Maundy Thursday

Holy Week continued...

Today is called Maundy Thursday.  I did not grow up in a church that used that term and it took me awhile to figure out that people weren't saying, "Monday Thursday", which sounded ridiculous.  I learned that it was  a name for the day when we commemorated Jesus' last meal with his disciples.  You've likely all seen artwork of Jesus at a big banquet table with them all seated on the same side of the table just as if they were on a sit-com.  When I went to Bing Images and Google Images I found a LOT of paintings of the Last Supper.  This one is by Da Vinci and likely the most famous...

The Last Supper, 1498 (post-restoration)

Leonardo da Vinci (Italian, 1452–1519)
Scala/Art Resource, NY
Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan

As I continued browsing through the images I found a lot of renditions of Da Vinci's painting.  Some had the apostles as dogs, I'm not sure why.  Another was an impressive recreation by Laura Bell.  What's so impressive about it was that she did it with laundry lint!  Now that's an art form I'd not considered before!

  (by Laura Bell...made with laundry lint)

At that Last Supper, Jesus taught his apostles about communion.  He taught them to eat the bread and drink the wine together when he was gone, remembering him, taking him into themselves.  This was a big deal.  The apostles don't seem to quite get it yet, then.  They weren't catching on that Jesus was soon to die.  Jesus knew, though.  Jesus loved these followers and he knew they would soon be hurting.  He wanted them to know that he would always be with them.  I think much of what began that night was not understood until after his death.  I don't know, maybe we still don't quite understand it as well as we should.  What I understand, though, is that when I take communion, Jesus is with me.  What more could I ask?

What I learned from Wikipedia about the word, Maundy, kind of surprised me.  I expected it to have something to do with communion.  Nope.  It refers to washing, specifically Jesus' washing the feet of the disciples.  Well, what do you know?  We had yet more to learn from that night.

Yes, Jesus washed the disciples feet.  These weren't feet that had already soaked in a tub.  These were feet that had probably been walking dusty roads for miles in sandals.  This was not a pretty job.  Washing someone else's feet is a pretty humbling thing to do.  It is a true act of service.  

Jesus demonstrated humility as he showed his apostles how much he cared for them.  Humility is not something we talk about much these days.  I think we should.  I don't think being humble means we should have a low self-esteem.   As a Christian, I think it means we need to recognize that any goodness within ourselves comes from God.  Knowing that makes us want to share that goodness by serving others. It seems simple but humility is often a challenge to accomplish.  

Other names for this day include Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Sheer Thursday and Thursday of Mysteries.  Not every Christian Church even names this day but they all talk about the lessons Jesus was teaching.  The first lesson that stands out to me is that we need to commune with one another as we take Jesus into our own beings.  The second lesson is that we need to be people of humility.  There are more lessons here, such as the lesson of obedience, as Jesus was obediently following God's plan for him.  What else?  What do you take from all this?  Do you do anything special on this day? 

A Tiny Rockstar

Sunday Cordelia went to Sunday School with me.  I may have mentioned before that I help teach the class for 3-5 yr olds.  Cordelia is only 2 but I figured she could hold her own there and she does.

The last 15 minutes of Sunday School all the classes get together to sing songs, celebrate birthdays, etc.  Last Sunday the group was making plans to do some special music at an upcoming church service.  The leader asked if any of the children wanted to play their instruments at the service.  Cordelia quickly volunteered to play guitar!  The lady was pretty surprised to have a 2 yr. old make such an offer.  OK, I was pretty surprised as well!  Cordy was adamant and said it many, many times. 

Later, Maria told me that Cordy was still talking about the "music show" and informed them she was going to play guitar.  Cordy went on to say that Grandpa would dance, Maria would play tambourine and I would play "bass or something".  OK, then!

Well, yesterday Maria decided maybe she should get Cordelia a guitar as she was still talking about it.  She found a cute little animal-shaped guitar at Target.  It has strings but it also has buttons that she can push to make some rhythm sounds and such.  It really sounded rather pretty!  She was so delighted; she started playing right away!

She just kept playing as we walked through Target.

She started getting her own style.  I liked it best when she was nodding her head with the beat.

She was still playing when we were at Bath and Body Works.

This little rockstar made a lot of people smile at the mall today!

Wyoming Rose - 10 Commandment Bracelet

Maria and I not only create original items for our Wyoming Rose Shop, we also offer vintage items that we think are cool.  We have a lot of fun hunting for these delights from the past, spending time at garage sales and thrift stores.  We look through a lot of  "stuff" and often leave with nothing but every now and then we happen upon some things that really strike our fancy.  This Vintage 10 Commandment Bracelet was one of my favorites.  It is simply sweet!  I like the feel of it, the look of it and what a lovely way to be reminded of God's desire for us to be of strong character!

They Have a Story to Tell

Something I was thinking about this morning was the simple idea of how we can live in a community of people without ever really knowing each other.  I live in an ordinary town in Wyoming and it is easy for me to think that we have all lived similar lives.  That notion would be so very wrong!

What brought that up this morning was an article in a Wyoming paper about a long-time local resident.  I looked at the photo of her and thought it possible that I'd seen her before, maybe passed her in an aisle of a grocery story or something.  She looks like an ordinary older woman to me.  Her story, though, is not ordinary.  Well, unfortunately it is not that uncommon, actually, but it is not an ordinary story for a Wyoming woman.

This woman, Inge Kutchins, was the youngest daughter of a Jewish widow.  They lived in Germany and she says she was about the same age as Anne Frank.  In her story Inge downplays anything she suffered as it is not comparable to those who were sent to the camps.  She doesn't seem to think of herself as a Holocaust Survivor, at least not in the way of others who were still in Germany during the worst of it.  However, she was sent from her family at age 8.  She was first sent to Switzerland to live with a Catholic family that was harboring Jews.  Later she was sent to the U.S. to live with a Methodist foster family.  She was just growing back her hair after having it shorn for de-lousing, she couldn't speak English and she arrived just in time to celebrate Easter, a holiday totally foreign to her.  She was just a little girl!

As I read the article I was amazed that she wanted to focus her story on those who helped her.  She didn't seem to want to discuss any cruelties she'd experienced, but rather wanted to discuss her gratitude toward all those who made her story have a different ending than so many other German Jewish children her age.  You see what I mean?  This is not an ordinary Wyoming life story.

I also came to know a little Japanese lady who ended up living out her life in Wyoming.  She had quite a story herself.  She told me of being in Hiroshima as a child the day the bomb was dropped!  Can you imagine?  She was pretty little but couldn't forget the fear.  She said her family had nowhere to go.  Ironically, she eventually married an American soldier.  Who would have thought a Hiroshima bomb survivor was living her life, raising her children, in small town Wyoming?

When living in Montana I once met the father of one of my friends when he was visiting.  He was a nice guy, an artist, but I am sorry to admit I didn't spend any time trying to learn about his life.  Later, I did get to know him more, but not personally.  I learned of a book that told his story.  That book,  Tears in the Darkness by Michael and Elizabeth M. Norman, is an eye-opener.

This gentle, elderly man named Ben Steele, lived through that Bataan Death March.  Although I'd heard of that, I'd never studied the horrors of it.  What he lived through is pretty much unfathomable to me.  He had a story to tell that I never even imagined.

So, you are wondering, what is the point of this post?  I don't know.  I wasn't planning this post at all.  I guess I just think I need to pay more attention to individuals.  It is so easy to overlook people.  Have any of you been surprised when you learned a story behind a person's life?

Show Some Respect

If you just had a short time to live, what would be the most important thing you'd want to say to those you loved?  No, this isn't a post about my hospice work.  I was thinking about Jesus entering Jerusalem, knowing he just had a few days left to teach.  Since it is Holy Week, I thought I'd explore some of those last teachings.

One of the things he did was to try to clean up the temple.  He went there and found people using it as a place of shady business.  He was upset and said to them, "It is written,, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you are making it a den of robbers."  He was so angry he overturned their tables and chairs!

All my life I've been told that the people are what is important at church, not the building.  I believe that.  I've even had some strong opinions about all the money that goes into a fancy church building that could've been used toward mission work such as feeding the hungry.  However, from this passage I also have come to believe that it is important to have such a space as a church or temple, set aside as a sacred place of prayer and worship.  Out of respect to God, that place is to be set apart and used to his glory.  By honoring the place, we are honoring our God.

Since Jesus used some of his precious last days of teaching to make this point, I think we are probably supposed to take notice.  What do you think about this?  

Cloak Sunday

What?  You never heard of Cloak Sunday?  Well, it is actually my own spin on an old idea.  I'm thinking it is really going to catch on quickly.  What do you think?  Here, to understand what I am talking about, read a prophecy from the Old Testament, written 500+ years before Jesus' birth.  Then, read about the fulfillment of that prophecy as written in the New Testament.

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Zechariah 9:9

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! 

Shout aloud, O daughter

Jerusalem!

Lo, your king comes to you;

triumphant and victorious is he,

humble and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 

Matthew 21:6-9

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.  A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

"Hosanna to the Son of David! 

Blessed is the one who comes in

the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!" 

(Biblical passages from the New Revised Standard Version)

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Today is the beginning of Holy Week for Christians.  Holy Week starts out beautifully as we remember Jesus returning to Jerusalem, being welcomed like a celebrity.  This is referred to as Palm Sunday because of the reference to people cutting branches from trees and spreading them on the road before Jesus.  They also put their cloaks down so I am thinking you could call it Cloak Sunday if you wished.  Don't you agree?  Many churches, like our's, order palm branches and we hold them up and sing, "Hosanna in the highest!"  It is kind of majestic and parade-like.  I wonder, if I hold up my coat (cloak) and wave it, will others join me?  I probably won't try it.  It could turn out like the year I heard that in Ireland on St. Patrick's Day the Catholics wore green and the Protestants wore orange.  I am a Protestant so....   well, let's just say that was a painful March 17 for me!

Seriously though, by next Sunday we will be celebrating Easter, which is my all-time favorite holiday.  Between now and then, however, we are travelling through the stories of Jesus' last days.  Most of the stories are really quite horrible and dramatic.  Without them, though, Easter means nothing.  For today, Cloak Sunday, we get to be jubilant.  We are welcoming the King!

(Yes, after seeing me haul coats out to our driveway, throw them down and try to snap a photo while the Wyoming wind tossed them about, our neighbors do indeed believe I am crazy.)

I will finish posting the ABC's of Bible Memorization after Holy Week.  Remember, I will make a prize for any of you who tell me you memorized them all!

First Communion Class

I know, I'm posting kind of late today.  I woke up kind of late this morning, 7:45.  I'm more of a 6:00 a.m. kind of gal so I was pretty startled to see the time.  It's even weirder because I slept much of yesterday, having worked the night shift Thursday night.  I think I slept 16 hours out of 24!  Anyway, I was teaching a class this morning so I had to get myself cleaned up quickly and out the door.

The class I was teaching was preparation for children about to have their first communion.  The students were grade school age and their parents came along as well.  Two years ago I worked up 4 lessons about communion and put them in worksheet form.  The parents work with their own children at home to do the first 3 lessons.  Today was the final lesson so we went through what they'd already done and did a craft as well.  Mike (aka Pastor Mike) then worked with the children, helping them know what to expect and explained some of the procedural things.

I loved this class!  We discussed how God watched over them and helped free them.  When Jesus first taught his disciples about communion it was when they were having the Passover meal, which is why it was important for the children to know what that was.  So, we discussed how the Jewish People were held as slaves and how God freed them.  All that happened before Jesus' earthly life so it was fun to see the children realize how it related to what Jesus was then teaching so many years later.

As we discussed Jesus as sacrifice for us, forgiveness of sins, God's love and the community of Saints these children had some great insights to share.  They and their parents made the discussion lively and thought-provoking.  I love it when that happens!  We tackled questions such as, "Do you think we are meant to have communion alone or as a group?" or "Is it ok to be joyful when taking communion or must we all be solemn?"  If anyone wants copies of the lesson plan, just leave a comment here or e-mail me at onlythemanager@yahoo.com.  I can send it to you via e-mail.

Their craft was a picture frame.  I asked them to paint it with symbols or words that represented something they'd learned about communion.  I received permission from parents so that I could show some of their work. Enjoy!

The children will then put a photo of themselves in the frame, reminding them they are also chosen by God.

This is My Friend, Grandma

Cordelia has been really entertaining us lately!  Her vocabulary is excellent for a 2 year old and when you throw in that free-flowing imagination of a child it adds up to lots and lots of FUN!

This week I went with Maria and Cordelia for a quick medical appointment.  It was a happy day as it was my first time to hear the heartbeat of Cordelia's little sister.  Cordelia has been with her Momma to these appointments before and was happy to be showing me the ropes.  As we pulled into the parking lot she said, "This is how we live, Grandma!"  I wasn't quite sure what she meant but I think she was just referring to that place being part of their lives now.

Just before we entered the office Cordelia noticed a stone by the steps.  She was excited to pick it up and adopt it.  She kept a good hold on it all through the appointment, showing it to others along the way.  Later, as we were driving in the car, we gave Cordy a sucker.  Well, Cordelia is good at sharing and soon we heard her trying to share her sucker with her stone, "Here you go, little fella!"  It was adorable.  Sometimes we hear the best things coming from that little car seat in the back.  Once, I heard her say, "Shiver me timbers!"  I think I also heard a bit of a pirate's accent!

That day was also our weekly meeting for lunch at the mall day.  While the others were in line for their food I was strolling around with Cordy.  We were looking at some big photos hanging on the wall and she had some definite thoughts about them.  One was a big horn sheep.  Cordelia calmly told me that he was looking for worms.  Another photo was of a magnificent soaring eagle.  Cordelia told me the eagle was looking for helicopters.  "Helicopters?" I said.  Cordy replied, "Yes, and airplanes.  He's looking for helicopters and airplanes so he can play chase!"  OK, then.  There you have it.

Yesterday Maria and I met a friend for lunch.  When the friend arrived, Cordelia gave her a big hug and then turned to do introductions.  She said, "This is my friend, Grandma, and this is my friend, Mommy."  Yesterday  Cordelia also said, "You are precious to me, Grandma."  It just doesn't get any better than that!

What a Difference a Week Makes!

My backyard last week...

My backyard yesterday...

I am sorry for all the times I've taken the miracle of Spring for granted.

Very Veggie Pasta Toss - A Tutorial

Oh, I bet you are so excited!  I got it in my head to do another tutorial!

Maria, Eric and Cordelia came to dinner this week.  They are vegan so of course I always cook up a vegan meal for them.  OK, that often means I cook spaghetti and dump vegan sauce out of a jar, open a bag of lettuce and proudly pop out the Annie's Goddess Dressing (it's really good).  This week, though, I decided to put out a little effort.

I found this recipe in Prevention Magazine:

Besides what you see in the photo, it called for 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1/2 lb whole wheat angel hair pasta and 1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar.  I left out the garlic as a few of us can't handle it.  Don't ask.

So, I heated oil and sliced up the pepper.  I had the package of broccoli slaw

and I even bought a packge of sliced carrots.

Yes, I am THAT lazy.  I cooked it all up, stirring until tender, just as it said.  Apparently I stirred pretty vigorously as I ended up with little bits of veggie sparks on my stove top.  It was kind of pretty, actually.

I decided to slice some tofu and soaked it a bit in soy sauce.  I mean, I MARINATED it (fancy cook talk for soaking) in soy sauce.  I then grilled it on my electric grill.  I learned that the soy sauce gets kind of squeezed out at that point, making puddles on the counter top.

I sliced up some grape tomatoes.  I know, it was supposed to be cherry tomatoes but what's the difference, really?

I prepared the pasta "al dente" as it said.  OK, I'm not really sure what that means but I think it means cook it until it is of the texture that if thrown to the ceiling, it will stick.  I did NOT throw it to the ceiling.  However, when we purchased our first home it had spaghetti stuck to the ceiling so I guess sometimes people really do that.  Of course, the window coverings at the house were rows of stacked beer cans.  I'm kind of off track here, aren't I?

So, back to dinner.  I dropped my spatula on the floor.  By that time I knew this tutorial was going nowhere good so I thought a photo of the spatula on the floor was appropriate.  I'd already reflexively picked it up so this photo is actually a reenactment.  I wouldn't admit that but my son-in-law, Eric, saw me do it.  I could see the disapproval in his eyes as he is a guy of high integrity.

I tossed up some berries and we sat down to a fine... ok, mediocre, meal.  Yes, it wasn't all that great.  I think it would've been if I could have added the garlic...or any kind of flavor really.  Mike and I, though, have "issues" so we eat flavorless food.  

Still, this meal has potential.  Be creative with some spices.  Really, I think you could do great things with it.  Let me know!

Are you thinking, "this is the worst tutorial ever!"  Well, you are wrong.  THIS is the worst tutorial ever, remember?  But, I agree, this is not great.  So, let me just move on to photos of some of the fine people around the table.

Our son, Sam...

...and Eric, the man of high integrity...

Cordelia had it all figured out.  She dipped much of her meal in ketchup...not a bad idea.

And last, your reward for making it through this post, a picture of our lovely and elegant daughter, Maria...

Wyoming Rose - Harvest Scarf

Did you ever have one of those days when you needed just a little something extra to perk up your wardrobe?  This lovely dainty may be the answer.  I used an oatmeal colored cotton thread and decided to crochet this piece with a loose, open stitch.  Wear it with a tank top, sweater or dress and let the compliments begin!  I love how it turned out, casual yet sophisticated!  See this and other new listings at our shop, Wyoming Rose Boutique.

God Over Money

I want to tell you a happy little story a friend recently told me.   


Our friend's 19 year old son was wearing a t-shirt that said, "God Over Money" when he stopped at a quick stop kind of place.  As he waited in line to pay for his snack items a girl made a disdainful comment about  his t-shirt.  His response was beautiful; he said, "Here, I'll show you."   As he paid for his snacks and told her to set her items on the counter and paid for her's as well!  He then turned and walked out of the store.


Is that not cool?  So simple yet so effective.

(I found this photo on Google Images from jambizzle.com, where you can also buy these t-shirts)

October Baby

Mike & I went to see October Baby this past week-end.  I really would like to recommend it to everyone.

The movie deals with the issue of abortion.  It could've been made in a very judgmental tone, in a way that would cause even more harm.  I don't think it did that, though.  Yes, it is most definitely a pro-life film.  However, I believe it is also tenderly trying to tell women who have already aborted that they are loved and forgiveness is available to them.

I don't want to tell you the whole film but a part that blew me away was actually a clip shown after the movie was over.  It is an interview with the actress that played the abortive mother.  As it turns out, she had a secret of her own and she found healing from this movie herself.  Here's that clip...

Ww

We are certainly on the final stretch with the ABC's of Bible Memorization! 




 Psalm 100:2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing.

"God Loved Me The Whole Time"

I suppose it comes with my job.  Likely anyone that works at a hospice thinks about death a lot.  I don't think about it with fear, but rather with some fascination.  Please don't be creeped out by that.  Really, it is fascinating that someone can be talking to me, and an hour later that person is somewhere else, a place where they no longer need me to give them pain medications or calm their anxiety.  It is a place where their food doesn't need to be pureed to prevent choking, their bills are not a worry and they are experiencing something I do not yet understand.

Sometimes when I attend a death I find myself looking up and around the room.  I never see anything unusual.  I've heard so many near-death stories, though, of people looking down on the room of their death.  It just seems to be polite to try to acknowledge their departing glance, don't you think?

This morning I went to You Tube and looked for videos of people talking about near-death experiences.  I suppose that sounds bad but I found many of them to be really hopeful and uplifting.  I consider myself a fairly joyful person.  There is much about this life that brings great satisfaction.  Yet, I feel there is so much more.  I know that I am only understanding the surface of what it means to be alive.  One thing I hear a lot from those who have had a near-death experiences is a comment that they finally "understood".  They didn't go through some heavenly college, they just instantly understood.  I like to think that someday I will really understand.

The other thing I come across a lot is people say they felt overwhelmingly loved.  I have a wonderful network of family and friends and I will say that I feel very well-loved in this life.  I realize that not everyone is given that and I do not take it for granted.  But I think that the love we will feel in God's presence is much more than that. I know that I don't yet quite "get it" but I know that I want to.

This video is just one of many that I picked at random.

(from BING images)

I like that it was a man who did not consider himself to be a believer or to even have much knowledge about God before his unusual experience.  It is over 9 minutes but I hope you will enjoy listening to it as I did.  The end is the best part.  I loved it when he said he realized that God had loved him the whole time, even before he believed in God himself.  Yes, I really loved that.

My Camera, My Friend

One of the best things about writing a blog is that I carry my camera around with me a lot more.  One of the best things about carrying a camera around with me a lot more is that I NOTICE things a lot more.  Specifically I notice things that are interesting or beautiful or quaint or heart-warming.  A lot of times it is something that I otherwise may have walked past with no particular sense of appreciation.

This is the camera I use.  It was a gift from Maria and Eric (daughter and son-in-law).  It is small and easily fits into my purse.  It is simple to use and takes great little photos.  Best of all, though, just having it along makes me take a closer look around myself.  I have a tendency to just plunge on ahead toward whatever my goal may be as though I had on blinders.  This little red camera, at least sometimes, makes me look with eyes focused toward beauty.

Do you remember when you'd buy a roll of film and carefully dole out the times you'd snap your camera because you wanted to make the roll last a bit?  We used to live far enough out that instead of taking our roll to a store for development, we'd pop it into a mailer for somewhere like Seattle Filmworks.  A few weeks later a fat little envelope would show up in our mailbox.  I loved that!  It was so exciting to see what the photos were as usually I'd begun shooting the roll so long before I ever mailed it that I had no idea what was in that package.

Sometimes it was quite a delight to see the photos.  Often, it was quite a disappointment.  I may have taken a photo in poor lighting or my subject may have blinked, etc.  I had a lot of photos that were sad.

BUT, that is not a big deal now with my sweet little digital camera.  I take a LOT of photos.  I may take 5 or 10 in a row, hoping that one or two will be terrific.  Who cares?  I am not wasting film and they are easily deleted.

So, I'd like to encourage you to grab your cameras!  Take a walk around your block, walk through your mall or just hang out with people you love.  You will be surprised where you will find photo-worthy opportunities!  If you snap one of which you are particularly proud, attach it to an e-mail to me at onlythemanager@yahoo.com and if I can I will showcase it on my blog, giving you credit of course.  One word of advice, though, please get permission if you are taking photos of people.  It turns out that not everyone wants to be on the internet.

Now, go look for some beauty!  Have fun!

Wyoming Rose - Citrus Twirly Scarf

I enjoy making these Springy Scarves.  I've made quite a few of them but this Citrus Twirly Scarf is my favorite so far... of course.  It's got a lot of orange in it!  I made up this design myself, working without a pattern.  I enjoy making and wearing scarves for the colder months but I didn't want Spring and Summer to feel left out.  These happy little scarves work well with tank tops or t-shirts!  This one is made with all cotton thread and has a happy, wholesome feel.  I can also make these to order in any color you'd like!  If you'd like one and are having trouble leaving comments here (some still can't), just e-mail me at onlythemanager@yahoo.com or wyomingroseboutique@yahoo.com.

AND... there's a bonus!  When checking out of our Etsy site, you will see a place for a coupon code.  You will get free shipping if you type in the word FRIENDS in all caps.  This code is good for all our friends all the time, no matter what you order.

Car Wash Entertainment

Hello. My Name is Susan and I am a Crochetaholic

I've known for awhile that I have a problem.  I want to crochet all the time.  I sneak yarn and a hook along with me most anywhere I go.

Sure, it began as social crocheting.  I'd visit with others while crocheting.  I'd appropriately crochet on a cold winter night.  Then, I started crocheting alone.  I've crocheted in secret.  When I'm not crocheting, I often find myself wondering when my next stitch will be.  I no longer crochet only at traditional times.  I even crochet in the Summer!  It has reached the point where I actually found myself crocheting at the beach!

Recently, though, I found a new way to support my addiction.  It was really quite clever, I thought.  When Mike and I were returning from out of town one night, it got too dark for me to crochet.  I wasn't ready to stop.  What to do?  What to do?  THEN, I thought of my new Acer Iconia Tablet.  It lights up!  I turned it on and set up as though I was going to write a fresh new document so that I could get to a bright, white screen.  Then...

Yes, I did.  I crocheted by the light of my tablet.  It wasn't the most satisfying crocheting experience, but it supported my addiction enough for the moment.

Sadly, I can't be helped until I am ready to be helped... so don't even try.


footnote:  I hope that I've not offended anyone with my silliness.  I do realize alcoholism is a serious problem and I have a high regard for Alcoholics Anonymous.

What's the Buzz All About?

We have a quirky little neighbor over our back fence.  By little, a mean a child.  He's a funny little guy for sure!

Our yards are divided by a 6 foot fence.  That doesn't make for very good conversation time between neighbors but that little boy manages to make his presence known.  For some reason, he likes to throw his things over the fence.  Last Summer I'd find all sorts of toy and even some things that weren't toys.  One day I went out back and saw a big rake that I did not recognize.

At first, I'd call over the fence to his Mom about the treasures before tossing them back.  Now, I just toss them.  It had all stopped over the Winter and I would've guessed the little boy would be over this by now but I was wrong.  Bode recently showed up at the back door all A-Buzz.  Yes, he had Buzz Lightyear in his mouth!  When I investigated further I found Woody in the lawn.  I set them on the fence for a photo op before throwing them back.

Don't you just love it when neighbors drop by?

Remembering Jerry

This is my cousin's blog... check it out!  I want to encourage her to keep writing.

I'd especially like to share the post she did about the day her Dad, my uncle, died.  Her Dad was a great guy and he died a hero.

A Morning With an Old Young Friend

Saturday I enjoyed a delightful breakfast with my young friend, Laura.  We talked about serious things; we talked about nonsense.  We also talked about a lot of things in between.  I convinced her to allow me to snap a few photos of her as I sought her permission to mention her in my blog.  Those photos turned out to be of very poor quality; I must've been shivering when I took them.  However, I found a great photo shared on her FaceBook.  I don't think she'll mind that I share it instead...

To explain to you how I came to be friends with this young woman I think I should begin at the beginning...

Once upon a time we lived in Southern New Mexico.  When we moved there we met a family in the congregation who had three little girls.  The middle girl, Laura, reminded me so much of Laura Ingalls Wilder on Little House on the Prairie!  Remember her?  Well, this Laura was a pretty little brunette like her and had a similarly charming personality.  She just had a sense of FUN about her.  She was a 4th grader when we met.

We became friends with Laura's parents and enjoyed time with them.  Sadly, they moved away from New Mexico before we really got to know them as well as we'd have liked.  Their new home was in Iowa.  We kept in touch for a few years via Christmas Cards and such.  I'm pretty bad with the cards, though, and we ended up losing touch.

When Mike received an invitation to interview at a congregation in Wyoming we had a little mystery greet us.  People told us that just the week or so before Mike's interview, a couple with a tall, blonde teen-age daughter had visited the church.  When this small family heard the announcement that the congregation would be interviewing Mike, they'd mentioned to someone that they knew him.  However, no one remembered the name of the family and we just could not think of anyone we knew that fit that description.

Finally, while touring the church, we thought to read the guest book.  The family was, as you may have guessed, Laura's family.  We found out later they had just moved to this town in Wyoming.  Laura and her older sister, however, were in college in Iowa.  Her little sister was the tall blonde teen!  Ah, the lightbulbs came on!

Well, we again enjoyed getting to know Laura's parents and her little sister.  Laura's Mom became a good friend to me.  We did not live far apart and often shared rides to Bible Studies and such.  I found that she was one of the easiest people to talk with and we seemed to have a lot in common.

Laura ended up accepting a position working here and so we enjoyed reconnecting with her as well.  Sadly, her parents and sister have since moved on.  Happily, because Laura is here, they are occasionally back for visits.

 Laura was in a Christian group of young women that met for Bible Study and conversation.  At one point they all decided to seek out a mentor.  I was really honored when Laura asked me to fill that position for her.  That's when I really got to know her better.  I'm not always certain who is mentoring whom, but we share some good discussions and a lot of laughter.  We've become good friends and I really appreciate this young woman!

Do you have people in your lives that keep popping up like Laura's family?  Or maybe non-relatives that kind of feel like relatives?  For me, the best things in this life have to do with relationships.  I've been blessed with a lot of meaningful ones and for this I am grateful!

Vv

So simply said...


John 6:47 Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has eternal life.