"Come to me and I will make you fishers of men," Jesus said to his fishermen apostles.
The lake is full of fish; the nets are ready. The fishing poles are baited. The temperatures are perfect. The Lord has need for you.
Think I am going a little batty? We watched Billy Graham last night (we'd taped it for a later viewing) and he is still every bit as genuine and compelling as he ever was. He moved me to tears within the first 10 minutes and several times thereafter, especially when he talks about what Jesus has done for us and how much he loves us. When he talks about forgiveness and belief, commitment.
The two people who were profiled in the special commemorating Graham's 95th birthday were so well spoken. They explained their circumstances very clearly and it was obvious how much God healed them through their faith in Him. They were lost and now they are found.
I am not much of a fan of rap music, but the rapper on the program is bringing the message of Jesus to the young who follow this form of music. He is taking the music of some of the people to the people.
Billy Graham is at peace. He is ready to go home, but he wanted to give one last sermon. He knows that the United States needs a spiritual reawakening and I think he was hoping upon hope that his message would resonate and would call people back. And although sometimes I think differently, Graham doesn't see that we as a country are worse than we used to be. He believes that because we know so much more about what goes on, it would seem that way. He sees sin in all clarity, as though he is looking at a satellite view of the world and the pockets of sin covering the planet. As a man who knew from an early age that the world would pull and tug at him and could be his undoing, he chose to keep himself in full devotion to his Lord to the exclusion of all of the noise. His message has never wavered; his words are so often the same. It's kind of like John the Baptist, a voice crying out in the desert, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." He calls for repentance, for a turning away from sin.
One of my favorite hymns is "Save Us Oh Lord," by Rev. Bob Dufford, SJ
Save us, O Lord, carry us back, rouse your power and come.
Rescue your people, show us your face, BRING US BACK.
O shepherd of Israel, hear us. Return and we shall be saved.
Arise, O Lord, hear our cries, O Lord, BRING US BACK.
How long will you hide from your people? We long to see your face.
Give ear to us. Draw near to us. Lord God of hosts.
Turn again; care for your vine; protect what your right hand has planted.
Your vineyards are trampled, uprooted and burned. Come to us Father of might!
The Lord has need for you. Listen for his call.
Light of Christ
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
The Face of Jesus
We went to our favorite donut shop yesterday for a treat -- Lieberman's Bakery in Massillon. There was only one customer inside when we arrived at around 8:00 a.m. The three women who work at the counter were all oohing and aahing at a canvas the man was showing them. Of course, I was curious but I didn't want to appear nosy.
The man then turned the canvas around for my husband and I to see, and it was the face of Jesus. He said that an eight-year-old created the painting. In many ways it reminded me of the old masters. The lighting on the face, the eyes, the skin tones. It was clearly an excellent painting and he volunteered that he paid almost $500 for it.
He carefully covered the unframed work of art with his jacket and left saying, "I just thought maybe you'd want to see this." The women thanked him for coming in. I responded, "You made my day."
After he left, I mentioned to the women the special that was on TV about four years ago, "The Face of Jesus." It was an excellent program, showing how several men over a period of years used NASA and Air Force technology along with the Shroud of Turin to recreate the face of Jesus. And at the end the face of Christ is revealed. If you ever see that it is going to be on, please take the time to watch or DVR it for a later viewing.
So we returned home, had some donuts, and later I was doing the Jumbles (the game in the newspaper using scrambled letters). One of the four words for yesterday was SHROUD. Yep. Honest.
Isn't life something? I'm so happy that the man chose to come to the bakery with his painting. And I'm so happy that God put us in the bakery at the very moment that he was there.
We are going to be entering into the period called Advent. It is a joyful time in the many Christian churches. The Lions will put up their creche scene in front of the old Exchange Bank again. We will start lighting a candle a week at church. Holding Christ in our hearts, Christmas will be the celebration that it is meant to be. And we will grow in faith and in love.
The man then turned the canvas around for my husband and I to see, and it was the face of Jesus. He said that an eight-year-old created the painting. In many ways it reminded me of the old masters. The lighting on the face, the eyes, the skin tones. It was clearly an excellent painting and he volunteered that he paid almost $500 for it.
He carefully covered the unframed work of art with his jacket and left saying, "I just thought maybe you'd want to see this." The women thanked him for coming in. I responded, "You made my day."
After he left, I mentioned to the women the special that was on TV about four years ago, "The Face of Jesus." It was an excellent program, showing how several men over a period of years used NASA and Air Force technology along with the Shroud of Turin to recreate the face of Jesus. And at the end the face of Christ is revealed. If you ever see that it is going to be on, please take the time to watch or DVR it for a later viewing.
So we returned home, had some donuts, and later I was doing the Jumbles (the game in the newspaper using scrambled letters). One of the four words for yesterday was SHROUD. Yep. Honest.
Isn't life something? I'm so happy that the man chose to come to the bakery with his painting. And I'm so happy that God put us in the bakery at the very moment that he was there.
We are going to be entering into the period called Advent. It is a joyful time in the many Christian churches. The Lions will put up their creche scene in front of the old Exchange Bank again. We will start lighting a candle a week at church. Holding Christ in our hearts, Christmas will be the celebration that it is meant to be. And we will grow in faith and in love.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Trust
From very long ago, nearly 40 years past, I knew how important it was to be able to trust. Children who are shuffled here and there, who are promised this or that, and who are never quite sure what might come next don't often fare well in this life. For from the very beginning, they have lost the ability to trust.
Once when my son was a little boy, a doctor decided that he should stay another day in the hospital for a test. The thing is, the doctor's nurse had made it clear to me that it would be a one-day stay, and I had told my son that very thing. He was banking on getting out of the hospital the next morning and his little boy "nerves" were starting to get to him already. For me this was a time when I had to draw a line in the sand, and I infuriated the doctor by not following his "orders." He turned out not to be the best doctor anyhow. So we went home as planned. I told the doctor point blank, "It is more important at this moment for my son to be able to trust me than anything else. We can always do another test." His condition was not life threatening whatsoever, or things might have been different.
In that moment of explaining to the doctor that we'd like to check out the next morning, I saw a side of him that was not very flattering. He just didn't have the understanding that we needed at that moment. And at that moment I lost trust in the doctor.
Later, we sought the counsel and help of a wonderful doctor at Children's Hospital in Akron. His demeanor and methods were entirely different and so much more professional. We got to the root of the problem and got it solved.
Going through life not trusting anyone produces another result in so many cases. The individual who does not trust can become untrustworthy him or herself. If he doesn't see the good in others or believe that others are being honest with him, then what would be the motivation for being honest with someone else? The scarring that comes from being a kid being disappointed again and again, lied to, or worse is frequently forever.
Our priest talks a lot about forgiveness. He thinks that forgiving is at the heart of healing, spiritual or physical. He speaks about his own struggles with forgiveness and how he tried to forgive with the mind but it was never enough. He needed God's help to forgive from his heart.
That's why, for me, being around children is so special and such a responsibility all at the same time. Children are so open. People always talk about the resiliency of children, and there is some truth to that. But I don't believe that they are quite as resilient as we think. They might appear to sail through something rough, but they are also great at masking their hurts.
My granddaughter sometimes wants something. It might be as simple as her pronouncing, "We're going to see Mommy." But the truth is we're not going to see Mommy right at that minute. So I usually say, "Well, we're not going to see Mommy right now." And then she thinks about it and says, "Maybe later." And she's good with that, but I try to be honest with her. I want her to be able to trust me.
Trust between parents and children, trust between husbands and wives, trust between people at work, and the most important trust -- trusting God -- is a huge part of our lives. Without that trust, the joy of life evaporates. We all must seek to be trustworthy people, and that might mean forgiving someone who broke trust with us in the past. Not easy to do -- but it's a good first step in healing.
Once when my son was a little boy, a doctor decided that he should stay another day in the hospital for a test. The thing is, the doctor's nurse had made it clear to me that it would be a one-day stay, and I had told my son that very thing. He was banking on getting out of the hospital the next morning and his little boy "nerves" were starting to get to him already. For me this was a time when I had to draw a line in the sand, and I infuriated the doctor by not following his "orders." He turned out not to be the best doctor anyhow. So we went home as planned. I told the doctor point blank, "It is more important at this moment for my son to be able to trust me than anything else. We can always do another test." His condition was not life threatening whatsoever, or things might have been different.
In that moment of explaining to the doctor that we'd like to check out the next morning, I saw a side of him that was not very flattering. He just didn't have the understanding that we needed at that moment. And at that moment I lost trust in the doctor.
Later, we sought the counsel and help of a wonderful doctor at Children's Hospital in Akron. His demeanor and methods were entirely different and so much more professional. We got to the root of the problem and got it solved.
Going through life not trusting anyone produces another result in so many cases. The individual who does not trust can become untrustworthy him or herself. If he doesn't see the good in others or believe that others are being honest with him, then what would be the motivation for being honest with someone else? The scarring that comes from being a kid being disappointed again and again, lied to, or worse is frequently forever.
Our priest talks a lot about forgiveness. He thinks that forgiving is at the heart of healing, spiritual or physical. He speaks about his own struggles with forgiveness and how he tried to forgive with the mind but it was never enough. He needed God's help to forgive from his heart.
That's why, for me, being around children is so special and such a responsibility all at the same time. Children are so open. People always talk about the resiliency of children, and there is some truth to that. But I don't believe that they are quite as resilient as we think. They might appear to sail through something rough, but they are also great at masking their hurts.
My granddaughter sometimes wants something. It might be as simple as her pronouncing, "We're going to see Mommy." But the truth is we're not going to see Mommy right at that minute. So I usually say, "Well, we're not going to see Mommy right now." And then she thinks about it and says, "Maybe later." And she's good with that, but I try to be honest with her. I want her to be able to trust me.
Trust between parents and children, trust between husbands and wives, trust between people at work, and the most important trust -- trusting God -- is a huge part of our lives. Without that trust, the joy of life evaporates. We all must seek to be trustworthy people, and that might mean forgiving someone who broke trust with us in the past. Not easy to do -- but it's a good first step in healing.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Theresa
Theresa McLaughlin's funeral was yesterday. She was 85 years old and died on November 1, 2013, All Souls Day.
Hers was a life of service. She attended what is now Canton Central Catholic and went on to Mercy Hospital's nursing school. For many years she worked in a physician's office and then went into private duty nursing.
Theresa raised three children in Canal Fulton, in their home on Mapleview, the one with the huge oak in the front yard -- two daughters and one son. She loved her family, her church, and especially, Theresa loved God. This was a woman who exuded warmth and compassion. She was a member of the church's bereavement committee, and knew something about grief having lost all of her siblings and in 1999 her husband, Bill. He died on Thanksgiving Day. She was also a member of the Altar and Rosary Society and often said the Rosary, a very misunderstood set of prayers that commemorate various times in the life of Jesus.
A quiet woman, she often served in the background, and never sought notice. She was gentle and kind and when she saw something that needed to be done, she did it without fanfare. In the later years, she spent time visiting others in nursing homes, especially at The Laurels in Massillon.
Two of her children live a distance away, but one, her daughter Colleen, lives in Uniontown. She and her mother were often together and they had a close relationship, one that was so obviously full of love. One of Theresa's grandsons did the second reading at her funeral yesterday, Colleen's son, and he did a masterful job, reading from the Book of Revelations.
One of the strong pillars of SS Philip & James, Theresa and her husband helped to create a strong foundation. She will be very much missed.
Father Kevin said that Theresa's way of serving others reminds him of St. Theresa, the Little Flower. St. Theresa realized at a very young age that she didn't need to try and do big and huge things, but she could do many, many small things throughout the day for her precious Lord. This saint teaches us much about living in the short life that she had. She died at her convent in France of tuberculosis at age 24.
I really liked Theresa McLaughlin. We talked a number of times over the years, and she was a neighbor as well as a friend. My middle name is Theresa so we also shared that. When we are asked in this life to do the will of God and help to call others to him, the Lord certainly must have smiled at Theresa. Yesterday during her Mass, I imagined what Theresa might be seeing, the joy that she must be feeling. And God saying to her, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Hers was a life of service. She attended what is now Canton Central Catholic and went on to Mercy Hospital's nursing school. For many years she worked in a physician's office and then went into private duty nursing.
Theresa raised three children in Canal Fulton, in their home on Mapleview, the one with the huge oak in the front yard -- two daughters and one son. She loved her family, her church, and especially, Theresa loved God. This was a woman who exuded warmth and compassion. She was a member of the church's bereavement committee, and knew something about grief having lost all of her siblings and in 1999 her husband, Bill. He died on Thanksgiving Day. She was also a member of the Altar and Rosary Society and often said the Rosary, a very misunderstood set of prayers that commemorate various times in the life of Jesus.
A quiet woman, she often served in the background, and never sought notice. She was gentle and kind and when she saw something that needed to be done, she did it without fanfare. In the later years, she spent time visiting others in nursing homes, especially at The Laurels in Massillon.
Two of her children live a distance away, but one, her daughter Colleen, lives in Uniontown. She and her mother were often together and they had a close relationship, one that was so obviously full of love. One of Theresa's grandsons did the second reading at her funeral yesterday, Colleen's son, and he did a masterful job, reading from the Book of Revelations.
One of the strong pillars of SS Philip & James, Theresa and her husband helped to create a strong foundation. She will be very much missed.
Father Kevin said that Theresa's way of serving others reminds him of St. Theresa, the Little Flower. St. Theresa realized at a very young age that she didn't need to try and do big and huge things, but she could do many, many small things throughout the day for her precious Lord. This saint teaches us much about living in the short life that she had. She died at her convent in France of tuberculosis at age 24.
I really liked Theresa McLaughlin. We talked a number of times over the years, and she was a neighbor as well as a friend. My middle name is Theresa so we also shared that. When we are asked in this life to do the will of God and help to call others to him, the Lord certainly must have smiled at Theresa. Yesterday during her Mass, I imagined what Theresa might be seeing, the joy that she must be feeling. And God saying to her, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Reunion
As my class of 1964 prepares for its 50th class reunion this coming September, the time we spend working on the preparations is a reunion in itself.
We want to reach every classmate so that each one receives an invitation, and so in that spirit, I started contacting some of the friends that meant so much to me growing up in the Fairview Park schools.
One of them is a friend who was in elementary school with me at some point. You know, now that I'm thinking about it, I can't remember when she joined us!! She left Fairview behind after college and moved about as far away from Ohio as she could. She moved from California to the east coast about three years ago and she is a furniture designer. She was always creative and talented!! I sent her a message and she answered that she is definitely planning on being at the reunion.
Another one was in my class from kindergarten on. She became an elementary school teacher and spent her years teaching at a Catholic school. She loves golf and she is on Facebook which is how I've more or less stayed connected with her these last few years. I emailed her and she is coming to the reunion, AND she is willing to sing!! Isn't that great? Because one of the things we are definitely going to do is feature the musical talents of our class members. There were 82 people in what we called Chorale during our senior year, made up of sophomores, juniors and seniors. There were many students in band. So this long-time friend is willing to go front and center without a moment of hesitation!!
Yet another classmate has really had a tough go the last few years. Her husband passed away suddenly and she has had to go through quite an upheaval to get herself back together and that included selling vehicles and businesses. Plus, she moved to Hartford, CT from upstate New York to be closer to family. I don't think it is an accident that I contacted her about the reunion. God works in our lives in all kinds of ways, and perhaps this reunion is one of them.
One of my classmates starting out in kindergarten has agreed to being the co-chair of entertainment with me. He was always such a character in school. He was very intense and if he was in stress over something, he would shred his pencils and leave all of the mess under the desk. In kindergarten, he really liked the taste of the paste that comes in those huge jars. He'd go up maybe two times for another gob of it before the teacher would realize that he'd eaten it. Hilarious! He always won the poster contests, and gee whiz -- no surprise he had his own advertising agency. So we'll be able to come up with something interesting and inclusive. I love seeing people coming together creating what some like to call synergy.
The last couple of weeks I've really been sensing how blessed I am because of my wonderful family and friends. How thankful I am!! From birthdays to retirements to more birthdays, I've been so happy to spend time with the people who mean so much to me.
I've been reading O'Reilly's book, "Killing Jesus," this last week. I'm about halfway done. He talks about John the Baptist and how very basically he lived. How he lived his life for one purpose -- to prepare the way for the Lord. How humble he was.
And then yesterday we watched a one-hour television program on CNBC about Pope Francis. This is a man of the people. He did not set himself apart but immersed himself into the Argentine neighborhoods and listened to the people, especially in Buenos Aires. He knew that there is a time to pray and there is a time to act. His life is an inspiration and it certainly resonated with me.
Reunions -- I'm seeing this event in September as something more than a social event. It's a reflective. It is joy!!
Thanks for listening today. See you Wednesday.
We want to reach every classmate so that each one receives an invitation, and so in that spirit, I started contacting some of the friends that meant so much to me growing up in the Fairview Park schools.
One of them is a friend who was in elementary school with me at some point. You know, now that I'm thinking about it, I can't remember when she joined us!! She left Fairview behind after college and moved about as far away from Ohio as she could. She moved from California to the east coast about three years ago and she is a furniture designer. She was always creative and talented!! I sent her a message and she answered that she is definitely planning on being at the reunion.
Another one was in my class from kindergarten on. She became an elementary school teacher and spent her years teaching at a Catholic school. She loves golf and she is on Facebook which is how I've more or less stayed connected with her these last few years. I emailed her and she is coming to the reunion, AND she is willing to sing!! Isn't that great? Because one of the things we are definitely going to do is feature the musical talents of our class members. There were 82 people in what we called Chorale during our senior year, made up of sophomores, juniors and seniors. There were many students in band. So this long-time friend is willing to go front and center without a moment of hesitation!!
Yet another classmate has really had a tough go the last few years. Her husband passed away suddenly and she has had to go through quite an upheaval to get herself back together and that included selling vehicles and businesses. Plus, she moved to Hartford, CT from upstate New York to be closer to family. I don't think it is an accident that I contacted her about the reunion. God works in our lives in all kinds of ways, and perhaps this reunion is one of them.
One of my classmates starting out in kindergarten has agreed to being the co-chair of entertainment with me. He was always such a character in school. He was very intense and if he was in stress over something, he would shred his pencils and leave all of the mess under the desk. In kindergarten, he really liked the taste of the paste that comes in those huge jars. He'd go up maybe two times for another gob of it before the teacher would realize that he'd eaten it. Hilarious! He always won the poster contests, and gee whiz -- no surprise he had his own advertising agency. So we'll be able to come up with something interesting and inclusive. I love seeing people coming together creating what some like to call synergy.
The last couple of weeks I've really been sensing how blessed I am because of my wonderful family and friends. How thankful I am!! From birthdays to retirements to more birthdays, I've been so happy to spend time with the people who mean so much to me.
I've been reading O'Reilly's book, "Killing Jesus," this last week. I'm about halfway done. He talks about John the Baptist and how very basically he lived. How he lived his life for one purpose -- to prepare the way for the Lord. How humble he was.
And then yesterday we watched a one-hour television program on CNBC about Pope Francis. This is a man of the people. He did not set himself apart but immersed himself into the Argentine neighborhoods and listened to the people, especially in Buenos Aires. He knew that there is a time to pray and there is a time to act. His life is an inspiration and it certainly resonated with me.
Reunions -- I'm seeing this event in September as something more than a social event. It's a reflective. It is joy!!
Thanks for listening today. See you Wednesday.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
All Souls Day
Today is All Souls Day, and we remember those who have died and gone on. At 1:00, we'll have a Mass and all those from our parish who lost a loved one will have the chance to especially remember them and light a candle in their memory. It will be a guitar Mass.
Then tomorrow the Bishop comes to officially welcome and install our new pastor, Father Kevin McCaffrey. Kids from the grade school that make up their "choir" will be singing and three of us from the 10:00 folk group will play guitar to ensure a nice, full sound.
Then tomorrow, our littlest grandchild, Drew, turns six. Already. He is a delightful small person, funny and honest and interesting. His crop of blond hair and the beautiful blue eyes are going to melt some girl's heart one of these days. But right now, he is quite content to notice that boys are better than girls at baseball, for one thing. He notices what the other kids bring to school for lunch and drinks, and he wants to fit right in. He is really proud because he has started to learn how to read.
I've still got to make a cheese ball, make a card, wrap presents, and all sorts of things, so today we're not going to dilly dally around on the blog too long.
Ever have one of those nights when you just don't sleep very well? Last night was one of them for me. I started nodding off down the basement while watching TV after dinner, and that started the whole process. Then I woke up at around 4:00 or something like that and just couldn't get back to sleep. When I finally did, I overslept (for me) and now everything seems messed up. The best cure is to try hard not to fall asleep at any time today and to make it to bedtime without a nap.
Funny, when I was a kid I wanted to be able to stay up and watch TV until late. When I was a teenager, we had the typical pajama parties and we all went home exhausted from staying up. When the kids were little, it would have been so nice to sleep in once in a while, but the couple of times that I accidentally did that, I paid for it. Once my older son took some pills that he got into by climbing onto the counter via the stove door and getting into a cabinet. Fortunately, it was his own vitamins that he ate; my pills were in child guard bottles and he couldn't get them open. Poison control said he'd flush the vitamins out of his system just fine. One other time I overslept and I literally ran down the stairs to see if everything was all right. They were too quiet. As I made my way into the kitchen, I thought I saw something on the floor under the kitchen table and chairs. I did. It was a pile of blond hair. My older son gave his brother a haircut and cut his own hair at the same time. He also plucked one half of his brother's eyebrow. They looked just great for their Christmas pictures that year!!
Now that I'm retired, it would be wonderful to have a really good night's sleep, but sometimes that just doesn't work out!! Crazy, isn't it?
Have a good day despite the gray skies and the rain. See you on Tuesday morning.
Then tomorrow the Bishop comes to officially welcome and install our new pastor, Father Kevin McCaffrey. Kids from the grade school that make up their "choir" will be singing and three of us from the 10:00 folk group will play guitar to ensure a nice, full sound.
Then tomorrow, our littlest grandchild, Drew, turns six. Already. He is a delightful small person, funny and honest and interesting. His crop of blond hair and the beautiful blue eyes are going to melt some girl's heart one of these days. But right now, he is quite content to notice that boys are better than girls at baseball, for one thing. He notices what the other kids bring to school for lunch and drinks, and he wants to fit right in. He is really proud because he has started to learn how to read.
I've still got to make a cheese ball, make a card, wrap presents, and all sorts of things, so today we're not going to dilly dally around on the blog too long.
Ever have one of those nights when you just don't sleep very well? Last night was one of them for me. I started nodding off down the basement while watching TV after dinner, and that started the whole process. Then I woke up at around 4:00 or something like that and just couldn't get back to sleep. When I finally did, I overslept (for me) and now everything seems messed up. The best cure is to try hard not to fall asleep at any time today and to make it to bedtime without a nap.
Funny, when I was a kid I wanted to be able to stay up and watch TV until late. When I was a teenager, we had the typical pajama parties and we all went home exhausted from staying up. When the kids were little, it would have been so nice to sleep in once in a while, but the couple of times that I accidentally did that, I paid for it. Once my older son took some pills that he got into by climbing onto the counter via the stove door and getting into a cabinet. Fortunately, it was his own vitamins that he ate; my pills were in child guard bottles and he couldn't get them open. Poison control said he'd flush the vitamins out of his system just fine. One other time I overslept and I literally ran down the stairs to see if everything was all right. They were too quiet. As I made my way into the kitchen, I thought I saw something on the floor under the kitchen table and chairs. I did. It was a pile of blond hair. My older son gave his brother a haircut and cut his own hair at the same time. He also plucked one half of his brother's eyebrow. They looked just great for their Christmas pictures that year!!
Now that I'm retired, it would be wonderful to have a really good night's sleep, but sometimes that just doesn't work out!! Crazy, isn't it?
Have a good day despite the gray skies and the rain. See you on Tuesday morning.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Last Night
Trick or treat turned out to be one of the best ever, even as reports of high winds, lightning, thunder, and postponements dominated the weather reports.
For some reason, last night the neighborhood kids seemed to have more fun than ever and were more enthusiastic than ever. Even though they were absolutely soaked.
We set a record. My projection of five children visiting our house was way off because we may have topped out at around 20, a new record for sure. The neighbor gave out treats this year too, and so that may have been part of the reason since it drew children toward the cul-de-sac.
The children were coming to almost every door at our house, a definite drawback to having the house turned around with its front towards the woods and its back towards the cul-de-sac. So we gave out treats on the porch and at the front door too, and sometimes I was running back and forth between the two.
I gave the kids three treats each, and told the one group, "I'm giving you more candy because it's so nasty tonight and we probably won't get very many." And one boy volunteered, "I know, that's what everyone says." He didn't mind hearing it again though. Another boy wore his soaked clothes like a badge of honor, "Nothing's going to stop us," he proclaimed. The rain gave the evening an edge to it, and it was a warm edge, a constant warm rain. My grandchildren were going to sit it out this year, but suddenly after dinner everyone got their shoes on and headed out into the wetness. About 40 minutes later they returned, wet but happy and smiling. My granddaughter couldn't wait to get her shoes off. She said there were puddles in the bottoms of them. My little Incredible Hulk's costume was drenched but he was delighted. We got everyone warm and had hot chocolate and Krispy Kreme donuts heated up in the microwave.
By 8:30, the house was quiet and calm again, and the cats emerged from their hiding places. The goblins and the Incredible Hulks were back home again, as well as the princesses and the pirates. Another Halloween in a small town. Another sense of history of times past, to Halloweens in the 50s. And NO ONE could get over the fact that my brother and I said, "Please help the poor." Honestly, I think they believe I came from another planet sometimes.
Today one of my grandchildren will be celebrating the Fall harvest or some such thing. There are to be no costumes, no mention of ghosts or goblins, no Halloween decorated plates and napkins, nothing. Like last night never happened. It's the PC life again, and isn't it so darn silly?
Hope all is well with you today!! We're going to have cold temps the next few days, so get out the gloves and hats again.
For some reason, last night the neighborhood kids seemed to have more fun than ever and were more enthusiastic than ever. Even though they were absolutely soaked.
We set a record. My projection of five children visiting our house was way off because we may have topped out at around 20, a new record for sure. The neighbor gave out treats this year too, and so that may have been part of the reason since it drew children toward the cul-de-sac.
The children were coming to almost every door at our house, a definite drawback to having the house turned around with its front towards the woods and its back towards the cul-de-sac. So we gave out treats on the porch and at the front door too, and sometimes I was running back and forth between the two.
I gave the kids three treats each, and told the one group, "I'm giving you more candy because it's so nasty tonight and we probably won't get very many." And one boy volunteered, "I know, that's what everyone says." He didn't mind hearing it again though. Another boy wore his soaked clothes like a badge of honor, "Nothing's going to stop us," he proclaimed. The rain gave the evening an edge to it, and it was a warm edge, a constant warm rain. My grandchildren were going to sit it out this year, but suddenly after dinner everyone got their shoes on and headed out into the wetness. About 40 minutes later they returned, wet but happy and smiling. My granddaughter couldn't wait to get her shoes off. She said there were puddles in the bottoms of them. My little Incredible Hulk's costume was drenched but he was delighted. We got everyone warm and had hot chocolate and Krispy Kreme donuts heated up in the microwave.
By 8:30, the house was quiet and calm again, and the cats emerged from their hiding places. The goblins and the Incredible Hulks were back home again, as well as the princesses and the pirates. Another Halloween in a small town. Another sense of history of times past, to Halloweens in the 50s. And NO ONE could get over the fact that my brother and I said, "Please help the poor." Honestly, I think they believe I came from another planet sometimes.
Today one of my grandchildren will be celebrating the Fall harvest or some such thing. There are to be no costumes, no mention of ghosts or goblins, no Halloween decorated plates and napkins, nothing. Like last night never happened. It's the PC life again, and isn't it so darn silly?
Hope all is well with you today!! We're going to have cold temps the next few days, so get out the gloves and hats again.
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