| Cancer Candle Our classmate Mary Ann's website devoted to supporting people with cancer is at http://cancersupportsite.proboards.com/. Her husband Bill had to retire because of colon cancer, and her sister Linda died of brain cancer. This candle burns for all our loved ones who have died of cancer. To add a name to our list, send it to Jan at fridalives@msn.com. Contact Mary Ann at her website. |
| Inspiration and Memorials |
One Day at a Time www.frontiernet.net/~jimdandy/specials/onedayata time/onedayatatime.htm (Turn on your sound) Inspirational and charming, too from Dewey |
| If you need a little cheering up, turn on your sound and check out Dewey's "Boogie Through Life" at http://www.members.shaw.ca/grandmafaiths2/boogie.htm |
| New Aug 20/Jan |
| I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have sat on the lawn! With my grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's'; more 'I'm sorry's.' But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it... live it and never give it back. |
| If I Had My Life to Live Over (Internet says written by Erma Bombeck after she learned that she had cancer, but it doesn't show up on any authentic Bombeck websites. Inspirational, anyway...) |
The man slowly looked up. This was a
woman clearly accustomed to the finer
things of life. Her coat was new. She
looked like that she had never missed
a meal in her life. His first thought was
that she wanted to make fun of him, like
so many others had done before.
'Leave me alone,' he growled.
To his amazement, the woman
continued standing. She was smiling --
her even white teeth displayed in
dazzling rows. 'Are you hungry?' she
asked.
'No,' he answered sarcastically. 'I've
just come from dining with the
President. Now go away.' The woman's
smile became even broader. Suddenly
the man felt a gentle hand under his
arm.
'What are you doing, lady?' the man
asked angrily. 'I said to leave me alone.
Just then a policeman came up. 'Is
there any problem, ma'am?' he asked.
'No problem here, officer,' the woman
answered. 'I'm just trying to get this
man to his feet. Will you help me?'
The officer scratched his head. 'That's
old Jack. He's been a fixture around
here for a couple of years. What do you
want with him?'
'See that cafeteria over there?' she
asked. 'I'm going to get him something
to eat and get him out of the cold for
awhile.'
'Are you crazy, lady?' the homeless man
resisted. 'I don't want to go in there!'
Then he felt strong hands grab his
other arm and lift him up.
'Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything.'
'This is a good deal for you, Jack,' the
officer answered. 'Don't blow it..'
Finally, and with some difficulty, the
woman and the police officer got Jack
into the cafeteria and sat him at a table
in a remote corner. It was the middle of
the morning, so most of the breakfast
crowd had already left and the lunch
bunch had not yet arrived. The
manager strode across the cafeteria
and stood by his table.
'What's going on here, officer?' he
asked. 'What is all this. Is this man in
trouble?'
'This lady brought this man in here to
be fed,' the policeman answered.
'Not in here!' the manager replied
angrily. 'Having a person like that here
is bad for business.'
Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. 'See,
lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me
go. I didn't want to come here in the
first place.'
The woman turned to the cafeteria
manager and smiled. 'Sir, are you
familiar with Eddy and Associates, the
banking firm down the street?'
'Of course I am,' the manager answered
impatiently. 'They hold their weekly
meetings in one of my banquet rooms.'
'And do you make a goodly amount of
money providing food at these weekly
meetings?'
'What business is that of yours?'
'I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and
CEO of the company.'
'Oh.'
The woman smiled again. 'I thought that
might make a difference.' She glanced
at the cop who was busy stifling a
giggle. 'Would you like to join us in a
cup of coffee and a meal, officer?'
'No thanks, ma'am,' the officer replied.
'I'm on duty.'
woman clearly accustomed to the finer
things of life. Her coat was new. She
looked like that she had never missed
a meal in her life. His first thought was
that she wanted to make fun of him, like
so many others had done before.
'Leave me alone,' he growled.
To his amazement, the woman
continued standing. She was smiling --
her even white teeth displayed in
dazzling rows. 'Are you hungry?' she
asked.
'No,' he answered sarcastically. 'I've
just come from dining with the
President. Now go away.' The woman's
smile became even broader. Suddenly
the man felt a gentle hand under his
arm.
'What are you doing, lady?' the man
asked angrily. 'I said to leave me alone.
Just then a policeman came up. 'Is
there any problem, ma'am?' he asked.
'No problem here, officer,' the woman
answered. 'I'm just trying to get this
man to his feet. Will you help me?'
The officer scratched his head. 'That's
old Jack. He's been a fixture around
here for a couple of years. What do you
want with him?'
'See that cafeteria over there?' she
asked. 'I'm going to get him something
to eat and get him out of the cold for
awhile.'
'Are you crazy, lady?' the homeless man
resisted. 'I don't want to go in there!'
Then he felt strong hands grab his
other arm and lift him up.
'Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything.'
'This is a good deal for you, Jack,' the
officer answered. 'Don't blow it..'
Finally, and with some difficulty, the
woman and the police officer got Jack
into the cafeteria and sat him at a table
in a remote corner. It was the middle of
the morning, so most of the breakfast
crowd had already left and the lunch
bunch had not yet arrived. The
manager strode across the cafeteria
and stood by his table.
'What's going on here, officer?' he
asked. 'What is all this. Is this man in
trouble?'
'This lady brought this man in here to
be fed,' the policeman answered.
'Not in here!' the manager replied
angrily. 'Having a person like that here
is bad for business.'
Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. 'See,
lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me
go. I didn't want to come here in the
first place.'
The woman turned to the cafeteria
manager and smiled. 'Sir, are you
familiar with Eddy and Associates, the
banking firm down the street?'
'Of course I am,' the manager answered
impatiently. 'They hold their weekly
meetings in one of my banquet rooms.'
'And do you make a goodly amount of
money providing food at these weekly
meetings?'
'What business is that of yours?'
'I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and
CEO of the company.'
'Oh.'
The woman smiled again. 'I thought that
might make a difference.' She glanced
at the cop who was busy stifling a
giggle. 'Would you like to join us in a
cup of coffee and a meal, officer?'
'No thanks, ma'am,' the officer replied.
'I'm on duty.'
'Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to
go?'
'Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice.'
The cafeteria manager turned on his
heel. 'I'll get your coffee for you right
away, officer.'
The officer watched him walk away.
'You certainly put him in his place,'
he said.
'That was not my intent. Believe it or
not, I have a reason for all this.'
She sat down at the table across
from her amazed dinner guest and
stared at him intently. 'Jack, do you
remember me?'
Old Jack searched her face with his
old, rheumy eyes 'I think so -- I mean
you do look familiar.'
'I'm a little older perhaps,' she said.
'Maybe I've even filled out more than
in my younger days when you worked
here, and I came through that very
door, cold and hungry.'
'Ma'am?' the officer said
questioningly. He couldn't believe
that such a magnificently turned out
woman could ever have been hungry.
'I was just out of college,' the woman
began. 'I had come to the city looking
for a job, but I couldn't find anything.
Finally I was down to my last few
cents and had been kicked out of my
apartment. I walked the streets for
days. It was February and I was cold
and nearly starving. I saw this place
and walked in on the off chance that I
could get something to eat.'
Jack lit up with a smile. 'Now I
remember,' he said. 'I was behind the
serving counter. You came up and
asked me if you could work for
something to eat. I said that it was
against company policy.'
'I know,' the woman continued. 'Then
you made me the biggest roast beef
sandwich that I had ever seen, gave
me a cup of coffee, and told me to go
over to a corner table and enjoy it. I
was afraid that you would get into
trouble. Then, when I looked over, I
saw you put the price of my food in
the cash register I knew then that
everything would be all right.'
'So you started your own business?'
Old Jack said.
'I got a job that very afternoon. I
worked my way up. Eventually I
started my own business, that, with
the help of God, prospered.' She
opened her purse and pulled out a
business card. 'When you are
finished here, I want you to pay a
visit to a Mr.. Lyons. He's the
personnel director of my company. I'll
go talk to him now and I'm certain
he'll find something for you to do
around the office.' She smiled. 'I
think he might even find the funds to
give you a little advance so that you
can buy some clothes and get a
place to live until you get on your
feet. If you ever need anything, my
door is always opened to you.'
There were tears in the old man's
eyes. 'How can I ever thank you? ' he
said.
'Don't thank me,' the woman
answered. 'To God goes the glory.
Thank Jesus.. He led me to you.'
Outside the cafeteria, the officer and
the woman paused at the entrance
before going their separate ways.
'Thank you for all your help, officer,'
she said.
'On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,' he
answered. 'Thank you. I saw a miracle
today, something that I will never
forget. And...And thank you for the
coffee.'
go?'
'Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice.'
The cafeteria manager turned on his
heel. 'I'll get your coffee for you right
away, officer.'
The officer watched him walk away.
'You certainly put him in his place,'
he said.
'That was not my intent. Believe it or
not, I have a reason for all this.'
She sat down at the table across
from her amazed dinner guest and
stared at him intently. 'Jack, do you
remember me?'
Old Jack searched her face with his
old, rheumy eyes 'I think so -- I mean
you do look familiar.'
'I'm a little older perhaps,' she said.
'Maybe I've even filled out more than
in my younger days when you worked
here, and I came through that very
door, cold and hungry.'
'Ma'am?' the officer said
questioningly. He couldn't believe
that such a magnificently turned out
woman could ever have been hungry.
'I was just out of college,' the woman
began. 'I had come to the city looking
for a job, but I couldn't find anything.
Finally I was down to my last few
cents and had been kicked out of my
apartment. I walked the streets for
days. It was February and I was cold
and nearly starving. I saw this place
and walked in on the off chance that I
could get something to eat.'
Jack lit up with a smile. 'Now I
remember,' he said. 'I was behind the
serving counter. You came up and
asked me if you could work for
something to eat. I said that it was
against company policy.'
'I know,' the woman continued. 'Then
you made me the biggest roast beef
sandwich that I had ever seen, gave
me a cup of coffee, and told me to go
over to a corner table and enjoy it. I
was afraid that you would get into
trouble. Then, when I looked over, I
saw you put the price of my food in
the cash register I knew then that
everything would be all right.'
'So you started your own business?'
Old Jack said.
'I got a job that very afternoon. I
worked my way up. Eventually I
started my own business, that, with
the help of God, prospered.' She
opened her purse and pulled out a
business card. 'When you are
finished here, I want you to pay a
visit to a Mr.. Lyons. He's the
personnel director of my company. I'll
go talk to him now and I'm certain
he'll find something for you to do
around the office.' She smiled. 'I
think he might even find the funds to
give you a little advance so that you
can buy some clothes and get a
place to live until you get on your
feet. If you ever need anything, my
door is always opened to you.'
There were tears in the old man's
eyes. 'How can I ever thank you? ' he
said.
'Don't thank me,' the woman
answered. 'To God goes the glory.
Thank Jesus.. He led me to you.'
Outside the cafeteria, the officer and
the woman paused at the entrance
before going their separate ways.
'Thank you for all your help, officer,'
she said.
'On the contrary, Ms. Eddy,' he
answered. 'Thank you. I saw a miracle
today, something that I will never
forget. And...And thank you for the
coffee.'
| A gift to us from Polly/Dec 18, '08 |
What Goes Around,
Comes Around
Comes Around
1. Linda Lawrence (brain),
Mary Ann's beloved sister
2. Erma Bombeck, humorist
3. Ray Bell (leukemia), our dear friend
4. Don Anthony '78, dear teacher
5. Eva Ann Jaye (lung), our dear friend
6. Josephine Love, Jan's grandmother
7. Linda W's daughter Laura ('06, leukemia)
8. Richard Crocker '07, Len & Jan's dear friend
9. Miss Velma Wilson, TJC chem teacher
Mary Ann's beloved sister
2. Erma Bombeck, humorist
3. Ray Bell (leukemia), our dear friend
4. Don Anthony '78, dear teacher
5. Eva Ann Jaye (lung), our dear friend
6. Josephine Love, Jan's grandmother
7. Linda W's daughter Laura ('06, leukemia)
8. Richard Crocker '07, Len & Jan's dear friend
9. Miss Velma Wilson, TJC chem teacher
| HOW TO STAY YOUNG and BE HAPPIER 1. Try everything twice. On one woman's tombstone she said she wanted this epitaph: Tried everything twice...loved it both times! 2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down. (Don't let me be grouchy! I don't want to lose you!) 3. Keep learning: Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain get idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's! (Poor Dr. Alzheimer, to have his name sullied like this...) 4. Enjoy the simple things. 5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with HIM/HER. 6. The tears happen: Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. LIVE while you are alive. 7. Surround yourself with what you love--- whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge. 8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help. 9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is. 10. Forgive now those who made you cry. You might not get a second chance. 11. Be kinder than necessary, for EVERYONE you meet is fighting some kind of battle. This is amazing, but true! 12. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity. I, Jan, look back on our days together, wish I had known you better then, am trying to make up for lost time, and feel a special sort of love for each one of you! |
| Scroll down for more inspiration! |
| Jan. 1, 2009 from Jan Bee (from the Internet) |
| http:// www.openmyeyeslord.net/LifeOnT heTrain.htm This is a really beautiful piece that will soothe and inspire you. |