100 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 2-23-17”

  4. Jo, had been mentioning on here how lonely she was and how she wished for some companionship. We all offered to “pray for her”. Sometimes, “I’ll pray for you” is a brush off meaning “I don’t have time for you”. I know we all meant it in the true sense but the other interpretation is also there. She also mentioned her birthday. Somehow must of us,me included, let her birthday slip by. When you are sad and lonely as she told us she was, a small thing like a forgotten Happy Birthday becomes a huge thing like no one loves me, cares for me, appreciates me, and the list goes on. I fight these things in a small town where I know lots of people and have family, so I would imagine being halfway around the world doing what you feel God has called you to do, but not with real friends and family the slight would hurt more.
    We messed up.

    Liked by 2 people

  5. I don’t feel guilty. I was as much company I can be. Most people tire of me real soon.

    Have you noticed that when you take the top off a store bought coffee container, that you have to remove another protective layer?
    When you open a new bottle of syrup or ketchup, you have to remove another layer?
    Kind of a nuisance.
    But it wasn’t always that way. It used to be you screwed the top off the syrup and poured it.

    I’m sure none of you remember the reason for this.
    Years ago, some people got deathly sick. No known reason. After much examination, they traced it to a bottles of Tylenol.

    Some siciko had unscrewed the top off some bottles of Tylenol inserted some poison.
    I don’t think they ever caught him/her.

    That was bad for Tylenol, but they seem to have recovered.
    But now, you have two layers of protection.

    Liked by 3 people

  7. Chas, that Tylenol story is way back in my memory. My mother suffered from blood clots and had to take blood thinners. She couldn’t take aspirin and had to take Tylenol. There was much discussion around my house when that happened. Just goes to show children are listening and storing information.
    There are many things like that, that when you look back you wonder…. Now I wouldn’t trust something that didn’t have that extra layer of protection. I would be afraid someone had stuck their finger in the syrup or ketchup to taste it. I also remember as a child that the dentist and orthodontist didn’t wear gloves when they had their hands in my mouth. How gross for both of us.

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  9. Good Morning…it is cloudy and cold and we just might get some snow tomorrow!! Our mountains have plenty of it but we have been forgotten for the most part….
    I remember the Tylenol incident…now we have double layer of “protection” which is a pain…and we have those crazy caps that you must “squeeze in while pushing down” to get off…but it is for our protection I suppose.
    I am hopeful Jo will return when she is ready…. ❤

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Yeah, I remember the Tylenol, and sometimes I think of it when I’m removing that layer under the lid.

    Kim, I don’t think any of us here did “mess up.” Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t wish people “happy birthday” on here. Only about half my siblings remember my birthday in any given year; that’s life. In this case, she mentioned it the day before her birthday on the “secret” thread, and so I “liked” the comment but didn’t overtly wish her happy birthday. But some people wished her happy birthday here and some on Facebook. She was upset because none happened to do it during the hours of her actual birthday where she is living . . . and that’s not only an unreasonable expectation, it’s petty. All of us sometimes get “petty” especially when we feel that people don’t care. But mature adults don’t lash out (without so much as saying thank you for the greetings you did receive) and then run away and not come back.

    Hey, I’ve been there. I remember in Nashville once, when I lived alone and worked from my house and maybe didn’t even have a dog yet, I didn’t have enough people contact. I went to a party for ladies at church (at the home of the pastor’s wife), and I was desperate for human touch. One lady came just to say hello to people, but she was a known hugger. I was sitting on a couch hugging a pillow when she came thorough the living room, and I put down the pillow to make sure nothing was in the way and nothing visibly looked “in the way.” She hugged everyone in the room but me. I knew it wasn’t personal–she hugged me plenty of other times, but she simply didn’t notice me. I quietly went into the next room, and she came into the next room and again hugged everyone but me. I went into the third room, and again she hugged everyone but me. I then went and stood by the front door, and she hugged the hostess again on the way out, but she didn’t see me. There were dozens of women and girls in that house, and I am the only one who was unhugged. At the door I was too pathetic to say, “You hugged everyone else–what about me?” I just blinked back tears. But, having lived alone for several years of my life, sometimes with several days between talking face to face with another human of any age, I understand that one can get desperately lonely.

    Anyway, I am concerned about her, and I wish she’d come back and tell us she’s OK. I’ve e-mailed her and told her we’d like to hear from her or I can bring greetings from her if she wishes. I’ve prayed for her several times. It’s OK if someone decides that too much online interaction isn’t healthy, or realizes that depending so much on what people online do or say isn’t healthy, that it’s time to get friends in real life–I hope that is what she has done. But she slammed the door and yelled at us on the way out, and that isn’t a good way to leave your friends, even online friends, and I hope she comes back to let us know she’s OK. (And no, I’m not expecting her to grovel and say “I’m so, so sorry”–she felt hurt. I get it. But that shouldn’t be her last engagement on here.)

    Liked by 3 people

  12. I tried to post and it got lost. As I said, I see No on Facebook along. I did wish her a happy birthday there. I am scarce here and elsewhere due to demands of tax season. I hope I receive grace and forgiveness for any perceived slights. I miss being more active.

    I love the kitties in the header. Such a sweet picture, almost as if they are consoling each other in the loss of their mentor.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Gently, Cheryl. This may seem hard to believe, but the life of a missionary can wear you down to the point where you feel downright petty. I had times like the in West Africa, where I sulked inwardly. When you spend all your energy on people who just keep demanding more, the retreat into self pity seems more like an instinct for self-preservation than childish behaviour. We still have our fleshly instincts and that flesh may shriek for attention. I have seen missionaries get upset over things that most of us would think were extremely petty, but they are worn so thin that they can’t see that clearly anymore.

    Liked by 3 people

  15. and my dogs do have a lovely wood floor. The big one fell through once, but it has since been repaired. I don’t know if it is oak. But it is a nice plywood.

    Liked by 2 people

  16. This is really interesting: https://9marks.org/article/the-triumph-and-tragedy-of-anglicanisms-first-african-bishop/

    Born Ajayi Crowther in what is now Western Nigeria, he was kidnapped as a 12-year-old boy by Muslim raiders and eventually sold to Portuguese slave traders. Shortly after his ship set sail for South America—where he was bound for a life of hard labor—it was intercepted by the British Navy, who rescued him and brought him to Sierra Leone. There, he was educated and converted in British missionary schools. Later in life, Crowther remarked that he was not only saved from a life of physical slavery, but also from slavery to sin. Displaying a particular affinity for Christianity and remarkable intelligence, he eventually left for England to continue his education and became a minister. Upon returning to Africa, he worked his way up the ranks of the missionary church and became the first black bishop in the Anglican Church.

    Crowther worked closely with Henry Venn and the Church Missionary Society (CMS) to evangelize both pagans and Muslims in the region. He launched several wildly successful missionary expeditions up the Niger River, despite the dangers of both disease and violent retaliation from the natives. Like many missionaries before him, Crowther knew the spread of the gospel was worth the risk, so much so that he wrote in 1841: “Not more than two furlongs from us, are a people who know no heaven, who fear no hell; they are aliens from the covenants of promise, being without Christ and without hope in the world.”

    Like David Livingstone before him, Crowther advocated the “Bible and the plough” missionary philosophy. This concept paired economic development with the propagation of the gospel. Crowther worked with British missionaries to establish churches and schools along the interior of Nigeria, offering natives education and manual training. He sought to develop locals who would be qualified to lead the church plants once the missionaries departed. As a result, an unparalleled number of Nigerians reached high-church positions. The CMS leadership quickly came to respect Crowther’s zeal for the gospel and love for his countrymen. In a colonial era not known for its ideals of racial equality, Henry Venn wrote of Crowther, “Here I felt to him as much drawing and knitting of soul as to my own brother… God destines him for a great work. I should rejoice to be a helper, however, to him.” The middle of the nineteenth century proved to be a fruitful era of cooperation between British missionaries and native converts.

    Gradually, however, British mission philosophies shifted. Where Venn had insisted on his missionaries working themselves out of the job and leaving local clergy in their stead, younger missionaries grew too accustomed to the reverence they received as church leaders and consequently hesitated to abandon leadership positions they’d worked so hard to build. Not surprisingly, the British annexation of Lagos (modern-day Nigeria) and the introduction of colonialism also had a negative impact on missionary-native relations. It became increasingly difficult to preach the brotherhood of all men and women under Christ while simultaneously exploiting Africans for their natural resources. Sadly, missionaries slowly adopted the mindset of colonial conquerors who sought to liberate the natives from barbarism; they no longer saw them as fellow sinners in need of grace. Because of this, the notion of serving under an African on the mission field became untenable, and many British missionaries resisted the rise of a native pastorate…

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  17. I take it Gemma is doing well?

    I remember the Tylenol thing, I was still a relatively new hire at the newspaper and had to stay late to call around to local pharmacies and stores for reactions to add to the overall story. But my mom was scheduled to come meet me after work for dinner and because I had to work late she wound up sitting in the newsroom making me kind of nervous (and, this is silly as I was in my late 20s or maybe 30 something already, embarrassed that my mom was there). I thought about that later and felt bad that I didn’t even introduce her to my editor, who was busy but still …

    Well, my cat has already fallen down the heater vent in the floor so i suppose dogs falling through the kitchen would be par for the course for me.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Roscuro, I don’t mean to be anything but gentle. That’s why I referred to my own situation in Nashville. I know it’s different, and I know from mothers of young children that sometimes engagement with children (and only with children) can be a “negative” social connection. But I lived for eight years by myself, with three short stretches (less than a year each) of having a housemate, one of those a housemate I literally almost never saw (she came home in the wee hours, never ever ate in my house, and I’d see her as she left her bedroom to leave the house for the day if I wasn’t in my bedroom or bathroom when she left). So I went through long stretches when I only saw people on Sunday and Wednesday–and sometimes I ended up being sick one of those days. A couple months of that time I was nearly housebound with a serious illness. A couple months of that time I had foster children. So I get it, and I understand why a person in that situation might do something that looks odd or unreasonable–like me walking room to room through a house in desperation to get a hug.

    With that being the way she left, it’s natural we’re concerned about her . . . because we DO care about her.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. I’ll take responsibility for upsetting Jo. I’m the admin, so it was my job to include a Happy Birthday in the post. But I didn’t remember it right away until like others, I saw it around lunch time on Facebook. I added it to the post then, but I guess she had probably already gone to bed given her time zone. By the time she woke, her birthday was over and it was too late. Many of you wished her well, but her post the next day said she hadn’t gone back and read it.

    At first I thought her birthday was actually the 9th and Facebook had lied to me yet again. But having thought about it, I think maybe it went down like I said above. 😦

    So Jo, if you are reading this, please accept my apologies. I know things have been rough on you lately, and I missed an opportunity to brighten your day by being late. Please forgive me if I hurt your feelings, and know it wasn’t intentional.

    AJ

    Liked by 4 people

  21. This might be a good time to admit that my long absence a couple years ago was because of a missed birthday. I think it was in 2014.

    Since there’s an ongoing gag about my big sister Mumsee being “older and wiser” because she’s two days older than I, I thought someone would remember my birthday right after hers and I was disappointed when it appeared nobody did. Not mad, just disappointed. So I disappeared. And I’m not alone on the other side of the world away from friends and family.

    After awhile, though, I realized that a) everyone’s busy, b) my real siblings and I don’t even wish each other Happy Birthday, and c) I missed everyone here and all the banter. So I came back and got caught up again.

    I do like Jo very much and hope she comes back.

    Liked by 6 people

  22. AJ, you do a wonderful job as ringmaster of this circus, and we’re all GRATEFUL you made a home for us when our former landlord evicted us. I hope we never take for granted all you do. Extra credit if you post a birthday wish, but no black marks if you don’t.

    Liked by 10 people

  24. That is why I stopped making cakes. I missed somebody and they were hurt. If it is any consolation, I did not remember my dad’s birthday a couple of days ago until my brother reminded me. We send out a joint email for each birthday, because we are all old and forgetful and we hope somebody remembers. And we all respond with our thoughtful happy birthday wishes/mixed with the competitive nature of siblings and lots of “I remembered first but I had to feed the dog”. However, my dad has stopped looking at his emails (he only hears from us and his email gets messed up so much, he struggles to get those) so he missed out on all of our birthday wishes. And he can’t take phone calls as he can’t hear. Birthdays can be so complicated.

    Happy Birthday, Kevin! You and big brother, Peter L, make my life brighter, just because of our ongoing gag.

    Liked by 5 people

  28. In case this wasn’t clear, I’m not looking for an apology or for anyone to feel guilty, only to say on the one hand that I understand Jo feeling slighted and on the other hand that it is good to be past it.

    Liked by 2 people

  29. I’m horrible at remembering birthdays. I remember “months” but have trouble with days. Don’t even try to throw in a new time zone.

    Our family also downplayed birthdays somewhat, they were always celebrated and marked but in rather low-key ways — usually a cake with candles for dessert, smallish gifts (big gifts were given at Christmas), but not a lot of hoop-la or expense. Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter were the bigger “days” on our family’s annual calendar. I had one birthday party, when I entered “double digits” and turned 10, it had a home-grown Halloween theme, staged in our garage, which was great fun. I’m always amused by all the kids’ lavish and annual birthday parties in this day and age.

    So I probably have put less stress on birthdays than others I know (a co-worker was raised in a family where birthdays were THE premiere events every year and were celebrated with lavish abandon — and always with a day off work or school to do school).

    Anyway, my sense about the birthday mishap here was that it was probably only part of a lot of other things that were going on at the same time (or that had been building up) and served mainly as a trigger 😦

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  30. A couple years ago I was curious whether AJ had an actual list he looked at, since he seemed so good at remembering people’s birthdays. So I didn’t say anything on the days leading up to mine, or on the day itself until well into the afternoon. And then when I did say something, it got added to the header. When I was younger I might have gotten upset (He remembers other people’s, so why not mine?), but I did it as an experiment, saw my answer, and knew I had to mention it myself.

    Considering that one year I helped my mom move on my birthday, bought my own supper as my mom and my younger siblings and I ate together, and only when we were driving back to my house or her house or something at 11:45 at night and I said, “Only 15 more minutes of my birthday” did my own mother say, “Oh yes, it is your birthday! Happy birthday!” I know it isn’t realistic to expect most other people to remember. Last year I think I got calls from three of six of my siblings, and that’s probably about typical.

    But some people care about birthdays more than others. My sister and her husband chose not to celebrate Valentine’s Day or Mother’s or Father’s Days, figuring their anniversary was really the important one. Birthdays don’t mean much to her either. She once scheduled a trip to see me, leaving on her birthday. The moment she said the dates to check if they were OK, I thought, “Oh, she’s leaving on her birthday.” But it didn’t occur to her till sometime later!

    AJ, mine is June 27.

    Like

  31. then there’s my friend Carol who has begun to remind me (as of last week, complete with gift requests) that her birthday is coming up on June 3 🙂 I’ll admit, that’s one I cannot forget, she won’t let me.

    Mine is Nov. 7. I’ll save my gift requests for later. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  33. Sept 13, 57.

    Peter L is a long time before that. And little brother is way past that.

    What is really neat about all of you brothers on here is that you are Believers. My bio brothers are not.

    Liked by 4 people

  36. Kevin, many great comments on this thread. If I were able to “Like” them, I’d be doing that right and left. 🙂

    I really appreciated your 1:27. You were disappointed — that’s human — but you left quietly, without railing on people as you made your exit. That shows maturity.

    Let me just say (to everyone now), I’ve noticed that other people disappear from here, too — sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently, it appears — and I’ve often wondered what happened to cause that. There could be any number of reasons, of course, but if others also left in disappointment, choosing not to broadcast their upset, I find that commendable.

    Unfortunately, it seems that the people who exit in a dramatic, negative way garner more attention than the ones who quietly slip away. Some people left behind may also experience false guilt about the circumstances that led up to the big exit, and that is sad. I hope you are not feeling guilty about Jo’s leaving for the reason she stated, AJ. You are doing a wonderful job here, as many others have said, and who can speak much more eloquently than can I. Thank you for everything you do for this community, and I pray you can put your mind at ease if you are feeling any bit of guilt about Jo’s choice to step away. (Same can be said for anyone else here who may feel responsible and/or guilty about her leaving.)

    [I just erased an anecdote I was going to tell about a similar thing I witnessed during my college days, involving another student and my voice professor. Anyway…never mind.]

    My two cents. I don’t think anyone should feel bad about this situation. And I am glad to see Chas’s “I don’t feel guilty.”

    Liked by 3 people

  37. I’ve never had birthday wishes on my birthday here. But then I wasn’t expecting to. It is one of the details I’m shy about sharing. I’ve blocked the date from showing on FB too. It did happen one year that one of my siblings posted a Happy Birthday greeting on FB, and so everyone who saw that post did the same. I enjoyed it, but I afterward deleted all the posts so that no one would be able to go back and see what day it was. I wouldn’t mind sharing my birthdate with all of the friends here, and some already know it, but I’m still shy about putting it out there.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. Oops, I see now Kevin has two posts stamped 1:27. I referenced the first 1:27 in my 3:22, but the second 1:27 was better yet, especially the last sentence: “Extra credit if you post a birthday wish, but no black marks if you don’t.” Amen!

    Like

  41. My next piano concert I’m playing in is on First Arrow’s birthday. I guess if he wants to celebrate his birthday, he can come down that weekend and we’ll celebrate some other time than Saturday night.

    He was born at 8:19 p.m., and since concerts start at 7:30, often last about an hour, and I frequently get scheduled at or near the end of the show, I might be sitting at the grand piano, playing my music as his official birth time passes. 🙂

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  42. I remember the Tylenol incident, too. And people lacing Halloween candy with bad stuff, and other things like that. My grandmother used to hand out homemade popcorn, apples, stuff like that, and I remember the warnings that came out in later years, after the Halloween treats-tainting business occurred, where people were warned not to accept unwrapped treats.

    Like

  50. It snowed…we were in the white out portion of the event…now the roads are clear and dry…tomorrow 3-5 inches we are told…we shall see….I will be in town working…could be a rough drive home!
    I get birthday wishes from my friends and family on FB for the most part….some on here have extended them…some have not…that is ok…the Lord saw to it I was born on that day and only He knows the day He will take me home….I’m good with that 🙂 AJ you have been an amazing “herder of cats” (said in the most loving manner 🙂 ) We appreciate your taking the time to corral us , prompt, love and encourage us. I believe we all “know” one another well enough by now to know no one here possesses a heart desiring to hurt nor slight anyone….we are here but for a while and I appreciate everyone’s willingness to share part of their lives in this little corner of the world with us all. Grace be unto you all forevermore….Jo will have to work it all out and hopefully she will one day know she is still covered in prayer by her wandering friends ❤

    Liked by 4 people

  52. We don’t usually do anything except go out to eat for birthdays, though we do cards occasionally. Year before last Husband drew a picture on my birthday card that is reminiscent of Gustav Klimt. I keep that one in my office. July 30. :–)

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  54. Most of my life I have been a big baby about my birthday. I have had 4 birthday cakes (my 4th, 11th, 18th, and maybe 22nd). It is 12 days after Christmas and nothing much was ever made about it at home, obviously. Usually, in school we were still on Christmas break so not much was made of it at school. Some years back, you will recall, I hosted my own birthday party on WorldMagBlog. Once I made the connection that my birthday was on Epiphany it became somewhat more special. BG didn’t tell me happy birthday this year, even after I reminded her. I offered to buy my own cake and take it to the office for everyone to celebrate with me. I was told that all January birthdays would be celebrated the following week. I went to that sales meeting but didn’t have any of the cake, not in protest but because honestly I am not much of a cake eater. I would rather save those calories for something I really want. I am more mature about my birthday now. I think maybe it was because my Mama Ruth made such a big deal about birthdays, that I make a big deal out of them. I have always done something for BG on hers. A few years ago I gave her the choice of a better gift or a gift and a party. She wisely chose the better gift.

    I don’t think Jo “blew out of here” in anger or in childishness. She had stated to us that she was feeling down, she let us know she needed encouragement, she told us her birthday was coming, and when she didn’t get what she felt she had asked for she stated that she was hurt and she left. To me that is a healthy response. “You hurt my feelings. I am separating myself.” She may come back and I know we will all welcome her or she may not. She is in charge of who she lets into her life and who she doesn’t.

    I will admit there have been times I have gotten my feelings hurt by what someone has said to me on here and I have taken a day or two to readjust my attitude. (Please don’t think that is what I do on Saturdays and Sundays –I just don’t go near my computer if I can help it on those days). It is very co-dependent and manipulative to hang around and try to punish those who have hurt you. When I find myself doing that I really have to take a step back. I do not see that Jo did that.

    As to Michelle’s birthday–I was with her on her last one. She even told me she was having lunch with friends and would meet me soon. She spent the afternoon of it making sure that BG and I made it to the shuttle to get to That’s my excuse and I am sticking to it!

    Liked by 2 people

  55. It also occurs to me that Jo has stated it isn’t safe for her to leave the compound where she is and that she can’t go out at night or alone. I don’t know that I could live under those conditions.

    Liked by 1 person

  64. I just joined Gab, a new social media group. Does anyone have experience with it or know anyone using it? I believe it is still in Beta. I am not yet able to put up my profile. It is an alternative for those who are suspended by Facebook for certain types of comments(of a conservative nature) that Facebook does not find acceptable for their community. My user name is JaniceSGarey. 12/12, like 9/9, is easier to remember than many.

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  65. Mumsee @ 5:02 -Booooooooooooooooooooo

    I hesitate to tell this birthday story because I’m certain that I’ve told it before. But you can skip it if you have heard it.
    We were living in our house trailer in Fairfax, Va. Mel and Ed (co workers. Mel later married my SIL, but that’s another story.) came over one Saturday in October to visit us. Somehow, the discussion turned to October birthdays. My mom’s, Chuck’s Mel’s and others. That evening, after Mel and Ed left, we were sitting on the couch. Elvera said:

    “Charlie, I’m not mad or anything, but today was my birthday.”
    I have never forgotten it since.

    Liked by 6 people

  67. Sometimes you have to be firm. I engraved our anniversary inside my husband’s wedding ring. He missed half of the first ten (out to sea keeping American safe for you all), but thanks to that ring, never forgets.

    (The first couple years he had to check when filling out official paperwork, but it’s memorized now!)

    I may have mentioned, the engraving inside the ring says, “Maranatha,” and the date.

    The jeweler had never heard the term before and asked about it.

    “The Master commeth,” I explained.

    “Oh, that’s the nicest thing a bride has ever put in her ring!”

    Umm, not that master . . .

    Liked by 4 people

  69. My husband and his brother who lives about an hour from us fairly regularly help each other with big projects. One sweltering Saturday in June, many years ago, this particular brother was here to help my hubby shingle the roof. They worked all day in the heat and humidity, only taking a break for one meal. They got the job done, and BIL went home with a sincere thank you from my husband.

    A while later that evening, I said something along the lines of, wow, that was nice he came over to help with such a thing on his birthday.

    Face palm. [Hubby did.] The thought never crossed his mind that it was his brother’s birthday.

    We all have a good chuckle over that now, and BIL laughs the hardest. 🙂

    Liked by 3 people

  70. Chas’s birthday is 8-17. Even if he hadn’t said it, I’d know, since he shares a birthday with my youngest brother.

    6 Arrows, ALL of my grandparents were born in the century before last century (the most recent was 1888).

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  75. Both my parents have forgot their anniversary on occasion – one year, they were only reminded of it by my grandmother phoning them to wish them a happy anniversary. They seldom do anything special for the day anyway – the only special thing they did for their fortieth was to dress up, my mother in her wedding dress, and have me take photos. My mother does not like eating in public spaces, so going out to a restaurant for her anniversary would be torture, not a romantic outing. My father has been known to forget his own birthday, never mind my mother’s. She has never been bothered in the slightest by him forgetting it. Their example has made me accept it when my birthday isn’t remembered. The first of the two birthdays I observed in West Africa, I was still recently arrived and was sick. Nobody realized it was my birthday. However, someone on the team gave me an impulse gift – a can of Canada dry ginger ale that she had found while shopping for supplies in the city, a real luxury item there. When I thanked her, I told her it was my birthday – so then they proceeded to observe my birthday belatedly. Thank you for the general birthday wishes. It made me smile. For the record, my birthday isn’t anytime soon.

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  77. I got married on 9 June 1957.
    We have a diamond anniversary coming up.
    I’ve been thinking about that.
    I may send Aj some pictures. I’m still pondering that.
    I already have her a present. Not too expensive, or she wouldn’t wear it.

    Liked by 5 people

  78. My birthday is usually forgotten. It is at a bad time of year to be remembered or celebrated. Our church is small enough to sing during a Sunday service. It is not something lots of us enjoy. I understand how some may enjoy it, however.

    The last two years mine has been forgotten at the church. I was happy it was. The person responsible apologized all over about it. I was not hurt in any way by it. I can understand that someone else may have been.

    I pray for Jo regularly and many of you. I pray for many items on the prayer thread (if not all) but often do not say so.

    Sometimes I have no internet data left to get on here. Sometimes I simply have no time. Sometimes I am simply worn out. Sometimes I am way too self-centered.

    There is no way I would remember anyone’s birthday. I have a lot of grandchildren’s birthdays to remember and rely on the calendar my daughter makes me.

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  80. People sometimes ask me how old a certain sibling is, or a niece or nephew, and they’re surprised when I have to stop and figure it out. I don’t think it’s ever anybody from a big family who’s surprised. There are seven of us and I have more than twenty nieces and nephews, not counting those on my husband’s side (let alone his late wife’s side) or my grands. I’m good to know what decade some of them are in!

    My oldest brother, fourth brother, and younger siblings I can figure quickly from my own age. But two in the middle have to be figured from my oldest brother’s age and whether or not they’ve had a birthday yet this year, and so that takes a moment. And my nieces and nephews, most of them I simply don’t know their actual age. I know more than half of my sister’s kids, and the few of them born when I was a teenager I can figure easily from my age, but the rest I pretty much have to shrug or look up. And only my sister’s child and the niece born a month after I turned 13 can I remember actual birthdays. (And only my sister’s kids–and my own siblings–get any notice from me of birthdays.) It’s a big family. That’s reality in a big family. I also know my siblings’ anniversaries, though I rarely take note of them.

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  81. Last night I asked about something I’d seen on Facebook, if anyone could explain it to me. I thought it was some kind of political statement that I wasn’t understanding.

    Today I turned to Google. Turns out the name on the sign is close to the name of a fictional company that is evil (in a video game series, I think).

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  83. Janice, your birthday is 12/12? I don’t know anyone else with a birthday that day, but I know some with birthdays on 1/1, 6/6, 9/9 (besides my own), and 11/11.

    Never heard of Gab. Though some days I have the gift of. 😉

    Liked by 2 people

  84. We forget birthdays and anniversaries. Oh well. It used to bother me, but I know my family loves me and I forget now too, so I need to be gracious and forgiving. February 12 is mine.

    Liked by 3 people

  85. I was 3 1/2 when Chas got married.

    My nose is rather messed up with all the pollen. It feels inflamed and sort of crusty. It’s different from a cold. But it is similar in discomfort. I hope the pollen levels go down.

    I only have about two more loads of laundry. I had let it get behind more than I have done in years. Not fun. I had to split the pills in Art’s bottle of medicine since the med does not come in half doses. That can take time and patience. I quickly discovered awhile back that I needed to buy a pill splitter. It is a nifty little gadget. Oh, the things we learn to do as we grow older. ❤ And I am getting good at scanning tax documents…it is easier than using the copier.My new best friend at the office is the Shredder. Fun, Fun, and More Fun!!! Now we just need to have a party since we have bags of confetti.

    Liked by 2 people

  86. Yep, we have long generations. There’s 99 years (almost to the day) between my maternal grandfather and me and my dad’s father was only three years younger. A couple of years ago I did the math and sent it to my brother who is not yet married and wants to have children, telling him that at 46 (or whatever he was at the time), he was still a couple years younger than the average generation of his male ancestors for the past three generations on both sides! It helps that he is the youngest and has the longest generation, but still, it was pretty shocking. (He did say it was encouraging.)

    Liked by 1 person

  87. I was alive when Chas was born, 16 days old to be exact, and I guess I am the youngest one who can say that here. My birthday is two days after my anniversary. I wanted it close so I wouldn’t forget the anniversary, like so many fictional characters do.

    Liked by 2 people

  91. We don’t make a big deal about birthdays. My own mother has not given birthday greetings for the past 30 years, as she does not remember. I hope no one has their feelings hurt by a lack of birthday greetings on my part. I don’t always have time to be on the phone or computer, so may be days late.

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  93. My mom remembers birthdays, anniversaries, etc. very easily. Hers and Dad’s, all five children, all 14 grandchildren, what years they were born. I’m guessing she probably knows the “gotcha” dates for the adopted grands, too.

    Her friends and neighbors significant dates — day, month, year. Date of death for many deceased. It’s amazing.

    Oh, and birth times of all the children. I remember those for mine, too, but a lot of other stuff I just plain forget.

    ———

    You know, I was thinking about Jo this week, and, speaking of remembering things, I’m almost positive she was the person here who said that she lurked for a VERY long time — like ten years or something, if I recall correctly. I know we’ve had that conversation on previous occasions here, how long we lurked until we came aboard WMB. Seems like a lot of people lurked for some months, or a year or two, but I think Jo lurked from way back in the early years of WMB, silently followed us over here when AJ started this blog, and then joined the conversation.

    So perhaps she might lurk again for a long while before returning. I think she’s a pretty private person, quite introverted, and it may be a while before she feels comfortable rejoining the conversation.

    Jo, if you’re reading this, know that we are praying for you, are hoping you are safe, and will welcome your participation here again if you choose to come back.

    Blessings.

    Liked by 3 people

  94. The older I get the more difficult it is for me to remember lots of things! Some things I remember well, others…well I am just at a loss! I find myself writing notes to myself…and I will admit that I struggle with some of the grandkid’s birth dates….I must have too much “old” info stored up there and some of the “new” stats just don’t make it in!! Calendars are a handy resource….if you remember to write things on them….
    I am staying up tonight until daughter comes in the door (she gets off work at 10 and a normal dry road drive home takes her about 20 minutes)…we have horrid road conditions and a great many car accidents in our area…I just may be late for work in the morning!!
    I was three years old when Chas and Elvera were married 🙂

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