By Vicki Scott
Earlier this week I was looking at a framed quote that one precious and feisty lady made for me. She told me to sit the quote on my desk where I work so I could see it all the time. Now that I think about it, she might have meant for me to display it at George Wallace Senior Center, but I do not consider that work.
The quote stays on my desk at home, where I do all my creative things, which in my opinion, are work. Aside from typing articles, I work on my grandchildren’s coloring book, my son-in-law’s tee shirt and Bingo. The quote on my desk says, “Friends are Angels who lift us up to our feet when our own wings have trouble remembering how to fly.”
During this time of COVID-19, God has used my dear friends to show me the truth in this quote. Friends and co-workers, along with my ever-so-patient husband Alan, have been instrumental in helping me get my projects done. They always send an encouraging word or jump in to help if needed.
It is difficult to keep my head on straight lately. There have been so many losses, and my heart is heavy for all the families affected by COVID-19. It is so overwhelming for so many people but
God always uses someone to lift me to my feet. I am so blessed!
My grandchildren opened so many presents at Christmas that I did not think they noticed until I heard sweet Ava Jaymes (my oldest grandchild) yell, “Where is my coloring book?” Her mother and father (my son and his wife) were looking through the book. I then heard my daughter Eva say, “This picture turned out good.” She was holding up a picture in the coloring book of Saylor Rhea. I thought that the grandchildren would enjoy coloring pictures of themselves and their cousins. I have not seen the coloring book since then, but I had my moment; it made the whole process worth the work!
My son-in-law Trey then opened his present. I had asked him beforehand to act like he liked it, no matter how he felt about it. The coloring book took months, but his gift was a trick to master, too. Trey is a good actor. Before the Christmas holidays, he expressed concern that Alan had nicknamed everyone in the family except for him. Alan thought about it. Considering how much Trey loved to fish, Alana nicknamed Trey as “Mudcat.”
With excitement, I went online and designed a tee shirt with a special mudcat logo for Trey.
I felt good about my design but made the mistake of discussing said design with my daughter. Eva told me that Trey owned one too many tee shirts and that I should include a few cups with the logo. I already had the tee shirts, but I wanted Trey to like his gift. So I went to Wal-Mart and braved the elements for insulated cups. Once I finished the cups, however, I still wanted to do the tee shirt. A thought then came to me, and I sent Alan to our lake house to wash the white tee shirt in mud from the lake.
Alan washed the shirt, soaked it for several days, let it dry, shook off the dirt, dried it in the dryer to bake it in and then then washed it. Trey had to hear about this whole process. My iron was not hot enough to use but my best friend Alan fixed that problem as well.
Always being the actor, Trey said that he had too many cups and he needed another tee shirt. He said he loved the logo so much that he is going to get it tattooed on his chest. Trey wore the shirt the next day, but I’m still skeptical about the chest tattoo. The important thing is that he followed orders and thus made my day.
My dear friends at George Wallace Senior Center and my husband all had to suffer through both processes in putting together these Christmas gift projects. They also read all my articles that I type at this desk and make me feel like I can fly without wings. I praise God for all of them!
Other friends along with everyone at the senior center participated and donated prizes for the bingo games that I livestream on most Tuesday nights. My husband helps me keeps up with the numbers. We livestream right here at this desk on my computer that I am typing on at the moment. I say I do bingo most nights because there were a few times when I was having trouble remembering how to fly. With some encouragement, I followed through, and was blessed to have done so. Without friends, none of this would have come to completion.
There have been so many times when I needed to be lifted to my feet, and I praise God that He kept sending me angels, just like you! I just hope that my precious and feisty friend is okay with the framed quote on my desk at home.
Stay safe, y’all!