Give Me The Beat Boys
By Karen Friday
Have you ever lost the beat? Like clapping to a song? It happens in church and concerts. Out of sync people who merrily enjoy the music undaunted by their lack of groove.
My son Caleb’s natural flair for rhythm ups the ante in drumming skills. He rocks the house every week at Believers church in our worship band.
A bent towards keeping the beat runs in the family—at least for the guys. My husband Mike is a talented drummer. Like father, like son. Me? Not so much.
Mike and I started dating in college. He lived with his parents in town. Away from home, I grew fond of hanging out at the Friday’s. A poor college student in desperate need of home-cooked meals and family sentiments. Well, and the fact that a cute guy lived there.
January 7, 2016 at 10:32 am | Uncategorized
A Better Deal Than Walmart’s Price Match
By Karen Friday
Are you kidding me? I always get in the wrong check-out line.
Maybe you’re a thrifty shopper. While I may clip and save a few coupons, I don’t take time to search sale papers and gain advantage of the best prices.
The Wrong Line
Who has time for this? And how much is actually saved? Yet, I found myself in the same position again. Behind the I-need-the-best-price person. Waiting.
Apparently, if you bring the ad with you and Walmart’s price is higher, they’ll match the competitor’s lower price. The shopper in front of me carefully showed the cashier each ad. One by one.
It’s too late to go to another register. A portion of my items for purchase filled the available space on the counter. I’d hoped to not be long. To grab what I needed and get out of there. Fast.
December 31, 2015 at 10:06 am | Uncategorized
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands?
By Karen Friday
I’ve often wondered something about the first Christmas. The birth of Jesus. What was it like for Mary and Joseph to hold Him?
The Holy Scriptures tell us they laid Him in a manger. Yet, we can be sure they held the Christ child. Loving parents in awe of a baby. (Last week’s article, Baby’s First Christmas.)
And relatives had their turn. Everyone has those family members, “I can’t wait to get my hands on Him.” Who doesn’t want to hold a baby and the new addition to one’s family tree? Aunts and uncles. All the common kinfolk. To lay their eyes on Him. To behold Him. To hold Jesus.
They held God incarnate in their hands.
I’m reminded of a song I heard as a child. An old American Spiritual. Recorded by various artists and highlighted in movies from drama to comedy.
Lyrics telling us that He (God) has babies, me and you, the whole world in His hands. Wait? Jesus’ earthly relatives held Him, but God holds us? The entire world? Let’s check it out.
December 23, 2015 at 9:31 am | Uncategorized
Baby’s First Christmas
My grandchild
By Karen Friday
“Christmas won’t be about the baby.”
We’re expecting our first grandchild, a boy, in February. Excitement is stirring. Yay!
I’ve made purchases for January’s upcoming baby shower. In a gracious gesture, my daughter offered for those things to count as Christmas gifts—for her and her husband. (Tyler, if this is news to you, sorry.)
“Oh, no.” Clear in my response, this year would be no different. Christmas morning will yield filled stockings and presents for my husband, kids, son-in-law, and dogs. Checking my list and checking it twice (√—everyone’s been nice): Mike, Caleb, Megan and Tyler (gifts for them individually and as a couple), and the dogs, Sadie and Big-T.
The baby items would keep until later. Thinking, let’s celebrate Christmas as usual. We’ll be celebrating the baby next year.
Christmas would not be about the baby. Fa la la la la, la la la la.
December 17, 2015 at 9:37 am | Uncategorized
We Owe Monday An Apology—By Girl Friday
My husband Mike and son Caleb. The early 90’s
Do you believe in equality?
In most cases the answer is “of course.” Yet, it’s apparent we don’t award equal status to every day of the week. Poor Monday has no glory. (Just saying.) Definitions describe it as the second day of a week coming after Sunday and before Tuesday. That’s about it.
Consider other days and the kudos we grant them.
Tuesday. Noted for election day. Ruby Tuesday is a restaurant chain. Tuesday Morning is a retail store. When was the last time you heard a friend exclaim she was dreading Tuesday? Tuesday holds a likable place in our week hearts.
Wednesday. Mid-week and deemed hump day. A nickname cheering us to make the climb up the hill. Hold on. We will be on the other side soon.
Thursday. The pre-show reminding us Friday is only a day away. Yay! Enough said.
December 10, 2015 at 9:28 am | Uncategorized
Let’s Paint The Town Red
Photo credit, michaelcfriday.com
The Woo-Hoo Factor
It’s my birthday and I’ll smile if I want to, smile if I want to….
I celebrated a birthday this week—the first day of December. I painted the town red.
Have you ever wondered where the expression originated? How exactly does a person and friends go about painting the town red?
I found a plethora of answers:
- From Google. Celebrate. Have a party. Live it up. Have a ball.
- Fireworks and bonfires where the sky appears red. Set something on fire. (The Free Dictionary.)
- Visits to the bar and drunkenness. (Pity a fun saying brings such emptiness and misery.) (idiomeanings.com)
- Violence. Dating back to the 1800’s, an article in The Phrase Finder, “The allusion is to the kind of unruly behavior that results in much blood being spilt.”
No unruly behavior going on here. For our purposes, keep in mind the glitter and sparkle of painting the town red. The “woo-hoo!”
December 3, 2015 at 10:20 am | Uncategorized
3 Reasons I’m Giving Up Blogging . . .
… on Thanksgiving Day!
The opening words on my blog Home Page; Real, authentic, soulful posts every Thursday from Girl Friday. But I won’t be posting next Thursday. It’s a holiday. So I’m giving up blogging—next week only on Thanksgiving Day.
Here’s a countdown of the 3 reasons why.
Reason #3
I love Turkey. It’s true. I do. Have you ever answered this question with friends, “If you could choose a last meal, what would it be?” Our Thanksgiving feast each year is one of my favorite meals. In fact, it’s first choice for my last meal. Second on the list is pasta. The peak of comfort food.
Envision this mouth-watering spread: turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, broccoli casserole, mac & cheese, corn, sweet potato casserole, cranberry salad, and home-made yeast rolls. Don’t forget the pumpkin pie, my Grandmother Clarkston’s lemon pie, and banana pudding! Smack your lips together and dream—there’s no meal like this one.
November 19, 2015 at 9:00 am | Uncategorized
A Culture of Me-isms
By Karen Friday
Have we forgotten the world doesn’t revolve around me? It revolves around the sun and as God’s children—the Son.
On every street corner you’ll find me. Vying for the world to see me. To be noticed.
Can I Have Your Attention?
I wrote an article about being a Christian and the power of admitting me too in struggles.
While me too is part of being real and relating to others, our culture’s obsession with me is another ballgame entirely.
Whether it’s videos that went viral with dancing kids, humor tickling our funny bone, or articles with soul-touching words, online stuff is catching our attention like never before. (On a side note, dare I mention a recent saga involving red cups. I hope it goes away soon.)
November 12, 2015 at 8:45 am | Uncategorized
Dear Veteran. Dear God.
by Karen Friday
A Letter of Thanks
Dear Veteran,
Soon we’ll be celebrating something important in history. It’s significant. It’s you. Void of your presence, we the people, would be despairingly weak and open to continued attacks by our enemies.
You see, we need you. We believe in you. We are proud to deem you worthy of our respect.
To warriors who paid the ultimate sacrifice and those who remain. Those who are wounded in body and spirit. You epitomize bravery in our eyes.
Soldiers valiant in honor and duty. Serving in war and peace. Our fellow countrymen—our Veterans.
Hand on chest or in salutation, we raise our voice to echo your voice:
November 5, 2015 at 9:24 am | Uncategorized
You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
By Karen Friday
Love rode off into the sunset. People. Belief systems. Lofty imaginations. Endearing lines from a romance story.
Many times I, too, saddled up to run away. What was I afraid of?
As long as I can remember, I’ve questioned love. Was it intended for me? What substantiates the real thing? I wasn’t sure.
Since love was uncertain and on shaky ground, I formed a bubble around myself—a safety net to protect.
I enjoy bubbles. Be it the children’s class at church or a party, I cannot keep from retrieving the wand for effervescence of bubbli-ness (Is this a word? No matter, I like it).
But fragile circles of soapy liquid don’t float forever. They always meet their destiny—floor, furniture, blade of grass, tree, or human. Then burst. And so did mine.
I had bought and cherished the wrong view of love. The one that uses the affection in loose terms. Expressing sentiments for a herd of things from people to food, from possessions to sports teams.
October 29, 2015 at 9:08 am | Uncategorized