the man

"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile."
~Mother Teresa

It never ceases to amaze me how it is sometimes the unexpected, random encounters with strangers that teach me the greatest lessons. I had one of those so-called meetings yesterday, and of all places in a Meijer grocery store.

Usually when I go grocery shopping I am the type of person that likes to go in, zone people out, and get my mission accomplished. I am not there to graze for hours. I am not there to chit-chat and "hope" to run into a ton of acquaintances. The quicker the better for me. It is not that I am "anti-people", it is just I have had my share of odd strangers approach me with uncomfortable comments and I just choose to bypass that. But, not yesterday.

I was in the hardware area of the store. I was looking for one of those orange poles that one uses to stick in the snow, to let the snowplow know where "not" to plow! I found them and was putting one in my cart when I could hear someone approaching me from behind. My initial thought was to quickly finish what I was doing and get the heck out of there, before the stranger could fully emerge. Too late! I could hear the sound of shuffling feet, and a distorted voice talking, saying something, to me! It was at this moment I knew I had a choice. I could either be rude and say nothing and walk away. Or, I could stay there and be kind, listening to what was to come next. Well, I had just come from mass at church, so I chose the latter.

I turned my head to hear a man. He was short and a bit stocky. His mouth was twisted, disfigured from some sort of issue. I had to move in a bit to hear what he was saying. He was laughing and asked me if I was looking for a sweater!! (Huh??) Caught completely off guard, I answered back "no" , and told him how I was needing one of those orange sticks so I don't get stuck in the snow. We started a conversation on the topic. His reply was muffled by his hearty laugh. He proceeded to tell me how he was just kidding and he just wanted to make me laugh, which he did! He said, "See! I made you laugh! That is all I wanted to do." He then went on to say, "if my wife was here, OH! She would be jabbing me in the ribs and telling me to stop! She always believes I joke around too much and bother people. " And then he added! "But, she can't be here now, because she passed away." The conversation came to an end and the old man continued on his way, shuffling his feet and slowly pushing his cart. He then added with a cheerful laugh, "have a great day, young lady! I am glad I could make you smile", and he disappeared down an aisle. I offered the same back to him, but at the same time was choked up by what had just occurred.

I literally stood there for a minute and had to hold back my tears. I realized at that moment that by just taking the time, a few precious minutes out of my rushed day, I made someones life a bit more complete. As random and simple as it was, it changed something in me. I was saddened by this man's lose of a spouse, how he has to be alone now. But, I was in awe of his sense of happiness and continued efforts to make others (strangers) smile and bring joy to them.

The rest of my day was focused on "that man" and my new life lesson.

for the birds

Bird Seed WreathA while ago I saw a project that was perfect for our outdoor feathery friends. An ice wreath made with bird seed. Here is how my daughters and I just made ours.







First, you will need to find some sort of container to make the wreath in. We used a bundt pan. Make sure the container can withstand frozen material inside!







We took some cooking oil and with a paper towel, wiped the entire inside of the pan. This helps the ice mold, when completed, slip out without any fuss.


Next you need to decide which type of seed to use. We had sunflower seeds on hand, so that is what we used.

Take some seed and pour into the pan. We used a couple of scoopfuls.

Then you take some water and fill the mold up. I think a half full or less works best. The thicker it is, the longer it takes to chill up.

We then took our creation outside. We set it in the snow and left if to set. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a full day. Check to make sure it is rock hard before taking it out of the mold, or else all the seed with pour out... we made this mistake at first!

When all frozen, bring it inside.

Turn it upside down to release from mold.

We used some red string and attached it securely to the wreath. Find a nice spot outside to hang it and wait for the birds to find their new winter treat!

happy Mikuláš day!

St. Nicholas or Mikuláš (as we Czech. like to call him) is celebrated today for his feast day, December 6th.

I can still remember vividly how, as a child, we would put out our Christmas stockings by the fireplace on the night of December 5th. And, if we had been good, in the morning we would be rewarded with small trinkets and treats (mainly candy). If we had been a little naughty ( which was a YES!), we would be worried that maybe coal would appear instead, but small treats would still appear, with an occasional orange or other fruit.

Who was this Saint Nicholas you may ask? Well, Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God. When Nicholas later became a Bishop, his generosity continued, especially with children. He would do his kind deeds in secret so that no-one would know and he did not expect anything in return.

The tradition of Mikuláš has been passed down and continues 'til this day with my own children.

Just this morning, they rushed to there stockings to find what St. Nicholas had left them. It is a tradition that I will keep up and I can only hope that my children will too as they have families of their own.

For more wonderful information on the Origin of Santa, see here.

crayon re-do

re-purposed crayons

If you are anything like me, you probably have a ga-billion pieces, chunks, and tid-bits of crayons somewhere in your home! Sick and tired of buying, breaking, and throwing them away I found a neat way to re-use these colorful bits into a whole new life.

First, gather all of the pieces together and take ALL the paper coverings off of each and every one of them (they will catch fire if you don't!)

You can then do one of two things- use cupcake liners (with a waxy finish) lined up on a baking sheet, or you can re-purpose older cupcake tins (found at Goodwill or rummage sales), metal or silicone ones, for just this purpose (they won't be usable for baking again, so keep this in mind)

Place into a preheated oven of 250 degrees F. Watch carefully, they will melt fast! Bake them for about 7-8 minutes. When they looked melted enough, carefully and slowly remove them from the oven. You can stir them with a toothpick for a swirly look, or leave them as is. Let them cool completely (can be placed in the freezer to speed up process once the tin is not so hot.) When completely cool it is now safe to handle them and remove them from the tins.

When cool, you can poke toothpick through one of the crayons. Tie a festive ribbon on and you can hang on your tree, or give as a fun gift. Package the new crayons up in some clear wrap or a cookie tin. Package them up with a drawing tablet. They make excellent gifts!

the seasons

Ecclesiastes
Chapter 3

1
There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.

2

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.

3

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.
4
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.

5

A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
6
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.

7

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.

8

A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

9

What advantage has the worker from his toil?

10

I have considered the task which God has appointed for men to be busied about.

11
He has made everything appropriate to its time, and has put the timeless into their hearts, without men's ever discovering, from beginning to end, the work which God has done.

12

I recognized that there is nothing better than to be glad and to do well during life.