Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

I came across a devotional from the book, Devotions From the Beach, that made me pause and wonder about a line we are told in scripture by Jesus that says ” My Kingdom is not of this World” … yet in our earthly world don’t we have other ” kingdoms” just as mystifying as our thoughts on the one to come…the ever-after?

Mainly… this earthly ” kingdom” is so big it covers three-fourths of our planet we call home. And… it relies on completely different basic ” essentials” for life. The greatest difference , obvious but invisible, is the way sea creatures breathe! Our oceans… our sister kingdom!

As we know ocean oxygen is sipped from the water and on land…the air. There is a comparison today between Jesus’ kingdom to come and man’s daily kingdom on earth.

Man’s world runs on material possessions, career successes, riches, self-vanity, and fame as oxygen, as a means of feeling alive.

The Kingdom of Heaven operates ” as opposite to this as if it were underwater.” The oxygen” of the kingdom of God is joy, peace, openness to all, selfless love, and service. A kingdom overflowing in “Divine Euphoria!”

So until tomorrow… The ” Kingdom to Come” is set apart from the world like an underwater palace that never runs out of revitalizing, heavenly oxygen!

Today is my favorite day- Winnie the Pooh

The last two days have been Meet the Teacher for Berkeley students that include Rutledge’s first year at the Phillip Simmons Middle School-5th grade!

And Eloise got the same kindergarten teacher as Lachlan and Rutledge had… fun reunion Thursday evening! ( And the teacher’s still smiling! 🤣)

Mrs. Bendig… You are our Hero! ❤️💕

A God Wink… when I went out on the deck I found FiVE orange hibiscus buds ready to pop… to me symbolic of my five grandchildren and their new school year… a year in which each grandchild blossoms! 🙏🏻

Remember my grandchildren…

Dear Reader:

Anne of Seven Gables made the perfect observation …

October is Ya Ya Reunion Month at Edisto Beach and some days I feel that our shadows have gone ahead to prepare the feeling of togetherness again!

Children have back to school annual challenges ( this time of year) and I feel like the end of August and September brings me annual medical procedures and doctor appointments… scans over all my body to compare and contrast from last year’s procedures and discussions on changes forging forward. ( Rather nerve-wracking)

But October… sweet October…brings serenity, monarch butterflies, and the first sweat shirt / jean ensemble! Happiness is…!

What got me thinking along these lines was an article on the six best beaches in South Carolina and listing these following reasons to stay at Edisto…

1. Escaping the hustle and bustle of daily life… for the slow pace of this island… thus giving it the nickname ” Edislow.”

2. Participating in ” Lights Out” for Loggerhead turtles from May to the end of October

3. Traveling back in time to Botany Bay-breathtaking in its historical scenery as the early explorers witnessed…

4. Quirky fun and mysterious benchmarks…

Until then Edisto… soon!!!!

So until tomorrow… I am just going to enjoy the anticipation of our Ya gathering… We humans always need something to look forward to… and I have a good one!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

*** When Eva Cate sent me this picture I initially thought she had ” Bee” ( Mickey Mouse) ears on… but she said ” No.. Winnie the Pooh” ears -the bee in one ear symbolizes Winnie’s love for Honey!!!!💗

Have fun Turners in Disney World!!!

Dear Reader:

Many of the God Winks I refer to on this personal post… actually arrive…bearing a ” wink of humor” to lighten our lives for a moment of laughter and levity… I call them ” Twinkle Winks.”

Joy is found in so many different forms and shapes… including faith, beauty, and ( especially for me, humor.)

Yesterday- I happened upon Barbara Johnson’s book Daily Splashes of Joy… and found myself grinning and relating to several scenarios in her writings.

I literally flipped open the book and read the daily joy ( on this random page) finding myself nodding and silently thinking ” Me,too!”

I, also, find joy in beauty… from pictures of locations I would love to see upclose and personal to observations made by children in all their refreshing honesty.

Yesterday I had two cups of joy… Jeff arrived to cut the grass… and when he leaves… everything just looks so pristine and pretty… joy!

But the most important joy with Jeff arriving was that he was getting over a 48 hour virus that laid him low… so I kept checking on him because I was his third ” cut” by the time he arrived and I was anxious for him not to overdo! He kept reassuring me he was good to go.

But it reminded me of an anecdote in Barbara Johnson’s book about a little boy and his prayer to God. ( Sweet humor with truth embodied)

” Dear God, take care of the whole world. And please, God, take care of Yourself, or we’re all sunk.” ( AMEN!)

Sometimes joy and disaster seems miles apart- as in the latest Maui Wildfire… ( so hard to watch) such unimaginable destruction-I am sure joy comes mainly in discovering loved ones’ survival and reuniting’s with friends, neighbors- even strangers and pets.

But even in this mind-boggling destruction life lessons on faith can be discovered -as in this old photo of another flood years ago that hit one particular town and this sign one citizen constructed for display.

So until tomorrow… when we finally turn disaster (beyond’s anyone control) over to God with a sigh of resignation and wry humor…

… it probably looks something like Eloise’s exaggerated ” Just Breathe” sign interpretation!

Today is my favorite day/Winnie the Pooh

As Jeff was weed-eating the grass that was practically covering the two small hibiscus plants with blooms ( larger than the plants) a second bloom opened! For joy!

Dear Reader:

Being a total novice in gardening ( a member of the ” Know Nothing” ” Wanna Be” Gardening Class of 2013… ) I learned a very important lesson about plants that first initial backyard garden season …that still resonates with me.

My mentors–Doodle and Anne-both taught me that when a plant doesn’t do well in a certain spot … ( after you have tried everything possible to accommodate its needs… the strongest conclusion is… it needs to be uprooted and moved to another location.) With plants, as well as people, the adage ” location, location, location” rings true in all forms of ” real estate.”

And the wisdom of their advice has proven true repeatedly over the the last decade. To my surprise… it is sometimes something as simple as re-planting it a few feet farther down the path – where a tree casts more shade and suddenly the plant is blooming all over itself! Just needed a little more shade…

It got me thinking of all the places I have lived before moving to the Lowcountry… Fayetteville ( Ft Bragg) never felt like home to me as a child and youth. Laurens was better since my cousins and family lived there and we were bonded by the time spent earlier…while mother recuperated and re-grouped following the loss of her left hand to bone cancer.

Lots of love… but I remember feeling home -sick in the red dirt clay of the agrarian upcountry… it just wasn’t me. Intuitively I knew this would never be my ” forever” home.

Than after college… Brooke and I took the plunge and moved to the Lowcountry/we both fell in love with it and this beautiful “God’s Country” that we never left… Charleston, Summerville, and Walterboro… we both married and raised families in this piece of paradise…reuniting and forming the Ya’s years later! Our special friends -sharing memories from past and present …and dreams for the future!

So until tomorrow… We have all heard we should ” Bloom Where We Are Planted” but sometimes we can’t bloom – because we are simply in the wrong place… instead with courage we must uproot ourselves and discover where our individual, unique roots will give back the best we have to offer…for the most good!

Today is my favorite day. Winnie the Pooh

Yesterday was a ” Stop and Drop” Day as I went from visiting Ben at Wellmore ( Pepsi and crackers delivery time) to telling the Turners goodbye …as they squeeze in one last vacation before schools starts, to Tommy and Kaitlyn’s new law office in N Charleston, and happily home where we finally got beautiful rain!

Dear Reader:

Haven’t we all heard that to have a friend one must first be a friend… but before we can do that… we must be a friend to ourselves.

In certain cases we , as a human race, have had to admit that we are the enemy… especially when it comes to our roles as stewards to our planet.

In fact… it was the first Earth Day ceremony that delivered to us ( through the popular character ( Pogo) and creator, Walt Kelly, the most famous poster of all back in 1970… that should have hit home… half a century later we are ” reaping” the frightening natural disasters occurring daily from lack of response from the population ( as a whole) taking steps to protect our ” blue” home.

As stewards of God, I think we can all take responsibility in not fighting hard enough to preserve and care for this wonderful home God provided for us.

But today the issue of being kind to ourselves ( I feel) also needs addressing since most of us ( me included) are harder on ourselves than others. We let our goal of ” perfection” limit our ability to accept ourselves as we really are-human beings with strengths and weaknesses.

I am guilty of this! Instead of just admitting ” I screwed up” … I feel badly… and I hope I learned a lesson from this incident” -then closing the chapter in the book.. like others, I have a tendency to keep chewing on the episode like a dog with a bone.

Why do we do that? Even in our legal system, double jeopardy prevails over being tried for the same crime. Yet we continue trying ourselves… what are we… borderline masochists?

God forgives us when asked, then He moves on… why can’t we?

Remember yesterday when author Sarah Breathnach, observed that in order to live a life of simple abundance, we must find joy and put it back in our lives? Don’t you think our self-inflicted penance should have a time restriction on it? We are losing joy in life needlessly.

If we can be there for our friends in need… then why is it so hard to console ourselves, forgive ourselves, and ” Let it Go!”

So until tomorrow… Please do one more thing for me: ” Be Kind To Yourself Today, Just Be Plain Nice to Yourself! Okay?”

Today is my favorite day -Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

Did you ever wonder, like me as a child, what God was picking out to wear the next day, as I had to do every school night?

It wasn’t until years later that I realized the answer had been right in front of me the whole time. God dresses in garments of nature… garments of His own design and creativity. Ocean blue, magnolia green, gray Spanish Moss, yellow sunflowers, or brown earthy mountain tones.

Breathnach metaphorically uses six threads that can create abundant living by producing a tapestry of contentment that wraps us in inner peace, well-being, happiness, and a sense of security.

They are:

Gratitude: For our mental and spiritual inventory of all we have in life -makes us very rich indeed.

Simplicity: Responding to the desire to clear out, pare down, and understand the basic essentials we need to live ” abundantly “

Order: Replacing the earlier chaos in our lives

Harmony: Allowing harmony to provide us inner peace and developing a deep appreciation of the beauty surrounding us

Beauty: The kind of beauty that opens us up to JOY

JOY: The highest elation of sheer wonder and awe of life itself and our Creator

So until tomorrow… Start your check-off list to see how far you have come to bringing joy back in your lives!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Sometimes God gets a little help from His creations when it comes to forming tapestries… Honey and Mike sent me this picture a long time ago … a spider tapestry they found on their mountain balcony!

Dear Reader:

One day during my stay in Denmark Benedikte took me to city hall to see the most popular statue ( in all of Denmark) erected in front of the municipal building.

Our teacher exchange took place partially during our Spring Break here in Summerville but still late winter in Denmark. ( so there were no long lines waiting to see the statue and I could walk right up to it! )

My initial reaction was plop on his knee and imagine him telling me one of my favorite stories he wrote. As I stared at the knee on the statue… I could tell others had shared my same instinct… one knee looked more worn and faded than the rest of the statue.

Andersen’s gaze was towards the famous Tivoli Gardens -a world renowned amusement park-( that actually inspired some of his stories.) For me that was my biggest disappointment… I wanted to see it so badly and enjoy the rides… but it didn’t officially open until three weeks after we left! So close but so far away!

But we did go to so many other amazing places…the Holocaust Museum and the story of King Christian X who urged his people to help their Jewish neighbors in every way possible ( the yellow star on all citizens was fictionalized) but the astonishing stats on how many Danish Jewish citizens survived… thanks to the generosity and courage of all the Danes and their amazing leader … is quite true! The courage to give voice to those who need it!

… and we got to take the Little Mermaid tour!

So when I saw ” accidentally ” the famous title quote by Andersen- ” Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”

I immediately went outside and picked one precious little flower and returned back inside holding it.

I was holding a little flower, had been out in the hot sunshine, (watching Lachlan play Summerville football in Summerville) and then on to parks and town attractions… and now … what about freedom?

I must admit that ” freedom” is the most worrisome item on my agenda these days… never thought this ole’ history and civics teacher would be witness to some of the greatest threats on our personal freedoms, our endangered constitutional rights and the greed of the elite and their political power overshadowing the needs of the many… we the people.

So until tomorrow… Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past… but do our homework and stand up for democracy… Our founding fathers had great visions, hopes, and dreams for us… for ” We the People” … and let’s start by helping those who need our help… for standing up for those who have no voice and let’s give them one!

Yesterday Mollie and the kids came for football, then playing at Boo Boo’s … followed by the park and town attractions! We had the freedom to burn up.. it was hot hot hot… but fun!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

I happened upon that phrase yesterday while reading a summer novel…” Simple … But Spectacular!” I loved it. It started me reminiscing about how accurate this phrase is.

Nothing has brightened my spirits this week as much as seeing my first morning glory bloom and hearing positive feedback on some family member undergoing challenging times. Special revelations, not only touch our hearts, but truly make mine soar … like those shooting stars.

And speaking of… all cultures from the ancients to present day…have come up with different explanations and symbolisms behind the appearance of shooting stars.

Most of my star stories have come down from family… adults, cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles, camp counselors and even cabin mates. Everyone grows up hearing different explanations … most frequently from their own childhoods.

Mine were as expansive and extensive…as the falling stars themselves… they were spirits crossing the universe heading home, family members gone before us sending a wink… at Christmas falling stars are these same loved ones checking our home decorations! But one explanation I especially like is the direct correlation between us discovering our life-long dream and pursuing it! A celebratory shooting star!

The last two days have been filled with surprises… even more happening after my post on surprises Thursday. Honey sent a ” surcie” that arrived yesterday… a sofa pillow that I love and just adds to my Happy Room.

… and guess what… the light returned again… shining through my sheer curtain on the side den door!

I ventured out again… determined to track down the source… the aluminum ladder is out… the light source is coming clear across another backyard property. Of course when I planned to check it out yesterday… this windy thunderstorm popped up after I left for the store… by the time I left the store the wind was so strong… it blew my newly purchased air filter right out of my cart… ( looked like a scene out of Mary Poppins.)

Two men and a woman started chasing it down for me all over the Publix parking lot… a torrential downpour started ( simultaneously) that finally brought it down low enough for the men to catch – we were all drenched… but laughing.. these incidents restore our faith in brotherly love… doesn’t it? Simple but Spectacular!

And last surprise! For a few weeks now I have noticed that the number of hits on Chapelofhopestories.com has been increasing faster than normally… it was getting close to a big benchmark number in my small little corner of the writing world: Drum Roll:

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

Life is full of surprises, some good, some not… but none of us can escape them… ALL surprises are simply a part of life. (And as such… the relevance they play in our individual lives solely depends on our response to them!)

Case in point… Wednesday evening I decided to finish up some different left-overs in the fridge from a couple of days time period.) It tasted great… then I took my medicine (as usual) and read awhile until my eyes started closing.

Around 2am I suddenly was awakened by a bad stomach ache along with strange pains coming from different limb body parts… weird! I barely made the trek to the bathroom… and that became my ” second home” until I finally fell back asleep and woke up around 6 am…feeling back intact… no upset stomach or pains.

Surprised… I fell back asleep and woke up again around 8 … wondering momentarily if I had just dreamed it… but no… I had definitely experienced it… still I felt ” surprisingly” refreshed… and hungry. Bizarre but relieved!

I decided to go on and water my gardens ( get it over with early before hot hot settled in. ) When I stepped out on my back deck… there it was! Purple!!!!My first morning glory bloom of the season! I ran to get my phone and take a picture ( title photo) What a wonderful surprise for a new day and the promise of new hope!

Schools start opening ( in the South) alongside blooming morning glories!

Brooke told me once when her two boys ( Henry and Riley) were early school age…and she was struggling to get them and herself ( a teacher) dressed and out in the mornings ( no easy task as we all know) the one bright spot on the way to school ( especially in August and early Fall) was passing a field of morning glories! They would slow down and roll down the windows and take in the beauty – it became their good luck token for the day!

For me… yesterday… the first morning glory symbolized that all was okay… the hard night had passed and a fresh morning of surprising beauty … brought new hope!

I wanted a good breakfast but ” my” favorite breakfast haunt ( Eva’s) had been closed for a couple of weeks…to pick up more staffing to operate this famous and historical Summerville diner!

But yesterday when I tried the number… it was immediately picked up by a warm voice asking me what I would like for breakfast. When I arrived to pick it up… it was a celebration combination of hugs from the owners and meeting new smiling waitress faces! A marvelous surprise!

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

In 1977 Billy Joel released (what he later admitted) was one of his favorite songs-Vienna.

Today’s post title is a line from the chorus of Vienna… lyrics that explore slowing down long enough to see the truth unfold…” But you know when the truth is told… that you can get what you want, or you can get old.”

Have you ever been jerked out of a mundane moment… like folding clothes, and suddenly a solution to a problem or opportunity you have pondered perhaps your whole life reveals itself?

We call these special moments… ” Defining, or Moment of Truth,” ” Pivotal Moment” or simply a ” Kairos Moment.” In the Ancient Greek language-” Kairos ” meant the ” right or critical or opportune moment to act on a potentially life-changing direction sign.”

In my last class before getting my Master’s… I had to take a course on statistics … I had put it off as long as I could… the last hurdle between me and my final educational goal. I was terrified!

The only thing I remember from that course was two words-quantitative or qualitative. In order to prove our personally selected curriculum hypothesis… we had to choose one type of procedure in our final conclusion.

I knew instinctively to follow the ” qualitative ” path because it allowed more ” wiggle ” room than the strictly structured quantitative outcome. My hypothesis dealt with showing that storytelling ( added to the curriculum) increased interest that resulted in longer retention that then resulted in higher test scores and improved classroom behavior-an important key to learning.

I think two things contributed to my final grade-A. ( My quote and personal note to the professor. )

I ended the paper with ” Who knows if this tis true or not… but it is how it appears to me.” Ancient Greek Philosophy and….

” The proof is in the pudding!” ( “And yours is in the classroom icebox… hope you like chocolate!” 😂) ( Since I got my ” A”… apparently she did!)

So until tomorrow… today time is defined by quantitative ( Chronos or chronological time… and Kairos as thought/provoking ” God Winks” … the kind of pivotal moment when we find ourselves asking the universe ” What is time for?” ( and then applying our personal answer to the question… our true purpose in our life odyssey. )

Today is my favorite day/Winnie the Pooh

One last thought we ( especially these days) should endorse and remember.