Sharing Our Stories, #52Stories 46/52, and Poetry Friday (on Monday): Touched by Goodness

Is it possible to roll all these ways I love to write into one coherent post? Life has been unsettling for the past almost two weeks as I've prayed for my brother after his surgery the week before Thanksgiving. I've also asked that his wife Kathy receive the strength she so needs as the only family member allowed to see and support him during this time.

When I read Ruth's post, I was touched by the word "goodness" and wondered if we give goodness the recognition it deserves as we go about our daily lives. Even though Merriam-Webster is my go-to dictionary, it didn't fit the bill this time. I kept looking until I found the definition of goodness I wanted at dictionary.com:

Goodness - 

5. the best part of anything; essence; strength.

 

 Goodness

An underrated quality in today's world,

but always there if we let ourselves

slow down enough to feel its touch.

It's in the soft curls of a freshly bathed grandson's hair.

The licking of the frothy whipped cream from the beaters

with a kiss delivered by a much loved mother.

The intense study of Lego instructions by three males 

seated on the floor, assisting in the construction of Mater.

The toddler rocking in a chair given to my grands by a dear friend,

the walk to a nearby school ground for outside play,

the gathering 'round of our small bubble 

 to watch the carving of the turkey breast.

The early morning snuggles of grandfather and grandson

in the rocker as they head to Mars with Miss Pickerell.

The careful sprinkling of sugar cookie turkeys,

and remembrance of my mother 

sharing turkey cookies with my own littles.

In the midst of 2020 chaos and confusion,

goodness is still here,

reaching out to touch us 

with its essence and strength.

 - Ramona Behnke

 

To savor the magic of story, link your post at Sharing Our Stories.

#52Stories is my attempt to write 52 stories from my life during the year 2020. At least one story a week, in no particular order, to remember and document some of the memories and moments of my life.

I'm too late to add my link for Poetry Friday at Carol's Corner, but you should head over to her post to enjoy poetry goodness galore.

Sharing Our Stories & #52Stories 45/52: Make a Gratitude Pumpkin!

 I love the quote that Ruth shared with us this week: "Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It's the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul."  - Amy Collette

This year I decided to write the things I'm grateful for on a pumpkin. I saw the idea on Face Book and decided it was a fun way to mark the days of November. It's harder than it looks to keep the writing uniform and readable. And it takes a long time to fill a pumpkin which is a good thing. Because the longer you look for blessings, the more of them you discover and remember. I'm grateful for this spark of joy that keeps me grateful and smiling through the rainy days of November.

I planned to include a list of everything on my pumpkin. But right now, my book, Echo's Mountain (Lauren Wolk), is calling me. Sorry, but I'd rather read than replicate my list. I may be back later with the list. I'm up to 75 items now and the pumpkin still has room on it and it's a small pumpkin too! I definitely will write larger if I ever do this again!

 

 

To savor the magic of story, link your post at Sharing Our Stories.

Slice of Life and #52Stories 44/52: The Best Friend a Girl Could Have!

When the year 2020 dawned, I had travel plans! After a trip to Utah at the end of February to visit Blake's family and attend the Roots Tech 2020 Conference, I had big plans for March which included a trip to OK and TX to visit my brother and family, a college roommate, my niece, and Crownover cousins I hadn't seen for almost forty years. 

But the biggest disappointment when this trip was cancelled was missing out on seeing my brother, Karl. We're two and a half years apart in age and just two years apart in school. He was my chauffeur in high school, so much so that I didn't feel a need for awhile to get my driver's license since he was willing to take me anywhere I needed or wanted to go. 

My brother attended junior college at Eastern Oklahoma State College, living at home as a freshman and living on campus his sophomore year. So we both headed off to university at the same time - Karl went to Central Oklahoma State University and I went to Oklahoma State University. 

A few years into our young adult years, Karl was transferred to our hometown in 1979 as the manager of the Zales Jewelry store. He asked me to look for an apartment for him. I called and told him I'd found a two bedroom apartment and asked if he'd considered having a roommate. He asked, "Who would be my roommate?"

My prompt reply, "Me." 

I was living at home and teaching and the thought of getting out on my own was certainly appealing, especially with a roommate that I already knew. And thus began our almost one year of sharing an apartment together. We were spoiled by our parents. I think they were so glad to have both of us in town! We'd go over and start our laundry and mom would finish it for us. Then Dad would deliver it to our apartment. He always had a big grin on his face to accompany his knock as he called out, "Laundry delivery." Those are memories I cherish because our dad died in the summer of 1980. I moved home to be with mom and Karl married the love of his life, Kathy. 

I had become so accustomed to sharing my day with my brother that I developed a new tradition. I stopped by Zales on my way home from teaching at Parker Middle School so we could chat with each other. That way I wasn't tying up his evening time with Kathy. If he was busy with a customer, I just waited until he was free.

Karl has lived in our hometown for more than four decades. He left Zales and went to work as Small Business Coordinator at Kiamichi Area Vocational Technical School where he spent 31 years of his career. He raised his two children there, was a member of many community organizations, served as bishop in our church, and even served on the school board. Karl is one of those people who knows everyone. I always joke that being with Karl in our hometown is like being with Miss America. It seems like he's just waving to the crowd as he walks down the street. Everyone knows him, calls him by name and loves to chat with him.

I love seeing my brother and chatting with him too! And I've had to be content with just telephone calls for almost two years now. And now the occasional Zoom call too. I'm not sure how I missed seeing him in 2019. That's the year I went to Italy with friends and a new grandson arrived. Even when I served a mission for the church and was gone for a year and a half, I left in the middle of 1977 and returned in December of 1978. This is the only time I've marked two consecutive calendar years without seeing Karl.

On our last visit together in November and December of 2018, we watched Hallmark movies and talked and talked. It was just after Thanksgiving. He was on a very restricted diet, but true to his always happy manner, he didn't complain. I was trying to help him sort out some difficult health matters, but mostly I was there to be with my brother.

I'm still sad that our visit for March 2020 was cancelled! And guess where I'm going first when we can travel again? In the meantime, I call him most days and we chat and laugh and enjoy our time together. I'm so lucky to have a brother who is also my good friend! 

Sharing Our Stories & #52Stories 43/52: Writing Inspired by a Photograph!

Finally! A prompt that aligns with something I was already thinking about writing. Only there is the one part of the prompt that Ruth included (to focus on something in the background) that I'm choosing to ignore. How can I when there's so much to focus on in the foreground? 

 

That's Aunt Estelle (Estelle Scifres Duke) on the left, my dad's little sis, who was born five years after him and was the last child of Andrew T. Scifres and Martha Ada Young. And that's my mom, Lillian Estell Scifres, on the right. There's so much I love about this picture. The smiles on their faces! The friendship these sisters-in-law shared! The handwriting underneath (my mom's) and her addition of the year, 1942! There's so much more I want to know about the picture. Oh, how I wish I could sit down with my mom and talk about it!

My mom and dad were living in Lawton, Oklahoma in 1942 while he was active duty military at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Aunt Estelle was living with her folks in 1942. Maybe the occasion that drew them together was Mother's Day and Aunt Estelle's birthday (May 4) and Grandma Scifres' birthday (May 10). Maybe they were together for Aunt Cordie's funeral in June of that same year.

I love that they're wearing aprons. I don't always wear an apron. I don't like to cook (but I love to bake). I think I'll wear an apron more often and think about these two women that I love and the many meals they cooked and served with love. It just might make me a happier cook!

 

 

To savor the magic of story, link your post at Sharing Our Stories.

Ruth invited us to write off of a photograph this week. Many 

of the stories I've written for my #52Stories project 

have begun with photographs. I love where they take me!

Spiritual Journey Thursday and Sharing Our Stories: Gratitude for Walks and Songs of the Heart

 

Ruth, our friend and fellow writer from Haiti, is hosting this month's

gathering of gratitude.

I started yesterday by turning from the news and into my kitchen to bake cookies. That distraction worked for a bit. Robby and Sara arrived for a bit of fun before Sara's haircut. I had to be the "tough grandma" and insist that Robby and Grandpa stop playing and reading stories and having fun so Robby could get his nap in before it was time for Sara to head home and pick up Jack from preschool. My daughter returned from her haircut with beautiful flowers for us. Then I headed off for the first of four Zoom meetings. By the time I finished the last one at 9:30 pm last night, I was too tired to write my post.

But the best part of my day? It was the walk I took at 4:15. I didn't want to go. It had been rainy and dark most of the day, but it wasn't raining right then. So I donned a light jacket and my rain coat and headed out the door. My relief was almost immediate. With a few deep breaths of outside air, my head began to clear. I celebrated the beauty and comfort of our natural world. If you know me, you know that I can't walk without snapping some pics. Join me for this evening walk and the light that filled my heart as I spent time in the goodness and grandeur of God's world.

I love turning to scripture when I contemplate our monthly theme. But his month, I let my heart lead the way as I listened to the words of song in celebration of this wondrous world. I rejoice that these songs of the heart are words I know by heart. 

Count your blessings

Name them one by one

Count your many blessings

See what God has done!

Now thank we all our God

With heart and hands and voices.

Who wondrous things hath done,

In whom his earth rejoices.

For the beauty of the earth

For the beauty of the skies

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies

Lord of all to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

Ruth, our host for Sharing Our Stories, invited us to listen for gratitude.

When I listened, my heart filled with the solace of hymns.

To savor the magic of story, link your post at Sharing Our Stories.

Slice of Life & #52Stories 42/52: I'm a Fall Fanatic!

Fall fills me with joy. I'm entranced by fall colors. Friends know that a fall walk with me will not be a cardio workout. But it will provide time to appreciate this fleeting season. Fall's demise is marked not by the date on the calendar, but by the date when the last leaf falls. Today is a typical Northwest fall day, misty and luscious and marked by bright colors. I'm delighted with misty fall days, but if wind accompanies the rain, I'm sad. Because that means that the leaves will fall more quickly.

I started this post thinking that I would collect a fall picture for each year of photos that are saved on my computer, beginning in 2006, but it was too hard. So now I'm trying to narrow the collection down to twenty since this is 2020. Heaven knows we need to find some things to celebrate in 2020! And so I'm bringing you my favorite fall photos. I might also add that most of us need some diversion today. Hope you enjoy the collection!