OUCH.....

This would not be the way I would want to start off the New Year, but Luke finally was getting back to a routine and school.  That did not last long at all.  It was his first day back and I got a phone call at work to say that "Luke was not acting like himself.  He is very quiet and not chatty at all."  When I asked the school nurse if there were any other symptoms, she told me Luke had a fever of 99.2.

Well, in my day, mom would have given me two aspirins and sent me on my way.  But, we are way to progressive for that today.  At 99.0, they no longer call that elevation in the schools, they call that "sick".

Mom picked him up from school and gave him something for the fever and sure enough, he was jumping and playing around like he was never sick.

That night, around three A.M., Luke comes into our bedroom and tells me that his "BRAIN HURTS".   Now, since Luke has not only, never really been sick, he also has not ever had a headache.   He actually did not have a word in his vocabulary to explain it.

Like most fevers, it went up to 102 at night, and with meds, came down after being treated.

We decided he should just stay home the next two days and recoup and have the weekend to get himself back to normal.

By Friday, he came into the bedroom while I was on the computer to tell me he felt better, but he had "OLD LIPS"  Okay now, what exactly does that mean??  Wrinkled maybe??  LOL

On further inspection, I can surely see that his lips were all cracked and blistered!!  Wonder where this way of describing things started.  All I know is that I will truly miss these experiences as he gets older.

P.S.  Note the declarations painted on the wall behind him...that was when he was younger and drew picture of his friend.  Papa and I decided they could stay up for awhile!  An artist in the making.

Merry Christmas Nana and Papa

There is nothing like Jesus's Birthday and having young grandchildren.  It seems that you want them to have everything, beginning with memories of the Baby Jesus.

This year, Luke is five and he is so into the Spirit of Christmas.  Did he make a few mistakes?  You bet he did! And they were lots of fun.

The season began with him being in the Christmas play at church.  We just have an awesome congregation that rallies around all the little ones.  Luke is a born ham, so you can only imagine how that went.

At school, they had a little Santa Shop.  It is here, that for one dollar, the children can make their own purchases.  The real problem is that they are only allowed three presents.   Luke bought a present for me (nana) and for Uncle Dyllie and one for himself.  He had it all figured out.  He would buy everyone else's at the Sock Party at church.  But, circumstance do not always turn out like we expect and the Santa Shop at Church was cancelled!

What to do, what to do!  Okay, he asked his mom for a date night.  He proceeded to ask me for the collateral to fund this date.  I asked him if he had a job.  He told me that his job was school, and he was going everyday and doing his job!

Then, he asked his mom to take him to one of his favorite stores.  JUST A BUCK!  Oh yea, you may have guessed it, everything is one dollar!  How wonderful is that for a five year old boy.

He bought a few more gifts.  One for Magoo (the future Aunt Dyllie) and Papa and another one for me(the nana)!

This just brought back so many memories.  My first gift is a change purse.  It is actually kinda cute and practical and I was very impressed.  I remember things I used to give my mom and dad.  I made ashtrays out of clay and bought my dad ties he never wore.  The man worked as a welder for General Motors and did not need to wear one.  I remember jewelry that was pretty gaudy!

Well, the second gift that Luke gave me did not disappoint me!  Yep, gaudy jewelery.!  It has iconic pictures of Jesus around the entire bracelet.  Of course, I have had to wear it on numerous occasions when he is with me.  If I don't have it on, he asks about it.

What I did discover, is that the bracelet flips over and on the other side is a very nice black onyx bracelet.  So, I wear it often and do the flipping thing from time to time.

Uncle Dylan got a car.  You know the kind you put in your pocket.  He let him have it for a few days, than made sure he asked to borrow it!  What a con artist.

Now, it was Papa Devon's turn.  He waited for Papa to get home from work and had him open it up.  After what papa had already heard, he was a little apprehensive!  What he found was a little, pocket size FIRST AID KIT.  Yep, Luke was good at predicting who should get what gift.

He also got Uncle Jason a trophy that says he is #1.

The best thing about this Christmas was that he remembers whose birthday we are actually celebrating.  We keep reminding him that Jesus loves those who give of themselves!  I am sure each one of use remembers these kind of gifts, the ones that were actually given with enthusiasm and love.

May God bless your Spirit of Christmas and may it last for a lifetime.

I SAID I WAS SORRY

I had gone to a Children's Mission program at the Bedford Church of the Nazarene.  It was a wonderful day of educating our children and how the children of Haiti have to work so hard to even have water to drink.  Many of them do not even have the opportunity to go to school.  I find it hard to believe that so many of them want an education and we have children who are trying to get out of going to school.

One of the things that they gave me was a Flipper.  It is used as an Evangelism tool for children.  I listened to the instructions carefully and just knew someday, I was going to be asked "What is that?".

Sure enough, I got my opportunity from my own grandson Luke.  Luke was still 4 in February and would not be 5 till the end of May.  I was not sure I could explain it to him, but he wanted to see it work.

I picked it up and started to explain it to him.  The yellow is Heaven.  This is where Jesus lives.  The black is sin.  We sin when we do bad or naughty things.  When we sin, we can not go to heaven.  It is like when you get all wet and dirty, you can not get into bed.  But, we can ask Jesus to forgive us.  We can say we are sorry, and if we really mean it, the red, which is the blood of Jesus, covers our bad things.  Jesus really loves us and wants to do that for us.  When that happens, our hearts are clean, just like this white heart.  Then, I flipped back to the yellow and explained that when that happens, Jesus will make sure we can go to heaven someday.

Luke seemed to be excited.  I think he was more excited that it flipped to different colors.  He took the flipper and went away.  I just figured, it was way to early for him to understand.

Oh yea of little faith!

A few weeks later, it was one of those yucky days.  It was really gloomy outside and rainy.  There would be no time to play outside.  It was much to cold.  I told Luke that maybe later in the day it would get better.

As the afternoon progressed, Luke was making a mess in his room and I knew mom was not going to be happy.  I asked him to start picking his things up and I want back to reading my Kindle.

Luke came running in with the little flipper and said, "Nana, I told Jesus I was sorry, and look"  he pulled back the blinds, " and he gave me his son!"  Just as he said that, the sun came out, not for long, but long enough for Luke.  He really did understand.

I hugged him, thanked Jesus and cried!

Now, it was close to Easter and we were making cardboard testimonies!  You know the kind that say, I was dead to sin and now I know Christ....etc...

Luke wanted me to help him make one.  I did help him and Luke shows everything on his face...Don't ya think????










 five colored pages to represent Heaven and God's love, the darkness of sin, the blood of Christ, a clean heart and Christian growth. The new Gospel Flipper-Flapper and Gospel Turnaround uses these colors and symbols. Each evangelism tool comes with a free instruction leaflet. Select your preference of the Instruction Leaflet in English or Spanish.

GO FISH AND OTHER FUNNY STUFF~

Luke is now almost five and he feels like he is a big boy.  He often says some really funny, memorable stuff that I want to remember...  One, I recently posted on Facebook.  The other came as we were driving home in the car from a Wednesday night service from church.

I had come home from work very exhausted,  I like to play Country Life because it is such mindless stuff, it is easy to relax.  All them crops and little animals are so cute.

Luke comes in the bedroom and says "Nana, let's play GO FISH, I promise you, that your farm will be there when we get back!"

Out of the mouths of babes.

One more!  Papa Devon and I were driving home with Princess Em and Lukie in their booster seats in the back seat.  Emily was staying until mom got home from work.  Devon and I said we would just keep her and not give her back to her mommy.  Luke was all for that, he loves his cousin Emily and they are the same age!
He said he would be glad to let her sleep in his bed.  I said that he would have to sleep on the couch with Uncle Dilly and he said, "I don't like sleep next to someone snoring in my ear all night!"...

OKAY, that settles that!

Be vewy vewy quiet wukie is hunting wabbit

I have probably told most people this story, but it is so incredible, that I just want to keep it alive for Luke forever.  It just makes me think that this young man has a real sense of adventure that I hope, he will keep forever.
He truly has no fear at this point in his life and thinks everything is a treasure.  What a clean heart!

Well, here goes.

A few Saturday's ago, it was still very cold, but the sunny was shining bright enough on a February day for everyone to want to be outside to get a little sun.  If you know anything about Cleveland, OHIO, you know that February has the least amount of sunny days for the entire year.  Many have sun deprivation!  So, it was no surprise when Luke asked if he could go play outside.  He put on his warm, winter coat and boots and headed out to see what he could find.  He usually brings home long sticks and even has a collection of pet rocks that he carries in an old pet box.

After a little while we heard Luke rushing into the door of the apartment.  He was yelling that he had found a bunny and he wanted to share it with everyone.  At this point, in my mind, I am thinking "Bunny"!



Uncle Dylan was the first one to intercept Luke at the door and I hear him say, "He buddy, you do know that that Bunny is dead!?" and I hear Luke say,  "Yea Uncle Dilly, but look at his neat eyes!"  At this point, Melissa goes out to see the bunny and I hear her screaming, telling him to take it back outside.  Mom often exaggerates.  She hates Luke to even get dirty.  All she wanted him to do was go wash his "gloved" hands!  Three times!

When she insisted that he take the bunny back outside, she realized a picture is worth a thousand words.

Not sure you can see it clearly, but he is holding a rabbit that its ears are at his shoulder and his feel are down past his knees and he was so very proud of this ole rabbit!!

He actually wanted to take it over to his Papa Bill's house (Melissa's Dad's) and put it on his porch.  Papa Bill is a hunter and Luke wanted to share it with him.  Melissa was willing to drive it over there, but only if Luke would put it in her trunk.

Well, we did not share it with Papa Bill, but just ask Luke anytime about his pet rabbit and he will be glad to share a complete description of it.

NOT IF I EAT THEM FIRST

Our daughter Melissa received a Giant Reese's Easter Egg from a very special friend.  Who else would buy his woman such a gift and not worry about "...once on the lips, forever on your hips..".  Got to be a man in love.

Melissa brought the treasure home expecting to eat just one small piece at a time.  It was like sugar plums dancing in her head all day long as she worked with all those sick children.

When she arrived home, she found an emply box on her bedroom floor.

Mom made some inquires to son Lucas.  "Luke, where is mommies chocolate egg?"  I'm guessing it was no lieing about this one.  "I was an accident (not said very well for a 3 year old)."  "How can it be an accident to eat mommies candy!" was moms reply.

"Uncle Dilly wouldn't feed me today and I was really, really hungry!"  says Luke.

Now you have to know that Lucas eats about two eggs, sausage and a glass of milk for breakfast, followed by an apple.

By lunch time, he eats yogurt, a PBJ sandwich, including the crust and a glass of water.

So, Its 6p.m., maybe he was hungry.

Mom was not real happy.

I'm in the kitchen, watching all the sugar ants wandering around Lucas's apple core.  "Melissa, I'm sure he this little boy could not have eaten that entire egg.  Here let me try."

Luke comes into the kitchen and is facinated with all the sugar ants, as any little boy would.

"Luke, where is mom's candy egg?"  I inquired. 

"Nana, I was really hungry!" was his reply.

"Luke, sweetie, if you have any hidden candy still left in your bedroom, these ants are going to eat you alive!"

Luke looks at the ants and quickly puts them on his little fingers and swipes them on his tongue..and says,

"Not if I eat them first!!"

UGGGG.....

Jesus, are you here?

Lucas had a bit of a bad day yesterday.  Seems that he is again, touching things that are just not his.  Really hard for an almost four year old to only touch with his eyes. (Now that is another story all in itself).

Papa Devon came home to find that one of the two Walkie Talkies that were charging on the kitchen sink was missing.

It is bright gold and stands like a soldier, one behind the other.  Now, I know that is tempting, even for me.  Papa has been trying to charge them, so we will have them all ready when we finally get to go camping.  We used to use them in the grocery store before we both had cell phones.

"Clean up on isle 4!"... lol... and "Fish slapping on isle 8". 

Well, papa asked Lukie if he know where it was.  Luke told him it was in his room and a not to happy papa asked him to go get it and return it to its proper place.

Today, Luke was having a ruff day.  He said no one likes him and I told him that when you are nice to everyone, they will like you.  He said its not easy to be nice and he had already talked to Jesus yesterday about it.  I told him he might want to try again.

I was telling Uncle Dylan and Uncle Tristan about it.  Tristan said that they had put the Walkie Talkie in Luke's room and pretended to be the voice of God.  Luke was on his knees, by his bed, praying and looking around. 

"LUKE"...."LUKE"

The poor boy kept looking around.  He keeps telling everyone he talked to Jesus.

Pretty funning having uncles who mess with you!!  Wonder how long he will remember this story.

Children may be short, but their memories are not...

It has been almost a year since we had VBS (Vacation Bible School) at State Road Community Church.  If you were there, you have met my grandson Lucas.

Lucas was three at the end of May and he has energy that we all wish we had.  The boy ran a mile and talked about dinasours the entire time and then went to VBS.

As an incentive to settle down and listen, one of the adults told Lucas, for every right thing he did, she would give  him a sticker.  But if he acted up, she would take a sticker back.

Everything was going great that day and Lucas was racking up the stickers on his right chest.  He was very proud of them.  Them the unthinkable happened.  He yelled at his momma.

The worker proceeded to come up to Lucas and had the audacity to remove ONE of the stickers.

Lucas was furious!!  He has been furious for almost a year.  No talking would loosen his lips to where she was concerned.

Tonight, almost a year later he not only talked to her, but he asked her where she was going and suggested she come back!!

WOW...times heals all wounds and the worker and I are jumping for joy!!

...maybe turning four at the end of May means he is growing up a little.