Spreading love, joy, peace, faith & unity

Archive for December, 2018

Do You Carol?

I think Christmas caroling is a lost art. Do you carol?

When I told Chris, my 23 year old Swiss grandson, that we were going caroling, he asked, “What’s that?”

I responded, “Do you know what carols are?”

Keep in mind that his language in Switzerland is French (even though with his mom – our daughter – he speaks English at home).

“No.”

“It’s Christmas songs,” I explained. “We’re going to sing them at the Christmas stroll.”

Of course, that was a new concept for him, too.

“But I don’t know your Christmas songs.”

Not letting him off the hook, I explained, “We have books.”

“Who will we sing to?”

I told him about our annual custom of going door to door in neighborhoods or singing on the sidewalks downtown, going in and out of stores. He thought that was pretty strange!

“We’d probably get arrested if we did that in my town,” he puzzled.

Did he go?

You bet!

Did he enjoy it?

Of course!

And the frosting on the cake was seeing the front page of our local newspaper a few days later:

How did you kickoff your Christmas season?

Sami’s Story

Our favorite waitress is Sami. She lights up JR’s Restaurant in Elko, Nevada. She is so friendly – so personable – so efficient!

 

Today After serving us a delicious breakfast, Sami asked our Swiss grandson if he would be returning to Switzerland after we visit California.

When Chris explained that he hopes to be attending Job Corps training in Montana in the new year, Sami smiled knowingly and went to care for other customers.

Then (after being sure everyone’s needs were met) she returned and sat next to Chris and shared this amazing story:

“This Christmas we had the pleasure of a visit from Drake, my son Mike’s friend. Drake trained with the Job Corps in his late teens. Today he is a successful electrical engineer. We’ve known Drake for 30 years.

When Drake and my son were 7 years old, They met at a pet store.

Mikey had a pet turtle. He’d had it about a year and he realized it wasn’t much of a pet. It didn’t do anything. What he really wanted was a gecko.

I asked him, ‘But, what will you do with your turtle? You can’t just throw it away, you know. It’s a real thing!’

So Mikey made a sign.

“Turtle for Sale – $10. –

– or best offer – Call (phone #)”

He put a picture of his turtle on the sign and the owner graciously let him hang it at the pet store.

Soon after, Mikey got a call from Drake. He was a boy in Mike’s second grade class. Mikey knew Drake was from a poor family.  He didn’t have money for his lunches, let alone $10 for a turtle. But Drake really really wanted that turtle.

Mike met Drake at the pet store. I let Mikey do his own negotiating. We brought Drake home with us to get the turtle. By the time Drake left, he not only had the turtle, but Mikey had given him the terrarium, the turtle food, his favorite fleece-lined jacket and $5 in cash!

Oh, and yes, we made sure Mikey got his gecko!

That was the first of Mike’s many generous, compassionate acts. And we’re blessed to have a continued relationship with Drake, who came to visit us this Christmas with his seven year old son.”

Sami got up from our table to wait on her customers.

We sat in awe of her sharing. Our hugs were extra warm this time as we left the restaurant. We’ll be back, you know. Sami is not just our favorite waitress. She’s a treasure!

Do you have a Sami-type story to tell?

Bless us with YOUR sharing !

 

We love our Pets

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Our pets are a part
Of the center of our heart
We love them in a way
That only pet-owners can say.

We talk to them in words
That seem to others quite absurd.
And spoil them with treats,
Adding to their food cheese and meats.

HappyTazE

Happy TazE

Their smiles make us smile
And we walk with them a mile
In freezing weather and snow
To keep them healthy, you know?

girl lying on white surface petting gray rabbit

 

We picture them as family
Part of the kids for you and me –
And know their presence is a treat
Bringing joy to all they meet.

tan and white basset hound near the christmas tree

Photo by Maximiliano Ignacio Pinilla Alvarado on Pexels.com

So in this Christmas time of year
I’m sending greeting from over here
To help you know – no need to guess –
.Why we love our pets!

Image

Wordless Wednesday

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Bay Area Rapid Transit

Riding the BART

That is our son there

Leaning endearingly on

His wife, Monika.
.

Not a simple ride –

It is a happy BART train

Headed for ‘Frisco

bridge california cliff golden gate bridge

Photo by Life Of Pix on Pexels.com

Doesn’t it look like

A day in San Francisco

Would be quite a blast?

people standing on road beside market and high rise buildings

Photo by Rafael Guimarães on Pexels.com

 

Wait for me, dear ones.

I just want to come along –

Oh, for this one day.

 

Christmas shopping in

That beautiful place

Sounds like Paradise.

architecture bridge buildings business

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

But maybe I should

Spend my money locally.

That’s what merchants say.

brown gift box on white bull dog s head

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Is your shopping done?

I have barely just begun.

What gift do you want?

Prophets – Bah Humbug!

If you’ve been following my blog awhile, you know I take notes in poetry as I listen to the sermon in church on Sundays.

white house on green grass and green mountain

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

If you’re new to my blog, welcome! Thank you so much for following. You help me know with your “likes” and comments that I am not just writing into cyberspace. There are real people out there – my blogging “friends” – who may be touched, encouraged, tickled, or illuminated by my posts. If I help you somehow along this rugged path of life to step a little lighter, see a little brighter, or love each other “righter”, then I have accomplished my purpose.

Here are the notes reflecting the message I gathered from yesterday’s sermon. After the service, I told Rev. Jean Johnson, our pastor at Madison Valley Presbyterian, “Your message spoke to me. I think I’ll blog this one.”

So, here it is:

Prophets – Bah Humbug!

Who needs a prophet?
They are annoying, I think.
At best, they are pests.
At worst, they stink!

Tell ’em to take
Their soapboxes away
To some other place.
They harp doom everyday.

Isn’t it enough to try
To be good to each other?
Isn’t it enough
To love sister and brother?

Here we are this Advent
Being called to goodness and hope.
John the Baptist says we
Need baptism and repentance to cope.

He persists in saying
Mountains must be flat.
Paths must be made straight.
Who needs all that?

We like our high mountains.
We like crooked paths, too.
Who needs these prophets?
Do they annoy you?

Well, to be honest, I must
Tell you these truthtellers
Are important to us.
They’re really not such bad fellers!

They call us to be humble.
They show us the Christ-like way.
They remind us of past errors
And guide us to a better way.

Prophets help us discover
How love is better than hate.
They show us what really matters.
Heed them. Invite them in. It’s a date!

Be the love to the loveless.
Don’t worry and think you’re too small.
Listen to the wisdom of the prophets.
Their message is good for us all.

Let God’s light shine through you.
Be the prophetic face of love.
Go out and BE a prophet.
Share the message from God above.

Amen?

 

Ready for Dessert?

Mmmmm … Stuffed Strawberries!

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Strawberry Haiku

Yummy stuffed cheesecake

Choc-o-late dipped strawberries

Look so delicious

 

Make my tastebuds ache

Is it time for our dessert?

I think I’ll try ’em!!

Source: Chocolate dipped cheesecake stuffed strawberries

This post is too good not to repost!Day 2205: Who gives a crap? | The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally

        This post caught my eye because it reminded me of my mom. One of the last expressions I remember her saying before she died was like this one, but a little more graphic. As we were headed out the door of the nursing home where she lived her last few year with increasing dementia, I told her, “Mom, we need to go back to your room.”
       “Why?” she barked at me.
       “Because your blouse is on in-side-out,” I explained.
       This woman, who lived her life vainly overly concerned about her outward appearance, continued pushing her walker toward the car. “Oh, who gives a shit?” she exclaimed.
       See why this “Who gives a crap?” by Ann Koplow caught my eye. Read on… she tells us what we should in fact “give a crap” about … and what not to be concerned with, too. Delightful!

“Who gives a crap about where today’s blog title came from? If you do give a crap, I saw that sign yesterday on the wall of a huge glass-blowing facility called Almost Perfect Glass  in Cambridge, Massachusetts. There’s my  almost perfect friend, Deb, who was working the annual holiday glass sale at Almost Perfect Glass,…
— Read on annkoplow.wordpress.com/2018/12/09/day-2205-who-gives-a-crap/

Trust and Rest

Today is a day

To trust and rest in the Lord

Sit down and praise God

No need to worry

He has all your troubles held

He can fix antlers

So He can fix you!

Take your cares to Lord Jesus:

Great Intercessor.

Meadow is Empty

Today, in our haiku journey along the Pan American highway, we have an image to inspire us, which was taken in Yellowstone National Park and it is entitled ‘Meadow’. Our task is to create haiku, tanka or other Japanese poetry forms inspired by this image with the theme of love.

My response to:

Carpe Diem #1561 Yellowstone National Park … meadow.

 

Beautiful_Meadow_in_Yellowstone_National_Park.JPG

Meadow is empty
According to naked eye
Wait just a second