iFly Away

November/2014

iPray eVotional iPray eVotionals exhorts those who pray.  It's the glass of water held out around each month's turn for the runners who can use a quick and easy quench in order to finish strong. iFly Away Approx. reading time: 5 minutes I have experienced living things fly away. BUTTERFLIES When I was in third grade I gathered some caterpillars from the church yard where my grandparents worked.  I created a habitat for them and invested hours into cleaning their cage, giving them fresh leaves to eat and making sure there were enough sticks and twigs for them to hang their cocoons from.   All of that work for the moment to let them go and watch them become free.  I enjoyed the journey, but I knew that ultimately I would be letting them go.   I felt exhilarated to watch them fly off.  One found a bush for a moment before taking off.  Another flew off into the wind quickly.  I tried to keep my eyes on them for as long as I could, before I couldn't see them any more.   I remember I was also left with a little bit of strange grieving.  A feeling of loss although I knew they were where they were ready to be. I didn't remove their habitat right away.   After a week or so I noticed that at least one of the butterflies had returned.  I didn't see the butterfly, but the butterfly had come back to its habitat and left eggs spread across one of the left over leaves.  I felt overjoyed to know that the butterfly was alive and well.  It was living just the way God intended. BIRDS When I was in my mid-twenties at a camp ground, a trailer arrived with a bird's nest full of baby birds.  Without realizing it, my dad's cousin had left a mommy bird wondering where her babies had disappeared to.  She had tended to them perfectly, all five of them.  They were healthy and waiting for her to give them food.   I remember my heart breaking at the thought of this mommy bird having to let go of her babies before they were able to fly away.  I wondered if she watched the trailer drive off, and how long she was able to follow it.  Could she have followed for the entire two and a half hour drive, all the way up the mountain where we were camping?   After a full day of no mama bird I made it my mission to keep those little birds alive.  With my niece's baby formula, bits of soggy bread and a straw, I answered their chirps for food.  I continued at home and after two weeks they started spreading their wings for flight.   One morning, one by one they took off, clumsily making it to a nearby tree.  I was sad that I couldn't help them like a mama bird could, and I prayed that God would take over.  I heard their chirping in that tree for a couple of days and soon they were gone.   Again, a feeling of loss, letting go and wondering if they would be okay.  The next spring I was astonished when a couple of birds came right back to my balcony and started making a nest near the place their box had been.  By then I had a cat and it chased them away from the balcony, but for that spring I heard the birds in the nearby tree.   Joy filled my heart knowing that they had lived!  Would their mom ever know the full life they were able to live when she was forced to let them go?  I thanked God for that glimpse of His sovereign design. LADYBUGS When my daughter was two we had a ladybug party for her.  I ordered thousands of ladybugs that came with containers for the children and directions on how to let them go in their gardens.  When I opened the ladybug boxes we watched thousands of ladybugs take flight.  Many of them crawled on the grass before flying away.  Some crawled all over our hands and arms.  Others took off right away.  It was a memorable experience and made for a great party. The children captured some to take to their own gardens.  When they had some in their containers, I read The Lazy Ladybug.  A storybook that told of a ladybug that found temporary homes that kept her from flying away.  Eventually, after one of her "homes" sneezed, she was forced to fly away.  I explained to the kids that their ladybugs needed to fly away to find their home. I could tell that many of the little ones would have a hard time letting them go when they got home.  It is hard to let things go, but it is easier when we know that they need to go. That park was not known for ladybugs before that day, but God gave us another wonderful glimpse into his design.  Every year since, that park has been full of ladybugs in the spring.  Hundred of thousands fill the trees and at the right time of year you can walk past any tree and find ladybugs crawling on it.  I know that none of the ladybugs we had let go that year are still alive, but I can see the beautiful result of their lives after they flew away. PEOPLE People?  I have talked about living things with wings, can a person fly away?   My parents put me and my siblings on a flight to California to visit our grandparents when I was seven.  I remember being told that I had earned my wings. Really? Where were they? I certainly couldn't fly away with them. People's bodies can catch a flight that brings them from point A to point B, but in order to fly away we need to earn spiritual wings. In the 1980's my grandfather had a heart attack and with it a near death experience.  He flew away for a brief moment, and came back proclaiming what many others have.  That God is real, and He has a design.   The experience was so powerful, he never again viewed this temporary habitat the same.  A few times I have had the privilege of hearing him talk about the change that happened in him after that experience.  He gained a deep realization of human imperfections coupled with the overpowering knowledge of grace, love and mercy as God's design.   God gave him 30 more years. For the past few days loved ones have been gathering to say good bye and let him go, to permanently fly away.  Today he earned his spiritual wings. Have you been by a loved ones side when it was time for their spirit to fly away?   It's a strange bittersweet moment when a loved one's spirit finds its flight into God's presence.  I wonder if any language on earth has the words to express it just the right way.   Today, I thank God for little glimpses.  These little glimpses into God's beautiful design reminds me of how our bodies house a real spirit that are meant to someday fly away.  A spirit that lives beyond this temporary habitat.  Our spirits are designed to someday leave the nest.   It makes me ask, "Am I prepared for this flight?"   Those on the ground grieve the loss and are left to trust God's design.  With each fly-away, marks can be left that fill hearts with joy.  Sometimes the mark can be seen "on a single leaf," other times it can be seen "filling the trees in a park." Alison Krauss - I'll fly away iPray... Dear Lord,  We praise You for Your sovereign design!  We praise You for the investment of time and work put into our lives, guiding us and pulling us back on Your path.  Give us just what we need to feel the weight of human imperfections and then the freedom found in Your grace, love and mercy.  May we understand what is dinky winky next to what is holy and made perfect.  Lord, when we face a fly-away may we be overwhelmed with your presence in the grieving process and increasingly trust your sovereign design.  May the fly-away be a memorable experience and make for a great party.  Fill our hearts with the joy of eternal life.  Gift us with reminders every spring, and may those marks be multiplied in the years to come.  iPray that when iFly Away, others will be exhilarated and will know that a living thing has just taken flight. In Jesus' Name, Amen! Michelle Fozounmayeh

In This Issue iFly Away Butterflies Birds Ladybugs People iPray Join iPray eMailing List Michelle Fozounmayeh Michelle Fozounmayeh A joy filled wife and mom that enjoys writing, praying, speaking at women events and being an Area Coordinator with the ministry Moms In Prayer International. Blog: 7tothirty7.blogspot.com Website: http://7tothirty7.com/ 4 Traditions 4 New Years 4 Traditions 4 Valentines 4 Traditions 4 St. Patricks 4 Traditions 4 Easter 4 Traditions 4 Mother's Day 4 Traditions 4 Father's Day 4 Traditions 4 Fourth of July 4 Traditions 4 Summer 4 Traditions 4 Back to School 4 Traditions 4 Halloween 4 Traditions 4 Thanksgiving 4 Traditions 4 Christmas iPray Links: Dec. 2011 iPray link: iTeeter-Totter   Jan. 2012 iPray link: iPray Newness Feb. 2012 iPray link: iLove DEEP and WIDE March 2012 iPray link: iPraise April 2012 iPray link: iEmbrace  May 2012 iPray link:   iSmell a Stain June 2012 iPray link: iPray 4 Purity July 2012 iPray link: iPray 4 Protection August 2012 iPray link: iReminisce September 2012 iPray: iWork Out   October 2012 iPray:  iFollow November 2012 iPray: iThank God for That December 2012 iPray: iFinish Strong   January 2013 iPray: iNeed a Reminder   February 2013 iPray iPray in One Accord March 2013 iPray: iRest April 2013 iPray: iListen May 2013 iPray: iHold On June 2013 iPray: iStretch July 2013 iPray: iDream August 2013 iPray: iGet Dressed September 2013 iPray: iSurrender October 2013 iPray: iSpill November 2013 iPray: iMad Pray December 2013 iPray: iMine January 2014 iPray: iColor February 2014 iPray: iClip Show March 2014 iPray iShelve Not April 2014 iPray iKnow in Part May 2014 iPray iRespond June 2014 iPray iHope July 2014 iPray iPray Head To Toe August 2014 iPray iPromote Up September 2014 iPray iWill Grow Up October 2014 iPray iTell the Story Poem links: Time to be Free Ms. Marry McMoo Only You I Delight in You A Bat's Perspective The Ins and Outs Green Things Treasures in the Darkness To My Mom No Longer Hidden 70 Years of Marriage Saint Sadie Discovering Little One Wide Long High and Deep My Son Knowledge Hoard Short Stories: Cream of Corn Battle of the Food Face Singing the Night Away See You Later, Alligator Don't Touch Fried Nuts Annoying Brother Missy's Puppies High Dive Something Big! Stretching First Rainbow Promise

Fried Nuts

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child...”

SHIRIN: 4 years old

FREDERICK: 2 1/2 years old 

Frederick enters the front room to play his drums.  Shirin is standing in the middle of the room pushing out her belly.

Frederick: Shaween, augh doooooooing? (Shirin, what are you doing?)

Shirin:  I think I am a big bully. (I think I have a big belly)

Frederick: Ot-a-in. (Not again)

Shirin:  I ate too much green strings. (I ate too much string beans)

Frederick: I-a-a Dreget Drum! (I’m going to drum on Frederick’s Drums!)

Frederick starts to play his drums.  Shirin dances to the music with her “big belly”.  A fly decides to join the fun.  Frederick spots the fly, stops drumming and screams.

Frederick:  Beeeeeee!  Beeeee!

Shirin: It’s a fry because it is back.  (It’s a fly because it is black!)

Shirin disappears for a second and reappears with a fly swatter.

Frederick: Shubel?  (Is that a shovel?)

Shirin: It’s a fried sweater that fights bugs! (It’s a fly swatter that fights bugs!)

Frederick watches Shirin as she tries to swat the fly.  Shirin uses her best fighting sounds as she swings the fly swatter around in the air and hits various surfaces in the room.  Shirin ends every swat with a fighter pose.  The “fight” makes Frederick giggle.  The giggles become a nervous cry-like giggle every time the fly gets too close to him.  After many attempts Shirin finally makes contact.  

Shirin: I got it!

Frederick points to the fly.

Frederick: Her name? (What is that?)

Shirin:  It’s a fry!  (It’s a fly!)

Frederick looks unsure.

Shirin: Bees live in big farts! (Bees live in big tree barks!)

Mom walks in.  Both kids are staring at the squashed fly on the floor.  Shirin is close to it and studying it intensely.  Frederick is not so close and looks unsure.

Shirin:  Mom, I squished a fry and it’s nuts came out! (I squished a fly and it’s guts came out!)

Mom looks surprised.  Shirin uses the fly sweater as a pointer.  She points to the fly with her chest out.

Shirin:  Fried nuts! (Fly’s guts!)

Mom:  Wow, good job Shirin!

Mom can tell Frederick is uneasy. He reaches for her.

Frederick: Old you?  (Will you hold me?)

Mom:  What’s wrong Frederick?

Frederick: Beeeee!

Mom:  Don’t worry Frederick, it’s just a fly. It can’t hurt you.  I don’t like bees too but it was not a bee.  And if it was we would have opened the window and let it fly out.  We don’t want that yucky fear in our heart.

Shirin: The fry made Frederick up-sweat so it had to supper the cwon-sin-quens-es. (The fly made Frederick upset so it had to suffer the consequences.)

Frederick: Like it.  (I don’t like it.)

Mom: I know you didn’t like it.

Shirin:  And I won it!  Pretend you ordered me from Shirin.com to fight the fry.  Pow!

Shirin makes power fighting moves in the air.  Mom giggles as she picks up the dead fly in a tissue and throws it in a nearby trash can.  Frederick becomes less tense and starts to smile. 

Mom: You are a worrier Shirin and always will be.  God will order up some Shirin as you grow up in your faith.  I pray that you will be wise in your fights!  Pow!

Mom tries to throw a power punch herself.  It makes both kids burst out in laughter.  She looks down at Frederick as he goes back to his drums.

Mom:  And you Frederick, as you grow up in your faith I pray God will give you courage and that you will trust Him.  He will use you and your drums to help others have courage too.

Frederick starts to play his drums and hums a rocked out version of “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star.”  With her fly swatter weapon in hand, Shirin dances a warrior dance all around the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

Don't Touch

Don’t Touch

“Even small children are known by their actions...”

MISSY:

Missy stood in the kitchen.  Her attention on the electric stove top.  The glowing red seemed to mesmerize her.  she remembered several months earlier when she was told never to touch it, especially when the stove top is glowing red.  “It will burn you,” her mother warned.  Although Missy knew she was not supposed to get near the stove when it was red, she would catch herself glancing up there.  “Why not?” she thought, “What did getting burned feel like?”

It was only last week when she had stood in the kitchen and saw the stove top was black, not glowing red. She had stood and wondered, “What would one little touch feel like?” just as she was now.  Obeying her mom and trusting her judgment is what had kept her from reaching out to touch it then.  She hated doing things that were wrong because of the feeling it left in her heart.  Missy hadn’t wanted to get hurt, she just wanted to know how it would feel.  Slowly she had reached out her hand and touched the stove which was surprisingly cold sending a shiver down her spine.  Her curiosity was satisfied and a glance around told her nobody had seen her.  Immediately Missy had recognized that yucky feeling in her heart.  It was not about the stove, that was uneventful, but knowing that she had secretly touched it sent a shiver down her spine, just as cold as the black stove top.

But today the stove was glowing and her curiosity burned again.  Missy paused,  “Would it feel the same as last week?  Would it be cold or would it be more cozy?”  She could tell it was cooling down, the glow was slowly going away and being replaced by the black.  With her opportunity slipping away, Missy moved her fingers with anticipation to make a move.  Then her mothers voice rang in her head, “It will burn you.”

Missy’s heart raced at the warning, she frantically flipped her head around the kitchen to see if she was still alone.  She was, but she knew it was probably not for long.  She had not reached up sooner and had paused to contemplate only because of her faint memory of a cold yucky heart feeling.

She loved her mom and didn’t want to let her down.  “But,” she rationalized, “I got away with it last week and my heart felt yucky for only a while.”  Curiosity slowly became stronger than her conviction.  Her thoughts raced, “Mom didn’t know and nothing bad had happened and even more... I didn’t get hurt.” Concluding that her mom’s warning was wrong she continued,  “What came of last week?  Nothing.  I touched and walked away just fine.”  Missy knew if she hurried right now she could satisfy her curiosity once and for all, the glow was fading and she didn’t know if she would have another chance.  “After all,” she concluded, “it’s better to be hot than cold so it couldn’t be bad.”

Deciding that it would be just like last time Missy reached up.  She knew that all this curiosity would be put to rest by doing it real quick, touching the stove and walking away.  Missy paused as she moved toward the stovetop continued to reason to herself, “Nobody would even have to know.”  And this time she knew she would be fully satisfied because she would finally find out what it felt like when it was red.  One thing is for sure, she would avoid that cold shiver.

Readying herself for a quick exit from the kitchen, Missy opened her fist with her fingers spread apart and pressed down on the stove top.  “Aughhhhhhh!”  Missy shrieked as she jerked herself back. The pain ran all the way up her arm and her hand was stinging like she had never felt before.  The shock of it made her fall to the floor and shake.  What is this???  She didn’t realize that it would hurt!  She didn’t know she would actually really get burned!  The pain was unbearable and all she could do was stare at her burning skin and scream.  Was her hand going to fall off?  Her mom rushed in and frantically asked what happened.  “Aughhhhhhh,  stow, stow, Aughhhhh!” Missy whimpered.

“You touched the stove!?!?!?!  Oh no!”  Missy’s mom exclaimed as she rushed over scooping Missy up and proceeding to run her hand under water.  It barely soothed the pain.  

“Why on earth did you touch the stove?” Missy’s mom asked in bewilderment.

Missy couldn’t stop screaming from the pain and her heart screamed even louder at her mom’s question.  As the water ran over her hand Missy thought maybe her scorched skin would just peal off.  After several minutes Missy was able to settle down but felt like her skin was ruined forever.  Maybe her hand wouldn’t fall off and perhaps her the skin was not peeling like she feared, but her entire arm felt the blow.  Maybe the muscles would never work again.

Then Missy noticed that her entire family stood in the kitchen staring at her as she sat on the counter next to the sink with her hand under the running water.  Her dad at the counter flipping through their phone book, her older sister Sherry rattling off stove safety, her younger brother Ralphy demanding to know how it happened and her little sister Candy just tearing up.  “So much for the quick exit.  So much for nobody ever knowing.”  Missy thought with dismay.  Now everyone was there and knew what she had done.  She realized that she had been foolish in disobeying.  Embarrassment creeped all over her.  The pain and the burn was proof.  Missy’s dad and mom called the doctor and followed the instructions of wrapping Missy’s hand up in a bandage that had to stay on for over a week.  She remembered her mother’s voice, “It will burn you.”  Now she understood what that meant.  With all her might she wished she could pull back time and trusted and obeyed her mom and found a way to kill her own curiosity.  But now the consequence was not going away.  She had to live with this pain and it felt like it would never subside.

Every day for the next week the pain did not seem to subside.  Her mom said it would and that she had to be patient saying that her hand would not stay hurt forever even though it felt like it would.  That little by little she would heal and feel better.  Never did Missy want this consequence.  The pleasure of feeding a curiosity was not worth the price she was now paying.  Missy heard her mom say it would be better but the pain told her she would never be better.  That she would never be the same.

About a week later while Missy laid in her bed, her mom came in to say goodnight.

“Mom.  I’m sowy foe tuchin thee stobe,”  Missy said with a large lump in her throat.

Missy’s mom gave her a hug saying  “I forgive you Missy.”  Those words of forgiveness lifted a burden Missy had carried all week.  “I give you rules so that you do not do things that will hurt yourself.”  Missy knew it was true.  The lesson ran deeper then her mom knew.  Deeper than the burnt skin.  It ran all the way to her heart and never again did she want to find out what disobeying would bring.  Maybe that cold yucky heart feeling was a warning.  She prayed that she would recognize that warning for all her life.

“I’m fewing bet-toe today mom,”  Missy exclaimed as she looked at her bandaged hand.  “Wen can de ban-dwidge can come off?”

“Soon Missy.  The doctor will probably take it off tomorrow.”  

When the bandage came off Missy had a hard time moving her fingers and using her hand at all.  It took several more weeks for complete healing.  But the day came when she didn’t think about her hand and she used it just as she did before, without protecting the sensitive spots.  Her mom was right.  She did heal from the pain.  But, on the other hand, the lesson she learned found a permanent home in her brain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Proverbs 20:11 “Even small children are known by their actions, so is their conduct really pure and upright?”

Romans 4:7 “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”

Throwing up H-A-T-E

Shirin: 7 years old

Mom: thirty7 years old

Two creative silly billies are alone together in the car, on the way to church…

Shirin:  (As mom pulls the car out of the garage) Mom, you know how Jesus came to save us from our sins?

Mom: yes

Shirin: Well what if he didn’t come yet.  I mean I know we are not Jewish but I’m just saying he didn’t come YET and we had to get rid of our sin by throwing it up.

Mom:  So when you throw up you’d be like, “Blaaaaa, oh there goes stealing!”

Shirin: (Laughter) Yea and like, “Blaaaaaaa, there goes hate!”

Mom:  (Even bigger) Blaaaaaaa-ya-yaaaaaa, Jealously!

Shirin: (Louder) Bllllllaaaaaaaa-ya-ya-yaaaaa, Bad Sport!

Mom:  Or what if you fart it out!

(Belly laughter from both)

Shirin: You could fart it out, or poop it out.  Tooooot! And the fart is like a puff of green smoke that says “Gossip” See ya!  Don’t ever come back!

Mom: Yea, good bye Rage, come back when you get some Self Control.  Or you could sweat it or it could be like ear wax!

Shirin: Yea and you get a q-tip and when you pull it out instead of ear wax you see a word that spells Cheating.

Mom: Or (Blowing noise) you could blow your nose and you see the word Jealously.

Shirin: (Blowing noises)

Mom: (Barf noises)

Shirin: (Farting noises) Or when you get a cut you can bleed H – A – T – E.

Mom: And when it’s all out, all that sin, you’re empty and hungry.

Shirin: Yea, but not your tummy.  Your heart is hungry.

Mom:  So instead of an apple tree you would see a Love tree. And you can pick some love.  Mmmmm, that sure does taste good.

Shirin: There can be a special tube that brings the Love to your heart.

Mom: Yea, you know in the inside of the stomach, instead of going to the intestines there can be a door.  And there can be body police to direct traffic.  “Mean spirited, this way, your going to be pooped.  Self control, right in here, a heart waits for your arrival!”

Shirin: Yea poop out that sin!

Mom: So a Love tree and in the garden instead of pulling up garden carrots you pull up Garden Self Controls.  Mmmmm!

Shirin: And instead of Lettuce it’s a head of Gentleness

(After parking the car in the church parking lot they get out)

Mom:  Look Shirin!  It’s a Love tree!  (Walking up to an invisible tree)  Here’s some love for you (Like picking an apple) and one for me!  Cheers!

Shirin:  I already ate it!

(Laughter)

Mom: (Taking Shirin’s hand and walking up to church) Good thing we don’t have to throw up our sin on our own.  Good thing Jesus did come and took care of our sins on the cross and He’s changing up our heart every day with kindness, goodness, gentleness…

Shirin: (Squeezing mom’s hand) Yea, good thing.

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23

See You Later, Alligater

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful…”

SHIRIN: 

In the next room Shirin could hear her dad and mom with her brother.  She knew that in just minutes it would be her turn and then they would say good night to her.  She let her mind start down the list, one by one. “Fox, cow, duck, fly, raccoon…” Oh I hope I can remember them all! She thought. Shirin could hear her dad’s voice through the wall reading a book to her brother.  “Oh man!  Remember… bug, bird, pig…” She heard her mom’s voice start to pray.

“Thank you Lord for Frederick’s big smile and dimple.  You have made him full of compassion and respect.  Thank you that he loves music and rhythms.  May he use his gifts and talents for you.  Bless him with courage…”

Shirin did not want to be the one to forget.  She kept recalling all the animals.  Come on!  Another one, a new one!

Her dad opened her door. “Ok baby doll, it’s time to go to sleep.  Get into bed and pick out your comfy.”  Shirin looked at all of her stuffed animals and chose Lamby to sleep with.  Lamby was her very first comfy as a baby.  Shirin’s dad put out the lamp, put on the nightlight and sat next to her on the bed.  Forgetting the list Shirin remembered several things she needed to tell her dad.  “Daddy I need help with getting past level 9 on supper Mario brothers, can you help me?  I mean not now because I know we don’t play during the week, but if I don’t get it taken away can you help me on Friday?  Oh and my singing monkey needs batteries… and guess what happen at lunch today…  you know Lukie and I made up a song for being in the second grade and it goes like this…  it was so funny…”  Her dad enjoyed her talking.  But after a while he gently made the transition.

“Ok, it’s getting late.  We can talk more tomorrow.  Let’s pray.  Dear God, be with Shirin tonight as she sleeps.  Watch over and protect her…”

Shirin could hardly follow along.  Her brain became too busy thinking of animals again.  Her dad finished up his prayer as her mom came into the room.  “Did you pray with her?”

“Yes he did but can you pray too mama?” Shirin said.  Her dad grinned and kissed her on the forehead.  “I love you dada.”

“I love you too baby girl.”  He walked out of the room.

Shirin’s mom sat on the bed.  “Dear Lord, thank you so much for Shirin, how she is so confident and sure of her self.  Thank you that she is silly, social and so giving.  May she be a firecracker for you Lord.  Bless her with discernment and wisdom…”

Shirin’s mind wondered. Alligator, crocodile, baboon.

“…In Jesus name, a-man.”  A kiss on the forehead and it was time!

She looked right at her mom with a smirk, “See you later, alligator.”  Shirin’s mom smiled real big and giggled.

“After a while, crocodile” Her mom said as she walked to the door and stood in the door way.

“Too soon, baboon.  Too soon, raccoon”

“Hey,” her mom playfully objected.  “That’s two!”

“Don’t go too far, sea star” Shirin giggled.

Quickly Shirin’s mom added “Good bye, fly.”

Back and forth they went…  “Good luck, duck.  Take a bow, cow.  Stay on the course, horse.  Stay funky, monkey.  Don’t gawk, hawk.  Give me a hug, bug.  Stay out of the fog, dog.  Go jog, hog.  Do a jig, pig.  Don’t be a turd, bird.  Out of the sandbox, fox.  Go away, stingray.  Good night, mite.  Time to bail, snail.”

Oh no!  It was Shirin’s turn!  No, she didn’t want to be the last one… What was that new one she thought of?  Oh yea! “Be real, eel.”

“Oh, that’s a new one!  Good one.  Ummmmm.”  Her mom thought.  “Be firm, worm.”  Her mom was so good at this. Oh wait, they forgot one…

“And there you went, elephant.”  A good one to end on.

Her mom started to close the door. And then paused, “Hit the road, toad.”

They both broke out in laughter.  “Your good mom!”

With a smile, “See you in the morning honey.  I love you!”

Feeling satisfied with their good night sayings, “I love you too ma ma.”

“A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.”

Proverbs 15:13