When I was a little girl, the Barbie doll was incredibly popular.
I did have one…along with the clothes and the accessories.
It stayed in its case most of the time…unless one of my friends wanted to play.

I had other things I would rather do.
Ride my purple bike, play jump rope…especially double dutch…play school.

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My sweet friend sent me a text this afternoon.
It was a gorgeous fall day…sunny and warm.
The invitation was to come down and sit on her back porch and catch up.

The dilemma…wanting to do just that…but knowing what had to be done here at home.
Since I teach Bible study on Wednesday mornings, I try to keep the afternoon free.
Perhaps one of the women may want to linger and talk after study.
Perhaps a few may want to go out to lunch.

Today was different.
Today there was soup to be made…bread to bake…writing to be done.
There was time with my daughter to be had…to talk and catch up on her day.

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I remember my high school chemistry class.
Litmus paper was used to test the acidity or alkalinity of a solution.
Even though I did not like chemistry, testing the pH of a solution was so interesting to me.
Much later, I came to realize that a “litmus test” is a colloquial term for a crucial and revealing test in which there is one decisive factor.

I never quite understood what a litmus test would look like in real life.
I will never forget something my mother said.
If children and dogs like you…you’re OK…they can always tell the real you.
This was her litmus test.

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I saw a friend of mine today.
We see each other, every once in a while, at the grocery store or when we are out shopping.
Our girls grew up together. We used to go to the same church.
It was good to see her.

It is so much fun to catch up with someone.
There is reminiscing…this is going on…that is going on…old stories we share.
There were people around us as we talked.
We had to keep moving our shopping carts so they could get down the aisle.

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On my morning walk, many thoughts come to my mind.
Often, my thoughts expand to something I can write about later that day…or the next day.
So many mornings I wish I had some paper with me to jot down my ideas.
Most mornings they linger with me…unless I meet a neighbor along the way.

Post it notes are a necessity to me!
The perfect size…just the right amount of adhesive…bright colors.
You can literally put them anywhere.

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I have the privilege of teaching a women’s Bible study.
We have been going through the Gospels over the past few years.
We went in a backwards order…starting with John, then Luke, followed by Mark.
We are currently studying the Gospel of Matthew.

We began this past week with an introduction, along with chapters one and two.
Christmas in September!

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Isn’t it funny how we remember things?
Especially when they are put to music, they seem to be etched in our mind.
We learn our ABC’s with a song…the months of the year with a poem.

I made up a song for my children so they could learn the days of the week.
It is forever captured in family videos.
They are so proud of themselves when they finally learned to say them in order.

Mnemonic device…any learning technique that aids information retention.

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II took care of two precious little boys today while their Mom went to an orthodontist appointment with their oldest brother.
This is home away from home for them.
They like Mrs. Gallagher’s toys!

First…they are not my toys.
They are my children’s toys…more specifically my sons’ toys.
These two little boys have their favorite things to play with while they are here.

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I remember April 4, 1975 like it was yesterday.
My mother came into my room that morning…to make sure I was awake.
Time to get up.
She followed that with…I love you…as she left the room.

She went downstairs…put the coffee pot on…turned on the news radio station.
Same routine as every other morning…but not quite.

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A friend stopped over this morning to give me a picture that she found.
It was a picture she took of my youngest daughter…eleven years ago.
There was the same face…the same dimples…the beautiful smile.
A moment frozen in time.

We sent each other a text later in the day.
I told her that I enjoyed our lovely impromptu morning.
The best kind…I said.

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