Keeper Of The Stars

"It was no accident me finding you.  Someone had a hand in it long before we ever knew." Tracy Byrd

Oh my gosh why in the world did this song get stuck in my head?  It was played at my wedding 1997 and I still can't listen to the entire song.  It certainly wasn't an accident that I met him.  I mean he was leaning on a pole with his black cowboy hat on and I just walked right up and asked him to dance.  Yep, I surely did.  I'm sure the keeper of the stars thought I was crazy but it didn't stop me from falling cowboy boots, hat and big ole belt buckle for this bow-legged cowboy.  Ya'll wondering what this means?

He tipped that dang hat more times than I can count that night and his smile just made me think the keeper knew what he was doing when he put that cowboy in my sights.  Now at the time I thought he was the best thing this side of the Mississippi and it took me a whole bunch of years to figure it out that he was only the best thing yonder side of Buford.   I will give him credit though...on our wedding day he was the bomb dot com as my friend likes to say.  He looked like a million dollars in that tux and yes that black cowboy hat and boots.  The twinkley white lights made his smile shine like the one I saw when I first met him and all I could think was "cowboy take me away."  LOL

OK I was about to get on a man bashing roll but decided ya'll might not want to read that junk so instead I'm just going to make you laugh a little bit by quoting a  Dolly Pardon song that reminds me of the first time I saw him.   "Why'd you come in here lookin' like that in your cowboy boots and your painted-on jeans, all decked out like a cowgirl's dream.  Why you almost givin' me a heart attack when you waltz right in here lookin' like that."  Lord help me I bet he's still wearing those same "painted on jeans."

Lesson today?  I'm not sure I have one but let's just roll with it.  When old feelings start creeping up, don't dwell on it too long.  Think about it, feel the hurt, but don't feel it too long.  It might cause you to do something stupid and call the ex and we certainly don't want that.  So feel it, take a walk, see God's beauty and let it go.  Leave all those bad thoughts right outside your door, don't bring that stuff in, it ain't welcome in our house.  Now go ahead, lock that door, grab a glass of sweet tea and sleep tight.  And instead of a sad "Keeper of The Stars" song,  I'm sharing "Why'd You Come In Here Lookin' Like That."   That'll make you smile.

  LOVE TO ALL,
   Sweet Southern Sass

Crazy Beautiful

"She's got big brown eyes and tangled hair, voguing in her underwear and nothing is better than doing nothing together now.  She's got a toothbrush as a microphone belting out the Rolling Stones.  I'm the last one to stop her, can't believe that I got her."  Andy Grammar

Good morning and welcome to my world of crazy.   LOL  Big brown eyes, yep I got 'em, tangled hair, yep every day.   I got the Farrah Faucet look today, wings and all.  Well I do have an excuse.  My hair dresser got married and she's busy.  But hey I'm looking vogue with all that hair, sprayed to heaven.  I ain't got a toothbrush in my hand but I'm rocking the air drums on my way to work this morning listening to my favorite morning DJ Diva playing this exact song on the radio.  Yep, it's a sight to see, a pretend Farrah playing the drums, singing to the top of my lungs, tooling right along the highway like I ain't got a care in the world.

Trust me I got a style of my own.  Not so sure it's classic, but it's one of a kind and one that probably no one wants to copy.   I've never been told my smile can be heard through the telephone but I bet when I've got a belly laugh going on you might hear a snort or two.  Are ya'll getting the picture yet? I'm one kinda crazy and the only hellion my mama raised.

A little bit wild, a little bit mad, and a little bit beautiful wild and little bit bad.  Good Lord how can I be described in such few words?  I'm a little bit all the above.  Wild at heart with a gypsy soul which means I wonder a lot.  Get it?  Not wander, like wandering lost, but wonder because I'm always wondering what the heck.  I don't get mad often but when I'm mad, I'm mad and I ain't gonna "cry pretty."   Not sure that makes me beautiful but it certainly will make me a little bit bad 'cause if I'm mad, I'm probably gonna do something stupid because I'm horrible at thinking before I act.  But...I am practicing this thing they say do of counting to 10.  My problem is by the time I get to about four or five, I forget what I'm mad about any way.  So there you go, guess that counting to 10 stuff works.

This one is a little short today, but I need the laugh and who better to laugh at than myself.  Hello world here comes crazy, Farrah hair and all.

Lesson today?  For the love of Peter, Paul and Mary...who knows but  I will come up with something here in a minute.   Just for today, live in the moment, show up like you're meant to be there, be humble and kind, and if living in the moment becomes unpleasant, eat a cookie.   I sure hope my day is pleasant 'cause if I eat a cookie, it will be the whole bag, especially if it's Oreo's.

  LOVE TO ALL,
  Sweet Southern Sass

A Little Want To

"There ain't no excuse that's what my mama said.  You gotta get up and get outta bed.  Roll up your sleeves, put your back into it.  If you gonna get it done then you better get to it."  Reba McEntire

Lord have mercy I don't remember hearing these exact words from my mama, but I'm pretty sure I heard something pretty close.  Probably more like, you better get up, if you can rip and romp all night, you can get up and go to church.  Now her definition of "all night" and mine were way different.  Mine meant getting home somewhere close to the time she told me too.  Her's was more like be there before she told me too.  Ya'll that have been following me know I'm not a rule follower so if mama said be home at 12:00, I'm gonna be late come hell or high water.  Not to be defiant, that's just the way I roll. 

"A little nothing I can't do attitude."  This takes me back a few years, well more like 40+ years when I played basketball.  I'm one of those people that you don't tell me I can't do something because I will probably let you know real quick, I can do anything I want too, but more than anything I will do it just because you said I couldn't.  This one particular coach told me I would never play for him because I was too short.  My Junior year I won MVP of the Lanierland Tournament.  I so wish the song "How You Like Me Now" was written 'cause I would have certainly sung it to him.  

Having a little want to inside of you is such great words.  Listening to the song I wonder how many people fail because they just don't have the want to.   Maybe their home life isn't as good as it should be, maybe they're out of a job or maybe they just feel like a failure.  Trust me folks, I've been out of a job and more times than one I've felt like a failure, but you just got to put your favorite pair of boots on and pick yourself up.  Pick yourself up and get that little want to inside that will make you keep trying.  You know the saying if at first you don't succeed, try, try again?  Well heck yeah many times it's taken me more than one or two tries but after three or four times I usually get it right even if it's making the same mistake again.

No matter what people say, dreams do come true.  I've never been famous for anything but don't you know Reba was told many times that singing would get her nowhere?  Look at her now, one of the biggest female singers in country music.  She definitely had that nothing I can't do attitude and it's taken her a long way.  She's gotten knocked down a few times, I mean she just went through a divorce after way many years.  I'm sure she felt like giving up but look at her now, if the tabloids are right, she's in love again.   I bet she put on her favorite boots and told her self, self "ain't nobody got time for this." 

Lesson today?  Look at the picture below.  It took me a minute to figure it out, had to read it a second time, but it's true.  If you think you can, you will.  If you think you can't, you won't.  Don't get caught up in thinking you can't.  Don't let what someone tells you be the reason you give up.  I remember as a kid hearing the saying "can't never could", well how true is that.  If you think you can't you probably won't, so go ahead and put on your favorite pair of boots, grab holt of your "I can do anything attitude," put on your big girl panties and for the love of Peter, Paul and Mary just do it!!!   Go ahead and reach for the stars, give it your best shot doing what you've always wanted to do and didn't have the I can do anything attitude.  Come on, I got cha back 'cause I want you to be the best you can at whatever you want to do.

  LOVE TO ALL,
 SWEET SOUTHERN SASS

The Greatest

"Little boy in a baseball hat stands in the field with his ball and bat.  Says, I am the greatest player of them all.  Put his bat on his shoulder and he tosses up the ball and the ball goes up and the comes down.  Swings his bat all the way around the worlds so still he can hear the sound.  The baseball falls to the ground.  Now the little boys doesn't say a word, picks up his ball, he is undeterred.  Says, I am the greatest there has ever been. and he grits his teeth and he tried it again."  Kenny Rogers

 I thought about this song when my sister posted a picture of my nephew coaching his son in baseball.  You might ask why my nephew?  Well because my nephew was one of the best baseball players in the area.  He could throw you out at home plate from the outfield and not even break a sweat.  He was so tall when he pitched his hand almost touched home plate when he let go of the ball.  To see him coaching his own son makes me smile because I know my great nephew is going to be one of the best from his school, just like his daddy.

"He makes no excuses, he shows no fear.  He just closes his eyes and listens to the cheers."  My nephew ain't skeered of nothing, as they say.  He's one of the sweetest young men I know that loves kids and old people.  He never made an excuse if he didn't play good but we always knew because he had a temper that showed up every now and then when he didn't.   I'm not sure if he ever heard us cheering for him but if he didnt it wasnt because we weren't loud enough,  especially if he was pitching and the ump wasn't calling strikes.  I'm thinking he probably closed his eyes a few times hoping we would go away.  But of course we didn't, we just got louder.  LOL

This song makes me think this little boy is outside alone, throwing the ball up and trying to hit it.  My idea of the picture is he's doesn't ever hit the ball but it doesn't deter him from trying and trying. He's making his own story up as he goes even when the moon is bright, his mama is calling him for supper and he misses one last time...strike three.  Even though he strikes out and starts home he still thinks he's the greatest of them all, but now he's the greatest pitcher.  I can just see him now strutting home for supper telling his mama what a great pitcher he is because he struck out the batter over and over.

Talk about turning the story around, this little boy certainly did.   Kinda like my nephew.  Things happened, he left college and baseball and went to work.  But like I said earlier this kid ain't skeered of nothing , so he's taking life by the horns as they say.  He got married, has two kids and he's going back to college.  It's hard for him at times I'm sure, but it's not stopping him.  He's doing it all and he's doing a dang good job of it.  His little girl is a daddy's girl, his son will be one of the best  (because he's got one of the best teaching him) and his wife just got her real estate license.  So what more could a guy ask for?

Lesson for today?  I just learned one myself.   When life isn't what we thought it should be don't quit.  Don't get stuck trying to be a certain way or do a particular thing.  Always have a Plan B if Plan A doesn't work.    "Life will always throw you curves, just keep fouling them off...the right pitch will come, but when it does, be prepared to run the bases."  Rick Maksian

Now go ahead, suck it up, put on your best cleats and PITCH the heck out of life.  It might just end up being a way better life than your original plan.

Only God Knows Why

"I've been sittin' here trying to find myself.  I get behind myself I need to rewind myself.  Looking for the payback listening for the playback.  They say that every man bleeds just like me."  Kid Rock

OK this might get good if I'm quoting Kid Rock.  But ya'll that know me know how much I love The Kidd as I call him..

I started this one last week after I left the funeral home for a dear friend.  On the way home I'm thinking why Lord.  Yes, I know we're not to question these things but I'm not questioning God, I'm just wondering why things happen the way they do.  My friend was only 54 years old.  That's just too young.

Everybody knew his name, especially his Wild Wings friends, ya'll know, the ones that sat at table 71..  Well hell's bells, I didn't know that table 71 was where we sat every Friday night.  But tonight there was a special picture at table 71 of my friend and tonight we all went to say good bye and again on  Friday after the funeral service we went back to table 71 to honor him AGAIN.  Yep, he was the man of the hour again.  We were all there with our favorite stories, and because some couldn't make it on Friday we went back on Saturday to honor him once again.

You might ask why would ya'll do this so many times?  Well let me just tell you why.  Jeff was the kinda friend you loved from the time you met him.  He wasn't a celebrity but when we came through town on Friday, I bet people thought some big shot was in town.  The traffic was stopped in all directions, all the way through town.   I mean ALL directions.  I bet he was loving that, him stopping traffic but then again he could stop you in your tracks just by telling a story and trust me stories he had.

If the line in this song "you get what you put in and people get what they deserve" is true, then my friend would be reaping all the rewards this earthly world could offer.  People laughed at him all the time because of his craziness but I can promise right here as I'm writing this, he would give you the shirt off his back and I mean literally give it to you.  I watched him many a night buy drinks for people that had way more money than him, but that didn't matter to him.  That's just the way he was.  He might forget to pay his bar tab a couple of times or more like every week but he always paid it the next day.  

I know my friends life on earth was troubled and only he knew the pain but it didn't stop him from living life to the fullest.  He loved people and if you were his friend, you had a friend for life.  He worked with my daddy and he always said he would marry me one day.  Of course we laughed about it but one day I told him that if my daddy ever said I could marry him I would do it, no questions.  You see I could tell him this because I knew my daddy would never say that to him.  He loved my daddy and my son and he never failed to ask about Pops as he called my daddy.

Tears are rolling down my cheek as I write this to honor my friend.  A few tears are sad ones because I miss him but most are happy tears because I know without a doubt my friend is in heaven giving the angels a run for their money.  I know this because he told me many times he was ready when his time came and the preacher confirmed it on Friday.  The preacher said my friend told him many times, he was a Christian and knew where he would be when time comes.  There was no doubt but when the preacher confirms it, well I can't help but shed a few happy tears.

Lesson today?  I think my friend would want me to tell you not to wait to tell your friends you love them.  Don't wait until you're standing at the funeral service wishing you had done this or that.   If you're lucky enough to have friends like we do at table 71 don't be afraid to let them know what they mean to you.  There was a lot of hugging going on last weekend and by golly when the weekend was over I'm sure we made our friend proud because you see he never left us without hugging it out.  His last words to me two weeks before we lost him was "Luv ya hun."

So for my friend one last time...
Go rest high on that mountain son, your work on earth is done.  Go to heaven a-shoutin' love for the father and the son.

   

I Feel Like Hank Williams Tonight

"I play classical music when it rains, country when I am in pain.  I won't play Beethoven if the moods just not right.  I play jazz when I'm confused, country whenever I lose.  I feel like Hank Williams tonight."  Jerry Jeff Walker

Ok, these words just strike me funny as crap for a lot of reasons so this is a silly post that hopefully will make you laugh out loud or at least giggle a bit.  First off I ain't 'gonna be playing classical music when it rains and I won't be playing Beethoven any time, no matter what the mood.  I might play a little jazz if I'm confused but I would have to think about that because I'm not sure what that means, confused.  Guess I'm confused.  LOL

I had a friend once that said they were quitin' drinking.  I guess they only thought about it, 'cause they still drinking.  Still drinking and playing ole Merle's "Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink."   Still thinking about holding you tonight, don't care what I think, just sittin' and drinkin'.  I can promise they ain't playing Beethoven but they might be playing a whole lotta country as they walk to the window and stare at the clouds  "blowing up a storm."  On a good night for sure you can hear them playing some Hank Williams.

Maybe we should play some rock 'n roll.  Rock 'n roll when I'm feeling a little down and the world trying to close in, turn the radio way up high, makes me feel alright.  I mean who wouldn't feel good hearing Chuck Berry singing Johnny B Goode in the still of the night at the Heartbreak Hotel wondering if you will still love me tomorrow since I was born to be wild because that'll be the day Maybellene  will wake up little Susie.   HaHa, how many different songs can you name in that sentence?

Lesson today?  Ya'll already know this one for sure!!  Turn the radio up loud, find your favorite song, feel the rhythm and let it go. Let it go and dance it out.  Dance it out and feel good about yourself and definitely don't judge.  Come on, I will if you will.  I will just "do it"  'cause I feel like Hank Williams tonight.


    Love to all,
    Sweet Southern Sass

Chain Breaker

"If you've been walking the same old road for miles and miles.  If you've been hearing the same old voice tell the same old lies.  If you're trying to feel the same old holes inside, there's a better life."  Zach Williams

OK ya'll, this might be a little different than my typical sassy self.  We sung this song at church on Sunday and it hit me straight in the heart.  Yep, I've got one believe it or not.  Many times I've gone to church with such a burden on my heart and the song service lifted that burden I guess to prepare me for the sermon.  This Sunday was one of those days when I heard this song.

Many times I've asked myself why I do the things I do and why I keep walking the same old miles and listen to the same old crap from people that their opinion doesn't matter anyway.  Opinions that only make me feel less important or not good enough.  So hearing this song on Sunday morning made me realize that those feelings need to be gone and the way to that is to trust more in the chain breaker.  The chain breaker who can take away the pain of all those feelings that only me is allowing to happen.  The chain breaker who can take away the pain of those feelings that happen because of hurtful words and actions over the years.  The chain breaker that can give me the freedom of all these things that are from the past.  The pain taker that can take the pain so I can have that freedom of feeling good and happy!

Writing this right now, those feelings still try to creep up, but today those chains will not hold me down.  Today it's time to turn all those feelings over to the chain breaker.  My one-word for 2018 is FOCUS so today I'm going to focus on not letting things that I can't control make me unhappy.  I'm me, I'm unique and I beat to my own drum, so for those people that have said hurtful things and made me feel less than important get ready a change is coming.

Lesson today?  I'm simply going to quote parts of the song for this lesson.
If you got pain, if you feel lost, if you got chains, if you need freedom or saving give it to the chain breaker.  He's a way maker and there's a better life.  If you believe it, if you receive it, someone testify!!!