"Memories and Hopes of First Days"

✏️📚📝🖍 This week, most of the school-aged children - in our area, are going back to school, from Summer break. 🚌 And, I enjoy seeing all of the "1st. day of school" pics on my social media accounts! 👫 It's an exciting time of the year, with Football, and all! 🏈 Oh, how well I remember my first day of school! 💆🏻 My family unit (dad, mom, Tina, and me) moved around the county a lot, whenever I was young. However, I'm uncertain as to why I ended up going to two different elementary schools during Kindergarten, whenever, our three moves that school year, were to three different houses, all of which were located on the same road?! 🤔 Sometime, I need to ask my mother, if, she remembers, and, why!? 🤔 The plan for me, that first day of school was that, I would get picked up by the bus that picked up students of all grades (K-12) in our area, in front of my house. 🚌 I was told that I was to exit that bus at the high school, which I did, and then, someone was "supposed" to be there, who would help me find the next bus that, I was to board, and ride to the elementary school, in another small, "country" town. Hum, something went wrong! 🙄 I road to the high school, with ALL of those "kids" (many I didn't know), feeling intimidated by the older ones, as a very shy girl (back then). Then, at the high school, I exited the bus, just as I had been instructed to do!  However, I waited for the "someone" to find me, and, take me to my next bus, but, that person never came.  I remember standing in the middle of that large parking lot, dressed to the kilts (my momma's doing),  holding my little, blue and red, plaid satchel, all alone, after all of the buses had left, not knowing what to do! 😏 As I looked around, only seeing the high school, it really "seemed" as though, I was the only "thing" in that parking lot! 😕😂 Thinking about it now, I should have been scared, as a little five year old girl, but, I wasn't!  I didn't know then, why I wasn't afraid, but, I do now, and, it was because, God was with me (was, is, and, shall always be)! 🙌🏼😗 I don't know who "dropped the ball" that day, but, someone definitely did! 🏈 Eventually, someone came outside, and got me, then, somehow, I don't remember how (maybe a later bus?), I was taken to my school, and classroom!  I only attended that school - a week or so, and then, I was transferred to a different elementary school, in the same school district, but, located in another little, country town, where I finished my year in Kindergarten.  I also, need to ask my mother why they transferred me!  It was probably easier to transport me to that school, rather than the first one?! I just don't know!?  As I wrote previously, I was extremely bashful, back then, and, I realize this is difficult for the people who know me now, to believe! 😚 Ha! 😂 I really was very shy! ☺️ I just about had a "nervous breakdown," the day that, the cutest boy in our class (IDK - maybe he had noticed that I looked at him a lot - because - I did - after all - he was SO handsome), walked up to me, put his hands on my shoulders, and kissed me - "smack-dab" on my lips! 💋 I think that I went into "shock," otherwise, the sensitive, shy, little girl, that I WAS, would have balled "her" eyeballs out! 🤣 It ended up that - I loved my -school, class, teacher, and, even got used to riding the bus (since I didn't have to switch buses at the high school - after that first, crazy day)! 👧🏻👦🏻 There have been other times in my life, since that day, whenever, like there, on the parking lot, I have "looked" around, and, it has "appeared" as if, I were all alone.  However, thankfully, I have never "felt" all alone, because, my omnipresent God, has consistently been "sensed" within my being, even before I got 'saved,' at the age of thirteen. 🙌🏼🕊 I also, just KNEW that, my parents, or another adult family member, or members (my extended family), would eventually rescue me!  Not all children have the wonderful (in many ways) family that I have had, who have always "had my back" (whenever, and as long as, possible)!  What a "comfortable" type of "security blanket" that has been for, Tina and me!  We have been abundantly blessed in that area!  Our family was/is made up of imperfect people (ALL of us are born into a "fallen"/race of "sinners") who loved us, perfectly!  Each one of them has, sincerely desired, what they have thought to be "the best" for us, in any given situation, as long as they have lived! 💜 And, of the original nine adults of which I write, who have, loved and cared for us for many years, only two of them (mother and aunt Betty) remain here on earth with us, presently!  We have a multitude of memories of special times spent with them, for which to, cherish and be thankful! 😢 But, THANK GOD, the other seven, who have "passed on," all professed to being 'saved,' and, undoubtedly, shall meet up with us in Heaven, one sweet day, where nobody shall ever be, and/or, "feel" alone, again! ✝️  Writing these 'blog-posts,' as I've mentioned previously, is therapeutic for me! 🤕 Writing this particular post, is reinforcing an already known realization to me, and it is that, God has beautifully taken care of, me and my sister, throughout our lives, even in giving us one another! 🌊 The analogy that comes to my mind with these thoughts about which I am writing, is that, while my childhood extended family was together here on earth, we were dealing with, not only, a lot of love for each other, but also with, many mortal irritations (like clams in the ocean - rubbing at the irritation of the sand), forming individual "pearls," "if you will."  Then, whenever, we are reunited in Heaven, we shall form a "string of pearls" you might say, made up of each individual's "pearls," which were produced, by Jesus helping us with our dealings in our lives (the irritations, etc.).  And then, up there, with only, love and beauty, and the such (our gorgeous, valuable "pearls") remaining, they'll be displayed beautifully, just as a pearl necklace is often the focal point when worn around the neck of a female (typically), who is wearing something beautiful.  Our "pearls," along with ourselves, shall honor and glorify HIM, while eternal ages continue! And then, the aggravations and irritations with which we have endured as humans, shall have ceased, and, shall be history! ✝️🙌🏼 So, precious Believer, if you, and/or, your family, are presently struggling somehow, remind yourself that, this too shall pass, you are making "pearls""of sorts," by living for Christ, and, in Heaven, you'll be SO glad that you DID live for HIM, although, doing so brought many extra trials and temptations! 🙏🏼✝️💜 And, your first day in Heaven (I cannot fathom it),  like your first day in school (most people are normally always able to remember it), shall be gloriously memorable, and, more than worth the irritations, aggravations, tests, trials, temptations, etc., in which you endured during your time spent on 🌏 earth (Revelation 21:4)! ✝️ 🙌🏼💜 I usually don't know what direction these posts are going to take, and, I certainly did not know, whenever I began writing this one! 😐 Anyway, here it is! 🙃 I hope that, it somehow helps someone, in some way! 😘😊🙏🏼✝️💜 Until next time...👋🏼