WEDNESDAY HODGEPODGE

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1. Noah Webster was born this week back in 1758....besides the online version, do you own a dictionary? Do you ever use the hardback copy or is your hunt for a definition strictly online these days?

When I first starting blogging I would use one all the time. Now I pretty much look things up online. We do use one when we play Scrabble.

2. Should public schools ban Halloween celebrations? What about other holiday celebrations currently under fire?

No, I think these celebrations are fun for the children. All of them!

3. What's your favorite 'dog' movie?

Marley and Me, Must Love Dogs and Turner & Hooch to name a few.

4. When were you last somewhere you'd describe as 'too quiet'?

Nothing comes to mind except that our house was pretty quiet last week.

5. Are you a neat cook or a messy cook? In other words do you clean as you go or make a big mess and then deal with it later?
I clean as I go along.

6. Did you hear about Felix Baumgartner, the skydiver who broke the sound barrier via parachute? Was your first thought COOL! or was your first thought CRAZY! Are you adventurous?

Yes I heard about him, didn't watch it. My first thought would be crazy. I'm not as adventurous as I've wanted to be. If I had a guarantee of not getting hurt I would definitely try a lot of things, even at my current age!

7. What's not a word but should be?
Godincidences, I use it all the time!

 

For Your Tears

I can't get Maddie out of my heart. I am in awe of the brave words her parents have written on their blog. I have always wondered how parents move forward, how they manage to get out of bed each day. I know that they do this with enormous strength and courage. They do this with an emptiness in their hearts that we can't even begin to imagine. My heart aches for their loss.
(See Madeline Alice Spohr on YouTube. It's a beautiful tribute.)

When I went to the funeral of my dear friends son 9 years ago I asked those questions to myself. I saw my greatest fear of losing a child being lived through them. Even on their worst day I saw a glimpse of hope, I heard them laugh at the luncheon. There is a strength that has to be God given that emerges during these horrific times. We had a neighbor who lost their son about 15 years ago and I remember a few months later I heard her laughing in her back yard. There was that hope again that life does move forward. I found myself being still and listening to her laughter whenever I heard it. I couldn't take enough of it in.

So nine years ago I sent my friend a handkerchief with a simple note "For Your Tears." I have given out many over the years and it gives me pleasure in my heart to do this simple thing. When I worked at Hallmark I had a women come in one day looking for a picture frame to put a picture of her child with another child in. The two children were being treated for cancer and had met at the hospital. The other child had just passed away and they wanted to bring the picture to the parents. I then remembered that I had a box of handkerchiefs out in the trunk of my car. I ran out to my car, got a hankie, gave her a big hug and handed her the hankie saying "For Your Tears." You can't make those moments happen, God makes those moments happen. I am still in love with my God-incidence's.