July 2022 – Karen G. Bruce

Rainbows sometimes occur after it rains. Light passes through the water droplets; they refract and expose the seven colors of white light. They don’t appear every time it rains so when you see one, it’s such a wondrous sight. I can definitely say that most everyone gets excited when they see a rainbow. I certainly do and when I see one I always think of God’s promises.

I hope everyone knows that I’m a Christian. God didn’t save me just for me to keep it to myself. My number one job as a Christian is to give everyone the opportunity to have everlasting life. I feel like I’ve failed so many times. I really think that we’re seeing the end of times and soon it will be too late. Kenny Chesney’s sings, “Everybody wanna go to heaven, it beats the other place there ain’t no doubt, Everybody wanna go to heaven But nobody wanna go now.”

The only thing holy about me is my underwear, especially if it’s a favorite pair and I’m not quite ready to get rid of them. I go to church but I know that’s not what gets me into heaven. I go because I love the fellowship of other Christians that love me and pray for me and so that I can hear their needs and pray for them as well. I love to learn more about Jesus than what I can discern from reading the Bible myself. I tithe not because I think that God would be angry if I didn’t but because in my church they use the money for missions and helping others. That’s what Jesus wants us to do above all else besides love God; to love our neighbors. By helping them it shows our love. Don’t get me wrong, I fail miserably at this a lot. I’m stingy with my time and money because I don’t have much of it.

The overturning of Roe Vs. Wade has really bothered me. I’m not about to rejoice in other people’s pain. I hate abortion and the thought of the practice of taking a baby’s life up until birth blows my mind. I wish we had more counseling for mother’s because I know there have been a lot of regrets and what ifs. I don’t want to judge anyone and ask myself, would I adopt that baby or why haven’t I fostered or adopted a child? I haven’t because I’m selfish. Again, I have failed miserably. I do think that abortion has become a political game and some people in office probably don’t care one way or the other.

I don’t have the answers but I do try to live right and be a good person, which is not going to get me into heaven either. The only way is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit tries to guide me. Sometimes I listen and sometimes I don’t (unfortunately). I’m trying to be painfully honest here. I do think that being kind can have a domino effect, as well as being unkind.

I think that people should have a right to protect themselves but I also think owning a gun is a privilege. A person should prove themselves worthy and responsible. I don’t understand why someone can buy an assault rifle, no questions asked. That’s just asking for trouble one way or the other and there’s been a lot of trouble lately. I took a gun class a few years ago but I never purchased a gun. I don’t feel comfortable with a gun and probably couldn’t shoot a person even if my life was threatened. I should have taken a defense class instead and learned how to punch a person’s eyeballs out. If someone grabbed me in the Wal-Mart parking lot (which is what mama is always afraid of) I need to learn what to do.

Jesus, the disciples and the Apostle Paul have given us all a guide to living right in the New Testament, which is basically a lot of common sense. Unfortunately, we fail a lot but that’s okay because we’re human and our basic nature is to sin but God loves us anyway, and he loves us more than we could ever comprehend. If we do wrong, and we’re truly sorry, God will forgive us. I like to say I don’t judge anyone and that’s up to God, but of course sometimes I am a little judgy. I admit it.

I was reading in Romans 13 last night and Paul was saying that we should obey the government and obey the police officers; that there isn’t any government anywhere that God hasn’t placed. I had to wonder about that one but everyone has a purpose and we don’t always see that purpose but God does. Paul also said that policemen do not frighten anyone doing right but those doing evil will always fear them. I’m sure that there are some evil and corrupt police officers but most are just trying to do their job and what a hard job it is; what with people being on drugs and up to a lot of shenanigans. I’m sure it would be helpful if they could read minds and know how that person is going to react but they can’t. I do know that if the citizens respected the authorities as well as the authorities respecting the citizens there would be no problem. Common sense; right? Unfortunately, we don’t all have (as my mama use to say) the sense God gave a goose.

There are a lot of things going on today that the Bible plainly states are wrong. I’m not going to get into all of that. As Jesus said, don’t look at the speck in your brother’s eye, worry about the beam in your own eye. We’re all guilty of something BUT if we ask Jesus into our hearts, and follow his two most important commandments the rest will all come together for good. So, if you don’t know Jesus, ask me, ask someone to help you and don’t wait! I want you to go to heaven with me. I want you to have the same opportunity to have everlasting life. God is so good. I couldn’t imagine not having His love, and guidance and presence in my life. He never fails me and I’m so thankful for his love. I want everyone to have that same relationship. If I didn’t tell y’all about this free gift then that would be the most selfish act of my life. The choice is yours now. If you’re reading this and you haven’t been saved, I hope and pray that you accept this very precious gift that’s available to EVERYONE. God knows you and loves you and wants you no matter what you’ve done. Yesterday is already forgotten.

All you have to do is admit you’re a sinner. We all are sinners and can’t save ourselves. God came to this earth and was born from Mary, a virgin. Jesus lived and then died for you on a cross to pay for your sin and rose from the grave three days later. We are saved through faith! If you want this (it’s your choice because we all have free will) pray to God right now and admit to Him that you are a sinner and believe in Jesus Christ. Now tell me or someone and don’t keep it to yourself!

I was talking to my youngest son, Sam, the other day and I told him I had named one of my new chicks Suzanne Sugarbaker. He didn’t know who I was talking about, so I mentioned the show, Designing Women. He was still clueless. I said, “You know, the one with Annie Potts.” He said, “Who’s that?” I said, “She was the secretary in Ghost Busters.” I know Annie Potts has done a lot of things but that was just the first thing that popped in my head. The show came out in 1986 (he was born in 1989) so I guess he really couldn’t have remembered it and unfortunately, you don’t see it much in the many re-runs like, for example, Roseanne. I did like that show when it came out and I usually always watched it but now when it comes on I immediately turn the channel because I can’t stand to hear the music. I’m not quite sure why I cringe when I hear that intro (harmonica?) but cringe is what I do. There were some shows that I watched that have great music intros, like Newart. That music gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling of nostalgia but the show isn’t as good as I remembered. But I digress.

I really enjoyed watching the show Designing Women. I liked the cast of characters, the southern premise, and the basic humor of everyday drama. Kind of reminds me of working in a school, as I did for years, with so many women and a man thrown in here and there. I watched the speech the other day of Julia Sugarbaker (played by Dixie Carter) talking about her sister Suzanne’s many pageant attributes. Remember how she had that halting speech? “And that…Marjorie…just so you will know…and your children will someday know…is the night…the lights…went out in…Geor….gia.” It still gives me chills.

I loved Bernice (played by Alice Ghostley), the eccentric friend of the Sugarbakers’ mother. You know how southern people say that they don’t hide their crazy; they put them on the porch and show them off? Bernice sort of reminded me of that. Charlene was so sweet and ditzy that when I saw Jean Smart playing another, more serious role, I was really thrown off kilter. What?!

I have always loved Annie Potts in every part she’s ever played, but I loved to see her wild hair as she played Mary Jo. (I’ve always envied naturally curly hair) She had the cutest outfits and she was so funny, talking about her kids and how she entertained them by spraying them with a garden hose in the garage. Delta Burke was so beautiful but plagued by weight issues. I loved it when Suzanne and Anthony (Meshach Taylor) had scenes together. The episode where they were stuck in the hotel room,during a snowstorm, was hilarious. She had him doing everything her maid would have done, like putting rollers in her wig.

I love a good comedy and I love to laugh but I just don’t get a lot of the new shows on television. I don’t know if it’s the writing but I’m just not as engaged and I don’t find it very humorous. Other shows/movies that I have enjoyed that were mostly women were Golden Girls, Mom (although it got a bit too raunchy (for me) sometimes), and Steel Magnolias (some of the accents were a bit over the top). Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t always have to be women. One of my favorite shows of all time is Seinfeld. It’s kind of funny what makes one person laugh and another not so much. Mama doesn’t get Seinfeld and she is not amused by it.

Daddy liked funny movies like Blazing Saddles. He was crazy about westerns whether it was a movie or a television show. We would often watch westerns together and that’s when I fell in love with Clint Eastwood. He was so handsome and tough. He still makes movies and he’s really old but he’s still tough. I guess when you write and direct you can be who you want to be.

When my boys were teenagers, we would often watch Seinfeld together. We still send funny Seinfeld memes to each other. My bestie, Becky, is also a fan of Seinfeld. We find that sort of humor hilarious and often bring it up in everyday conversation. When dark eyebrows became “the thing” awhile back, we remembered Uncle Leo and laughed and laughed. See pic below.

I’m still hoping for a new show to come out that I like. We just got internet at the farm (gasp!) so maybe I’ll have more opportunities to search around. If it becomes political (especially a comedy or comedian), odds are I’ll turn it off. I’m not interested…that’s just me.