Life was good

When I was young and school started, mother would  get us some new dresses to wear. We did not wear pants only dresses. Dad was so adamant that we wear dresses. We were not boys and only boys wore pants. I think that came from the church that we went to. As I found out later that was one of their "rules" that only boys wore pants. We could not wear shorts even though we lived in Miami, where shorts and bathing suits are the norm now or even nothing! At the beach where we would go it is now a nudist beach.! Dad had a fit and his blue eyes would just fire up when he thought about our beach being nude...me too, Dad!
Mother would take us to Haulover beach, take spaghetti in the big pot, some cookies that she had baked and alot of water. Dad did not want us to drink sodas. We did drink sweet tea...old fashion sweet southern tea...hummm. so good. She would spread a blanket on the sand, put our towels down and then crotchet while we played in the water. Life was good in Miami...actually it was called  Uleta. Then later on as were teenagers he allowed us to wear  shorts to the knee. Then the fun began. I grew up and married a man who was just like my dad...No pants, no shorts only dresses. Even our daughter wore dresses when she was a toddler. Although when we lived in Nashville I bought her some corduroy pants to wear in the winter. But when she was a little older the church that we pastored frowned on that and so back to the dresses for awhile. I think sometimes that if I had just put my foot down and did what I thought was best and not what the church or people thought maybe I would not feel so bad about the way I raised my children. I do have regrets of some of the way things were and should have done something about it. But that was the way things were done in that day. I have to remind myself that I only did what I knew at that time. My guilty feelings of things that  I wish I should have done and didn't do bothers me sometimes. You will have to bear with me as I write these feelings. I have to remind myself also that the past cannot be redone and the future is before me to change and do better. I think that in the last few months since Vann died that these feelings has come  back to my mind and I cannot do anything to change those things. May God help me.
We had some good times and that is what I need to dwell on and not the things I wished I had done. Windy reminded me of the good times we had in Kentucky, going to the dam to fish, picnic,take day trips (gas was cheap) make a garden , watch honey burn the woods down! lol lol We had thrown our Christmas tree out in the woods/fields behind the house and later he decided since it didn't go away by itself then he would burn it down! Well, he set a match to it and it just went up in the biggest flames you could ever imagine...the field caught on fire, the volunteer fire department had to be assembled  the owner of the field plowed a hedge /firewall to stop it from burning the whole country down...Way to go honey!!!! Probably even Vann would have remember that, I never asked him about that. He remember other things. It is funny now but it was not then!!!!!!  My Uncle Alan and Aunt Patty came to visit us and we went to the State Park to have a most wonderful picnic. Only thing my kids did not have  was bathing suits so they went in the water in their clothes...didn't matter, they had a great time and so did we. I wore dresses, no shorts or pants. Aunt Patty could not believe that we had to wear dresses. If you only knew the folks in our church there you would believe it!   I  think that my friend Vickie will be the only one to read this blog to know what I am talking about...so many rules and no love to go behind it! Rules!!!!!
Our livelihood was at the mercy of many people. Things have changed now, at least at some of the churches, there is a partnership, at least that is the way it should be. Well I though I was writing about the good life, huummmm not so good huh? Yes life was good. We had some wonderful times. Our world was safe, good, poor but we loved each other and that is what counted. I learned to make the childrens clothes and they did look kinda cute. They were always dressed to the "nines" when we made our appearances at the church on Sunday.If our children were not dressed well then we were not happy. Honey would put the childrens shoes and socks on their feet every morning and then at night take them off and rub their feet with his big, safe and wonderful hands. Oh how I love his hands. Today, I will say" honey, put my shoes and sock on" and he does and I feel so good and safe.
There is a song" Safe in the Arms of Jesus" could be "Safe in the Hands of Honey" !!!lol lol where we put our faith in His hands, our trust in His hands and He will guide us through. I think I feel better already.
Now back to school days and good life. All of the families are shopping this weekend for the fall or school clothes for their children and it brought all of this to mind!  Thank the good Lord I don't have to buy for little ones!!!! AMEN~!
Thank  you grandpa for listening, I love you J