Stormy Weather

We have been having really strong rainstorms here - with lots of thundering going on - one of the ad reps came back to our office today and had a photo of a tornado that she saw nearby.

Sunday I went to the beach and met Kiki there - the waves, for this area, were really good and the surfers were all out in full force. I had packed two diet sandwiches, some cherries and Lipton Diet Green Tea - which I drink all the time - it's good when you want something more than water but you don't want a soda. Kik had to leave after awhile and I stayed on - I had brought part of my Sunday NY Times with me and spent time reading that and also had a mystery book, Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson - a cooking mystery book if you can believe that - you get very hungry reading her books! The day was right up there with all perfect Sunday afternoons.

Last week was really fun because I got to meet Kukie, Kenady and Kik for lunch - it was really great meeting "the bloggers" and knowing that I "know" them - but not really having voices and faces to go with it all and kind of getting more of the puzzle of friendships and caring about each other to come together in a whole picture. I was happy they included me and sorry I had to go back to work and leave the party - and they were having a party!!! I am fortunate that Kik has introduced me to so many valuable and truly kind people through her blogging.

Flower Girls & Ring Bearers

This is a favorite topic of mine - ask my daughters and they will tell you.

I happen to be one of perhaps a few people that do not think children under six should be participating in a wedding ceremony and I am curious about what others think. Am I wrong or am I right???

The first and foremost reason why I feel a little one shouldn't be in the ceremony is because I believe it is way too much pressure for a 2 - 3 yr old to face as they stand at the head of the aisle and everyone turns and is smiling waiting to see what she/he will do. It is a recipe for disaster - and I have personally seen it happen too many times. In fact I have never been to a wedding with a child in the wedding party where something doesn't go wrong. I was the head teacher for a two year old nusery school program for eight years and I feel I can speak with some authority on at least 2-3 yr olds. I have actually called it child abuse at times - why inflict that on a little child when they don't have the maturity or the grace to handle all that attention?

I don't understand when a couple have spent so much time and money to create a wonderful and special ceremony that they are willing to let it be destroyed in the blink of an eye by this little person. This is the bride's day - a really special day - why does she want to share it with a little munchkin? A very cute but possibly out of control child. I have been to weddings where the flower girl walked around the altar while the minister talked and almost set the bride's veil on fire by tipping over a candle holder - I (who never make a scene) yelled out, "Watch out!!!" - that one was really freightening.

One wedding we went to the flower girl walked around - climbed up on the platform - called to the people in the bridal party - we couldn't even hear the couple reciting their vows because of her behavior. I really believe weddings are a momentous time in your life - sacred and meaningful - a time of happiness - why should the guests be sitting there worrying about what some little one is going to do next instead of paying attention to the ceremony?

When I was married I had the church nursery set up with babysitters so the parents could enjoy the ceremony and the kids could play - and there weren't any crying babies or children talking out loud during the ceremony.

I love children and babies - but - I also believe in letting them be children in the right circumstances and not putting undo pressure on them.

Thank you for listening -

Children's Books

For eight years I was the head teacher for the two-year old program at a private nursery school on Long Island and I really loved it. Talk about getting lots of unconditional love - that is what those little munchkins handed out all day.

One of my favorite things to do was to read stories to them and from all my experience I can spot a good story book in seconds. Last night I went to Barnes with my Mom and sister - loved it - bought a new Home Companion magazine - new book for myself and then I was looking at the children's books - Splat the Cat - is a great book that I saw last night. I love doing voices and facial expressions and watching a child be drawn into a good story.

One of the all time favorites is Dinnertime by Jan Pienkowski - a scary book but so much fun - it is a pop-up book so it is one that I guard but still have fun with. All my grandchildren love it - I have a whole bunch of books that I bring with me to read to them when I visit and they can count on me reading to them when they are here. One of my least favorite books is any Richard Scary book. I always look for a book with really good art work - whether it is creative - detailed - graphic - and a really good story - or fun to read.

When my children were young I always had a bookshelf in the living room devoted to just children's books that I would read to them - it was important to me that they learn to handle books carefully as "books are our friends." I still buy at least one really good children's book for myself at Christmas. I could really spend a fortune on those books!

Sick and Alone

Saturday morning I woke up feeling really crummy - sinuses killing me - I had been sneezing for the last couple of days and my nose had been running - so it was either a cold, sinus infection or allergies - I've never really had a problem with allerigies. I stayed in bed for awhile and then figured I had better move downstairs and get something to eat and a nice cup of hot tea - I was walking past my bathroom - heading for the stairs when all of a sudden I realized I was going to be sick to my stomach - bolted for the bathroom and made it in time.

Finally made it downstairs and got on the couch and decided to call my Mom and sister to let them know I wasn't feeling well and as I laid on the couch talking with her I was looking at my living room window and realized that a lizard was crawling up my sheers!!!!! I told my sister to come over right away and help me with the lizard because I didn't want to take my eyes off of it and lose it in my house and always be worrying about when it would come out again. So there I sat frozen on the couch - feeling even worse - waiting for her - she arrived and "frick and frack of the animal world" captured it - actually she did and then she took it outside and was going to let it go at my front door and I said, "Nooooooooooooooo!!! Take it far away!" - so she let it go on the other side of my driveway. And the drama was over.

After she left I really thought about what would I do if she hadn't come over - and what about other single people living alone - I felt really vulnerable and thought about my next door neighbor - Sister Barbara - a retired Catholic nun - and of my single friends - I have one single friend that lives in fear of falling while taking a shower and having to be rescued in that state!!! So I am calling my single friends and talking with my neighbor and letting them know that as best as I can I am there for them - even if they just need to be rescued from a lizard or a fall in the shower.

Streams in the Desert

I try to read my Streams in the Desert devotional every day - I found my first copy in my parent's basement in their home on L.I. about 24 yrs. ago - I was heading back to Texas to pack up our home and move back to L.I. and started reading it while my husband drove the really big U-Haul and my sister drove her red Phoenix with the dog and the cat and everything else we couldn't fit in the truck - I took turns riding with them both.

We stayed overnight in a motel and on the morning of August 22 I got up early and went in the bathroom to read the selection for that day - I have never forgotten what it meant to me. I am now on my third copy - hardcover - it is not a "happy - rainbow - doves flying - everything is love" devotional - it is very realistic - filled with hard truths - anyway I read this the other morning in my Streams in the Desert devotional and think it is a good definition of what faith really is:

Trusting -
even when it appears you have been forsaken;

Praying -
when it seems your words are simply entering a vast expanse where no one hears and no voice answers;

Believing -
that God's love is complete and that He is aware of your circumstances, even when your world seems to grind on as if setting its own direction and not caring for life or moving one inch in response to your petitions;

Desiring -
only what God's hands have planned for you

Waiting patiently -
while seemingly starving to death, with your only fear being that your faith might fail -

"this is the victory that has overcome the world" I John 5:4; this is genuine faith indeed.

George MacDonald

Thoughts at the end of the day

It's not really the end of the day - but I am getting ready to shut down - and I wanted to write down something that I read on another blog (3 for 365). Apparently it is from Disney's Keys to Excellence:

S - Smile

E - Eye contact/body language

R - Respect and welcome

V - Value the magic (my favorite)

I - Iniatate guest contact

C - Create service solutions

E - End with a thank you

These are so simple and yet really perfect for our homelife and work world. I wrote them out in my sketch book and will probably make room for them on my refrigerator.

Oh - wait - do I hear my daughters groaning because I mentioned my refrigerator door that holds all the important sayings, verses, photos of my life - I am just laughing to myself because I really tried to keep it pristine when I first moved in and then "poof" it was fully covered!!! Right now the bottom part is empty because my grandson "cleaned" it while he was here visiting - don't worry girls - everything was saved and is sitting on top of the microwave - I am hearing more groans because they know on top of the microwave sits a perfectly sized green wooden tray that holds "stuff."

Last "word" for today: Joy is the best cosmetic for a woman. Rosalind Russell

My 4th of July!!!

My daughter, Heather, and her husband, Jerry, and the two grandchildren have been here visiting - Lauren, Jonathan and Caed were driving down here on the 4th from D.C. arriving at about 6 p.m. in time for our cook-out and then the walk to the beach to watch all the fireworks along the coast - you can see them for miles. My other daughter, April, had to work so I was feeling the "empty spot" even before all the festivities started.

Some of us had spent the day at the beach - and just having fun - Jerry had put my Mom's new barbeque together - I had gone back to my place to change after the beach and was getting ready to leave when April called to say "hi" and I told her I was homesick for her. I got over to my Mom's home and after stopping to admire Jerry's handiwork I arrived in the family room - said hi to Jonathan and Caed - and then Kik, Heather and Lauren entered the family room singing one of my favorite songs for them to sing - a Shaker song called Simple Gifts - and as they came into the room I realized that there was a 4th daughter, April, coming through the doorway - they totally surprised me - I had no idea - never even imagined (sometimes I do try to get my hopes up with my imagination going full speed) that they would bring her - I just cried and cried and they asked if I was going to have a heart attack and I said no - you don't die from happiness. It was the best!!!