Reflections From a Country Girl

Eric Clapton sings a song “Change the World” that I really like. It’s a song that suggests that people could see his real thoughts and deep within his heart if he were in control of things. He says he could actually make the world a better place…if he could just change the world.

I was reminded of someone from my past yesterday. She had that “change the world attitude” as a missionary who lived most of her adult life in Cuba and Costa Rica.

Eulelia was quite a determined woman. She was insistent there was nothing to stop her mission of helping others learn how to read by using the Bible and other religious materials which were translated in their native language. She was passionate about raising money for printing costs – the major expense of her ministry.

In the 1950’s Castro took over Cuba and ran the missionaries out. She was there when that happened and found herself in another country – Costa Rica – shortly afterwards.

It was right before Castro took over Cuba when a Greenville, SC acquaintance visited Eulelia. They rode donkeys from one place to another. Eulelia shared her passion of helping the people learn to read so they could share their faith with others as they taught friends and relatives to read as well.

Ironically enough, I was in a meeting yesterday as a distinguished grey headed woman and I started to talk. The more we talked, the more we realized we had some connections in the past. Turns out her minister was the father of my deceased husband in Greenville. It also turns out that she was the one who visited Eulelia in Cuba those many years ago.

Today this lady works with a program for at risk youth in her community. She is known to be passionate about her work and extremely energetic, just like Eulelia was those many years ago on their visit together.

Do you think you are just one person and you can’t really change the world?

If you have the passion and drive to make a difference like both these ladies, you don’t need anything else. It’s the passion for making a difference, righting a wrong, or encouraging people to look at things a bit differently that can leave a legacy of change. It doesn’t take magic or waiting for something that may never happen. It just takes determination, hard work, and someone who is not scared to tackle an issue.

Eulelia has been gone for some time now. She discovered she had a disease that slowly destroyed her body. When she found out she was ill, she could have stayed here in our modern hospitals to deal with it. Instead, she went back to be among her people…her friends in the remote villages of Costa Rica. That is where she lived…that is where she died…with the people she had come to love and those who loved her deeply for her ministry.

Eulelia’s legacy will live on. She was a simple but determined woman. A woman determined to change the world – one person at a time.

If we could all live our lives that way, what positive changes could be made in this world?

My wish for you today is that you live life passionately and with a determination to change the world one step at a time. Don’t be just one of the bunch. Venture out to make the world a better place. Live a life that leaves an example for others. Work around those things that keep you from being all you and others can be. Change the world with a positive passion and enthusiasm for life.

~ Joellen

Remember when your parents or someone special in your family took you on a trip?  You may not have known where you were going, but you all piled in the car and kept asking “are we almost there?”

As my son grew up we would jump in the car and say we were going to get lost so we could find ourselves.  Venturing from one intersection to another – he would get to “choose” which way we turned at each red light or stop sign.

Yes, we would invariably get lost but we would eventually find our way home.  It was always an adventure.

I believe my father and mother got me started on this years ago when we would go for rides on Sunday afternoons. I remember asking, “Where are we?” and my father sometimes said “I don’t know.  I think we are lost.”

Then he would grin as he watched to see my reaction through the rear view mirror.

This weekend, as part of my “weekend just for Mom,” I offered to drive her on a trip of her choice. She could decide where.  She could decide when.

Now Mom held out on planning with me as long as she could.  She finally explained that she wanted me to pick the place so I began making plans.  I said, “Ok” I would plan a mystery trip just for her.

We would leave early Saturday morning.

The beach is where we went on vacations every year as my brother, sister and I were growing up.  Dad would go fishing and Mom would take the children that didn’t want to fish out to the beach for the day.  Sometimes we would all go fishing, but most times it was an either or situation.

Isle of Palms was our undisclosed destination.  Mom had not seen the magnificent new bridge in Charleston and mentioned recently that she was always uncomfortable on that narrow one going between Charleston and Mt. Pleasant.  My plan was to change that thought.

As we got in the car, I asked if she knew which way we were going.  She suspected we were headed south. After all, I suggested she not wear hose in case she wanted to get her feet wet.

My mother is an easy person to talk with and we had a great time chatting on the way.  As we approached Charleston, I explained my plan…at least part of it.  She was not sure she wanted to ride over the bridge, but when we got there, she realized it was just like any modern highway.  We enjoyed the view and were over the bridge before we knew it.

Little did she know she was in for another real surprise.  You see, there was a dear friend of hers she had not seen in over 20 years.  They kept in touch by phone but, it just never worked out for them to see each other. My last minute call to see if Doris was going to be home met with positive results and I had planned a visit at 11.

They had a great time catching up.  Two of her daughters and several of her young grandchildren spent time with us.  Later we also had a chance to visit with Doris’ husband…a man I always enjoyed being around when I was a young girl.

After our visit, we went to the beach, saw the ocean and had a seafood lunch…one of her favorite meals.

Then, another surprise awaited her.

We drove back over 526 and stopped at a dear friend of mine’s home in North Charleston. George had always said he’d like to meet my mother.  He is house bound now after an accident at the Navy Shipyard years ago.

He’s the smartest man I know in North Charleston and he is always open to visits no matter what time it is.  When we arrived that afternoon, he had made coffee and was rocking in the swing on his porch. For hours he and Mom talked about Wales, WW II and shared many other stories.  It was a pleasure listening to them.

Yes, the mystery trip was a success.

My wish for you today is that you remember the little trips you had with your parents growing up and, if possible, take them on a mystery trip soon.  If you aren’t fortunate enough to have your parents today, take someone else on a mystery trip and make some positive and lasting memories.  There are many wonderful places and people to see in South Carolina and around our country.

~ JoellenOMyuMy

What are your “there’s nothing like it” moments in life?

I have lots of them, depending on the day and the events.

We all have different ones…the one I remember – until now that is – is that song “There’s Nothing Like a Dame.” According to the song – the men say that there’s just nothing like a good woman.

Men. You gotta love um.

One of my favorite “there’s nothing like” moments is having a piece of dark Dove chocolate…the one with the little sayings written inside the wrapper. You’ve no idea how many of those things I do…and I’m not saying anymore than that!

Friday, I had another one of those moments. My sister was in town and it was the beginning of a weekend set aside just for my mother. Since I go out of town or have company most weekends, we had planned on a weekend just for her to do what she wanted…just a mom and daughter weekend.

My sister was in town taking a class. As usual, she and my mother were to go for an early dinner after her class and before she headed back home to Greenville. We discussed making this one a little special.

My mother, being a proper Welsh woman, always hankers for a good cup of tea.

Today was the day and we were going to surprise her.

I called to make reservations and told Mom to “dress up” just a bit.

As we walked into Gigi’s Tea Salon you could tell you were in for a treat.

Now my mother is very picky about her tea and she was pleased as punch by the time we left. It was the ultimate “high tea” experience – right down to the desserts, scones, sandwiches, and tea. It felt as though you were walking into our family’s home for tea in Wales.

I encourage you to experience Gigi’s. Be prepared to find out what a high tea is all about and savor it as a “there’s nothing like” it moment!

My wish for you today is that you experience many “there’s nothing like it” moments in your life…and do them with a friend or relative if at all possible. It’s even better than a piece of Dove chocolate!

~ Joellen

What are your “there’s nothing like it” moments in life?

I have lots of them, depending on the day and the events.

We all have different ones…the one I remember – until now that is – is that song “There’s Nothing Like a Dame.” According to the song – the men sing that there’s just nothing like a woman.

Men. You gotta love um.

One of my favorite “there’s nothing like” moments is having a piece of dark Dove chocolate…the one with the little sayings written inside the wrapper. You’ve no idea how many of those things I do…and I’m not saying anymore than that!

Friday, I had another one of those moments. My sister was in town and it was the beginning of a weekend set aside just for my mother. Since I go out of town or have company most weekends, it was a time set aside just for her to do what she wanted – wherever she wanted…just a mom and daughter weekend.

My sister was in town taking a class. As usual, she and my mother were to go for an early dinner after her class and before she headed back home to Greenville. We discussed making this one a little special.

My mother, being a proper Welsh woman, always hankers for a good cup of tea.

Today was the day and we were going to surprise her.

I called to make reservations and told Mom to “dress up” just a bit.

As we walked into Gigi’s Tea Salon you could tell you were in for a treat.

Now my mother is very picky about her tea and she was pleased as punch by the time we left. It was the ultimate “high tea” experience – right down to the desserts, scones, sandwiches, tea. It felt as though you were walking into our family’s home for tea in Wales.

I encourage you to experience Gigi’s. Be prepared to find out what a high tea is all about and savor it as a “there’s nothing like” it moment!

My wish for you today is that you experience many “there’s nothing like it” moments in your life…and do them with a friend or relative if at all possible. It’s even better than a piece of Dove chocolate!

~ Joellen

I am reminded today of the song “The Old Grey Mare She Ain’t What She Used to Be.”

You likely remember that tune…I was humming it today when I filled the car up with gas. I remembered my son calling early this morning while he was driving back into Columbia to work from a job in Charlotte. He was listening to NPR (National Public Radio) and called me to say there had been a talk show on discussing the fact that the dollar wasn’t worth nearly as much as it used to be. He gave me a few examples and we talked about that a few minutes more.

I remembered when his Dad and I went to Britain the first time to visit my family. The dollar had an exchange rate of 2.83 pounds to our one dollar.

That was a good exchange rate and we loved it as we shopped over there. Today it is has almost reversed in value….and the euro far surpasses our exchange rate as well.

All this to say that, our dollar bill sure isn’t valued at what it used to be. Or, maybe what we’re really saying is that everything costs much more than it used to.

Think about gas. How in this world to people do it? I suspect many people just go out less – just so they have enough money to get back and forth to work, etc.

So how do you handle it with the dollar being worth less?

I think you either cut way back, OR just work longer. If you look at us, I believe many of us just work more.

I do have some friends who have cut back and they seem much happier these days. They sold their big fine home and bought a more modest house, they still drive their “new” car that is now much older, sold their boat and skidoos, and just seem to be living a very comfortable life…all well within their budget.

If you drive in any given neighborhood, you will see foreclosure signs all over the place. Have you noticed that?

I suspect many of us are living way over our means and the weakness in the dollar is not helping at all.

My wish for you today is that you live within your means and that you do it with grace and dignity. The pressures will be less and the real joys of life can be embraced even more.

~ Joellen