Saturday 9 Don't Envy Me

Don't Envy Me

Joining with Samantha !

Welcome to Saturday 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme! 

Saturday 9: Don't Envy Me (1963)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) What is it about you that you believe your friends and acquaintances envy?

I know that  my best friends envy me my husband...  He is  so good to me..  and neither of my besties are  married..  

2) Do you have a friend or acquaintance that you envy?

Not really...  I am very satisfied in my life!!  God is  and always has been very good to me!  Even in my  worst of times I know He was with me through it!

3) This song was not a hit, even though it was written and produced by the supersuccessful team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Tell us about a project you had great confidence in at the beginning, but didn't turn out as well as you'd hoped.  This is long  but I hope it will  help someone in similar circumstances.

I have learned  that  whenever I put all of my own strength, energy and  confidence into a task  it never  seems to  go as well as it would if I had  instead relied on God and His Holy Spirit. I used to be  Chairman of the Deacon Helpers in various churches we were members. I was responsible for  socials,  prepping  communion.  things like that.  It was a mighty task  and not being a great recruiter, I often had  the main task just between myself and one or two other faithful women.  But  large church functions can be daunting! It got so that I would knock myself out  trying to  do the best  I could  and  leave and  cry all the way home from pure exhaustion and unhappiness.  Oh,  people would commend us for a great affair,  but I was  poured out and empty.  Then  God taught me    what I could do  on my own with the Holy Spirit at the helm..  because it really wasn't me, it was  He who resides in me  The church needs the talents and the help from all of its members but so few  sign on  because they  believe, I cant do that.. and its true, you can't.   But  He  who  assigns you  can...  and will, if you  obediently say, 'Here I am, send me.. and then give Him the reins .  He will empower, strengthen and lead you!  One of the best  things I have ever learned  in my walk with Him!

As I was checking over this answer I thought, OK, go ahead and describe  how I learned this ... about 6 years ago my mother was  languishing in a nursing home and I wanted to do something  special for her so I  spoke to the hospice musician who came every week  about doing a  sing along for the whole home on a day the  next week.. I talked my friends into coming to join me.. they  said they'd come but not to expect much more than  rallying support.. They  said they weren't musical. So I  bought refreshments and told them to  be  servers  and they did.. When we arrived we had gotten notice  about  5 minutes prior to  the event that the musician   with all of her  song books  wouldn't be able to come after all.  and the residents were already assembled in the day room.  We had no music and the staff could only rustle up about  different kinds of hymnals..   Everyone wanted to  to say sorry  but we cancel,  but I said no  we cant. Look  these dear folks  are  expecting something special and I refuse to let them down.  Of course at the same time I couldn't think  of a single song even though I led  singing at the Assisted Living where Mother  had recently lived.. We got those hymnals flying open and  they would find me a song and I  walked around the room singing  like a traveling troubadour  We started attracting an audience of  staff and other   visitors who lined the walls of the room, but I was caught up in the spirit and didn't even realize it until it was over.. All I could see were dear residents needing a hug, a touch, and I   personal  smile into their face and someone telling them all was alright!  I walked among the tables and loved on each one  I have no idea what I sounded like because in my heart I felt like I was  in deep communion with each person  but I know I did sing because  after about 20 minutes my mouth was so dry and I was so tired I waltzed over to  a friend I knew who was in the choir  to please sing a song while I took a breather and she did and I was able to sing another 20 minutes.  My mother  was pretty much unable to speak at that time,  but  I could tell from her face  she  was  transfixed by the songs and the warmth  and love displayed  that day..  It certainly wasn't  anything I'd call a  spectacular musical,  but it was  a heart felt and moving   time  and  so many people  came up to express their  deep appreciation for what  we had shared..  But it wasn't me..  I could never have done that on my own...  It was all God,  because I  was  obedient and  simply would not let those  dear people down!!!

4) George Hamilton is better known as an actor. He is proud of his performance in the 1960 movie Light in the Piazza. He played an Italian who romances an American girl on holiday in Florence. Did you ever find love while vacationing?

I did..  It was the summer of  my  junior year in HS..  My parents told me I could ask my best friend to  go to Virginia Beach with us..It was our 17th summer.. and I had  recently read that book  and know I was hopeful of  finding a bit of romance on the  vacation.  It was the summer of 1967,       the summer of Light my Fire by the Doors and Day Dream Believer by the Monkees,,,  Belinda and I were  shivering with  expectation that we might have a bit of adventure. Our hotel was on the   board walk  and right across the Peppermint Lounge, She not I had never,  ever  ventured into a club before and  were  very hesitant to  venture in  then,  but nothing ventured.. nothing gained.. besides it was like  6 pm and we thought  still daylight..  what could it hurt..So we went in  mainly, too, because the headlining  band was  the Royal Kings.. a local band form our hometown and the drummer was my music teacher's son, so I thought..  He'd  look out for me!  HA hA..  the band didn't come on until after 9..  and in fact, when we got there  there was no one else there.!  We  sighed a  huge relief and ordered Dr. Peppers.. our drink of choice and  listened to the  canned music playing  when a bout 6:15  folks started filtering in.. and then, there  they were,  a couple of really cute guys came in  and sat  at the table sort of beside us..  We probably  looked goofy even as we tried to look  older than we were and    unphased... (Haha) 

Then they both got up and came over to ask if they could join us.. The one I  really liked best sat by me and   the other sat by Belinda... They were   first year students at the University of Pittsburgh come to Va Beach  for the surfing tourney  that was  coming up in August..  They were staying all summer.  Thus began a "friendship"  that lasted  all that week.. Nothing untoward occurred except a sweet kiss  on the board walk  during this song. 

I will add that  upon my arrival back home I did write him a  nice letter thanking him for the most wonderful week of my life to that time and he was  so  cool.  He Wrote back and told me about this further  adventures  the folks he met, etc,  but said  He really liked me best,  wanted us to continue writing..  I was thrilled out of my gourd,  but  was  starting my senior year or HS  and  was just about to meet my  future husband. 

5) George had a small part in Godfather III. How many of the Godfather movies have you seen? Have you read the book?
Oh my,  I'm sorry, but I detest that movie..   I saw it  in Germany in a horrid   run down army  base theater  with my husband and it was so crowded we had to sit on the front row..  I  kept punching Hubs saying I don't like this..  he  would say  oh  its OK!Oh, and I was the only girl in the theater..    

6) He's gotten a lot of publicity over the years for his personal life, including his 1966 romance with First Daughter Lynda Bird Johnson. At the time, she was living in the White House. Tell us about a memorable experience you had "meeting the parents."

I was the first and only girl my husband ever dated, and I do not think his mother really liked me or anyone  he would bring home... before I was ever formally  invited to his home I  did have to drive over to take  a book to him  and, unfortunately, he wasn't home.  His mother was outside working the  flowers  and  she came over the car  so I wouldn't get out, took the book  and when I told her  why I had it , she said, "That's your tail  I'll sit on mine!"  Thus began a rocky start of our relationship!

7) George is also known for his year-round tan. Have you ever used a tanning bed? Or self tanner?

Absolutely, no!

8) In 1963, when this record was released, President Kennedy made a historic trip to Ireland. Have you ever visited the land of your ancestors?

Yes, we were in Ireland in 2015 and plan a return trip in 2020!!  I hope it all pans out..  

9) Random question -- The last of a batch of delicious chocolate chip cookies just fell on your kitchen floor. Would you eat it?  Well,  yes,  my kitchen floor  is  pretty  fine...    I'd apply the 3 second rule!  hey when I was  3  I'd  wander out to the alley behind our house and mom would  find me  with  broken  pieces of glass in my mouth..  She told me  she'd rake  it out  by the gobs!  Oh, well.