As I flipped the calendar, I was shocked that it was April already and April Fool's Day. Some of the readers of this Warm Thoughts column will recall the fun we had as children and trying to fool someone on that day, even if we had to lie a bit. It did seem to be permissible for just a day. You tried to fool at least one person. It was just a fun game.
Episode 194: Thought Lines, Creases, & Wrinkles →
In last week's column, I closed my column with a youthful and warm thought. On my way to The Clipper to deliver the column, I stopped at the store to pick up a card for a very special friend in another state who was celebrating that special 50th birthday. I find myself amused at some of the deep thoughts and brilliant sayings on some greeting cards. This one stated on the front of the card, "On your birthday, remember, with age comes wisdom, with wisdom comes deep thought, with deep thought comes thought lines, creases and wrinkles."
Episode 170: A Letter to Luetta →
When you read this Warm Thoughts column, it will be February and January has come and gone. Where has the month gone so fast? It has been a month of London fog flinging a crystal veil over the heartland, a real winter wonderland. February is heart month - the month of the Groundhog, Valentine's Day, Presidents Day...Did I forget something? February is also the month when many warm thoughts on love come to mind. In his book "How to Love," Arthur H. Rahner Jr states, "It is a selfish world." He defines love as not emotions or feelings, but the willingness to sacrifice for another. When we are selfish and look only to support our own causes, we cannot truly love.
Episode 130: Reconciliation Day →
As I flipped the calendar, I was shocked that it was April already and April Fool's Day! Some of the readers of this warm thoughts column will recall the fun we had as children and trying to fool someone on that day, even if we had to lie a little bit. It did seem permissible for just one day. You tried to fool at least one person and it was just a fun game.
Episode 108: Quiet Forces →
As I was traveling home after ending the Prayer Vigil of the American Mothers Association, many warm thoughts came to mind...thoughts about the future and how important it is that we think in the future tense and prepare ourselves for a 21st century. We do need to respect and honor the traditions and opinions of our forefathers and foremothers. It is in their accumulated wisdom and experience that much of the stability of a civilized society now rests, and we are thankful.
Recently I received a letter from a writer and poet in Florida. Sarah Gray has given permission to use her beautiful thoughts in this week’s warm thoughts column.
Episode 105: The Attitude of Aging →
Recently I read a very interesting article on the challenges of aging. Studies by the experts state that the generation who are celebrating their 50th, 60th, and 70th anniversaries have succeeded in kicking the belabbers out of the stereotypes of aging. Perhaps this can be explained by one word - attitude. The experts stated, "the attitudes of a 70 year-old today are equivalent to those of a 50 year-old, only a decade or two ago." It is interesting how many couples are their 50th, 60th, and even 70th wedding anniversaries. More individuals are also reaching that century mark.
Episode 103: If Teacups Could Talk →
Episode 103 - If Teacups Could Talk
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Summertime. Good, ole' summertime. It is a good time to get in some summer reading. My grandchildren from Ohio sent me the book, "If Teacups Could Talk" by Emily Barnes. I have enjoyed reading the many warm thoughts in this book over a cup of tea. I have also had many special moments with the grandchildren, as we have our tea party. I have learned some interesting lessons about tea cups. China dishes recovered from shipwrecks are often good as new, long after the ship itself has dissolved in the salt water. Porcelain is fragile, but it is also remarkably durable, like us, like life. Humans are beautiful and breakable, like china cups. Humans can heal and grow and move beyond disaster, we can reach out to one another and encouragement and comfort. Nancy Reagan has stated that a woman is like a tea bag. It's only when she's in hot water that you realize how strong she is. Tea Time offers so many wonderful possibilities for nurturing friendships, and if tea cups could talk, they would say so much about the past, and also about the future. For hundreds of years "come for tea" has been another way of saying, "Come, let's share a little bit of our lives together." If tea cups could talk their message no doubt would be "Use Me."
Episode 80: Forgiving Others →
In last week's column, it was mentioned that January 21st is National Hugging Day. I also read about Thank You Day being in January. And the last week in January has long been known as International Forgiveness Week. The other morning I was listening on the radio, and heard it say that a noted doctor stated that, "70% of the people would be released from hospitals in 24, hours, if they knew they were forgiven." A French philosopher once said that, "To know all is to forgive all." Among my heroes of faith are many missionary friends whose forgiving heart has taken them to their former captors. That is the story of St. Patrick who went back to Ireland as a Christian missionary to take the love of Christ. A well known missionary and author of many books, worked among the people who killed her husband, and other missionaries. There are many heroes of faith, who live a life of daily forgiveness. Forgiveness is the mark of maturity. Life is too short to hold a grudge. Harry E. Fosdick once said, "Hating people is like burning down your home to get rid of a rat." The inability to forgive and forget, is what makes one sick. As we have many warm thoughts on forgiveness during International Forgiveness Week, may we remember, there is a little remedy to ease the life we live and make each day, a happier one - it is the word, forgive.