The Journey: Sister

Showing posts with label Sister. Show all posts

June 02, 2018

MY OTHER LITTLE SISTER

I was about six years old and my sister was sixteen months younger than me. One day we went to the little country store that had recently opened up in front of our house. The owner’s name was Amos. My grandmother had known him since he was a little boy. Around mid-day, there were always several men sitting around inside eating lunch.

I don’t remember exactly what it was, but my sister, Loretta, wanted to get something and my grandmother told her no. So she fell down on the floor and threw a tantrum. She was crying, and kicking, and screaming. All of a sudden, from out of nowhere, our grandmother grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet, and gave her a good spanking right there in front of the store owner and all those men. Let me tell you, she never ever acted like that again.

Another time, though, we had gone to that same store and returned home. That’s when our grandmother noticed that Loretta had a candy bar. She asked her, “Where did you get that candy bar?” She said, “From the store.” Our grandmother told her she had to take it back and tell Amos that she had stolen it. She didn’t want to do that so our grandmother went outside and got a small branch from a tree and stripped the leaves off. We called that a switch back then.

She gave her a switching and we all headed back to the store. We went inside and walked up to the counter. Loretta laid the candy bar on the counter and said, “I stole this.” Amos said, “Oh, it’s alright. You can have it.” My grandmother quickly spoke up and said, “No it’s not alright. I ain’t gonna have them stealing.” We left and went back home. I never knew of her ever stealing anything again.

I believe that one of the reasons there are so many disrespectful, lying, thieving people out there today is because they were not disciplined as children. There’s nothing wrong with disciplining your child in a loving manner. I don’t think you should ever discipline them while you’re angry, though. You should pray and ask for God’s help and guidance before doing anything. I wish I had done that when I was raising my three.

If we would get back to raising our children God’s way, our world would be a better place. We need to make God number one in our lives and follow his word. Here are a few versed from the Holy Bible about disciplining children.

Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 29:17 – Correct your son, and he will give you rest. Yes, he will give delight to your soul.

Proverbs 29:15 – The rod and correction give wisdom: but a child left to himself brings his mother to shame.

Proverbs 22:15 – Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction will drive it far from him.

Proverbs 23:13-14 – Do not withhold correction from the child because if you hit him with the rod, he will not die. You will hit him with the rod and will deliver his soul from hell.

Proverbs 13:24 – He that spares the rod hates his son, but he that loves him disciplines him early.

Hebrews 12:11 – No discipline seems to be delightful at the time, but sorrowful, but afterward it brings the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.

God tells us to discipline our children and train them to do right. They need to understand there are consequences for all wrongdoing. That will help them learn to obey God and avoid the flames of hell fire which is the ultimate consequence of doing wrong. Consistent, loving, discipline works, and when they’re grown, your children will understand, and they'll be grateful that you cared enough to correct them, just like my sister is thankful for our grandmother’s discipline today.

February 18, 2018

THE POND, THE FORK, AND THE MUD PIES

I think was six years old, when we moved into our new house in Theo Mississippi. It was white with a shiny silver roof. It was in the same neighborhood where we had lived since I could remember. In the new house, my little sister and I each had our own bedroom. The living room in this house was bigger than in the house we had moved from, and we had a bathroom with a tub and water inside the house. We had hot water, too, so we no longer had to heat water to bathe in. We had moved up in the world. Our yard was about the same size as our old one but the layout was a bit different. We had more yard in the front but the side of the house was about the same distance away from the road that the front of our old house was, but it sat on a hill several feet higher than the road.

The house was much nicer, too. It had painted wood inside and nice, aluminum-framed, energy-efficient windows. It even had a storm house. There were several nice, big trees and one of them was a walnut tree. There were plum trees and persimmon trees and beautiful rose bushes all along the property next to the road. The landlord had a cornfield by the side of the driveway in front of the house and he told us we could get all the corn we wanted any time we wanted it. It was like a paradise.

We were excited about our new home, and so was our dog, Clete. I remember making mud pies there for the first time. Somebody gave us an Easy Bake Oven. It didn’t work, but we pretended it did. We made a grocery store and stocked it with empty containers that our grandmother saved for us when they were all used up. We had cereal boxes, oat boxes, milk cartons and jugs, butter bowls, and lots of empty cans. We would play store for hours.

One day, not long after we moved in, a good rain came. There was plenty of mud for some mud pies. I guess we got tired of that after a while. How many mud pies can a kid make anyway? We were just outside the bathroom window and the siding was made from sheets of something white with an orange peel texture. I just remember how pretty and white it was. I think I threw one of the mud pies and it stuck on the white wall. Then maybe my sister threw another one. The next thing I remember is both of us with our backs to the wall, bending over with our hands in the red clay mud, throwing it behind us between our legs, all over that pretty white wall.

When my grandmother saw what we had done she was more than a little upset. After the yelling and the lecture, she made us clean up the mess. We scrubbed as hard as we could for what seemed like forever but we just could not get it back to the pretty clean white that it was before. Our grandmother saw that we had done our best so she tried, but those stains never did come clean. They were still there six years later.

There was a pond on the other side of the small field behind the house but it was fenced in with barbed wire. We weren’t allowed to go there by ourselves, until several years later. I once got some water from there to take to school for science class. We looked at a drop of it under a microscope and saw a creature with a big head and huge horns. It looked like a bull with no legs. When I was older I went there by myself a couple of times but that was it. I never went back. It just wasn’t as exciting as I had imagined for all those years.

When we were older, I was annoying my sister and she got mad and threw some tea on me. I had a bad temper, and before I could think, I threw a fork at her and the points of the prongs stuck in the side of her head. I was sorry I did it when I realized how bad she could have been hurt. I could have even put her eye out.

Sometimes as I look back at my childhood, I remember some things that I’m not proud of. I’ve often wished that I could forget every bad thing that I’ve done and every bad thing that has ever happened in my life, but I realized that those bad experiences are part of what has made me who I am today. Testing and trials build character and how we react in any given situation tells us, as well as others, what kind of person we really are. We should learn from our mistakes and wrong choices. If nothing else, we should at least realize that we can’t make it on our own, and that prompts us to seek the help of our Creator.

So, when you look back at your past and remember things you wish you could forget, take a closer look at those things to see if you learned anything from them. If you didn’t, then examining them may help you to put everything in perspective and maybe you’ll be able to deal with your past a little bit better. Then, leave the past behind and hold on to the good memories and cherish each and every one of them. They are part of what made you who you are, too.

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February 11, 2018

MY LITTLE SISTER

I was nine years old and I was at my aunt’s house with my two sisters and our grandmother when our mother popped in for a visit. I’m sure I already knew she was pregnant but that day was the first time I remember knowing. She stayed for a while and then she had to go. As she was leaving, I remember my aunt saying something like, “She’ll have that baby before the next full moon,” and I remember her confirming that she had been right when we heard that we had a new baby sister. We didn’t get to see the little rug rat as often as we wanted to but Momma would bring her to see us as often as she could and we would go visit them when we could.

My most memorable moment with her was when she was about two years old. Our Aunt Lee took us and our grandma to visit them. After several hours of playing and having loads of fun with her, it was time to leave. She was dirty all over from playing in the dirt and her face was the worst. She was giving everybody hugs and kisses and she came to me. We hugged and even though her face was covered with dirt, I was about to kiss her on the cheek. Just as I puckered up and came close to her face, she turned her head and kissed me right on my lips with the wettest, snottiest mouth you could imagine. I loved her, but I was spitting out the car window all the way home. It’s funny now and we’ve had several laughs about it over the years, but it wasn’t funny at all then.

When she was three years old, we moved next door to them. Then, we got to play with her all day, every day. We had lots of fun, but sometimes I guess we forgot that she was smaller and a bit more fragile than we were and she would get hurt. I liked pushing her in toy cars and on her tricycle. One day I noticed the extra dirt left over from putting our septic tank in the ground. It reminded me of one of the ramps that Evel Knievel would use to jump his motorcycle over different things. I couldn’t resist. I was thinking, “She has three wheels, she’ll be fine.” So, I told her to hold her feet up off the peddles, as I had before when I pushed her fast. Then I pushed her faster than ever, and I let her go with an extra shove just a few feet from the dirt mound. “Yes!” She jumped and landed on all three wheels without falling over or falling off the tricycle, BUT, she kept rolling for a bit too long. I saw her start wobbling and before I could get to her, she hit the front steps and fell over on them, and split her lip open. Momma wasn’t happy about that at all, so I felt bad for more than one reason. If you know what I mean.

We’re all grown up now and have children of our own, but I still have good memories of our childhood together and all the crazy fun we’ve had over the years. When I was seventeen, I wrote a song about her. It may not be a masterpiece, but here are the words.

SISTER MARY
by Teddy Lynn
1985

VERSE 1
Eyes like diamonds, a smile bright as the sun
A dirty face from having too much fun
Snotty nose and a snotty kiss
I’m afraid someday I’ll be missing this

CHORUS
Sister Mary, I love you with all of my heart
We have to spend way too much time apart
I guess that makes me really appreciate you
Sister Mary, I’ll always be there for you

VERSE 2
Smiling from ear to ear reaching out for me
Your eyes full of tears when I have to leave
A heart full of love as big as the sky
Handfuls of kisses, but the days fly by

CHORUS…

BRIDGE
It won’t be long until you’re grown
You’ll marry and you’ll be gone
Everything may change and be rearranged
But my love for you will remain

CHORUS

As I said, it’s not a masterpiece, that’s just how I expressed my feelings before blogging and social media came along. Siblings can sometimes have strained relationships and can sometimes even hate each other, but some share a great bond. I’m thankful for my little sister and the good relationship we’ve always had. Since we’ve grown up, we don’t see each other as often as we used to, but I still love her as much as I did when we were kids. There’s nothing like family, and there’s nothing like good memories, so cherish both, while you still have them.

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January 14, 2018

I MISS MY SISTER AND MY FRIEND

I was three years old, and my younger sister, Loretta, and I lived with our grandmother in a little house in Theo, Mississippi. Our mother came to visit one day and introduced us to our new baby sister. Her name was Shelia. She was the first baby I ever remember seeing, and she was so beautiful. She reminded me of a baby doll like Loretta had. I just wanted to hold her and never let her go, but soon it was time for her to leave. We didn’t want her to go but we all said our goodbyes and she was gone.

We were so sad, so I got my mother’s old guitar and told my grandmother I wanted to write a song about our new sister. She got a pencil and a piece of paper, and I began to “play” the guitar, and “sing.” Can you imagine what that sounded like? Years later, I came across that piece of paper with that song written on it in my grandmother’s things. It was only a few lines, so I rewrote it and gave it to Shelia in a picture frame on her birthday one year. She loved it and always said it meant the world to her.

When we were younger, mom and dad would bring her to visit from time to time, and we would go see them occasionally. Then, when she was five years old, she came to live with us. She was my best friend. I could tell her anything. We shared a lot together. I could always make her laugh. Several times, I have said, that if I could clone her, I’d always have an audience to laugh at all my jokes.

She had her share of problems but she didn’t let too many others see them. She had a good fun-loving personality and she usually had a smile on her face. People loved her. She had so many friends. She fought cancer for eight years before losing the battle. I felt so helpless sitting there watching her die, but there was nothing I could do. I just wanted to hold her and never let her go, but soon it was time for her to leave. We didn’t want her to go but we all said our goodbyes and she was gone.

I could never forget her, or the unconditional love she had for me. She’ll always be in my heart. I loved her from the first day I saw her. We were best friends when we were growing up. She never judged or condemned me and she would never allow me to say negative things about myself. She always had good things to say about me, and she always tried to encourage me. There are just no words to describe how much I miss her. I wish I could hear her voice again. I wish I could hear her laugh again, and see her encouraging smile.

Someday, my wish will come true. It’s such a blessing to know that she was saved and we’ll all be together again when Jesus returns. We’ll get to see her again, and Daddy and Momma, and our grandmother, and the rest of our family and friends who were born again before they died. I’m looking forward to that day.

It’s important to know that we’re saved. The Bible tells us that we can know (1 John 5:13). It’s sad when a loved one dies and leaves the family to wonder if they’re saved or not, but it will be even sadder for the person who dies without being born again. As long as we’re breathing, there is hope, but when death comes to our door, our fate is sealed. If we’re saved, we’re saved. If we’re lost, we’re lost. So don’t wait a moment longer. Make that decision today, and live forever in the presence of our Lord. You won’t regret it.

Related Article: What Must I Do To Be Saved?

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April 11, 2016

THE HORSE THAT ALMOST REACHED THE SKY

When I was five years old, my sister and I lived with our grandmother in a place called Theo, in Mississippi. One day a man came by our house on a big, beautiful horse. This was the first time I had seen one up close in person. Not a man, I mean a horse. I’ve seen men before, although this was the first time I had seen this man. His name was Mr. Garrett. Later, I found out that my grandmother had known him for many years.

He talked to her for a bit as his horse made a few funny noises. It acted scared at first, but it finally calmed down. Mr. Garrett asked if we wanted to ride the horse. I quickly said, “No.” It was too high off the ground. To me, it seemed as tall as the sky. My sister wanted to ride, though. She was four and wasn’t afraid. I don’t know if I was afraid, or just cautious, but I didn’t know this man, and I had never seen a horse in person before.

Mr. Garrett reached down from the tall horse to pick up my sister as my grandmother lifted her up to him. He sat her on the saddle in front of him and held her with one hand so she wouldn’t fall. She looked so small up there, and so far away. She didn’t say much, but she smiled and seemed to enjoy it. He made the horse walk around in short circles for a few minutes, then he stopped, and handed my sister back down to my grandmother.

He said he would see us later, he had to be going, and just as quick as he had shown up, he was gone. My sister and I smiled at each other and went back to our lives at our little house, there in Theo.

I miss those days. I miss being a kid. We had no worries. We had our godly grandmother to watch over us, and protect us. I miss her so much, but I have many wonderful memories of my life with her and all my family for that matter. When I’m sad, feeling down, or just tired, I can think of one of those happy memories, and it always makes me smile.

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My books are available in paperback and digital format on Amazon @
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October 10, 2015

LAUGHTER IS GOOD MEDICINE

In this life, we all have pain and sorrow. We all have stress from our daily routines of work and other responsibilities. We all have times when we feel down. We all have days when we don’t feel good and days when we’re literally in pain.

The Bible tells us in Proverbs 17:22, that, “A merry heart does good like a medicine.” I’ve found this to be so true.

The word MERRY in this verse means cheerful, and the word HEART is just another word for MIND. So “A cheerful mind does good like a medicine,” or we could say, “being happy is good like medicine.” I like that verse, and it's completely accurate. When I’m feeling bad, and something makes me laugh, I actually feel better.

I don’t sleep well most nights and when I get up in the mornings, I usually don’t feel well at all. One morning when I woke up, I was feeling really, really bad. While I was trying to muster up the strength to get ready for work, I just happened to remember something funny from my childhood. It made me laugh out loud, and it actually made me feel a little better. I want to share that story with you, and maybe you can have a laugh, too.

I think I was around six years old, and my sister was four or five. Our older cousin was at our house visiting for the day. When he would come over he would entertain us with his wild stories. We loved his tall tales so we would listen intently as he tried to amuse us. I don’t know where he was going with this story, though because laughter interrupted his flow. All I remember is what my sister said just as he was getting started.

He said, “If you pull a hair out of your nose you’ll die.” My sister looked at him with her eyes as big as the moon. Then he calmly said, “I pulled a hair out of my nose one time.” Before he could say anything else, my sister gasped, as her eyes got even bigger, and with deep concern in her voice, she said, “Did you die?”

That’s still so funny to me, and no matter how many times it cycles through my memory, it still makes me laugh. I loved my early childhood, and I miss it. We didn’t have much at all, but we didn’t know it. Everything seemed so simple. We had no worries, no cares, and no big responsibilities, but we did have lots of love, and plenty of fun times to remember.

I hope you have plenty of good memories in your past. When you’re feeling bad, or sick, or a little down, try to remember one or two that will make you laugh or at least smile. I promise it’ll make you feel better.

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My books are available in paperback and digital format on Amazon @
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