEAN GWINN HAYS

Her small size was the ONLY thing “small” about my aunt; she had a huge heart, a huge spirit, a huge sense of humor, and a huge passion for living life.  The one thing you would always know about any given moment of any given day was that she was living her life fully.  If she was not busy, she was either sick or asleep! 

She had some favorites she loved…Charles, daughters, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, other family and extended family, her closest friends, her church family, keeping Landon, Wal-Mart, camping, Skipbo, singing fish, homemade caramel popcorn and coconut pies, chocolate with peanut butter, fish fries,  fig jelly, keeping her hair looking it’s best, and the list could go on and on.  She loved to cook and try new recipes!  She loved to have friends and family in her home, and everyone loved to visit knowing how welcomed they would be.  She basically just loved life, it’s just that simple!  Every minute of every day, it did not matter where she was or what she was doing…she loved it!

Not only did she love life, but if you knew her, she loved you!  The one thing that everyone in her life knew was that she had an abundance of love and concern for them.  You would never doubt the love and concern she had for you. 

Her sense of humor was also woven into everything she did.  She had a passion for humor and whether it was a practical joke or a singing fish or a red bikini, she was all about laughing and having fun! She would not only push the buttons on the singing animals to watch you laugh, but would buy you one as a gift so you could share the laughter with others.  Love and humor wrapped up together in one tiny package describes Jean to a “t”!

I count it such a blessing to have had a lifetime shared with her.  She lived with me as a child.  I can remember our Friday night dance parties, pizza parties, popcorn and coke parties, listening to Elvis records, and going to movies.  When she first married, she lived close by, and still would spend time with me.  I had to share her with Charles, but I loved him too and they would let me spend the night and take me swimming or to drive in movies. 

When children came along and with my life changing to, our time was divided, but she would still include me in fun.  She also helped me get my first office job at Ideal Chemical, where I learned that dreaded job of filing!  I never knew there could be so many things to file!  I have so many memories through the years, but those early year memories are some of my favorite…she is one of the very first faces I can remember in my life besides my parents.

Jean never stopped….she reminded me of that Eveready Rabbit…only instead of batteries, it was her joints!  If one of them failed her she simply had them replaced and kept going.  No reason to stop living life just because a knee, or hip, or elbow refused to cooperate.  Change them out and get on with living! Even the cancer couldn’t stop her.  She tackled it head on and according to the report the week before she left us, had almost completely overcome it! 

The Lord answered her and our prayers in taking it away and blest us with the good report we had prayed for.  Even though He answered our prayers, He was still ready for her to come Home…and why wouldn’t He be!  Heaven is surely a more beautiful place, a more attractive place for all of us that knew her, because she is there. 

When I yearn for Heaven, I do not first think of the beauty to the eye, but of the beauty to the heart.  Oh, I know those streets of gold will be wonderful to behold, but more beautiful to me is the meeting of my loved ones who have walked ahead.  They call my name not only to live each day on earth to the fullest with God, but also to live so that I can walk eternally in the joy of His and their presence. 

Jean is there now and I like to imagine her running with her Mama, Papa, brothers and sisters that are there ahead of us.  I like to imagine them all getting excited about the time when we will all be there together…forever, and ever, and ever…no more tear or heartbreak or fears, only love and laughter and singing in a place more magnificent than our earthly minds can imagine.  I’m going to stay here as long as I can, but nothing thrills me more than knowing I’m going to be with them all at Home someday.  Hope you will come along and join us…how beautiful Heaven must be!

Roberta Pledge

December 20, 2010

JUST IN CASE YOU WONDERED....

JUST IN CASE YOU WONDER…

Just in case you wonder,

She never goes away.

Just in case you wonder,

She is in your heart to stay.

The beauty of her presence,

The love she made you feel.

The years may come and they may go,

But still, she is so real.

You laugh, and know she’d laugh along,

You cry, and know she’d care.

You remember what would make her mad,

Or that she’d criticize your hair!

You miss her touch, her silly laugh,

The way she’d say your name.

Though life returns to normal days,

Things never are the same.

There are times you may not think of her,

But they’re few and far between,

She’s usually right beside you,

Though to others she’s not seen.

The days will come and they will go,

The years will quickly pass.

You may often daydream of seeing her,

When you leave this world at last.

They say we are left with memories,

When so long we’ve been apart,

But she’s much more than just a memory,

She lives endlessly in your heart.

So, just in case you wonder,

She never goes away.

Just in case you wonder,

She is in your heart to stay.

For Mom

8/23/11