Saturday 9: April Love

April Love

April Love (1957). Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here. 

1) In this song, Pat Boone sings that April love is a wonder reserved for the very young. Do you think the sensation of falling in love changes as we grow older?

As I have been in love with the same man for 54 years, I'm not sure I'm qualified to answer this question.

I well remember the excitement and passion of early love, so yes, I do believe the sensation of falling in love does change as we grow older.  Not that later love can't be all that and more.

2) "April Love" reached #1 on the charts. Between this song and "Love Letters in the Sand," Pat Boone had a career year. Only one artist sold more records in 1957: Elvis Presley. When you think of Elvis, what's the first song that comes to mind?

"Love Me Tender"

3) Pat was extremely busy in high school. He wrote for the school paper, ran track, and acted in school plays. Share a memory of your extracurricular activities during high school.

In our small rural school, the only extracurricular activities centered around playing sports.  For away basketball games, the girl's team rode a school bus with the boys team.  I remember coming back from these games late at night and wishing a certain boy would ask me to sit with him.  I don't think he ever did.

4) It was his track coach who introduced Pat to the new girl in school, Shirley Foley. Three years later Pat and Shirley married, and remained man and wife for 65 years, until her death earlier this year. Who is the longest married couple you know?

A couple in our church have been married for 70+ years.  He just had his 90th birthday.

5) Pat has lived in the same house for more than 60 years. He once received an offer to sell it for $18,000,000 but turned it down because it's the Boone family home and he simply doesn't want to leave. Do you plan on moving in the foreseeable future?

No and hopefully our health will allow us to stay here for many more years.

6) Pat has a warm friendship with his neighbors, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne. Pat has mentioned in interviews that he has enjoyed bike rides around Beverly Hills with Sharon. Tell us about one of your neighbors.

Our neighbor is the Clerk of Court for our city and his wife works for the local court system.  He also coaches softball and baseball teams at a local private high school and is a huge LSU football fan.  He has never missed a home game!  They have one daughter and are the grandparents of two adorable grandchildren.  We are so grateful to have them as neighbors.

7) Mr. Boone was very critical of Barack Obama, enthusiastically supports Donald Trump, and has appeared on Fox News to express his views. How do you feel about celebrities talking politics?

I think they are entitled to express their opinion as much as I am.  It is when they seek to use their celebrity to influence others or take advantage of their fame to deride and threaten, that they are over stepping.  Their status does not give them permission to break the law and be disruptive any more than mine does.

To me, it is laughable to think a few movie stars threatening a governor with a boycott of his state will work.  They would be the last of a long list of people I would listen to, much less obey.

8) In 1957, the year this song was popular, Dr. Ian Donald pioneered the use of ultrasound technology. Today ultrasounds are commonly used by doctors in diagnosing conditions affecting the eyes, blood vessels, kidneys, gall bladder and more. Have you ever had an ultrasound?

I have breast ultrasounds once a year.

9) Random question: You're sitting alone in a restaurant, waiting for a friend. The waiter brings you a drink and the compliments of a member of the opposite sex seated at the bar. What's your reaction? Are you flattered, shocked, embarrassed, intrigued or annoyed?

My first reaction would be shock.  Then it would be amusement.  It would have to be a mighty desperate man to want to buy a drink for this 74 year old woman.

Again joining Samantha for this week's

Hello Friday: Flowers After The Rain

There is such a special beauty in nature after a spring rain.

The colors are more brilliant.

Flowers seem to relish and hold on to the moisture drops on their petals and leaves knowing the sun will come all too quickly and take them away.

A Spring Message

Joan Alpermann

I heard the rain fall in the night;

Softly it fell,

Slowly, carelessly,

And I knew

That everywhere little brown doors were opening,

That everywhere little green things were stepping shyly, daintily,

Over the threshold of Spring."

Reflections in Spring

All photos are mine and may used with permission.

Finding Balance

Do you struggle with balance?

Not necessarily the equilibrium kind of balance, although at my age, that can be an issue.

But, balance in your day to day.

I struggle with workout balance.  For years, I attended a twice weekly Pilates class at 5:30 a.m., then tried to balance other workouts with weights and cardio, etc. the other three days of the week.

Now that I no longer do Pilates because of a gym membership change, finding the balance between cardio, strengthening, stretching and weight resistance is a challenge.  But, I keep at it.

There is also the challenge of keeping a balance between my workout life and my at home life.  I come home from the gym to often spend the morning sitting in front of a computer working on blogs, research, Facebook and emails.  Where is the balance between moving and being sedentary?

Then, there is the balance between loving to be at home all the time, and my need to be with people.

Although I enjoy relationships and friendships, I don't have to have them to feel complete.  I am perfectly content being alone.  In fact, I require times of alone-ness.

On the other hand, my husband is very much a people person and his people connections are his source of energy and life.

Yes, this requires compromise on both our parts to keep our relationship in balance.

Balance is important for all of us, so how do we find that for ourselves?

For me, there is happiness in being in my home and doing the things that help create a happy place for us to be.  There is happiness in sitting on the porch in the afternoons with my husband.  There is happiness in creating and seeing goals met and new ones set.

There is also happiness in time spent with family and friends.  Although I have to plan and make time to be with people, I find it rewarding and a blessing.  Making the effort helps create balance for me.

I learned many years ago that it's okay to say "No".  Filling our hours and days with things that don't feed our soul, no matter how good or beneficial, can keep us off balance.  Saying "No" can be a powerful tool that requires discipline and a lot of self-awareness.

We must also enjoy saying "YES!".  Sometimes balance is all about the doing, the letting go and the less serious side of life.  There can never be too much joy or too much laughter. Say “yes” at least once a day and watch your world lighten.  Who knows what new thing God wants to show us.  Be open!

Let us do the unexpected!  Doing something unfamiliar and away from our comfort zone can be a challenge for some of us, but rewarding.  This is not always easy for me and takes effort but I also find it rejuvenating and helps bring balance to my life.  We never get too old to embrace challenges.

It is also necessary to spend time alone.  The Bible tells us in Mark 6:31 to

"Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while."

Some alone time is required for reflection, meditation, healing, refocusing, all of which help keep us in balance.

I find that the best way for me to stay balanced is to spend time with my Abba Father.  The Creator.  Reading His Word.  Spending time communicating with Him, the author and finisher of my faith.

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."

Philippians 4:8

So, let me challenge you to do what you need to do to bring more balance and interest to your life.

What might be required of you to seek more balance in your life?

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Mark 6:33

Source of all pictures

Wednesday Medley: Siblings

Welcome to our Wednesday Medley where Terri asks the questions based on whatever National Day it happens to be and we get to answer them.

NATIONAL SIBLINGS DAY

National Siblings Day (also referred to as Sibling Day) is observed on April 10.  It is a day created to honor our brothers and our sisters.  

Siblings. They are sometimes our best friends or our worst enemies. At times, siblings will provide us with our biggest competition, strongest encouragement and remind us of our most embarrassing moments.

HISTORY

National Siblings Day was founded by native New Yorker, Claudia Evart in 1995 to honor and celebrate siblings.  After losing her two siblings early in life in separate accidents, she knew how important siblings could be in our lives.

Claudia created the Siblings Day Foundation (SDF), a tax-exempt organization, whose goals included the establishment of National Siblings Day.  Claudia selected April 10 in honor of her late sister, Lisette’s birthday.  Visit the website for more National Siblings Day information at  http://www.siblingsday.org/.

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1.   How many siblings do you have? Are you rivals or do you support each other in all you do?

I have two younger sisters. Virginia (Gingie) and I are two years apart and were each others best friend growing up and still are.  There was a period during early high school where I became a bit competitive, but it didn't last long.  I soon realized she was bigger, prettier, stronger, sweeter, nicer, and better at sports than I was.  I couldn't compete with all that.

Sarah was born when we were seven and five.  There has never been the slightest rivalry between the three of us at all.  In fact, I am so blessed to have my sisters.

Gin, Sarah, Me

We are always there for each other and try to get together for overnight visits as often as possible.  In between, group texts keep us in daily touch.  We totally love and support each other and don't know what we would do without the other.

2.  Have you heard of the Birth Order Book?  What are your thoughts on the premise that your birth order affects everything you do in life?

Yes I have, and do think its basic premise stands true; however, there are so many variables that determine one's personality.

• Firstborn:  Controlling, ambitious, structured, responsible, perfectionist tendencies

My family would probably use words like "bossy", "demanding", "take-over", "hard to please"

• Middle Child:  Thrives on friendships, peacekeeper, negotiator, people-pleaser, rebellious tendencies.

This fits Gin to a tee.  She is our glue!

• Youngest:  Fun-loving, out-going, attention-seeker, uncomplicated, manipulative tendencies.

This doesn't fit Sarah exactly, but it could be because of the age difference.  She also has a lot of the firstborn characteristics.

3.  Is there something that you still do that drives your siblings crazy?

They are still trying to narrow it down to just a few.

4.  Are you closer to your siblings now than you were when you were younger?

Yes, most definitely.  There is less age difference the older we get.

5.  Would you dare to tell us an embarrassing story about a sibling?

Not on your life!

6.  Tell us something random about your week.

This Friday night our Sunday School Class is hosting a "50's Party" and inviting some other adult classes to join us.

Dick and others will be singing and playing some good oldies; we're having burgers with all the makin's; ice cream floats, and lots of fun.

Some of us will be dressing up.

Can't you just imagine us 70+ senior adults trying to look like teenagers?  I told a friend that there is just something incongruent about saggy boobs and poodle skirts.

Stay tuned for a picture reveal next week.