Mandy Knits a Lot and other musings from a pastor's wife

Some things just need to be said out loud. So today, I'm writing it down. I don't like country music. Nor do I like rap, Southern Gospel, or jazz. I don't care for tomatoes, cucumbers, or Shredded Mini-Wheats. Not that any of those things are inherently bad or that I insist that others do without them, it's just me. Maybe if I gave rap a chance or once again tried to eat a cucumber, I might change my mind, but I don't think so. Those are my preferences. I don't care for the sound of rap music nor the flavor of a cucumber. But I don't think that those who like rap or cucumbers are bad people. God made the world with all sorts of people in it and not 2 of them are alike. When it comes to the things of God, several things (and there are others) are not up for negotiation--the truth of Scripture, the faithfulness of God, the never-failing love of Jesus, the need for regular fellowship with other believers. When it comes to the preaching and studying of God...

It's been way too long since I've enjoyed blogging. I know that noone reads my stuff but it's sometimes a relief to express myself this way. I'll be back soon, don't worry.

I'd like to start out by saying that I have a fantastic extended family. I am one of 14 grandchildren ranging in age 40 something to 10. When everyone gets together, it's quite a crowd and we have a great time. I love my family. However, a little over a year ago, one of my cousins got arrested. He got into trouble and ended up in the Leake County jail. His court date was this morning. I went. Not once in my life have I ever stepped foot into a courtroom. The only experience with a courtroom that I have is from Law and Order. (I must say that it's not that far off, just not so dramatic.) Well, I watched as person after person pled guilty to the crime that they were accused of. The judge asked them questions that made them very uncomfortable. It ran the gammit--drugs, rape, assault in prison. As I sat there and watched the judge pronounce sentences, I thought I'd be OK when they brought my cousin out. When they brought him out, he looked square at me. He mouthed "Hey...

There have been times in my life when nothing testing or trying has occurred for a long time. The past couple of years have not been like that. Just this past month, my daughter Elizabeth just turned 2. Her little life has been eventful. It all started with her. While I was still pregnant with her, the doctor discovered a mysterious cyst growing in her abdomen. He did not know what it was--he gave me 3 possibilities. He sent me to a maternal-fetal medicine specialist who also gave me the same 3 possibilities. So after ultrasounds every 2 weeks, the cyst continued to grow to be about 10 cm (yes, that's 4 inches--softball size). At 37 1/2 weeks, my doctor decided that she needed to be delivered by section because he just didn't want to take chances with the cyst. Seh was delivered fine and seemed to be completely fine, except for a bigger than normal belly. After we were released from the hospital, we went straight (and I do mean straight) to the Children's Hospital in Jackso...

Just a few months ago I would have called anyone that rode their bicycles out onto the open road nutty, crazy, fruity, looney, insane. But people do it. Everyday. Now I'm married to one. Nope, it's the same husband I've had for about 9 1/2 years, but he's now joined the ranks of nutcases. If you've kept up, (and that's fairly easy to do) you'll recall that on July 4 he rode 70 miles on the Natchez Trace from Hwy 16 outside of Carthage, to Jackson, and back. After that, he decided to try a real, organized, bike ride. So he chose one that took place this morning--Bikes, Blues, and Bayous in Greenville, MS. It was a 62 mile/100 km ride that took him through the rolling flats of the Mississippi Delta. It started at 7:30am and he finished sometime after lunch, not sure exactly. But the point is, he finished. He told me that a lot of people didn't finish. There were ambulances around to haul off the overheated cyclists. This morning the National Weather Servic...

Everyone has a great childhood memory. I have many. One of the good ones was Jello Pudding Pops. We've all seen people make fun of Bill Cosby doing the ads for them. However silly the commercials were, Pudding Pops were AWESOME! They were completely delicious. Well, one day Dave and I were talking about them so we decided to go get some. They did not exist. We did internet searches. There were no Pudding Pops anymore. We were a little saddened and disappointed. A few weeks ago, I happened to stop by the frozen section of Wal-Mart to get Matt some Popsicles and what did I see? Pudding Pops!! I know the people around me thought I had lost my mind. Really, how many people get excited in the frozen food section of Wal-Mart? I did and I'm not ashamed. There were Pudding Pops in my freezer that night--at least for a little while. We just finished our second box and they were gooood! Every bit as good as when we were kids. Every bit as good as Bill Cosby promised!