TammyFaye.com

April 29, 2005

Hello My Friends,

Every once in a while something wonderful will happen in your life and you don’t know whether to share it or not. But by now, you know ME. I share the good stuff and the bad stuff. So here goes:

A few months ago I was asked to be a judge at a cancer fundraiser in Lancaster, SC. I love doing causes so I asked them to send me more information. It seems they were going to have an all male beauty pageant, which I understand they do every year, but the men were to dress as WOMEN. The young woman I talked to said that her husband had won last year and she said, “he was the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen”. I loved that! So with those words and my active imagination I said yes. Roe and I will be there!

April 21st arrived and a long black limo pulled up to our little house on the cul-de-sac. We got in the car having no idea exactly WHAT we were getting ourselves into. As we drove to the outskirts of Lancaster the limo driver pulled over and lo and behold I heard a mighty ROAR. About 20 motorcycles revved up their powerful motors and before I knew it we were being led into the city of Lancaster with one of the most impressive motorcades I have ever seen. It was so overwhelming to me that I burst out crying. NOW these were not just your run of the mill motorcycles, they were huge Harleys! They led us to the town high school and then mysteriously disappeared. WOW! I felt like the President of the United States. I got out of the car thinking I better give a speech! Ha! Ha!

We were ushered in and immediately taken back stage to await being led to the judge’s stand. But before we went to our table they asked us if we would like to meet “the ladies”. I couldn’t wait! We finally found the cafeteria and there they were, in all their glory! About 20 of the biggest guys you have ever seen. Complete in dresses, wigs, high heels, panty hose, & hats. I started to laugh and I still haven’t stopped. Every time I think of these guys being such good sports, their wives and girlfriends cheering them on, I smile. The contest was complete with talent, questions, they were judged in several categories. To me they were all winners! I don’t know HOW they finally choose just 3 and then 1 because I gave everyone high marks in everything! Ha! Ha! I was chosen to place the crown on the head of the 6 foot something queen and to place the sash around her-his??? neck. That in itself was a funny sight!

I thought it was over when all of a sudden I heard a familiar voice from the past. It was the puppet I did for so many years singing, then to my utter shock out walked Susie Moppett on to the stage. What happened next was one of the nicest things that has ever happened to me in my entire life. Susie began to read from a beautifully framed document that she held in her hand. It talked about my life etc. and it ended this way:

Now therefore I, Joe M. Shaw, Mayor of the City of Lancaster, South Carolina do hereby proclaim April 21, 2005 as Tammy Faye Messner day.

It held the city seal and was signed by Mayor Shaw. I was totally overwhelmed with emotion. No one has ever done anything like that for me and to make it even more special it was my Mother’s Birthday. I looked up to Heaven and said, “Mom, this is for both of us”!

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April 29, 2005

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I wanted to say thank you to all the motorcycle riders that led us into the city so I asked, “Where are they”? I was told that they would all be over at a bar called the Kickstand. I said, well that’s where I want to go. So we jumped into the limo and in 10 min. we pulled up to a bar which was easy to recognize as there were about 40 Harleys parked in front of it. I walked inside to meet some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They drank their beers and I had a diet coke and we talked and hugged and I signed autographs and we had pictures taken………….they helped me up on one of those big Harleys for a picture, WOW! That was for lack of a better word! Ha! Ha! I want to say to the people of Lancaster, South Carolina, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Today I went to the hospital for an MRI. I was so scared but it ended up being very easy. All I had to do was to lie completely still for about an hour while that big machine took pictures of my spine. I DID IT! Yeah me!! I’m praying that the results will be good news. People say to me, “How can you stand being in those little tubes”? Well, I’m VERY claustrophobic but I have a SECRET! I lie down, close my eyes and don’t open them again until they say, “Tammy, were all done”! So I really don’t know when I go in the tube or when I come out! I think it’s something like crawling under the bed when you are a little kid, and as long as you’re under there you are safe……or maybe it’s like the ostrich who puts his head in the sand thinking that no one can see him now. Ha! Ha! Whatever it is, it works!

May God bless each and every one of you today. Remember, you ARE SPECIAL! God loves you and He is always there for you! So, don’t forget to “look up” and say thank you once in a while!

Much love,