Lending A Helping Hand for Warm Heart Wednesday #7

Welcome once again to Warm Heart Wednesday sponsored by Ms. Jenny at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."

We were living in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1979.  I had gone to Sears with my three year old son to pick up a catalog order.   The order was for a lamp that came in a large box.  It wasn't heavy...just bulky.

(Can you believe I found an old picture online of the Sears store at Pembroke Mall?  This is exactly how I remember it.)

As we walked across the parking lot I told my son to hold onto the leg of my jeans and walk with me while I used two hands to hold the box.  His eyes lit up.  He had discovered a new game.  He would let go of the leg of my jeans, laugh, and run away.  I would have to put down the box, run after him, bring him back to where I'd left the box, and tell him once again to hold on.  We'd walk another five feet and the game would start all over again.  He'd run and then laugh.  I'd put down the box and run after him.  I was getting a little frustrated and still had a ways to go before reaching the car.  Suddenly an angel in disguise appeared on the scene.  She said, "Let me hold your son's hand and I'll help you to your car."

You know, that lady made my day.  That simple act of kindness meant so much to me at that time.  I vowed that I would never forget and if I ever had a chance to help a struggling mother I would.  For years I would stop and open the door for mothers trying to get strollers into the mall.  You older mothers will remember trying to hold the door open while you struggled to get the stroller through.  (I believe the automatic doors came into being with the Americans With Disabilities Act in the early 90's.)

I don't have the opportunity to help struggling mothers as much anymore.  I'll pick up a dropped pacifier on occasion, but the opportunities aren't there as much as they were before automatic doors.  And sometimes I just have to be careful because I can instinctively tell when a frustrated mother just wants to be left alone.

However, I'll always remember how that kind stranger at Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach, VA came along at just the right time and how her simple act of kindness warmed my heart.  I firmly believe that sometimes another mother just needs a little pat on the back to make her day.

Now head over to Jenny's blog for a list of this week's participants.  Thank you for visiting.

Peace On Earth for Warm Heart Wednesday #6

Welcome to Warm Heart Wednesday sponsored by Ms. Jenny at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."

This time of year there is one song that always warms my heart.

"Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me..."

I enjoy hearing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing this particular song although there are many other versions on You Tube

If you'd like to sing along there's even one with the lyrics.

I hope everyone has a warm hearted and peaceful holiday season.

Be sure to visit Jenny's blog for a list of this week's participants.

The Kindness of Children for Warm Heart Wednesday #5

It's time again for Warm Heart Wednesday sponsored by Ms. Jenny at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."

When I watch the local and national news it seems as if bad things are always happening or being said.  It's like the world is full of only bad people and yet I know that isn't true.  I believe the bad are only a small part of the overall population.  Most people are good at heart!

I have this fantasy where there's a daily half hour newscast of only good news.

I've noticed that at the local and national level they seem to try and end their newscasts with an uplifting story.  That's always nice, but 20 or 30 seconds is just a small fraction of the time allowed for the bad news.

I know I'm dreaming and my idea will never take hold, so I look on the Internet for uplifting warm hearted stories.

I'm a big football fan and this one caught my eye.  It's a couple of years old but the kindness shown by these kids is timeless.   I hope it warms your heart too.  It's just 30+ seconds long.

I loved the acting shown by the defense.  A pat on the back to the coaches and officials too.

Now head over to Jenny's blog for a list of this week's participants.  Thanks for visiting...

Warm Memories for Warm Heart Wednesday

Welcome once again to Warm Heart Wednesday sponsored by Ms. Jenny at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."

This is such a busy time of the year and I'm late getting this up.  I've been busy doing the holiday shopping, decorating, etc.  I know I posted these pictures of my Christmas tree last year, but it looks the same every year and every year it warms my heart.  It's a beautiful tree if you're into old "Christmas with Santa" photos and faded construction paper ornaments.

See the reindeer?  The antlers are Reid's hands.  He'll be 40 in January, so that reindeer is pretty old...and faded.

I saved every Christmas decoration my three kids ever made.  My mother saved the ones I made.  See the colored Santa?  That's one I made way back when.  The aluminum snow flake was also made by me.  It was cut from a chicken pot pie aluminum pan.  They don't even put chicken pot pies in aluminum pans anymore.

I better post some pictures with decorations Keith and Troy made so they won't feel slighted.

Keith made the red stocking in the above photo.  He's 46, so that stocking is pretty old.

I can't remember if Troy or Reid made the painted tree.  My apologies to Troy if this wasn't his work of art.  However, you can see Troy with Reid in the Santa picture.  That was the year Keith decided he was too old to sit on Santa's lap.  Troy is now 45 so the pictures is pretty old.

It's just a tree of memories and I love decorating it each year.  I'll say to myself..."I remember this decoration.  We were living in Oklahoma when Keith made it."  "I remember this photo...we were at the mall in Virginia when it was taken."  So many warm memories to warm my heart.

Now head over to Ms. Jenny's blog for a list of this week's participants.  Thanks for visiting.

Furry Friends For Warm Heart Wednesday

It's time again for Warm Heart Wednesday sponsored by Ms. Jenny at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."

I confess...I am the crazy neighborhood cat lady.  I believe every neighborhood has one and I fulfill that duty here.  My cats are all rescues.  At times they drive me crazy, but most of the time they warm my heart.

 I know I shouldn't pick favorites, but Blackie is my favorite.  She kept wandering into our yard and I finally decided I'd better feed her.  The next day she came back with a kitten.  No one claimed them and so they were here to stay.  I had them both fixed and now they're inside cats.  Not a day goes by that Blackie doesn't show her appreciation.  A complete stranger can come into the house and she'll come over and sit on their lap.  She doesn't seem to realize that not everyone loves cats.

Zoom in another one of our cats.  She's the direct opposite of Blackie.  I have to warn people not to try and pet her.  She'll attack and bite anyone, but I love her anyway.  She was found after Hurricane Ike behind a shopping center and was undernourished and sick.  We nursed her back to health and she was also here to stay.

All the cats have a story.  I won't tell you how many we have, but the fact that I'm the neighborhood crazy cat lady should tell you something.  Let's put it this way...my heart is very warm!  Some would say way too warm.

However, if anything every happens to us please tell the police it was the cats.

I woke up around 7 in the morning and immediately smelled natural gas.  I turned on the lights which I've since learned is exactly what you shouldn't do.  I went downstairs and could hear a swooshing sound as I approached the kitchen.  Yes, it was coming from the stove top.  The one burner was partially turned on and gas was escaping.  I quickly turned it off and started opening doors and windows.

I knew it hadn't been left on.  We hadn't even used the stove top the day before.  I woke up at 4 that morning and didn't smell natural gas then.  So, I know it was turned on sometime between 4 and 7.  You do have to push the knob down and turn it at the same time to light the burner.  It's not hard to do though.  One of the cats must have walked across the knob and their foot pushed it at the same time.

We now keep a casserole dish over the knobs.

I was telling one of my sons what had happened.  He said, "Yes, our cats have done that too.  Now we take the knobs off."

So, if you have cats (and cook with natural gas) be careful.

I've watched enough Investigation Discovery to know that the cats were trying to kill us for the insurance money.

Now head over to Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent" for a list of this week's participants.