25 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT ME

I was tagged by a very creative friend, Vivian Ruth Sawyer - who had written such a beautiful list - 51 random things and all of us who read hers needed to lean back, enjoy it and then begin to think. I did just that. I am wordy.

First - wanted to identify the word 'random' 

"Chosen without method or conscious decision"

25 Random Things about About Me

Terry Fenwick

1) At 76 - having lost (nearly 3 years ago) my wonderful, incredible, brilliant husband (ask anyone who knew him) I am so 'in touch' with my own mortality that my "random" thoughts may seem to be too subjective because I am no longer in the middle of things but on the way out.

2) My name is Glenna Claire. Named after Father, Uncle, Mother and Aunt. Only God, the IRS and my insurance know this but now all of Facebook will know it. Terry has been my nickname since grade school. (I had drawn a picture of Terry and the Pirates - don't ask)

3) I have always been outgoing and loved people. That has been a gift and I know it. I never know a stranger at the market or in a doctor's office - I know them almost before the second foot is in the door. 

4) I had curly hair all of my life - felt very left out in school when all my friends with curlers and bobby pins stood combing out their hair in the morning. That was the only time I can remember that I coveted or envied anyone. Finally after a year or so, I took hold of my envy, had my hair cut in a fluffy short feather cut and let others tell me how lucky I was to have curly hair. They still do that. Strange to remember this? I remember I had to get off it and get on with my life! A great decision. 

5) By GOD'S grace I have always been FREE of alcoholism but my family (both sides) is plagued with alcoholism; there are many suicides all related to this dreadful disease. 

6) We have 7 sons and an 8th son in heaven who died at 2 months - less than four months before my first husband died. (It was a bad year) I am happy to announce we have 7 daughters-in-love. (I never say daughter-in-law.) Our sons all love their women – and are faithful and supportive. They bring their wives coffee every morning in bed! Learned that from their Father! 

7) I found out recently something I am excited about - a Grand Dame (Grandmother) is to bring graciousness to her Grandchildren and NOT give them direction in their lives. She is to send them to the parents GOD gave them for advice - and just “love-on” the grandchildren until she dies, leaving a gracious fragrance. (I did this wrong twice with Adult grandchildren- not young ones but Adult and it hurt our relationship.) 

8) Exactly 6 years ago today (2/2/03) my husband Tom and I went to Mass in the city at the Cathedral - it was his idea - out of the blue - it was the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Immediately after Mass my husband announced to the Priest that we were going to become Catholic. That we did - 5 years ago tomorrow 2/3/04! Best thing we ever did and we did it together. We love being Catholic. We had been very strong Protestant Christians!

9) I really love my husband - everyone loved him who knew him. He left me in a great place spiritually and all things in order. As I go down the stairs every morning I thank God for Tom. The day before he left he wrote me a beautiful love note for Mother's Day and signed it - (to) “my companion and lover, I love you." How sweet it is. It is framed. 

10) I have learned that being married is wonderful and we should not miss any of the love that comes with the package. Both the giving and the taking! Remember you heard that here. 

11) Almost any time I think of it I wonder why either one of my husbands chose me. I felt loved by them. They were great friends, both engineers. God is good!

12) I love GOD and have been a strong believer since July 22, 1971. I always knew there HAD to be a GOD . . . but, this Jesus thing was not an important part of my life until that day. I never knew GOD was Jesus, too. Duh! As my 4-year-old granddaughter, Charlotte Anne, said this year, "THE BABY IS GOD!" I was in a Lutheran Church and voiced it all the time, but did not 'know' it nor ‘believe’ it. Jumped into Bible Study that fall in 1971 in BSF and never had one day of doubt in my life about my faith. 

13) I grew up living in apartment buildings with my parents, summers with my grandparents, or spending time with my Aunt and Uncle who had a room for me and loved me a bunch - and I loved my Aunt so much. They also had a chauffeur and maid . . . Stoney and Elsie. In many ways, my Great Aunt, Stoney and Elsie taught me most of the important things in my young life. I speak southern easily because of Stoney and Elsie - I have been told I pray black. Amen!

14) I was sick all through first grade. I never learned to print until I was an adult. But I could write (perfect Palmer Method) and read when I went back to school but had totally skipped first grade. I spent most of that school year with my Aunt, Stoney and Elsie. "Honey Child, you gotta do your readin'"

15) Seriously, I don't think I was ever a child. I never felt insecure in my life but I was the oldest of three children and always grown up.

16) My Mother almost always couldn't wait until Christmas to show me my gifts. I loved my Mother. We used to grow our finger nails together and were very close. We stretched out on the bed all the time and talked. I learned so much when we did that. 

17) My Mother married a second time and to the nicest man I ever knew (until Tom). They were happy together until they died. He loved her to pieces!

18) After Tom left - I felt the presence of his absence and then I felt the absence of his presence. This is a strange thing - some of you may know this. I live alone. I would come home, come in the house and call out, "Honey, I'm home!" I was almost sure he would speak to me over the banister but he never did. Then soon after I knew Tom was really gone - I had really released him - I was aware I was not alone. It was not spooky or anything bad. It was not a Holy Spirit kind of thing - I know that experience - but I finally realized I had this Angel. It just hit me! He was not new - he had been with me as a child - and that was an amazing thing. I remembered him! He had never gone away. He is here as I type. 

19) I did research on Guardian Angels and,  do you know there are 449 verses using the words Angel or Angels in the Bible.  There are many others about Angels but called by different names.  I became very aware of my Angel and found out his name. It is Ralston. God has given His Angels charge over us to keep us safe in all our ways. We all have an Angel to guard us - thus a Guardian Angel. He always is before God and with you! It is surprising that so many people don't really know this. I see the puzzled looks when I say this. (Yours?) 

20) I am crazy about Ralston and you know he can't talk to me, right? I have told him please don't talk to me, Ralston, or you will freak me out. But I know he's here and he's big - I have never seen him as an Angel. He does "think" to me. (He thinks I use too many words.)

21) I am writing a book called Aware of Angels and another one called, Ask Me the Wrong Question and I'll Give You the Right Answer - a book on apologetics. Hope to finish before they come for me.

22) I am really not a Pollyanna. I am thinking - randomly thinking - I have had a wonderful life. A father who drank, yes, a father who did not take responsibility for his family, yes, a brother who drank and shot himself, and other sad things - loss of a son and a husband - and then a second husband - although he does not seem far away - but you know GOD's grace is not just sufficient - it is MORE than sufficient. I am sure if we studied the Greek we would see they made a mistake there. Someone left out the "MORE than" sufficient. 

23) My life has been filled with wonderful people - people who are full of love, like toothpaste tubes - love oozing out - encouraging people - and people who have been around me just when I needed people. I AM SO GLAD I DIDN'T MISS MY LIFE! I am grateful for so much.

24) I guess I am most grateful that we raised our children to be who they are. We have 7 sons and none of them are alike. What are the odds? The best thing Tom and I did was to allow them to be who they are. Are they perfect? Well, they are well on the way to being perfect - in their own time - but to me they are perfect today. I watch and see their values now and think, "If we had pushed them to be what we thought they should be - or, as often happens, what we weren't . . . if we had pushed them to be . . . if we had pushed them . . . if we had pushed . . . I could not say this 25th random thought which is . . .

25) I am so very grateful. 

(I know this rambling 25 random things about me seems long but I did it earlier and managed to cut 1,000 words.) Ralston was right. 

A Random Rambling PS I love a really good pizza, pasta with butter and parmesan, garlic, marinara sauce, a great salad with blue cheese, good bread - sour dough, green peas, sliced tomatoes, lemon pie, pecan once a year, good coffee and good toast - raspberry jam and I say that like the English do - rassssspberry, I love good music - but like silence more than music all the time - Pinot Grigio, popcorn, love romantic movies and almost anything English and drink Smart Water 80 oz a day. (It has electrolytes)

I love white walls - need one dark room but I love white walls - bone - and love the good contemporary furniture all over - from 1927 - 60 - the great chairs - all of our chairs have men's names - and I am not a car guy. I drive a white VW bug convertible - only like white cars - and I love VW because I think it is the best looking car on the road. It is the only car I have owned since 1965. Everything on the lower level is black and white - except one bedroom. Everything upstairs is white or blue. Nothing ever is moved.

You are now supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to send your note to.  You should send a copy of yours back to me because,  If I chose you, it's because I want to know more about you.

We did this originally on Facebook - but you can do it for any group.  The good thing?  You will find you have had a wonderful life and, doing this?  Well, it just helps you remember.  Enjoy - Terry Fenwick