Gifts from the heart

Now that thanksgiving is over it is time to focus on Christmas. It is probably the most expensive day of the year, causing many to go into debt trying to impress others. I have always felt that gifts from the heart are much more valuable. Keeping that in mind I would like to share a couple of from the heart ideas that I have come up with in the last few years. They all start with a trip to my local dollar store. For one dollar each I am going to purchase a gold box, a clear vase and a small photo frame. Now the fun begins. I am going to fill the gold box with slips of paper containing 100 inspirational messages. Some of which are my own and some I gathered from online research. In the clear vase I am going to place a piece of parchment paper containing one of my inspirational poems. If you aren't poetic there are many sources available for fitting poems. One also could just write a heartfelt letter to the benefactor. A little ribbon and the message in a bottle is complete. Now for #3. I am going to choose a photo that I have recently taken. This particular one is a favorite of mine. There is no greater artist than the Creator. Photos of landscapes are also special for friends who have moved away and miss the familiar, such as a mountain or the local park. Other inexpensive gifts from the heart that I enjoy giving are those created in my kitchen such as homemade fudge. I have a friend who is widowed and if he didn't get a package of fudge for Christmas he would ask if I were ill. My point is that it is not necessary to go into debt when you choose gifts from the heart.

Is it the turkey?

On this day after Thanksgiving in the year 2013 I am asking myself is it the turkey that made me sad while eating dinner last night on a TV tray in front of the television set? I recall a cartoon years ago featuring an older couple sitting in front of the television set eating turkey TV dinners. Although my turkey was the real thing and was accompanied by dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, a vegetable, a roll and a slice of pumpkin pie with Cool Whip it wasn't far from the cartoon, which still isn't funny. Maybe it was the turkey that made me sad?! It isn't something I usually cook other than Thanksgiving so it does tend to bring back memories of family times that are no more. Perhaps it isn't the turkey, but all those trimmings that go with it. The bird itself is a mighty cheap piece of meat, providing the main ingredient for many future meals. I even save the carcass for soup stock. Habits are hard to break, but next year I may have to leave the past behind and find another way to mark the day of gratitude.

A new tradition

Today I dumped out my little jar of gratitude that I have been adding to for almost a year. As I read each little piece of paper I realized that it doesn't take a lot to make an impression on me. Some of the things I had written made me smile and some brought back memories that were a bit sad, but had taught me the most important lessons; for instance that I am not a follower, I am a leader. The smallest notation was only one word- Ejay and the date 12/8/12. That was the day I picked up a rescue dog, then 10 months old, from the local animal shelter. Someone asked me if I really needed a dog. Apparently I did because he is still here. I believe that all these little bits of gratitude scribbled on tiny pieces of colored paper and dropped in a jar has created a brand new tradition in my house that I just may keep. They also reminded me of a poem I wrote several years ago. "Just a little piece of paper with lovingly chosen words. If you could see beneath the pen, you would find my love will never end." BLG 2002

A jar full of gratitude

About a year ago I saw a suggestion to find an empty jar and every day fill it with little bits of daily gratitude. It didn't seem to be all that much trouble so I followed the directions. All the little things that may have otherwise been overlooked in my busy life have filled the little jar.

Since thanksgiving is one of those family holidays that I have been spending alone, well except for my three furry children, I have decided to dump out the contents of the jar and read every single scrap of paper I have put in there over the last year. I could just feel sorry for myself that nobody cares that I am alone, but a jar full of gratitude seems to me to be a lot healthier way to go. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

A safe place to hang out

In the past I have written a lot about the family center in my town. I spend a great deal of my time there and think it is one of the best things offered to "children" of all ages in our area. The building had its grand opening in 2000 and was built to provide a safe place for young people to hang out. "The inception took place in 1994, nearly a year after the brutal murder of a local teen, Crystal LaPierre." Over the years a multitude of souls have used the facility, both as students and junior staff (previously known as Youth Council), giving them an opportunity to learn skills and earn a little honest pocket money. Last September I was given an opportunity to pick up a little extra money of my own as a part time staff member. Although it has greatly helped my living conditions I had reached the point of seriously considering quitting due to the disrespect I had been dealing with from a few of the students who apparently do not know the definition of abuse. I have spent my life allowing others to abuse me in one form or the other so I am quite familiar with the fact that it comes in many forms. Last Thursday I had reached the end of what I decided I could tolerate and it literally made me sick. I had to ask myself if the money was worth it. Since this is only a two day week, allowing for a Thanksgiving break, I went to work yesterday afternoon with the mindset of "whatever happens happens". I even requested that the Archangel Raguel, who is the bringer of harmony, lend a hand. The director of the facility took over the regular Monday "kid's meeting" and she had a little surprise for the students who were there. She firmly told them she and her staff will no longer tolerate any student who is disrespectful and/or refuses to follow instructions; they will be written up and suspended for the remainder of the year to make room for students on a waiting list who really want to be there. The energy following her brief remarks changed everything. Thank you thank you! Perhaps now the family center will go back to being the safe place to hang out that it was created to be.

Lost relative

Although I have really enjoyed my time on ancestry.com it can be frustrating. I found pretty much everyone I was looking for with the exception of my father's oldest sister. She was my favorite aunt and it upset me that I was having trouble finding information about her. I knew her husband had died of cancer when I was a child, but I could not remember his name. I clearly recall sitting outside of their house with my brother, while my parents went inside to find out the results of his recent surgery. There was a monkey tree in the yard, which still sticks in my mind. Returning to the car my mother said, "They opened him up and closed him back up because there was nothing they could do." I did remember Aunt Thelma had several children, the youngest a daughter. This morning I happened to hit the right button and found her!The information I revealed was very interesting and produced several facts that I can relate to. She had three children, two boys and a girl who was born when she was in her early 40's. That could have been my life. Her middle name was Christine. Unaware of that fact, I named my daughter Christina. Her husband's name was Donald. My second husband and Christina's father is also a Donald. Finally, Aunt Thelma was 98 when she died in 2001.I am very happy that I found my lost relative and wonder if I will continue to follow in her footsteps. The following photo is of my Aunt, her siblings and their mother, my paternal grandmother, Beatrix. Left to right we have Aunt Sylvia, my father Sidney, my grandma, Uncle Kenton and last but certainly not least Aunt Thelma. The Halverson clan.

A taste of female/male prejudice

Yesterday my 12 year old grandson got a giant taste of female/male prejudice at the family center. On Friday's a supervisor offers a cooking class to some of the kids. Noticing that my grandson had not been asked to participate lately I suggested on Thursday that he ask the girl in charge for permission to take part this week. He did and his request was granted. I assumed everything was going well until I noticed him standing in the hall with tears streaming down his face. I asked what was wrong. He responded, "I don't like the cooking class. I wasn't allowed to do anything. I guess only girls can cook." The person in charge is a 20 year old girl and it looks to me as if she needs to open her young eyes. My grandson happens to love to cook. It probably comes naturally as my father was a chef and also a cook on a fishing boat in Alaska when he married my mother. Both of my sons and my son-in-law are very good cooks. You might have noticed none of them are girls! I certainly can understand how hurtful this taste of female/male prejudice was for him.