Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

At Christmas we rejoice over the birth of our Savior but not just His first birth and life on Christmas Day, but also the second birth and His gift of eternal life to those who believe …after death… like the tree in the title picture growing out of its once dead shell/trunk surrounding it.

Amazing picture isn’t it. It just made my day when it popped up online , out of nowhere, a few days ago… another God Wink! Life and later resurrected life.

Life…is so precious and amazing that we can witness renewed life in nature… planted right in front of us to absorb daily.

I was so excited about seeing my beloved Big Red on my front porch Saturday that I forgot about getting help from Tommy to climb my many brick front steps… instead I calmly climbed each step by myself … until I was hugging Big Red and then thought … ” The last time I was there Walsh had to pull me up each step very slowly… already God’s miracles are at work… I am so much stronger now and self-reliant… hopefully the last new cancer drug that was poisoning my body and doing more harm than good, is or has finally had time to get out of my system! I am letting go and handing my future whichever way it goes , to God.

” Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

But… I was so happy to hug it again and wish ” Big Red” Merry Christmas and get to go home if only for a brief time collecting a few things I needed to pick up.

Then onto having ” Merry” with brother Ben-at his new rehabilitation home now.

When I got back there was a package waiting for me … from Jo-a book…Positively Pooh ( I put Pooh in the recliner to start reading his book!) Bless you Jo!!! A very Merry Christmas to my mentor and friend!

Dear Reader:

What a wonderful day I had yesterday. My friend, KC Myers, came to see me bearing a pizza… Oh Happy Day! But as much as I love pizza… it was conversing and catching up with KC that made the day.

KC is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet… she left me with one scriptural verse I love… especially two thoughts.

I Corinthians : 16

” No one knows the length of their life, so we need to work on the ” Breadth of it.”

“Help us to see you… in other faces.”

… I told KC I was taking her back to the front desk lobby the ” secret shortcut way from my room.”

We cut across the courtyard …out my personal courtyard back door. With no wind blowing it actually felt nice cutting through … not as chilly as previous days with a strong wind.

The sun was coming down at a slant and an elderly gentleman had found and placed a chair perfectly in a location where the sun’s rays were hitting the side of his face. He looked so tranquil and serene with a half smile on his face.

We both murmured greetings to him and he opened his eyes and smiled… ” Just enjoying God’s gift to me.”

We smiled and went on…but when I returned shortly back along the same path… he opened both eyes saying ” Aren’t I the lucky one? I wanted so badly to sit outside but thought it would be too cold… but with no wind… God let me know He was sending his special celestial creation, the sun, as a gift to me.

Now here was a man who truly understood the ” breadth” of life … to trust in God to shine His Love upon him.

It was only a few minutes later I peeked out the French door windows to see if his face was still so serene … but the chair was empty and now in the shade but the ” breadth” of time… had been spent so wisely!

So until tomorrow…

My favorite ” nook and cranny.”

Dear Reader:

Yesterday my neighbor Vickie came to visit and update me on my gardens… we had so much fun catching up, Angela, my RNNurse, stopped in to get my vitals and visit and both Vickie and I had a great conversation with her. Then Mandy dropped in for me to sign some paperwork … while she was still here Rev. Jeff Kackley ( Dorchester Presbyterian pastor) called to see if he could stop by and brought me a vanilla milkshake… ooh… so good… now who else has a milkshake-carrying preacher! 🤣

It was during our conversation that we were talking about letting go and turning our lives over to God to steer… with each and every every breath we are letting in God’s Spirit.

Then he made the comment… did I realize that spirit, wind, and breath are all the same word? The concept derived from a short little word ( Hebrew) and New Testament… a short little word-Greek.

When we breathe in… we are bringing in God’s Spirit; when we breath out… we are giving that same spirit ( God’s Spirit) to others …if we desire to do so. We have the opportunity to do this with every breath we exhale. ( This concept really gave me an ” Ah-ha”moment.) Love my pastor! Thank you Jeff! In short… as long as we are breathing we have the opportunity to send God’s Spirit out to others.

1 Cor. 15. 45-” The people received the breath and breath became the spirit.”

When Vickie arrived, my fabulous neighbor-came bearing gifts… an adorable angel to add to the Angel Tree and a white poinsettia… I had given her my last white poinsettia with a red bow-we just burst out laughing… we did go on and exchange them!!!

And she didn’t stop there-she also brought homemade chewy sugar Christmas cookies! How I love my Vickie… we miss each other terribly-we gardened together for years and watched’ cared for/ each others yards and gardens while the other was away.

You might remember she made the pumpkin planters with the little white pumpkin who lasted three Years!!!!!!!

If anyone is interested in purchasing one -text me and I will give you Susan’s number and/or text to get more information! Just Gorgeous!

So until tomorrow… Tis the Season to breathe in and especially out-sending God’s Spirit to those around us!

Dear Reader:

When I opened this Christmas card a couple of days ago… I first was taken back by the card’s unique and creative imagery … a colorful ” Christmas Tree” made from sea shells … it immediately made me smile.

Just then a folded piece of paper fell out attached to a personal note explaining the history behind the enclosed story. The card and enclosed explanation had been sent by a wonderful friend from my past-Debbie Baker.

We became close while our children were small and taking swimming lessons together. Debbie’s oldest daughter, Julie, and my daughter, Mandy, were the same age and became close friends … being in the same early classes at school and attending the same sleepover invitations.

So seeing Debbie’s name and address on the envelope brought back wonderful memories.

I read her note ( attached to the story) and then the story itself… an unforgettable experience.

” Becky I saved this a long time ago so I can take it out and read it to remind ME how important it is to have the right attitude and now what you are going through-this story is your story.”

This story touched my heart and several one-liners in it will stay with me forever…Here are some memorable lines that should never be forgotten in this synopsis in case you are having problems reading copy above.

…The story starts by describing the main character-a beautiful well-versed 83 year old who dresses up every morning at 8 -hair done, make-up-on this special day she is moving to a retirement home… her decision after losing her husband.

She patiently waits for her room to be ready while one of the employees describes it in detail.

She replies, ” I love it!” with the enthusiasm of an 8 year old girl with a new pet.

” Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room yet… just wait.”

“That doesn’t matter, she replies.”

“Happiness is something you decide over time. Whether or not I like my room doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it depends on how I arrange my mind.

” I’ve already decided I like it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have the choice; I can spend the day in bed , going through the difficulty I have with body parts that don’t work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the parts that do work.”

Every day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I will focus on the new day and the happy memories I have stored just for this time in my life.

HAPPINESS is like a bank account: you withdraw from it… what you deposit.

So my advice would be to deposit a lot of happiness into your memory account.

Remember these five simple things:

Free your heart from hate and discord

Free your mind from worries

Live Simply

Give More

Take less

……………………………..

Isn’t that a story that needs to follow us wherever we go? And to remember to keep depositing happiness. One day that gift ( gift of happy memories) will be your greatest gift!

……………………………………….

***Walsh and Mollie picked me up yesterday around 11 and we were off Christmas shopping for three little grandchildren-gifts from Boo and Christmas birthdays ( like Walsh!) Kringle Dingle!

But we ended up at the best restaurant and had plenty to take back for another meal!

So until tomorrow… with the chilly weather and hustle and bustle of Dicks Sports Shop, the favorite shop of little boys… ” It’s beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas !”

Dear Reader:

During the first few days each year ( while teaching) my initial strategy ( besides getting to know each student’s name) was to start reeling in my eighth graders with ” Strange but true” stories around historical events and people in SC and American History.

Teenagers love learning from these types of historical stories, not just memorizing a cold isolated fact, that like a dangling participle or modifier, never connects back to the objective you want them to take away from the lesson,

But their ” homework” assignment was different-giving the students a life quote each day (on the board) that allowed them the freedom to interpret it as they, themselves, perceived the meaning personally… no right or wrong-just as long as the assignment was done… and then being open and respectful to other classmates’ interpretations. That is how learning is expanded… our minds being open to new ideas.

My first quote each year was the title quote today. ” ” I Never Lose…I Either Win or LEARN.”

It is amazing how quickly I could gather information on the depth of each student’s level of deeper comprehension and how it applies to our lives… learning beyond the classroom.

Or as we teachers were repeatedly reminding our classes… ” Life is the most important teacher… ” Be a Lifetime Learner!”

And this advice also, of course, applied to we teachers …especially after leaving the classroom… in fact I think this latest personal challenge ( that quickly transformed my world as I knew it…) has reinforced this positive philosophy of life.

I listen to the aides who come in daily bringing medicine, meals, and lots of stories as the bonding of friendship begins… laughter and compassion prevail. And learning each new world of others’ lives remind me how blessed I truly am and what a gift these new friends and supporters are to me.

The way we live our lives does come down to choice, attitude, and positivity.

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

You know you are reading a memorable book when you find yourself relating your life with the story!

First of all… I find this author’s style of writing smooth, comfortable, with two stories involving the same main character ( heroine) over a fifty-year gap of time from pre-Nazi France -a librarian working in the American Paris Library to a small town in Montana in the 1980’s . Two parallel time- line stories that mysteriously connect one amazing WWII hero to a lonely teenage girl named Lily and the secrets that start unraveling between this unlikely two-some.

In other words… I can’t put the book down .

As Lily interviews her mysterious neighbor, Mrs. Gustafson, (after much begging and pleading) about Paris during WII (a school assignment) she asks…” Do you like to read?” ( expecting the usual ” I love it” since her house resembles a library) the answer quietly but determinedly comes back as ” I LIVE to read.” Lily feels shivers run down her back. This is a woman with a story to tell.

Thus begins an amazing bond that will change both their lives forever.

When asked by Lily if Mrs.Gustafson missed Paris and how she would describe it… she hears ” Paris is a place that talks to you/ hums along to it’s own song. ”

Wistfully adding ” The best thing about Paris- it is a city of readers.”

I am discovering for myself that it is true , like the title today, ” Sometimes heroes can be found in the quietest places.”

As I have slowly begun branching out more and more from my room… I am discovering that every resident has their own personal life story to tell and love having someone to talk to and tell it.

These stories are so poignant and everyone, in their own way… has risen to overcome the deepest personal losses to be where they are striving to begin life again… alone… all heroes and heroines!

Smiles greet me and warm conversations ensue about how blessed they are to have a place to live in the here and now… but oh what a life they had along the way and how much they miss their loved ones … but life continues.

Yes… I am surrounded by these quiet heroes , especially the ones who are left alone to finish the journey.

I must stop now… my book, like the sirens of old, is calling me back to start a new chapter… a new world to succumb happily into for hours.

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

Yesterday brought me surprises, new adventures, and opportunities that made me very happy. A contented fun Sunday!

Mandy and my granddaughter , Eva Cate, surprised me … bringing me hers and Jake’s Christmas photo card!

Since the predicted rains had not started yet. Mandy, Eva Cate and I decided to tour the entire premises here and be surprised by the magic of Christmas popping up all over.

We ended up at the front to see if any packages had come for me and there was one… when I opened it back in my room guess what?

Then I was invited to a free fresh flower gathering-we were given each a size and shape of a vase we liked and a bucket of flowers which we shared with two others-end result- resulting in our own vase of fresh flowers/which we each took back to freshen and brighten our rooms…

And now… the smell of fresh flowers, new Christmas photos, six of my Christmas cards off… ” It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”

Today is my favorite day…Winnie the Pooh

Excuse me… it is time to go to another world- to an American Library in Paris in the 1930’s!

Dear Reader:

By now in our lives we have come to recognize that happiness, like sorrow, is a mood and neither last a lifetime.

Our moods change like the weather. Yet some people do seem able to maintain an aura of positivity around them that draws us like a magnet to the bright sunshine.

As much as most of us look forward to Christmas and immediately associate it with the happiest day of the year… Christmas also brings added stress in our lives if we forget the spiritual significance of this special day and succumb to today’s commercialization.

Haven’t we all commented at one time or another… about someone we know who seems happy all the time. Actually since happiness is a mood… it will fade away as all moods do. Instead people we are drawn to for their upbeat approach to life , in actuality, have a positive mindset and that is embedded deep within their being-the people who lift our spirits.

Tommy, my youngest son, arrived last night with Pip, and surprised me with a real six- pack of Coors Light Beer. It was Tommy who gave me the miniature six-pack Coors beer as a Christmas Tree ornament last year!

We humans are funny… we land in a setting where all nutritional meals are provided and after a week we find ourselves craving pizza, sub sandwiches, Chick-Filet and all the other less healthy foods. ( But, oh so good!) Human nature is always a mystery and honestly quite laughable.

Aren’t there so many Christmas special advertisements that make us stop and smile. ” Joy Shared” has become the number one favorite commercial.

I

My beautiful Chapel of Hope at Christmas Time…. the chapel that started the blog post and changed my life forever! I

Artist Joan Turner created, and painted a new colorful steeple!

Merry Christmas to One and All!

I have already read so many critiques on this novel (published in 2021) waiting on its arrival …that I feel I have a great head-start and understanding before even opening the first page.

One critic said he pictured books dressed up as soldiers marching off to war… knowledge combating hatred and greed. I couldn’t find an interpretive picture to match his imagination but thought this might work.

The Paris Library is based on the true story of the historic librarians at the American Library in Paris during WWII.

It is an unforgettable story that pays ” ode to the importance of libraries, books, and human connections who sacrifice their lives to keep knowledge and morality alive through their own heroic actions.”

Don’t you feel we are still caught in this dilemma today with our libraries and librarians?

These amazing librarians, were trying to keep the libraries open to all ,were fighting Nazi demands to not allow Jews in the library or in to read at all… and only allowing Nazi propaganda books for all others to read.

The scene begins in the 1930’s… Paris is on the brink of war when each day is now revealing glimpses of what is to come. And faith and courage must run afront of racism, prejudice, … demanding personal sacrifice for many employees. As a whole these employees take an united stand to continue to deliver books to their patrons, regardless of race or religion.

They also take time to hunt down their patrons , who have been physically removed begin now providing provisions -food, clothing.

” Books remind us that no matter how bad it gets , know that there will always be books to remind us that the world does get better and we will make it through.”

” In love we find out who we want to be-in war we find out who we are!” Our character is tested. ”

This library also began sending out books to our troops in combat… outside pin-up girls… soldiers began reading every spare minute they had and became the most popular past-time during their intervals of combat!

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn became a bestseller because of the number of combat soldiers reading it!

So until tomorrow… Never forget that knowledge and truth are two strong enemies to prejudice, hatred and greed!

Now where is the mail deliverer?