This song pretty much sums up how I feel. Boy, am I a lucky, blessed, grateful gal. Hope you can say the same.






Lucky Man by: Montgomery-Jentry

I have days where I hate my job
This little town and the whole world too
Last Sunday when the Bengals lost
Lord, it put me in a bad mood

I have moments when I curse the rain
Then complain when the sun's too hot
I look around at what everyone has
And I forget about all I've got

But I know I'm a lucky man
God's given me a pretty fair hand
Got a house and a piece of land
A few dollars in a coffee can
My old trucks still running good
My ticker's ticking like they say it should
I got supper in the oven, a good woman's loving
And one more day to be my little kid's dad
Lord knows I'm a lucky man

Got some friends who would be here fast
I could call 'em any time of day
Got a brother who's got my back
Got a mama who I swears a saint
Got a brand new rod and reel
Got a full week off this year
Dad had a close call last spring
It's a miracle he's still here

But I know I'm a lucky man
God's give me a pretty fair hand
Got a house and a piece of land
a few dollars in a coffee can
My old trucks still running good
My ticker's tickin' like they say it should
I got supper in the oven, a good woman's loving
And one more day to be my little kid's dad
Lord knows I'm a lucky man

My old truck still running good
My ticker's tickin' like they say it should
I got supper in the oven, a good woman's loving
And even my bad days ain't that bad
Yeah, I'm a lucky man
I'm a lucky man

I am NOT making fun of dead people

Intrigue...I guess that's what I would call my latest interest in obituary pictures. I am intrigued as to how certain pictures are chosen of the deceased to accompany their obituaries. I can't really tell the thought (or lack of) behind some of the pictures chosen.

As you have noticed, if you've ever really paid attention, some pictures are very predictable. There are the honorable military pictures. And of course the picture of Grandpa leaning in next to Grandma (who for these purposes has be cropped out of the picture altogether). And the pictures that seem to have been taken for the purpose of accompanying the obituary one day in the future. But, it is the other pictures that throw me for a loop...

There are the VAGUE pictures that intrigue me. These are the ones so blurry and old that they look like the were made in the 80's with some flat camera with the flash cube on top. I mean, is this really the best picture you have of the person? Also, I've seen pictures of people (usually men) wearing hats and/or sunglasses. Just for the record, this picture could be of anyone as far as I can tell. And then there are the pictures where the person is not even looking at the camera. Now don't tell me every picture you have of mom she was always looking away.

Secondly, there are the pictures that make me speculate the cause of death...I've seen a picture of a man with a cigarette in his mouth (died of cancer?), a man sitting in his car (automobile accident?), and several of people smiling and laughing just a little too much for this to be an obituary picture (partying overdose, perhaps?). I recently saw a picture with an obituary that was a drawn sketch of the person that had died. It REALLY looked like a police sketch. Seriously. Imagine my surprise when the obit started by saying: "Wanted by Bryan Lee funeral home for dying on March 19..." (just joking, it didn't say that)

But, these pictures get me every time...I can them the TRICKY pictures. When I scan the obituaries and see a picture of someone who looks about my age, I naturally am interested in such a death. Maybe I know this person. Well, it gets me every time when I read further to realize that the person in the picture IS in their thirties BUT the picture was made about 55 years ago and they have now died at the ripe old age of 85.

Lastly, I must also mention the pictures that when I see them I first think to myself...wait just a minute. I KNOW this person did not JUST die. I remember her picture from a year ago, about this same time...only to realize that this picture is accompanying one of those "in memory" columns. After years of reading the obituaries, I'm starting to feel like I know (or knew) these folks.

Well, I'll let it go for now. I'll see what tomorrow N & O has in store for me.

from nose hairs to callouses

I was reminded the other night of how I stand in complete AWE of the human body. If you really think about it (and for a moment, please do) our bodies are truly amazing. I remember learning that blood cells are made inside of bones. How cool is that? Bones aren't just dead, hard things that help us stand up. They are safety "bunkers" that are protecting and making new blood cell "soldiers" to go out into the body. Is that good design or what? And check out our spinal cord...protected again by bone. But, not just a single bone...but a whole column of bones, each with a hole in the center to encase the fragile cord. And our hearts are basically in a cage of bones called ribs. All to protect such vital parts of our bodies. Good design or what?

I remember learning in Anatomy and Physiology about all the "checks and balances" our body has in place to deal with any type of "malfunction". When you don't get enough blood flow to your brain, what happens? You pass out, fall down,...and where does the blood flow then? (to your noggan, of course). When your body is invaded by bacteria...up goes you fever to make the body temperature undesirable to the new invaders. When you have major trauma, you go into "shock" because your blood is shunting internally to protect your most vital inner organs. All of this is to save you. In effect, every single body response is in some way trying to save and protect itself.

From the heart being a muscle that will essentially keep on beating outside of the body to how sound is interpreted by 3 little bones...you explain it. From shivering to produce heat and make our bodies warm to sweating to cool us off...is this good design or what? I could go on and on. And to think that it all starts from two cells that join to divide and make more and more cells. And these cells at some point decide to change (yet to really be understood how) from each other...some to become bone, others become muscle, yet others become an eyeball...you explain it. And with all the medical wisdom we've been given, nothing yet can really duplicate the real, functioning human body.

So from the nose hairs that filter each breath of air we breath..to callouses that form on our feet to keep our shoes from rubbing a hole in our feet....WE ARE WONDERFULLY MADE.