We’ve been a little under the weather this week so the blog has been priority #12 or so on the list this week. That’s ok, it’s life. But we continue to laugh around here with our messy hair and pajamas.
Emily often asks, “Mom, tell me about when I was little.” She has been asking this since she was 3 years old. I would tell her about how she was a happy baby who loved blueberries and strawberry milk.
Lately Emily has been asking, “Mom, tell me about when you were little. Please,” in her best pleading voice possible.
As I told her a story yesterday, I found myself laughing to the point of tears, as I was driving her to swim practice. Rebecca and Ben were astounded at the story and Sam was just belly giggling because everyone else was laughing.
But then it hit me, I need to write this down as well as other memories from my childhood before details become fuzzy. You see, these stories helped make me the person who I am.
I also was reminded that every day, my children are being molded by the stories they are living. It served as a reminder to me as to what kind of environment I make for them, the meals I fix, and the words they hear from my mouth. Sort of exciting and convicting at the same time.
So while I sit here in my pajamas with unwashed hair here’s my story that I shared with them yesterday…
My mom was terrific. She cleaned the house, lovingly prepared meals, and was the champion car pool driver for swim team. But mom had one vice for a couple of years – soap operas. She didn’t watch them every day, but she did really like One Life To Live and General Hospital. It was the mid 1980s and we lived in Tucson, Arizona and I was in 4th or 5th grade with the worse boy hair cut EVER.
At 2 pm during summer break, mom would pull out the ironing board and press my dad’s work shirts while she watched General Hospital. My sister, Julie and I would sit in the Papasan chairs with orange and avocado covers pretending to listen to our oversized Walkmans, when in reality we were watching right along with her. I personally liked General Hospital.
There was one catch, my dad hated soap operas. And often he would tell my mom how they were garbage and was surprised she watched that crap. Mom would agree, stop watching for a couple of days, and then it was time for her to catch up on her ironing…
My dad was a deacon at our church and we often attended Tuesday night Prayer meeting. There were often only 50 people at this weekly prayer meeting as only the good, dedicated Christians attended that night (heavy dose of sarcasm inserted). My sister and I were coloring on that week’s church bulletin when a woman stood up requesting for prayer. As she started to ask for prayer, her voice broke and she was visibly shaking.
Julie and I stopped coloring and turned around to see a lady in her early 30s with tears streaming down her cheeks. One of her tears dropped and landed on the edge of my pew. My dad got out of our pew and stood next to her. She proceeded to ask for prayer for her 2 friends that had been involved in an airplane crash.
The pastor asked her, “Well is everybody ok? Did your friends survive?”
The young lady sobbing said, “Well, I’m not sure. I’m waiting to hear.”
The pastor responded, “Well tell us their names and we will lift them up in prayer.”
The young lady starting to catch her breath said, “Oh thank you. I appreciate all the prayers. Their names are Luke and Laura. Luke and Laura Spencer.”
My dad’s eyes enlarged and glared directly at my mother as if he was going to kill her. You see, at that moment I realized that Luke and Laura were the famous characters in General Hospital who went down in a plane crash on the soap opera and their “fates” were unknown.
At that point there was a hush that came over the sanctuary. You see my dad and half of the women in the sanctuary knew exactly who this lady was talking about and that she had crossed the line into thinking this show was real. It was really sad actually.
Our drive home was painfully silent until my dad looked at my mom and said, “No more.” And I will say that mom kept her 2 pm ironing to a minimum after that event. Or at least until Julie and I went back to school.
The pastor though had no clue that Luke and Laura were soap opera stars and added them to the next week’s church bulletin!
I still grin thinking that God was rolling His eyes and chuckling as good hearted people, who knew nothing of soap operas, were lifting up Luke and Laura Spencer at their family meal times or bedtime prayers.
And that is also why I now go to the dry cleaners and I refuse to iron. At least that’s my excuse. “Ironing is for crazy people,” is what I tell my husband.
So as summer begins, I realize that memories are being made today. So have a great day and make some amazing memories.
Blessings sweet friends – Jenny
Tweet
Comments
Marna
Who prayed for JR when he got shot?
Jenny
I was too busy praying for MacGyver and the A Team to make it out of all of their predicaments. Thank goodness and they always miraculously survived each week.
Marna
Yep and I saw an ad in a magazine that Dallas is returning! I may have to start ironing….LOL!
Julie Coryell
BEST. PRAYER MEETING. EVER!!! I can STILL see the look on dad’s face. CLASSIC! I do believe that our shoulders were bouncing from supressed laughter as well! Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Jenny
No doubt about it – the shoulders were bouncing. She probably thought we were awful people. It truly was unforgettable. You should have seen Rebecca’s face when I told her and her response, “Really? She thought that was real?”
Jane
Being the mid 80s, those shoulders likely had shoulder pads too! Here’s to good humoured laughter – a tonic for the soul.
Your MOM
I am not believing what I am reading! All I can say is that I plead the 5th and I am not your mom:)
Jenny
The first step in moving forward is admitting your problem. You are my mother and you DID enjoy ironing.
Heather
That is an AWESOME story! I am giggling to myself as I read this, and laughing even harder after reading your mom’s comment
Thanks for sharing!
Jenny
Classic story that just had to be recorded. The funniest part was when it just clicked with me that she was talking about a soap opera and then seeing it click with others in the sanctuary.
Nicol (imanewbierunner)
That is soooo funny! And your mom is a hoot! I nearly died when I read her response! Thanks for the laugh.
Jenny
My mom needs a candle and to admit that she had a problem.
betsy
I totally remember when that happened-I mean the Luke and Laura stuff. I need to start telling my kids some of my stories. Thanks for the idea.
Loved your mom’s comment!
Jenny
It actually sparked me to sit down and make a quick list of those memorable moments that I don’t want to forget. The kids really enjoyed hearing about a couple of them.
Nikki
As the wife of a pastor, I’d welcome the occasional “crazy” prayer request — it’s good to shake things up, in my opinion. PS – last time I ironed, I watched Toddlers & Tiaras. I’d like that 30 mins of my life back, please.
Jenny
Yes – it definitely was the most memorable prayer meeting I was a part of. It was the most awake that I saw some of the congregation.
It was a pretty conservative group – way too much for my taste today.
As far as Toddler and Tiaras – I feel for you. I saw some highlights from the show The Soup and my jaw was on the ground. I felt awful and I only saw 3 minutes of highlights. I’d want my 30 mins back too.
Kerry
I love this!
Beth Cole
What a hoot! The listing in the bulletin cracked me up, what a great story
thanks, Jenny!
Jenny
I would pay money to have a copy of that Bulletin today. I think I would frame it just to make me smile!
Leigh-Ann
Oh my Hannah. I had to send this to my mom, because this is HIL-AR-I-OUS!!
A little bit of my life
Hi, this is my first comment and I’m usually not a commenting type of blogger but I just want to say you guys thank you.. I guess I found your blog 10 days ago and I read entire archive because I couldn’t stop. =) This entry definitely one of the funniest ones. =) By the way I’m gonna write my life list soon.. Thanks for inspiration..
My mom has a breast cancer too, doctors found it at the stage 4 two year ago and it was really hard to live this all process as a daugther too.. But she is ok now and taking pills daily.. so I’m good too. I’m really happy for you and your famiy because it’s all over. Anyway Thank you and please keep writing. =)
ps: I’m from Turkey and English is not my native language, so if there is a typo or something, sorry.. Have a good friday..
Jenny
Welcome! I’m so glad you found my blog all the way from Turkey. I’m thrilled your mother is doing well. I look forward to reading your life list as I always learn from others.
MaryAnn
I’m dying!!! This is too funny!! I can remember watching Days of Our Lives with my Grandma when I was a little girl…. I’ll never forget when Bo and Hope’s boat went missing how hard I prayed for them to not be lost at sea….. I was only like 9 years old… I think that was the first time they left the show for several years….
Jenny
I never watched that soap opera but it proves how influential commercials were as I recognize Bo and Hope 20+ years later. Hilarious!
Stacey K
thanks for the giggle & the reality check.
“I also was reminded that every day, my children are being molded by the stories they are living. It served as a reminder to me as to what kind of environment I make for them, the meals I fix, and the words they hear from my mouth. Sort of exciting and convicting at the same time.”
umm I have spent the afternoon being short & cranky with my girls, they are now eating cereal & toast for dinner…I shall read a few extra stories at bedtime to make up for my grumpy self.
Jenny
Stacey – I have reread that very paragraph several times. I’ve been convicted lately at how snippy I’ve been with my kids. I have an enormous amount of patience with my patients at work and strangers, but seem to give my least effort with my own family when I get tired. It’s time for that to change.
Melissa
I am laughing so hard I can barely type. THIS will give me a giggle all day long! I agree, Best. Prayer. Meeting. Ever. I remember being in first grade and coming home to find my mother in the basement doing her needlepoint and watching All My Children. I wasn’t allowed to talk. I also remember visiting my grandmother and she watched As The World Turns … she called them her “stories”. I wasn’t allowed to talk then either. And Tell Nikki (above) not to watch “Dance Moms” either. Now there’s some time from my life that I’d like back.
Jenny
Maybe General Hospital started me on my path towards a love of storytelling!
And I laughed at the needlepoint. My mom was the master at cross stitch and macrame. That memory makes me smile too.
Dana
I love this! I remember racing home from school to watch Josh & Reva’s star crossed romance (Guiding Light). My great-grandma loved her “stories”, too. My own mom admitted that when she was a new mom stationed in a far away city, she watched CBS soap operas and would dream about “her friends”. I thought that was a little nuts…but the prayer meeting takes the cake!
Thx for sharing!
Jenny
Dana – Your mom was completely normal. I use to work with a male nursing assistant who used to shampoo and color patients’ hair in the ICU at 11 AM just so he could watch Young and the Restless. The old gray haired ladies loved him as they became brunettes and red heads and Tony got to watch his “stories”. His locker was filled with Clairol!