Snow showers in April bring us the month of May. Soon it will be the month of May - an exciting month of the year. A month of wonders. The amazing beauty and mystery of this world wraps itself into May. May is family month. There are the Mother's Day celebrations, graduations, and the May flowers help us celebrate and also honor the dead on loved ones graves. The beauty and drama of this world entwines the whole month of May.
Episode 221: Memory Lane →
Happy Easter! After the long winter, the seeds of spring are beginning to appear. We are reminded once again that in our lives we will have times of winter, but spring will come as promised. Spring is a time when one gets the urge to travel with the birds and visit family and friends, renewing old friendships and making new friendships. This past weekend, it was my joy to travel back to my roots and visit family and see many of my old friends from years gone by. Celebrating a 40th wedding anniversary with family was one of the highlights of the journey. Traveling old familiar roads brought back many memories and can give one a bit of nostalgia. Memories, memories!
Episode 220: April Fools & 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 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 219: Forever Spring →
Happy Easter! Easter and Spring have arrived. As I write these warm thoughts, it is the week before Easter and there still are some mountains of snow surrounding the little home on the prairie. My grandson, Trevor, who lives in Nebraska and who is spending some special vacation days with his grandma in South Dakota, is overjoyed to make an Easter snowman. Is spring really here in South Dakota? The events following Palm Sunday bring many memories of my past trips to the Holy Land. Walking the Via Dolorosa on the way to Calvary is a memory that often comes to mind not only during Holy Week.
Episode 218: Family & Friends →
When you read this column, spring is on the calendar! Oh, the wonderland of spring. The birds begin to sing their springtime songs. Winter is past and sweet spring has come at last. The trees that once were lifeless will begin to turn green. Many schools throughout the country have had their spring break already and the next holiday to look forward to is Easter holiday. It is a time for special times with family and friends. Among the many Irish sayings, Irish Gerard Butler wrote some beautiful thoughts on family and friends which I would like to share with you.
Episode 217: Malice Toward None & Charity For All →
As I write these warm thoughts, we are celebrating Presidents Day. Many patriotic thoughts come to mind on this national holiday on which we celebrate the birthdays of our first president, George Washington, and of our 16th President Abraham Lincoln.
Episode 216: Praying for Our Nation →
Every year in February, we observe Presidents Day. Many churches throughout the land may observe a day of prayer, at which time they pray for the leaders of our country. Two of my friends were among the many who attended the President's breakfast in Washington DC. This annual day of prayer is a 45 year-old Washington tradition that draws people from around the world, including politicians, judges, diplomats, bureaucrats, foreign leaders, and military personnel. Praying for our nation and for our leaders is no new thought. Instead, it has been encouraged throughout the ages. C H. Spurgeon stated, "Whenever God determines to do a great work, he first sends his people to pray."
Episode 215: A Visit from the President →
When you read this Warm Thoughts column and look at the calendar, it tells us that Abraham Lincoln's birthday is February 12th. In the one room country school where I went as a child, the pictures of George Washington and Abe Lincoln hung on the wall along with the ten commandments. In those years, the government recognized two President holidays in February. These two presidents became examples of compassion and courage in my life. George Washington was our first president and known as the father of our country. Abraham Lincoln was president during the Civil War. Very recently, I read an incident about Abraham Lincoln that happened in the Civil War. It really touched my heart during this heart month, and I felt compelled to share these thoughts on caring and compassion with you.
Episode 214: Grandma Quilt →
February - heart month - the month for Valentine's Day. The month we think "spring" even if all man winters still has his fling! Brrrr! It has been cold! One needs to keep warm with the extra comforter that would be at the foot of the bed in grandma's day. No cold chill could penetrate the warmth of that comforter as it radiated grandma's love and care. That quilt was grandma's legacy. Recently, my friend experienced all the excitement of being a grandma for the first time. My gift to her was a baby quilt, and a poem I wrote. Since many of my readers have expressed appreciation of poetry thoughts, I will share with you the poem I gave with the quilt.
Episode 213: Footprints in the Snow →
Many warm thoughts come to mind as one views snow covered mountains and valleys. Pleasant memories can be rekindled by the warmth of a glowing fire in the fireplace, as we read cards and letters from family and friends. A few weeks ago I received a letter from old friends who live in the heartland of America, who have endured many winters of snow and ice in their lives. These thoughts were included on their card.
Episode 212: The Afterglow of that Bright Star →
Many years in the past, I would write the family Christmas letter on January 6th, the Christmas of the Gentiles - the festival that commemorates the appearance of the Christ child as the promised Savior to the Gentiles and to all the world. A few days before Christmas, I spent some time with family and friends in Nebraska. While there, Trina, my seven year old granddaughter wanted to make a gift for her parents. Since she is reading now and loves to tell stories, she wanted to write "A Merry Christmas Story." She dictated each word for me to print. As I patiently listened to each word, I became a bit weary and felt challenged to listen to the rest of the story. "Grandma, we can't forget about the kings," I heard her say. And so she continued, "It was a star that led three kings from a faraway country to come to Bethlehem too."
Episode 211: Generations of Memories →
Warm greetings from the Little Home on the Prairie and a Happy New Year! When you read the first column of Warm Thoughts for this new year, your thoughts may still be reflecting on memories of your traditional Christmas with friends and family. How exciting to pass on those wonderful traditions to our children and grandchildren! We can have generations of memories.
Episode 210: Fresh Dreams →
This is the first Warm Thoughts column for 1998: An unknown author once wrote this New Year’s thought…”What the New Year will bring us depends a great deal on what we bring into the New Year.” Among the many Christmas greeting cards received were many warm thoughts.
Episode 206: Giving Thanks to God →
Thanksgiving Day is a very special holiday for many families. Family traditions are often carried out on this day in many homes. It is also a good time to remember what we often forget to say - that we are grateful to be together and to acknowledge with thanks, each other. It is a time to thank the people who have made a difference in our lives. Many warm thoughts come to mind.
Episode 205: 10 Tips for Educational Success →
Every parent has a dream that their child will succeed in school. And the question they may ask is, "How can I help my children succeed in getting a great education?" As a mother and grandmother, this has been a real concern for me. I found it very interesting to learn about research that Judith Ann Hillard did for her doctorate. Her research is based on a sampling of more than 1,800 students. I believe you will appreciate the following 10 tips Judith found, which are backed up by statistics and her research.
Episode 197: Hugs for Everyone →
The Labor Day weekend provides a great holiday for families who still need a few more days vacation. September is when we start counting the days of summer we still have left. September is also the month for Grandparents Day. This past summer, the grandchildren came to vacation at the little home on the prairie. One day I heard the older grandchildren laughing upstairs. They had found grandma's humor box. The youngest grandchild, very active two-year-old, Trevor, keeps everyone challenged. Grandma would rub his back at naptime. When he returned home from vacation, he ordered his dad, "Rub my back!" It is a real joy to receive many warm thoughts from the readers of this column. Recently, someone sent a poem which I will share with you.
Episode 196: Our Duty to Serve & Give →
One of the most faithful readers of this warm thoughts column has sent his significant insights from the book entitled, "Never Give In." This book was written by Stephen Mansfield and is about the extraordinary character of Winston Churchill. In a recent issue of the US News and World Report, it asked about heroes and the magazine shares the lives of 20 men and women who risked it all to make a difference. Winston Churchill was truly one of the heroes of England, although he was hated and rejected in various ways.
Episode 195: Eating for Attitude →
I recently read an article about how our attitude depends on what we eat and when we eat as it has a major impact on our performance and moods. We have heard often, "You are what you eat." According to Dr. Jack Groppel, a well known nutrition and fitness expert, he tells us how to have a better attitude.
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 193: Humans are like Tea Cups →
Summertime. Good, Ol' summertime. It is a good time to get in some summer reading. My grandchildren from Ohio sent me the book, "If Tea Cups 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.