Random Acts of "Kindness"

Posts tagged ‘inspiration’

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

Our younger grandchildren are growing too fast. Daniel used to love Thomas the Train and other trains. He is into Transformers now. Isa has no interest in trains, unless her brother is playing with them. We have a few plastic trains that are sitting in a bin gathering dust. “CHRISTMAS IS COMING” The reminder is everywhere.

In the quiet years before more grandchildren joined our family, I collected quite a few Christmas Village houses. In fact I had a large display set up in the room off our dining room and a Victorian village on our dining room buffet. Once Daniel was born, the huge village remained in their crates in the basement but the Victorian villager remained on the buffet. After a few years, the Victorian village was retired and a fishing village took its place. Both Daniel and Isa LIKE to play with the people and horses in the village.

I gave their mother enough houses to set up a small village but the best space for them is too high for the children to play with. “Gramma, do you have some houses for me? Would you bring them to my house?”
This request found me digging through stuff in the basement. The houses were not that easy to get at but I did find a few. In the process, I also found a dump truck for a one or two year old child. More toys that were gathering dust.

How could I get them to some kids that would enjoy them? Questions, questions, questions — no answer. Until today. I had to go to the post office to mail a letter. On the way home, I decided to take a short walk, passing by a store that had a sign in the window about a Toys for Tots pickup the next day.

None of the toys I had were new, but they had received gentle love and were in good condition. I asked the woman in charge if I could donate them. She told me to bring them in, if they couldn’t be used by the Toys for Tots, she was sure they would be given to the Salvation Army. Either way, they would no longer be gathering dust in my house. Some kids would be playing with them.

THANK YOU!

I’ve mentioned that the Blessed Virgin Mary, in all of her names, appears to be involved in my life at various times. My mother’s name was Marie. I wonder if that is were the link comes from. Either way, tomorrow is the feast day of Our Lady Of Guadeloupe. My father had her face in a framed photo. I didn’t know who she was, but I liked the photo and clamed it for myself. Years passed and the photo became damaged. I searched in vain for a replacement. One day, I saw and recognized the face I had been searching for. It was on a photo of Our Lady Of Guadeloupe. Just another game of hide and seek.

While my grandchildren are getting too big, too fast, I am growing old too fast. I would blame it on the season, trying to get too much done. And hopefully that is all it is. Yesterday I was at the bank, taking care of business. I was at the teller’s window. The form I needed wasn’t at the desk. I reached for my glasses and  they were not in the case I keep them in. I looked to see if they were hanging from my neck. NOPE! I must admit I panicked. I gathered up my passbook, money and forms and told the teller I would be back. I NEEDED to find my glasses. As I left the bank, I realized my glasses were where they should be. On the bridge of my nose, over my eyes. Evidently the teller didn’t notice or just thought I was nuts. My story gave many people a laugh that day.

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WHEN THE STUDENT IS READY

There is a well known saying that when the student is ready, the teacher will come. Evidently I was ready. High sugar has been a concern for awhile, not for me, but for my husband. I will admit that I knew carbohydrates: bread, pasta, white potatoes contained more sugar. But I didn’t know how to interpret the data.

Last night I watched a program on our public television station. The nutrionist gave a formula to convert carbohydrates to teaspoons of sugar. Total carbohydrates minus fiber divided by five equals the number of teaspoons of sugar in the food.  The goal — no more then 10 teaspoons of sugar a day. This morning, I looked at my husband’s favorite breakfast — English muffins with peanut butter and jelly and understood why his sugar numbers are up.

I won’t say “my friends in high places” are always around. Truthfully I never know if they are until they make their presence known. This week, for some unknown reason, stuff is falling off the high shelf in the pantry. I won’t mention how long some of the stuff has been up there. But why was it falling now?

Sometime in the past year, I heard a report that mentioned that as a person ages, they produce less acid in their stomach. One of the solutions given was to drink one tablespoon of unpasturized apple cider vinegar in a glass of water two to three times a day. I have been following that advice with good results.

We are going to our younger daughters this week. I usually take some apple cider vinegar with me. I transfer some into a smaller glass bottle rather than taking the bigger bottle with me. When my Floridian daughter was in town, she labeled my bottle as a urine sample. That bottle was up on the top shelf of the pantry. It no longer is. It is now filled and ready for the trip. Was that the message I was supposed to get? I don’t know.

Christmas is coming. “My friends” are ready to help! And we know I need all the help I can get.

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WINTER STARTS TONIGHT

The temperature has been up and down, mostly in the 40’s, with a cloud cover that has hid the sun. Finally temperatures in the 60’s with sun was promised. Except, Sunday, in time for the Bears night time football game, rain, dropping temperatures and possibly SNOW was forecast.

Our youngest grandchildren were in town for the weekend. We planned to visit Brookfield Zoo — we had the car packed for the short trip, then our oldest daughter phoned. She lives about 25 miles West of Chicago. She thought we should know that a thunderstorm was over her house. Just as quickly, plans changed. We visited the playlot at McDonald’s instead. We stayed dry, the kids had fun.

Sunday, a high wind advisory  from 10:00 AM till 8:00 PM was forecast. Our youngest daughter and kids left early in the morning to beat the weather. I have wanted to go to Botanical Gardens for a few weeks — today was the day. Some sun, warmer temperatures, lots of clouds and even more wind — not a bad day.

I was surprised by many things. First the colors. Autumn colors were everywhere. Weeping willow trees danced, golden in the wind. Grasses in gold, orange and rust added their own color. Many, many varieties of roses were abundant. Mums and asters — autumn flowers were everywhere. I even saw a couple of gladioli and some pansies. I was very surprised– the waterfall was still running. I spent some time, sitting on a bench, enjoying the sun shine and cascading water. When I asked a female Mallard duck if she was all alone, she turned and swam under the bridge and reappeared with the male.

Families with young children were everywhere. A young girl sat on a bench, an array of colored pencils in her lap, and worked on a drawing. Her mother mentioned that her daughter’s first grade class came to the garden to draw a couple of years ago. That is when her interest in drawing began.

I watched a young Chinese maiden, dressed in yoga attire, pose for pictures at the waterfall and on the bridge to the Japanese Garden. I learned she writes articles for a magazine on the Chinese Internet.

Walking down a path, I noticed a couple of people taking pictures of a tree. Looking up, I spotted the object of their interest — a brown tailed hawk watching from its high perch.

I almost finished walking the garden, when my camera refused to take any more pictures.

Leaving the garden, I passed a short, heavy-set, white-haired, older woman pushing a walker, the basket overflowing with stuff. I couldn’t see if it was a coat, a sweater, or a blanket, or all of the above. No one was walking with her.

Questions rose like bubbles in my mind. Was she alone? How did she get to the garden? Did she drive?

She reminded me of my maternal grandmother whose birthday is this week. My grandmother didn’t drive, but she didn’t stay home either. In a safer world, living in rural Wisconsin, she hitch hiked.

It was a normal weekend —  but then, wandering with Spirit usually is.

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THANKS

 
Recently I wrote how I think it is important to thank God, the Supreme being under whatever name you address Him or Her for the many blessings of life and help given. I also thank “my friends in high places” on a very regular basis.  This time I would like to thank you, the people who read my thought rambles. Some have written to let me know they were helpful and for this I am extremely grateful. Each and every day has its own challenges, I’m glad that I am NEVER ALONE. Many times I’m not aware that I’m not wandering solo. Then there is the rest of the time.

I would answer each comment personally except for two challenges. The first is that I haven’t figured out how to do it. The second, probably should be the first. This is the first time I have been on line since some time in September. I know that we are retired, supposedly we have a lot of free time. The reality of the situation is that we are not home that often and I HAVE NOT updated our cell phones, computers or other electrical means to be able to keep in constant connection. PLUS — I have “help” from my “friends in high places.” Recently, our youngest daughter gifted us with a vacation in the Wisconsin Dells. We left on a Wednesday. Thursday, I noticed I didn’t have my cell phone. Although my husband called the number repeatedly, we didn’t find it. I  couldn’t recall using the phone at all on Wednesday. I finally assumed I had left it at our Camper. Thankfully this proved to be correct. I found it right were I had left it before leaving for the trip. I guess it wasn’t supposed to go.

I will do a thought ramble on our fall vacation. Hopefully before we take off again which will be this week.

Just one thought before I close and cook supper.  Before we left for our trip, I was at Save a Lot, a grocery store in the town near our camper. I watched in amazement as a man chose a ham, and a chicken and a number of pizza’s and added it to his overflowing cart. At the check out line he graciously allowed me to go ahead of him. By now, you are probably aware of the fact that I talk to whoever is around.

I mentioned that he was probably buying food for a month to the person behind me. WRONG! It was one weeks supply. I have no idea the total of his bill. One comment led to another. I learned that he was feeding four children and two adults. Then I learned that two children were not his and often spent the night. He didn’t know what they would eat or if they would eat at all if he didn’t feed them. I had to acknowledge that he was a positive influence in theses children’s lives.  Because of his care, they had safe shelter and might make it through childhood.  RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME!. I think so. Everyone needs a pat on the back

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OOPS

Just because I have friends in high places and am aware of it, doesn’t mean that life is easy, without problems.

Yesterday, I went down into the basement to get something from our upright freezer. I saw liquid on the floor by the freezer. IT IS NEVER A GOOD THING WHEN YOU SEE LIQUID ON THE FLOOR BY THE FREEZER.

My worst fears were confirmed when I realized the door was not properly closed. I had no one to blame but myself. The freezer is so full that I am the only one that braves the interior, so therefore, I didn’t make sure the door was closed.  It was all my fault.

Looking at the contents, I knew that many things needed to be tossed. Most of the individual servings on the freezer door had defrosted as well as things on some of the shelves. I salvaged what I could and changed my mind about supper. Changed my mind about Sunday’s supper as well and tossed everything that was defrosted. Four bags full.

As I cleared the shelves, I noticed ice crystals every where. It gave me hope that it was my stupidity, not a malfunction of the freezer. I wanted to try a tray of ice cubes to see if they would freeze. Making a space for the tray to lay flat was its own challenge. I really didn’t want to leave more hot air in then was already there.

Thankfully, one hour later, ice crystals had formed on the top of the ice cube tray. The freezer was working. I have to admit, that most of the food that was defrosted probably was no longer part of my diet.

Today was a day to cook, and refreeze the salvaged food.

Yesterday, I was looking for a card for my grandson who is away at college and having a rough time. Many cards, but nothing fit. A card with birds caught my eye as I walked down an aisle. Closer inspection revealed that it was just what I was looking for –the message — continue to try, having faith in God. THANKS! I knew someone was helping. I also knew I needed it.

I wish I could say that the trials of August have ended. Sometimes I jump into something with both feet instead of taking my time. I’m not sure what I did, maybe it was a combination of trying new things and the 90 plus temperatures. Whatever the cause, I’m still dealing with the after effects.

Hoping to solve the problem, I’ve stopped my supplements, and given up caffeinated beverages. One of my daughter’s suggested drinking 64 oz of water a day. I’m hoping to flush out my system. I don’t know when my hot flashes and night sweats ended. I’m not excited that they are back. I wonder if it has to do with the aligning of all the planets. Magnetic energy. December is how many months away?

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Is Someone Trying To Tell Me Something

I will admit that I’m stubborn. I have had an open wound on my left leg since March and have not gone to the doctor. I knew it was coming. I watched a small black dot slowly rise to the surface and when it became an open wound, I wasn’t surprised. I tried to keep it small, eat healthy, etc. but it continued to grow. Stress and other things of normal life prevented me from going to the doctor until it became so large I was embarrassed.

Each time I determined that if it hadn’t started healing by such and such a date, I was going to the doctor. Something else always happened to delay the making of an appointment.

Then it began to heal, and I was very thankful. But I had not learned the lesson yet, whatever the lesson is. I think it has to do with making sure that I have myself on the list, taking care of my needs as well as the needs of others. Often I’m at the store, buying food my family needs and forget that I have to have different items since I’m sodium restricted. When I’m back at home, and ready to cook dinner, I discover most of the stuff that I can eat is still in the store.

Now it is August. My left leg rebelled or decided to self destruct. On the fifth, I hit my leg with the vacuum cleaner. On the 9th, a porch folding chair fell on my left toes. On the 15th, I banged my left foot on our dog’s gate.  Which brings me to the 19th, a can of luncheon meat, fell off the shelf, onto my left foot. Not done yet, in the store,, a box of mushrooms, fell onto my left shin.

I was getting the message. Leg WAS NOT happy.

I wear compression socks because of poor circulation. My left leg was itching, so I scratched it with abandon, over the stockings. I was very surprised to see a blister on my leg, followed in two days by another one. The stocking acted as a scouring pad and scoured my leg.

I cover the open sores on my leg with gauze pads, held in place by paper tape. I was not happy as the area covered by this protection grew in size. So far, I haven’t found shin guards.

A friend told me about a treatment with castor oil and a heating pad which has done her leg some good. By now, I was desperate enough to try it. As I write, five days into the treatment, the blisters seem to be healing. The scratches up and down the leg are either healing or gone. Hopefully soon the larger sore will begin to heal again.

I’M KEEPING MYSELF ON THE LIST. Right now, anyway.

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MESSAGES

I love music — all kinds — and plays — especially musicals. Monday morning I was alerted to a live performance in the Loop by Broadway in Chicago which was free. The main attraction was to be a puppet, the horse from War Horse.

Monday was a beautiful day. After too many days in the 90’s, temperature was forecast to be in the low 80’s. My husband and I took advantage of the cooler weather and toured Botanical gardens. The last time I was in the Garden was May — life and the hot summer intervened.  A family of swans traveled the lagoon. One parent in front, the other at the end, with three youngsters in the middle.

I’m sure it comes as no surprise when I mention that I talk to all animals, domestic and wild, including birds, butterflies and fish. I saw a single swan resting on a rock. Every few minutes, he needed to groom himself. I wanted a more dignified picture. I have to admit that I encouraged him to pose for a picture and he did.

Wandering on, I wanted to tour two more gardens. They both showed the effects of a hot summer. A woman shared that the garden looked much better that day, a month ago it was worse. A group of people with cameras caught my attention. I wondered what they were taking pictures of. I soon learned. A red tailed hawk rested on a branch of a tree, enjoying a snack. Did I talk to the hawk? Silly question, of course I did.

That evening, I journeyed downtown for the music. I was amazed at the realism of the horse puppet. Not only did it sound like a real horse, it moved like one. The music was good too.

That was going to be the end of this ramble. Until Friday. In the country, my husband and I wandered to a distant town for breakfast. We made it in time for the breakfast specials, biscuits and gravy for my husband. I don’t really like breakfast food. I chose a catfish fillet sandwich with clam chowder. I think I’ve mentioned that I’m sodium restricted. I knew that my choices were not the best, but thought the cooler temperature might let me fudge a bit. I only ate half of the clam chowder, then asked that it be removed.

My Floridian daughter phoned while I was waiting for my sandwich. When we were in Florida, she helped me watch my sodium intake. When I mentioned my food choice, she remarked that the breading had a lot of salt.  She was right. I had to remove at least half of the crunch. I mentioned her phone call to our waitress,
She said I must be on my daughter’s radar screen.

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TRAVELING WITH ANGELS

I have received “help” from the other side for years. But I was not aware of it. My mother and brother passed over when I was four. I’ll credit my mother as the primary force but I have no real information to back it up. I thought I lead a rather normal life until my father passed over and shared the secret. Looking back, I remember when I was in the country, driving on a lonely back road when my tire went flat. From nowhere, a young man pulled up in a truck and stopped to help. He had no trouble jacking up my car, and getting the tire off and the spare on. Luckily it had air. The young man wouldn’t take any money for his assistance and remarked he was a member of a race crew when I complimented him on his ability to change the tire so quickly.

Another night, driving out to our camper alone in the winter, the road turned to black ice and I lost control of the car, ending up in a ditch. Another man in a truck stopped to help, borrowed a chain from a nearby farm house and pulled me out.

I’m sure other things happened when I was traveling while my father was still alive. These two stick out in my memory. When my father’s memory deteriorated from Alzheimer’s disease, there where many instances when I received help and even became more or less aware of it. Learning sometimes comes slowly.

The past week I attended the wake of my son’s ex-mother-in-law. We live on the North side of Chicago. The wake was at 193rd street and Wolf Road. Far on the south side. I took the expressways to the funeral home but at 2:30, traffic was already a challenge. There was no way I wanted to take the expressways back home.

Since we live on the North side, I’m able to wander with some confidence on streets or expressways depending on the trip. I was lost on the South side. So I asked for help. Luckily there was a person who was knowledgeable and offered advice on an alternate. When I mentioned my planned route home, the husband of the deceased expressed concern for some of the neighborhoods I would be traveling through. “That’s alright,” I remarked. “I travel with angels.” And thankfully, I do. I was amazed at the words that had come out of my mouth. I just don’t always remember. Which is why I’m sharing with you.

At the funeral, I searched for the person and thanked him. It had been a pleasant drive, through the forest preserves, stress free,  — about 2 hours — but it wasn’t bumper to bumper traffic.

Short postscript: I shared this story with my middle daughter. She was concerned that I had received a warning and did not pay attention. In my defense I wish to mention that I’m not extremely brave, I don’t depend on my friends in high places to keep me from harm . I try to use common sense to the best of my abilities and am thankful for their assistance when challenges occur.

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TRANSLATION PLEASE

Just because I receive messages doesn’t mean that I understand their meaning. Case in point. Since I don’t have an intuition that speaks to me, I use many different tools to receive messages. One is a card deck titled THE ASCENDED MASTERS. Supposedly, they are all ascended beings of extreme talent that have passed over, that provide guidance to us still below. I’m often told to drink more water, or focus on my strengths. Four days in a row I drew the card that told me to GO NOW. Needless to say, I had no idea where I was supposed to go. No extra hints or messages were coming forth. I have drawn that card before when a trip was planned — either shopping, to the camper, or a trip of longer distance. I had plans to do neither. To say I was confused is an understatement.

This has been an extraordinary week. My youngest daughter’s mother-in-law is in the hospital for a pacemaker. My ex-son-in-law is in rehab for diabetes, tumor issues. My ex daughter-in-laws mother was in the hospital from issues stemming from diabetes. (She passed over on Sunday.) I just received word today that my middle daughter’s husband is in the hospital with chess pains. And my oldest daughter’s spouse is sick again. GO NOW!  Where exactly?

I became so frustrated, I shuffled the cards. I was advised to focus on my strengths. I  have been remiss on exercising.  My challenge is to heal the sore on my left leg, (still a painful issue, one step forward, two steps back,) and lose weight. Because of life, I haven’t been consist with exercise. Even though I eat healthy for the most part, sodium issues keep me honest, the pain adds an extra dimension to my life that I would happily discard.
I digress. The advise to GO NOW, became more understandable when my husband went to the camper without me on Sunday. Issues with Comcast, and an appointment, kept me in town.
While my husband was at the camper, the water heater connection over-heated, and melted. I’m not sure if that turned off the electric to our trailer or my husband’s desire to fix the problem caused the power outage. In either case, yesterday  he was able to connect the refrigerator to power and today, with the help of qualified service personnel the problem has been resolved.

Hopefully our Comcast problem has been fixed. More important, I’m trusting that all three of my son-in-laws, one an ex, will soon be recovered form their health problems. Enough friends in high places!
As for me, I will continue to do the best I can with each day. It might not be the best, but I’m trying!
When I mentioned the past couple of days to my oldest daughter, she advised me to write.  For a change, I listened.

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ROSES

So, how do I begin? Good question, no answer. I know I have written about roses before. I have written about the many times that roses have appeared in my life. I’m remembering  the unexplained rose, not the gift that comes in a bouquet from my husband or the beautiful flowers growing in gardens during the summer. Rather, I’m thinking about the unexplained rose —  the fragrance of a rose garden at Queen of Heaven cemetery in 1991.The scent announced the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The rose that appeared on our mailbox in June the year my father passed. I thought it was a fresh rose, picked from a neighbors bush, — nope — a silk rose. Anonymous gift. Then, the white rose that I received at the Renaissance Faire  from Sir Walter Raleigh the week before my husband’s second cancer surgery.

This year, Mother’s Day week shopping in Dixon, Il., I discovered a beautiful long dress on sale that reminded me of a rose. Even though it was a purchase, I’m counting it among the roses. A) There were no other dresses like it. B) It FIT!

A new rose has just been added to the list. Our grandchildren came from Florida for a visit. Many of our family gathered on a hot Saturday at the Renaissance Faire to celebrate its 25th anniversary.  Rain was predicted, as well as hot temperatures but we only had one day available. Another hot, 95 degree day this summer. The Floridians were used to this heat, in fact, they thought it wasn’t hot at all. We thought they were nuts. But I digress.

Clouds gathered, a short misting decreased the temperature and the sun came out again. Thankfully we didn’t have a STORM which has occurred too often this summer.

I heard music, heralding the procession of the queen and her court. The sound called me.  As I stood there, a gentlemen dressed in all his finery, handed me five pink roses. And was quickly gone.

What a lovely surprise! I was reminded of the pink earrings that fell a couple of weeks ago, pink — the color of love. THANK YOU!

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