He Signed His Valentine... "Rocky"

That was his name,
and he was my flame,
My tender 4th grade flame.
We never kissed.
Wonder what I missed.
Or did we, and I just forgot?

Oh, he was cute, and so mature, much more so than the others.
Maturity, you know, is important at that age,
Thoughtfulness,
Tenderness, too.

He moved away, far too soon,
but left two things behind:  
a heart on a chain, left in my box,
my shoebox covered with hearts,
with a slit on the top
and a place in my heart.
He signed his Valentine... "Rocky."

Ah... the sweet memory of young love.  He was ahead of his times, and I wonder where he is these days.  He didn't stay long in my life, but his legacy lives on, and sometimes I allow my heart to go back to those "once upon a time" days.

The heart he gave me was black.  It was a faceted black heart-shaped pendant that swung beautifully on a silver-toned chain.  Striking it was in appearance and most unusual for a 4th grader of the 1960's to possess.  Wish I had it now.  Wish I could hold it in my hand, but its memory will have to do.  Perhaps that's even better than a heart made of plastic... or... one made of stone.

Rocky, where are you?  I really liked you, you know.

And now... now that you are a memory of those innocent days gone by, I realize what a treasure you were. You see, you gave me more than a heart of stone... you gave me sweet memories to hold in my heart... and THAT, my old flame...  is the real treasure!
 

Silly me, but I love the memory...


Cindy...
the girl from Plato Elementary School



(Note from the author:  Saying, "I like you." or "I love you." is more important than we realize.  Say it.  Mean it.  Live it.  And do it today.  Everyday should be Valentine's Day!)



@Copyright 2012, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

If Only...

If only...

If only I had time to see,
if  time would wait for me,
then I would, I'm sure
give glory to the Giver.
Give praise for what I see.
Give thanks for all that's given,
but deadlines beckon me.

If only I would stop and listen,
take time so I could hear.
If only life would wait for me,
then I would, I'm sure,
listen to the music
that The Giver has given me.

But friends and family beckon.
Urgent moments drain my all.
So how can I still listen?
Still hear?
How can I see?

For this I should be grateful.
For all I should give praise.
I must take pause,
be still because,
What if...
God hadn't given to me?


Someone once said that the hard times define us, destroy us, or strengthen us.  Think I'll choose two out of those three:  define & strengthen, even though some days I wobble on the brink of disaster.

For me, the brink is built upon exhaustion:  physical and emotional.  For some reason the two go hand in hand, and they dare to pull each other over the edge.   But, like I said, I will choose to be defined or strengthened... not destroyed, for once destroyed, I cannot go back and try again.

Someone once said, "when you fall out of the saddle, climb back on it."  So, I do.  And, I have.  And now I ask just how many MORE times do I have to do that?  The answer is, of course... every time.  Every bloomin', every stinkin', every cotton-pickin' time!

Alas, if only I were "perfect".  If only I could enjoy all the "saddle rides", and if only I could enjoy the view from the "edge of brink".  Seems to me that these "if only's" are mere excuses for not doing what should be done.  They waste time.  They waste energy.  And they consume a part of me that is needed elsewhere.

So, I shall cease balking.  I shall quit procrastinating.  I shall stop whining.  I shall, and I will.  I will because it's all so much easier to handle when I take time, when I make time to be still... and to know God.

King David once wrote, "Commit your way to the Lord;  trust in him and he will do this:  He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.  Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him."  --Psalm 37:5-7

This is the way I look at it:  since this was the answer for King David, a mighty warrior and successful leader of tens of thousands, then why shouldn't it be the answer for me, a mere saddle-sore woman???  It's something to think about, for certain.

As I sign off and leave my desk, I go to get defined or strengthened, to find the music, to enjoy the view, and... just to be still, very, very still.

Thank you, God... for all you have given.

Sincerely,

Cindy Lou



@Copyright 2011, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

September

September

Temperatures drop.
Tempers cool.
Dust rides the breeze.
Summer's scorn still scorches
Earth, lakes...memories.

Grasslands beg for mercy.
Sun-dried soil's too dry to weep.
But, I believe in Texas
September does not sleep.

Press on, my state of Texas.
Oh, bend your stubborn knees.
Seek him who sends September...
Seek him who never sleeps.

Oh, long, long sought September...
Send rain, stop drought,
Break heat.
Oh, God, who sends September...
Restore, remember... me.
             --Cindy Lou Hodges

                          
One of the worst droughts in history is plaguing  my home state of Texas.  Record heat waves of temperatures 100 degrees or higher wreck havoc upon health, agriculture and ranching industries.  For nature, there is no escape from the sweltering heat, other than rain... blessed rain.  Let us return to our roots of faith, as we fall down in prayer and humbly ask God to send us rain... sweet, blessed rain.  

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!  Blessed be the name of the Lord...!

    
                 
                        __________________________________________

                                            SCRIPTURE REFRENCES

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain:  and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."
--Holy Bible, James 5:16-18

"For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:  but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil."
--Holy Bible, I Peter 3:12

"And I say unto you, Ask and it shall be given you;  seek and ye shall find;  knock, and it shall be opened unto you."  --Holy Bible, Luke 11:9

                        __________________________________________


@Copyright 2011, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

Rain

Rain

Long awaited,

longed for

rain.

Heaven's teardrops that we prayed

not sooner, not harder,

not longer for...

long awaited,

longed for

rain.

--Cindy Lou Hodges

Our state of Texas is suffering from one of the worst droughts in history.  Finally, it rained today.

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow...!"

@Copyright 2011, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

My Morning Prayer...

Morning calls as dove greet dawn.
I arise, not knowing what day may bring.
Aware I am
that I can choose
just how I shall join in
with family, friends, with tasks, and toil
for I am alive....
let my day begin.

I can be a stumbling block,
a stump, a stick in the mud.

I can be a babbling brook.
Babbling I do well.

Perhaps the breeze is calling me
to join in its ballet...

Or fire, oh the mighty flame
devouring its prey...

Or light that shines,
illuminates,
presses darkness to its grave.

What life give I upon this day?
That's for me to say.

--Cindy Lou Hodges

Heavenly Father, only you can provide what I need today, and I praise you for your mercy and goodness.  Thank you, Lord, for lifting me, once again.  May I do the same for others and do it with a cheerful heart.

Sincerely me...
Cindy Lou

@Copyright 2011, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

Car Wash Blues

Today I got the car washed.
'Twas a big, big job

'cause it was really dirty.

It had caked-on blobs...

Blobs of greasy, grimy dirt

and lots and lots of mud.
Boy, was that car dirty
with the slush and slime and crud...

Crud from all the city streets,

the ones they're working on
with the trenchers and the asphalt.
Oh, when will they be gone?

Gone to other streets in town

so someone else can sob,

Cindy Lou

"Today I got the car washed...

'Twas a big, big job!"


@Copyright 1988, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

The Store

Yesterday I shopped.
Yesterday I bought
shiny, bright and blingy things
and boldly printed tops.

Oh, they were so pretty.
They made me feel so good.
Then when at home and all alone
I thought that "Yes, I should..."

Model them and check them out
and try them on to see
which one of them I should wear first,
which one was best for me.

But something weird had happened.
It still confuses me:
Neither one was half the fun,
and both were quite UGG-LY.

No matter how I tugged or pulled
or beautifully accessorized,
those tops were bad.  It made me sad,
and then I realized...

The tags were there, were still intact.
I still had my receipt.
I didn't have to keep them.
This was no defeat.

So, back I'd go, with bag in hand
and a smile upon my face.
For now I get to shop again.
Gee, I love this place!

And once again when tomorrow comes,
when the dawn presents its day,
awakenings may happen.
Perhaps you'll hear me say...

"Yesterday I shopped.
Yesterday I bought
shiny, bright and blingy things
and boldly printed tops."

And, the beat goes on because some of us keep doing our part...

Sincerely a true story,
Cindy Lou


@Copyright 2011, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

Earring mystery solved!

"Eureka!  Eureka!  The lost is found!"
So happy am I... I shall expound!

I'm dancin' a jog and singin' a jig.
I found my earrings... those thingamajigs!!!

Whoop-de-doo's and la-de-da's.
I'm raisin' a ruckus and hoo-hoo-rah's!

Hidden they were.  Out of sight.
Discovered today to my delight!

"Bling!  Bling!"  My heart does sing.
"I found them today... two heart earrings!"


After five years of wondering what had happened to them, they appeared!  I found them tucked away in their little cloth bag, in a box of dirty socks.  That's right... phew, dirty socks!

This box has been in the bottom of the closet for a long, long time:  totally ignored for years.  But recently I moved it to the laundry room, and today I actually dealt with the undesirable.  Little did I know that I was involved in a treasure hunt... one that had such delight as its reward.

So, pardon me while I smile.  Please, pardon me while I glee.
It's just that they were gone.  Now, they've come back to me.

"Eureka!  Eureka!"  I do expound.
So happy am I... The lost is found!!!

Joy! Joy!  Tucked in a box.
A box of hearts and dirty socks!!!


Love days like this,
Cindy Lou



@Copyright 2011, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

Listening Ears




Spring...!

 
Silent I have been.
Silent for a reason.
Growing I have been...
knowing it's a season.

For three months my blog has waved without me.  Its colors remained true.  Its pages told their own story, and I, I searched for mine.  My quest for answers and my pondering mind reveal a new identity that happened while I was not paying attention.  Without my knowledge, without my awareness... it just happened.

Youth ask, "Who am I?"  Age states, "I am."  Some ask, "Why?"  Some say, "It is."

As for me, my silence allowed me to listen.  Boldly it spoke.  It told me that I have made it through the winter, and while there... I was not alone.  The strength required and the stamina profound were manna from heaven.  I gathered it and consumed it voraciously without paying attention to the Giver, for my attention was demanded by my tasks. 

But, my winter is over, and with vision sharpened by my listening ears, I know, I know without a doubt Who provided the means and the way and the manna.  To God be the glory!  To God be the praise!  I was, and I am not alone.

Silent I have been, but not so today, for it is my season to say... "What now, now that I have crossed over the bridge of "what was & what is"?  Praise be to God from whom all blessings flow!  Praise God for this season!

Call me wiser,
and call me a grateful woman...

Cindy Lou




@Copyright 2011, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

"Tic-Toc..."

Tic-toc
goes the clock:
Tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, toc.
Tic-toc
goes the clock:
tic, tic, tic, tic, toc.

Rock to the clock,
- as the clock
tic, tic, tic, tic, tic,
Tic-tocs.
Tic-toc,
Tic, tic, toc.
Tic-toc goes the clock.

Just a little rhyme I chant to my grandbaby:  over and over, and over.  She loves it, and of course, so do I.  She stares into space, the one up at the ceiling, and whatever she sees captivates her attention.  I stare at her, the little one in my arms, and what I see captivates me. 

Tic-toc
tic, tic, toc.
Tic-toc
goes... the....... clock.

Family clock, 5th generation

@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges All Rights Reserved.

The Iddy, Biddy Diddy

Ever feel like you're trying "too hard"?  Is this truly a possibility or is it just a scam people use as a tactic to get you to stop doing what you're doing?

If someone tells me I'm trying too hard, then it has to be "the scam".  Yea, it's a scam, alright.  However, if I decide that I really am trying too hard, like if I'm black & blue from hitting my head against a wall, then maybe it is time to back off... unless, of course, it is for my family, or for my loved ones, or my friends, or my so-so friends, or my list of people that make me crazy, or my hobbies, or my job, or my latest project, or my next project, or my "I should do this" list, or my "I have to do this" list, or, and by all means... my beloved bucket list.

Hmmm... guess that just about covers it.

No sense in beating my head against the wall to get this point across.  After all, I have to save my energy for daunting projects.  So, let me close with this delightful little, iddy, biddy diddy...

Passionate souls are stubborn souls.
Stubborn souls are hard to sway.
So, if ye be a soul like me,
pray "stubborn" goes away.

Ah, I feel better now.  Let the day begin!

Just call me:  your friend, your want-to-be friend, your so-so friend, or...
"She makes a' me crazy" friend,

Sincerely,
Cindy Lou


p.s. #1  I'm practicing for the Mean Old Lady Olympics.

p.s. #2  I hear they have a competition called Quick Wit.

p.s. #3  I'm sharpening my skills... uh, tongue.

p.s. #4  There is a scripture in Proverbs or somewhere in the Bible about not being stubborn.  I should look it up.

p.s. #5  Can't... I'm too stubborn.

p.s. #6  Yikes!  Feeling convicted.

I Samuel 15:23, Holy Bible, King James Version
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry..."

p.s. #7  Uh, oh...  

I John 1:9, Holy Bible, King James Version
"If we CONFESS OUR SINS, he is faithful and just to FORGIVE OUR SINS, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

p.s. #8  Sweet... Thank you, Jesus!


@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges
All Rights Reserved

My Flag

Triumphant it stood.
Boldly it waved.
Courage and strength it told.
I watched it furl in jet streamed sky
and wondered how am I
so fortunate to sit beneath this flag,
on freedom's common ground.

What price was paid I cannot grasp,
can't fathom freedom's cost,
but as I view Old Glory's flight
I pray we shall:
not faint,
give hope to night,
turn wrong to right,
and be worthy of the name...
America...
America...
America.

                  --Cindy Lou Hodges


@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges
All Rights Reserved.

The Sugar Attack

"Oh, please, something be in the pantry."  Slam went the door.  "Oh, please... maybe in this cupboard?"  Slam-bang went that door.  "Gosh, there better be something in here...  Somethinggg!"  Groceries toppled off the shelves as I ransacked the freezer.  Frozen layers of forgotten possibilities tumbled to my feet, but even amidst all that jumble of food, there was nothing sweet to eat!

No cookies.  No cake.  No ice cream.  No pie.
Nothin' that's sweet.  Oh, no.  Oh, my!
Off to the bakery.  Off to the store.
Off to the drive-through.  Off through the door.

Out in a flurry, a scurry to find
the thrill for these taste buds, the gooey kind.
My gut is a cravin' something that's sweet.
Can't stop til I find it, can't stop til I eat...

Cookies or cake, ice cream or pie.
Out of my way.  I have pop tarts to buy!
Sugar Pops, donuts, things on a stick,
lemon drops, fudge plops.  Show me them, quick!

Attack, I tell ya... Call the armed guards.
I'm being attacked by my own petard.
T'was just a simple d'sire for dessert,
but that one little desire drove me berserk!

Now, my kitchen's a wreck.  The doors are askew.
The floor is piled high with frozen miscue's
And still there are...
No cookies.  No cake.  No ice cream.  No pie.
And nothin' that's sweet.  Oh, no.  Oh, my!
               --- Cindy Lou Hodges, Copyright 2010

And that's the truth!  Well, sort of...
At the end of my plundering, I did find something nice in my pantry:  a can of cream cheese flavored cake frosting.  Oh, yeh... it was a delicious experience!



@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges
All Rights Reserved

Hark!

Bark.  Bark.
Bark, bark, bark.
Hark!  I hear a bark.

Harp.  Harp.
Harp, harp, harp.
Hark!  I hear a harp.

Wouldn't it be nice someday,
since there are barks and harps,
if we could train our ears to hear
the harps instead of barks?
              -- Cindy Lou Hodges, Copyright 1988

Twenty-two years later:  the second verse...

Yak, yak.
Yak, yak, yak.
Yak, I did just yak.

Attack, Attack.
Atack, tack, tack.
Attack, my yak slapped back.  Ouch!

Some lessons take a lifetime to learn, huh? 
Laughing at myself,
Cindy Lou



@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges
All Rights Reserved.

Fluff, Fluff!

"Two feather pillows sittin' on the bed.
One turned to the other, and it said:
'Do you ever tire, when the folks retire
and flatten your fluff with their big, fat heads?'"
                                     --Cindy Lou

Ah, the weariness of diligence is my challenge today.  Didn't I do all this yesterday?  The showering, the grooming, the hair, the makeup, the cleaning up after myself?  (Well, okay... I didn't do the cleaning yesterday, but I intended to!)  And, today... it starts all over again.  And, that's just all about ME!  Now it's time to get to the important tasks of devotional time, people time, and responsibility time.  Many issues need to be dealt with today, and many miles need to be traveled.  Loved ones need my assistance. Job duties demand attention, and all the while, distractions lurk in every corner and every shopping center. 

So, I'm wondering, "what makes today different from yesterday?"  Is it:  the people I will encounter? the traffic I must contend with?  the clothes that I wear?  the tasks demanded of me?  the opportunities that await me?  or the surprises that will grip me?  Hmmm... I believe it is all of the above and something more.  It is my attitude, more than anything else:  plain & simple.  It's up to me.

In last night's rehearsal our orchestra director spoke of "excellence", and how we musicians should strive for it in every song we play.  We should not settle for mediocrity, nor should we be satisfied with status quo.  He's right, about many things, and lately I have found myself being grateful for "status quo" & "normalcy".  In this crazy world, familiarity is welcomed.  But, something about his insight slides beyond the boundaries of music and intertwines with everyday living and everyday attitudes. 

Excellence is what we all need today.  It's especially what I need, and what I desire.  I'm tired of compromising quality for quantity and weary of settling for less than my best.  The level of standards that I'm seeking surpasses status quo and causes this worker to aim higher, work harder, and to stay very, very focused.

Now that's a challenge, but, a good choice, don't you think?  If I apply myself, maybe today won't be so ho-hum after all, and maybe my daily tasks will take on new life.  Maybe the people I encounter today will be smarter & brighter than they would have been with my old attitude.  Maybe I can learn something from them, also.  And maybe, when I look into the "new attitude" mirror to freshen my face or comb my hair, I will see beyond the reflection and see something that wasn't there yesterday.  Perhaps I shall see a heart for excellence and the determination to make it happen.  Perhaps I will see even more.  Perhaps I will see another reflection, one of excellence... one that looks just like you!

Guess it's time to get at it again, or as they say, "fluff the pillows", but this time I think I"ll do it right.  I will do it with vim & vigor, zest & gusto... lots & lots of it!  Here goes.... fluff, fluff... fluff, fluff.......FLUFF!!!

Claiming victory with my every "fluff",
Cindy Lou



"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving."  --Colossians 3:23-24  Holy Bible, New International Version


@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges
All Rights Reserved

No Time to Play

No time to play today.
No time to stay
ling'ring on the Internet.
Efficiency today!

Can't check my emails
forty times today.
Can't glob on blog spot.
Can't say what I want to say.

Cause there's...
No time to play today.
No time to stay
ling'ring on the Internet...

What a wicked, wicked day!


@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges
All Rights Reserved

Naptime

"Today I made the bed up before the clock said ten.
But now it's so inviting, I think I'll crawl back in!"   ...Cindy Lou
                                       --posted on Facebook, 9-24-2010

Ah, yes, on this dreary day the sound of rain lullabies me to sleep.  Even with two cups of coffee downed and a good night's rest, I feel the urge to curl up and take a nap.  "Who cares if you do?" you might ask, and my reply would be, "no one, but me, I guess."

It would be easy to take that nap, but hard to deal with myself if I do.  You see, I feel like Rip Van Winkle.  I feel as if I just woke up from a long, deep sleep, and the world has changed around me; and I, too, have changed without my knowledge or my permission.  I see myself in the mirror, and I think "that can't be me", and I see my house and think "what on earth happened?', and I look at the calendar and I protest "it's already the end of September, 2010?  What happened to 2009?"  What happened, indeed?

Life happened, and we as a family dealt with it as best we could.  We united around my mother as she battled a broken hip and life threatening complications that followed... for eleven months now.  Mother is better and is back at her house learning how to live without a hip joint and with a leg that is three inches shorter than it used to be. The staff infection is currently suppressed, and we all are adjusting to her new, challenging lifestyle.

Dimple is her name, and she is my hero, and so is my family.  So is God.  I know without a doubt that God carried us through this long-distant, long agonizing journey, and that my Mama is still with us because of God's mercy and the strong support teams he sent our way:  medical professionals, friends, and prayer warriors.  Thank you all for all you've done for us:  we would not be where we are today without you.  Your love made an incredible difference!  Your prayers we depended upon when we were too weary to whisper our own, and your patience with our absence (mental & physical) made us feel welcomed & accepted even though we were not 100% involved.

We never asked for this accident to happen, we only asked for it to pass.  What has passed is "time", and what is revealed is "life".  Put those two words together, and you have a "lifetime".  It's up to us to decide what we fill that lifetime with, and I'm grateful that I've filled the last eleven months with family & friends.  The messy house can wait, as it has.  The stress lines on my face and the extra pounds I've gained can be dealt with, one way or another.  And, as for the calendar, I will try to believe that it is what it says.

As for that snooze I wanted to take, the desire has passed without my realizing it.  What a parallel to the last eleven months.  They too, have passed without my being aware of it... almost a year now.  When I look back, I see that the impossible was made possible.  I see that some good things have developed from bad things.  And, I see that I was not alone, nor did I sleep the entire time like Rip Van Winkle.  I just put one foot in front of the other and did the best I could.  I lived life, and I hung on, as we all did:  as we all do.

So, there will be no nap for me today, and no scoops of ice cream, either.  I believe I will play the piano and maybe even clean my kitchen.  I will reflect upon God's goodness to me, and humbly say, "Thank you, Lord for your mercies and grace, and thank you for carrying me through this last year."   I may even say, "Thank you, Lord, that I can smile again, even on a rainy day.  It feels so good!"

Isn't it all amazing?  Amazing grace, yes... indeed!
Thank you, God... and thank you, friends.

Sincerely,
Cindy Lou


@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges
All Rights Reserved

She Said... He Said!

"I'd talk to the cat, if I had one.
I'd talk to the doggie, too.
I'd talk to the fish in the fishbowl.
I'd talk to the monkey in the zoo.
I'd squawk to the squirrel on the tree limb.
I'd squawk to the turkeys, it's true.
But, why should I squawk and tell them my talk,
when I... can talk... to you?"

"Because my dear,
You hurt my ear.
You babble what you say.
You think too much.
You speak too much.
You jabber everyday.
I'll buy the cat.
I'll buy the dog.
Or take you to the zoo.
To stop your squawk,
To stop your talk,
I'll do anything for you!"

"You will?"
"I will."
"Ahhh... 'Nough said."


Do you identify with either side of the above conversation?  If so, then you most likely have been in a long-term relationship or you currently are in one.  You probably don't speak with this sing-song type of language, but surely you do converse in some form or fashion.  The above couple worked out their differences in, shall we say... an amicable sort of way?  Well, maybe...

In his book, The Five Love Languages, author Dr.Gary Chapman explains different ways people express their love and different ways they want others to express their love to them.  It's a most helpful book about relationships of all kind:  husbands, wives, children, etc., and I highly recommend reading it.  It certainly opened my eyes about communication!  Dr. Chapman states that the five love languages are:

Love Language #1:  Words of Affirmation
Love Language #2:  Quality Time
Love Language #3:  Receiving Gifts
Love Language #4:  Acts of Service
Love Language #5:  Physical Touch

So, in your busy schedule, take time to read this book.  You can discover which language you speak, and if anyone around you speaks like you do.  Can you handle learning something new about yourself?  Is it time for us to learn an additional language, a new style of communicating, a new way of expressing love?  I think so, and I think the woman in the above illustration should go first... and she will, just as soon as she finishes, excuse me... just as soon as I finish.... squawking!


"Dear Lord, I am so focused on doing things my way.  Forgive me for my selfishness, and show me new ways to love the people I love.  Help me understand them.  Help me appreciate them.  And help me show them, in ways that they understand, that I love them .  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen."



@Copyright 2010, Cindy Lou Hodges
All rights reserved.