Ice Cream and an Angel

This morning I went to church and prayed on bended knees for strength because I'm tiered of being a failure in society's eyes.

Usually I drive to work but today I took the bus and after work I didn't have a way to get home so my co-worker Judy offered me a ride. Judy is a strong Christian woman who never seems to be doubtful or insecure but today she opened up about her pain and struggles. She told me that recently she was really feeling sorrowful and just as she was ready to burst out crying somebody approached her and said, "Be happy and joyful because you are loved by God." Judy said that those simple words of hope kept her smiling all day and she felt that God was watching over her. We both agreed that life is easier to cope with when we have faith and trust in the LORD almighty.

Since I wanted to walk the rest of the way home, Judy dropped me off on the Tart trail which is perfect for bicycling and walking. There are trees and streams all around and the divine nature is soothing.  I knew I was about 30 minutes from home but the time went by so fast walking that before I knew it I was at my favorite store for ice cream.  The woman behind the ice cream counter was so sweet and gave me samples of a few ice cream flavors. When I decided on the flavor she generously filled the ice cream cup to the very top. What a blessing! I enjoyed every bite of that ice cream but it was hard to walk and eat ice cream. I found a picnic table to sit at and while I enjoyed my ice cream a man said hello to me.

He was waiting for his pizza order and wanted to talk. The man's name was Tom and he was a faithful and religious man who trusted God. All day I was feeling like a failure but after hearing Tom tell me how important it is to count every single one of our blessings and not to think of ourselves as failures in society's eyes I felt an inner peace.

This is what Tom said: "Be thankful for your blessings! I can tell you right now what you have to be thankful for"

#1 You're eating delicious ice cream in beautiful surroundings,
#2 You have your health and a job

#3 You are walking home without any difficulties.
#4 You have a roof over your head and a comfortable bed to sleep on.
#5 You can be an inspiration to others without traveling the globe or being famous. You've been put where you are for now and you can touch many lives with all your interactions in this small city."

Soon Tom's pizza arrived, and I was finished eating my ice cream. I enjoyed those few minutes talking with Tom because he was the angel God sent me. I was feeling so discouraged all week and now I felt hopeful and thankful.

In moments when life seems hard and unfair it's reassuring to know that we are not alone and that no matter how gloomy things may seem there's always blessings to be thankful for.

                                                    My delicious ice cream/ half eaten!

Grilled Cheese at the Lakeside Cafe with the American Red Cross!

The American Red Cross staff in the town I live in has invited me time and time again to help out with the fire disaster team. There's nothing more fulfilling then helping others, especially with the prevention of fires. This past Thursday I spent most of the day helping install smoke alarms in people's homes and informing them of ways to prevent fires in their homes. It was my training day and I had the wonderful guidance of a staff member named Maya.

Things were running smoothly until we got locked out of the SUV. I had pressed the lock button as I walked out of the SUV, the engine was still running and Maya closed the door with the engine still running not realizing I had pressed the lock button. We were stranded on somebody's driveway with all of our belongings in the SUV. Fortunately another staff member was in a separate vehicle. Since we had to wait over an hour for somebody to come and open the door, we all decided to go get something to eat.

                                                            Grilled Cheese Sandwich

                                             

Enter the "Lakeside Cafe" a cozy cafe overlooking a lake. The three of us were greeted by the friendly servers and given a table facing the lake. Maya had a burger, Scott had the breakfast special and I went with a grilled cheese sandwich. The portions were generous and the food so good. I got to meet the cook in the kitchen and he certainly had a way of making everything taste so special as if you were his personal friend.

Maya and I had no money since all of our things were locked in the SUV but Scott gave us a loan and said we could pay him back later. The three of us enjoyed the warmth of the "Lakeside Cafe." It's not often these days to find a cafe where everyone is treated like family. I even got a complimentary cup of coffee.

With my stomach full from the GRILLED CHEESE sandwich I didn't feel so stressed anymore, neither did Maya or Scott. We drove back to the house where the SUV was parked and minutes later somebody from the American Red Cross office arrived with the SUV keys and we were able to unlock the doors.

Lesson learned; things will go wrong in our day, it's just part of life. Fortunately Maya, Scott, and myself were able to make a negative things into a positive thing. We were able to eat a lovely meal at the Lakeside Cafe and have plenty of energy to continue installing smoke alarms to residents needing them.

SMOKE ALARMS CAN SAVE LIVES

Lost and Found, a true miracle

Ever lose something and think you'd never find it again? Materialistic things can be replaced  but some items we own are dear to our heart. For me it's a savings bond my mother gave me years ago as a graduation present. She told me to hold onto it and cash it when I needed money. Well now I need some money. The bills are piling up and I don't have a very good income.

Something told me to go to the bank in early August to cash that savings bond but I procrastinated and put my focus on my job and other projects. Then there was a five day trip to Canada which was my mini summer vacation. When I returned home from Canada I couldn't remember where I put that savings bond. I spent hours looking for it, I prayed and prayed that I would find it. I was in tears.

My inner voice told me that I would find it. "Have Faith" kept repeating in my head. My miracle happened yesterday evening. It was a rainy and stormy day. The rain just wouldn't stop and shortly after coming home from work, I fixed myself a cup of tea and once again began looking for that savings bond. Just when I was ready to give up, I found it in one of my folders. I had looked through that folder three times in the past and didn't see it BUT this time it appeared.

I'm so grateful for finding that savings bond. I plan on going to the bank right after I write this post.I've also decided to use some of the money towards a volunteer project. One of the most satisfying things to do is to help those that are less fortunate. I truly feel that the dear LORD is calling me to do something kind and helpful towards others. No saying how much longer I'm on this earth but I don't want to die until I've helped make the world a better place. Perhaps I'll do mission work in Kenya or India.

Lost & Found:

If you lose something, don't give up. It can be found.
Have faith that you'll find it and a prayer won't hurt either.
Keep praying.....miracles do happen.

I blew my Vegetarian Diet!

A Beef Burger:

We humans aren't perfect. I make mistakes all the time. When I make up my mind to be a vegetarian, I stick to it for several months but than I end up eating a piece of salmon or meatball and I feel guilty afterwards. My motivation is declining and that's bad. I really blew my vegetarian diet on Sunday and I'm feeling very guilty.

I've been eating veggie burgers all summer long but on Sunday there were $1.00 beef cheeseburgers on a pretzel bun at a market close to where I live. For five minutes I stood in front of the counter contemplating          should I or I shouldn't I get that $1.00 cheeseburger. Well....I got the cheeseburger and ate half of it on the waterfront next to a market called "Leland Mercantile." Did it taste good? Not really.

Lesson to be learned: When we have a few moments to make a decision we have to think about the final result. Just because the cheeseburger was only a $1.00 didn't give me the right to blow my vegetarian diet. I feel terrible now but the mistake was done.

I started a journal today and I'm going to really stay focused. Sometimes we only have a few moments to make a decision and my advice is writing down the Pro's and Con's.

May all of you make the right decisions in your moments!

A Veggie Burger; I'm eating veggie burgers again!

Getting what you wish for, free bananas, dollar burgers, dollar cookies, and a trip to Fishtown!

Sometimes you really get what you wish for. On Sunday's I take care of my mother who has Alzheimers. We had a frustrating morning and by early afternoon I wanted to take her and her friend Arch to the beach so that we could all have a change of scenery. As much as I wanted to take them to the beach, I dreaded driving there. "I wish someone could drive us there," I thought to myself. Seconds later there was a knock on the door. It was Arch's son Chip. He came to visit his father and wanted to take him on a drive. My mother and I were welcome to come.

Ten minutes later we were in Chip's car heading to Leland, otherwise known as Fishtown. The sun was shining and the one lane country road to Leland had a hint of changing leaves on the trees. We passed by cow and turkey farms and finally landed in Leland. Tourists flock to this picturesque town nestled between Lake Leelanau and Lake Michigan. It's a walking around town with a lovely harbor and a fishing village. Many of the shanties have turned into shops; Carlson's Fisheries, Dam Candy Store, and Village Cheese Shanty are my three favorites.

Arch, Chip, my mother Alexandra, and I had a lovely time in Leland. We walked on the boat docks, sat near the harbor and I excused myself for 20 minutes to do some adventurous exploring. In those few short minutes I sampled some fish sausage at Carlson's and glanced at shirts in a clothing store. Afterwards I went inside the Leland Mercantile (a supermarket called Merc) by the locals. It was so delightful in there and I marveled at all the treats from homemade apple pies to vegetable pot pie. Since the Leland Mercantile was closing soon the deli was getting rid of all the hot food for $1.00....there were french fries, chicken wings, and cheeseburgers in a pretzel bun for only $1.00. How could I resist a $1.00 cheeseburger?

Sitting near the registers was a table filled with apples from a nearby orchard. Only $4.00 for a big bag of apples, now I could make my own apple pie. Next to the apples was a sign that said "Free Bananas." I grabbed five of them. The man at the register said I was welcome to take as many bananas as I wanted but five was enough. My last stop was the Village Cheese Shanty to get a bag full of chocolate chip cookies for one dollar. (The best chocolate chips cookies too).

What a day it was, a trip to a gorgeous Fishtown called Leland and I didn't have to drive. My mother Arch, and Chip were so happy and relaxed sitting on the harbor. I opened up my bag of treats and gave everyone a banana and a chocolate chip cookie. We sat around a bit longer and than took a short walk on the beach. 

Sometimes when you have a frustrating day it's amazing how a little escape can melt the stresses away and give you a whole fresh start. The best part about this trip was the happiness it brought to

four people but the free bananas and $1.00 burger was a bonus.

It's certainly nice when a wish comes true in a matter of moments!