Friday, July 20, 2007
Breakfast at McDonalds
This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end!
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology.
The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.
Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.'
The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.
I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.
Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.
It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.
I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.
As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling.'
His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.
He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.
The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.
I held my tears as I stood there with them.
The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.
He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.
I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.
I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.
He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'
I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.'
I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope.'
We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.
We are not church goers, but we are believers.
That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.
I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.
I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it.
Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'
I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.
She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.
I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.
Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology.
The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.
Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.'
The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.
I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.
Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.
It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then even my husband did.
I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.
As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling.'
His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.
He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.
The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.
I held my tears as I stood there with them.
The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.
He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.
I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.
I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.
He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'
I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.'
I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope.'
We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.
We are not church goers, but we are believers.
That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.
I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.
I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it.
Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'
I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.
She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.
I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.
Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE PEOPLE.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
First "Official" Haircut
Well yesterday marked our "First Official Haircut Day" and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. We needed to get rid of the "pot" haircut and get a real honest to goodness little boy haircut. I was pretty hesitant only because when I go near him with a comb, well........he freaks out. His arms become like a little octopus trying to grab the comb. We also haven't been able to get near him to "trim" his hair so I thought taking him to a salon was going to be a nightmare!
We sat nicely and watched Daddy go first.........he was very interested in all the hair falling so that was a good thing. Then I said, "Do you want to get your haircut?" ....He eagerly shook his head "Yes!" Hmmmm....Ok well lets give it a try. He sat very nice for about 3/4 of the haircut and then started to cry :-( Well the girl was great that cut his haircut, she cut FAST which was great! So anyways.......here is our final outcome :-)
We sat nicely and watched Daddy go first.........he was very interested in all the hair falling so that was a good thing. Then I said, "Do you want to get your haircut?" ....He eagerly shook his head "Yes!" Hmmmm....Ok well lets give it a try. He sat very nice for about 3/4 of the haircut and then started to cry :-( Well the girl was great that cut his haircut, she cut FAST which was great! So anyways.......here is our final outcome :-)
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
On Friday we ventured out to "Claws n' Paws".......it's an outdoor zoo which attracts people from quite a distance away. This year was alittle more interesting than last year for my little guy. He really enjoyed our trip!
This was taken last year in Sept 2006 (7 Months Old)
This was taken this year ....June 2007 (16 Months Old)
Here are a few more pictures from our day! You can go in one section and feed the animals - They are bubble gum machines filled with food for them - You pop in a quarter and get the food for them. They KNOW this is where the food is because they are right there waiting for it to come out as your putting in your money!
Friday, June 22, 2007
Maybe I should have said something......
Yesterday, early afternoon, I took Paul for a walk down to the park. We live near a great park with all neat things for the kids and a great place for grown ups to walk! Anyways, we make our way over to the little play area for the kids. It's got the things kids crawl up and go down the regular slides or down thru the tube slides, monkey bars, yadda yadda yadda...... Well this little play area is situated off to the side of where everyone walks. The walking area is all paved and in the center is a baseball field and soccer field......it's all grass. The walking path, so it's called, goes around the entire park......
Ok so anyways, back to my story.......
I usually park my stroller over in the grass and we cross the walking path over to the play area. I park it there because Paul likes to push it randomly while were suppose to be in the "play area" and I would rather him push on the grass (in case he falls) then on the payment.
So he's running around playing and I see this girl pushing a stoller up the walk way and this little boy is running in front of her crying his eyes out. Well as she get's closer, I realize that I know her (but haven't seen her in like forever) So the conversation goes......
Me: Sandy!! (Her name is the same as mine so easy to remember)
Her: Sandy!!
Me: How are you?!?!
Her: I'm ok, how are you?
Me: Good
Her: (Talking to her little boy) NO! Now stop it! I said STOP IT! (Wacks him three times on the butt and wisks him up.)
Her: Sorry about that...
Me: (Smiling cause I'm alittle shocked by what she just did) That's ok.......How old is he?
Her: He's 2.....well almost 2.......he's ummm 22 months or something like that
Me: Awww, he's small.......Look at my guy, he's only 16 months and look at the size of him
Her: Well he was born premature........he was only 2 lbs (some odd ounces).....I went into labor when I was 17 weeks and they had to stop it, and then again at 22 weeks and again at 26 weeks and he was born at 30 weeks.
Me: Oh wow.....
(Now keep in mind, the entire time we are talking this little boy is crying his eyes out)
Her: Yea he's in therapy now (I forget why she said) he's got 2 more to go. He has lots of medical problems (kinda rolling her eyes)
Me: Awwww
Her: This is my first and last one, I'm to old for this!
Me: Now you know why they say to have children early, so you can keep up with them!
Her: Yea and when your younger you have more patience!
Now the little boy proceeds to run over to my stroller and grabs it. She runs after him, wacks him on the butt a few more times while saying THAT IS NOT OURS NOT STOP IT!
Her: Is that your stroller?
Me: Yes
Her: We have one just like it and he thought it was his
Me: Oh that's ok........
Her: I don't live around here anymore did you know that?
Me: No....where are you at now?
Her: I'm in Lancaster.....
Me: Oh, are you here visiting?
Her: No, my mother just died and I'm here for the viewing and funeral
Me: Oh I'm so sorry.......
Her: Thanks....... I had to get him out of the house because his whining is driving my father nuts. He's been like this for 2 days and I dont' know what to do with him.
(Now child is still crying off and on)
Her: HE BETTER GET IT ALL OUT NOW BEFORE WE GET BACK HOME I'LL TELL YA!
Her: Well I better get going, sorry for all his crying, good to see you again
Me: That's ok, take care.......
Now.......This woman was obviously under stress but my god, you can't keep wacking a 2 year old and expect him to stop crying! In one breath she telling me how many medical problems he has and then she's hitting him. Maybe something was bothering this little boy that he was crying like that! I would never think of hitting my child like that, let alone while I'm carrying on a conversation with someone! Should I have said something? Maybe, but who am I? I didn't know her THAT well to say, hey take it easy on him or do you need a break?
I don't know, as I think about it, I think I was more in shock at the entire situation than anything. If I could go back and have the chance to say something I probably would, what? I don't know....... Maybe she would have started yelling at ME than telling me to mind my own business! Well it's done and over with but it still bothers me, obviously if I'm writing about it....
Ok so anyways, back to my story.......
I usually park my stroller over in the grass and we cross the walking path over to the play area. I park it there because Paul likes to push it randomly while were suppose to be in the "play area" and I would rather him push on the grass (in case he falls) then on the payment.
So he's running around playing and I see this girl pushing a stoller up the walk way and this little boy is running in front of her crying his eyes out. Well as she get's closer, I realize that I know her (but haven't seen her in like forever) So the conversation goes......
Me: Sandy!! (Her name is the same as mine so easy to remember)
Her: Sandy!!
Me: How are you?!?!
Her: I'm ok, how are you?
Me: Good
Her: (Talking to her little boy) NO! Now stop it! I said STOP IT! (Wacks him three times on the butt and wisks him up.)
Her: Sorry about that...
Me: (Smiling cause I'm alittle shocked by what she just did) That's ok.......How old is he?
Her: He's 2.....well almost 2.......he's ummm 22 months or something like that
Me: Awww, he's small.......Look at my guy, he's only 16 months and look at the size of him
Her: Well he was born premature........he was only 2 lbs (some odd ounces).....I went into labor when I was 17 weeks and they had to stop it, and then again at 22 weeks and again at 26 weeks and he was born at 30 weeks.
Me: Oh wow.....
(Now keep in mind, the entire time we are talking this little boy is crying his eyes out)
Her: Yea he's in therapy now (I forget why she said) he's got 2 more to go. He has lots of medical problems (kinda rolling her eyes)
Me: Awwww
Her: This is my first and last one, I'm to old for this!
Me: Now you know why they say to have children early, so you can keep up with them!
Her: Yea and when your younger you have more patience!
Now the little boy proceeds to run over to my stroller and grabs it. She runs after him, wacks him on the butt a few more times while saying THAT IS NOT OURS NOT STOP IT!
Her: Is that your stroller?
Me: Yes
Her: We have one just like it and he thought it was his
Me: Oh that's ok........
Her: I don't live around here anymore did you know that?
Me: No....where are you at now?
Her: I'm in Lancaster.....
Me: Oh, are you here visiting?
Her: No, my mother just died and I'm here for the viewing and funeral
Me: Oh I'm so sorry.......
Her: Thanks....... I had to get him out of the house because his whining is driving my father nuts. He's been like this for 2 days and I dont' know what to do with him.
(Now child is still crying off and on)
Her: HE BETTER GET IT ALL OUT NOW BEFORE WE GET BACK HOME I'LL TELL YA!
Her: Well I better get going, sorry for all his crying, good to see you again
Me: That's ok, take care.......
Now.......This woman was obviously under stress but my god, you can't keep wacking a 2 year old and expect him to stop crying! In one breath she telling me how many medical problems he has and then she's hitting him. Maybe something was bothering this little boy that he was crying like that! I would never think of hitting my child like that, let alone while I'm carrying on a conversation with someone! Should I have said something? Maybe, but who am I? I didn't know her THAT well to say, hey take it easy on him or do you need a break?
I don't know, as I think about it, I think I was more in shock at the entire situation than anything. If I could go back and have the chance to say something I probably would, what? I don't know....... Maybe she would have started yelling at ME than telling me to mind my own business! Well it's done and over with but it still bothers me, obviously if I'm writing about it....
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Ease your pain at the pumps!
I rec'd this email and thought it was interesting........I guess I never really di-sected how much things really cost but apparently someone out there did! Right now our gas here is about $2.98/gal but I don't think I'll complain to much anymore considering the below........
The following examples do not imply that gasoline is cheap; it just illustrates how outrageous some prices are. You will be shocked by the last one!
Diet Snapple 16oz $1.29 ... $10.32 per gallon
Lipton Ice Tea 16oz $1.19 ..........$9.52 per gallon
Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 .... $10.17 per gallon
Ocean Spray 16oz $1.25 ......... $10.00 per gallon
Brake Fluid 12oz $3.15 ......... $33.60 per gallon
Vick's Nyquil 6oz $8.35 ... $178.13 per gallon
Pepto Bismol 4oz $3.85 .. $123.20 per gallon
Whiteout 7oz $1.39 ....... . $25.42 per gallon
Scope 1.5oz $0.99 .....$84.48 per gallon
And this is the REAL KICKER...
Evian water 9oz $1.49..........$21.19 per gallon!
$21.19 for WATER, and the buyers don't even know the source.
(Evian spelled backwards is Naive.)
Ever wonder why computer printers are so cheap? They have you hooked for the ink.
Someone calculated the cost of the ink at................you won't believe it:
$5,200 a gal. (five thousand two hundred dollars!
So, the next time you're at the gasoline pump, be glad your car doesn't run on water,
Scope, or Whiteout, Pepto Bismol, Nyquil, or God forbid, printer ink!
The following examples do not imply that gasoline is cheap; it just illustrates how outrageous some prices are. You will be shocked by the last one!
Diet Snapple 16oz $1.29 ... $10.32 per gallon
Lipton Ice Tea 16oz $1.19 ..........$9.52 per gallon
Gatorade 20 oz $1.59 .... $10.17 per gallon
Ocean Spray 16oz $1.25 ......... $10.00 per gallon
Brake Fluid 12oz $3.15 ......... $33.60 per gallon
Vick's Nyquil 6oz $8.35 ... $178.13 per gallon
Pepto Bismol 4oz $3.85 .. $123.20 per gallon
Whiteout 7oz $1.39 ....... . $25.42 per gallon
Scope 1.5oz $0.99 .....$84.48 per gallon
And this is the REAL KICKER...
Evian water 9oz $1.49..........$21.19 per gallon!
$21.19 for WATER, and the buyers don't even know the source.
(Evian spelled backwards is Naive.)
Ever wonder why computer printers are so cheap? They have you hooked for the ink.
Someone calculated the cost of the ink at................you won't believe it:
$5,200 a gal. (five thousand two hundred dollars!
So, the next time you're at the gasoline pump, be glad your car doesn't run on water,
Scope, or Whiteout, Pepto Bismol, Nyquil, or God forbid, printer ink!
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