Marty

I used to tell my children bedtime stories about Zeep and WaWa, garbage men in space, and about the adventures of two inquisitive ants, Clarence and Roy. I gained inspiration for Zeep and WaWa from the movie Star Wars, but the inspiration for Clarence and Roy was probably from my brother Marty and his friends.

I haven’t mentioned Marty much in my blogs before now, and he has felt a little slighted. It is not because I don’t love him. A lot of the things he did as a child, or even now, I can’t publish.

I must admit he has added flair to our family. Like the time he and his buddy painted two kids silver from head to toe so that they might be able to join his fictitious club! Or the time my friend and I thought it was raining, and it was Marty in a tree providing the ‘water works’ (fill in the blanks). I could go on and on.

He has the most creative mind in our family. Or better yet, he’s the best liar! He is also Mom and Dad’s funniest child. He keeps the family gatherings going with his tall tales and gags.

It is easy to be jealous of him, not just because he is the thinnest or the best singer in the family, but because he was able to do things that we couldn’t. Like making jumps with his dirt bike. I thought if he could do it I could too, until found myself flipping on my head with the bike on top of me. Riding his skateboard down the street on his hands couldn’t be that hard, I thought. Cracked head and skinned knuckles later I realized it was a little harder than it looked.

Marty, have a great day, and I hope you enjoy this blog. Thanks for making our lives interesting!


I love you brother.

Who is Old?

I am glad that I am not old. I turn 57 on the 12th and know a lot of men older than me who are still active. Let me tell you about my best friend growing up, Rusty Wright. He drove a 55 Chevy and I drove a 56. We had plans to drive to California when we finished high school school but it never happened. We got separated when we started college, I went one way and he went the other. We both got married after college and started our careers. I renewed my friendship with Rusty this past week and found that he had become a lawyer a few months ago. Starting to practice law at 57! I confess, he was always the smarter and most athletic one. Now I see he is the most adventurous one also. He makes me realize that you are as old as you want to be.

Just because we have to start getting physicals and preventive medical procedures doesn't mean we are old. Even getting up and going to the bathroom a couple times a night doesn't mean we're old. Not being able to read without our our 'helper glasses' doesn't mean we are old. Enjoying ACTIVIA on a regular basis does not mean we're old.

We can't start believing what young people say about us. Of course we are older that those little snips, but we are not old! I wonder what those youngsters said when my friend Rusty walked into class? Being young doesn't make you smarter or stronger. Let's not give in to those who don't have as much wisdom or experience as us.

Way to Rusty! I am proud of you.

I've got to close now, it's 9:30 and time for bed.

I'm Full

We bought an older house 15 years ago that is on 1.7 acres of land with a lot of natural space in the back and on the sides. We loved the space and location and were aware when we bought it that we would have the wonderful opportunity to 'fix it up'. Fifteen years later it is even older and we are still haven't got it 'fixed up'! Bathrooms, carpet, kitchen, painting, porches, basement, windows, plumbing, driveway, and the yard! Some of these have been completed, or started, but most haven't. I don't think we will ever get through.

Today at lunch I was listening to our new Rescue Minister, Jim Russell, talking about downsizing, and it made me start thinking. Is all the work worth the space and location ?

Well I think my answer to that is YES. It is worth it. For you see, I have a basement to store all of my children's and grandchildren's stuff. When children move out they don't take everything! This gives them a reason to come see us.

My large yard is a great place for friends to store their cars, trucks, boats, and camping trailers, which their neighborhoods won't allow. This makes me a very popular and valuable friend.

My sister even gave us an old playhouse, that I had to haul up here from Lexington, SC. It was headed for the dump when she found it. It's for my grandchildren, but it's still in our yard.


My yard and house have kind of a 'Goodwill' or 'Miracle Hill' feel.

It is fun being a blessing, but if you have something to store, don't call me. I'm full!

My mother turns 80

My mother will turn 80 in a few days and I thought I would take this time to tell you how much she has affected my life and the lives of my siblings.

My mother gave us:

Weak stomachs

Weak memories

An almost average sense of fashion

A great appreciation of meat and potatoes

Bad eyesight

Some what questionable math skills

Good hair


Seriously now...

She gave us..

an appreciation and love for music.

a sense of humor

a loving home

dramatic personalities


She showed us...

that we receive great blessings when we give to others.

how to be honest by being honest with us

how to love by loving us

how to forgive by forgiving us

how to have patience by being patient with us

how to laugh by laughing with us

and

What it means to be a good parent by being the best one she could be.


Happy Birthday Mom

The spell has been broken!

Over my lifetime I have been blessed to have had a lot of friends. I was even voted 'Friendliest' in High School. I can hardly go anywhere that I don't meet someone who knows me. My sisters get a little perturbed when they meet people that say, "Oh, you must be Robbie's sister". My children often say "Do you know everybody?" My oldest son , Brian, went to Sunday School at another church while he was away at school and his teacher asked "are you Robbie Sox's son? I dated him in high school."
My wife asks, when I go out of town or to a meeting, "Who did you see that you know?" On our honeymoon in Gatlinburg I ran into someone on the street that I knew.

Our Youth went to Wyoming a few years back and someone there asked Karen Haun if she knew me. One friend says "hanging out with Robbie in the Lowcountry is like hanging out with Elvis!" My mother's minister of music told her the other day "I saw Robbie last weekend at a music retreat and he must have been the most popular person at the retreat. Everyone there seemed to be a friend of his!"

I say all this to share with you that I think the spell has been broken! I took the sound and media crew out to dinner last week for a much deserved 'THANK YOU' for all the time and work they put into making our services run smoothly. Our waitress for the night walked up to Roger Cole and said that she recognized him from church. I've been working at Brushy Creek for 15 years! My name is in the bulletin! Did she say anything to me? NO! She didn't even know who I was, and I paid the bill!

My wife's sympathetic response.... "How the mighty have fallen!"

My sister's are going to love this BLOG!