Life in the Slow Lane

Contemplating life, faith, words, and memories

Category: A Day in the Life

Did Jesus Really Die? | A Day in the Life (Episode #8) — April 2, 2018

Did Jesus Really Die? | A Day in the Life (Episode #8)

/Sherrey Meyer

Children have a way of catching you off-guard, don’t they? Specifically, they have a way of asking the wrong question at the wrong time, literally.

The following incident happened several Easters ago. Yet, each Easter since it’s a memory I still recall with a combination of joy and trembling.

One of our choir members had brought his four-year old granddaughter with him to the early service (8:00 a.m. *yawn*). Her grandma was home preparing Easter dinner for the family. Monica, the granddaughter, and I were good buddies so her grandpa asked if she could sit with me while the choir warmed up and during the service. Not a problem!

As the service progressed, our pastor stepped forward to bring the Easter message. In it, of course, he made reference to Jesus’ death and resurrection.

At the words, “Jesus died on the cross…,” she turned to me and in a whisper others could hear said, “Jesus died?”

Via Google Image
Via Google Image

The stricken expression on her face told me I needed to quickly respond with something comforting. But what would a four-year old understand about death and resurrection? Talk about feeling put on the spot!

Quickly I asked God’s help and just as quickly received an answer.

Giving Monica my full attention and getting down on her level, I quietly told her that yes, Jesus died on the cross as a gift for us. I also told her God brought Jesus to life again.

I then indicated we needed to be quiet and encouraged her to ask Grandpa more about it once they got home.

Her response? “Amazing!”

Yes, Monica, it is amazing and stays so year after year.

Romans 6:23
Via Google Images

Have you ever been put on the spot by a child asking similar questions? Perhaps you’ll be willing to share below if you have.

Header image attribution: Via Pixabay/no attribution required

A Day in the Life | March Madness (Episode #7) — March 22, 2018
Duke win over RI

Duke's Grayson Allen (3) makes a pass over Rhode Island's Fatts Russell (2) during the first half of an NCAA men's college basketball tournament second-round game, in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 17, 2018. Duke won 88-62. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

A Day in the Life | March Madness (Episode #7)

/Sherrey Meyer/4 Comments

DIL_ March Madness #7_Sm

Between February and October 2015, I wrote six posts in my “A Day in the Life” series. Not long after the October post, I fell and opened a large can of medical woes which I still battle off and on.

I want to resurrect that series because I enjoyed sharing memories of some of my life experiences with you. So, today we begin again and hope to post many more than six.

The Day the Madness Started

From high school forward, basketball was my sport, favorite of them all. The basketball bug bit with my first pep rally for the basketball teams. Then in 1964, my senior year, our high school boys’ team was red hot and on a roll. Donelson High’s school spirit came alive that basketball season. I can still hear and feel the electricity, enthusiasm and excitement at each pep rally. And then to have our boys come out on top!

Donelson High School Boys’ Basketball Team, State Champions, 1964 (Nashville Tennessean)

During college, I learned of the NCAA tournaments, better known as March Madness. I wavered between the men’s and women’s games. I loved watching the University of Tennessee women’s team. I had high school friends playing under the great Pat Summit. But I also had a fondness for the Duke Blue Devils and still do.

Ironically, this last weekend Coach K surpassed Summit’s record number of wins. It was a bittersweet moment when Coach K responded to the report that he would rather have Summit around than pass her record.

Fast forward to 1997

A move to my last law firm in a string of several took me to Perkins Coie LLC in Portland, Oregon. My days there were still in the “probationary 90-day period” when a young paralegal came to my desk. Houston said he had a question for me. I thought it related to a case he was working on. But that was not it. He wanted to know if I wanted to go in on the office March Madness pool.

Never having participated in a sports pool before, I didn’t want to appear dumb so I said I would. I handed Houston a $5 bill and took a copy of the bracket from him. I had no idea how to “guess” who’d beat who, but I’d give it a try.

With my lack of experience behind me, the only thing I thought would work was to put my favorite team, Duke, in the final game. Then I worked my way backward with Duke and then randomly filled in other spots. In some games, I sort of knew who was the stronger of the two teams and hoped I was right.

Each day and game seemed to make the wait to hear the pool results farther and farther away. Would that last day ever come when the winner would be announced?

And the Winner Is…

Finally, the big day arrived. I don’t even remember how the announcement was made but when it was made, it was my name that was in the winning position. I had won the March Madness pool beating out the attorneys and most of the men in the office.

I know when to hang up my gloves and end the madness. I never again entered that pool. Why mess with success? If you’re doing well, it’s time to think about retirement from the sport. And the March Madness bracket and its pools is definitely a sport.

Do you have any March Madness memories you’d like to share, or a story to tell about a family member and their sports excitability? Use the comment section below and share with us.

Attribution featured image: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution from article by Neil Greenberg of  The Washington Post
A Day in the Life | Finds We Make in Our Family History (Episode #6) — October 14, 2015

A Day in the Life | Finds We Make in Our Family History (Episode #6)

/Sherrey Meyer/16 Comments

Family history can be filled with surprises. Good ones, and some not so good ones. Finds we make in our family history often prove or disprove something we have believed for years.When my mother died in 2001, we found so many surprises among her personal belongings. Who would have believed she’d kept every card she’d ever received from our dad and many of their friends? Every last one of them.

We couldn’t keep everything we uncovered, but one thing I was certain I would bring home with me. Handwritten facts of my mother’s early life with a list of grandchildren, her siblings, nieces, and nephews. Facts revealed I had never heard or read before.

Lately, while editing and revising my memoir, I dug out these notes and began to fact check againstthem for dates, names, and more. Yesterday I came upon something rather surprising.

As I was working with my manuscript, I picked up Mama’s notes to do some more fact-checking.  I’ve gone through life believing my name was given to me for no clear reason or relative. You know–a “just because” name. However, I am wrong!

Right there in her notes. In Mama’s own handwriting it reads:

Family History from Mama's Things in 2001
Family History from Mama’s Things in 2001

After her arrival, we named her Sherrey Alice. The Alice was given her for an aunt of mine, Uncle John’s wife. My mother always told me that Aunt Alice was such a sweet person, and I said if I ever have a little girl I’m going to name her Alice, so I did. Her Daddy put the Sherrey with it.

Now, I want to search through family photos and see if there is one of Aunt Alice because by the time I would have been old enough to know her, I believe she had passed on.

So now you and I know where my name came from, and you also know why that crazy email address reads like it does: “salice78@comcast.net.” Well, you almost know. But there’s more to that email address for another day.

Do you have letters, journals, or other family items, such as scrapbooks, etc., that hold family history? Have you used any of them in writing your memoir or other works? 

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