My son asked me to take his package to the Post Office. Since it had his passport inside of it, the clerk strongly suggested sending it in a Priority envelope, which required me to copy the address on it. That was fine, except I hadn’t taken in my reading glasses and Brian’s print was a bit small. I asked my grandson to read it for me, but he said he couldn’t read his uncle’s handwriting. 😜 read more →
I went to the grocery store today and an older lady was walking with what may have been her elderly mother who was shuffling along. I scooted in real quick and got a shopping cart for her to lean on. The younger lady asked if that cart wasn’t for me. I assured her it was for HER. I went back to get a cart for myself and three people stopped and told me what a nice thing that was to do. I wanted to say “you could have done the same thing” but I didn’t. I just said that it always reminds me of my mom and I’d have wanted someone to do that for her. read more →
I became very, very sick 12 days after my son was born. I was in ICU for 2 weeks and in high dependency for the next 3. My friend knew how important it was to me that I breastfed him and that he received breastmilk. read more →
It was my first day at the Christian high school that my brother and cousin had attended for a year and I was excited but very, very anxious. All of my public school years had been tolerable but I had never really felt at ease or made close friends. read more →
Thirteen years ago, I was getting ready to celebrate my 21st birthday. I was excited as were my nursing home buddies at the local homes I volunteered at. read more →
Many, many years ago, I had my appendix taken out and recuperated in a mixed public ward in a Melbourne hospital.
One old chap there (well, he was old to me at the time but he was probably only in his 40’s or 50’s) was really down. I asked why and he said his wife was coming to see him. It was a big event, he’d been in hospital for months without visitors because he was from the country. He was down because he thought he looked shabby and wanted to spruce himself up to see his wife. He confided his biggest hate was not having a haircut, so I told him I’d have a go at tidying him up but warned him I wasn’t a hairdresser. read more →
It only took 2 minutes.
Today as I was driving along a main road I saw a broken down 4 wheel drive sitting in the right lane. Everyone just drove around it – annoyed that they were inconvenienced. I pulled my car over onto the median strip and jumped out, just as the guy in the car in front of me jumped out too. It was a car full of flustered P-platers who didn’t know what to do! So between us all, we pushed the car off the road and onto the median strip and safety. read more →
I just wanted to drop you a line about giving for the sake of giving and what a selfish thing it is to do. Selfish you say? How can it be selfish to give for the sake of giving? with no thanks; with no acknowledgement; without anything in return? Let me explain…
A few years ago my friend’s son was deployed to Afghanistan to fight. As a mother of smaller children I could not have even begun to understand what that would have felt like, or how hard it was for her, or for any military family. What an amazing thing it is to live in a safe place because someone watches over me and my family as I sleep. I listened to her turmoil and her worry and I felt helpless. So, I decided to go into stealth mode… read more →
Sister Mrosla first met Mark Eklund in her third-grade classroom at St. Mary’s School in Morris, Minnesota, in 1959, and she encountered him again in 1965 when she served as his junior high math teacher.
In April 1971, Mark was sent to Vietnam and assigned to the 585th Transportation Company in Phu Bai where he worked in a truck parts depot, and he kept in touch with his family and friends (including Sister Mrosla) through letters. In August 1971, as she was returning from a vacation, Sister Mrosla learned of Mark’s death from her parents. (Although he died in Vietnam, Mark Eklund was not killed in combat; he died in his sleep of a pulmonary and cerebral edema.) read more →
Growing up with not much money and three kids, my mom always found a way to make Christmas special. And she always gave to others who had less. It was never talked about she just did it and I watched.
When she died in 2007 my enjoyment of Christmas left with her. I have always continued to give to others and the first year she wasn’t here I decided to take a few dollars and drop them in shopping carts in the toy section during the Christmas season. I now write a little note and put it with the money. Sometimes I leave them on shelves for children to find or just drop in a cart when people aren’t watching. read more →
Have you ever had a discussion with your children about gift giving? Most children see the act of giving as customary at particular times of the year but do they really understand the reason behind giving a present?
If you haven't talked about the difference between giving for the sake of it and giving with meaning then perhaps it's time to explain the heart factor that should lie behind every gift we give.
Gifts are a way of acknowledging someone and showing our appreciation for the positive attributes that we love about them. It's important for children to understand that a large, more expensive gift doesn't equate to greater appreciation. In fact, parents and grandparents in particular, generally appreciate homemade gifts far more than something bought because they know have been made with love and given from the heart.
When I had young children, the older ladies next door and I swapped help. I would take Teresa grocery shopping and often put her groceries on the porch for her, and at times Helen would come over for 15 minutes so that I could walk up to the corner store without having to snowsuit everybody. We helped each other in other ways sometimes too. read more →
