Tag Archives: Family Life

Another Serendipity

8 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

We’ve had so many “serendipity” times happen in our lives. I’m convinced that they are God’s way of giving us some unexpected joy in our lives. So while I call them serendipity, I really know better.

This one happened some time ago, while we were living in Virginia. There was a Taco Bell where Fred and I liked to eat, about five minutes from our house. We stopped there often. One time, during the summer, we stopped, and noticed that the doors were standing open. Uh-oh – that’s not a good sign! Sure enough, the AC was off. There were no other customers in the store, so we had the place to ourselves.

The manager actually waited on us himself. He had on a long-sleeved white shirt, tie, and his sleeves were rolled up – but rolled under, rather than up. I commented on the AC and on how his sleeves were rolled the way our son-in-law rolled his. Then I asked why he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt in that heat. He said that he wanted to look professional, and that was his work “uniform.” The conversation went on a while, then he asked us for our order. He then “fiddled” with the register a bit, and when he gave me the total – it was at least $1.00 less than usual. When I questioned him about it, he just grinned at me, so I said, “should I just take it and run with it?” and he nodded yes.

Every other time we were in that Taco Bell, if he was at the register, the total would be less. We never asked for nor demanded that we get a discount, but only when he was working, did we get the discount. We always waved, smiled, or spoke to him.

Neat story, however, that’s not the end of it. Some years later – after we had moved to Florida – we were back in Virginia visiting. We had flown into the airport in Norfolk that time, and we were driving back to Norfolk for our return trip. We took a wrong exit and were fussing at each other about how to get back to the right place. We saw a Taco Bell up ahead, and decided to stop for lunch.

I ordered, then took the drink cups over to fill at the machine. When I was done, Fred said, “look who’s here.” I looked up and saw this same man bringing our food on the tray to the counter, with a confused look on his face, as if to say “where have I seen this order before?” (My order was rather unique) Then he looked up and saw us and grinned from ear to ear. Seems he had gotten a lateral transfer and was now working in Norfolk. It was actually a promotion for him, as it was much closer to where he lived, so he saved in time and gas money. We spoke for a short time and renewed acquaintances.

Just think……….if we hadn’t taken the wrong exit, we would never have known that he had transferred and where he was then working.

Just a little thing, but it filled us with joy. It’s been a fun remembrance for us.

 

 

 

 

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Big Savings at the Discount Club

2 Jun

My Take

DiVoran Lites

 

Author, Poet and ArtistYesterday I went to a discount club for some cat litter. My alternative health provider said they had good, natural litter there. When I walked into the vast, cold warehouse-type store, which was loaded with luxuries any housewife would admire, I was told I could buy something without having a membership.

We’d had memberships in such clubs for years. It was supposed to be more economical. When we remodeled our garage into a workroom, we lined the walls with cupboards so we’d have room to store the large packages you usually get at those places. We never went into one, even just to look, without dropping a few Cs. And oh, it was all so economical.

A big buggy rolled across the parking lot toward my car, so after I had parked I grabbed it and pushed it into the store. When I got to the pet aisle, I realized I wasn’t going to be able to get down a box of litter. They were slightly above my head and weighed twenty-five pounds. So I waved at a big, strong-looking associate. But before I could catch his eye, I realized that unless I could convince him to go home with me, I’d have to wrestle the box into the trunk of the car and somehow get it into the house. I decided to think it though, and make other arrangements. So there I was with my buggy and half an hour before I had to be at my daughter’s work place to go to lunch. It was enough time to walk a mile, the weather was growing warmer outside and by afternoon would be hot, so I started up and down the aisles.

Was I tempted by anything as walked at a moderate pace through the store? Oh, yes. But the only thing I paused long enough to pick up and think about was a book. However I had just discarded eight books in a row that I’d bought used, because I didn’t like them. It would be foolish to pay $9.99, and find myself once again giving up on the book. I laid it down and continued on my way.

Why was I not tempted to buy anything else? I think it was because Bill and I have made some progress in simplifying our daily life. We know what we like to eat and what’s good for us. Two people don’t consume much. Everything costs so much, but thank God, we can get what we need. And I’d already filled up all my cupboards with art supplies.

I’ve been trying for decades (with not much success) to follow the wonderful precepts in Quaker, Richard J. Foster’s book, Freedom of Simplicity: Finding Harmony in a Complex World. The book shows how living more simply not only allows us to enjoy less stress and more leisure, but also contributes to the health of our bodies and souls.

While I was walking around the store, I passed a woman with eight children accompanying her. I figured they were all hers because their sizes ranged from a couple of teen-aged girls walking beside her, to a toddler in the cart. The three small boys bringing up the rear, were, of course, having a good time of their own. I admire a woman who can handle that many children all at once. It was apparent that the discount club was a good place for her to shop, because her family would always need a great deal of food and other things.

When it was time to leave, the buggy was still empty, but I had something to take away. I had gained an exercise time and recognized once again how blessed our country is to have stores of plenty. Also I had a new self-respect for not lingering long enough to find a temptation I couldn’t resist. I rolled the buggy up to the man who stood checking tickets against purchases and asked where I should put it. He was a bit confused, so I just parked it next to an empty behind him.

Even though life still seems complicated and full of decisions and choices, I may be making progress toward simplicity after all. Is this something you desire as well?

 

 

 

DiVoran’s books can be found on Amazon! Click HERE to visit

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Her First Phrase

1 Jun

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

 

                   JUDY

 

 

 

Our oldest daughter, Karen, was born in Germany, just two months after we arrived in country. We, of course, doted on her. The German lady who was the church nursery worker doted on her, as well. On our last trip in Europe before heading back stateside, Frau Katie stayed with Karen while we were gone. They both had such a good time together, that we weren’t missed at all.

As Karen was learning to speak/talk, we discovered that she was not only speaking English, but she had some German words mixed in there as well! Apparently Frau Katie was speaking to her in German! That was quite a revelation.

I really don’t remember Karen’s “first word” the way many children do. But I do remember her first phrase. Here’s how it came about:

My Mother came to visit us in Germany, while Karen was just 22 months old – a good time to be learning to speak. We squired Mom around as much of Europe as we could in the time she was with us, and usually took Karen with us. We had a great time together. As we would be driving along, Karen and Mom – in the back seat together – would be “conversing” together. And every now and then I would hear Mom say, “Karen, look at that flag!” We would be passing a building or house that was sporting a flag of some type, and Mom was pointing it out to her.

2

Mom’s time with us came and went far too quickly, and she returned to New Mexico. We had another year of our tour in Germany, and we returned to our routine. And as we would drive here and there, we would hear Karen say, “Look at that flag!” as she saw flags on buildings, just like when her “Oma” was with us. Gave us quite a chuckle to hear her say that, with the same inflection that Mother had given the phrase.

And that is what Karen’s first phrase was. What a fun memory that is!

 

 

 

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Does Anything Last Until the End

31 May

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Goodness, spring is almost over and the spring cleaning isn’t done. Nudged by a bit of guilt, I rolled up my sleeves, and began with closets, then drawers. As I tossed out jars of who-knows-what in my bathroom drawer—old tubes of lipstick, creams that probably ended up there from when I was a teenager. But among the junk, to my delight, I found the little bottle of perfume I’ve been searching for for months. It was my favorite for its delicate, yet delicious scent.

 Without hesitation, I popped the glass lid off, brought it to my nose, and the scent was, well, blah. How could that fancy bottle of perfume lose its fragrance?

Visit Janet’s Blog and website Janet Perez Eckles  to read the end of this story.

 

 

 

His Way

 

 

 

 

 

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

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My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.

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Reflecting on Mother’s Day

20 May

Once again, we are blessed to have a post from Patricia Franklin. She is reflecting on her Mother’s Day experience this year. It touched my heart, I hope it touches yours too~Onisha

A Few Thoughts

Patricia Franklin

Mother’s Day – always a special day, especially when you don’t have any special expectations, but enjoy the blessings that come with the day. 
 Mine was great, simply because I got phone calls from all of my children — a rarity for me.  The boys usually call, but my daughter does not get that privilege very often.  We had a winter storm here for Mother’s day and it was cold, windy, rainy and snowy.  So I decided we would go to a movie.  We went to see “Heaven is for Real.”  I loved it.  The theater was full and everyone was crying by the end.  
The elderly lady next to me was huge, had a big box of popcorn and a gigantic drink. She also had a big bag.  Don’t know how she fit it all into her tiny seat. She was with her adult son.  At one time I might have remarked on the way she looked, but I have learned for the most part to look at people’s hearts and not the exterior.  Maybe it is my age, or maybe it is that working at a crisis center for so long, I have learned to see people the way they are inside.
At the end of the movie, the woman turned to me and said that she lost her husband two years ago.  The tears were streaming down her face as she continued “My son said he had to go first to prepare a place for me.”  I said “The children know”  (as in the movie) …  “I don’t know why the world finds it so hard to believe … it is really very simple.”  I had to leave the theater then, or lose my husband in the crowd.  So I patted her on the shoulder and left. 
It was very crowded exiting the theater. Usually everyone is in a hurry to get somewhere else fast, but something was different with this crowd.  Everyone was smiling and friendly and unhurried, instead of pushing and shoving and in a hurry to get out into that busy world again.  What a beautiful experience.  If only we had more uplifting experiences like this in our lives, imagine what would happen.
We then went to a restaurant and had dinner next to a family with two little red headed boys.  The smallest boy turned around in his high chair, smiled and spoke to me like he knew me.  We enjoyed watching the family so much and I told the Mom so as I left.  The little boy was blowing kisses to me and I thought how quickly they grow and are gone. This family seemed to treasure these precious moments.  It was very nostalgic to me and made my Mother’s Day very special.   A beautiful, simple day filled with love and care.

 

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Time is Going By Fast

19 May

1

My Take

DiVoran Lites

 

I’m surviving Bill’s being gone surprisingly well. I’ve only had a couple of moments of wondering what to do with myself. As you know, I enjoy solitude and I love being at home. I’m getting some blogs done and perhaps a bit of de-cluttering, though that isn’t going as I hoped, but who cares?

2Bill’s having fun too. He calls each night and gives me a report of his day’s doings and plans for the next day. It’s cooler in California than it is here, he layers his long sleeved shirt and his jacket. He’s taking notes for his blogs, so we can look forward to hearing all about his adventures.

Jacob is in Japan. He’s having a good time. He’s sending blogs and Face Book entries, though I’m not sure I’m either catching them all OR replying so that he hears back. His mother says the blogs make her laugh and cry. We may be extraordinarily well disposed toward Jacob, but we think he’s an excellent writer with a gift for humor.

Bill will be home on the 16th. By Thursday he had listened to unabridged books on his car C. D. At this rate the seven he took with him in especially purchased holders won’t last. Maybe he’ll get some music on the radio now that he’s near big cities in California and that will make his CDs last longer. He has developed a fondness for classical music. I’m not surprised, though I know he’ll always love Herb Alpert, Jackie Gleason, and Chet Atkins. He has such a good ear for music that when he started to take violin lessons as a child he could play by ear—that is until he fell out of a tree and broke his wrist. Did he really hate practicing that much?

The time is going by fast. I may “let” him go for this long again, though on the way to the airport I told him I wished he’d cut back to seven days. Neither of us has changed since we were eighteen. I always preferred a book, and he always preferred to be on the move. It’s wonderful that at this time of our lives we can pursue our passions while still having good times when we are together.

3

 

 

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I AM Breaking a Big Rule

15 May

Blackberry blooms copy

On the Porch 

Onisha Ellis

I am breaking a big rule of blogging today. I am going to ramble, go off topic, bounce around. I am NOT going to stay focused. Why oh why would I commit this crime? Because I can. Because that is what my brain is doing. So let’s rock and ramble!

 RAMBLE ONE

I enjoy eating boiled eggs. For seventy calories I can grab a God created protein snack. I do not enjoy boiling them and peeling them is even worse. So this Easter when Facebook was filled with posts about baking your eggs in the oven I joined the frenzy and tried. It worked!! They peel like a dream even a week after I baked them! My eggs had a slight brown spot on the egg white but it was very easy to flick off.

Here is the “recipe” and you can visit Unsophisticook! to read the complete story.

 

How to Bake Hard Boiled Eggs

 

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

eggs

ice water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Place desired number of eggs in a regular or mini muffin tin and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove eggs from oven and, using a pair of tongs (I like these tongs with rubber tips from OXO), immediately transfer the eggs to an ice water bath. Allow to cool down for at least 10 minutes.

RAMBLE TWO

I have been working my way through book blogger websites, looking for bloggers who would be willing to accept an ARC (advanced reader copy) of Rebekah Lyn’s (otherwise known as my daughter Beck) upcoming release, Jessie. I feel the same anxiety I felt when I left her with a babysitter, sent her off on her first sleepover and drove her to college. Do mothers EVER get over the instinct to protect their children? I am pretty sure I have spent more time praying over my children in their adult like than I did when they were little tykes.

If you happen to be a book blogger or just enjoy reading and reviewing, speak up in comments and I will email you an ARC.

I am humbled and thankful that my BFF Pam has joined the Rebekah Lyn Books team as a marketing and Publicist assistant. Launching Jessie and planning Teas has so many elements to pull together, I was feeling totally overwhelmed.

RAMBLE THREE

My heart has been filled with prayers for a sweet thirteen year old, Kylie Myers who is receiving chemo for a rare cancer. You can visit her Facebook page Smiiey For Kylie. She has had a rough time adjusting to having cancer and the side effects of chemo.

Her dad is author Mark Myers who wrote Virgil Creech Takes a Swipe at Redemption.

When I think of Kylie, I wish she could meet my friend Wanda and her daughter, Allie who has been on a similar chemo schedule with Kylie. Allie shines with joy and confidence in Christ and my faith is made stronger when I see her on Facebook rocking the headscarf or sporting the smooth head style with her brother.

That’s the end of my ramble. There is a lot more in my brain such as why does the male cardinal insist on constantly banging his head on anything shiny, but that is for another day. Our blackberries are in full bloom and the locals say if we get a frost while they are blooming, our winter will be called a blackberry winter. Temps are expected to drop this weekend so we will see, I like blackberry blossoms because they remind me the flower of life is beautiful and even though there will be thorns, the fruit will be delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A Time To Be Alone

5 May

Kitty

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Bill got to the airport by 6:00 a. m. We talked all the way there so the forty-five minute trip went quickly. I have been encouraging his sixteen-day trip because I want him to feel free to do what he wants to do, just as he encourages me. But on the way, I let him know that I wished he wouldn’t go for so long. He said he wouldn’t always; he thought about ten days would be good in future. I think so too, though I must admit I am looking forward to being alone, but not alone during this time.

Being seventy-five and seventy-six, and having been married fifty-six years—being first-born perfectionist, control-freaks requires a lot of discussion, and a great deal of give and take. Brush fires flare, but are soon snuffed out by love and forgiveness. Above all we know how blessed we are to have had each other and our family for all these years without any major disasters. But still…we’re both independent and we both like things to go our way. It’s the little things.

After I got home I spent time with my journal, reheated the coffee I took along, had an egg and toast and went back to bed for an hour. The first thing I did when I got up was to take all Bill’s pills off the dining room table and put them in his room out of my way. I set up my book prop and a couple of books as a reading station for meals, moved the large rug in the studio to a spot I like, and started a new shopping list. Some things I want to buy myself but he’s so efficient at taking the list and going to the store that I find them delivered before I even go out. What I want right now and have been wanting for a long time is a new kitty litter scoop, chosen by me. See what I mean about it being the little things?

I had to laugh when I sat down at the computer. There are a few things that bug Bill no end, so he left me this:

DiVoran—Please use this checklist while I am gone-Thanks.

  1. Lock all doors at bedtime.
  2. Lock all doors when you go for your walk.
  3. Turn off the water after you water your plants &flowers.
  4. Make sure refrigerator door is closed before you go to bed at night.
  5. Take out the trash on Friday mornings-No recycle until I get back.
  6. Turn off coffee-tea makers & cup warmers before bedtime. (I guess that means I’m allowed to forget and leave them on all day.)

Love ya,

Bill

So for two whole weeks now we are free. He will drive, drive, drive in the deserts and mountains of the Southwest and I will write, write, write in my comfortable house that I love.

Ecclesiastes three is a popular chapter and I use it a lot. I believe there is a time for everything. I like it that in our marriage there is a time to be together and a time to be alone. I’m glad also that there is more time together than alone and that we still have each other after all these years.

1 wedding

 

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Teodor Flonta~Memories of Easter in Transylvania

19 Apr

On Facebook today my friend, Teodor Flonta shared  his childhood Easter traditions growing up in Romania during a Communist regime. With his gracious permission, I am sharing them with you~Onisha Ellis

From Teodor

 

HAPPY EASTER! 
to all my friends from around the world with #Tasmanian eggs coloured with onion skin, just as my Mama used to do long time ago when I was a little boy in #Transylvania! You can read an excerpt from ‘A Luminous Future’ about my Easter there.

Mama borrowed an old Bible from Piţurca, the only one in the whole village, and started reading to me in the evening. On Thursday night, we would creep into the church, terrified that we would be seen and reported to Comrade Petroi. The church was dimly lit. We would sit on the cold and hard floor in front of the altar, jumping at any slight flicker of the shadows. Father Iordan said that we were like the early Christians, who had to practise their religion in secret. At the end, we would leave only after checking that nobody was on the road. This went on until Easter Thursday, when we were allowed to hammer on the toaca until sunset, to announce the death of Christ. The toaca was a 20cm wide board on a 2m pole in the church courtyard. After sunset, neither hammering on the toaca nor the ringing of bells was allowed until Sunday, the day of the Resurrection.


On Easter Sunday women placed little baskets full of coloured hard-boiled eggs and cross-shaped loaves of white bread in front of the altar for the blessing. The children, dressed in white shirts, took the first Communion in front of the congregation. However, the spectacle we were waiting for was to come later in the church courtyard during the frenzied egg-cracking competition. We wrapped one hand across our egg, exposing only the pointy end, and hit each other’s eggs hard. If your egg cracked, you lost your egg.

“Mircea, I bet I can take away your eggs,” I challenged him outside the church.


He gave me a push and responded, “Try this, smarty.”


I tried and lost.


“You want to try another one?” he asked.


I suspected he was so confident because there was something fishy about his egg. So I accepted the challenge, pulling out from my pocket my special egg. I hit hard and a funny, thick sound, not at all like the sound of an egg cracking, was the result.

What did you do, stupid? You have a wooden egg,” said Mircea.


I ran away laughing.


“And yours is filled with pitch. I could hear it,” I said.

 

Transylvanian born Teodor Flonta is a retired academic, author of ‘A Luminous Future’ – a memoir about life under Communism in the 1950s and 60s – and of multilingual proverb dictionaries and apps (available on iTunes and Google). He lives in Tasmania, Australia, with his wife, Ariella, surrounded by beautiful grandchildren.

 

You can find Teodor’s books on:  AMAZON   BARNES AND NOBLE

 

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A Small Serendipity

13 Apr

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

                                                    

I really love the serendipities that happen in our lives at times. Some are so large they just overwhelm us when they happen. Others are just sort-of average, but just enough different to make us sit up and take notice. And then there are the small ones. Those that just happen in a flash…and then are gone, leaving us to wonder how/why did that happen?

Fred and I experienced that just recently when we went to Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Busy day – lots of high school bands around – lots of Senior Trips around – kids in the same color t-shirts. We usually enjoy seeing these groups. Most of them are not terribly rowdy, and are just having a great time.   Occasionally we see them doing the “flash” thing – breaking into song or the “wave” or something like that.

We had just finished a ride and were on our way to lunch, when a young man caught up with us and said, “would you be my stand-in parents?” We stopped and I asked why? He said his parents had just gone on a ride but he couldn’t get on, so….. I began laughing and ask him what we could/should do. He hesitated a minute then said, “how about a hug?” And so that’s what we did – a group hug for the three of us – all of us laughing at the same time.

And then he was gone.

I told Fred he was probably dared to do that by some of his classmates, but that was okay. It was a fun thing.

MUCH later, I told Fred we should have told this young man that we couldn’t be his stand-in parents, but would stand-in GRANDparents work? Nothing slow about me!

Disney

 

 

 

 

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