TO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED: December 2008

Monday, December 29, 2008

MADE FROM HER LATE FATHER'S TIE

THE SLIDESHOW BELOW IS OF ELIZABETH'S ( MY DAUGHTER ) NEW SEWING MACHINE I GOT HER FOR CHRISTMAS AND HER FIRST PROJECT SHE MADE. SHE USED HER FATHER'S TIE WHICH IS NAVY BLUE AND RED STRIP AS THE STRAP FOR THE PURSE.

SHE MADE THE OUTSIDE OF HER PURSE NAVY SWADE WITH TWO END POCKETS ON THE OUTSIDE AT EACH END OF THE PURSE. SHE LINED THE PURSE WITH RED TO MATCH THE TIE WITH A POCKET ON THE INSIDE.

SHE USED A DECORATIVE BUTTON ON THE LARGE END OF THE TIE THAT SHE USED FOR THE HANDLE AND THE SAME KIND OF DECORATIVE BUTTON FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE PURSE. IT ALSO HAS A SNAP FASTENER.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE HAS EVER SEWN AND THE FIRST TIME TO EVER USE A SEWING MACHINE. I THINK IT'S AWESOME. SHE COMPLETED THE WHOLE THING IN 2 DAYS.

IF YOU DO WANT TO HEAR THIS VIDEO THAT GOES WITH THIS ENTRY JUST GO ALL THE WAY DOWN AND TURN OFF MY MUSIC PLAYER FIRST THAT AUTOMATICALLY COMES ON.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEED UP THE SLIDESHOW YOU MAY DO SO ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDESHOW

THESE ARE THE FIRST LONG STEM ROSES ELIZABETH EVER GOT AND HER DADDY WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE WAS THE MAN TO GIVE THEM TO HER.

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR ALL YOUR KIND WORDS AND COMING OVER AND VISITING ME. IT HAS BEEN VERY VERY HARD THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS. I'VE DONE THE BEST I COULD TO MAKE THE MOST OF EVERYTHING I HAVE TRIED TO DO AND TO ENJOY BEING WITH MY FAMILY. IT'S GOING TO TAKE A VERY LONG TIME TO GET COMPLETLEY HEALED BUT I DO BELIEVE GOD HAS MANY GOOD BLESSINGS FOR ME IN THE NEXT YEAR AND YEARS AHEAD. THANK ALL OF YOU AGAIN.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT OUR NEXT PROJECT WILL BE BUT WE WILL SURELY SHOW YOU WHEN WE DECIDE.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

THE WHEELS OF LIFE KEEP TURNING

FIRST OF ALL I WOULD LOVE TO TELL EACH ONE OF YOU WHO VISITED MY PAGE THANK YOU. ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS HAVE MEANT SO MUCH TO ME.

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I WOKE UP TODAY NOT FORGETTING AS USUAL AS I HAVE FOR THE PAST MONTH EACH MORNING THAT TOMMY HAD DIED BUT WONDERING WHAT IN THE WORLD .........

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AM I GOING TO DO WITH THE REST OF MY LIFE ? I HAD REVOLVED MY WHOLE LIFE AROUND TOMMY. I QUIT MY JOB TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HIM. EVERYTHING FOR ME REVOLVED AROUND HIM AND THE RANCH.

I'M VERY CONFIDENT AND KNOW MYSELF BUT EVEN SO HERE I AM AGAIN BLANK WITH NO DIRECTION............ FEELING LIKE TOM HANKS AT THE END OF THE MOVIE CASTAWAY AS IT ENDED WITH HIM AT THE 4 WAY STOP ASKING THE RED HEAD WHICH WAY WOULD EACH DIRECTION TAKE HIM TO.

I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE GRIEVING PROCESS FOR THE PAST 9 YRS OVER MY HUSBAND AND MY 4 YR OLD GRANDSON. I KNOW THE GRIEVING PROCESS AND I HAVE NO QUESTIONS OR UNCERTAINTY ABOUT ANY OF THAT PROCESS BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT TAKES AND WHAT TO EXPECT TO OVER COME ALL THAT I FACE WITH THIS PROCESS IN THE MOMENTS , DAYS , WEEKS , MONTHS AND EVEN YEARS AHEAD .

I FOUND THIS ON A FRIENDS MYSPACE PAGE AND THOUGHT IT SURE FIT ME.

" NEVER WASTE YOU TIME AND ENERGY WISHING YOU WERE SOMEWHERE ELSE
DOING SOMETHING ELSE. ACCEPT YOUR SITUATION AND REALIZE YOU ARE WHERE
YOU ARE, DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING, FOR A VERY SPECIFIC REASON.
REALIZE THAT NOTHING IS BY CHANCE. THAT YOU HAVE CERTAIN LESSONS TO
LEARN AND THAT THE SITUATION YOU ARE IN HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU TO ENABLE
YOU TO LEARN THOSE LESSONS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT YOU CAN MOVE
ONWARD AND UPWARD ALONG THIS SPIRITUAL PATH. "

IT'S TIME FOR ME TO OPEN MY THRID EYE AND SEE WHAT IS THERE INSIDE OF ME WAITING TO FLOW UP, OUT AND FORWARD.

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spiritual growth Pictures, Images and Photos

TURN ON THE VIDEO AFTER YOU TURN MY MUSIC OFF ON MY PAGE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LISTEN

Sunday, December 14, 2008

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO NAME THIS ENTRY

I HAVEN'T WRITTEN HERE SINCE THE DAY TOMMY TOOK A TURN FOR THE WORSE WHICH WAS NOV. 10TH. THEY WORKED ON HIM ALL NIGHT AND DID EVERYTHING HUMANLY POSSIBLE.

HE DIED WITH US ALL AROUND HIS BEDSIDE AT 8:35 AM. NOV. 11TH

NOT ONCE OR TWICE IN MY LIFE TIME BUT THIS IS THE THRID TRAGEDY OF THIS MAGNATUDE IN MY LIFE.

I HAD BUILT MY WHOLE LIFE AROUND TOMMY AND HE HAD DONE THE SAME FOR ME. I GRIEVED FOR THE LAST 9 YRS. OVER MY HUSBAND BUT WITH THE HELP OF TOMMY MY LIFE ONCE AGAIN HAD MEANING AND MY HEART LOVED ONCE AGAIN. THERE WAS SO MANY HAPPY WONDERFUL TIMES AT THE RANCH AND EVERY MOMENT WE WERE TOGETHER WAS SO HAPPY AND JOYOUS FOR US.

ALL THE TECHNICOLOR HAS GONE OUT OF MY LIFE ONCE AGAIN. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THIS COULD HAPPEN IN MY LIFE AGAIN. I WAS IN THE FAMILY CAR ACCIDENT THAT TOOK MY HUSBAND AND 4 YR OLD GRANDSON. THE GRIEVING AND THE PAIN WAS ENDLESS IT SEEMED. WHEN TOMMY WAS HURT AT THE RANCH ON THE TRACTOR I WAS THE ONE WHO FOUND HIM.

IN OUR YRS TOGETHER TOMMY MADE MY LIFE COME ALIVE AGAIN. WE SPENT SO MANY HRS. AT THE RANCH AND EVERYDAY BEING TOGETHER. HE WAS SO GIVING SO OPEN SO FREE SPIRITED AND MY WHOLE LIFE WAS A HAPPY LIVING FAIRY TALE.

HE WAS DOING SOMETHING AT THE RANCH HE HAD DONE A MILLION TIMES AND IN A MOMENTS TIME HE WAS HURT. HE DID SO GOOD AND WAS GETTING SO MUCH BETTER FOR 6 DAYS IN THE MED TRAUMA CENTER AND THEN JUST LIKE THAT HE WAS GONE.

IT'S BEEN A MONTH NOW. I'VE BEEN IN THIS PAIN BEFORE BUT I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I CAN DO THIS AGAIN. I'M CURSHED AND I FEEL LIKE THE TRACTOR KILLED ME AS WELL AS HIM AND IN SO MANY WAYS IT DID.

THE GATES THAT STOOD OPEN FOR US WITH SUCH JOY STAND CLOSED IN SUCH SADNESS

THIS IS THE OBITUARY IN THE MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL APPEAL PAPER

Long time labor leader and 3 term Tennessee state legislator H. T. “Tommy” Powell, 79, of Memphis, TN, died Tuesday from injuries sustained in an accident at his beloved Te-To-Tam Ranch. He leaves behind his children Tony Powell (Nancy Olson) of Vicksburg, MS; Dr. Tammy Powell Booker (Ray) of Franklin, TN; and Terry Powell (Lee) of Madison, MS; and grandchildren Perry Powell and soon to be born William Powell Booker. The family is thankful for all the support from dear friends and guardian angel Judy McRay.
Tommy was born in Huntersville, TN, near Jackson. He graduated from Jackson’s North Side High School in 1949 where he excelled in athle tics and was a founding member of their first football team. He won a football scholarship to Tennessee Tech University, then volunteered for the US Navy in 1951 where he served during the Korean War. After leaving the Navy, he joined Armour Meat Packing Co. in Memphis where he became a union representative and later President of the Memphis AFL-CIO Labor Council, a position he proudly held for 30 years. Tommy also served as first vice-president of the Tennessee Labor Council and chairman of the Tennessee State Election Commission.
Tommy was active in the Civil Rights movement where his guidance and influence helped change attitudes, raise awareness, and improve workers’ lives. Most memorable of these accomplishments were Tommy’s instrumental roles in the successful resolution of the Memphis Sanitation workers’ strike in 1968 and the Memphis Fire and Police str ike in 1978.
In retirement he turned his considerable passions to his family, ranching, raising horses, land development, University of Memphis football, and enjoying life to its fullest.
Services will be held Friday at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar Chapel at 6:00 pm, with visitation beginning at 5:00 pm (HYPERLINK "http://www. memphisfuneralhome. net"www. memphisfuneralhome. net5599 Poplar Avenue, (901) 725-0100); and Saturday at Ararat Baptist Church, 3608 Brownsville Hwy in Jackson, TN, at noon, with visitation beginning at 11:00 am. Interment will follow in Ararat Baptist Church Cemetery.

THIS IS A PIC I TOOK NOT TO LONG AGO DOWN ON RIVER SIDE DRIVE DOING WHAT WE LIKE THE MOST BEING TOGETHER.

POSTED IN THE JACKSON SUN

WHERE TOMMY WAS FROM AND IS BURIED.

Friends and family members said Huntersville native H. T. "Tommy" Powell will be remembered for loving others and for being a great football player.

Powell, 79, died Tuesday due to injuries he sustained in a tractor accident on his Memphis ranch Nov. 4, according to his daughter, Dr. Tammy Powell Booker, of Franklin.

Booker said her father died after spending a week in the trauma center at the Regional Medical Center in Memphis.

Visitation and funeral services will be held in two locations this weekend. Visitation will be held at 5 p.m. Friday in the Poplar Chapel of Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Ave., in Memphis, and a funeral service will be held at 6 p.m. Friday in the Poplar Chapel.

Another visitation service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Ararat Baptist Church, 3608 Brownsville Highway, in Jackson. A funeral service will be held at noon in Jackson.

Booker said her father was a cheerful man who was larger than life. She said he will be greatly missed by those who knew him.

"He was a loving and devoted family man," said Booker in a telephone interview. "He was extremely generous."

Booker added, "His favorite hobbies were ranching, his horses and football."

Powell grew up in Huntersville and attended North Side High School, Booker said.

"He was a member of the first varsity football team the school ever had," she said.

Hugh Harvey Sr., 76, was also a member of that team, which was formed in 1947, and said he remembers how well Powell played.

"He was a fullback and a real good player," Harvey said. "In 1948, he was the sixth highest scoring football player in Tennessee, scoring 101 points."

Harvey added, "He was full of life and full of fun. I always liked him."

After graduating from North Side in 1949, Powell played for Tennessee Tech on a football scholarship. He joined the United States Navy in 1951.

"He had four years of active duty," Booker said.

The Powells moved to Memphis, where H. T. Powell began working as a union representative for Armor Packing Company.

"That job led to him becoming president of the AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organ8 Bizations) Labor Council in Memphis for 30 years," Booker said.

Booker said her father also served as representative for House Dist. 85, which includes part of Shelby County, for six years.

"He served during 1968 to 1974," Booker said.

Besides Booker and her husband Ray, H. T. Powell is survived by two sons, Tony and wife Nancy Olson Powell, of Vicksburg, Miss., and Terry and wife Lee Powell, of Madison, Miss.; and one granddaughter, Perry Powell.

THESE ARE THE TWO SONGS HE WANTED PLAYED AT HIS SERVICE AND THEY PLAYED A SLIDESHOW OF HIS LIFE TOO. IT WAS A PERFECT SERVICE AND A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO HIS LIFE AND TO ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS HE DID AND THE HUNDRED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND ALL OF THEIR FAMILIES HE HELPED IN HIS LIFE.