Chapel of Hope Stories

Dear Reader:

I remember feeling like ” my candle was burning at both ends” constantly as a single mother… that I was meeting myself coming and going. And I kept wondering if there ever would come a day when I wasn’t terrified of increases in college tuition, . broken down cars, property taxes, mortgage payments, medical bills, etc. Would I ever be on top of life’s daily demands… to keep everything afloat?

And then one day I woke up and realized I was finally free… the children out of school with jobs… settling into adulthood… and for the first time in decades.. I could pay my bills every month without ” robbing Peter to pay Paul.” The day worries and nightmares were over. And it just wasn’t the financial burden but I was different-surviving cancer and even thriving in spite of it and taking advantages of opportunities to travel and see the world… I was spiritually and happily content!

It was like my particular candle burned at both ends but each side went out midway… leaving my heart and soul intact to see my world through fresh eyes.

When I read this excerpt yesterday… from Kelly Rae Roberts, artist, on turning 48 and her feelings… I felt a connection from myself at that age and today. Kelly wrote:

” Approaching my 48th birthday… I am feeling the full-on beautiful weirdness of midlife. It is a strange and fascinating metamorphosis of what’s happening to my outer self. ( the wrinkles, sagging, and stiffness.)

But there is also this other thing-the transformation of my inner life feels powerful!

There is a deeper emergence of confidence, purpose of feeling within a brand and fresh new start. It feels wonderful!!!

And even though there is no denying the outward physical challenges in aging… (they increase with age exponentially) … inwardly I, myself, have never been so at peace with the universe… gratitude and love have replaced anxiousness and worry.

So until tomorrow… as long as God is still holding my hand I know I can never get lost again in the man-made maze of stress and doubt.

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

In Ireland today Kaitlyn tried riding English Saddle meaning during a canter you have to post or stand straight up! Kaitlyn did it!

Dear Reader:

I believe this is supposed to be a Christmas ornament, but I for one, wouldn’t want the reminder of the damage the deer have done to my hibiscus this summer on my Christmas tree… it has saddened me seeing those beautiful beautiful blooms chewed up.

Two nights ago… they returned apparently and walked right down the garden path stopping at each hibiscus…. only the hibiscuses and leaving everything else alone… but took the beautiful 3 bloom orange blossoms on one, the bright yellow and pink hibiscuses… gone!

The only thing that stops them is a fence and I can’t afford that with my large back yard… the deer’s other eatable selection is … hostas but for some reason this second time around they weren’t in the mood for them.

I even moved two hibiscus to the deck and ” dog gone it” they climbed the steps to the deck and ate both plants-they are really brazen!

BUT… it could be a lot worse… they don’t bother any other garden flowers and “knock on wood” … have never touched any flowers in the side garden ( if they simply walked in that garden they would trample it badly… so I am very fortunate!!!)

One of my neighbors has a mother fox and her three little cubs in the wooded area behind her house and another neighbor found a copperhead snake on her steps… so I will be thankful for what I have … and leave well enough alone!

Kaitlyn sent me some pretty pictures of the floral and fauna right outside a diner they went to for lunch yesterday called Thyme Out” 😆… the beauty of Ireland!

So until tomorrow… Take time to make a wish, blow a dandelion, free a fairy… and utter a prayer of gratitude for one more day of life!!!

***

An important lesson learned Tuesday is that these days poverty is all around us… we see it in grocery store lines as customers return foods they can’t afford at checkouts ( and many of you commented that you have helped someone pay for their groceries when the opportunity arises… ) many families live from month to month and inflation on essentials pays havoc on these families. I have made a mental reminder to myself to keep some cash with me at all times now for these exact occasions .

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

My first hydrangea bloom!!!

Dear Reader:

Unequivocally a town can’t be ” charming ” unless it’s people are. Today God rewarded me with the opportunity to help someone who really needed it and to prove that ” charming” applies just not to scenery, architecture, and historical homes (as charming as they are!)

My adventure all started with a trip , yesterday morning, to the Bank ( First Citizens) in town… where to my surprise… the doors were locked and the lights off-a handwritten sign said ” Sorry… Systems Down-Lobby locked.”

” Oh well… nothing urgent” I thought to myself. As I started to circle the bank I noticed a woman at the ATM machine…who appeared quite distraught-I rolled down my window and called out ” Apparently the bank is having some kind of system break-down that must be affecting the ATM’s too. “

She was sweating profusely in the hot conditions and her eyes were tearing up. She responded… ” I had to call a cab to drop me off here to pull $500 dollars from my account to pay a mechanic to fix my car that overturned in a ditch. When the cabdriver saw I couldn’t get any money from the ATM he zoomed out of here cussing… thinking he wasn’t going to get paid since I just had my ID and personal bank card! Now I have no way to get home or get my money. ” (Her shoulders and whole body was slumped in defeat. )

I knew at that moment that this was now my problem… I had been sent to fix it. ” Hop in the car” I told the astonished woman ” and cool off ” … you are about to have a heat stroke.”

” There is another First Citizens near Oakbrook and I am taking you there to get your money from your account… no problem and then I will take you home.” ” By the way my name is Becky Dingle… and yours? ” Johnnie” she replied. ”

As luck would have it the two drive-throughs ( at the back of the bank) were accepting customers. Johnnie handed me her drivers license ID and bank card… her hands were trembling… she was praying her pension had already come through -it arrived every third day of the month but sometimes at different times in the day.

As luck would have it… it was in her account-she got her five hundred dollars in cash and I took her home to a trailer park in Lincolnville. On the way home we discovered we shared familiar memories-she had lived in Pageland -a small town in the upper piedmont where my family used to stop and eat lunch at a diner Johnnie still recognized …when traveling back to Laurens from Fayetteville. Small world!

So until tomorrow… ” At the heart of it all” yesterday God called on me to help Johnnie in her need. Thank you God for allowing me to-recognize Your Presence in the midst of the scene playing out and gratefully restore hope …where it was most needed.

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Tommy and Kaitlyn in awesome Dingle, Ireland

Yesterday… I stopped by the Summerville Tourist Center … and fellow middle school educator, Beth, was so personable and kind… assisting me with information and brochures… again , another example, why it is the people of Summerville who make it charming!!!

Beth… have you heard this cute anecdote I found going through some Facebook stories on Summerville?

You know what they say… Magnolias in May!

” We once heard a story of a lady in Ridgeville who had a magnolia tree SO BIG… you could drink a martini right out of the petals. ( Please let this be true!) 🤣

Dear Reader:

As a teacher I remember feeling overwhelmed in May and looking forward to a day in the future when I could enjoy the beauty of it without running the boys to baseball practice, dance recitals for Mandy. end of the year programs at my childrens’ schools-not counting my own school’s end of the year graduations, Awards Night, etc while constantly grading exams and getting final report cards out! Whew! It used to be a crazy month… exhausting.

These days May is still a little crowded but with fun experiences to look forward to that don’t require me to run around like a chicken with her head cut off… I can sit proudly through all the grandchildren’s awards programs and dance recitals-feeling present for every event-including our upcoming Ya Retreat at Edisto-sadly Libby won’t be able to participate this year but she is improving every day! Please keep those prayers coming -they are working!

All these emotional memories have come flooding back since today is National Teacher’s Appreciation Day. I will openly admit that as hard as teaching was for my generation… these teachers today, especially since Covid, have dealt with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and yet our teachers have still been there for our children! My hat’s off to them! Let’s show them our love today!

In 1979 Exxon created a professional development program called Impact II-and in the early millennium -Rene Harris and I ( representing SC) were invited to attend one of the first national forums in Utah atop a tall tall mountain called Snowbird.

We became close friends from the experience and presented later in Miami-it was there I wrote a poem ” The First Day of School” that was submitted for publication -It won the Editor’s Choice Award -my first published poetry. .

I am so happy today that I have lived long enough to enjoy the quiet, peaceful beauty of May minus the stress of school closing… but still I really did love teaching and missed so many of those crazy antics of middle schoolers-the toughest growing up transition for all of us in our lives! And I do hope…the last verse rang true for my students.

… “And if your journey takes a life of its own… I’ll sit back and smile at the seeds that were down.”

So until tomorrow… I am still planting seeds… just the plant kind and oh what joy that brings me too!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Tommy sent me this picture from their rental-told him I was so jealous of the Irish green -wish I could transplant it in my garden, along with the wonderful rain-we are still in a drought with near nineties this week and only small percentages of any kind of precipitation …

Dear Reader:

In 1926 a young English woman , Joanna Field, began to feel something was missing from her life. She was unable to feel completely whole and happy because she had never taken the time to discover what really made her happy… brought joy in her life. To remedy this she began a journal to record what ” specifics ” brought instant delight. ( excerpt from Simple Abundance)

Yesterday I decided to take time to do the same thing.

* Communication in all forms but especially calls where talking and listening are involved. I love hearing from family, friends… especially when they share a funny or memorable happy event in their lives… but I especially love hearing from the grandchildren when something special has happened at school or playing sports or social occasions… I hang up feeling happier than when I answered the phone.

* Flowers! Every kind under the sun… not only does their beauty delight me but they are my true listening friends and provide the sanctuary and peace I need when the world gets a little too crazy for me to process.

( My most special moment of happiness each season is when my first moonflower blooms … it never ceases to bring tears of joy to my eyes. )

Yesterday I courageously removed my seedling moonflower plants from my front porch where I had carefully tended to their ” baby” first steps and moved them to the side garden in front of the trellis that their newly developed tendrils were seeking. I said a little prayer that this year will be their most abundant to date! 🙏🏻

* Happiness is good reports back from my oncologist that my cancer is still being ” held at bay” and hasn’t spread elsewhere.

* Instantaneous ( un-pre-planned) surprise outings/ adventures with friends and family

* Always family gatherings… when that quiet moment of magic surrounds me amid the screams and laughter of grandchildren, jokes among adults and happy barks from our beloved pets. My life, for that perfect frozen moment in time is happy… my fortress of felicity!

So until tomorrow… take a few minutes to recognize what daily events bring you instant delight and then remember to leave time for it each and every day!

Today is my favorite day! Winnie the Pooh

Tommy and Kaitlyn are in Dingle, Ireland-they got off to a slow start-instead of leaving at 10 Saturday night they sat on the tarmac in Newark NJ until midnight… but they got there, got their rental car and made it to Dingle.

They got to see Dingle, observe an old vacant cottage from the shore and get settled in their rental overlooking pastures with mother cows and their calves and Dingle Bay! Have fun Tommy and Kaitlyn!!!

Dear Reader:

Can you believe that is has been 34 years since Robert Fulghum wrote ” All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten.” It was first published in 1986. And is still going strong today.

At the tip top of the sixteen life reminders he “shares” with us is: SHARE EVERYTHING

For us teachers it is pretty easy to say we took our education and shared it with future students for decades to follow. But Fulghum isn’t just just talking about knowledge but are we still giving of ourselves today… to others…wherever today exists on our time-line.

Sharing should be a part of our daily lives… where we literally wake up… think through the day’s events and then plan on sharing time with a friend or neighbor, taking food to others, spending time with family , picking up cards or writing a note, stopping to call, text, or email. Share something funny-a story, video etc-simply taking a minute to share ourselves with another.

And isn’t it so true… how much more fun it is… sharing our paths with a friend? ” And it is still true, no matter how old you are-when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

These days… talking with the grandchildren (as they grow up too quickly) listening to their questions and concerns is my opportunity to still use my life experiences as a guide to talk them through their ” growing pains” as comforting as I can. Education is much more about experiences and stories than academia.

As I read this following excerpt from Fulghum’s book -I immediately thought that Putin missed out completely on his ” education” by not reading it and more importantly… taking it to heart!

” Think what a better world it would be if the whole world had cookies and milk about 3:00 each afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap. OR… if all governments had a basic policy that read’ Don’t take things that aren’t yours and to always put things back where they found them and clean up their own mess!!!!” AMEN!

So until tomorrow…

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Buds! Buds mean hope and surprise -look at all the ” surcies” popping soon! Lilies and hydrangeas!

Today is the first of May-Bare footing Day and the day we say ” Rabbit Rabbit!” My little rabbit is sitting in a ” Dingle Dell” China cup that Doodle gave me and I treasure! It is especially significant today since Tommy and Kaitlyn left for Ireland last evening!

May everyone have a blessed and fantastic May month-one of the most popular months of the year!!!

Ireland is calling! Have fun and enjoy!!!

Dear Reader:

Don’t we all wish that when God gave out assignments for each of our unique paths through life…ours looked like Monet’s garden path?

Since I didn’t get that lucky… I think I have been trying to imitate the idea ever since through my own garden paths…

Sometimes haven’t we all looked at others’ paths and they seem so much more important or meaningful to more people and wonder why our paths seem to pale in comparison.

Then yesterday… I was reading an excerpt from a Kent Nerburn ( one of my favorite authors) book and read this quote:

” It is not our task to judge the worthiness of our path, it is our task to walk our path of worthiness.”

Aren’t we all conditioned to think our lives revolve around great moments… when, in reality, it is the little surprise moments that teach us the greatest lessons!

Case-in-point. Twelve years ago this Christmas Honey decided to sculpt these ” Mountain Mangers” whereas she literally took clay and first sculpted Joseph and Mary and completed the scene with a little mound…representing the Christ-Child.

As normal… the mangers had to dry for a period of time before being placed in the kiln. Every time Honey would check on the mangers…the two sculptures representing Joseph and Mary would go from being ramrod straight figurines to being bent. Why was this happening?

At first Honey tried to straighten them again until in a moment’s instance she fully realized the true meaning behind the curves…they were bowing over the Baby Jesus in reverence to Him.

When Honey told me the story… I had chills and immediately wrote some poetry to accompany the ” mountain mangers” explaining the strange phenomenon behind its creation.

Now that is an example of an everyday small moment that produced greatness and large memories in its symbolism!

So until tomorrow…We are exactly where we should be right now so relax and live the moment in gratitude!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

A Big Big Shout-out to my ” Sister in Love” Brookie! We were meant to be roomies at Erskine… of this we have no doubt! Brooke is the Ya’s ” Trailblazer” … the first one to enter into the next year of life … and we have already told her that the last three years have been way too challenging -we need this year to be a respite from the storms! Okay???

Brooke… our last good birthday year …you stuck a feather in your hair… for Heavens Sakes please stick it back in your hair today… it must have floated down from Heaven off an angel! 💗❤️💗❤️😘🎉

Dear Reader:

Don’t you just love this card? (Etsy.com) It gets right to the heart of the matter… hiding our true human feelings under layers of societal politeness. We are all afraid to appear vulnerable.

When we tell others we feel fine when we don’t… we are making mental comparisons… Fine as in comparison to being alive rather than not or fine as in walking and talking rather than not. We humans play such complicated mind games with ourselves.

Brene Brown sums it up best… All of us fight hidden, silent battles against not being good enough, not having enough, and not belonging enough.

I love this original story she created to explain how important it is to recognize our humanness for what it is… imperfection.

She pictures a vast room filled with boxes marked for perfection because the reality is most modern inventions require perfection or they don’t work at all… airplanes, trains, boats, cars, surgery utensils, construction, etc. But after all these boxes were labeled.. there was a lot of paraphernalia left marked imperfection.

The name on the huge tattered box was ART because ART most closely resembles what it is like to be human/to be alive. It is in our very nature to be imperfect, to have uncategorized feelings and emotions , to make or do things that don’t necessarily make sense… ART is all perfectly imperfect.

So until tomorrow… It is in our imperfections and vulnerabilities that we discover our true selves and we finally understand just how much more lovable imperfection is over living with perfection!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

Dear Reader:

I got in late last night from Mt Pleasant so this post won’t be pontifical…but hopefully a thin slice of pensive … something I thought about while driving home yesterday.

I think Greatness in a person is exemplified by the power of the person to relate to all kinds of people equally and gain their respect and devotion through the unwavering core values found within that individual … that manifests itself so brilliantly … it becomes ” self-evident” to all when encountered -they are an uniting/not dividing force of nature !

Like many of you probably …I caught snatches of the diversified and moving oral tributes to former and first woman Secretary of State -Madeleine Albright. As I watched television and later listened in the car to the service …I started thinking that for the first time in a long time … a group of assembled political leaders weren’t making negative remarks … the assembled adults were acting like … well adults. Quite refreshing!

An atmosphere of utmost respect and courtesy was felt throughout the honorary service. No smirks or rude behavior was disruptive to the proceedings… no cameras appeared to be seeking out deliberate gossip or inappropriate remarks that could fan the fires of the on-going political divide.

Simply put… Madeleine Albright’s story is America’s story… ( at least at one time) and for a few precious hours the world could believe in the American dream again… we could believe in a strong indomitable spirit -a no nonsense politician who didn’t seek power or greed but quietly went about her business of making the world a more informed populace … concerning which “isms” were threatening which democracies.

Her keen insight into the Russian attack on Ukraine as an ” historic error” … (setting off a domino effect across the world ) is evidenced each passing day.

Simply put… this was a good person… generous with her service and expertise while still putting family first. A person with high priorities… who actually lived up to them.

So until tomorrow…. Thank You Madeleine Albright … a true hero to our country and the world.

Today is my favorite day -Winnie the Pooh

I couldn’t help but think that my 12 year old birthday granddaughter picked a great day to dress up as a strong political female who fought for a woman’s right to vote… I just hope there will be new strong women role models, the quality of a Madeleine Albright for the new generation of youth to follow!

Busy afternoon -took Ben to doctor visit… then went to Eva Cate ‘s to give her my presents and go to eat with family for birthday dinner-then over to Tommy and Kaitlyn to tell them good-bye before they leave for Ireland Saturday! A lot of family activity going on!!!

Dear Reader:

Today Eva Cate is participating in the Fifth Grade Wax Museum as… Susan B Anthony… suffragette. Mandy and I met yesterday so I could get the hat to her to complete her costume…such is love… especially between generational grandmothers, mothers, and daughters.

It is also Eva Cate’s birthday-today she turns twelve… the eldest of all the grandchildren… the one who started it all -a new generation!

Like the balloon says… sometimes she has started calling herself just ” Eva” ( middle school is calling) and leaving off the Cate-originally John and Mandy thought they would call her ” Evie” but as soon as she made her appearance we knew she would be Miss Eva Cate! A force of nature.

It is so hard for me to take in that my first grandchild is 12. At the time Mandy was pregnant with Eva Cate I was just praying that I would get to see her …much less witness twelve years of life. A lesson learned… no matter what man predicts only God knows when we will be called up-keep our trust in Him.

One of my favorite authors, Quinn Caldwell has this to say about names…

Do you like your name? Do you live up to it? What about the names you give yourself? Why that email address? What about that Twitter or Instagram handle?

Has somebody ever tried to force a name on you that you didn’t want? That sweet, embarrassing nickname your parents called you? The mean thing the kids at the bus stop chanted?

Did you, once upon a time decide to rename yourself? Did you change to Daddy or Mommy or Aunt or Uncle? Did you become somebody’s ” Schmoopie” or somebody’s ” Boo?”

Have you taken somebody else’s name? Did you join a new family and decide to take on the head of the family’s name? Did you change your name to ” Christian?”

And did you know you have a name older than those? Sweeter than the ones crooned to you at bedtime, deeper than the ones that cut you to the quick? That matters more and tells the truth of you better than any of them? It’s the name God gave to you in the womb, and every morning since: ” BELOVED.” ( Let’s Try to act like it, OK? )

So until tomorrow… Holy God, you gave me the only name that matters… I can’t top that, but let me try just one more name that I think is pretty good, too: just call me ” yours.” Amen. (- Quinn Caldwell )

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

We had a terrific thunderstorm yesterday afternoon-torrential rains… it only lasted about ten minutes… still thankful for what we got!

Right before the thunderstorm-I took pictures of a new set of sunflowers enjoying the hot temps recently…personally I am happy to be getting some cooler temps coming in for a couple of days…