My first year of high school was a mix of emotions. I was excited to be out of middle school and finally in high school, I’d be able to do ‘big kid’ things and yada yada. Unfortunately my last few weeks of middle school I had become aware of a certain celebration called Freshman Friday. Now Freshman Friday was celebrated on the first Friday after school began by the upperclassmen waiting for us.

Freshman Friday, as it was explained to me, was a free for all where the upperclassmen could basically do anything to us and get away with it; simply because they had survived it themselves. Apparently anything goes, you could get stuffed in a locker, head stuck in a toilet, beat up, you’ll get wrong directions so you’re late for class, your food gets stolen, backpack, you name it.

By now you should know, this wasn’t going to cut it for me. I had considered running away from home (at least for a day) to avoid this catastrophe but running away seemed like such an effort on my part. And considering I was involved, something worse might happen in the process of running away; I could get kidnapped or find myself on the other side of the world. I don’t know. By the time I had entertained the thought of running away, my head was spinning so bad I decided getting stuck in a locker was better than the latter.

Well just so you know Freshman Friday really isn’t a thing. It was something the upperclassmen made up to scare us. If I had thought about it I might have figured it out but for goodness sakes it’s me, I tend to assume the worst and go with it… have you read any of my blogs? I’d also like to note that I wasn’t the only one afraid; other people bought into it. Probably not to the extent I did but I wasn’t alone. It was a shame I didn’t find out Freshman Friday wasn’t real until after the fact.

Needless to say, that Friday I was on edge like never before. Every turn, every corner, I was ready. Would I get jumped now? Would they drag me off to where the teachers couldn’t hear me scream? I was trying to stay focused on where I was going, it was easy to get turned around, you didn’t want to be late for class because you got lost. I will say there were some nice people that gave me some good directions, it’s a shame I didn’t follow them; I’m still thinking they’re purposefully leading me wrong.

I was about halfway through the day when one of my friends called me out on it. She told me to calm down (I apparently had a look of panic the entire day) and that would get me got quicker than anything. It was then she told me she didn’t think Freshman Friday was a real thing, it was then I thought she’d be the first to go. We were standing in the hall during break, I remember thinking all the people around us were really tall. Well that’s because they were all seniors. We were on the senior hall. When I realized this, I started taking them in; it was probably the first time I had looked up from the ground all day. My thought process was, if you didn’t make eye contact, they couldn’t get you. Ah youth.

These scary seniors and other upperclassmen lined the halls, standing in front of lockers, laughing and talking. They watched as other students walked by but quickly turned back to their conversations. I realized they weren’t paying us any attention at all, they didn’t care if we were there. They also didn’t seem like they’d be the type to shove me in a locker. Well, maybe a few of them did. What was I so afraid of this whole time? All these kids I thought were diabolically scheming behind my back didn’t even know I existed. I thought there might be some hope for me, I might just get through this day unscathed.

I watched as a taller boy entered the hall, they were all so tall I couldn’t for the life of me tell what grade they were all in. This particular boy walked up to another boy (who was much taller) that was leaning up against a locker and nonchalantly pulled back and slugged the taller one right across the face.

Oh dear.

The whole hall fell silent. I felt my jaw drop. Did this kid want to die? I’ll give the taller boy props; he rubbed his jaw while glaring at this kid and then turned to walk away. Shorty however wasn’t having any of that, he slugging him again from behind.

We should move, crossed my mind. Too late. The taller boy turned around and shoved this kid so hard that the kid fell to the floor and skidded a little ways.

“You need to back off.” The taller one told him.

I agreed. He wasn’t even yelling but the way he said it and as calmly as he said it, he had my vote. Shorty however had something to prove, he jumped back up and started swinging. Now I had seen some fights at school before, you know, they’re swinging but they can’t really land anything or they’re swinging and then the teacher steps in. It never really lasted long. This was a whole new level. No one was backing down and they were mad! Where the teachers were, I have no idea; but if they had any sense they’d stay there.

These two continued to slug each other in the face for a while, moving down the hall. The taller one always seemed to be able to back the smaller one off but the smaller one always came back at him. They shoved each other into the lockers a few times (glad it wasn’t me) and slugged each other in the face multiple times. They acted like they didn’t even feel it, I felt it. I got the sense that the taller one, as mad as he was, wasn’t putting his all into it. Several times the taller one told the other to back off, you need to quit, just walk away. The short one wasn’t listening. Maybe he had been hit in the head too many times. I was beginning to think they’re were both going to end up with brain damage when the taller one knocked the smaller down on the ground for the final time.

“Just stop.” He told him.

Of course, Shorty jumped up to swing again. That’s when the taller one had had enough. He turned slightly and reared back with his foot, kicking this kid in the stomach so hard he flew through a closed door. A. Closed. Door.

There’s the teachers! They seemed to come out of every hole in the school, swarming the smaller kid (who was not getting back up) and stepping in front of the bigger one; who at this point had stopped and was just standing there. The teachers were throwing their hands up at him like he was going to charge. He just stood there, annoyed at the whole situation. I felt for him, he tried to walk away. The teachers took both kids away and I took my first breath since the fight had started.

Yeah, Freshman Friday isn't a thing. 

It was a hot day and I volunteered to do an ice cream run for everyone at work. We ended up with an order of thirteen hot fudge sundaes, two with extra hot fudge.

So I hurried off to get these famed sundaes in which everyone loved. In the drive thru I ordered my thirteen sundaes, two with extra hot fudge and then waited. And waited. Then I waited some more. I’m not sure what the people in front of me ordered but I’m pretty sure it was one of everything on the menu.

No matter, I’ll just turn on some tunes. That’s when everything went south. Before I knew it a song came across the waves that just tore up my insides. Something about someone dying, never going to see them again, they couldn’t believe it, I’m here without you, why did you leave; so on and so on.

I’m not exactly sure what happened or why I was so tore up by this song but I began to bawl. Bawl. And just like that the line began to move and I was at the window before I knew where I was. I hurried to wipe the tears away and pull my life together before the woman came to the window.

Too late. The window swung open and the lady looked me over. Here I am, ordering thirteen sundaes (two with extra hot fudge), bawling, scrambling for dollars and change. I was still rummaging to get the money when I looked up at her. She cocked her eye brow and rocked back on one hip. She didn’t say anything but her face said it all.

I handed her the money and she started passing the sundaes through the window. When she handed me my change she gave me a look that just screamed, ‘Honey go get you a gallon and pick up the pieces’.

​She slammed the window quickly and left me weeping with my thirteen sundaes.  

I was about two hours into my shift at the grocery store, talking to one of favorite service clerks when I heard it.

Wait… let me go back farther so it makes sense. When I arrived that morning for my shift, I noticed a few things, it wasn’t real busy, we had gotten a new stock of huge stuffed animals (what can I say, I’m a child; I love stuffed animals), and one of my favorite service clerks was there (Yay! I love talking to him).

Before I went to my register, I stopped by the box of large stuffed animals and peeked inside. The box held leopards, birds, snakes, and other animals. I wanted to buy every one of them but they were expensive, so I took one last look and went to work. The day seemed to go by fairly smooth, my favorite clerk (we will call him Lee) was working with me that day which meant I would actually enjoy my shift. Lee was in his late fifties and he and his wife were always so nice to talk to.

We had just finished ringing a customer up when another stepped into our line. A woman and her daughter stood ready to pay while I scanned the groceries and Lee bagged them. The mom was tall so I could see her over my register but the girl was hidden behind it. Eventually she moved to the other end and I watched as she fiddled around with something down at the end. Kids get bored so easily.

I was scanning the last item in the ladies cart when she pulled out a hundred dollar bill.

“Can you make change for a hundred?” She asked me.

I heard the question but I also heard something else. A bird, well not A bird, a lot of birds. In the middle of the grocery store. I looked up into the ceiling, half expecting to find a colony of birds above us. I knew the random bird got in every now and again but not this many. I scanned the windows and the ceiling and there wasn’t a single bird in sight. I looked back down at the woman and Lee, who were both staring at me, waiting for my reply about the hundred dollar bill. The birds were still chirping but neither the lady nor Lee seemed to hear it.

I managed a long ‘Uh—’. Was I losing my mind?

“A hundred,” the lady said again, “do you have change for a hundred?”

She slowly waved the bill in her hand, confused at my reaction. I did have change but I also had bigger problems. Now I could hear rushing water, almost like a waterfall; the birds were still chirping. I turned and looked around me to try to find the source of the noise, but there wasn’t one. Keep in mind this was before ‘ringtones’. I turned back to the lady and Lee who clearly could not hear it. They both seemed concerned. Well, that makes three of us now…

“I—”

Another noise cut off my answer, a flute. I’m hearing a dadgum flute, with water, and birds! It was a high pitched sound too, so why were these two not hearing it? I decided then that I was probably having a stroke or maybe slipping into an out of body experience type deal. I felt Lee rest his hand gently on my shoulder.

“Change,” he said, “She’s asking if you have change for a hundred dollar bill.”

That’s thoughtful of you to try to explain Lee but I KNOW WHAT SHE’S ASKING ME! DO YOU NOT HEAR THAT? I thought this, didn’t say it. I was screaming inside.

I caught a glimpse of the little girl staring at me, I could tell she thought I was a ‘weird’ cashier. She moved away from the end of the registers back to the other side of her mother where I couldn’t see her, I assumed she thought being close to her mother would save her when I finally flipped my lid.

“Yes.” I managed.

I could tell I seemed dazed and confused to Lee, he probably thought I had gone stupid.

I added, “Do you not hear that?”

Of course the sound stopped then.

“Hear what?” He asked.

You’ve got to be kidding me. How would I explain this to him, in front of an already concerned customer, without sounding crazy? I opened my mouth, determined to seem as stable as possible at this point, when the little girl walked back into view holding one of those black panthers out of the stuffed animal box. She mashed it’s front paw and the chirping birds echoed from inside it’s body. I pointed at the stuffed animal in accusation.

“Is that thing making a noise?” I asked exasperated.

Lee looked down at the leopard in the girl’s arms and back at me.

“You mean the birds?” He asked.

“Yes the birds!” I spit.

“Yeah,” he spoke, “Those things have been making noise all day.”

I turned to look at the box they came in again, in big bold letters it read, ‘Sounds of the Amazon”.

That lady never entered my line again… 

My mother had one dream and that was to become a published author. She had written several children’s stories and I remember her reading them to me when I was smaller. I remember her sending out letters to publishers and receiving rejection letters from them. I remember seeing the disappointment on her face each time. At that point in my life I didn’t fully understand her pain, I do now.

She worked hard on her stories and poured everything she had into them. Even if the world thought her stories weren’t good enough, we did. One year for her birthday I decided that the best present we could give to her was something she had always wanted but had yet to achieve. I rallied my sister, brother-n-law, and husband together and we bought a small self publishing package. We took great care in hiding this from her. The book was already finished along with the artwork she had done herself, so it was not very long before the book was ready. I was very happy with how it turned out.

Her birthday was in July but the book was ‘live’ several weeks before that. I spoke with my sister and we both agreed we couldn’t wait anymore. We had to give it to her early. The publisher had sent a ‘Congratulations New Author’ letter that I had hidden away, so I grabbed it along with my camera. I remember it very well. My sister and I, along with my father (who had known about it for a while and was bursting at the seams to tell her) gathered with my mom in the kitchen. She realized something was up when I handed her the manila envelope and snapped a photo.

She pulled the letter out and began to read, her facial expressions were priceless. She was confused at first but as she read the letter she began to cry. She looked up at us with this ‘What does this mean?’ look, that’s when my sister pulled the book out from behind her back.

My mother cried for weeks. Years of rejection letters slipped into the past as she looked over her first published work. We got plenty of photos.

My mother thanked us and began to call everyone she knew to tell them the good news. My mother’s first work, Mr. Book’s Story, was published in 2008. She was blessed enough to have a few book signings where the community showed much love and support. My mother loved children and wanted nothing more than to see them succeed in anything they put their hearts and minds to.

My mother passed away in 2010 leaving behind her works and many broken hearts.

She was the first to encourage me to write, to edit my work, and coach me on what to do next. Her Keepers, Fallow, and the rest of my work(s) would not have been possible without her.

​Happy Mothers Day 

I had worked at the grocery store for a while, I had somehow impressed the manager and so he added training new people to my list of things to do. On this particular day I had seen him coming for me before he even got across the store, he had with him a new employee and I knew the words that were about to come out of his mouth.

“I need you to train her,” was the only thing he said before he turned to take care of another customer.

The girl and I smiled at each other in awkward silence. My line was filling up so I made the suggestion that she bag while I rang up customers. She could watch and learn for a little while and then we’d trade places. She agreed and began to bag as I scanned.

The first twenty minutes or so she was spot on with watching me and bagging but I noticed she was slowing down a bit. I didn’t want to say anything, it was her first day and maybe she was just nervous. I however couldn’t slow down because customers wouldn’t have it.

The more time went on (about five to ten minutes) the slower she got; I would glance over at her quickly but continued to scan. Finally I noticed her moving towards me, which made me uncomfortable; I’m a big fan of personal space. It wasn’t really noticeable I suppose, she’d only take a small step towards me at a time. I had never had this happen before, I had trained lots of people and they just seemed to take off with it. I wasn’t sure what to do, plus I realized that this girl was someone I had gone to school with and she didn’t particularly like me.

Which made it even more uncomfortable when she pushed up against me and laid her head on my shoulder; I froze. She had stopped bagging entirely at this point. I managed a startled, “What are you doing?”

She pulled her head off my shoulder and whispered, “I don’t feel good. I’m really dizzy.”

That took some of the awkwardness away and I told her to go to the office and sit down for a bit. I glanced up at her as she nodded and I noticed her color wasn’t particularly great. It wasn’t until she was turned fully away from me that she dropped like a ton of brick towards me. Still to this day, I’m not sure how I managed to catch her under her arms but I did. I was struggling to hold her up when I realized she was white as a ghost and his lips were turning blue.

I don’t handle medical emergencies very well so it’s no shock that I panicked. I was afraid to lay her down, so I kept this girl dangling in my arms. I glanced up and noticed one of my managers was on the register behind me. I kept remembering people telling me on numerous occasions to never panic in times like these; I didn’t listen.  

When I shouted my mangers name it came out more alarming than I meant it to but it sprung him into action. He shot away from his register to my side. Only I think I scared him too much, when he went to grab her around the waist to help me, he actually grabbed me and her. He lifted us both in the air for a split second before he said, “Will have to put her down, she’s out.”

I thought, put HER down!

He sat us back down and helped me get her to the ground, all the while my customer watched on. Someone—somewhere called 911 and the EMS arrived. She started coming around when they put her on the gurney.

NOT EVEN a week later I was working the self check out station when someone asked for a pack of cigarettes. I had to go to the office to get them. When I opened the door there was a different cashier standing there, almost in a daze. I was startled at first because no one just stands in the doorway. As I took her in I realized something was wrong.

I was only able to get out, ‘are you’ before she too dropped like a ton of bricks backwards away from me. In my shock I reached out and grabbed her arm, thinking I could do something about it. I couldn’t. I ended up landing on top of her as she catapulted us into the office. A manager was sitting there working on something when we came crashing in.

She screamed, “Oh my—what’s wrong?”

Exasperated I yelled, “Just call 911!”

The cashier was already coming to when I yelled. I scrambled to get off of her because wouldn’t that be weird to wake up with someone sitting on top of you.

I sat there in the floor beside her as the EMS checked her out, simply amazed at my luck. Not one but two cashiers fainted on me in a week. Swell. 

Luke 24

24 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8 And they remembered his words,

9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told
these things unto the apostles.

11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are
sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be
fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

​53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

When I taught Children’s Church, way back in the day, I made it a point to make time for the kids to pray. They prayed for themselves, their friends, their family, and anything that was bothering them or worrying them. I did this for a few reasons, to teach them how to pray, why we pray, and to show them that it really does help.

On this particular morning I asked the class if they had anything they wanted to pray about. One of my girls hand shot straight up, she waved it around urgently.

“What would you like to pray about?” I asked.

“I want to pray for my friend Dora,” she told me, “She needs help and I want God to protect her.”

Can do. I wasn’t sure who her friend was but if she needed help and protection then that’s what we will pray for. I planned to ask details later on the little girl, maybe she knew her from school.

So I began my prayer, asking God to be with her, help her, keep her safe, and provide whatever she needed to get through her trails.

I remember hearing the little girl at the table saying, “Yes, yes,” every time I asked for guidance and protection for her friend. She was really intent on getting the message to God about her friend.  

Soon the prayer was over and it was snack time. Our room was connected to the nursery and during snack time we would share our snack with the nursery. That day my sister and her friend had the nursery. I opened to the door to deliver the snacks only to find my sister and her friend, lying on the floor, tears streaming from their eyes as they tried their best to control their laughter. They covered their mouths to stifle their laughs so they wouldn’t disturbed the congregation right outside their door.

“What’s so funny?” I asked confused.

After my sister finally got herself under control, she explained that Dora was indeed the little girl’s friend but she was also best friends with millions of little girls around the world- because she was a cartoon.

Y’all, I prayed for Dora the Explorer.

​Eh—The heart of a child.

I was working in the pharmacy when one of our elderly customers, whom we had known for some time now, came in to introduce us to his new wife. It was a surprise to us because we hadn’t realized he was dating.

He deserved happiness though; he had lost a lot in his life and had been through some painful stuff. We all rushed down to meet the blushing bride, she was sweet and a little shy at first. She actually turned out to be very good for him in the long run. There were lots of questions after the initial hello. Where did you meet? How long have you been dating? When did you get married?

Turns out they had met just a few weeks ago and gotten married the previous week, they were just getting back into town. He was so excited to tell us all about the wedding and it was obvious he was in love. He beamed with pride over his new bride. Finally my pharmacist friend asked, where did you go on your honeymoon?

With a little more exuberance than necessary he shouted, “Straight to bed!”
​
Did you know that when sweet tea passes through your nostrils, it burns just like any other beverage?