Missouri Born - Southern Bred

The southern girl is a state of mind, not always born and bred.
Her history and southern roots are deep inside her head.
She may be from Missouri, but her mama taught her well.
She felt that Mason-Dixon Line; she’s a genuine southern belle
When she was just a little girl, “up north” was a foreign place
And Yankee was the boogie man; a name that meant disgrace.
She’ll call her father “Daddy” until the day she dies.
You’ll hear “yes Sir” and “no, Ma’am”.
She makes grits and pe-can pies.
She fixes cornbread dressin’ without a recipe
“You taste it and you mix it ‘til it’s the right consistency”.
She was taught to be a lady and mind her manners too.
Her southern hospitality will always welcome you.
She knows when a thing is tacky; to be common is a vice.
The superlative is “darlin’”; beware of “idn’t that nice?”.
A southern girl seems fragile, but covers don’t make books.
She has iron will and nerves of steel…much stronger than she looks.
She learned “the south will rise again", but she shines a better light.
She’ll cherish the good, discard the bad; know who, how, when to fight.
November 19, 1983
For my mama.

Letting Go

Today I’m letting go of yesterday that haunts me.
Today I’m letting go of friends and loves I’ve lost.
Today I’m letting go of worn-out dreams that taunt me.
Today I’m letting go old bridges, burned or crossed.
My heart had long been hidden by walls and camouflage,
but pain still came, unbidden, and joy was a mirage.
Denial was a way of life whose baggage weighed me down.
Behind my mask, my soul was rife with deep, still pools that drown.
But open windows bring in light, and light makes good things grow.
So goodbye mask, and walls, and night, for today I’m letting go.

Mondays

Monday is my least favorite day of the week. I love my weekends, as most of us do. Sunday evening I begin preparing myself for Monday. I used to dread it. I used to be "down" on Monday. Dragging myself into work, usually with a headache..barely surviving the day and LIVING for 5:00 to go home and start preparing myself for Tuesday. Does it sound like I hate my job? I don't. I actually love it and love my coworkers. So why do I dread going to work on Monday? I've pondered that for some time now. A verse keeps coming to mind, "THIS is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." Wishing for another time, another day, another place, another person, another life causes me to miss the opportunity I have today. In the words of Drs. Minnerth and Meier..."happiness is a choice". Being happy with today is a choice. Being happy on Monday is a choice. Looking for the opportunity God has for me today is where my focus needs to be, especially on Monday.