Manners
You know I've always thought its important that we teach our children manners as they grow up. Oh heck, there is lots more to teach but I guess manners and respect was high on my list and still is. Now my bunch would forget most of the time around the house, but if they saw fire coming out of my eyes sugar would melt. Y'all don't wait till they are walking down the aisle at graduation, like me and think, Oh Lord, have I taught them enough to get by. Naw, they couldn't cook, clean their rooms, buy groceries or sew. I'd just assume to do all this as to ask especially when they were teenagers.
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Now when they were little I'd let them help cause they wanted too. We would all get in that kitchen and make the biggest mess. You know like mix up cake batter and then the fight was on, who would get to lick the bowl and the beaters on the mixer. Awww y'all done that, too, I bet. I did when I was little.
Another thing, we would let the kids ride with us to the post office. They would get the mail and bring it to us while we waited in the car. It was according to whose turn it was that got to bring it to us. Sometimes two would have to go in to hold the other one up cause our box was on top. One day Sammy was in a hurry and told the kids to stay in the car and he would just run in. Now this was back in the late 80's. You know before it got all fancy'd up where there was only parking up near the building. 'member!?!? Nikki and Beth got out of their seat belts and started playing with Barbie dolls in the floor board. I'm pretty sure that trip cost us cause Beth hated playing any kind of dolls and we would have to give her like 50 cents to play dolls with Nikki. Anyway, that left Jay in the front seat. Just about the time Sammy got inside the door of the post office, he looked back and the car was rolling back toward the street. He takes off running, dives through the driver's window, and squirms around till his hand hit the breaks. Nikki and Beth didn't even know the car was moving. As for Jay, ( who knocked the car out of gear) he thought that was the coolest thing and from then on wanted to enter and exit the car through the window. I wasn't there (but heard all about it) and luckily it was after hours and no other cars were there. So all was well, except Sammy, he forgot the mail. lol!!!
Something else we would let them do was carry Sammy's clothes into the cleaners. Oh, back in the day he wore suits and starched shirts when he traveled. He only wanted me to wash his stinky socks and nasty underwear (didn't think I'd ever miss doing that, but what I would give...). I'll never forget; it was Jays first time (about 4 years old) to take the clothes in. I told him they would ask what day did I need to pick them up and to say Saturday. Well, he got back in the car and I said did they ask? He said, yep but I couldn't remember that day you said so I said cartoon day. I said, Good enough son!!!
Well Shoot!! I've wrote all this and they ain't nothing I said to do with manners but this last part.
I'll never forget, when Kinsley played in her first 7th grade basketball game. She would foul someone and she would have to apologize to them right there on the spot. If they would fall down, she'd go over and help them up. Y'all know me and sports; I gotta holler.... Kinlsey don't use you manners here. Foul 'em good and step over them. Ok, I was caught up in the moment and it was wrong. I'm sorry!!
When our kids started kindergarten I'd have that "talk" about manners. I guess I was thinking if they couldn't make good grades, manners would go along way. Huh! You know the first day or two you would walk Precious in and you would catch that tear as you walked away. Then as weeks rolled on by I'd say, get out and don't forget your manners. So here is what all 4 of our children would recite some mornings before they got out of the car. Yes ma'am, No ma'am, Yes sir, No sir, Please, Thank You, and Flush.
Dear God,
Where are my manners???? I had so much to be thankful for but did I thank you every day? no!! Why did it take something so devastating to make me realize how grateful I am. You know the old saying, you don't know what you had, till its gone. Well Lord, I knew exactly what I had, but I fell real short in telling you how thankful I am. Please forgive me!!! Thank You for all you do for me and may I always remember to use my manners. Amen.
For those of you who have asked about where to send your donations for the 1st annual Sammy Darwin bike ride, send it to:
P.O. Box 191
Iuka, Ms 38852
Make checks out to Backpack Ministry. If you wanna t-shirt.... sizes have to be turned in by Sept 1st. Thanks Y'all!
.
Now when they were little I'd let them help cause they wanted too. We would all get in that kitchen and make the biggest mess. You know like mix up cake batter and then the fight was on, who would get to lick the bowl and the beaters on the mixer. Awww y'all done that, too, I bet. I did when I was little.
Another thing, we would let the kids ride with us to the post office. They would get the mail and bring it to us while we waited in the car. It was according to whose turn it was that got to bring it to us. Sometimes two would have to go in to hold the other one up cause our box was on top. One day Sammy was in a hurry and told the kids to stay in the car and he would just run in. Now this was back in the late 80's. You know before it got all fancy'd up where there was only parking up near the building. 'member!?!? Nikki and Beth got out of their seat belts and started playing with Barbie dolls in the floor board. I'm pretty sure that trip cost us cause Beth hated playing any kind of dolls and we would have to give her like 50 cents to play dolls with Nikki. Anyway, that left Jay in the front seat. Just about the time Sammy got inside the door of the post office, he looked back and the car was rolling back toward the street. He takes off running, dives through the driver's window, and squirms around till his hand hit the breaks. Nikki and Beth didn't even know the car was moving. As for Jay, ( who knocked the car out of gear) he thought that was the coolest thing and from then on wanted to enter and exit the car through the window. I wasn't there (but heard all about it) and luckily it was after hours and no other cars were there. So all was well, except Sammy, he forgot the mail. lol!!!
Something else we would let them do was carry Sammy's clothes into the cleaners. Oh, back in the day he wore suits and starched shirts when he traveled. He only wanted me to wash his stinky socks and nasty underwear (didn't think I'd ever miss doing that, but what I would give...). I'll never forget; it was Jays first time (about 4 years old) to take the clothes in. I told him they would ask what day did I need to pick them up and to say Saturday. Well, he got back in the car and I said did they ask? He said, yep but I couldn't remember that day you said so I said cartoon day. I said, Good enough son!!!
Well Shoot!! I've wrote all this and they ain't nothing I said to do with manners but this last part.
I'll never forget, when Kinsley played in her first 7th grade basketball game. She would foul someone and she would have to apologize to them right there on the spot. If they would fall down, she'd go over and help them up. Y'all know me and sports; I gotta holler.... Kinlsey don't use you manners here. Foul 'em good and step over them. Ok, I was caught up in the moment and it was wrong. I'm sorry!!
When our kids started kindergarten I'd have that "talk" about manners. I guess I was thinking if they couldn't make good grades, manners would go along way. Huh! You know the first day or two you would walk Precious in and you would catch that tear as you walked away. Then as weeks rolled on by I'd say, get out and don't forget your manners. So here is what all 4 of our children would recite some mornings before they got out of the car. Yes ma'am, No ma'am, Yes sir, No sir, Please, Thank You, and Flush.
Dear God,
Where are my manners???? I had so much to be thankful for but did I thank you every day? no!! Why did it take something so devastating to make me realize how grateful I am. You know the old saying, you don't know what you had, till its gone. Well Lord, I knew exactly what I had, but I fell real short in telling you how thankful I am. Please forgive me!!! Thank You for all you do for me and may I always remember to use my manners. Amen.
For those of you who have asked about where to send your donations for the 1st annual Sammy Darwin bike ride, send it to:
P.O. Box 191
Iuka, Ms 38852
Make checks out to Backpack Ministry. If you wanna t-shirt.... sizes have to be turned in by Sept 1st. Thanks Y'all!
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