Bones & Toe Nails 😂

Bones & Toe Nails 😂

Hey, Blog Friends and Family!

Now, I had absolutely NO IDEA where this blog was headed when the words “Bones & Toe Nails” popped into my head. 😂

But every single time I hear those words, I start laughing all over again!

And no, I’m not laughing at anybody’s favorite food. I’m laughing at Steve Harvey’s reaction when he heard the answer.

Y’all…

Steve Harvey is already a funny man, but his facial expressions can take something that is already funny and send it completely over the edge! 😭😂

I was watching one of those short Family Feud clips, and the question was something along the lines of:

“Name a part of the chicken that South Africans love to eat.”

Now my question is…

Mr. Harvey, what exactly did you EXPECT them to say?!? 😂

A thigh?

A drumstick?

A breast?

A wing?

Sir, you asked what South Africans love to eat!

And somebody answered:

CHICKEN FEET! 🐔🦶😂

The audience agreed!

And Steve looked like his entire understanding of chicken had just been challenged. 😂

Then came the line that took me OUT:

Chicken feet?!

There’s no meat down there!

It’s just…

BONES & TOE NAILS! 😭😭😭

Y’ALL!!!!

My side started hurting.

And the funnier part was that the more he talked about those chicken feet, the louder the audience applauded!

They were basically saying:

“YES, STEVE! And we LOVE those bones and toenails too!” 😂😂😂

But Wait… Let’s Talk About Those Feet

Now, I have walked through the meat section at Walmart plenty of times.

I’ve picked up:

Chicken wings.

Chicken thighs.

Chicken legs.

Hamburger meat.

Ribs.

Shrimp.

You name it!

And yes, I have seen those chicken feet sitting over there, wrapped up nice and neat in the package.

But not ONE TIME have I looked at them and thought:

“Mmmmm… I think I’ll fry me up some toes tonight.” 😭😂

No, ma’am!

No, sir!

I just keep pushing my cart.

But before I start acting too sophisticated, let me confess something.

Because somebody is about to say:

“Lauretta, don’t you judge those chicken feet!”

And you would be absolutely right.

Because I LOVE…

PICKLED PIG FEET! 🐷🦶😂❤️

There!

I said it!

And I am NOT ashamed!

Give me one of those pickled pig feet straight out of that big jar sitting on the counter at the meat market, and suddenly I understand everybody who was cheering for those chicken feet!

Take Me Back to Bakersfield ❤️

You see, I grew up in Bakersfield, California.

And when I think about pickled pig feet, I immediately travel back in my mind to those childhood days.

We would walk barefoot in that California heat to the corner store.

You’d get to the counter, and there sat that big jar.

They would pop that jar open, reach down inside with that gigantic fork, pull out a pickled pig foot, wrap that thing in white butcher paper and slap the price sticker on it.

And baby…

By the time you stepped outside the store, you had already taken about three bites! 😂

SO GOOD!

My mouth is watering just writing this!

And when you thought you were finished?

Nope!

You were still working on those little bones. 😂😭

Okay…

I’m having a full-blown childhood flashback right now.

I am a whole grown woman, and whenever I go back home, trust and believe, if I can get my hands on a good pickled pig foot…

IT’S ON! 😂

So now I understand those South African contestants a little better.

Chicken feet may not be my thing…

But pickled pig feet?

ALL. DAY. LONG. ❤️😂

And isn’t that funny?

One person’s “Bones & Toe Nails” is somebody else’s:

“Move over and give me another one!” 😂

What about you?

What’s that food from your childhood that other people might look at sideways, but the minute you see it, smell it, or taste it, you’re transported right back home?

Okay, Lord… Where Is the Scripture in THIS? 😂

Now, y’all already know me.

At some point I had to ask:

“Okay, Lord… how in the world am I going to bring Your Word into a blog about chicken feet, pig feet, bones and toenails?”

I’m listening, Lord! 👂😂

And then I thought about something simple but powerful:

JOY.

The Bible says:

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” — Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)

There it is!

Sometimes…

YOU JUST NEED A GOOD LAUGH!

Life gets heavy.

Bills get heavy.

Work gets heavy.

Relationships get heavy.

The news gets heavy.

Our responsibilities get heavy.

And sometimes we’re carrying so much that we’ve forgotten what it feels like to laugh until our stomach hurts.

I remember one time I was dreaming and laughing in my sleep.

Not a little giggle either.

I’m talking about BELLY LAUGHING! 😂

I was laughing so hard in that dream that I actually woke myself up…

STILL LAUGHING!

To this day, I don’t remember what was so funny.

But maybe I didn’t need to.

Maybe what I needed was the laughter.

Maybe I needed a moment where heaviness wasn’t in charge.

When Everything Feels Too Heavy

I think sometimes we become so consumed by what is happening around us that we forget we were never meant to carry everything.

We worry about money.

We worry about food prices.

We worry about gas.

We worry about our jobs.

We worry about our children.

We worry about tomorrow.

We watch the same upsetting news story over and over, and before long, something we cannot control has taken control of our peace.

And I’ve had seasons when anxiety, discouragement and heaviness felt overwhelming.

That’s why I have learned something:

I have to know when to put the burden DOWN.

First Peter 5:7 says:

“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

Philippians 4:6 reminds us:

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

And 1 Thessalonians 5:17 gives us three simple words:

“Pray without ceasing.”

Sometimes we are trying to mentally solve something that God is asking us to prayerfully surrender.

There are things we can change.

Change them.

There are things we need help with.

Get the help.

But there are also things completely outside of our hands.

Those are the things we have to stop rehearsing and start releasing.

Pray.

Do what you can do.

And trust God with what you cannot.

And while you’re waiting…

LAUGH SOMETIMES! 😂

Turn off the television.

Call that friend who always makes you laugh.

Watch something funny.

Remember something ridiculous from your childhood.

Sit on your porch.

Breathe.

Thank God for another day.

And if you really want to get adventurous…

Go to Walmart and pick yourself up a pack of chicken feet. 😂😂😂

Go ahead!

Nibble on those BONES & TOE NAILS!

And if that’s not your ministry, grab yourself a pickled pig foot.

I’ll understand. 😂❤️

Aha Moment 💡

Maybe this silly little blog about chicken feet wasn’t really about chicken feet after all.

Maybe it was a reminder that life is already serious enough without us carrying every burden every minute of every day.

Some things need your attention.

Some things need your action.

Some things need professional help.

Some things need your prayers.

And some moments…

just need your laughter. ❤️

God gave us joy for the journey.

So pray about what you cannot control.

Take action where you can.

Release what belongs in God’s hands.

And don’t forget to laugh along the way.

Because sometimes a merry heart really does feel like medicine.

And sometimes God can use the most unexpected thing to remind you of that…

Even a chicken foot.

Bones, toe nails and all! 😂🐔🦶

Now tell me:

What’s one food from your childhood that you still LOVE—but everybody else might look at and say, “You actually eat THAT?!” 😂

Written by Lauretta Scott

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