Blog Posts

3 Types of Shoppers at the Mall and At Church

8/3/2014

Last week, I had occasion to visit a large, local indoor mall. To say it was a wonderful experience would be stretching it a bit, but I was only there for a short time. I used to work at this mall, before the last two additions were built. Stores have come and gone, but the types of shoppers has not changed.

I wrote the first part of this for a college English assignment thirteen years ago and after reading it, I believe it is as relevant today as it was then. I added the church shopping comparison today.

If you've had the opportunity to visit a shopping mall, you will undoubtedly have observed many differing types of people. There are, of course, the obvious differences of race, gender and age. However, there are 'other', less obvious differences between the people who frequent the mall.

The first group is The Strollers. They have come just to spend some time. They aren't necessarily shopping for anything; they enjoy the atmosphere. They gaze into each store window, even pausing for a time to admire the new merchandise. The Strollers seldom purchase anything; they are window-shopping. They might wander into a store and check the price tags on a few items. The purpose of this is not to determine if they can afford it, but to keep abreast of the latest price changes and styles. You will seldom see a Stroller checking the location information stations, as they really don't care which part of the mall they're in, as long as they are able to walk around freely and occasionally stop for a cup of coffee or a snack.

You will recognize the Strollers by their slow pace, which is a definite irritant to the next group: Shoppers On A Mission. This group comes to the mall for a specific item or items and will not be deterred until they find it. They are not interested in 'window shopping,' and don't usually care about price comparisons; they know what they want and are in a hurry to get it. They are in a find and conquer mode. They want to spend as little time as possible at the mall, they don't want to run into friends and chat or have a cup of coffee. They definitely do not have any patience for anyone who slows down their pace.

The next group is the Power Shopper. They know what they want; however, they can be easily distracted if they see a better deal or find something more appropriate than their original idea. They CAN and WILL 'shop till they drop.' This is their favorite form of recreation and they cannot imagine a week of abstinence from the mall. Shopping runs in their blood and gives them purpose in life. The Power Shoppers will easily spend an entire day at their favorite past time.

Each of these groups encompasses all ages, races and both genders. They may or may not have young children with them. While it is true having very young children with them may hamper their particular style of shopping; they will still hold true to the descriptions of The Stroller, The Shopper On A Mission or The Power Shopper.

If you haven't visited a mall in a while, I suggest you find some time, go to the mall of your choice, buy a beverage, select a bench and sit back and observe. I guarantee you will spot all three types of shoppers. Just remember, each group has its own agenda and you don't want to get in the way.

I think perhaps the same descriptions can be applied to people looking for a new church home. The Strollers leisurely wander from church to church, just feeling good about being there but never really settling in. The Shoppers On A Mission are intent on finding what they want...the music, the message and the programs need to be exactly what they are looking for. They don't want to help, volunteer, or be a part of anything. Just get there on Sunday and get back home; quickly. The Power Shoppers can and do enjoy being there and want to be involved in everything; occasionally to the neglect of their families or other commitments.

Perhaps we need to be a composite of these groups. What are your thoughts?

Do you recognize yourself in one of these groups? Shopping at the mall or for a church?

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I Seldom Write Fiction

7/15/2014

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As the title suggests, I rarely write fiction. I did enter a flash fiction contest, just for fun, and won first place in the Crime Category. I was shocked, to say the least, but very pleased. For some reason, I laugh every time I re-read this story. It was included in an anthology of all first place winners. I hope you enjoy it. It is a bit bizarre. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Feeling Better?

Gloria Doty

“I’m leaving for work now, Danny. I left a few crackers and some Sprite on the nightstand for you. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

            Casey turned for one last look at Danny, totally under the covers. She really hated leaving him alone when he was not feeling well, but she couldn’t miss work again.

She locked the door to the apartment and went down the stairs, passing elderly Mrs. French in the entry hall.

            “Everything okay?” Mrs. French asked in her nosy neighbor way.

            “Yes,” Casey said, trying to smile. “My husband is not feeling well, but I’m sure it’s just a touch of the flu.”

            “Well, make sure he stays in your apartment. We don’t need him spreadin’ any germs to the rest of us.”

            “Yes, ma’am,” Casey answered. “I will.” She wanted to add, ‘you hateful old bat’ but she smiled and went out onto the street as she did every day. Danny had been sick for weeks and it was getting tiresome.

            Casey tried calling home on her lunch hour but of course, Danny didn’t answer. He’s probably sleeping, she thought. That’s a good thing.

            As Casey turned the key and opened the door, she hoped Danny might be setting up, but as usual, he wasn’t. The crackers and soda were untouched.

            “Oh, Sweetie, you’re not feeling any better?” she asked as she went into the kitchen. “Can I make you some soup or something? You have to eat, you know. I wish we had the money for you to go to the doctor again, but we just don’t. It costs so much and the last time you were there, we could barely afford the prescription, remember?”

            She touched his cheek. He didn’t feel like he had a fever, but she wasn’t very good at telling that way and they didn’t own a thermometer. She smiled to herself as she washed the few breakfast dishes, remembering how her mother had always felt her head when she was sick and knew immediately if she had a fever or not. Casey wished her mother were here with her in this cramped little apartment. She would know what to do about Danny…but she wasn’t. Casey sighed and suddenly felt sad and very alone. Her mother would never come see her; they hadn’t spoken since she and Danny ran off to Chicago and got married. She could hear her mother’s voice telling them they were making a huge mistake. She accused Casey of being delusional about life and never accepting reality, but she and Danny left anyway.

Casey didn’t want to think about the realities of their hasty decision. Nothing turned out the way she thought it would. Danny quit his job, so there was only her paycheck to pay for rent and food, bus fare and his damned cigarettes and then the doctor bill and the medicine, too. Well, now they were behind with the rent payment, but she had done her wifely duty, hadn’t she? She gave him his medicine, measuring every dose; sometimes a little more than it said on the bottle, but she wanted him to get better, faster.

She really wished they had a fan. It was so hot and the apartment was stifling, but a fan would make the electric bill even higher. She couldn’t allow herself to think about what they would do when winter came and they had to pay for heat. Maybe she could move before winter; just her. If Danny didn’t want to work, she would find a place of her own.

            Casey shook her head to clear her thoughts. Her main concern right now should be Danny and what to do about him.

            The loud knock on the door startled her. Probably the landlord, but she didn’t have the money he would be looking for.

            “Who is it?” she asked.

            “The police, Ma’am. Open the door, please.”

            “Police? Why? What do you want?” Casey stammered.

            “We’ve had a complaint about a smell coming from your apartment.”

            “Did Mrs. French call you?” Casey asked. “She’s such a busybody. I just forgot to take out the garbage.”

            “Open the door, Mrs. Croll.”

            Casey opened it a crack and looked into the hallway. A policeman and two men in suits were standing there. They pushed past her and moved toward the bed.

            “Please don’t disturb my husband. He doesn’t feel well.”

            The officer in the uniform took Casey by the arm and led her out of the apartment.

            “Come with me, Mrs. Croll. They will see to your husband.”

            As Lt. Wills pulled the sheet back and put a mask over his nose, he asked the coroner, “How long do you think?”

            “We’ll need to run tests for sure, but from the looks of him, I’d say it’s been over a week.”

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4 Things I Learned from You Tube

7/8/2014

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I rarely start my day or end it by visiting You Tube. I do, however, check FaceBook daily and sometimes, several times a day.

Part of the reason for that is due to my 'occupation' as a writer. If you are not constantly updating and posting writerly and authorly things to your many social media sites, you will be overlooked when it is time for publishing a book. I was turned down for a slot in Writer's Destination contest promoted by Amtrak because my social media visibility was not high enough. And then there are Google analytics and the correct SEO (search engine optimization) and on and on.

The other reason I check FB is strictly because I get sucked in. I read a quote (on FB, of course) that made me laugh. It stated, "I decided to check FB for a minute...now, 12 years later" LOL

I have seen recipes for the most decadent desserts on the face of the earth, the 'healthiest' recipes, the most AMAZING everything. Amazing is the most overused word on FB...from singers, to jugglers, to animal rescues, to little children chasing cats, cats chasing dogs, dogs chasing children, stupid tricks, cars, trains, planes, lions, tigers and bears..oh my.

I do enjoy many posts and articles, but I am speaking about the things that take you directly to a video on You Tube. Even though many of them are informative and I tell myself I will do that some day or I should write that down, I have found only 4 that I actually use in my daily life and are simple enough I don't need to write the directions.

I will give you the address to each short video and you can watch it for yourself.

The first one is for removing the arils from a pomegranate; easily and with no special tools. You need a knife to cut the fruit in half, then a bowl to catch the arils and a wooden spoon to 'whack' the outside of the fruit. They all fall out. Simple. Easy.

http://lifehacker.com/5895852/deseed-a-pomegranate-in-10-seconds-using-a-wooden-spoon

The next one I like and use is separating the yolks from the whites of eggs. For this all you need is eggs, obviously, a bowl and an empty plastic water bottle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAp8pEaWB1Y

When I owned a catering business, there were many times I needed to cut grapes in half. You can't add whole grapes to chicken salad, for instance. This next video would have been a godsend, but alas, I didn't know this little trick then. You will need grapes, 2 plates and a long knife. Voila! Sliced grapes. Cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVFXPmDmhGA

The last one is essential; especially if you have lost, given away, or misplaced your corkscrew for opening wine bottles. I tried a screwdriver and a pliers but only managed to push the cork down into the bottle and get a wine bath at the same time.

You need your unopened bottle of wine, a shoe (you do own a shoe, right? this won't work with flip-flops) and a wall. Most people have a wall somewhere. If you are at the beach....well, sorry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMMdN4AFtqE

Enjoy these 4 and use them. They work.

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Summer Blog Tour

7/7/2014

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What is a summer blog tour, you ask. I asked the same question when my friend, Rebecca Waters, asked if I wanted to participate.

A blog tour takes place when one writer/author asks another to answer four specific questions about their writing on their blog. Then that person asks another and the information continues each Monday on a new person's blog. If it isn't clear yet, continue reading. I want to thank Rebecca for inviting me. Please take a minute and read her information.

Rebecca sees writing as both a gift and a ministry. Although she has published in professional journals in the field of education, she has now turned her pen to Christian fiction.

Her first novel, Breathing on Her Own, is available as an e-book for your Kindle or in print form @ Amazon.com

You can find also find Rebecca here:

Website:http://www.BreathingOnHerOwn.com

Blog: http://rebeccaawaters.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaWatersAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/WatersAuthor

My answers to the 4 questions:

What am I working on? I have several 'irons in the fire' as the saying goes. I am working with my sister on a book of devotions with a working title of Devotions for Flower Lovers. Each common flower picture will be accompanied by a correlating devotion. That proposal will be sent to a publisher who is willing to look at it...soon. I also have a WIP about the 17 occupations I had while God was preparing me to be a writer. There is a children's picture book series of 13 books; one for each of my grandchildren. Each book will contain a true story from their life and a biblical message to be learned from it. The topics will be current things that happen in the lives of all children. The first book is written and is illustrated by a professional. I have several magazine articles with deadlines. I am always writing devotions for a quarterly devotional, Hope-Full Living.

How does my work differ from others of its genre? Non-fiction covers a very large territory. My published book, Not Different Enough, fits in the autism category. My book is different from the others I have read in the fact I am not promoting any specific diets, therapies or political agendas. I tell the everyday experiences from birth to diagnosis to today, at 30 years old, of my daughter and my journey on this wild and woolly adventure. It would be beneficial for any parent, teacher, medical professional or relative to read.

Why do I write what I do? I wrote the book to help parents understand what life might be like if they have a child on the spectrum. I want them to know it is not all doom and gloom; there are many humorous things in my book. The prevailing theme is faith and a sense of humor. You will not survive if you don't have both.

How does my writing process work? Sometimes I don't even know how it works. Non-fiction is different from fiction in the fact I already have my characters and my scenes and situations. I don't have to imagine them. So for me, it is a matter of putting it together so my readers will want to keep reading, enjoy the humor, cry at the sad things and always know God is in control; of my writing and my life. The nicest compliment many people have given me after reading Not Different Enough, is it seemed as though they were sitting at the table talking with me as they read it. That was my intention.

I never write in longhand first. I make lists on paper, but from there it goes to the computer. I can backspace faster than I can erase on paper. I also edit as I write. I re-edit of course, but I can't allow a word to be misspelled even in a first draft.

Those are my answers to the questions. Next week you can read Cindy Huff's answers. Be sure to read and follow her blog.

You can find Cindy here:

Cindy Huff
Word Traveler
President of Word Weavers Aurora
cindyshuff@comcast.net
Writer's Patchwork Blog www.jubileewriter.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com/cindyehuff
www.examiner.com/auroraparenting

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8 Things To Know About Watermelon

6/27/2014

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There is nothing that says 'summer' quite like cold, crisp, sweet, juice-running-down-your-chin watermelon. Nearly everyone likes watermelon and the few who don't, well, what can I say?

I was prompted to write this post after purchasing 2 watermelons last weekend for a party at my house. The first one was a 'grab it and go' selection. The entire inside was mush and juice that ran everywhere when I cut into it. Yuck. A quick trip to a nearby grocery and I had another one. It was solid and edible but light pink and not the sweetness I desired.

I decided to do some 'melon research' (after the fact, of course). I am going to share all the good information I learned. Applause, please.

#1) Watermelons are NOT a fruit; they are a vegetable and related to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash. Do NOT, under any circumstances, tell your children they are a vegetable.

#2) There are over 1200 varieties; with 50 being the most common. Only 50? I have enough trouble choosing when there are only a few varieties available. The seedless ones were introduced nearly 50 years ago. I realize some folks believe they aren't as sweet as the seeded varieties, but as a former caterer, I thanked God many times for the seedless watermelons.

#3) A watermelon should be heavy due to the fact it is 92% water. I'm trying to figure out how I can use that as an excuse for my rather rotund figure; maybe say I am heavy due to being over 90% water?

#4) The first watermelons are believed to have been in Egypt, thousands of years ago. There are hieroglyphics on cave walls depicting melons. If I was going to spend hours in a cave chiseling or drawing, I think I might have found something a little more interesting than a melon.

#5) Watermelons are grown in 44 of the 50 states, with FL, TX, GA, CA and AZ leading the way. I'm impressed they are grown in all the states but 6.

#6) The largest watermelon, according to Guinness World Records, was grown by Lloyd Bright of Arkansas in 2005. It weighed in at 268.8 pounds. I can't even think of a comment for that.

#7)In Japan and China, a watermelon is a very popular gift for a host or hostess. It would be less expensive than a bottle of good wine, but how the heck do you wrap a watermelon?

Now that you are armed with all those non-essential facts, here's the ones you do need to know before your next trip to the grocery or farm market.

How To Choose the Perfect Watermelon:

a) Lift it; it should be solid and heavy (remember all that water)

b) The tendril on the blossom end should be dried and shriveled.

c) There should be a cream-colored patch on the bottom where it laid on the ground and the sun did not hit it.

d) Last, but not least, 'thump' it with your knuckles. It should have a deep hollow sound.

Will all these absolutely guarantee a perfectly ripe melon? No. There is no guarantee, but they may help.

**Remember to wash the outside thoroughly, even if you aren't going to eat the rind.

The best melon is the one you just ate and the juice is running down your chin.

Frozen Watermelon LemonadeMakes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

3 cups watermelon cubes, seeds removed
1/2 cup raspberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/2 cup)
1 1/2 cups strawberry-flavored, calorie-free carbonated water, chilled

How to make it…

Place watermelon cubes and raspberries in a blender; process until smooth. Pour through a sieve; discard pulp.
Combine the sugar and water in the small saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, just until the sugar dissolves. Set aside allow to cool slightly.
Stir the sugar-water and lemon juice onto the watermelon raspberry juice mixture. Pour the juice mixture onto a covered freezer container. Freeze until firm
Using an ice cream scoop, spoon the mixture into tall glasses. Pour 3 to 4 tablespoons of the strawberry flavored water over the frozen juice in each glass. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information (per serving)CALORIES 99; PROTEIN 0.5g; CARB 25g; SUGAR 23g; FAT 0.3g; CHOL 0g;
SODIUM 2mg; FIBER 0.6g

Recipe is from The Town Dish

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Observation at Graduation

6/20/2014

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I recently attended my granddaughter's high school graduation. I am a consummate 'people watcher' and I thoroughly enjoy and embrace that fact.

Here are a few random thoughts that crossed my mind as I waited outside the venue and while seated inside. These thoughts are in no particular order of importance and you certainly do not have to agree with my observations.

1) Shoes are getting more bizarre and more beautiful every day. Since I absolutely love shoes and especially heels, my eyes always go straight to women's footwear. I saw more gorgeous shoes last Saturday than I have ever seen in one place. I wanted a pair of each but since I can no longer wear the extremely high heels, I just drooled slightly at each new pair I saw.

2)Speaking of shoes, the graduates have to meet a certain dress code, including their footwear. So, why is a female faculty person allowed to wear flip-flops with her gown? Perhaps she was pregnant (can't tell with a big gown on) or had surgery or some other reason, but I believe flats or sandals would have been appropriate...flip-flops? Not acceptable.

3)While the singing group performing the Star Spangled Banner did an awesome job with their rendition, there are some things which should remain the same; namely the Star-Spangled Banner.

4)I couldn't find a flag anywhere to 'look at' while listening to them sing. I finally spotted one small flag on a stand on the floor at the back of the stage. Really? This is a huge venue with the gargantuan 'screen' hanging from the center of the ceiling. Wasn't it possible to display an image of the American flag on that?

5)Graduation ceremony speeches have become much shorter. When my children graduated, I believe each speaker droned on for 45 minutes. The speakers last Saturday spoke for perhaps 10 minutes. I'm not complaining; I remember what they said much better than the ones who lost my interest after 10 minutes and then I have to start looking at shoes again.LOL

6)Tiny babies and toddlers should not be brought to graduation ceremonies if at all possible. They don't bother me at all, but I feel sorry for them. They can't move or make any noise; they are passed from one person to another in an effort to keep them entertained. Most of them are dressed up for the occasion, so they get hot and in general, look miserable.

One more observation and I know this one will be controversial, but here goes. No matter how gorgeous you are and even if you have legs and a 'figure to die for,' you should probably wear a skirt that is at least an inch or two longer than the bottom of your underwear. Just in case you have to sit down or bend over to pick something up.

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Are You In The Right Place?

6/12/2014

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We often ask ourselves that question, don't we? In various circumstances. I've asked it when I entered an unfamiliar store at the mall. I look at the displays and suddenly think I must have entered the wrong store. I check the signs inside and occasionally, even walk back out to look at the logo on the outside, just to make sure.

When I have had to visit the courthouse for paying taxes or filing some papers, I always check the sign outside the door to insure I am in the 'right place.' Sometimes, I am and sometimes I need direction to another office.

There have even been times while driving, (it pains me to admit this) when I was not in the right place. My granddaughter, Lynley, will never let me forget the trip we made to the Chicago area to visit my sister. I decided to take the scenic route instead of the direct route; you know, a little education thrown in for her and Kalisha. They got an education but not exactly what I had planned in my head. A wrong turn somewhere landed us smack dab in the middle of an industrial section of the city with somewhat questionable characters walking the streets. Lynley was only 8 years old and had a few questions: "Why do all the doors and windows have bars on them, Grandma?"

Her most frequently asked question was, "Are we lost?" I always answered, "No, Honey. I know exactly where we are, it's just not where I want to be."

Last week, Kalisha and I went shopping at Meijer's for a new pair of shorts for her to wear to work. As soon as I entered the store, my eyes caught the sign by the strawberries...5/$5. Such a deal; I couldn't resist. Of course, we picked up 1 or 2 more things, plus the shorts. Kalisha bagged while I checked out. We carried the few bags out, put them in the car and when we got home, I grabbed the bag of strawberries and put them in the garage refrigerator because I knew I was leaving town for a few days and wouldn't get to the jam-making until I returned. I was positive my strawberries were in the right place.

When Kalisha had to get ready for work, many days later, and finally had occasion to retrieve her new shorts from the bag, she came into my office carrying a box of strawberries (at least that's what I thought they used to be). "I'm so sorry, Mom. These were inside the bag with my shorts. I didn't know they were there."

This was the box she was carrying. Yummmmmm. I had a perplexed look on my face trying to remember how this happened. We combined a few bags when we walked out of Meijer's so they were easier to carry. She had put 4 boxes in one bag and when it was full, she put the fifth one on the bag with her shorts. When I got home, I put the entire bag (I thought all 5 boxes, but I didn't check) in the 'fridge in the garage and forgot about them for the immediate time. "I guess I didn't put them in the right place," Kalisha lamented. "I guess not," I laughed. "Now you can just put them in the trash."

Result: moldy compacted strawberries. Obviously, they are picked quite green because they did not smell (just a bit musty) there wasn't juice running out of the plastic container and they hadn't decomposed to a pile of mush. Those are all positives in this situation.

I was still thinking about the strawberries when I began thinking about us and how often we aren't in the right place in our lives. Not a physical place, but perhaps an emotional or spiritual place; or even an occupational place. If Kalisha had checked her 'shorts' bag, she would have discovered the berries. If I had checked the plastic bag I put in the refrigerator, I would have realized I was missing one container. When was the last time you really checked your 'place' in life? Are you where you should or need to be, spiritually? We don't know the answer to that until we check and sometimes our emotional or spiritual life has turned a bit moldy.

Fortunately, in God's world, we are salvageable; unlike the berries.

One more thing: I know God wanted me to write about this because I was wishing I had taken a picture of the moldy mess before the garbage was picked up. I thought perhaps there was still a chance.

"Kalisha, did you put the bag of berries in the trash can before or after it was picked up?"

"Trash? I didn't put them in the outside trash can."

"Really?" I asked hesitantly. "Where, exactly did you put them?"

"You just said to throw them away, so I put them in the bathroom wastebasket."

I was thrilled because now I could take a picture of them. (In my defense, our bathroom wastebasket has a flip-flop lid on it, so I didn't see them.)

Check your life. Are you where you want to be? Are you in the right place? Are you where God plans for you to be? Or are you getting a bit moldy?

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A Little Piece of Heaven

5/20/2014

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Although no one really knows what heaven will look like or what we will feel like when we experience such unadulterated joy, we all have our own ideas about what it may be like. Our human ideas can't even compare to heaven's reality, I'm certain, but since that is all we have to work with, we imagine.
If I asked 100 people what their 'earthly' image of heaven would be, I would undoubtedly get 100 different answers.
Some would want to see their furry friends there, others would say the ocean or beautiful music. For me, I think it would have to be flowers. Beautiful, lush; all varieties of flowers.

I don't know that I was enamored with flowers when I was a kid, but my mother had lots of flowers in her yard and garden. Most of hers were perennials: I don't remember her buying or planting many annuals; maybe a few petunias or snapdragons. She was a great 'seed-saver.' I can still see the little envelopes she would keep seeds in and then plant them in the spring. There were no hanging baskets at our house; I don't think that was a popular way to grow flowers in the 40s and 50s.

I can see the front porch with a huge bed of red flowers, (see picture below) around it. Mom called them firecrackers or mint plants, because they bloomed around the 4th of July and smelled like mint, I guess.

Our yard had lilac bushes and all the spring flowers; hyacinths, tulips, crocus and forsythia bushes. Then later, there were rows of iris, peonies and daisies. And out by the chicken house and around the outhouse, there were lots and lots of hollyhocks.

Mom's delphiniums were very tall and the rows of gladiolas were beautiful. When she and Dad moved to Fort Wayne and she had a large yard but not acres, she still had lots of flowers. She brought many varieties with her after digging some 'starts' up from her country garden. I think the flowers were the hardest thing for her to leave behind when they moved

Then when they moved one more time, to Columbia City, she once again moved some flowers with her. My Amish friend, Rosemary, always had rows of flowers growing in her garden, also, amidst the vegetables. I think the beauty and color of the flowers was a bright spot in her world where bright colors aren't worn in clothing.

I remember reading about the families who went West in covered wagons. Many times, the rose bushes were dug up and the roots wrapped in wet burlap so they would hopefully, survive until the family reached their destination.

My sister is a very talented "flower lady." She would laugh if she read that, but when they lived in Illinois, on a large corner lot, people would purposely walk by her yard to enjoy her seemingly endless variety of beautiful flowers. They lived there for forty-plus years and she was always adding new species. Two years ago, they moved to a different house and like my mother, I think for my sister, her flowers were the hardest thing to leave behind.

So, back to my original premise about heaven. For me, when I enter Stuckey's Greenhouse, on Tyler Avenue in Fort Wayne, which is close to my house, I feel like I have entered my earthly version of what heaven must be like. The colors, the smells, the luxuriant green foliage is overwhelming to me (in a good way). Of course, I want to purchase one or two of everything, but since that is impossible, I just walk up and down the aisles and inhale the beauty.

My sister and I are collaborating on a book of devotions titled Devotions for Flower Lovers (or something similar). It will have 50 devotions, each one correlating to a familiar type of flower and a picture of said flower. A professional photographer has already taken the flower pictures and we have written a portion of the devotions. I am going to present the idea to a publisher at a writer's conference in June. We would appreciate it if you would add that to your prayer list if you have time.

NOTE: Stuckey's Greenhouses were kind enough to let us photograph their blooms for the book. I, nor my sister, own stock in Stuckey's nor are we related to the family in any way. There was no payment involved in my mention of their business.

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Do You Bring Your Umbrella?

5/9/2014

1 Comment

Today was a day for having your umbrella handy. It was a bit overcast all day and showers had been forecast, so the rain was no surprise.

There was a time in our nation's history when rain would have been more than welcomed, it would have been an answer to prayers. Many, many prayers.

In the 1930s, the Plains States incurred the worst drought known in this country. Due to bad farming practices, the soil erosion was unimaginable. The deep-rooted native prairie grasses had been plowed under and there was nothing to hold the soil when the drought and winds came. There was no escaping it; the fine particles permeated every crack and crevice. Thousands of families had to leave their homes and many died due to the dust that clogged their lungs. This area of the country, at this time, was called The Dust Bowl.

There is a story about one such community, in the midst of this drought, that gathered together to pray for rain. One little girl interrupted the praying when she arrived late. She had gone back home to get an umbrella. No one else had thought to bring one.

When I first read that story, it brought tears to my eyes. Partly because it accentuated Jesus' words about 'the faith of a child' and partly because many times I fail to bring my umbrella when I pray for rain. The little girl wasn't thinking about probabilities or realities. She just believed if she prayed for rain, surely she should be prepared for some showers.

I am not insinuating we will receive the answer we are wanting for our prayers every time we pray. God always hears our prayers, but God also knows the future and some times the answer we want would turn out to be a disaster in our lives. As a parent, we realize we can't grant every request our children bring to us, either; some of them would be harmful, some would be dangerous and some would be downright destructive.

However, we do a disservice to our heavenly Father when we come to him with a need, and we don't believe he will really hear us, so we don't consider the possibility that he will answer us. That is like leaving the umbrella at home when we pray for rain.

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What Is Your Comfort Zone?

3/29/2014

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Our comfort zone is a frequently-used phrase. Occasionally, it is used to describe something physical, such as mountain climbing or jumping out of a plane. Those are probably out of most people's comfort zones. But usually, when we speak about a 'comfort zone' we are talking about something which makes us extremely uncomfortable, but probably is not going to endanger our lives.

Most polls, if you believe their findings, list public speaking as the number 1, numero uno, fear of most people and definitely not in their comfort zone. That is not true of me; I may have a butterfly or two right before I begin speaking, but it disappears immediately as I warm to my audience. I sincerely like to talk to people and engage them, but I've been told I could talk to a doorpost. I don't know if that is a compliment, but it is true, nonetheless. However, I do have other areas that make me uncomfortable.

I would guess our ability to overcome our fears and venture outside our comfort is based directly on our 'want' of something. If we were told we would have the ultimate dream job...great pay, great working environment, good people to work with; all the perks we ever wanted, if we could do something that made us uncomfortable (not talking about illegal or immoral), we would probably do it or at least try. The rewards are definitely the motivator.

I don't usually write about my daughter, Kalisha, on this blog because I write about her on 2 other ones, but today I am going to break that rule. Kalisha has several things she feels she just can't do. Due to her autism, sensory issues are always a problem, especially with clothing. She has never worn slacks with a zippered closure or belt loops; never worn a belt and does not wear clothing with buttons.

She recently was hired for 2 different jobs. Hallelujah! One is only for 4 days, but she has to wear khaki slacks and a white button-up-the-front dress blouse. The other job is at our local minor league baseball stadium and she is so excited, she can't stand it. But...she has to wear khaki slacks with a zippered waist and belt loops and wear a belt. And the shirt must be tucked in at the waist. ALL of these things are w-a-a-a-y out of her comfort zone.

As you can see, she did purchase all the required items. Today, she wore the slacks and belt for the first time. She overcame her fear because the motivation was stronger than the fear. She really wanted to have this job.

So what does this have to do with us as Christians? In my experience, we (most of us) are very uncomfortable about witnessing unless it is from the safety of our computer or other device. It is definitely out of our comfort zone. I remember one evangelistic effort by a church where I was a member, many, many years ago. We were sent out by twos (biblical, yes?) to give a new testament to people. Not selling anything, just knocking on doors and handing them a small copy of the new testament with a smile. My friend and I knocked on doors all afternoon, praying as we approached each home. Now before you think how pious we were, let me tell you what our prayer was: "Please, Lord, don't let anyone answer the door."

Oh, yeah, our motivation definitely was not to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. It was to get done with our job and go home. What should our motivation be? Do we want people to know about the free salvation and hope of eternal life as much as Kalisha wants her job?

I don't know about you, but I have to pray about this and hopefully, with God's help, I can step out of my comfort zone a little more often....with the right motivation.

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Montage Moments is a page of blog postings about a variety of subjects, thoughts and opinions..

3 Types of Shoppers at the Mall and At Church

I Seldom Write Fiction

4 Things I Learned from You Tube

Summer Blog Tour

8 Things To Know About Watermelon

Observation at Graduation

Are You In The Right Place?

A Little Piece of Heaven

Do You Bring Your Umbrella?

What Is Your Comfort Zone?

Author: Gloria Doty

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