Sweet Memories

Well, I can`t brag anymore that I never get sick. I got a doozie of something yesterday. It came out of nowhere... headache, then the nausea and aches hit. Today, I am doing a bit better but have been left with two distinct thoughts and memories of past sicknesses.

1.  It will NEVER be the same to be sick as a grown up as it was as a little girl.... My sweet mother would always be there with us, holding back our hair so as to get it out of our  face and have a cool rag waiting to put on your head when you climbed back in bed. Then she would bring in a cup of crushed ice with sprite and some saltines. If we were really lucky she would make some of her famous custard, which would make anyone feel better as you put that first spoonful into your mouth and tasted the almond flavoring she would add.  Yep, even those ucky memories of being sick were made sweet when she was there.  As I grew up and married, we stayed with her for a few months after moving back to Birmingham, before Tommy was born, and I remember the same loving actions she did then, as an almost grown up girl.

2. When I was older and so sick each time I was pregnant, the drink of choice would be grape slush from Diary Queen! I remember one night at 10:00, our doorbell rang and my sweet neighbor, Anita, was standing there with a grape Slush!! It always helped.... well, today, the day after my onset of sickness, and while I am still aching... I drag myself to my room from the couch, to get dressed, pull my hair back not even brushing it, no make up, and head up to the drive thru at our local Diary Queen. After all I haven`t had much to drink in two days and only a few saltines... so the thought of my beloved grape slush was making me happy. I get there, and find out that a medium grape artic, as it is called now, is $2.50!! Well, knowing how good it will be, I pay the money and get to the window to pick it up and they hand me this small cup. BUT I ordered Medium, I thought!!!! It was a small if I ever saw one....:(
well, anyway, I take it and pull the paper off of the straw to stick it in to have my first sip, even before I pull out, and what do you think?!!!! it doesn`t taste near as good as I remembered... A bit sour even.... DISAPPOINTED to say the least... After all that effort, and now this.....

Well, what I come away with now, as I am laying down on the couch with my back aching, is sweet memories. No, you can`t ever go back and we wouldn`t want to, but I sure am glad that I have those memories to fill my mind on this day when I am not feeling so good. God is good that way... Never tire of them....

Thank you, Lord, for sending Your love through those glimpses of memories..