Proud to Be a Tennesssean!

This is Tennessee by Brent HighShare
Today at 11:05pm


VOLUNTEERS ADD NEW CHAPTER TO STORIED HISTORY

by Brent High

On May 1st and 2nd of 2010 a historic amount of rain, as much as 17 inches, fell on middle Tennessee and the city of Nashville in less than 48 hours. Historians are using terms like “thousand year flood” to describe what took place here. The Cumberland River, Nashville’s main waterway, crested at just over 51 feet, flooding iconic structures including the Grand Ole Opry, LP Field and Bridgestone Arena where the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Predators play, Country Music Hall of Fame and the Opryland Hotel and Convention Centeter. The water rose so much, so fast and in places water has never been seen that thousands had to be rescued by boat. Dozens lost their lives. Thousands of homeowners lost everything they had. Thousands more are now trying to salvage what’s left. Most had no flood insurance because before May 1st they didn’t need it where they lived. Early estimates are that the damage will top $1 billion and this storm will go down as the most devastating non-hurricane event in American history.

This is Tennessee.

It’s Monday, May 3rd. The rain has stopped, finally. What happens next shouldn’t come as a surprise. Almost instinctively, after a long night of restlessness, volunteers spring into action. It’s in their blood. They’ve been trained to do so by their parents and grandparents. From Waverly to Cookeville, Winchester to Cross Plains and in the capital city of Nashville the sights and sounds are the same.

Without being asked, fishermen launch their boats into the muddy soup, joining the rescue efforts. Business owners and supervisors tell their employees to take the day off and jump in and help wherever they can. Neighbors, many of whom helped empty entire houses in brigade fashion the night before, transition into cleanup mode. Sump pumps and generators whirr. Drywall, carpet and ruined floors are ripped out. Elderly ladies gather at the church to make lunches for workers. Teenagers distribute bottled water. Pickup trucks, trailers and storage units are loaded with what could be salvaged. Photos and documents are spread out in the sun to dry. Wads of $20 bills are slid into pockets of those affected.

Checks are written. Hugs are given. Prayers are said. Tears are shed.

This is Tennessee.

Almost 200 years ago Tennessee first earned the nickname “Volunteer State.” In 1812 More than 2,000 Tennesseans volunteered to fight for Andrew Jackson and were the main part of Jackson’s army that destroyed the British three years later in the Battle of New Orleans. A generation later the U. S. Secretary of War asked Tennessee for 2,800 soldiers to fight a war against Mexico. 30,000 volunteered.

This is a state where faith comes first.

We don’t ask why. We know there is a reason and look forward to it being revealed.

We are guided by scriptures such as Philippians 2:3-5 which says: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus.”

Family is a focus, not an afterthought.

Don’t bother trying to do business with us the week of Christmas or July 4th. We’ll be with family.

When our kids have a school play we will be there. We throw big birthday parties. We teach our kids right from wrong and aren’t afraid to give them a whippin’ when they need it. Here we say “Yes ma’am” and “No ma’am.” We try to leave a place better than we found it. We put our hand over our heart when the national anthem is played. We pull over on the side of the road when funeral processions pass on the other side.

We are savvy business people. We are farmers. We are teachers.

We drink Coke here. We like gravy with our biscuits and potatoes.

We are serious about our sports. We keep score in little league and we still have all-star teams and MVP trophies.We are givers.

You won’t hear us wailing about where the federal government and insurance companies were in all of this. We’ll get by just fine without them.

Right now we have a lot to deal with here in our backyard. We will handle it with dignity and class. We will sacrifice for each other in ways that are unfathomable to most. We will stand together. We will stand tall. We will come out of this stronger than we were before it.

One day in the not too distant future a hurricane, tornado, fire, flood or other unspeakable disaster will strike your community. As you struggle to put the pieces back together we will be there.We will volunteer.

We are Tennesseans.

This is Tennessee.

Dialysis

As of Wed, Nov. 11 I will have missed 45 dialysis treatments since my transplant in March. Can't say that I've missed them. It seems like I've been dealing with something all the time though. It's a lot to contemplate. Hmmmmmm..........

Janie and Prissy at Beef Camp '09

This is #2 granddaughter, 13 yr. old Janie, with her calf, Prissy. She attended Beef Camp this summer at MTSU. They had to bring their calves, and be responsible for their care for the whole week, plus showing them, etc. Janie wasn't even aware that her picture had been taken. Didn't know it was going to be on the cover until the magazine came out. There was no article, just the cover photo.

Day 11 - Five Dialysis Treatments not taken!

Last year at the Kidney Walk I met a new friend. He had been on dialysis before receiving a transplant in 2003. He now tells the passage of time by the number of dialysis treatments that he has not taken since he got his new kidney. The last time I heard he has missed 867 dialysis treatments. How cool is that?

With every transplant there is the possibility of rejection or other difficulties. But I am chosing to not let those kinds of thoughts ruin a single day. It's just futile. After all, we can never regain the days we lose. I'm celebrating every day as a gift from God. I may even get a little wild. I suggest you beware if you see me on the highway, ESPECIALLY if a certain wild young lady is driving. Brawhahahahahah!!

TWELVE REASONS YOU'LL NEVER HEAR, WHY I STOPPED ATTENDING SPORTS EVENTS

~ Every time I went, they asked me for money.

~ The people with whom I had to sit by didn't seem very friendly.

~ The seats were too hard and not comfortable at all.

~ The coach never came to call on me.

~ The referee made a decision with which I could not agree.

~ I was sitting with some hypocrites -- they came only to see what
others were wearing.

~ Some games went into overtime, and I was late getting home.

~ The band played some numbers that I had never heard before.

~ The games are scheduled when I want to do other things.

~ My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up.

~ Since I read a book on sports, I feel that I know more than the
coaches anyhow.

~ I don't want to take my children, because I want them to choose
for themselves what sport they like best.

A Good Tuesday

Well, I made myself get up at a regular time (I dare not say "early") and got myself to Wal-Mart and took all my old negatives of the girls to have them put on disc. I gave the pictures to the girls some years ago. Thought it would be easier for me to divide them than for them to have to do it later. Now that I have the possibility of doing so many things with them on the computer and all, I'm kind of missing them. Guess I'll still have to have them printed, won't I? Yikes! That could prove to be quite an undertaking. Wouldn't have to do them all at once though. When I get them safely back into my own grubby little hands, I'll breath again, and then have some fun with them.

I copied this from somewhere, but I don't know from where, or who wrote it. But it speaks to me.

Whisper Of Hope
9-22-05
Bitterness is a hard pill to swallow
Trying to move on and not let fear win
Not wanting to give in
Tired of being at this place again
I’m a rose waiting to bloom
Opening up my soul
Sharing my thoughts and fears
Trying to figure different things out along the way
Sometimes it gets harder each day
I just feel in the way
In the midst of trying to explain myself
Tears of frustration spill forth
I want to run
And shut myself down
For fear of being misunderstood yet again
But still not wanting to give in
In the midst of forcing myself to stay open
Anger spews out over the dumbest things
Tired of feeling as if I’m the bad girl
Just trying to figure out what lies beneath the surface
Confused, and broken
How many times can one be broken?
How far down am I supposed to go, to get to the root of it all?
Enough is enough
I will stand back up
Eventually
So I sit at this place
Seeing how God uses all of this
I know He will use it for my good
Because He loves me
I am His
So now my sorrow carries with it a whisper of hope

Ms. Ann and Me

A World Record, Ladies and Gentlemen!!!

Yes! For the first time in recent history, I have my Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving! This accomplishment was made possible by Emily, the Magnificient!! She can also leap tall buildings in a single bound!

Isn't it lovely? In case you have never seen one, this is a Chrismon tree. The Chrismons ornaments were first developed by Frances Kipps Spencer (1917-1990) at Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia. She originated them in 1957 when she set out to create decorations appropriate for a church Christmas tree.

An evergreen tree, which symbolizes the eternal life, which our savior has won for us, forms the background for tiny white lights and gold Chrismons designs. The lights speak of Him who is the light of the world, and the Chrismons ornaments proclaim the name, the life, and the saving acts of Jesus the Christ.

Some Chrismons designs are simple copies of symbols of Christianity from its earliest days; Others are new explanations of God's constant presence in our ever changing world; and some are combinations of several elements old and new.

The symbols used are interdenominational and the heritage of all Christians.
Chrismons are not to be bought, sold or put into kit form.

MAY THESE SYMBOLS CONTINUALLY REMIND YOU OF GOD'S GREATEST GIFT TO
US ALL, JESUS CHRIST.

For more information concerning Chrismons go here: http://www.umcs.org/chrismons/
Feel free to ask me any questions you might have about my reditions.