Oh, how times have changed, yes indeed!

I had a flat tire on my bike the other day and Bill was not home yet.  Take note --I am not implying that he would have fixed mine, but I needed an inner tube for my bike. So I took matters into my own hands and drove downtown Johnson City to the TREK store where I had bought my bike. They promptly fixed it and I was on my way.

Downtown Johnson City is becoming quite the place to hang out .  With its proximity to the college and many of the new apartments built for the students,.  I must say that someone with forethought and influence must be driving the revitalization of the area .  I don't know if we will ever be  an East Tennessee "Asheville" but for some reason several breweries are downtown and some different places to eat are sprouting up downtown.

Then there are several nice parks the city has added over the last few years. One of them which is downtown, is Founders Parks.  Sounds like it was made to honor the good founders of our city, right?  Maybe so. 

I thought I would ride my bike, with its newly installed innertube, around the  park and check out the eclectic artwork there in the form of statues, and see what kind of people are drawn to this park on this fine day.  The weather was optimal, not too hot and not too cool.

As I peddled around the loop I had to pay attention to where I was going because there are areas right beside the trail where you can ride off  into the meandering stream of up to two feet of water  (a lovely feature, but you have to pay attention to small children and old ladies on bikes, who might accidentally find their way into the water--not deep but definitely concern for possible bodily injury).  And NO-- i did not end up in the water.

I did notice one younger man at the other end of the loop intently using his phone and sadly ignoring the wonderful surroundings of the park he was at.  I meanwhile was trying to formulate something to say to him when i pedaled near.  Something like "Wow, you need to take a break from your phone and enjoy this day and this park!".With my delivery upbeat and with a smile.You know... something just a little snide but still sweet coming from a white headed lady on her orange bike.

But I was precluded from delivering my opinion and  grandmotherly advice when a young lady joined him.  They began to stroll around the park, hand in hand, both heads down checking their electric devices in their other hand.  I could only imagine what lunch would have been like.  Ah, whatever happened to looking deep into her eyes and and speaking the words she longs to hear;  'I think that is a new notification on your phone, you might want to check it."  He takes the opportunity to check and see if engagement rings are down in price and how is the market doing.. and i don't mean the farmers market next to the park.

Times have changed for sure.  I rode on by them, deciding wisely, perhaps.... to not say anything to them.  I guess it was better that way.   

OMGoshdarn, I really am becoming my mother!!

Hope you and your electronic devices have a great day!
Judy Hensley
12/28/2017

Carol's favorite Parable, The Lost Sheep

When Carol was little her favorite story in a little Bible story book was the one of Jesus leaving the 99 other sheep that were under his watch to go and find the one, lost sheep.

This story is found in the book of Matthew as well as Luke in the Bible.  The writers of these two books in the Bible must have thought there was some significance to the parable if they both wrote about it.  A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.

The Parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke

A Christmas ornament I have

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Luke 15:1-7 New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® 

Now I don't know why Carol loved this story so much but I think she possibly did because it had animals in it; it describes in a way that she could relate  of Jesus' love for those who He calls his own....even those who may not always follow His call; and it has a happy ending.  There are lots of subtleties that you can pull from this story, but as in some other areas of Carol's life and death, there are uncanny connections.  One connection is that she is buried in a section of a cemetery called "the Good Shepard Garden." 

When Carol died at the age of 19 from a tragic accident, her final resting place  in the Washington County Memory is in a section of the cemetery

called  the Good Shepard" and there is a statue  of Jesus carrying a small sheep on his shoulders.  Her burial plot was chosen because it was near to my mother's plot.  Only later did we find out name of this section of the cemetery. We did not pick the spot where she was to be laid to rest ..it just so happened that a plot was available  a couple of spots behind the statue of Jesus with the one lamb on his shoulders.

Jesus finds the lost one.

Carol may have gotten an 'inside tip" on what the real good part of this parable is, or she just knew that God would do that for her.  It is said that sheep are not the brightest animals on the farm, and Carol was the object of some 'dumb-blonde' jokes.  But I am not encouraging any associations there.  And just maybe she could relate to being grateful to one who comes looking for her when she was 'lost'.  I remember one night she was driving back home from Cooper's house near Kingsport and had missed the exit she should have taken.  She called me in a panic wanting for me to come get her because of this one error (to her credit, she had not been driving long at this time.)  So I told her I would talk her through getting back on the Interstate in the right direction, and I assured her that this happens to everyone at one time or another, so she could learn from it [and she could thank me latter.]

Here is the other neat thing that happened in regard to this parable and thought:  when I went to church Sunday, one of the praise songs was "Reckless Love (by Cory Asbury)  and it has these lyrics in one part:  

Oh, The overwhelming, never-ending , reckless love of God, 
it chases me down, fights til i'm found, leave the ninety-nine. 
 I couldn't earn it , I don't deserve it, still You give Yourself away.

What a hope I have!!!!!! that because Carol accepted God's love and sacrifice for her, she has a place in heaven, and since I also trust in God's promise for me, I will, one day, see her again! And we will spend all eternity together.  

Judy Hensley 
Dec 17,2017

It is Basketball time in east Tennessee and at TriCities Christian school!

Wow, there is just something about fall in the air that gets me excited.  Not just the trees with their fall brilliance or the crisp air and frosty morning.  Nope, just one thing that makes me smile most this time of year is basketball, and the intensity with which most girls play the game.

Here are  some things you should know about why I love basketball .....
I never played high  school basketball, but I did play volleyball.  My daughter excelled in basketball so I became a fan of her team(s).

There is just something special about playing on a team that is an amazing form of 'togetherness' that you just cant do by yourself.  And if I have to admit it, cheerleading is also a sport.  I tried out once in elementary school and didn't make it, so I played sports.

As I have gotten older I can no longer 'play' like i used to. SO I cheer from my seat or standing for extra emphasis.  And my daughter does not have to be on the team for me to 'cheer' or yell my brains out...but it helped when she was playing.

My daughter, Carol--she is that intense looking gal with the big smile in the picture is out in the hallway-- went to TCCS 13 years and played on TCCS teams since 2nd grade to 12th grade when she and her basketball teams won the state championship in 2011 and 2012 and were the regional champs in the previous 2 years.

Here is the other thing you should know about me...I believe that crowd support/school spirit can be the 6th person on a team.  Sad to say, I have never seen this happen at TCCS.  I have run up and down the sidelines to try and rally up some cheering from the crowd one time with no success so I just gave up.
This has always been a discouraging thing to me at the TCCS.  The crowds are bigger at the boys games, but the girls practice just as hard.  In fact one year on the elevator at our hotel in the state tournament, a coach from the other team said we  played like a boys team (but nicer to look at)!  The girls in the elevator took that that to be a great compliment!

So my plea to you is this:  come out to support the girls teams and put some oxygen in those lungs and yell for them!!!  They will notice, and they will play to get more yells.  Be the 6th man for our teams this year.  It doesn't cost much -- just a drink to re-wet your throat.  Our kids at watching and listening to us, so get to work and YELL for the EAGLES!  If you don't like to yell make a sign and hold it up.  Let's do something to show our kids we ar eproud of them in front of the other team.  We can do it...I know we can.  So help out our teams (and don't let up if they are struggling some, let them know we believe in them all the more!)

Will you join me as Bill and I attend the TCCS home games on Dec 7 and/or Dec 8?  And will you cheer on with pride our boys and girls teams?  Please don't ever let another team come in our gym with louder fans--that is a true disgrace and one that must change at TCCS!  Middle school games start at 5:00 pm and varsity at 7 pm.

THANK YOU!
  Judy Hensley -- a forever EAGLE mom of Carol Hensley Singletary (2012)

And #22 will be on the floor again for the guys team...sharing the number of a special friend and an angel fan in heaven..Carol Hensley Singletary's #22 will be worn by Caleb Rose! He asked specifically if he could continue wearing #22 as an honor to his friend, Carol.  We are excited to see him play with EAGLE pride as #22!

Arizona Senator Flake (R) to retire from Senate, and President is part of the reason!

Oct 24, 2017 from Yahoo News:

   WASHINGTON — Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., announced he will not be seeking reelection next year in a scorching speech on the Senate floor suggesting that President Trump and his brand of conservatism is a danger to the United States and its “vulnerable” democratic institutions.

Without ever naming the president directly, Flake shamed his colleagues for their “complicity” in participating in a new political coarseness that starts from the top and has trickled down, endangering American democracy in the process.

“We must never meekly accept the daily sundering of our country — the personal attacks, the threats against principles, freedoms and institutions, the flagrant disregard for truth or decency, the reckless provocations, most often for the pettiest and most personal reasons, reasons having nothing whatsoever to do with the fortunes of the people that we have all been elected to serve,” Flake said.

“There are times when we must risk our careers in favor of our principles,” Flake told his colleagues. “Now is such a time.”

Flake, who wrote a book earlier this year that was critical of Trump, faced a tough primary challenge from the right to defend his Senate seat in Arizona. Trump, angry over his criticism, and his former adviser Steve Bannon, were planning to back his opponent. “Great to see that Dr. Kelli Ward is running against Flake Jeff Flake, who is WEAK on borders, crime and a non-factor in Senate. He’s toxic!” Trump tweeted in August.

Flake joins fellow Republican Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., in retiring from the chamber. Trump spent much of Tuesday morning tweeting insults at Corker, who told TV reporters earlier that the president had trouble with the truth and that he regretted supporting him. Among other things, Trump mocked Corker as “Liddle” and said he was “incompetent.”

Flake lamented petty insults in his speech, telling his colleagues Republican that they have lost their way. He called Trump’s behavior “reckless, outrageous and undignified” and warned Republicans that indulging in scapegoating and petty resentments would lead them to become the minority party soon enough.

“Such behavior does not project strength, because our strength comes from our values,” the senator said. “It instead reflects a corruption of spirit and a weakness.”

Another source had this additional information on Flakes statements:

Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., announces he will not seek reelection.

Flake also expressed bewilderment that traditional Republican values of free trade, immigration, limited government and free markets have been set aside, and that Republicans like him face a “narrower and narrower path” to election.

The Arizona senator said he felt a responsibility to speak up for future generations. “It is often said that children are watching — well, they are. What are we going to do about that? When the next generation asks us, ‘Why didn’t you do something about this? Why didn’t you speak up?’, what are we going to say?”

Flake prodded his colleagues to admit that the president would not change.

“Mr. President, I rise to say ‘Enough,’” he said. “With respect and humility, I say we have fooled ourselves enough that a pivot to governing is right around the corner, a return to civility and stability right behind it. We know better than that.”

He also despaired of the president’s effect on foreign relations.

“Despotism loves a vacuum, and our allies are now looking elsewhere for leadership,” Flake said. “Why are they doing this? None of this is normal.”

After Flake’s speech, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., rose to say he regretted that Flake was retiring, and praised him as a team player who would be sorely missed.
                           ________________________________

I think Senator Flake's action of not seeking re-election speaks much to what he thinks is important in life.  And I think it is unfortunate and rather "bully-like" of our President to use the platform of social media to speak in the manner in which he apparently finds acceptable by 'tweeting' about those who he feels do not share his opinions.  We are told to pray for those in who govern over us in the Bible.  I want to pray for Mr. Trump but not sure where to start?  I guess I might as well go all in and pray with sincerity that God would tender the heart, mind, and words of the man who holds our destiny, and those who  represent our future, in his hands.  And maybe someday soon Mr. Trump will come to know how little his words  sting when he has no demonstrable accompanying action.  And I pray that Mr. Trump will come to the realization that the government is not him and just him alone.  There are many representatives, senators, and justices that comprise the other two-thirds of the legislative branch of government in this country.  I hope others will join me in praying for our President in these matters.

P.S.  I don't have a tweeter account that I actively use.  I am challenged enough with Facebook.

Thankful for 19 years

Some may think it is unusual to be thankful for something you no longer have.  In my case I am thankful for 19 years I had with my daughter, Carol Hensley Singletary.

I am in a bible study group for women who have loved and lost a child--some without ever seeing their child.  Some experiencing the loss of  an adult child.  Any of these life - changing loses is hard, and if if I dwell on any of these womens' loss of their beloved child  i can become very emotional.  But not only do I call these women my friends I call them my comrades of courage.  Each heart is of these ladies is different but every one is inspiring.  And for that I am most grateful for what they have shared from the heart.  And more than anything what they have shared is a big, and missing part of their heart.
Each of the women in our class has a unique outlook and in-look for the future , and I am so thankful that they have chosen to share their hope with me.

If you have children living here on this earth or in heaven, I pray that you are thankful that God chose you to guide the life of one He describes as being precious.  And I pray that you will have wisdom and hope for your child
 to live in obedience to their Maker and be a guiding light no matter how long their life may be.

I am most grateful that my daughter, Carol lived her life to the fullest in 19 years.   I am grateful that she got to experience being the wife(for 6  months) of the guy she loved deeply.  And I wait for the day when I will know the purpose of her death, but until then, I will focus on the special impact of her life on all she met.

Carol excelled in sports, making people smile, and was pretty good at academics.
She had so many friends who admired her spirit.  Her death made many of them think.  There were almost 900 people who signed the book on the day of her memorial and her burial.  Plus almost another 50 who attended a separate service in Gatlinburg almost a month after her death.

When I consider how many who felt a desire to come and let us know of her influence, some even standing outside in the spitting snow on the day of her celebration of life, I feel honored to say I am Carol's mom.  And I can make no claims of doing anything right on my own. Many people loved Carol and helped her live such a special life in just 19 years.

As I was looking through some items of Carol's that I had saved, I found a  reminder of three special ladies who loved a little girl with all their hearts when they served as preschool teachers at Antioch Baptist Church from Carol's first Sunday at church.  I will forever be thankful to these ladies who provided such amazing care to my little one.   Their names are recorded in a small pink New Testiment that was given to her.  Although 2 of them are in heaven  now , I will be forever grateful to Miss Vaughtie,  Miss Idell, and Miss Tammy for the love, smiles, and stories they shared with Carol for a couple of years in the pre-school department  of Antioch Baptist Church. And it just adds another "3" to the many that seem to be evident in one girl's life.

Carol's Mom aka Judy Hensley

Nov 2017

Meaningful, Teachable times with your Kids..A little or alot?

The folllowing video inspired this blogpost:  click link to view video :
cherish treasure within us all
I believe as parents of children, we are GIVEN OUR CHILDREN  as gifts of mold-able clay.  What we teach them as parents, becomes an integral part of their adult life.
There are many things we can teach them about,. Here are a few: be aware of where you are in life....Know who and why people are in your life, know that you are not immune to Trouble. KNOW you can learn to use the teachings from Trouble to make you stronger by having just a little HOPE (and it really is OK to ask for help--maybe that is the reason certain people are in your life). And these topics are just the tip of the iceberg of learning our children should have.
Some of us learn that life can change in an instant. The age at which we learn this can influence all the rest of our days. AS an example, many of us assume we will not out-live our children, whom we hope will live a long and abundant life! That is the predominate opinion parents would have.

But tell me, when you see the number 963 does that seem like a small or large number to you? You might think "well, it is less than a thousand". A thousand words, seconds, minutes, hours, days, people. What is she getting at?
Lets put this number in perspective: That is how many weekends you have to spend with your child/children if they live 18 years (18 x 52) and you have that much time to influence them in the ways you want, to give them your perspective on how to cope when Trouble comes knocking on their door.I am not talking about going out-of- town on trip each time.
Lots of teachable time can be at home. But look closer at your schedule and theirs. Wouldn't you think that your child's life is most teachable during a time of about 6 years before they hit the teen years, then that time period is cut to a third (312). Factor in your family's obligations to groups, work, church it may go down another third. Now you are at 104. "Wow, time really does fly, doesn't it?"

Wait? you say "I only have 15 days of vacation a year." Think! 'Now it might be a good time' to point them to role models they may use when you aren't able to be there? Teach them the most valuable lessons are those learned when we come out on the other side of Trouble. When we ascribe great value to hope and compassion.

Trouble? You don't think it is something you can avoid in life? Get in touch with recent realities in 2017 : Las Vegas, Fires, Hurricanes, racial injustice, cancer, chronic illness, stock market, the government, intolerance, peer pressure, bullies and the list goes on. But it is a fine line to balance our talk and our actions during time of trouble. In the end, those whose lives for whom we are responsible, must know and must see how people we define as 'overcomers' have lived through the worst of times and resolve not to let demons dash their dreams.

Some of the best life lessons are taught and learned from just hanging out together. Oh, look at the time.....we better get busy figuring out how to show your loved ones what your hopes and dreams are for them and how they can make the most of this journey called LIFE!

Judy Hensley
10/25/2017

Embedded in my mind 9/11/01

When you get my age you have at least a couple of things that your mind will always remember.   Some because they are just such special events in your life, others because they elicit a strong emotion of fear, determination, and uncertainty.

Sixteen years ago senseless attacks against our nation on 9/11/2001 still make me feel like I am suffocating.

The day of the attacks against many Americans on Sept. 11, 2001

1 (the irony of the date being the number you would call when things are going terribly wrong ) still makes me mad.  This incident of outright disregard for human life would become embedded in my  mind and heart. Terrorist had a multi point attack planned on the Pentagon,  commercial airplanes, and the twin towers in New York City.  

That day I was working at Eastman and had just gotten a ride back from a manufacturing lab to the lab where I spent most of my time.  The driver of the truck asked me if I had heard that  there had been a terrorist attack on the Pentagon and maybe in New York City.  I replied "no."  It was mid -morning and I had been out in a separate lab.  In the lab I  worked in, there was a TV in the break shack.  When the truck dropped me off I went to see what was  was happening on the  TV in the break area.

What I saw first  was the first tower of the World Trade Center with a large hole in it and smoke billowing from any opening on the large building.  Then it  was almost too much to watch as people jumped from the building to their death. Eighty some stories or more high.  Where would the perpetrators  pick next?  And as I was wondering if I should go pick up my daughter at her grandparents, a second plane plowed into the second tower.  I could not help but wonder if this was the end of the world.

It seemed like I was in a dream when I saw  with my own eyes on the TV-- the first collapse of one of the two towers of the World Trade towers.  People in the street were running to escape the plumb of dust from the building's collapse.  And then when you think" how could this happen ????" The other tower falls. 

Every year after 9-11-2001 they would play over and over the devastation of that day.  It is one of those questions that we will never have an answer to, except radical Islamic men who believed by doing such things they would receive great rewards after they die.  

This year in 2017, the hurricanes that are hitting Florida  have taken over the news.  But I am so glad that  our at the time,  President George W. Bush, spoke of the courage and sacrifice of the first responders, at memorials afterward saying "they ran into harm, when others were running away. " He also praised the courage of many Americans who helped each other on that fateful day.

I feel like we should always remember that day.  The day when a small piece of our freedom was taken away from us.  But I hope the people who planed this and carried it out will realize these powerfull concepts:  Americans don't take lightly to even a small dent made in our freedoms; and the fierce desire  in Americans  to honor those that died an innocent death. If they misunderstand our patriotism  and our  desire to protect our own own by having a strong military and determined leaders who will stand up to cowards, then good.  They will have cut their own throat and learned a lesson that needs to be taught.

In this world we will always face adversity, but with God on our side, we shall prevail.  Love can overcome hate if we only will give it a chance.May God bless those who lost loved ones that day. And may God bless our country and keep it great!  

Judy Hensley

9/12/2017

POEM Before Carol was 2

I found this not too long ago...

a poem about Carol before she was 2

Carol Michelle how can It be?, !i'm your mommy and think,
" you are growing way too fast, little girl, for me!"
In my eyes you are  a beautiful girl and you're not even 2!
You can walk and talk (some) and you understand a lot.
Daddy and I are very proud of every little thing you do,
Especially when we get, big 'ole hugs and slobbery kisses from you!
You are such a sweet  girl. What did we do to deserve you?
I hope you will always be brave and courageous
ready to face anything in life...even the ferocious animals
(I mean the ones  in their cages at the zoo!)
Spring is almost here and I can tell we will have great fun
We will get to see the neighbor's dog
Pull you around the world in your green, magic wagon
play soccer in the yard and hold buttercups under each other's chins!
For sure we'll go swim once it's more warm!
I can't tell you how awesome it is..to be your mommy
I only hope that we will makeyou feel
safe, happy, and loved all your life
and  you will blossom into a lovely woman some day..
so special in every way,
You are such a wonderful gift to daddy and me
 God has made you so uniquely His but we get to borrow you
just this little while to watch and guide you as you grow.
We'll have fun making memories along the way
and look  with anticipation at how you'll change this world someday...
for good ...in every thing, big or little... that you will do.
We'll stand proudly by and say "that's our girl! isn't she cool?"
I think you are up for this journey, I hope it will be a blast.
Hang on Carol Michelle! It is time to tackle life
with mercy and loads of grace,
you're going  do it all... and do it well...

with the biggest smile God ever placed on a girl's face.

Love and hoping big things come true for you,
 Mom
(Judy Hensley, prior to Oct 1995)
redone sept 2017

I am so glad to know that Carol (and many other great people) are there: HEAVEN

It is so very hard to even catch your breath when you lose someone you love.  Especially the one who gave you the most wonderful job as a mother,  and the one who was a very part of your being.  Our daughter Carol died almost 5 years ago in a tragic accident at the age of 19.  It was sudden, it was scary and it was quick.

So many people loved that girl and came to show us they were there for us as family and friends.Some gave us cards,and some gave us handwritten notes, some shared dreams, and some shared how much Carol meant to them. And some gave us reading materials on grief.

Since Carol died, I know there are severa lphases of grief, and there is no time table for me or anyone else to be in each phase.  As one author wrote, he learned that you go in and out of phases of grief for different times.   Not too encouraging but true , I think.   This same author believes if you chose to let it, tragedies in our lives can transform us.  Ask me and i'll tell you I'd rather be transformed by any other method.

Losing your child is just a hard thing to even get your head around and when you get to where you think you can think straight, you come to this conclusion: " It is just not supposed to happen that way. " It is one of life's bitterest pill  to swallow.  I know it is one of the first things I am going to forget to ask God.  You are probably thinking  "Judy meant to say that is the first thing she would ask GOD- why He would allow such a thing."  But I feel like when I see God, I am gonna be overwhelmed to be in  His presence and feel His love for me.  Some of these realizations are confirmed in a book by Don Piper who experienced being in Heaven after he was in a traffic accident.

Don Piper shares in the book "90 Minutes in Heaven" about his life changing experience of being in heaven when his car was hit by a much larger vehicle and he was pronounced dead for 90 minutes.  A friend who had also lost a child had recommended this book and said  "If you don't read anything else, you have to read chapters 2&3, because they were about heaven  and were amazing!   Mr. Piper was a pastor at the time of his accident and spent 105 days in the hospital after  the accident and has experienced pain almost ever since that day.  In wo chapters he described a time when he was allowed a glimpse and to feel beyoud all explanation..a place so wonderful and beautiful that there are no words to adequately describe it.  In 15 pages of  words  he describes what he saw, he felt, and he heard. It is truly awe inspiring and amazing. He said at times he did not think there were even human words to describe what he witnessed.  Things he shared included:  being greeted by family and friends in Heaven who rushed to greet him and sing praises the whole time..  Other emotions he speaks of are:   a joyfulness that was everywhere,and how his mind could not even think of questions.  There was a blissfulness and perfection to Heaven.  He said his senses seemed to be so heightened and said there was unimaginable joy, excitement, warmth, and total happiness. He said colors were so vivid and dazzling,...surpassing anything he had ever seen.  He said "Never, even in my happiest moments on earth , had I ever felt so fully alive."  and he said no words, "could ever express the utter joy of being surrounded by all the people he loved" (in Heaven he felt more loved than ever before in his life.  "Perfect Love" emanated from all those  who surrounded him. He then talks about following an immense light toward a huge gate.  As he looked through the gate he said he saw streets made from gold and felt he was being escorted into the presence of God.

In chapter 3 Piper speaks of Heaven and the music formed by so many singing but being able to hear every word.  Now admit it, that sounds like a place you (and I) could stay forever?  Don Piper said the closer he got to Heaven's portal  and saw the brightest light he had ever beheld, he felt "deliriously happy" and he felt his body becoming part of the choir.  And just as soon as he arrived there, he was gone. He was about to "realize the yearning of every human heart -being in heaven and about to go through the pearly gate.  And then as a pastor friend was praying and singing and holding his hand, he sang along.  Piper's  friend  could harrdly believe it and yelled "HE's ALIVE"  "Come check his pulse".  The EMT's were skeptical but they did check and found a pulse and realized that Piper was alive, and they proceeded to extricate him from the wreckage, 90 minutes after it happened.

I will just tell you ..as I read the two chapters of Piper's description of Heaven, I was overcome with joy, and tears flowed down my cheeks.   I whaled from deep inside my very spirit.  To know that Carol is there  and that she could be feeling and seeing the same sights was just amazing and liberating.  She has met and felt the love of family and friends who have already been singing praises for a good while (in time that we know it.  What an amazing hope , it gives me to know that in a  little bit of heaven's time, when I get to Heaven she will be there welcoming me  and will escort me to the one who will welcome me Home......the amazing , spectacular, eternal place he promised to those who believe in Him!

If you don't have this hope and this assurance, you can. Talk with someone who knows where they will spend the rest of eteternity, and I pray  your heart will melt with God's love wrapped all around you. And you can feel HIS goodness straight from His heart to yours.    I'm going to read the rest of the book, but I have a feeling, nothing will ever match what Don Piper expereinced and has written about.  And I will hold onto HIS promise of eternal life, and a home in  Heaven,  and will praise God for taking care of His child, Carol Michelle, the one I held briefly and know she is safe for all time in His care!

Do you owe it to any one to do well in Pharmacy school?

I think so!  Here are just a few reasons that you owe it to someone to do well in pharmacy school:  besides your parents, your spouse, your significant other, or some other person sacrificing to help you reach this dream....how about those whose lives are enhanced, or those whose lives will have a better quality of life by overcoming a deficiency or over-activity in their body.  These people will be your customers everyday, and you will hold their lives, their well-being, and their financial worries in your hands.

Believe me when I say, "you are" an important member of any chronically ill person's treatment team.  You may not always be able to tell them with a smile on your face that the therapy may not work or may have bad side effects.  But you can share what you know from experience the problems they may encounter, and warn them to seek immediate help if something unusual happens. Then wish them well and offer your help if it should ever be needed.

Some days you will have to be a detective--probing for answers to unanswered questions
Some days you will have to be the traffic director at work  and prioritize properly.
Some days you will  have to smile and give a compliment when none is expected.
Some days you need to realize that a non-judging spirit is better than any pill's power.
Not every day is going to be great and you may question who you owe it to ...to push on, to make a difference by caring, to do something they may never teach you in these halls, but you should remember you owe it to those who believe in you; starting with you.

Know that you can help people's lives be better by knowing  what works well and what doesn't in your area of expertise.  And when you ask less and less "who do I owe this work to?  Then you will know that you have done your job well, and made a difference in other's lives.  And then maybe a small "Thank you" will be enough to make you get up and do it all again.

Judy Hensley
Parkinson's patient
to  Pharmacy students at ETSU on 8/27/2017
Tomorrow i will be answering questions from 50-60 pharmacy students about Parkinson's disease, and I was wondering, if they ever thought of how important they are in many people's lives and if they work as hard as they can, to be the best they can be.

Digital pain that makes me use bad words! and Why do I have a blog?

Just why do I have a blog?  Well, cause sometimes I just want to get some feelings out and on some kind of paper. But now days this writing on a paper is replaced by typing a document on the computer, naming it,   and putting the file in a directory.  This is all supposed to replace a file cabinet with paper files holding the writing on paper  that you just typed on the computer and  put into an appropriate place that should be easier to find in computer land.

Now where I put my digital file and under what name I give it to easily retrieve it later,  that is often a lottery winning question and find and seek action adventure. Just looking for a created digital file can produce a menagerie of feelings.  I always wanted to use that word in  a sentence..... "menagerie".  so did I use it right?   (Remind self: this is a topic for aother blog another day--using new words the right way).

 Yes, the range of feelings from "what did I name that file as? "  to "Now where did I put it???  on my phone, my laptop, my iPad (least favorite place)?  I know there is this thing called "syncing" but not good at any of this --which produces a"range of emotions of "&*&%&^%&^R"  to the grateful sigh of "thank you "when it is finally found by a search!  That's my deal, maybe you could share your way with me.  I welcome less digital pain...there is more than one way to to everything, and more than one place to put a file or directory: the local hard drive, the removable disk, the jump drive, the cloud...ugh.

So getting back to why i have a blog (in the most basic explaination of why; because everyone else has one...well, maybe not everyone) Whe i get a bloggy thought and take some time to write or type it out,  I usually try and post it when I am done so that I don't have to look for the file again.  So now you know a little of my "Digital file storage Pain" and now I am too tired to exlain why I really have a blog.  I do, and I am thankful I can still remember most of what I need to in order to publish my thoughts and share them with you .  And as Andy Rooney woud say "Now you know the rest of the story"...I mean blog.....No, I really mean: good night, all.

POEM Beginings and Endings

I had started writing this in July 2012 before Carol and Cooper were  marrIed on August 18, 2012. Cooper proposed to Carol on July 4, 2012 in Gatlinburg at the Peddler restaurant.

Written from Carol's perspective by her mom:

Come to our wedding and you will see,

the two of us exchange vows and rings

pledging ourselves to GOD and each other

to become one as Mr. and Mrs. Singletary!  

I am so excited, and can't wait to see

What God has planned and we are yet to see

How everything will fall into place

as we start our life together in Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

Let me tell you how all this came about...

we have been dating for quite a while

(3 and  one-half years to be exact),
I was a sophmore and Cooper a senior;
It was January 2009 when he first asked me out.

I was unsure how my dad would feel about all of this
So we devised a plan..and used it to perfection, to wear him down.
We convinced himthat Cooper (and Caleb, and Justin) would watch over me!
and after 3 years of dating we had no doubt
We wanted a life together as husband and wife!

Now, how to get our parent's permission ???

We put our heads together and came up with a "get-dad's- pemrission-to- wed game-plan"
(along with 3 backups ..just in case)
Cooper was ready for any thing my parents might ask
when he came over a couple of days before July the 4th 2012
and asked if we could get married and he have me as his wife!
.

He told me later "they looked a little shell shocked upon hearing our plans"
and told him in no uncertain terms :
"if you don't take care of our girl, you will be a 'wanted' man!"
But they knew how strong our love was for each other
and that was ultimately what won them over.

Since we were on a roll, we thought we might as well
Hit them with bomb shell number two, cause
We knew the next question would be "When?"
so we said "Seven weeks from now... that woldl be just swell!?"
Mom was about to stroke and she said "WHAT?
how are we going to get ready for a wedding so soon, ?

While we had them confused we dropped bomb shell number three:
We told them about the business we were going to start,
They had no reason to worry, it would all come together,
we had a plan right from the start, the rest would be easy,
we would just follow our hearts!.

After the wedding we are going on a Caribean cruise

So if you can’t join us on August the eighteenth

We will catch up with  you sometime later

and tell you all of our 'happily maried' news!

Thank you.... family and friends... for all you have done for us!
Please keep us in your prayers

For God to light our way
and for us to give Him all our cares!

Thanks
Carol
_________________________________________________________________
Carol and Cooper got married in a beautiful ceremony  (on Aug 18, 2012) with many friends and family there to show their support.  They took their cruise; came home;  packed up and moved to Gatlinburg by Labor day 2012.  They started their own business and had a cute apartment and had gotten a puppy, named Roxy.  Carol was going to college at the satellite campus of Walters State Community College. On Feb 27, 2013 Carol died after passing out and falling into a glass display case at a business near theirs.   A large piece of glass severed her aorta and she died quickly and painlessly.We are so glad that she and Cooper had the time together that they did, and we are so happy to have been  graced with her presence at our  home for 18 years.  She lived life grand and loved  just as big:  the LORD, her family. and her friends.

I added some thoughts below  as a fast forward to almost 5 years later.  We miss her a bunch and know we will see her smile again one day when the LORD declares so.

_________________________________________________________________

Speed forward to June 2017

It is hard this time of year when many of Carol’s friends are starting new phases of their lives.
Some have graduated and are finding new jobs,making all that effort for their degree worthwhile.
Others are settling down with a wife or husband and having children that grace their lives.

I can't help but wonder what Cooper and Carol would be doing now, five years after they married.? Would Carol have a 4 year degree and be branching out in some new position, or helping  their business grow and prosper beyond all belief? Or would they be planning the arrival of a cute little baby that i could spoil?

I asked Cooper recently what he and Carol talked about when dreamed about their future? He was taken by surprise at my question, and it took him a minute to gather his composure, but he said that they often spoke of the future but ,they were content to just live lifeto the fullest in the moments that they had.
Although i wish they would have had many more moments of happiness, joy, love, and laughter

to share,  I know it is enough. God’s providential plans marked their lives for His glory to be known through them. He allowed them to share in something so special for just 6 months before she was gone. He let them live a lifetime full of love and joy….. as much as was meant to be. I will always remember the sparkle in Carol’s eye that was reserved for just her guy every time we got to see her after they married.

She told me once that she was happier than she ever thought she could be. Of course she was..she had Cooper by her side and God watching from above, She came into all our lives for us to learn different lessons; she taught us well, I think. And as her momma I am so very proud of her. I miss her so very much, and there are times when I feel her spirit close to mine..Other times i can hear her voice and I smile. And I whisper to her "see ya soon, sweet girl or mine!"

6/1/2017

Judy hensley.

Ha! PD I made some good pics in spite of you!

I thought  I would take this opportunity to get in PD's face and just laugh.  Cause I did not give in to him (yes, mine is a male disease  cause I don't understand it either--more on that another day.)

I recently put some photos in a juried judged photo contest in Kingsport. I had 4 out of 13 that I  submitted recieved  honorable mention.  The photos in this competition are really excellent!!!

We got to stop in one  day while  they were judging a bunch of pictures and only saw  one of mine.  The general categories that they mentioned that influenced the score  were composition, focus, and does the picture tell "a story."  I consider it a significant honor to have 3 of the 4 pics of mine that were honored were pictures  of a church or religious building.  Church and the theme of redemption and love by a Heavenly Father have been a big part of my life.  That is the story they speak for me. And I have to agree that the water lily (pink) is one of my favorites.  I also took a picture of an old country church and put it in the black & white category.

So, ya want to see them? Here are the four with honorable mention:

 

                                                 

                                                                                                                                                             And some personal favorites....

Some days we with PD are the victors. I am grateful for days like these, when I can take the picture anad someone else validates it.  Take that, PD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Judy Hensley
July 2017