Monthly Archives: July 2011

Prayer-the Start of our Day

by Shirlee Vandegrift Lord God, Every morning when we wake up, even before we get up, we should thank You for the night past and thank You for the day ahead. We are sorry for the times when we start … Continue reading

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The Piece Doesn’t Fit

Once in a while we would buy a puzzle from the dime store. It would have a picture on the front and when the pieces were turned right side up you could tell that they belonged somewhere in that puzzle … Continue reading

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No More Patches

 It seemed normal in our childhood for someone to patch a worn piece of clothing so that its use could be extended. Today, we only see patches on new clothing as a fashion statement. It seemed normal in our childhood … Continue reading

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When Do I Say Goodbye?

I have said goodbye to two precious friends this year because I knew they were dying. One was Darlene. She was hospitalized for kidney failure after learning that the chemotherapy she had been enduring for her cancer was no longer … Continue reading

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The Nuisances of Aging

If someone asks me how I am today I will say fine. That is essentially true. A concurrent truth is that there are what I will call some nuisances that seem to be associated with aging. I have developed an … Continue reading

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My Introduction to Social Security

I want to begin by saying this is NOT a political statement. Neither am I unconcerned about the potential impact that changes in Social Security benefits may bring to us. Yet, the frequent media reference to this topic stirs memories … Continue reading

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Lessons From a Tattoo

I met her in the hospital. She was a patient that was assigned to me for her admission work up. I was a recent graduate nurse and was learning from each new patient; but from this one, I gleaned a … Continue reading

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Sweet Memories

by Jean Roesler Aunt Helen and Uncle Ed managed a farm for a well-known local family; but to me, it was always their farm. I loved visiting because I knew there would be cookies. My favorite was Aunt Helen’s sugar … Continue reading

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Memories of Empowering Volunteers

As I am beginning the process of shifting major ministry responsibilities to volunteers, I am finding my conversations quite familiar. I have said and done these things before. These are some of the things I learned when, as the Children’s … Continue reading

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I Did All I Could

I stood beside my dad. We were leaning together on the fence that formed a boundary for our pigs. We were watching the mother pig nurse her new litter. The mother pig had gradually grown to look like a big … Continue reading

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