Were you raised to use this language?

https://www.shutterstock.com/search/bad+words

I was raised to have respect through my language with others, not to pepper my vernacular with %#*&!!%.

I visited an upscale neighborhood establishment one night a couple of weeks ago. This young man was using offensive language as he talked about his job as he sat at a table directly behind me with his chair hitting mine. I asked him which restaurant he worked. I asked him his name. He was pleased and I thought I would come to his work and sit in his section. I replied. "No." I gave him a TIP: The way you talk outside of your work environment is disrespectful. Why would I leave you a tip for being inauthentic in your work environment? I deserve more and so do others.

An elderly man was in the dumpy little store yelled obscenities at the woman behind the counter. I said, I believe in respecting my elders. I do not respect you. You want the cigarettes with the animal. Here is the camel. He back pedaled and stated, “I apologize to you. My remarks were directed at her.” We had a discussion.

I sat with my 95-year old neighbor at the hospital last week. I decided to relax and have dinner on the way home. The two women next to me used colorful words as they complained about their leadership jobs at a local hospital. I slowly climbed down from my high chair, which was next to their table. I put on my coat and gripped my cane. I looked directly at both women. I said, I was not ease dropping. I only heard specific words loud and clear. You have work. A great opportunity to lead. Always use your words and actions as respect and maybe just maybe you will receive the respect you deserve. You have great opportunities ahead.

I turned and slowly walked towards the exit. The one woman came after me. She asked, Do you come here often? Without pause, she said, I would like you to meet my 1-1/2 year old son. I am not sure why she me wanted me to meet her son. Perhaps she was not sure what to say. It is not for me to analyze.
Are these words verbs, nouns or adjectives? I am not sure. I am sure of one thing that I do not like this language change.  Remember, you cannot take back words because they show your true character.

Who was St. Valentine?

St. Peter Orthodox Church, Bonita Springs, FL

The commercialization of Valentine’s Day had me asking : Where did Valentine’s originate? Who is cupid and is he someone’s sidekick or a main character? I Googled and searched the history as I forgot about Cupid, who I will learn more about next year.

This St. Valentine fellow enamored me without Cupid’s arrow.  St. Valentine was beheaded. Really? Why do we have a St. Valentine’s Day because a beheading does not sound like love.  He was love.

The Saint had a reputation as a peacemaker, and one day while cultivating some roses from his garden, he heard a couple quarrel very vigorously. This shocked the Saint, who then cut a rose and approached the couple asking them to hear him. Even though they were dispirited, they obeyed the Saint and afterwards were offered a rose that blessed them. Immediately the love returned between them, and later they returned and asked the Saint to bless their marriage. Another tradition says that one of the charges against Valentine was that he did not adhere to the command of the emperor which stated that men who had not fulfilled their military obligations were not allowed to marry; meanwhile the Saint had blessed the marriage of young Christian soldiers with their beloveds.

St. Valentine was a man of faith and lived the word of God as illustrated in 1John 3:16-18 (AMP):  ¹⁶ By this we know [and have come to understand the depth and essence of His precious] love: that He [willingly] laid down His life for us [because He loved us]. And we ought to lay down our lives for the believers. ¹⁷ But whoever has the ^[a]world’s goods (adequate resources), and sees his brother in need, but has no compassion for him, how does the love of God live in him? ¹⁸ Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words].

The above scripture teaches about love and defines it . It is necessary to share love through our actions and helping others in need. How do you share your love with others each day?

Let us pray…Father I pray that I would not love merely in theory or in speech but in deed and truth, in sincerity.   Adapted from 1John 3:18, The  Everyday Living Bible

To learn more about St. Valentine, go to: http://stpeterorthodoxchurch.com/who-was-st-valentine/ or visit the Source: Mystagogy.

Building Relationships

I have reflected on the comic, Pickles from last week’s newspaper, and I am grateful for growing up in a small neighborhood, named Edgewood Park in Fort Wayne surrounded by cornfields, the old Fortmeyer's Truck stop one way and the Wayne Feeds was up the road in the opposite direction. We built forts, played in the woods, built and rode our bikes off ramps to name a few things.

I played army with Tom in the vacant lot. Why was he always the commander and chief?

The Govin’s lived across the street. Rita, What about your Dad’s Cricket car? Rita was a good driveway driver with me as the passenger. We learned there's emergency brakes for a reason.

The Todd sister’s lived next door: Laura​, Connie and Nancy​... need I say more? Laura, I never found myself as funny as others found me.

I spent time with the Walker family – especially with Joy and Cathy and our friend, Kathy​. I cannot believe we joined 4-H.  I really wanted to join Future Farmer’s for the cool jacket with the patches. I did not join because I wanted so badly to use farm equipment and I was told, No!

Peggy's mom taught some of us to make pies from scratch on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I have not made a pie since but I received my Girl Scout badge.

As a kid some of us saved our little bit of money earned from babysitting or mowing lawn, we rode our bikes to Old Fortmeyer's and ate lunch with the truck drivers at the counter. I then walked or rode my bike to Wayne Feeds and bought something from the old cooler. I hung out with the farmers. We never locked up our bikes.

I am glad to have a computer and Facebook to reconnect and stay connect with my Edgewood Park friends. It’s good to have lifetime relationships, no matter the miles.

These Boots are Made for Walking

Who is Nancy Sinatra? About 6-years ago I sang These Boots Are Made for Walkin' for karoke. I had my younger neighbors as my back up dancers. They had not heard of Shelley Fabares' Johnny Angel. Of course, I sang it for my friend John at the First Hill Bar & Grill. The kicker was at the grocery story when a clerk asked, Who's Mary Tyler Moore? (Gasp!) Before I moved to Seattle, Wahsington, I trapped my co-workers in my car with the windows up and a/c on. (I love the child proof locks.) I played my cassette tape with the opening song from her television show. I played the same cassette and danced around in my neighbor's drive way when I arrived in Seattle from Fort Wayne, Indiana as I threw my hat in the air. All I have are memories like many of our residents. The lyrics from the song, Memory performed in the musical Cats inspired by the poetry of T.S. Eliot illustrate as I wonder how many remember the words or Betty Buckley. Memory, all alone in the moonlight I can dream of the old days Life was beautiful then I remember the time I knew what happiness was Let the memory live again...

Let's Eat Cake

The birthday wishes I have received from family and friends warmed my heart as another birthday has come and gone. I considered it a gift. I reflected on the other gifts I have received throughout the years. No doubt. One gift has been "

I always appreciated my Mom when she asked, “What kind of cake I would you like for your birthday?” I always gave the same response: “A pecan pie.” How did she fit the candles in the pie? If my Mom was not able to go to Maloney’s grocery or walk to the IGA, she made a pineapple upside down or German chocolate cake because the mixes and other ingredients were in our small pantry. (My mom did not drive until I was in maybe the fifth or sixth grade, and the stores were closed on Sundays so I the thought of cake or even a pecan pie was a gift.) I was happy with the pie or cake because I understood we did not have a lot of money but I had a celebration and felt special. When I had a birthday slumber party with my friends, there was a store bought cake. I secretly missed the pecan pie, pineapple upside down cake or a bite of German chocolate cake. I stopped at a neighborhood establishment, Dilettante's on my birthday a few days ago, and its doors closed last night after serving the neighborhood for years. I realized it the closing was wasn’t really about me, nor was my birthday.  Another gift is about all of you who have created my memories, and I will continue to write the chapters of my life as I walk with those who are in personal and professional relationships with me.  Let’s make more memories together. Let's eat cake. Let's see the gifts in our lives.

Do Good Fences Make Good Neighbours?

I shot this photo one day last week. The trauma helicopter took flight as I stood behind the fence. I reached out to the beauty of the world. I could see it but I could not touch it. I spoke to the mountain. No response. I no longer existed.

The helicopter returned. An unknown person on a gurney was rushed away. My desire was to help. The fence was in my way. I sat on the bench and began to pray.

I read  Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” as a Shawnee Junior High School student . I thought I understood the poem at the time. I did not understand it until today. “Do good fences make good neighbours?”

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-p…/…/detail/44266

Let Your Light Shine

View from the Central Neighborhood Cascade Mountains Seattle, WA

As the light shines upon another day, more lessons will be learned, memories will be created and service to others will be shared.

There are so many people, who plan to march or protest “against” this or they are “anti” that. How can our language be re-framed to illuminate the positive?  How can we lead by example and be a glimmer of hope for others? Let’s uplift our country and our communities through the positive and build each other up.

I was raised that your time and energies were given to organizations you believed in, and you were mission-driven in your volunteerism. So I encourage you to let your light shine by volunteering for projects that speak to you through service to others and allow your voice to heard.

I feel a song coming on. Can you guess? It’s “This Little Light of Mine.”  I will close my eyes and sing it as I did with my Memory Care residents, where I learned lessons, memories were created and service to others shared.