Author: Debbi

A recent issue of Stillpoint was delivered to our house recently.  (This is the alumni magazine for Gordon College, fyi).  I had updated my information with the college several months ago, but hadn’t seen an update in the alumni news yet.  I scanned the section on the ’90’s and once again found that my information was not there.

My mom, being more astute than I however, noticed that I was listed.  She was so impressed that she tore the whole page from the magazine and showed it to me on Saturday.  This is what it said:

“Debbi (Edwards) Speer, ’86, continues to teach piano through her home based studio and is also part-time director of children’s ministries at their church, Prairie Creek Baptist in Plano, TX.  Her husband, Bruce, is an architect.  They reside with their daughter in Fairview, TX.”

Ummm…lemme esplain.  No.  There is too much.  Lemme sum up:

1)  I did not graduate in 1986.  Well, I did graduate that year, but not from college.  FROM HIGH SCHOOL.  As smart as I may be, I did not complete 4 years of college in 4 months.   Please don’t make me 40 yet.

2)  My husband, Bruce??  Thanks, guys, you got me in a LOT of trouble.  I had a lot of ‘splainin’ to do.  I don’t think I even know anyone named Bruce, much less married him.

3)  We reside with our daughter?  What about OUR SON, whose birth announcement was printed in the same magazine 7 years ago?  Interestingly enough, you never published the birth announcement for this daughter with whom we reside.

Oy.  Methinks the editor will be hearing from me soon.  Or my lawyer.  The psychological stress of suddenly aging me, renaming my husband, and ignoring my son is worth something, don’t ya think?

No, I won’t regale you with my rendition of that song, nor will I try to make some silly acrostic poem using the letters in the word “mother” or my mom’s name.  But though she’ll never see it on this blog, I’m going to tell you about my mother.

Several years ago, I was in a job interview and was asked the question, “Who is your hero?”  To be honest, I’ve never had a hero.  “God” or “Jesus” are just too cheesy of an answer, and truthfully He is not my hero; He’s my Savior, friend, and Lord.  Choosing a person to be my hero was never appealing to me because I’ve been let down by people too many times in my life.  Sure, there are people I admire, but to put them on a pedestal and call them my “hero” was something I have never done.  But I had to give an answer, and knowing I was being scored on my answer, I replied that the person who comes closest to being my hero is my mother.

My mother’s early years were horrific at best.  Abandoned by her own mother when my mom was only 6 years old, and the oldest of 4 children, my mother was “raised” by her abusive, alcoholic father.  A compulsive gambler as well, he often gambled away what little money he earned as a truck driver and left my mother to be responsible for herself and her 3 siblings.  By the grace of God alone, she attended a church revival at the age of 12 and learned of God’s wonderful plan for her life.  God became her hope, her strength, and truly her salvation.  When she graduated from high school, she made plans to attend a Christian college near Boston, Massachusetts, and was subsequently threatened with being disowned by her father.  While attending Gordon, she met a dashing, charming, brilliant, handsome Christian man named David Edwards, and shortly after graduation they were married.  Within a year, God blessed them with the first of their three children.  With a husband in school, a new baby to care for, and working a full-time job to help make ends meet, she had a very full plate physically and emotionally.  But life continued on, and with it came two more children, graduate degrees for my dad, and  a fulfillment of her life’s calling in educational administration.  The past decade has seen some of the most significant changes in her life: retirement and the loss of her beloved husband.  As I’ve watched her face continued challenges in the past several years, I’ve seen…
strength to face difficulty
hope to face adversities

assurance to face uncertain times

resolve to stand for the truth

loyalty to support the ones you love

perseverance to keep going when you feel like giving up

endurance to finish with excellence what you’ve begun

love to desire the very best for others

and forgiveness to  heal the deepest hurts and soothe the gravest wounds

Thank you, Mom, for your example.  You may not be perfect, but you are, in the closest sense possible, my hero.  And I love you very much.

Today was the 7th annual Music by DESign recital, and I believe it truly was the best yet.

I know, I know, I said that LAST year, but this year it REALLY was.

We had 11 students perform out of my current enrollment of 13 (one student is an adult, and the adults don’t usually perform in recitals), and they all performed beautifully.  Not perfectly, but beautifully.  They showed composure, poise, and according to one attendee, showed tremendous emotion in their playing.  I think the students really FELT something about their pieces: pride, satisfaction, enthusiasm, plain and simple enjoyment…whatever it was, they connected with their pieces and there was a sense of truth and authenticity about their playing.  I was so proud of them.

Following the recital, I gave a reception in honor of the students and their families.  Taking my mother’s wise advice, I simplified this year (read: no balloons, and MUCH simpler fare) and had punch, cake, strawberries, nuts, and some girl scout cookies that had been donated to the church.  Though the cake was expensive, I spent far less on food and have far fewer leftovers than in the past.

The only drawback is that we had to set up and tear down ourselves.  But I have a wonderful husband and a terrific mother who were tremendous helps in that regard.  It only took a couple of hours to set up, and about 1 hour to have the room cleaned up and set in the “default” position with their help.

I was so proud of my students.  What a great day of celebration!!

Okay, so Sweet Bippy did this and I thought it was a great idea, so here goes.  The topic: 6 weird things about me.  So here, in no particular order, are the top 6:

6)  I LIKE CLEANING BATHROOMS!  There’s something therapeutic to me about scrubbing toilets, bathtubs, and sinks.   It’s been that way nearly all my life.  I was the camper who volunteered to scrub potties each week at camp.  I had a part-time job in college my freshman year cleaning the bathrooms in 2 dorms.  What can I say?  It does my heart good to look at gleaming white porcelain.

5)  I FOLD MY UNDERWEAR IN THIRDS AND ROLL MY SOCKS.   I was taught this as the normal way to fold clothes.  However, I’ve been told by others (namely former boyfriends and my current husband) that that is WEIRD.  Frankly, I think my way is normal and it’s everyone else who has it wrong.  Oh, and the underwear must be right-side out.  I cannot stand having inside-out folded clothes.

4)  I TALK TO MYSELF WHEN I’M GETTING READY.  I hold long-winded conversations with my reflection, recounting stories, rehearsing “speeches”, sharing secrets.  I’m the best listener I know, and I always find my jokes funny, my stories entertaining, and my insights…well…insightful.  This quirk also extends to scrapbooking where I’ve been known to not only talk to myself, but compliment me on my brilliant ideas and get excited over plans that come together.

3)  MY EARLOBES ARE MISSHAPEN.  This is not due to some genetic malfunction or design flaw.  Rather, it’s a product of a girlhood dream gone bad.  You see, all my growing up years, I wanted pierced ears.  My parents promised me that when I turned 12, I could get them pierced.  Let me tell you how long those years seemed!  Well, my 12th birthday came and went.  No piercings.  My 13th birthday came and went, and still my lobes remained fully intact.  And to add insult to injury, my oldest brother sent me a beautiful set of pierced earrings from Thailand, 24K gold with sapphires.  But could I wear them?  Nope.  So they sat in my jewelry box, mocking me daily.  Finally, after my 14th birthday, my mom surprised me by taking me to the Piercing Pagoda in Dadeland Mall.  I have never experienced pain like that in my life, but oh, it was worth it and you bet your bottom dollar I didn’t complain!  As the years passed, it became more and more difficult to close the earrings and I even began to lose the backs of my earrings.  Turns out, I was forming keloid scars behind both ears – nasty, red, bumpy lumps of scar tissue.  Not painful, but annoying.  Finally, at age 18, the keloids were big enough that wearing earrings was nearly impossible, and the scars had to be surgically removed.  As a result, the piercings were surgically closed and my earlobes are now somewhat flat across the bottom because of the tissue that was removed.  I have had to wear clip earrings ever since.  *Sigh*

2)  I HAVE SPECIAL ROUTINES FOR EVERY TASK I DO.  I alternate washing dishes: one from the sink, one from the counter.  I clean house “in rhythm” with loads of laundry.  I separate the ironing into discrete piles and use that to determine which clothes I will iron.  I play little mental games with myself as I am completing chores so that housework is like a competition.  Don’t try to understand it, don’t try to figure out the rules, and by golly, don’t try to tell me a more efficient way.  My way might be quirky, but it’s FUN!

Which brings us to…

1) I DON’T LIKE TO TALK ON THE PHONE.  I am just not a phone person.  I don’t know why.  It hasn’t always been this way, but it’s true.  I’d rather email, IM, or just talk in person.  I guess because it’s difficult to hold conversations with myself when someone else keeps interrupting!

I’m sure my husband and friends could add more to this list.  They’re probably already thinking, “ONLY 6 things?  Sheesh!”  Yeah, I’m quirky, but I’m unique.  And you know you love me for it.  Because despite my quirkiness, I know I am beautiful underneath – a loyal friend, a hardworking employee, a dedicated wife and mother, and a sincere person.  I can live with that.