História Story

I reread this 12/7/2021. I don't get drunk, but sure sounded it as I obviously didn't proof. Either that, or I wrote it in the early morning before my decaf...I'm already caffeinated, but still like the java flavor that wakes me up despite no octane... 

Born in a small town in Texas

I had a...

Country mom dreaming of city life and bring an actress

Urban dad desiring a rural existence as an architect

So they became missionaries to the largest city in South America building a youth camp.

My heart was creative, felt a love from God and wanted to do it all.

Two languages and lots of creativity meant doodling, daydreaming and creating stories, movies, music, journaling and Bible lessons at home, school and church.

Also loved athletics, mainly tennis, basketball and volleyball. We'll have to play goalie and soccer.

Got my brother at 5 and played everything fun. A kind and financial wiz.

My next gift was my sister at 10, a sponge for life. A humorous and artful counselor.

Couldn't stop taking about Jesus in 2nd grade at my Christian Academy.

Admired my movie star parents and studied the Bible with mom at 13.

My father then baptized me that week, and this shy girl talked more about Jesus.

Great schools, teachers and classmates, the camp my father built and out 3rd family, the Team.

Best blood family.

College, lots of work and jobs, loved studying art then changed to American Studies, the closest major to being a secretary like our father's.

Non-degree human comm graduate studies.

Welcome to work life in Boston, many and music production assistant.

Meet husband.

Son of a mechanical engineer among of his projects for gyroscopes for the Apollo missions and patriot missiles.

Another, a teacher and piano and voice, canterer and singer of Russian folk.

Four doting elder siblings, athletes, a psych nurse turn CEO, artist, ballet dancer-pianist-singer, electrical engineer.

Soccer player-defender, basketball, studied building construction, and enjoyed summer church camp.

Met through mutual friends, got a promise ring 6 months later. Told all to each other, good bad and ugly. Our lives are about food, folks, family and fun.

John returned to school to study biology and get a job at the USDA antioxidant lab in Boston working with world renowned scientists.

Went to each other's churches, but he chose to be immersed as an adult.

Married three years later, and happy having kids or not.

Worked at the best women's health club in Boston, then corporate, some Fortune 500.

Church was our family, Sunday adventures, Christmas candlelight services, talent shows and so much more.

Vacationed in Vermont with John's family, and in New Mexico when my parents moved.

My siblings married, nephews and nieces begin coming.

When we were married six years, we decided to move by family.

After several miscarriages, and the loss of John's closest brother, then my brother, took up writing.

John worked for non-profit as a construction manager.

His parents moved near us, then four years later a job offer 3 hours away.

Said no at first, as wanted to be by family.

Decided to take the job, but missed family and visited a lot.

I needed some relief, got the right help in church doctor and wife were supportive, Mom came for one week as well as my sister-in-law's sister. Church sent food. 

One year later major family issues resolved loosely affecting us, freeing us up to be parents.

Said nothing to my husband, but got deep in scripture, reading, writing. 

Then two and a half years later asked John if he had thought about being a father.

He said he had been thinking of praying for two and a half years, the same time I had.

Had lost John's father meanwhile.

One weekend many Brazilian friends came to visit, and spent time singing, telling stories and eating great resigned food. John's mom asked that's how I grew up and I said yes.

Heard about our daughter's story 8 months later, learned her last living relative died the month before we started talking about adopting.

We returned to be my family, food, and fun.

Became a mom right in the middle of life. The adoption was to take one year, but was 2 years and 2 months.

Got Monika's picture; lower half like John, upper half like me, face shape and nose like John and my  hair color and skin color mine. Love soccer and has two favorite positions, golee and defender. Loves all of the subjects like us, and makes friends easily. Loves food, family, folks and fun!

Coming to the right families, including the Team and all left on Sunday night family from schools, churches to work places.

To myself season or a long time.

Olympic I get embarrassed, but push it out of my mind as I've had a great life, an interesting mute life but enjoying this season.

That's a secret only for My closies.

The Gift Of Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

My prayer is you know how much you are loved! You have made a huge difference in our lives! Thank you so much! We know we are loved so much because of your kindness over the years. We look forward to a good 2021.

The Magic of Love

 

5-minute read

Our daughter was born from our hearts in 2015. This is the month she came to the US five years ago.

∞ ∞

All of our nieces and nephew have brought us a kind of magical love, each as they came into this world.

Austin is a businessman working with his brother Tyler. He is an avid hunter and could be a TV outdoorsman. He is married to the wonderful Emilee who works in the businessworld as well. They are expecting their first child next year and will be great parents. I have enjoyed listening to Austin's favorite songs, hearing about his hunting adventures and for a bit, loved hearing his guitar playing. He's a natural musician, picking up Puff the Magic Dragon quickly, the easiest song I know how to play.

As mentioned, Tyler runs a business with his brother. He and his wife Alyssa had their first child recently and are terrific parents already. Tyler is also a hunter, but has the gift of organization and how to make things run well. I recall reading books with Tyler and have enjoyed his opinions since a child.

Tori is a teacher and was always great with children and animals even when she was a young girl. She also recently became a personal trainer. She has a gift of painting signs with positive sayings. She is movie-starrish, and well-spoken.

Holden is working with an engineer. He has the gift of detail and can recount a movie in great detail, as well as describe how things work. He's the game of Life guru. I believe Holden won the most when we played. He once picked up John's trumpet and did a great job picking out the notes. Holden is a singer also.

Ava is a nurturer and connector. She enjoyed singing and dancing to movies as soon as she could talk. She is very coordinated and is an adventuress and loves nature. Her laugh is contagious and she's an asset at her job in customer service at a tourist center. She also is taking courses and keeps her plate very busy. Ava sings with her siblings.

Jackson is an very articulate, likes to solve philosophical puzzles quickly and would probably make a great professor. He too is in customer service at a tour center and is loves nature along with his siblings. He is a singer too.

Audrey is a creator and seamstress. She too has a gift with words and has great thoughts on local to global events on social media. She'd make a good journalist one day. She's a student and loves to sing as well.

We have other "nieces and nephews" who are not blood who've made a difference in our hearts as well. Sarah and Andy are two amazing adults as well. Sarah is a college professor who loves to work out and is making a difference in her world. Andy is a businessman is married to Megan, a teacher and men's track coach. They are expecting their first child early next year.

From times at our home playing the game of Life and other games, watching movies, eating pizza and going fun places together, we feel that magical love for each of our nieces and nephews. We were happy being aunt and uncle. Then…

∞ ∞

Monika's story came to us in July 2013. By the time Monika came into our lives, she fit. She's family oriented, friendly, a wonderful student, both in homeschooling and the High School where she finished. She loves her family dearly and wish her only the best in life all her days.

∞ ∞

My favorite Monika story was when we were in Poland, she asked if she was going to get bracelets. We had already purchased many. I cocked my head in a questioning fashion. Then she pointed to her teeth.

“Oh, braces! Yes, we’ll get you braces.” Then she slapped her thigh and laughed that big laugh!

∞ ∞

Now that we are parents, we feel like the lucky ones. Thank you nieces and nephews for the magical love all these years. We have fond memories of each of you. 

∞ ∞

Today Monika’s a well-adjusted young lady. She’s in college studying marketing. She also is number 1 or 2 in sales at her place of business. She has a Julia Roberts’ laugh. Loves everyone, and like her parents are the first to admit to not being perfect. But life is filled with grace, not only Divine Grace, but human grace. There is something good in everyone and every season.

I am very glad to be here today and wouldn’t go back to any place except to relive all the good memories which are countless. In the end, it's all about that magical love that only grows as the years pass.

It Just Doesn't Matter

The saying goes it doesn't matter if you win or lose, but how you play the game. 

In this comic scene, Bill Murray is saying it doesn't matter how they play the game, because the other team will always be advantaged no matter whether their team wins or loses. In a sense, to be concerned about the outcome, or how uncomfortable the game is feeling is the equivalent of filling one's mind with poop.

I read about a famous artist who needed an essential female procedure, a bit later, they were not themselves. For many years, they told an upsidedown version of their lives to many friends and family despite having lived a great life. It was a failing on the doctor's part. But when they got their solution, all that junk faded. They are fine now. In the final analysis, that upsidedown story just didn't matter, it was a poopy-diaper.

If you've ever been through a strange season, never tell yourself, nor let anyone tell you your life/experience/season is a waste. In another Bill Murray movie, What About Bob, Bob makes the comment that sometimes people are temporarily disconnected. Sometimes people need a break so they can get their perspectives correct again. It can happen to anyone at any time. It's never too early nor too late to learn lessons, pick yourself up from having stumbled and finish your race. In fact, those who've stumbled the hardest and get back up are deserving of an extra round of encouragement that they might finish their race well. The best encouragement in these times are encouragement, good/funny stories and memorable experiences that will help a loved one get to the other side.

All hurt hurts. But wounds can heal. There is a hurt called moral wounding. It's where we hurt someone we love or a loved one hurts us accidentally. Most cases can be resolved with a short talk. In the end, the issue goes away, and what remains is a lovely lesson for the next season or to pass on to the next generation.

With time to convalesce, no matter what poopy-diapers get thrown at us, it just doesn't matter.

Sacred Book Covers

Many years ago there was a client who came into one of my work places. He was a nice man, understated and always polite with a bit of a serious flair.

One day out of the blue one of my co-workers said, "It's said that he killed somebody years ago and spent some time in jail."

I was young at the time, and didn't know how to take this. On one hand the man was always polite, cordial and never caused any trouble. On the other hand I had this new picture in my mind, driven a bit by fear.

How should I think about this person? Should I h eyes in the back of my head?

I don't know if you've ever had someone say something like that to you about somebody, or if you said something random about somebody else, even innocently, that may have changed another's perspective for the negative. I never wanted to be that person, but sadly I've lived long enough to see where I have made that mistake a few times unknowingly.

Every book has the right to be judged by its contents, and not its cover or even past history.

I know nothing of the particulars of this man, whether the rumor was true or not. But one thing's for sure, if that had happened, he was one of the most un, kind and helpful people I knew.

Either that's the way he always was, or he was a changed man. He deserved the respect of anyone, and maybe more so if he had overcome something so huge as to what the rumor implied.

A prayer for peace...

Dear Heavenly father, help us as your children love on each other regardless of the color of our skin, and even the content of our character. May we help the characters of others and ourselves rise to greater levels each day. Your son taught us how to do that, and we're relying on your spirit to help us rise higher. Thank you that he taught us to love and took on every evil on the cross so that we could be free to love each other. In the name of Jesus, Amen years ago there was a client who came into one of my work places. He was a nice man, understated and always polite with a bit of a serious flair.

One day out of the blue one of my co-workers said, "It's said that he killed somebody years ago and spent some time in jail."

I was young at the time, and didn't know how to take this. On one hand the man was always polite, cordial and never caused any trouble. On the other hand I had this new picture in my mind, driven a bit by fear.

How should I think about this person? Should I h eyes in the back of my head?

I don't know if you've ever had someone say something like that to you about somebody, or if you said something random about somebody else, even innocently, that may have changed another's perspective for the negative. I never wanted to be that person, but sadly I've lived long enough to see where I have made that mistake a few times unknowingly.

Every book has the right to be judged by its contents, and not its cover or even past history.

I know nothing of the particulars of this man, whether the rumor was true or not. But one thing's for sure, if that had happened, he was one of the most un, kind and helpful people I knew.

Either that's the way he always was, or he was a changed man. He deserved the respect of anyone, and maybe more so if he had overcome something so huge as to what the rumor implied.

A prayer for peace...

Dear Heavenly father, help us as your children love on each other regardless of the color of our skin, and even the content of our character. May we help the characters of others and ourselves rise to greater levels each day. Your son taught us how to do that, and we're relying on your spirit to help us rise higher. Thank you that he taught us to love and took on every evil on the cross so that we could be free to love each other. In the name of Jesus, Amen

Denise's Creations

Enlarge the picture to

see the order number

1 - $8/each

2 - $8/each

3 - $5/each

4 - $10/each

5 - $10/each

6 - $10/each

7 - $10/each

8 - $10/each

9 - $10/each

10 - $10/each

11 - $10/each

12 - $10/each

13 - $15/each

14 - $15/each

15 - $5/each

16 - $20/each

17 - $20(12"x 18")   $15(12"x 12")

18 - $15(8"x 11")

19 - $15(11"x 8")

20 - $15(11"x 8")    $15(12"x 12")

21 - $15(12"x 12")

Some Thoughts on this Brave New World

 

It's hard to stay inside all of the time, but I have to ask myself, am I making the most of this time? I have taken to catching up with all kinds of friends among other projects. I have also taken advantage to rest. In our fast paced society, it's easy to get going so fast that there may be years of activity without required rest that can bring renewal. When life runs on high octane, there are drive-by conversations, sometimes misunderstandings happen and then there's the pressure to take on more than one is capable of handling.

On my walk this morning I ran into a neighbor who asked how we were. I have only seen this neighbor out one time, but it was good to check in on each other.

This pandemic has turned our world upside down, and as far as I can see, people are being more caring than ever. I hear about the negative at times, but what good does it do me to let it get under my skin? Isn't it better to be built up and build up? Isn't it better to go through the proper channels to communicate concern than mull with each over what is not going well? Do I always do this well? No, but when I connect with those who are empowered to help the problem, such as -and this is not a comprehensive list - a representative or healthcare specialist, I have done my part. Hopefully there are other Whos in Whosville doing the same thing. And at some point a Cindy-loo Who comes along that pushes the whole community in the right direction.

As a person of faith, I attribute that spirit to the person of God at work in others. This isn't a conversion piece, but if it encourages something good and transformative in anyone, then God has done His job. I am not God, nor do I pretend to be, but I pray that my words encourage you during this difficult time to hang in and look to the One who can handle all of our care. I hope you also know that you are cared about, to not fear, to cast all worry on God as he cares for us all, and so much more. But in the end, can we pray that we keep up this spirit of goodness around us in public and private? Can we reconnect with those with whom we need to? Can we make new connections with new wisdom?

 

I pray we do. I pray I do. I thank God for bringing out the best in people through the healthcare workers, food service industry, entertainment industry, transportation workers, local and global leaders and so many more.

Please stay safe and take care in this brave new world.

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