There Goes Connie

Caring Enough to Confront

04/14/2017 By: CCPearson4 Comments

She thought I had laughed at her mistake and was geared up to change her whole opinion of me and start resenting me. How grateful I am that she cared enough to call me on it.

Last Monday as I was leaving my weekly Bible study, a sweet friend stopped me on the sidewalk and said, “You WERE laughing WITH me and not AT me, weren’t you?” My puzzled look and awkward laugh must have led her to say more. “This morning as I was sharing about my friend,” she went on, “I unintentionally mispronounced her name. When I did that, I looked up and you were laughing. It seemed to me that you were laughing at my mistake.”

Wow. What a sobering reminder of how quickly our actions can be misconstrued and cause damaged relationships!!

In fact, before our Bible study got fully underway that morning, the room was abuzz with women chattering. Are Baptist women the only ones who chatter? Ha! I was sitting near the back of the room beside my friend Dianne. We share several common traits — about the same age, both retired with retired husbands, both love travel, both are grandmothers, both have sons in the ministry, etc. etc. So, we were spending a few minutes getting caught up and laughing at our almost-constant Family Circus-type moments. In my peripheral vision, I noticed that a conversation was going on in the front of the room, but I confess that I wasn’t paying attention and had no idea what that conversation was about. You guessed it. My offended friend was in the front of the room involved in that “peripheral” conversation.

I sincerely hope my offended friend accepted my explanation and believed me. She has always been very dear to me and has consistently said and written such encouraging words to me when we’ve passed in church or in response to Facebook posts, etc. It would break my heart to know that she might harbor anger or ill feelings toward me, especially because of something as innocent as a laugh completely out of context.

I’ve thought a lot about the encounter this week.

How many times have I mistaken a frown, a non-answer, a time of feeling ignored or even a laugh as being aimed in my direction maliciously or with hurtful motives? When have I jumped to the wrong conclusions and not had the courage to dig deeper to find out what REALLY happened and why?

Have any of you experienced a broken relationship over an innocent word/gesture that was misinterpreted?

Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.”

Ephesians 4:2-3 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.“

Luke 6:31 “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Colossians 3:12-14 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Niki’s West in Birmingham: Serving Many People Quickly and Abundantly

04/10/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

Driving I-65 through the Heart of Dixie, you can take Exit 262 B to Finley Avenue and be in the parking lot for Niki’s West in 2 minutes. Steve and I decided to pop in for lunch last week, and we drove into a crowded parking lot at 11:30 a.m. People were getting out of their cars and hurrying in, obviously anticipating a good meal on their lunch hour. Many of the patrons appeared to be coming from work, but there were plenty of others with more time to spare. We observed a group of 12, apparently from the same office, who came in and were seated and served very quickly.

The entrance canopy for Niki’s West on Finley Ave. West.

We were directed to one of three large dining rooms, and the atmosphere was loud and busy. The seating capacity is 425, and I can easily imagine that number turning over at least twice during busy weekdays. It would be beyond crazy on Sundays, but Niki’s wisely closes on that day. Niki’s West is open Monday through Saturday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Three meals a day, six days a week for hundreds of diners. What a commitment!! I will definitely be tempted to return for breakfast in the future.

One of three large dining rooms.

At Niki’s, it’s called a steam table, rather than a buffet. Plates are served. You don’t serve yourself. The most popular is a “meat and 3” option. It is a BIG meal, AND it comes with giant yeast rolls!! The price is $12.77 and that includes the tax but not a beverage. Each day features different meats and vegetables, but always there is a large selection. From all I observed, the steam table is the most popular way to go for lunch.

Lunch patrons move quickly down the steam table.

Efficient servers plating the requests for meat and vegetables.

We chose to order from the menu, because we were particularly interested in seafood. The seafood platter was $27.95, and we ordered it broiled rather than fried or Greek style (which is broiled with olive oil and Greek seasoning). There was a $2.25 charge for sharing a plate. It came with 2 sides, and once again, we decided to go the healthy route and had boiled okra with tomatoes and yellow squash. In my less healthy days, I would definitely have chosen fried okra and squash casserole. Oh well. Greek style chicken and steaks are also on the menu.

Seafood platter — crab claws, oysters, shrimp, stuffed crab, snapper and scallops.

Boiled okra, onions and tomatoes.

Generous portion of boiled squash.

Although ordering from the menu was relatively fast, the ability to serve a LOT of people a LARGE variety of items QUICKLY seems to be the main attraction. The service was attentive, helpful and friendly. The taste wasn’t gourmet by any means, but it was fine. The yeast rolls were outstanding, and according to our server, “the cinnamon rolls come out at 4:00 in the afternoon.” Oh my. I can only imagine the smell and taste of those!!

Giant, fluffy yeast rolls.

Niki’s West has been serving hungry eaters in the Birmingham area since 1957. I predict many more years of popularity and success.

FRET NOT!!!

04/07/2017 By: CCPearson1 Comment

As I write today’s post, many in North Alabama are fretting about the weather. Storms are brewing. A tornado watch has been posted. Schools are closed. The Governor has declared a state of emergency. I am all for being weather aware and prepared to seek shelter if the situation warrants it. I know where my Silver Fox and I will go if the weather alert app on my phone tells us to go to our safe place. And, furthermore, I am praying for protection for our children, grandchildren and loved ones within the threat areas. But, I am making a conscious effort to trust God and FRET NOT!!

In addition to weather predictions, many people in the United States and even the world have been fretting mightily over political issues in recent months. I refuse to jump into the fray. I see unfortunate words and regrettable actions swirling from both major parties in Congress. I have cringed during the evening news and tried changing channels, only to find more despicable rhetoric with an opposite spin. I confess to having my own opinions on many of the issues, and I will continue to make my statements by voting in every election. But, from now on, I will try extremely hard to FRET NOT. And, then yesterday the U.S. attacked Syria. Oh my. Fret not . . . fret not . . . .

What IS fretting anyway? According to Dictionary.com, to fret is 1) “to feel or express worry, annoyance, discontent” 2) “to cause corrosion or to gnaw into something” 3) “to become eaten, worn or corroded” and 4) “to move in agitation or commotion.” God tells us to refrain from fretting, DO NOT FRET.

I must credit long-time friend and God-anointed evangelist Junior Hill from Hartselle for putting this admonition in my heart. Recently, our First Baptist Athens choir was asked to sing at Greenbriar Baptist in Madison County, and Brother Junior (as he has been called for many years) was the preacher. His text was Psalm 37:1-4, and I have been pondering it ever since that night. Here is the passage in the English Standard Version:

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!
²For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.

³Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
⁴Delight yourself in the Lord,
and He will give you the desires of your heart.

According to God’s Word in verse 2, what will happen to the evildoers and wrongdoers we might be fretting about? Soon, they will “fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.” And, while we’re waiting for that fading and withering to take place, what are the positive imperatives in verses 3 and 4? Trust in the Lord, do good, dwell in the land, befriend faithfulness and delight yourself in the Lord. It seems to me that if we’re carrying out those positive marching orders, we will have much less time to fret.

Brother Junior told us that there are 3 negative effects when Christians fret. First, our own inner spirit is agitated and disturbed. The joy we find in ministry is diminished, and our worship becomes distracted and self-focused, rather than God-focused. Second, our fretting effects our fellow brothers and sisters within the Body of Christ. Like a bad apple in a basket, it subtly causes corrosion within the church. Instead of having an influence for good, we are causing fellow believers to find the bad, when maybe they had not wanted or needed to see it in the past. And third, when a Christian frets, it is confusing to unbelievers and those outside the church. After all, aren’t we the ones who possess “peace that passes all understanding?” (Philippians 4:7) Haven’t we been clearly directed to “be anxious for nothing?” (Philippians 4:6) Do we truly believe that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble?” (Psalm 46:1) Does the unbelieving world watch as we “cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us?” (1 Peter 5:7)

I don’t want my inner spirit to be troubled. I don’t want to stir up negativity among my fellow believers, but most of all, I WANT unbelievers to watch as I claim the promises in God’s Word and put my faith into action. I want them to desire the peace, the lack of anxiety and the total trust in God that followers of Christ have within their possession. Who’s with me?

A few verses further down in Psalm 37:

7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!

⁸Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

2 Discoveries in Franklin, TN – Sopapilla’s and The Herban Market

04/03/2017 By: CCPearson2 Comments

Franklin, Tennessee is a town where there are an endless number of places to eat and shop. And, with the projected growth in the area for the next 10 years, that fact is bound to continue and thrive. I want to tell you about 2 of my recent finds — places to which I’d definitely want to return.

Attractive exterior

The first is Sopapilla’s, a wonderful New Mexican restaurant at 1109 Davenport Boulevard. Notice that I DIDN’T say a new Mexican restaurant. I purposely capitalized New because the cuisine is that of the State of New Mexico, rather than typical Mexican. Owner Steve Dale, from both Phoenix and Albuquerque, came to Nashville to pursue a career in music and found much success in that area. What he DIDN’T find was food with the flavors he loved from “back home.” He enjoyed cooking for his friends after concerts and gained quite a reputation there, as well. After awhile, he chose to pursue his passion for great food, and Sopapilla’s was born.

Chips and salsa — fresh, fresh, fresh.

One of the not-so-secret ingredients in the dishes of Sopapilla’s are the chiles shipped from Hatch, New Mexico. The flavor is unique to other chiles, and the town is known far and wide for its peppers. Learn more by checking out this website.

Three of our grandchildren and their parents gave Sopapilla’s a big thumbs up when we celebrated a family birthday there recently. All of the dishes we had were wonderful, but Steve and I especially enjoyed the Guacamole with Grilled Pineapple and Sweet Glazed Shrimp. It was over-the-top good.

Children’s menu

Sopapilla’s is grandkid-approved.

Guacamole with grilled pineapple and shrimp.

And, when our meal ended with the signature sopapillas, we were drooling, oohing and ahh-ing. All of that deliciousness AND honey? Oh my!

Soft, fluffy sopapillas with honey.

Before you leave the area, be sure to walk around to The Herban Market at 3078 Maddux Way, just a few stores down from Sopapilla’s. As the name implies, there are plenty of herbs and spices, but SO much more. You’ll find organic produce, an olive oil and balsamic tasting bar, local meat and dairy products plus fish shipped from Alaska, and even an organic juice bar. The Herban Market also encourages local artists with a wall dedicated to displays of their works. During our visit, good friend Kay Dekalb Smith had several paintings on that wall. I guarantee you’ll be tempted to take some products home and cook up something special.

Wall for local artists near the Juice Bar.

Goats milk soap.

Herbs in bulk.

“This is Us” — Steve and Connie Pearson-style

03/31/2017 By: CCPearson5 Comments

“This is Us” is a new, wildly-popular television series featuring the Pearson family — parents Jack and Rebecca along with their three children, Kevin, Kate and Randall. Kevin and Kate are the two surviving members of a set of triplets born to Jack and Rebecca. The third child died during childbirth, but that very same day an African American baby was left at the fire station and brought to the same hospital where Rebecca had just given birth. Jack and Rebecca felt that they were supposed to have three children, so they adopted and brought home the black baby along with the other two. The series goes back and forth between the stories of the children growing up and the children as the adults they have become. An overarching theme is the profound influence parents have on their children through their words and actions, both intentional and unintentional.

We, along with millions of viewers, have watched the first two seasons of “This is Us” with keen interest. The writing is incredible. The actors are well-chosen. And the story lines are gripping and believable. For us, it is also compelling that this is another family of 5 named “THE PEARSONS.” How random is that??

With that idea in mind, coupled with the fact that Steve and I celebrated our 46th wedding anniversary last week, I thought it might be interesting to share just a bit about what a Steve and Connie style of marriage looks like from the inside.

Six years ago, on the occasion of our 40th anniversary, I attempted to share our love story in this post on a past blog. Feel free to stop and read it before continuing, especially if you’d like to see some wedding photos from 1971.

Anniversary dinner for our 46th.

I have REALLY been reminded recently of how vital it is for the two of us to find ways to laugh, love and enjoy every day we are given to be together. So many of our friends’ marriages have been cut short because of cancer, heart attacks, accidents or divorce. We are not guaranteed another moment. I have teased the children about what Momma does and does NOT want when it comes to a 50th anniversary celebration, but, in truth, we have no way of knowing whether we’ll be given the privilege of reaching that milestone. But, for now, what factors have contributed to the longevity and utter satisfaction of our marriage? What are the characteristics of “This is Us — Steve and Connie Pearson-style?” I thought of 4 words and being the piano teacher I am, they just happen to spell F-A-C-E, just like the space notes of the treble clef. And, by the way, these are not necessarily in order of importance.

F = FAITH. That’s been our core from the beginning. Our deep and abiding faith in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It has helped tremendously that we were both brought up in the same Southern Baptist denomination with our shared belief in the inerrancy of the Bible. Prayer and the wisdom found in God’s Word have given us our marching orders and the answers we needed for running a business, following our careers, parenting our children and relating to friends and other family members.

A = ADVENTURE. No one can accuse us of being boring. We took the kids camping a lot when they were young, then later we made trips with them to Sanibel Island, FL, Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, and (they would add) Helen, GA. Ha! Just to name a few places. We wanted them to know there was a great big world out there. Then, Steve and I started going on mission trips and visited Brazil, Guatemala, South Korea, Kenya, and Venezuela before selling everything and moving to Ecuador for 4 years. Now, in my role as a travel writer, we are continuing to travel the country learning about every region’s nuances and specialties. Trips to Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina, Alaska and Ecuador are already on the calendar for 2017. As long as our health holds out, we hope to keep seeing the world for another 10 years. Woohoo!

C = COMMITMENT. We have had opportunities to flesh out our commitment to each other in recent months. Steve has stood right beside me as I helped with the care of my dad in his final months, and he took meticulous care of me during a recent surgery. I hope I’ve shown him the same level of commitment as he has had success with his writing, taken on roles in our church and in our neighborhood and gone back to work part-time. We try so hard to provide stability and balance for each other.

E = EXCLUSIVITY. COMMITMENT AND EXCLUSIVITY really go hand in hand. When we said “I Do” shortly after 8 p.m. on March 20, 1971, we fully committed our hearts to each other. There has been NO ROOM and no place for any flirting or other romantic relationship in our marriage. I’m talking here about other women for Steve or men for me. With God’s help, there has been an impenetrable fort around our marriage giving no chance for temptation and infidelity to enter. Candidly, let me add that I think one factor in particular contributes to our impenetrable fort. We absolutely prefer each other’s company to that of anyone else. We laugh a lot. We hug a lot. And when we’ve been apart for a few hours, we can’t wait to share what happened when we’re back together. Steve Pearson is God’s tremendous gift to me, and I love the “US” that we are.

Here are a few of my favorite verses on marriage in the Bible:

Proverbs 5:18-19 (Contemporary English Version) — “Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She is beautiful and graceful, just like a deer; you should be attracted to her and stay deeply in love.”

Proverbs 18:22 “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” I believe this is equally true for finding a husband.

Ephesians 5:22-33 “22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”

Terranova’s in Huntsville — Great Food, Fun Celebrations

03/27/2017 By: CCPearson1 Comment

Steve and I love eating at Terranova’s on Paramount Dr, right off of Highway 72, just before you get to the Providence intersection going into Huntsville. The food is as close to what we had during our trip to Italy a few years ago as we’ve found since we got home. The ingredients are fresh. The bread and olive oil/herbs for dipping are to-die-for. And, everywhere you look there’s something interesting to see. We’ve always experienced efficient service, and the prices are very reasonable.

Terranova’s exterior on a bright, sunny day.

We have been “for no reason in particular,” as well as for birthdays and anniversaries. I even treated my daughters and several granddaughters to lunch at Terranova’s several months ago before we headed to the Von Braun Center for a live performance of “Beauty and the Beast.” As you can see, Maggie LOVED her spaghetti. Maybe we will practice her fork-twirling skills in the future, but she certainly found a way to get that great food to her mouth.

Two daughters and 4 (out of 7) granddaughters having a fun lunch.

Maggie enjoying her spaghetti.

Dan Oliver is the proud owner of Terranova’s. It is obvious that he spent plenty of time devising the menu, and he continues to seek out interesting decor items for his diners to enjoy. At first, he bartered with buyers in Italy for key pieces. Now, he scours antique stores looking for just the right touches to complete the atmosphere he wants to achieve. And, he does all of this while making a priority of spending quality time with his wife and children. We think he’s doing a fine job.

One of the main dining rooms.

Interesting display right at the entrance.

This statue stands guard over the dining rooms.

My favorite menu item is eggplant parmesan, but I’ve also tried a summertime version of fried green tomato parmesan that was AMAZING. I’ve recently learned that Oliver’s father grows the eggplants and the tomatoes in his home garden. No wonder they’re so good!!

Eggplant parmesan, a personal fave.

I’ve indulged in dessert only a couple of times. The chocolate cannoli is very Italian, but my favorite has to be Mt. Vesuvius — a chocolate spectacular large enough to be shared with several friends.

Chocolate cannoli

Mt. Vesuvius!!

If you enjoy Italian cuisine, I believe you will really enjoy Terranova’s. For more photos and information, check out this article I wrote for MilesGeek.com.

“THIS IS US” . . . . as Newlyweds (Guest Post from Steve)

03/24/2017 By: CCPearson11 Comments

Steve has written my post this Friday in the form of a reminiscence of our earliest days as newlyweds and in starting Pearson Animal Hospital. In it, you will catch a glimpse of his personality and the reason why he’s my very favorite person on earth. We celebrated our 46th anniversary a few days ago. I think I’ll keep him.

This is us…newlyweds

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Connie and I got married just days before the beginning of my senior year in vet school. She’d been at Samford University for 3 years, but she finished her degree in piano performance at Auburn in December 1971. She knew nothing about veterinary medicine, and I knew less than that about music. That was about to change for both of us, of course. It meant I’d get my first exposure to classical music, and she’d get her first experiences of eating dinner with a man who reeked of barnyard odors.

“I think I’d like to open a practice in either Hartselle, Alabama or somewhere in Australia.”

Yes, I was serious when those words came out of my mouth. But, that was way out of character for me. I’ve always required a lot of prodding to get out of my comfort zone. No doubt, those were words from a lovesick boy trying to impress his new wife. Together we made the right decision and decided to see how things went in Hartselle first.

On April 2, 1973, we opened for business on Main Street in Hartselle, AL. I’d used a stencil to paint PEARSON ANIMAL HOSPITAL in white letters on a dark red four-foot long plywood “sign”. It hung over the door to our 3-room rented office space. It was one of four identical spaces in a row, which included a real estate office and insurance agency.

Connie, my musician wife, became our first receptionist and vet assistant. She may not have known a lot about veterinary medicine, but she sure knew how to treat people well and build lasting relationships. Even though her tenure at Pearson Animal Hospital was short, her demeanor helped us develop a nucleus of loyal clients. Many of them are still friends today.

Later the same day I was pacing the floor as I waited for Connie to return from her doctor appointment. Brown coveralls were zipped up so that only the knot of my necktie was showing. Black rubber boots made their distinct sounds with each anxious step. A farm client called while she was gone, and I didn’t want to keep him waiting. It seemed risky to close the office and leave the phone unattended, and I knew she should return at any moment. Why did she have to go see a doctor on our very first day of business anyway? Balancing work and life is never easy for a practicing veterinarian.

When she finally came through the door, I knew the farm call would have to wait a little longer. Something was different. Her face showed a combination of concern and joy like I’d never seen before. Why she had to tell me, I’ll never know. It should have been so obvious. I was about to begin learning how to make my family a priority over my profession. At least I did stop pacing long enough to hear her say, “We’re having a baby!”

Immediately hugging and dancing and laughing erupted in that little room right on Main Street in Hartselle, Alabama. If we could have known anything about the little one who’d arrive on November 1, 1973, our hearts could not have contained the joy.

Lucia’s Cocina Mexicana: On the Square in Athens, AL

03/20/2017 By: CCPearson2 Comments

There’s a new dining choice on the square in Athens. Lucia’s Cocina Mexicana has a sleek, colorful, tasteful decor both from the inside and the outside. You will immediately notice the pops of red and black scattered throughout the vintage building. The vibe is fresh and friendly, and a recent lunch with friends was fun and delicious.

The building at 208 W. Market Street is between Jefferson and Marion Streets. The owners are members of the Martinez family who already own seven very successful Casa Blanca restaurants scattered around North Alabama. They decided to name this one Lucia’s in honor of their mother, Maria Lucia Aguilar Lopez. She has raised 11 children and is a cancer survivor. A tribute to her was written on the menu by her sons who say “she always taught us to work hard, believe in our dreams and to take care of each other.” Her nurturing ways were obviously heeded, as evidenced by the enterprises of her children. Another Lucia’s is now open on Beltline Road in Decatur.

Check out these entrees served to my friends just a few days ago. I particularly liked how the refried beans were served in a toasted flour tortilla. Nice touch! Here you will see a chimichanga (Monday’s daily special), taco salad, fish tacos, and a chicken soft taco, among other dishes. Naturally, meals begin with crunchy chips and spicy salsa. I haven’t sampled them yet, but I understand the desserts are mouthwatering and big enough to share. Maybe next time.

I predict continued success for this dedicated family.

Our Tiny Surprise Turns 40. . . . and Continues to Surprise Us

03/17/2017 By: CCPearson14 Comments

From the night of his birth until this very day, our middle child and only son, Matt, has continually surprised us.

1. Matt was due to arrive on May 19, 1977, but decided instead to burst into the world at 12:13 a.m. on March 22. In the first few moments, everything appeared to be okay. He was small (4 lbs. 13 oz.) but healthy. However, within a few hours, the doctors realized that he had aspirated during birth, so he had to fight pneumonia in addition to his prematurity. I have thought so many times that we didn’t know he’d survive for 40 days, much less 40 years. But God had a plan.

Tiny Baby Matt.

2. Matt seemed to be sick constantly in his first two years. We were ALWAYS seeing his pediatrician, Dr. Walker, and he must have consumed gallons of “the pink stuff” (a.k.a. amoxicillin) to cure his ear infections. However, after his SECOND set of eartubes (inserted on his 2nd birthday), he suddenly got better, and he’s never looked back. He’s now 6′ 4″ tall and weighs 200 pounds. God had a plan.

Matt, age 16 months.

3. As a toddler, Matt roamed the house with both his thumb AND his blanket in his mouth and said repeatedly, “I love you. Do you love me?” Who would have thought this insecure little bundle would become such an influencer?? I was a teacher at Hartselle Junior High School during the years Matt was in Junior High. I loved hearing “Hi, Mom” as we passed in the halls. The surprise came when I would walk from the chorus classroom to the office every morning and be greeted by a dozen of his friends also saying, “Hi, Mom!” Then, in the summertime when our family would go into housing projects to conduct Backyard Bible Clubs, Matt was the one we counted on to draw a crowd. He would start shooting hoops, and within minutes, there was a court full of players who then stayed for our Bible stories and refreshments. He was a pied piper. God made him that way.

I can’t quite count all the candles. 18 or 19, maybe?

4. Matt’s sisters, Laura and Julie, — while rolling their eyes and calling him “The Golden Boy” — clearly adore him. He can have them laughing within seconds with only a quick text or phone call. He can say one word or phrase and a whole family memory is recalled. Julie’s daughter Maggie recently remarked that she’d never seen Matt say anything that didn’t make people laugh. I agreed but then told her that there were certainly times when her Uncle Matt was dead serious, and that’s when he’s preaching the Word. She seemed to like that and thought it would be nice to hear him sometime. And while I’m talking about Matt’s preaching, I have to say this. I am 66 years old. I’ve been in church all of my life. I’ve heard thousands of sermons and participated in dozens of Bible studies. Yet, Matt never fails to teach me something new when I hear him preach. Yes, I know I sound like a prejudiced Momma, but it’s true. Matt LOVES God’s Word, and he mines it for nuggets of truth every week. His stated goal is to help those who grew up in church really know the God of the Bible.

Matt with Laura and Julie, circa 1981.

1st day of school, mid-1980’s, with Laura and Julie

5. Both sisters scored high enough to be in gifted classes through school, while Matt missed the cut-off by a couple of points. It took some tall convincing that he was “plenty smart” when they were going on cool field trips and dissecting sharks in the 2nd grade. Both girls have bachelor’s and master’s degrees, but Matt showed us all when he went a giant leap further and got his Ph. D. Let me quickly add a huge shout-out here to his wife Katie who was with him all along that particular journey. Thank you, Katie.

6. Matt did NOT enjoy reading when he was in grade school — he was much too social and energetic to be still long enough. He even bragged that he finished high school having read only two books from start to finish: The Moose Goes to School and Bo Knows Bo. But, when God called him to preach, he also turned him into a prolific reader. An undeniable transformation. He CONSUMES books now and absolutely LOVES reading. God’s power, no doubt, is at work because not only does Matt benefit from the reading, now a whole congregation benefits as well.

7. Matt dated some precious girls during his teenage and college years. But, God had the perfect one picked out for him. Matt’s cousin Jenny was also at Auburn when he was and had a sorority sister she thought would be a great match. Jenny arranged a meeting between Matt and Katie Bellows, and “the rest is history.” December 18, 1999, their wedding day, was a blessed occasion for our whole family. Katie is a wonderful mother to their children and an exemplary pastor’s wife. Katie is SUCH an evidence of God’s plan at work.

December 18, 1999 — oh, happy day!

Matt and beautiful Katie.

8. People may not know that besides being an avid Auburn fan, during basketball season, Matt is a big Duke fan. It all stemmed from a summer basketball camp at David Lipscomb University in Nashville when Matt was between 6th and 7th grades. Christian Laettner and some other Duke players came to the camp as guest coaches that summer, and Matt was hooked. Ever since, he has loved the fact that his birthday coincides with March Madness — which almost inevitably includes plenty of Duke match-ups. He recently shared that his dream birthday scenario would be to have a great day at work, come home, order a pizza and watch basketball. Is it “Christian” for a preacher to pull for the Blue Devils?? My guess is that it ONLY applies to basketball games.

The remarkable resemblance between Matt’s son Luke and Matt when he was Luke’s age.

Matt and his dad posing by Junior High School Matt.

I could go on forever about my boy. Mothers and Sons do have special bonds, don’t they? But, let me leave you with a few pics from last night’s surprise party given by his church — The Church at West Franklin in Franklin, TN. They did such a thoughtful job of planning and implementing this great party. Even in the middle of Vandy and Vol country, they had Auburn colors and even Auburn music playing. The folks shared lots of laughs, hugs and great food. I’m so glad Steve and I got to be a part of it.

Some of the great party decorations.

More thoughtful decorations. War Eagle!

Cupcakes adorned with Matt heads.

Matt’s daughter Birti happily serving drinks at the orange and blue table.

This great family — actually Alabama fans — went all out to dress for the occasion.

Matt accepting a gift from the church.

Matt, Birti and Grandmomma in another selfie.

A selfie with Grandmomma, Luke and Seth.

Matt thanking the people for the great party.

I suspect that Matt will continue to surprise us in the remaining years of our lives. I am so very grateful to God for allowing me to be his Mom and to have a front row seat to watch in awe as God uses him to advance His kingdom.

3 John 1:4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

Breakfast at Mia’s, Lunch at Fulin’s and other places with Children’s Menus

03/13/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

Last week, Steve and I enjoyed the company of three granddaughters for 8 full days. WE LEARNED A LOT!!! On Thursday, Steve was working at a vet clinic all day, so the girls and I had a chance to eat out and shop at a leisurely pace.

We started with breakfast at Mia’s Cafe in Madison. Mia’s is open Monday – Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. We arrived about 9:00 a.m., and the dining room still had plenty of diners enjoying breakfast with friends. I was very pleased to see a Kids Menu which included a large pancake and bacon or sausage for only $2.50. The girls were delighted when their meals arrived and the pancakes had Mickey Mouse ears!!! I ordered a couple of a la carte items, and we left spending less than $20.00, including their chocolate milks. Score!!!

Interior of Mia’s.

Mia’s has lunch and dinner specials (a meat, 3 vegetables, cornbread or roll) for $9.99. There are 4 meats to choose from and at least 10 vegetables. The restaurant is clean, and the service is very friendly. I think you’d enjoy giving it a try.

Bethany ate the WHOLE thing!

We had very few items on our must-find list, so we merely strolled the aisles of Toys-R-Us, imagining what they would buy if they had all the money in the world. Bless them. I got some good ideas for future birthdays, and they helped me select several additions for the toy closet in our house to be shared by ALL the grands.

Next, we headed to Barnes and Noble Bookseller at Bridgestreet in Huntsville. I seriously believe they could have stayed for hours. We found our way to the children’s section, they made themselves comfortable on the carpeted floor and started looking and reading. How nice that this area also provides chairs for weary parents and grandparents.

Our next stop was to a large Target store with the specific goal of buying a gift for an upcoming baby shower. Once again, their opinions were invaluable. I was so impressed that the girls weren’t begging and whining the whole time. They truly appeared to enjoy looking at the merchandise on the shelves at an unhurried pace without thinking that everything they saw had to be purchased and taken home RIGHT THEN.

By the time we left Target, we were hungry again, so we made our way to Fulin’s Asian Cuisine in Madison — in the same parking lot as Target. They had their hearts set on fried rice. Once we sat down, though, and looked at the Children’s Menu, they spotted Sweet and Sour Chicken and decided to give that a try. Again, the Children’s Menu was affordable — all items were only $5.00. The 3 girls shared 2 plates of the chicken (which has now become one of their new favorites — could it be that sweet, red sauce?), and we all shared a very generous serving of chicken fried rice. So, once again, we didn’t have to spend an exorbitant amount, and all of us were comfortably full. Thanks, Fulin’s.

From an adult perspective, Fulin’s has an extensive selection of Chinese and Japanese dishes with many varieties of sushi, sashimi, soups and noodles. There is another location of Fulin’s in Decatur at the Target Shopping Center on Point Mallard Parkway.

Hot and Sour Soup at Fulin’s — nice and spicy.

Children’s plates for only $5.00.

Remember that the portion of chicken fried rice is very generous.

2 fortune cookies in one page HAS to be lucky. Right?

2 fortune cookies in one package HAS to be lucky. Right?

Just as another FYI — the next night before we saw “Cinderella” at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, we ate a quick supper at Blue Plate Cafe on Governor’s Drive. They, too, have a Children’s Menu with some great options for under $5.00. As a grandmother of 12-almost-13 grandchildren, I am very grateful to restaurants who offer discounted and smaller meals.

Have you found some good suggestions for restaurants (other than fast food places) where you can feed several children reasonably and happily? I’d love to hear about them. Please share.

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