Grumpy the Gator

In Grumpy the Gator, a group of children playing encounter a grumpy alligator. The story teaches children to always keep a safe distance from animals in the wild, and to find an adult if they see an alligator.

Grumpy the Gator

Its Always A Story With The Hendersons

The Leaning Bed of Henderson

A recent move from a rented townhouse to purchasing our own home involved many “to do” lists. Alan and I chose to rent a home when we moved from Virginia to South Carolina three years ago. After renting two beautiful townhomes in two years, we finally made the decision to purchase in the same neighborhood.

We put an offer on the home, it was accepted, and with papers signed, our new home was ready. Packing boxes, placing items for sale and giving items away happened almost daily. Donations to various organizations and friends helped those boxes become lighter.

Most of our furniture had been with us for years. Our dark cherry wood bedroom set reminded us of the Virginia mountainside. Although we have lived at the beach and the mountains, we’ve always had dark wood furniture.

This time, we decided that one day we would purchase “beach” furniture. That day would have to wait for now, but we could hope and dream about a headboard and nightstands, dresser and chest of drawers that looks more like a beach theme. A lighter color or maybe white furniture would be something to consider. Add that to the “to do” list.

God works in the most amazing ways. Two nights at the new home and all was well. We were settling in nicely and enjoying the new surroundings.
As I prepared for sleep by washing my face, putting on comfy pajamas and waiting for Alan to turn off the lights and t.v. in the living room, I prepared to get under the covers.

Situating myself on the side of the bed, I heard and felt a sudden sharp movement and sound.
“Crack!”
The connecting slats on my side of the bed had ripped away from the headboard. The bed now slanted at a strange angle and I slid off the side.

Immediately, I began laughing. Thinking about how God gives me the most funny and unusual experiences, I couldn’t stop laughing. Standing and looking at this lopsided bed made me think of all the stress of packing and moving and how amidst all that stress, God provided laughter.

“Alan, did you hear that? I broke the bed!” I shared while walking to the living room.
“No, I didn’t hear a thing. What happened?” He asked.

After explaining the situation and both of us laughing, we had to decide how to sleep. Alan decided the “leaning bed of Henderson” would work for him. He suggested I sleep on the guest bed.

Picture this. This six foot tall man slept on a leaning bed all night while I rested in a nice guest room bed. Yes, I do believe he probably almost rolled off the bed a few times, but he wouldn’t admit that.

This past weekend, we finally ordered a new bed frame. A nice beach theme. For now, the mattress and box springs are on the floor. The new bed won’t arrive until October.

In the middle of moving stresses, God reminded me once again how laughter can be found in the everyday moments of life. A broken bed provided laughter and the necessity to add “buy new bed” to the list of things to do “immediately”.

Thank You Lord. You always remind me of Your love and protection. You give laughter and joy even in the midst of unpacking boxes and checking off “to do” lists.

Have you ever broken a piece of furniture? Is there a funny story? Share with us.

Blessings and giggles,
Mimi aka Melissa



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66 Comments
  • Kimberly Rose Johnson
    Posted at 16:59h, 02 September Reply

    I love how you keep a sense of humor even when things go wrong or maybe right in this situation. 🙂 I hope you enjoy your new beachy furniture. 🙂

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 18:09h, 02 September Reply

      Thank you Kimberly. I love how God keeps giving us these funny moments. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • karenruhl
    Posted at 17:39h, 02 September Reply

    Melissa, this is such a great story. I’ll have to tell you about our journey from being full-time RVers to moving in to our current home. We have had some laughs as well. Much love, Karen

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 18:40h, 02 September Reply

      I look forward to hearing the stories Karen. Always lots of adventures and fun in life. 🙂 Have a blessed day!

  • Jill Weatherholt
    Posted at 17:44h, 02 September Reply

    This was hilarious, Melissa! Of course, I’m glad you weren’t injured, but you described the incident with such humor. I can’t recall breaking any furniture, but Derek recently broke one of our patio chairs. It’s a leaner now, but I’ll sit in it to get photos of the hummies. It will go to the dump at the end of the summer. Enjoy your beach bed! 🙂

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 18:10h, 02 September Reply

      Thank you Jill. Always something funny happening around here. I’m looking forward to the new bed. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Laurie Larsen
    Posted at 19:13h, 02 September Reply

    So funny! And I agree — you live near the beach. Your bed should reflect it! ha ha

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:43h, 03 September Reply

      I love the ways God gives us things to laugh about. Always something happen around here. I’m looking forward to the new bed. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Janet from FL
    Posted at 19:27h, 02 September Reply

    Funny! I don’t know how your husband slept on that bed!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 19:32h, 02 September Reply

      He is a real gentleman. The new bed should arrive in October, hopefully before. Until then, we have the mattress and the boxsprings sitting on the floor. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Savoring Sixty and Beyond
    Posted at 20:22h, 02 September Reply

    Cute story and glad to read you did not get injured! It is a pleasure to read how much you enjoy God’s sense of humor. We plan to move at some point in 2021. Fingers crossed I won’t have a broken furniture story to share. 😊😉

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 23:51h, 02 September Reply

      Thank you. Yes, I enjoy God’s sense of humor. I wonder what funny experience He will provide each day. Have a blessed week! 🙂

  • colarnold
    Posted at 21:33h, 02 September Reply

    If I did break any furniture, I have blocked it out, lol! Love that you and Alan were able to laugh and not complain. I’ll bet there will be a story when the new furniture arrives, too!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 23:52h, 02 September Reply

      Now you have me wondering what funny situation God will provide with the new furniture. haha! I’ll be on alert to anything and I will be sure to report. 🙂 Have a blessed week! 🙂

  • Lisa Quintana
    Posted at 00:13h, 03 September Reply

    We have an old chest of drawers that I got from my grandmother and the handles have mostly come off. I thought I could order new drawer pulls, but that particular chest of drawers was unique, and it doesn’t have measurements for the standard drawer pulls. So, my husband uses a makeshift pull made from tent stakes he slips through the holes to open and close the drawers. Now that is something to laugh about!

    Happy new home to y’all!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 00:55h, 03 September Reply

      I love this story! What a great idea! Your husband is creative. Have a blessed week! 🙂

  • June Foster
    Posted at 01:13h, 03 September Reply

    The title alone made me smile. What a story. Yes, God can and does bring a smile when we most need it. So glad you’re getting settled. We understand moving as we just went through it ourselves.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 10:30h, 03 September Reply

      Thank you June. I can just imagine the stories from your move. The Foster family and the Henderson family always have funny adventures. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Bettie G
    Posted at 01:15h, 03 September Reply

    Oh, Melissa, thank you for bringing laughter and joy into my evening! I needed this tonight. Your story caused me to remember when we were a young couple, with hand-me-down furniture. We invited another couple over, and when he sat on the dining room chair, it broke apart, causing him to fall too! Only thing was, he was holding a glass of water that spilled all down his pants. The only thing my husband had that fit him was a pair of p.j. pants. So that was certainly a night that went differently than we had planned! 🙂 I agree with you–I’m so thankful for God’s gift of laughter. Blessings to you and your husband in your new home!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 10:32h, 03 September Reply

      Oh my goodness! Broken chair and water all over your friend. That must have been a sight. Good thing your husband had a pair of p.j. pants. The Lord loves our laughter and always provide those light hearted moments. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Karen
    Posted at 01:58h, 03 September Reply

    What an adventure! I admire your wonderful sense of humor, dear Mimi. And I’m glad you’re now getting your beach-themed bedroom furniture. Now that’s a blessing in disguise! ❤️🏖

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 10:33h, 03 September Reply

      Yes, quite an adventure! haha! I’m looking forward to the new furniture. The pieces won’t arrive until October. I love how God let us know it was definitely time for new furniture. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Jacquie A. Bradford
    Posted at 04:10h, 03 September Reply

    Yes! After we moved, we were in a consignment shop where I spied a sleigh bed. I was so excited about this beautiful bed. We put it together and slept on it a few nights, then one night; crack, squeak, crash! It turned out the wood slats supporting the box springs were cheap, flimsy wood. But, unlike you and Alan, we opted for the guest bed. But the whole thing was pretty hilarious!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 10:35h, 03 September Reply

      What an experience to have with your new sleigh bed! I am laughing. Amazing how many people have funny bed stories. Have a blessed day! 🙂

      • Jacquie A. Bradford
        Posted at 20:44h, 04 September Reply

        I love that this was a situation to make us all laugh – thanks for that! ♥♥

  • Candice Brown
    Posted at 11:51h, 03 September Reply

    I’ve never personally broken a piece of furniture quite like that, but it made me think of Goldilocks: she always was getting in trouble (and breaking furniture) when she got comfortable. You were comfortable with the old, but God has something better in store for you! That’s so true of life sometimes.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:21h, 03 September Reply

      I had not thought of Goldilocks. But, you are right, I was just like Goldilocks, getting intro trouble. haha! Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Jeanne
    Posted at 13:22h, 03 September Reply

    Hi Melissa! I hope to get to see you and your new home, one of these days! Somewhere in my distant memory I do believe I have had the experience of a bed breaking! I will let you know when that memory surfaces! Are you sure you didn’t sabotage your current bed so you could get a new one? LOL! I am happy for you to get to choose a beach-themed one, as you had desired, sooner than later!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:41h, 03 September Reply

      I didn’t mean to sabotage the bed so I would get a new one. hahaha! But, I am very happy to be getting a new beach-themed bed. Bright white. I will have fun adding accent pillows to truly give the beach feel. Hope to see you soon. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Ava Pennington
    Posted at 14:22h, 03 September Reply

    You are such an example of how ife is a joyful adventure when we are intentional about choosing our perspective!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 15:08h, 03 September Reply

      Thank you so much Ava. I appreciate your kind words. I am thankful for the joy God provides in each moment. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Jessica Brodie
    Posted at 15:50h, 03 September Reply

    Too cute, Melissa!!! You have a terrific sense of humor. Curveballs CAN be fun. (And yay — new furniture!)

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 17:07h, 03 September Reply

      Thank you Jessica. We haven’t had new furniture in many, many years. Alan and I both are looking forward to new furniture. We’ll always remember the leaning bed of Henderson. 🙂 Have a blessed day!

  • Yvonne
    Posted at 15:54h, 03 September Reply

    Laughter is always good medicine for our soul. Thanks for sharing stories that bring a smile. We did have that happen to us once but it was in the middle of the night. We did laugh at the time but did finally the next morning.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 17:08h, 03 September Reply

      Yvonne, you are right. Laughter is good medicine for our soul. I am thankful God sends laughter to brighten the day. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • vmorgan456
    Posted at 16:35h, 03 September Reply

    Oh my goodness Melissa sometimes all you can do is laugh then rejoice that your getting a new bed!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 17:10h, 03 September Reply

      True, true. Lots of laughter. Now, we wait for the bed which is supposed to arrive in October. Every furniture store is behind schedule. But, God knows exactly when we need that bed to be delivered. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Melinda Viergever Inman
    Posted at 18:10h, 03 September Reply

    As soon as I saw the title, I began chuckling. I knew a funny story was going to follow, for there’s always a story with the Hendersons. Thanks for sharing how laughter lightens even inconvenient and expensive moments.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 20:24h, 03 September Reply

      Thank you Melinda. Yes, “It’s Always A Story With The Hendersons”. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Lynn J Simpson
    Posted at 16:11h, 04 September Reply

    Sometimes God breaks things to get you to turn to the new! I’m happy to read He is making your dream come true, (and in a very unexpected way of course)!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 17:44h, 04 September Reply

      Yes, Lynn. I agree. I love how God turns the simplest things like a broken bed into a new and funny adventure. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Melissa McLaughlin
    Posted at 17:03h, 04 September Reply

    Melissa, this was a good one! Thank you for sharing your laughter, joy and snafus with us! I love how this actually worked to bring you the furniture you dreamed of. May God bless you and your family as you settle into your new home!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 17:45h, 04 September Reply

      Thank you Melissa. I love laughter and I believe God loves to send funny experiences into my life. 🙂 I am thankful for His provisions and blessings. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Stephen De La Vega
    Posted at 20:58h, 04 September Reply

    I love reading your funny stories, Mimi, and this one didn’t disappoint. It gave me a chuckle. How fun that you get to anticipate the arrival of your beachy bed. I hope you have opportunity to replace the entire bedroom set! Enjoy your new home and new fun stories!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 21:32h, 04 September Reply

      Thank you so much for your kindness Stephen. Yes, I hope to replace the night stands and dresser with the same theme. 🙂 Lots to look forward to when moving to a new home. I wonder what God will give us to laugh about this weekend. 🙂 Have a blessed day!

  • Diana Derringer
    Posted at 23:30h, 04 September Reply

    On A move from a second floor apartment, we tired of carrying everything down 14 stairs. We ended up tossing a mattress and several other soft pieces over the balcony to the truck below. I would not recommend that, but it worked for us.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:36h, 05 September Reply

      Wow! That is a lot of stairs! Sounds exhausting. 🙂 Have a blessed day!

  • Karen Friday
    Posted at 01:18h, 05 September Reply

    Leaning bed of Henderson! Hilarious! I pictured the entire ordeal, Melissa, as you described it. Glad for the new beach bed coming! 😇

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:37h, 05 September Reply

      The whole situation was quite an ordeal. I laugh when I think about how everything happened. 🙂 Have a blessed day!

  • Nancy E. Head
    Posted at 11:25h, 05 September Reply

    Reminds me of the movie The Quiet Man–only that bed scene involved conflict. Happy travels! God bless!

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:38h, 05 September Reply

      We always have a funny story around here. I’m looking forward to the next experience that brings laughter. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Marcie Cramsey
    Posted at 12:19h, 05 September Reply

    I so love your attitude toward the mishaps of life. Thank you for the giggles today. 🙂 We are in that same place, “Do we buy a new bedroom set or not?” We have had the set for 34 years! The bed is not that old but everything else is. Maybe we will wait until the frame breaks and we slide off, too. 🙂 You are so funny, Melissa! 🙂

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 13:39h, 05 September Reply

      Thank you Marcie. I do believe that if that bed had not broken, we would still be using that old furniture. The new bed is scheduled to arrive in October. Until then, the mattress and box springs are on the floor. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Wendy L. Macdonald
    Posted at 21:32h, 08 September Reply

    Dear Melissa, I love how laughter cushioned your situation. I don’t have a furniture story on the tip of my tongue, but here’s a renovation story: My husband and I spent hours wallpapering a dining room in our former home only to find the paper laying on the floor the next morning. We laughed so hard as we realized it was a good thing we held our tempers when the wallpapering job got testy. At least we papered in peace even if the whole thing fell to pieces during the night.
    Marriages matter more than decor. <3 It looks like you two follow that guideline as well. 🙂
    Blessings ~ Wendy Mac

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 12:57h, 09 September Reply

      Wendy, oh my goodness! I’ve never tried putting up wallpaper. What a joy that you and your husband could laugh when you found the paper on the floor the next morning. God is great at giving us things to laugh about. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • Lorrie D. Everitt
    Posted at 17:51h, 12 September Reply

    Love it. Thanks Melissa. Laughter is the best medicine.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 19:28h, 12 September Reply

      Thank you Lorrie. I agree. Laughter is the best medicine. Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • ordinarilyextraordinarymom
    Posted at 22:42h, 15 September Reply

    Sigh! Unfortunately, the kids have broken my brand new guest room bed frame just purchased during quarantine. Glad you could find the humor in everything.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 23:56h, 16 September Reply

      Oh no! I’m sure you weren’t expecting that to happen. Life is full of adventure with children. 🙂 Have a blessed week!

  • Lori Hatcher
    Posted at 00:44h, 18 September Reply

    Sending prayers and well wishes for restful (and less-eventful) nights in your new home (and bed). Blessings on your move, Melissa 🙂

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 12:14h, 18 September Reply

      Thank you Lori. We are still waiting for the new bed to arrive. Oct. 20th is the scheduled arrival date. Something funny is always happening here. Have a blessed weekend! 🙂

  • Barbara Harper
    Posted at 18:19h, 28 September Reply

    That’s one way to get a new bed. 😀 It’s good you could see the humor in it rather than getting frustrated. We had a couple of furniture dings due to the movers, but I can’t remember any funny broken furniture stories.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 18:57h, 28 September Reply

      Yes, Barbara. We wanted a new bed, but didn’t expect the old one to break. haha! Have a blessed day! 🙂

  • debwilson2
    Posted at 13:55h, 06 October Reply

    We had an old oak bed that began to come apart one night. I had the brilliant idea to clean between the joints of the headboard. Looks like that antique dust held it together. We had to have it professionally glued back. Enjoyed your laugh! I needed it today.

    • mimionlife
      Posted at 21:19h, 06 October Reply

      Haha! I do believe we have some pieces that antique dust might be holding together. Glad you enjoyed the message. Have a blessed week! 🙂

  • Words by Friends - Melinda InmanMelinda Inman
    Posted at 14:00h, 22 October Reply

    […] of Melissa’s is The Leaning Bed of Henderson. You can find that story right here, just CLICK HERE. I know you’ll love […]

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