LUMBERTON ON MY MIND!

Early morning. Cold. Very Cold. So glad the electricity is back on. Still no hot water. Still no heat, but thankful that the Cliftons loaned us a small heater. Turned on the coffee pot. Turned on the computer (since we turned everything off when the power went out). Brushed my teeth. Fixed my coffee. Sat down at the computer. Went to Facebook. Clicked on "Home". Clicked on "Friends". Clicked on "Family". Clicked on "Lumberton".

Then it hit me. I do this same thing almost every day. Sit down and pull up the lists of friends I've created to catch up quickly. But, this morning I realized that the Lumberton list is second only to my family! Lumberton - some of you are as stunned as I was. Didn't we all dream of leaving there when we were teens? Did we think it was the po-dunk capital of the world? Didn't we think anywhere but there would be good? Yet, everyday I log on and can't wait to catch up with life in Lumberton or at least with those I knew there.

Truth is, Lumberton and Robeson County is running through my veins in a way. Those rides down Second Street, walks to the bowling alley, hot dogs and fries at the Dixie, football games at Tanglewood .... well, you know the drill ..... those are great memories! Absolutely wonderful!

The people from Lumberton really know me! Good, bad, indifferent. They know it all. I'm just Marsha Britt to most of them. Nothing to hide - and I wouldn't want to. And they still are willing to be my friends. What a blessing!

Well, I'm a very different person than I was when I left there in 1981. Praise the Lord! But, much of who I am is because of my life and experience there - because of the friends and family there. I've mellowed a bit. Still a rebel in my heart - but one who likes my rebellion to be personal. Don't want to get anyone else in trouble! Still love Rock N' Roll. Still love it when my world is filled with people of all colors, personalities and locations. But, different for sure.

Lesson learned - We don't come to fully know ourselves until we embrace the past (good and bad) along with the present. The future is always out there - always a hope! Jesus and I have had a pretty interesting relationship since I was 12 years old. He's the friend that has never left me in spite of my rebellion, over and over. And with FB, I've been able to reconnect with Lumberton friends. Thank you Lord!

To the Lumbertonians reading this ......... we are who we are in part because of life in that ever-growing town. I'm glad we were there together!

PS.....(When Tim is up, I'm going to try to scan the few photos I have from the days in L'ton and upload them).