Mama's DVD

Cousins,
I have to share with you a wonderful true story about my Mama.    You may remember I lost my Daddy in May to cancer.  Since that time my Mama has been learning to pay bills, balance her checkbook, budget...all the things she hated to do.  She used to sneak checks out of the back of the checkbook so my Daddy wouldn't find them.  First of the month was sometimes a time of wailing and gnashing of teeth 'cause Mama liked to spend.

She has been doing fairly well with all this, but a couple weeks ago she went into Wal-Mart.  There was a display of the DVD, "The Passion of the Christ" and a sale price of about $16.  Sounds good, but she didn't have a DVD player.  Well, right beside the DVDs was a real live DVD player for $59!!!!  She bought both and took them home.

Of course, she didn't know how to hook the thing up, so Oh My Darlin' and I went over that weekend and hooked 'er up.  I patiently showed her how to turn it on, put in a DVD and play it.  I put the "Passion" DVD in and demonstrated several times.  She did it right and everything was fine.  I put the DVD back in the plastic sleeve and we left a bit later.  We left several other DVDs for her to watch.

A week later she told me she was having problems with the DVD player.  It wouldn't play the DVDs.

I reviewed the process with her and she said she did all that.

I asked if it acted funny when she put a DVD in.  She told me there was one already in the player.  Did she put it in?  Nope.  It was the one I left in.

I clearly remember putting the "Passion" back in the plastic sleeve and telling her to be sure and put DVDs back into the sleeve so they would not get scratched.

She told me in no uncertain words that I had left her DVD in the player.  I said I didn't.

"I know you did and it won't play." Mama said.

"How do you know I left a DVD in it?  Have you looked in the plastic sleeve?" I asked.

"No, I don't need to.  The DVD player let me know the "Passion" was in the machine when I turned it on, but it won't play."

"It let you know?  What did it say, Mama?"

"The little screen lights up when I turn it on and it says 'HELLO LORD'.  I mash the play button and nothing happens." she told me.

Now cousins, I had to think for a moment and I started giggling.  She got a little offended and asked what I was laughing about.

"Mama, the little screen didn't say "HELLO LORD" to indicate "The Passion of The Christ" was in the DVD player.  When the player comes on it says "hello" then the screen says "LOAD".

"Well, I thought it was some kind of message about the movie."

She was pretty offended that I was laughing pretty hard.  I told her someone was at the door and I hung up and giggle for a long time.

God works in mysterious ways.  Moses heard Him in a burning bush...why not my Mama through a DVD?

Copyright Stephen Hollen   9/2004

Christmas Dreams

Dream with me...

Somewhere deep in the hills of Kentucky
There is a place
Way down a holler
Down a road, paved
But windin' along beside
A chilly creek, not yet frozen
Past an ol' one room school
Past neighbors and kin
Yonder on past four barns
Still yet full of tobaccer.
Follow the road
Keep your eyes on the fences
They'll lead you there
Down where a small branch
Runs into that chilly creek
Turn just there and go back a ways.
There is a cabin
Perhaps just in my dreams
Good sized an' sturdy
Red metal roof half covered
With new fallen snow
Smoke wanders out
Of a tight rock chimney
A few lights are on
Mostly you see a twinkle
Of tiny lights near a window
Blinkin' an' twinkin' on a tree
Topped with an ancient angel
That survived three generations
Of youngin's an decades of Christmas times.
Park near the old barn and just look...
Barnyard covered in snow
A few crazy chickens sneakin' out
An ol' dog rises an shakes
Comes from under the porch
Tail a waggin' in greetin.
Porch swing is lonely an'
Waitin' for warmer weather.
Up the hillside holly is green
An berries red bring birds
Hungry for a holiday feast.
Your feast is waitin'
Inside, yonder where there
Is warmth, and love...
And Christmas.


Copyright 12/26/07   Stephen Hollen