is supposed to be in the upper 60s! I have so many things I want to say and I am
trying to put my thoughts in some kind of order!
Please pray for the people in Puerto Rico - My heart goes out to all of them. I can't
imagine what they are going through. There have been so many natural disasters in
the last couple of months; the fires in California and the loss of so many lives! The
hurricanes that hit so many states and have affected so many families - people are
living in shelters (hopefully not on the streets) because their homes are gone! The
earthquakes in Mexico and then the senseless, evil acts of a gunman in Las Vegas.
Sometimes I really feel helpless. I may not be able to physically help the people that
have been affected by these tragedies but I can help families and people in my area.
Maybe you feel the same way - I'm going to list some helpful ideas for me and you,
if you are interested and wondering what you can do to reach out to others!
1. The Salvation Army - They are in need of socks, toiletry items, blankets, and
volunteers at their soup kitchen. They also need people to help with toys for the
children at Christmas time.
2. Call your local Child Protective Services Agency and see what they need for
children who have been removed from their homes. I know they need things like
clean children's blankets, stuffed animals, children's pajamas, and tooth brushes
and tooth paste for children who are not able to take anything with them.
3. If you have an elderly neighbor who lives alone - drop by for a visit and ask if
you can pick up something for them when you go to the grocery store. If they
get the newspaper and it is out by the street - run it up to the front porch for them
(especially on cold or wet mornings)!
4. Contact the Family Shelter in your area and ask if they are in need of anything
special. Maybe you have some nice clothes you don't wear anymore and they
can use them. They might need toiletries and things for the children; coloring
books, colors, puzzles, etc.
5. Call a friend who isn't able to drive and see if they need a ride to church or to
the grocery store.
These are just a few ideas of different ways to help others. I may not be able to
help those who live in another state or another city but I can reach out to people
right here in my city and in my neighborhood!
It is going to be a beautiful day and I am so thankful for many, many things!
This past week Jim and I took care of five of our grandchildren while their
mom and dad went away for a couple of days to celebrate their anniversary. Oh
my goodness, we were busy! On Monday afternoon, our daughter came over
with her three girls, (eight grandchildren) and our son-in-law came over when he
got off work. Jim and our oldest grandson (he will be twelve in January) cooked
hamburger patties, sausage links, and weenies out on my huge barbecue pit that
Jim built for me about twenty years ago.
Imagine this: (2) 2 1/2 year old little girls who are right in the big middle of
potty training. (1) 4 year old little girl, (1) 5 year old little girl, and they are the
best of friends! (1) 7 year old little boy who is as sweet as he can be!
(1) 10 year old (still little to me) girl, (2) 11 year olds, one boy and one girl, all
great friends and growing up way too fast for me! We were missing two of our
granddaughters who live out of town but we hope are coming down for
Thanksgiving!
Back to the meal - Some ate hamburgers, others chili dogs, some ate both, and
then we made Smores'! The kids jumped on the trampoline and ran all around
the yard (front and back), my driveway has sidewalk chalk art all up and down
it and we were all worn out (especially me)! Our daughter and her family went
home and Jim and I started getting the little ones ready for their baths. He took
care of turning on the water and getting the towels out for our youngest grandson.
I put the two youngest girls in our bathtub and their older sister brought in all
kinds of little toys for them. By the time I washed their hair and rinsed them
off I was soaked and there was water everywhere! Thank goodness the oldest
ones don't need our help! I brushed the girls hair and tucked them in bed and
it wasn't long before they were asleep. The boys finished watching the Smurfs
movie and they went to their room and turned on the lantern nightlight (battery
operated) I put on their nightstand and they quickly fell asleep. I looked in on
Jim and he was already asleep. I fixed a mug of caffeine free sleepy time tea,
sat down and sipped it as I enjoyed a quiet, peaceful moment. I checked on the
kids and went to bed. Our son and daughter-in-law arrived home Tuesday
afternoon and we heard all about their trip and then they all headed home. Jim
and I stood in the driveway and waved goodbye - I was blowing kisses to them
and the windows rolled down and we heard the kids hollering goodbye and that
they loved us. Yes, I am thankful and feel very blessed!
I have to share one more thing that happened this week. Last week, my daughter
told me that she and her oldest daughter (11) were going to go through a
Halloween Corn Maze out in the country this weekend. She asked if I wanted to
go and I said, "sure" it sounds like fun. Now, I either missed this part, or just
didn't understand. I was thinking that we were going to go during the day and
that it was just a maze you tried to find your way out of. My daughter called
yesterday and told me that they were going to go last night. I asked what time
and she told me that it is open from 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. They would
probably get there about 9:00 p.m. (It is a haunted corn maze and scary things
will jump out at you). I told her that I was just too tired and she said that she
understood. Jim had been called out on a job right as we were leaving the noon
Mass yesterday. We hurried home so that he could get ready to go. I told him
about the Haunted Corn Maze and he said that I should go. He said something
like, "You should go with the girls, you will have fun. They want you to go with
them." I thought about it and decided he was right. I called our daughter and told
her to call me when they were on their way. She was happy that I was going with
them. I did take a little nap and then I fed the animals because Jim wasn't home
yet. He got home about 7:30 p.m. He said, "It's pretty cold outside, maybe you
shouldn't go." I told him that I had already said "yes" and that the girls would pick
me up about 8:45 p.m. He and I sat in the kitchen and talked until the girls arrived.
It was cold outside and there was a long line but we were excited. Let me just go
ahead and be honest. I am a big chicken. I don't like scary movies and I don't like
to be scared but there I was, standing in line to go through a haunted corn maze.
It was finally our turn and they sent us in with a couple, the man went first.
We had read the rules as we stood in line. One of the rules was, "No running."
We were slowly creeping through this maze of really tall corn stalks and it was
dark. All of a sudden these people dressed up like zombies and
other nightmare creatures start coming at us and we all screamed but I was the
loudest. All through the maze you never knew when someone was going to come
up behind you or jump out in front of you and that rule, "No running" no longer
applied! This creepy clown guy was the scariest! I am so glad we were with that
couple because I don't know if we would have ever found our way out of there!
We finally made it out and then we laughed and talked about how fun it was as we
hurried to the truck. It really was fun and it really was scary! I am thankful that
my girls still want me to do things with them but I really might stay home next
year! I told Jim all about it and that he would have loved it - he is not a chicken!
He did say that he might have made his own path trying to get out of there if he
had gone with us!
Oh! I did share a story with the girls on the way home -
I looked in the backseat at my granddaughter and told her that when I was
7 months pregnant with her uncle that Pa and I went with his brother and his wife
to a haunted house in an old building downtown. I told them that the people taking
the tickets weren't sure if they should let me go through! They looked at me and
said something like, "You won't go into labor will you?!" They let us in, we went
through, I screamed my head off, and probably said that I would not ever do
that again! I also told her that when I was pregnant with her mom we went to see
Ghostbusters at the movies. My granddaughter asked if it was the first one and
said that yes, it was. They both liked those stories. Someday my granddaughter
will share the memory of going through a haunted corn maze with her "Scaredy
Cat Nana"!
Jim had another job to go to this morning. That's how it is when you are self-
employed! There were a couple of really slow weeks and the last two weeks have
been really busy! I am going to make a Mexican Cornbread Casserole today.
I haven't made that in awhile and it is one of Jim's favorite meals.
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I'm going to think about some of the
ideas I listed and try to do at least one thing each week to help others. If you are
in one of the areas that have been affected by some of the disasters I've listed or
some other tragedy - I pray that God will protect you and your loved ones. I pray
that God will bless you with people who can and will help and I pray that you will
be given everything you need. Blessings and peace to all of you near and far!
I am going to close with a quote from St. Francis of Assisi -
My Good Shepherd, who have shown your
very gentle mercy to us...give grace
and strength to me, your little lamb,
that in no tribulation or anguish or pain
may I turn away from you.
St. Francis of Assisi
Bye for now, Sharla
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