Some of life's blessings
Thank you, Mother Nature, for the gentle arrival of hot weather. You've been generous interspersing summertime temperatures with cooling rains and cloudy skies
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Sunday afternoon I took a pleasant drive southeast to Haven to attend the 50th wedding anniversary celebration of Rex and Fay McMurray. Fay is a cousin of my late Bud. Such events are great for "keeping in touch" with relatives we seldom see otherwise
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Most people probably have "pet peeves" but hopefully not too many, certainly not enough to interfere with daily life.
I have recently added another to my "pet peeve" about dull pencils and dull knives. It's the too frequently used term "you guys."
I am not a guy, never have been and never wanted to be. I am very happy being, through the years, a girl, a bride, a mother, sometimes a lady and, for a long time now, a woman.
On a number of occasions (and each time I cringe), when in a group, somebody approaches and says "You guys can sit here" or "What can I get you guys" or any number of other phrases that rankle my soul. Why can't they stop with "you"? or even a "you all"? Pleeeese!
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Several years ago, I was in our city library looking for some interesting reading. I ran into (not literally) friend Elaine Jantzen, and she suggested The Mitford Series by Jan Karon. Well, I still am so grateful for her suggestion. The whole series was a delight!
Now, Karon has just published her seventh book in the series, In This Mountain. It, too, is set in Mitford, and it, too, is a best seller! I am barely into the first pages but have a feeling it also will be a wonderful read.
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Friend and Park Village neighbor Doris Arnold shared an e-mail with me this week, and I would like to share it with you. The author is unknown but heads it "The Sneeze." Read and enjoy!
They walked in tandem, each of the 93 students filing into the already crowded auditorium. With rich maroon gowns flowing and the traditional caps, they looked almost as grown up as they felt. Dads swallowed hard behind broad smiles, and moms freely brushed away tears.
This class would not pray during the commencement. Not by choice but because of a recent court ruling prohibiting it. The principal and several students were careful to stay within the guidelines allowed by the ruling.
They gave inspirational and challenging speeches, but no one mentioned divine guidance, and no one asked for blessings on the graduates or their families. The speeches were nice, but they were routine
A solitary student walked proudly to the microphone. He stood still and silent for just a moment, and then he delivered his speech — an astounding sneeze.
The rest of the students rose immediately to their feet, and in unison they said, "God bless you."
The audience exploded in applause. The graduating class found a unique way to invoke God's blessing on their future
God bless America. And God bless all of you who read and share this.
