Jo’s Valentine Day is almost over.
I hope all the ladies get a valentine. I don’t know If I ever have. I used to give Elvera one every time.\
My dad always gave mother a box of chocolates.
I was having a dream. NancyS, a woman I worked with. Much younger than I. (She would be in mid-late 70’s now). was in it. NancyS was going to say something to me. At that time, I immediately woke up. I’ll never know what NancyS was going to say.
Maybe just as well. Still curious.
Funny thing about Liberals: they seem never to think through their policies to the logical conclusion. Force auto makers to make fuel efficient vehicles, so they cut out the practical midsized pickup trucks like the Dodge Dakota. Then the auto makers end up selling more of the larger trucks. The EPA is satisfied because the average MPG of the fleet is higher (from the smallest car to the biggest pickup), yet people buy more of the big cars and the dealerships are stuck with tiny cars no one wants.
Well, I will be at the dentist later. Just getting a permanent crown, so a ten minute appointment. So thankful that we can get our teeth fixed. I wonder about those who oppose bringing primitive cultures into the modern age? Isn’t loving your neighbors as yourself enough to want them to have such blessings of modern culture as you have?
Seeing those cards is almost enough to make me want to join the card making hobby. I did make a few Christmas cards for a Sunday school class many years before anyone was into that. My husband helped me and enjoyed it. The students seemed to love them.
I also made scrapbooks for all my children long before it was all the rage. I have no desire to do either thing now. I have either been way behind the times or ahead (apparently). Not sure what that says about me.
That will wake you up. The color on opening this thread.
Did I mention that twenty year old slid his fancy pickup (not the one he gave to the ex con who is a con again) into a guardrail? He was only going about twenty, of course. And if you believe that…. Anyway, sounds like he totaled it and still owes eleven thousand on it. And yet the little Ford Ranger just keeps chugging along, even though he totaled that a couple of years ago while reading a text from his sister. Do they ever learn???
Mumsee: No they never learn.
I have noticed that over the years.
It’s always someone else’s fault, or bad luck.
Whatever: it is nothing they can do about it.
That type can get into high positions, though..
My lovely Nightingale is making this a special day, since she is not working today. I think I’ve already mentioned that, using molds she has, she is making heart-shaped mini-meatloaves for dinner, and heart-shaped mini-cheesecakes with Red Velvet Cake “crust” for dessert. She has set the table with a neutral-color tablecloth, fancy vintage plates that probably came from my grandmother (although she inherited them from her grandmother), and some lovely crystal wine glasses she recently bought. The navy blue napkins are folded to look like roses. Lovely!
Nightingale also bought each one of us a card and a box of chocolates.
But that’s not all!
Since Chickadee was going to be coming over for dinner anyway, Nightingale will pick her up around 11:30, and the three of us will spend some time together and watch a movie, before The Boy gets home from school. She said it will be our “Galentine’s Day”. 🙂
Oh, she also bought me a bouquet of lovely flowers. I don’t deserve her. God bless and save her.
Re: Michelle’s “How did you meet?”
I’m certain that I told you this before.
But here goes again.
First, you have to remember that I was a college student in 1955. There was a crew of us who ran around together. e.e. I never went to Church alone. I went with Al, Margaret, Slim, Vernon, and Leroy. . Not all at the same time, but that was the crew.
We always sat at the front.
One Sunday night in February 1955 this young woman joined our church. There was nothing special about her. She was bundled up, So nothing special.
But when Dr. Ellis introduced her, I wrote her name in my Bible. I had never heard the name Elvera, so I wrote “DeVille” Like the Cadillac.
I tried to connect with her several times (too long, I won’t go into that) but was not successful
But one October (I think Oct. 13. I could look it up, but wont.) All my friends were gone.
I attended church alone. I had never done that before. Being alone, I did something I also never did before, and never did again.
I sat in the balcony.
After the service, I as descending the stairs and found myself alongside Elvera Collins.
I invited her to lunch.
We had $.98 steaks at Walgreen.
During lunch, I invited her to attend a meeting at the church where Margaret and Al were.
She went with me.
I then invited her to a football game next Saturday.
She attended the only football game she has seen.
There’s lots more.
But you understand now how I call it “An arranged wedding”.
The story takes several pages in the “memories” book I keep.
Happy valentine’s day, Chas. I’m concerned about you having to spend all day listening to television. May I suggest the Eric Metaxas show? https://www.metaxastalk.com/
It’s two hours a day and he has all sorts of people to interview. I listen to the podcasts while I’m cooking dinner or driving around town or even digging in the yard during better weather.
You’ll agree theologically with some and maybe not even with him, but he’s got such interesting guests talking about all sorts of subjects, I think you mind find his show more intellectually stimulating than what television offers.
Certainly, the program comes from a Christian worldview–but Metaxas explores all sorts of Christian avenues from the wonderful faith-healing stories of Ken Fish (enthralling and so faith-affirming) to discussions of the land in Israel and it now represents Ezekiel’s description (Doug Hershey–I bought his book of photos).
He also explores politics from a Christian perspective, whether you agree with his guests or not.
I’ve learned a lot from the shows.
He’s on the computer–they now film interviews–or podcasts–which go directly to my Iphone and I listened to them there. Here are videos: https://www.metaxastalk.com/videos/
I’m going through the rain today to a writer’s conference. The weather is poor for California, but I’m looking forward to spending time with many Christian writer friends.
Oops! I’m in moderation because of a lengthy message here for Chas that has too many links. Here it goes, broken up:
Happy valentine’s day, Chas. I’m concerned about you having to spend all day listening to television. May I suggest the Eric Metaxas show? https://www.metaxastalk.com/
It’s two hours a day and he has all sorts of people to interview. I listen to the podcasts while I’m cooking dinner or driving around town or even digging in the yard during better weather.
You’ll agree theologically with some and maybe not even with him, but he’s got such interesting guests talking about all sorts of subjects, I think you mind find his show more intellectually stimulating than what television offers.
Certainly, the program comes from a Christian worldview–but Metaxas explores all sorts of Christian avenues from the wonderful faith-healing stories of Ken Fish (enthralling and so faith-affirming) to discussions of the land in Israel and it now represents Ezekiel’s description (Doug Hershey–I bought his book of photos).
He also explores politics from a Christian perspective, whether you agree with his guests or not.
I’ve learned a lot from the shows.
He’s on the computer–they now film interviews–or podcasts–which go directly to my Iphone and I listened to them there. Here are videos: https://www.metaxastalk.com/videos/
I’m going through the rain today to a writer’s conference. The weather is poor for California, but I’m looking forward to spending time with many Christian writer friends.
We were deluged last night with rain, I heard it a couple times as I turned over. It’s stopped briefly now but today is supposed to bring 2-3 inches (counting last night already). It’s a boot day for sure.
Love the cards! what a pretty banner photo for today.
Kizzie, enjoy your Galentine’s Day 🙂
I was surprised that the grocery store last night was as crowded as it was when I stopped there on the way home from work, considering the rain. Then I noticed several men walking out with flowers which were being sold there. Must have been a mini-Valentine’s rush 🙂
Another day, another story to write. At least Friday is finally just around the corner, this has felt like the longest week to me. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
Usually I make a template and follow it for all the cards, with papers and other elements varying a bit, but a basic pattern. This year I was trying to do something with doilies and windows (a circle or heart on the front of the card that allows you to peek at something inside). If you count the little punches that have something inside as windows, most of those cards do have windows. But I ended up using doilies on only a few cards, and never did get a template going. So I made more than 30 cards (twice as many as in this photo), and every one was different.
The card at the upper right is the one my husband will get. (I saved two of the other cards in the top row to give him another time.) His card has a row of little hearts punched along the right edge, and inside the card (showing through those hearts) I glued a red velvet ribbon. Also, the front of the card has a heart punched in the middle–but you don’t see the heart until you open the card, because in that case I put the piece “to show through” on the front of the card, for a surprise heart when the card is opened.
I set aside the first card in the second row, keeping it, as a possible template for next year, though. Inside the card (on the right side panel) is a circle with a heart punched out of it. On the front I punched a circle window and attached two hearts (same punch as the inside heart, but two different colors) to the back of the opening; the full hearts can be seen on the left when you open the card. And the heart that got punched out from the circle inside, I glued to the front of the card. I also punched the top front of the card with a punch that is supposed to be for ribbon (it is used for ribbon on the card at bottom left), but on this card it was just a nice geometrical touch along with the circles and hearts, so I left it as is. On the finished card (one final touch not shown here), I put a “Happy Valentine’s Day” greeting on pink paper inside, on the right side above the circle with the heart, with the pink of the paper showing through those rectangles. It was easier to make than most of the other cards, but ended up being one of my favorites. And next year when I add the girls in my church that I didn’t make cards for this year (I decided not to make cards for girls in families I don’t know), I’ll be up to more than 40 cards–so making something that I can make “in bulk” fairly quickly would be good! I have another style in mind, too, using mini envelopes, but I have to have more than one style (or at least some strong variations on the style) since some families have up to four girls who receive them, and I won’t send exactly the same card to two girls in the same family!
The second card in the second row was supposed to be my template for a card three or four years ago, but I ended up finding the heart on the left too difficult to make for me to make dozens of them. I just made two or three of them and then gave up, so I had a few of them in my “card pieces” box to use at some point.
Anyway, I couldn’t make valentines for all of you guys, but I thought I could share the ones I did make with you!
Hey, I’m a winner. I found a bag of candy hearts before I returned. I brought them back and shared them with my class and the staff. It was funny to see how what was on them has changed. Chas, they had cu later. Also text me and some others, funny.
The Valentine’s Day cards are so clever. They remind me of the neat cards that the 4th-6th grade Sunday school class made to send to shut-ins. It was fun to do. Later we did that in the WMU women’s group, too.
I did not get a Valentine’s Day card from my dogs. Or cats. Or horses. Or sheep, Or goats, Or turkeys. Or chickens. Or rabbits. Or from any human beings. I am fine with that.
In an effort to help seventeen year old daughter prepare in case she ever decides to try living alone, she buys and prepares her own food. Today, I told her to list the items she had for breakfast and then write down some food facts. Especially, the number of calories, grams of sugar, grams of protein, grams of fat. She was working diligently and suddenly looked up in amazement. “Mom? Did you know brown sugar has sugar in it?” Um, yes.
No Valentines for me today. I spent most of today in class, giving the second of two group presentations we had to do for class. Then I went and practiced the organ in the city church. That class was the last one. I just have to write a term paper within the next two weeks for the class, and finish up my clinical hours and assignments by April.
I get Eric Metaxas’ FB feed as I initially appreciated his input, but now I have grave concerns. He is very credulous, and shares Christian conspiracy theory type stuff, which demonstrates to me that he in unstable, driven with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). He lacks wisdom (James 1:5-6). He is no longer winsome, but rather rails against unbelievers, which we are told not to do (I Peter 3:9). That change is deliberate on his part, as one of the posts he shared was about how being winsome no longer works. When so much was made about Metaxas after his Prayer Breakfast speech and he was appointed successor to Chuck Colson at Breakpoint, I commented then that it was too early to give Metaxas such prominence and that he needed to be given time to grow in maturity before being thrust into the public eye. “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil” Paul warned in I Timothy 3. Metaxas now seems to have lost his way and acts very immature spiritually, using the kind of religious bludgeoning techniques I am accustomed to see coming from the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist movement. He does not respond well to concerned critics either. It is ugly to see, and I only keep the feed to be aware of trends in popular Christian circles.
Cheryl, yes, that was the last class of the program. Lord willing, I will be completely finished all the program requirements by April. The graduation ceremony will be in June, I believe (they haven’t sent out details yet); but hopefully by then I will have written the provincial registration exam – that depends on how quickly the university gets my academic information to the nursing regulating college.
My husband has been sick most of the time we have lived here–not necessarily actively sick, but sick or getting over something (which is a slow process for him), and so we have had little chance actually to enjoy our new area together. (Thus my exploring the pond and trails and such on my own.)
Well, today was a lovely day. Last week we talked about going for lunch to an area we used to have to travel to visit, but which now is a short drive away–but the weather wasn’t going to be that great, so I suggested we wait and go today. (Make it a Valentine’s Day lunch.) And my husband usually uploads a photo to CVS or Walgreen’s and prints me out a card that way, which is nice . . . but this year he decided I was making a card for him by hand, and he’d make me one by hand too. (I haven’t seen it yet.) So we went for lunch, and I bought some fudge and he bought some tootsie roll pops. This evening he wanted to get something from the drugstore and decided we could walk to it (one of the blessings of living here is having places “walkable” . . . only he has rarely taken advantage of that). We walked to the drugstore, then to a fresh-food market (looking to get something for supper so I wouldn’t have to cook), and then to a sandwich shop, and then home. So in a little more than an hour we walked to and through three places of business and back home. Now he’s ready for supper, so I’d better go eat!
I waited more than 40 years ever to have a Valentine’s Day, so I don’t mean at all to “rub it in” to those who don’t have a beloved. But it is a blessing at this season of my life, and one I don’t want to take for granted. (Singleness had different blessings.) And after waiting a year for my husband to be well enough to do stuff together, yeah, it’s a blessing today to be able to hang out.
I was writing a long comment and it disappeared. I am too tired to repeat it.
No Valentine’s Day cards for me. I liked it so much at school when we made shoebox collections from classmates. I think I have always thought of it more as a child’s day to celebrate love rather than as a romantic deal. Thst’s probably because my parents did not do anything together for it so I never built up expectations. I think it is fine for those who do want to do something romantic and I hope they all have a blissful time. I do enjoy wearing the colors of the day which I got use to doing as a preschool teacher. One year I did make heart sugar cookies with red sprinkle sugar on them. Wesley was young and we shared them with a tax client who was here with us. They were so good. That is all I remember doing on the home front for Valentine’s Day.
Janice, my parents didn’t do anything for Valentine’s Day either, so I thought of it as a child’s holiday. And then when I was 13 or 14, my oldest brother bought something for his new wife for Valentine’s Day and it made me feel like snickering. To me it is more a “light” holiday (like Halloween or Mother’s Day) than anything important.
More than one of the nurses with whom I work with is divorced, and for reasons that would be considered biblical although they are not believers, their husbands having left them for other women. I have caught a glimpse of their bitter sense of loss and betrayal. From their conversation the other day, Valentine’s Day is galling to them. One observed to me that suicide rates are higher on Valentine’s Day, saying it is partly due to marketing, which portrays the romantic ideal as being the pinnacle of happiness and thus insinuating to those who have no romantic partner or who have lost their romantic partner that their lives are not ideal. There are many hurting people out there in need of care and not all of it is physical hurt.
This afternoon I found out that an acquaintance from college (almost a friend, but she was very shy and we only overlapped a couple of years), from my floor of my dorm, died of cancer. She was the first person I ever heard of to marry someone she met online. She had three children. She would have been married more than a quarter century, so it’s likely all the children are grown (I’ve heard about her here and there through the years, but had no direct contact), but sje’s probably a couple of years younger than I am (she’d probably be pushing 50 but maybe not yet there).
The thought of marrying someone met online was shocking to me when I heard of her marriage, and I had no idea I’d someday do the same myself. She had a couple of sisters who were also students, and she played in the band (tuba I think). The last 12 months have been really big ones for losing people I knew in my Chicago days (we’re up to five, I think). She and her husband were missionaries, I think, or at least they lived overseas and a classmate who definitely is a missionary is the one who has kept in touch with her . . .
Janice, I’m not sure if anyone will attend my graduation ceremony. I think I will try to make it, simply because I will be the first person in my immediate family to ever earn a university degree (my mother was a school teacher before a university degree was required to teach public school), but I don’t know if any of my family will be able to come. My parents live three hours drive away and in order to get to where I am, they have to drive through Toronto, which is notorious for its traffic gridlock. My mother finds it hard just driving to church, so she would find it very difficult to come down here. I have a small awards ceremony next month to attend for an award I was granted for my work last academic year, and none of my family will be there then. I am only going to the awards ceremony because I was nominated for the award (it isn’t a monetary award) by a teacher who was of great help in me going to Nunavut.
Roscuro, in college I really hated Valentine’s Day. The message boards were jammed full of red and pink, the desk was full of vases of flowers, and in the evening the women’s dorm was giddily full of women excited about going out on their dates and fluttering around showing off their dresses. By late evening each floor had women returning with brand-new diamond rings. It was very hard to be dateless year after year. It wasn’t that I coveted those women’s lives (and in fact many of them were in horrible relationships one couldn’t possibly envy), but it was hard to feel like with all that romance I must be the only one on campus without a date. (I got through four years in that environment with just one date–I don’t mean a Valentine’s Day date, because it wasn’t–and that man very clearly spelled out we were going “just as friends” and I think I was literally the only woman in the place, a junior/senior banquet, without a corsage.)
That’s actually part of the reason I chose, in Nashville (when I was still single with no prospects) to “redeem” Valentine’s Day by making it fun for little girls of my acquaintance by sending cards. In my opinion, it is more of a “girly” holiday than a romantic couples one . . . men participate because women like it, not because men do.
Mother’s Day likewise (and probably “more so”) probably brings far, far more pain than joy (children without mothers or with unloving mothers, women without children, and mothers of forgetful children), but it isn’t going anywhere. So we value the place God has put us, and try to be compassionate to those in a different place–but in a fallen world, it will all be imperfect and parts of it will bring pain. I served in the nursery for Mother’s and Father’s Day for several years to avoid being in the service on those days, but I know women who don’t even go to church at all on those days . . . but then, I also know people who think it is all but immoral that Presbyterians don’t tend to “celebrate” Mother’s Day in the worship service. Suicides go way up at Christmas too–it’s a hard holiday for many. So I guess there is no one answer that will please everyone.
Cheryl, notice that the criticism of the woman with whom I spoke was directed not towards other individuals who celebrate their own happiness, but toward the commercialization of the day and the unintended consequences of that commercialization (no marketer is actually trying to create the subtext that if you don’t have a romantic partner you are inferior, since the only subtext they are aiming for is buy our product and you will be happy). As a single, childless woman, it would selfish and self absorbed of me to envy those who have Valentine’s Day celebrations with their significant other or get handmade cards from their children on Mother’s Day, but I also recognize the relentless marketing of those days by commercial entities can get under one’s skin and exacerbate one’s sense of isolation. As for Christmas, although I enjoy the family visits during the holidays, to me, family is not the primary reason for the celebration of the Incarnation, and thus, as I did in West Africa, I can observe the celebration without my family.
Hey, we can organize a flash mob for the graduation. I’ll bring the dogs. She’ll be mortified.
Well, it sounds like 500 homes in my neighborhood are without power and it won’t be restored until 11:30 tonight. I’m at work, but now I’m dreading a dark, cold night after I get home. Maybe they’ll get it restored sooner …
Flash mob! We have some musicians and singers. Miss Bosley and all our other cats could do some yowling cat calls while the dogs do a Doo-Wop song, Mumsee could bring her animals for a true variety show. I am being silly, but seriously, it would be great to go to the graduation. That is a big deal!
My dad died a couple of weeks before Father’s Day (and three weeks before my 17th birthday); my sister’s kids likewise lost their own father the same month as Father’s Day. I cannot imagine that the pain of losing one’s father to death just before Father’s Day is anything even approaching the pain of having one’s husband (or wife) walk out on the family, but the Father’s Day displays in stores that year were quite difficult to see. And as a family we hadn’t even celebrated Father’s Day! They just were a stark reminder of what we no longer had. I hadn’t really even noticed the displays before. Mom’s birthday was May 1, and she told us to do something for her birthday and not Mother’s Day, and we likewise didn’t do anything for Dad (may have made him a card a time or two, I don’t really remember) . . . but that year the Father’s Day displays seemed vulgar and mean. Like rubbing it in that there was no father in our home.
I have sometimes imagined meeting you all at a big life event (a wedding, for instance). I don’t know if there are restrictions on how many guests one can have at a graduation (there are restrictions for awards ceremonies, I know, but I don’t remember any guest restrictions at the actual graduation ceremony when I graduated from college), but I certainly would love to see you all in person at any convenient time you could come 🙂
The power outage missed our block, apparently. So I have lights, a working microwave and a refrigerator I can get into. All the modern conveniences we really do take for granted.
Ran into a source at the market on the way home, leading to about a 20-minute conversation over an issue that came up at the community meeting the other night, so that delayed my homecoming, but it happens when you live in the same community you cover.
Another woman in front of me — and the check stand clerk, also female — were chatting away at how happy they were not to have to go out for Valentine’s, it’s so crowded, and expensive, you know. I think it made us all feel better to be checking out with dinners for one. 🙂
One suggestion, if we ever attend a fancy affair to meet roscuro, we should probably at least politely dis-invite mumsee’s goats.
Wandering Views 
Good morning, afternoon, evening, night, to all my friends. May the love of the Lord Jesus shine in your hearts today.
LikeLiked by 6 people
Jo’s Valentine Day is almost over.
I hope all the ladies get a valentine. I don’t know If I ever have. I used to give Elvera one every time.\
My dad always gave mother a box of chocolates.
I was having a dream. NancyS, a woman I worked with. Much younger than I. (She would be in mid-late 70’s now). was in it. NancyS was going to say something to me. At that time, I immediately woke up. I’ll never know what NancyS was going to say.
Maybe just as well. Still curious.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Just catching up on yesterday’s thread.
Funny thing about Liberals: they seem never to think through their policies to the logical conclusion. Force auto makers to make fuel efficient vehicles, so they cut out the practical midsized pickup trucks like the Dodge Dakota. Then the auto makers end up selling more of the larger trucks. The EPA is satisfied because the average MPG of the fleet is higher (from the smallest car to the biggest pickup), yet people buy more of the big cars and the dealerships are stuck with tiny cars no one wants.
LikeLiked by 3 people
QoD
Where is everyone?
LikeLike
Well, I will be at the dentist later. Just getting a permanent crown, so a ten minute appointment. So thankful that we can get our teeth fixed. I wonder about those who oppose bringing primitive cultures into the modern age? Isn’t loving your neighbors as yourself enough to want them to have such blessings of modern culture as you have?
Seeing those cards is almost enough to make me want to join the card making hobby. I did make a few Christmas cards for a Sunday school class many years before anyone was into that. My husband helped me and enjoyed it. The students seemed to love them.
I also made scrapbooks for all my children long before it was all the rage. I have no desire to do either thing now. I have either been way behind the times or ahead (apparently). Not sure what that says about me.
The cards are very pretty.
LikeLiked by 3 people
That will wake you up. The color on opening this thread.
Did I mention that twenty year old slid his fancy pickup (not the one he gave to the ex con who is a con again) into a guardrail? He was only going about twenty, of course. And if you believe that…. Anyway, sounds like he totaled it and still owes eleven thousand on it. And yet the little Ford Ranger just keeps chugging along, even though he totaled that a couple of years ago while reading a text from his sister. Do they ever learn???
LikeLiked by 3 people
Mumsee: No they never learn.
I have noticed that over the years.
It’s always someone else’s fault, or bad luck.
Whatever: it is nothing they can do about it.
That type can get into high positions, though..
LikeLiked by 2 people
Happy Valentine’s Day, Fellow Wanderers!
My lovely Nightingale is making this a special day, since she is not working today. I think I’ve already mentioned that, using molds she has, she is making heart-shaped mini-meatloaves for dinner, and heart-shaped mini-cheesecakes with Red Velvet Cake “crust” for dessert. She has set the table with a neutral-color tablecloth, fancy vintage plates that probably came from my grandmother (although she inherited them from her grandmother), and some lovely crystal wine glasses she recently bought. The navy blue napkins are folded to look like roses. Lovely!
Nightingale also bought each one of us a card and a box of chocolates.
But that’s not all!
Since Chickadee was going to be coming over for dinner anyway, Nightingale will pick her up around 11:30, and the three of us will spend some time together and watch a movie, before The Boy gets home from school. She said it will be our “Galentine’s Day”. 🙂
Oh, she also bought me a bouquet of lovely flowers. I don’t deserve her. God bless and save her.
LikeLiked by 8 people
Cheryl – Your cards are lovely! Nice job!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Of course, I’ve written blog posts about Valentine’s Day. Let’s share some fun stories like these:
https://www.michelleule.com/2013/02/12/valentines-day-and-unusual-meetings/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Re: Michelle’s “How did you meet?”
I’m certain that I told you this before.
But here goes again.
First, you have to remember that I was a college student in 1955. There was a crew of us who ran around together. e.e. I never went to Church alone. I went with Al, Margaret, Slim, Vernon, and Leroy. . Not all at the same time, but that was the crew.
We always sat at the front.
One Sunday night in February 1955 this young woman joined our church. There was nothing special about her. She was bundled up, So nothing special.
But when Dr. Ellis introduced her, I wrote her name in my Bible. I had never heard the name Elvera, so I wrote “DeVille” Like the Cadillac.
I tried to connect with her several times (too long, I won’t go into that) but was not successful
But one October (I think Oct. 13. I could look it up, but wont.) All my friends were gone.
I attended church alone. I had never done that before. Being alone, I did something I also never did before, and never did again.
I sat in the balcony.
After the service, I as descending the stairs and found myself alongside Elvera Collins.
I invited her to lunch.
We had $.98 steaks at Walgreen.
During lunch, I invited her to attend a meeting at the church where Margaret and Al were.
She went with me.
I then invited her to a football game next Saturday.
She attended the only football game she has seen.
There’s lots more.
But you understand now how I call it “An arranged wedding”.
The story takes several pages in the “memories” book I keep.
LikeLiked by 5 people
I like your story, Chas.
LikeLike
It developed slowly. That was in October, Our first kiss was under the mistletoe. I don’t remember what day. But obviously late in December.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy valentine’s day, Chas. I’m concerned about you having to spend all day listening to television. May I suggest the Eric Metaxas show? https://www.metaxastalk.com/
It’s two hours a day and he has all sorts of people to interview. I listen to the podcasts while I’m cooking dinner or driving around town or even digging in the yard during better weather.
You’ll agree theologically with some and maybe not even with him, but he’s got such interesting guests talking about all sorts of subjects, I think you mind find his show more intellectually stimulating than what television offers.
Certainly, the program comes from a Christian worldview–but Metaxas explores all sorts of Christian avenues from the wonderful faith-healing stories of Ken Fish (enthralling and so faith-affirming) to discussions of the land in Israel and it now represents Ezekiel’s description (Doug Hershey–I bought his book of photos).
He also explores politics from a Christian perspective, whether you agree with his guests or not.
I’ve learned a lot from the shows.
He’s on the computer–they now film interviews–or podcasts–which go directly to my Iphone and I listened to them there. Here are videos: https://www.metaxastalk.com/videos/
He’s talking to Gary Sinise today; often they post they videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgkKp5zkTgzJpuEeMaTemjg
You’d like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mwjm9AXCWc
Anyway, a suggestion.
I’m going through the rain today to a writer’s conference. The weather is poor for California, but I’m looking forward to spending time with many Christian writer friends.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops! I’m in moderation because of a lengthy message here for Chas that has too many links. Here it goes, broken up:
Happy valentine’s day, Chas. I’m concerned about you having to spend all day listening to television. May I suggest the Eric Metaxas show? https://www.metaxastalk.com/
It’s two hours a day and he has all sorts of people to interview. I listen to the podcasts while I’m cooking dinner or driving around town or even digging in the yard during better weather.
You’ll agree theologically with some and maybe not even with him, but he’s got such interesting guests talking about all sorts of subjects, I think you mind find his show more intellectually stimulating than what television offers.
Certainly, the program comes from a Christian worldview–but Metaxas explores all sorts of Christian avenues from the wonderful faith-healing stories of Ken Fish (enthralling and so faith-affirming) to discussions of the land in Israel and it now represents Ezekiel’s description (Doug Hershey–I bought his book of photos).
He also explores politics from a Christian perspective, whether you agree with his guests or not.
I’ve learned a lot from the shows.
He’s on the computer–they now film interviews–or podcasts–which go directly to my Iphone and I listened to them there. Here are videos: https://www.metaxastalk.com/videos/
LikeLike
He’s talking to Gary Sinise today on the podcast, for example.
Often they post their videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgkKp5zkTgzJpuEeMaTemjg
You’d like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mwjm9AXCWc
Anyway, a suggestion.
I’m going through the rain today to a writer’s conference. The weather is poor for California, but I’m looking forward to spending time with many Christian writer friends.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We were deluged last night with rain, I heard it a couple times as I turned over. It’s stopped briefly now but today is supposed to bring 2-3 inches (counting last night already). It’s a boot day for sure.
Love the cards! what a pretty banner photo for today.
Kizzie, enjoy your Galentine’s Day 🙂
I was surprised that the grocery store last night was as crowded as it was when I stopped there on the way home from work, considering the rain. Then I noticed several men walking out with flowers which were being sold there. Must have been a mini-Valentine’s rush 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another day, another story to write. At least Friday is finally just around the corner, this has felt like the longest week to me. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Usually I make a template and follow it for all the cards, with papers and other elements varying a bit, but a basic pattern. This year I was trying to do something with doilies and windows (a circle or heart on the front of the card that allows you to peek at something inside). If you count the little punches that have something inside as windows, most of those cards do have windows. But I ended up using doilies on only a few cards, and never did get a template going. So I made more than 30 cards (twice as many as in this photo), and every one was different.
The card at the upper right is the one my husband will get. (I saved two of the other cards in the top row to give him another time.) His card has a row of little hearts punched along the right edge, and inside the card (showing through those hearts) I glued a red velvet ribbon. Also, the front of the card has a heart punched in the middle–but you don’t see the heart until you open the card, because in that case I put the piece “to show through” on the front of the card, for a surprise heart when the card is opened.
I set aside the first card in the second row, keeping it, as a possible template for next year, though. Inside the card (on the right side panel) is a circle with a heart punched out of it. On the front I punched a circle window and attached two hearts (same punch as the inside heart, but two different colors) to the back of the opening; the full hearts can be seen on the left when you open the card. And the heart that got punched out from the circle inside, I glued to the front of the card. I also punched the top front of the card with a punch that is supposed to be for ribbon (it is used for ribbon on the card at bottom left), but on this card it was just a nice geometrical touch along with the circles and hearts, so I left it as is. On the finished card (one final touch not shown here), I put a “Happy Valentine’s Day” greeting on pink paper inside, on the right side above the circle with the heart, with the pink of the paper showing through those rectangles. It was easier to make than most of the other cards, but ended up being one of my favorites. And next year when I add the girls in my church that I didn’t make cards for this year (I decided not to make cards for girls in families I don’t know), I’ll be up to more than 40 cards–so making something that I can make “in bulk” fairly quickly would be good! I have another style in mind, too, using mini envelopes, but I have to have more than one style (or at least some strong variations on the style) since some families have up to four girls who receive them, and I won’t send exactly the same card to two girls in the same family!
The second card in the second row was supposed to be my template for a card three or four years ago, but I ended up finding the heart on the left too difficult to make for me to make dozens of them. I just made two or three of them and then gave up, so I had a few of them in my “card pieces” box to use at some point.
Anyway, I couldn’t make valentines for all of you guys, but I thought I could share the ones I did make with you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLike
I didn’t have any, but I remember them.
It really isn’t Valentine Day without candy hearts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, I’m a winner. I found a bag of candy hearts before I returned. I brought them back and shared them with my class and the staff. It was funny to see how what was on them has changed. Chas, they had cu later. Also text me and some others, funny.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Good afternoon. I had an e-mail from Ligonier with their podcast of open book. It is a series of interviews with pastors and theologians who discuss books that have shaped their ministry. This one today was quite interesting from Dr John MacArthur. Here is the link:
https://openbookpodcast.com/john-macarthur-and-hays-the-new-testament-order-for-church-and-missionary/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWVRRNU5XWmpPR0ZoTmpZeiIsInQiOiI5RkxVQVlzV0RiOVZnTjJJSEJBXC84Z1cxQVwvRFFxR3pCSDA1RjQzMVRmSDZsaDZqTTZMUHZFS1d5WUpSaUtZQkNCNUUrdTdHNnluNXh6NUR2WGdianhTRmNcL1FBamFZTDgxZXc5ZjhIck1zU2QyK1JsaXNhM3JQaDF4U0p5c3gzUiJ9
LikeLike
The Valentine’s Day cards are so clever. They remind me of the neat cards that the 4th-6th grade Sunday school class made to send to shut-ins. It was fun to do. Later we did that in the WMU women’s group, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bet I’m the only one here who got a Valentine’s card from my dogs. 🙂
Yeah, I know, you’re all jealous.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I did not get a Valentine’s Day card from my dogs. Or cats. Or horses. Or sheep, Or goats, Or turkeys. Or chickens. Or rabbits. Or from any human beings. I am fine with that.
LikeLiked by 2 people
um, mumsee
LikeLike
Anonymous, the border collie should have run in circles and organized a group card.
LikeLiked by 2 people
In an effort to help seventeen year old daughter prepare in case she ever decides to try living alone, she buys and prepares her own food. Today, I told her to list the items she had for breakfast and then write down some food facts. Especially, the number of calories, grams of sugar, grams of protein, grams of fat. She was working diligently and suddenly looked up in amazement. “Mom? Did you know brown sugar has sugar in it?” Um, yes.
LikeLiked by 6 people
No Valentines for me today. I spent most of today in class, giving the second of two group presentations we had to do for class. Then I went and practiced the organ in the city church. That class was the last one. I just have to write a term paper within the next two weeks for the class, and finish up my clinical hours and assignments by April.
LikeLiked by 5 people
I get Eric Metaxas’ FB feed as I initially appreciated his input, but now I have grave concerns. He is very credulous, and shares Christian conspiracy theory type stuff, which demonstrates to me that he in unstable, driven with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14). He lacks wisdom (James 1:5-6). He is no longer winsome, but rather rails against unbelievers, which we are told not to do (I Peter 3:9). That change is deliberate on his part, as one of the posts he shared was about how being winsome no longer works. When so much was made about Metaxas after his Prayer Breakfast speech and he was appointed successor to Chuck Colson at Breakpoint, I commented then that it was too early to give Metaxas such prominence and that he needed to be given time to grow in maturity before being thrust into the public eye. “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil” Paul warned in I Timothy 3. Metaxas now seems to have lost his way and acts very immature spiritually, using the kind of religious bludgeoning techniques I am accustomed to see coming from the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist movement. He does not respond well to concerned critics either. It is ugly to see, and I only keep the feed to be aware of trends in popular Christian circles.
LikeLike
Roscuro, will that be it on classes for a while? (In other words, will you be finished with whatever you needed?)
LikeLike
Cheryl, yes, that was the last class of the program. Lord willing, I will be completely finished all the program requirements by April. The graduation ceremony will be in June, I believe (they haven’t sent out details yet); but hopefully by then I will have written the provincial registration exam – that depends on how quickly the university gets my academic information to the nursing regulating college.
LikeLiked by 2 people
My husband has been sick most of the time we have lived here–not necessarily actively sick, but sick or getting over something (which is a slow process for him), and so we have had little chance actually to enjoy our new area together. (Thus my exploring the pond and trails and such on my own.)
Well, today was a lovely day. Last week we talked about going for lunch to an area we used to have to travel to visit, but which now is a short drive away–but the weather wasn’t going to be that great, so I suggested we wait and go today. (Make it a Valentine’s Day lunch.) And my husband usually uploads a photo to CVS or Walgreen’s and prints me out a card that way, which is nice . . . but this year he decided I was making a card for him by hand, and he’d make me one by hand too. (I haven’t seen it yet.) So we went for lunch, and I bought some fudge and he bought some tootsie roll pops. This evening he wanted to get something from the drugstore and decided we could walk to it (one of the blessings of living here is having places “walkable” . . . only he has rarely taken advantage of that). We walked to the drugstore, then to a fresh-food market (looking to get something for supper so I wouldn’t have to cook), and then to a sandwich shop, and then home. So in a little more than an hour we walked to and through three places of business and back home. Now he’s ready for supper, so I’d better go eat!
I waited more than 40 years ever to have a Valentine’s Day, so I don’t mean at all to “rub it in” to those who don’t have a beloved. But it is a blessing at this season of my life, and one I don’t want to take for granted. (Singleness had different blessings.) And after waiting a year for my husband to be well enough to do stuff together, yeah, it’s a blessing today to be able to hang out.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I was writing a long comment and it disappeared. I am too tired to repeat it.
No Valentine’s Day cards for me. I liked it so much at school when we made shoebox collections from classmates. I think I have always thought of it more as a child’s day to celebrate love rather than as a romantic deal. Thst’s probably because my parents did not do anything together for it so I never built up expectations. I think it is fine for those who do want to do something romantic and I hope they all have a blissful time. I do enjoy wearing the colors of the day which I got use to doing as a preschool teacher. One year I did make heart sugar cookies with red sprinkle sugar on them. Wesley was young and we shared them with a tax client who was here with us. They were so good. That is all I remember doing on the home front for Valentine’s Day.
LikeLike
I think we all need to attend Roscuro’s graduation!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Janice, my parents didn’t do anything for Valentine’s Day either, so I thought of it as a child’s holiday. And then when I was 13 or 14, my oldest brother bought something for his new wife for Valentine’s Day and it made me feel like snickering. To me it is more a “light” holiday (like Halloween or Mother’s Day) than anything important.
LikeLiked by 1 person
More than one of the nurses with whom I work with is divorced, and for reasons that would be considered biblical although they are not believers, their husbands having left them for other women. I have caught a glimpse of their bitter sense of loss and betrayal. From their conversation the other day, Valentine’s Day is galling to them. One observed to me that suicide rates are higher on Valentine’s Day, saying it is partly due to marketing, which portrays the romantic ideal as being the pinnacle of happiness and thus insinuating to those who have no romantic partner or who have lost their romantic partner that their lives are not ideal. There are many hurting people out there in need of care and not all of it is physical hurt.
LikeLiked by 2 people
This afternoon I found out that an acquaintance from college (almost a friend, but she was very shy and we only overlapped a couple of years), from my floor of my dorm, died of cancer. She was the first person I ever heard of to marry someone she met online. She had three children. She would have been married more than a quarter century, so it’s likely all the children are grown (I’ve heard about her here and there through the years, but had no direct contact), but sje’s probably a couple of years younger than I am (she’d probably be pushing 50 but maybe not yet there).
The thought of marrying someone met online was shocking to me when I heard of her marriage, and I had no idea I’d someday do the same myself. She had a couple of sisters who were also students, and she played in the band (tuba I think). The last 12 months have been really big ones for losing people I knew in my Chicago days (we’re up to five, I think). She and her husband were missionaries, I think, or at least they lived overseas and a classmate who definitely is a missionary is the one who has kept in touch with her . . .
LikeLike
Janice, I’m not sure if anyone will attend my graduation ceremony. I think I will try to make it, simply because I will be the first person in my immediate family to ever earn a university degree (my mother was a school teacher before a university degree was required to teach public school), but I don’t know if any of my family will be able to come. My parents live three hours drive away and in order to get to where I am, they have to drive through Toronto, which is notorious for its traffic gridlock. My mother finds it hard just driving to church, so she would find it very difficult to come down here. I have a small awards ceremony next month to attend for an award I was granted for my work last academic year, and none of my family will be there then. I am only going to the awards ceremony because I was nominated for the award (it isn’t a monetary award) by a teacher who was of great help in me going to Nunavut.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Roscuro, in college I really hated Valentine’s Day. The message boards were jammed full of red and pink, the desk was full of vases of flowers, and in the evening the women’s dorm was giddily full of women excited about going out on their dates and fluttering around showing off their dresses. By late evening each floor had women returning with brand-new diamond rings. It was very hard to be dateless year after year. It wasn’t that I coveted those women’s lives (and in fact many of them were in horrible relationships one couldn’t possibly envy), but it was hard to feel like with all that romance I must be the only one on campus without a date. (I got through four years in that environment with just one date–I don’t mean a Valentine’s Day date, because it wasn’t–and that man very clearly spelled out we were going “just as friends” and I think I was literally the only woman in the place, a junior/senior banquet, without a corsage.)
That’s actually part of the reason I chose, in Nashville (when I was still single with no prospects) to “redeem” Valentine’s Day by making it fun for little girls of my acquaintance by sending cards. In my opinion, it is more of a “girly” holiday than a romantic couples one . . . men participate because women like it, not because men do.
Mother’s Day likewise (and probably “more so”) probably brings far, far more pain than joy (children without mothers or with unloving mothers, women without children, and mothers of forgetful children), but it isn’t going anywhere. So we value the place God has put us, and try to be compassionate to those in a different place–but in a fallen world, it will all be imperfect and parts of it will bring pain. I served in the nursery for Mother’s and Father’s Day for several years to avoid being in the service on those days, but I know women who don’t even go to church at all on those days . . . but then, I also know people who think it is all but immoral that Presbyterians don’t tend to “celebrate” Mother’s Day in the worship service. Suicides go way up at Christmas too–it’s a hard holiday for many. So I guess there is no one answer that will please everyone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cheryl, notice that the criticism of the woman with whom I spoke was directed not towards other individuals who celebrate their own happiness, but toward the commercialization of the day and the unintended consequences of that commercialization (no marketer is actually trying to create the subtext that if you don’t have a romantic partner you are inferior, since the only subtext they are aiming for is buy our product and you will be happy). As a single, childless woman, it would selfish and self absorbed of me to envy those who have Valentine’s Day celebrations with their significant other or get handmade cards from their children on Mother’s Day, but I also recognize the relentless marketing of those days by commercial entities can get under one’s skin and exacerbate one’s sense of isolation. As for Christmas, although I enjoy the family visits during the holidays, to me, family is not the primary reason for the celebration of the Incarnation, and thus, as I did in West Africa, I can observe the celebration without my family.
LikeLike
Hey, we can organize a flash mob for the graduation. I’ll bring the dogs. She’ll be mortified.
Well, it sounds like 500 homes in my neighborhood are without power and it won’t be restored until 11:30 tonight. I’m at work, but now I’m dreading a dark, cold night after I get home. Maybe they’ll get it restored sooner …
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know two women who met their spouses on-line.
It has worked out well for them.
In fact, very well for both.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perfect, a cozy, Valentine’s evening spent in candlelight with assorted animals. 🙂 How exciting is my life?
LikeLiked by 3 people
About the time of Phos’ graduation, I will be ready to leave the South for a while.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Flash mob! We have some musicians and singers. Miss Bosley and all our other cats could do some yowling cat calls while the dogs do a Doo-Wop song, Mumsee could bring her animals for a true variety show. I am being silly, but seriously, it would be great to go to the graduation. That is a big deal!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My dad died a couple of weeks before Father’s Day (and three weeks before my 17th birthday); my sister’s kids likewise lost their own father the same month as Father’s Day. I cannot imagine that the pain of losing one’s father to death just before Father’s Day is anything even approaching the pain of having one’s husband (or wife) walk out on the family, but the Father’s Day displays in stores that year were quite difficult to see. And as a family we hadn’t even celebrated Father’s Day! They just were a stark reminder of what we no longer had. I hadn’t really even noticed the displays before. Mom’s birthday was May 1, and she told us to do something for her birthday and not Mother’s Day, and we likewise didn’t do anything for Dad (may have made him a card a time or two, I don’t really remember) . . . but that year the Father’s Day displays seemed vulgar and mean. Like rubbing it in that there was no father in our home.
LikeLike
I have sometimes imagined meeting you all at a big life event (a wedding, for instance). I don’t know if there are restrictions on how many guests one can have at a graduation (there are restrictions for awards ceremonies, I know, but I don’t remember any guest restrictions at the actual graduation ceremony when I graduated from college), but I certainly would love to see you all in person at any convenient time you could come 🙂
LikeLiked by 6 people
The power outage missed our block, apparently. So I have lights, a working microwave and a refrigerator I can get into. All the modern conveniences we really do take for granted.
Ran into a source at the market on the way home, leading to about a 20-minute conversation over an issue that came up at the community meeting the other night, so that delayed my homecoming, but it happens when you live in the same community you cover.
Another woman in front of me — and the check stand clerk, also female — were chatting away at how happy they were not to have to go out for Valentine’s, it’s so crowded, and expensive, you know. I think it made us all feel better to be checking out with dinners for one. 🙂
One suggestion, if we ever attend a fancy affair to meet roscuro, we should probably at least politely dis-invite mumsee’s goats.
LikeLiked by 2 people
. . . and all the cats. Some of us are allergic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well there goes the party.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The dogs won’t come if there aren’t any cats.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I dunno. I think Tess would be content to herd the people, wouldn’t she?
LikeLiked by 1 person