What's New?

I'm sure that you've given up on any future posts from here; and yet, I keep popping back up! In the last post I spoke about the baby bluebirds fledging and, as of this morning, we have more hatchlings in a new nest; here we go, all over again! Sorry, it's been awhile. Since I was here last we've made yet another trip to New England and spent precious time with my parents. Thanks be to God, they're doing well. 

Our family is celebrating birthdays this month. Mason's is today and our daughter's later this week. Those of you who've been reading here through the years may remember when our oldest grandchild first made an appearance... 16 years ago! He is every bit as sweet today as he was back in 2008. I'm unsure how this happened, certainly I don't feel any older myself. The Birthday Bear felt ornament, pictured above, was made to commemorate the occasion of our daughter's birthday. Inspired by Ramona who blogs at Doodlebugs and Rosebuds, I decided to try my hand at some of these. They come packaged as kits and... yes... I've discovered another rabbit hole! If any of you care to follow me down there I have discovered all sorts of goodies at Merry Stockings. The kits arrive complete with every little thing that you will need and easy to follow instructions. You're welcome. 😉 

What's new with you?

And sew, here we are again, playing catch-up. Thank you for your patience.

I'm back and it's all good. 

Life is Good! 

If Your Life Were A Quilt...

...what would it look like?  Think about that for a second. Would it be bright all over or would it contain dark areas? Would it have mistakes, inconsistent stitches, small rips and tears that may have been mended (or not), star points missing here and there or would it be perfect? Would each block be similar or would there be variety? What would your life-as-a-quilt reveal?  I recently attended a memorial service for a friend's mother; her name was Zelma. My friend, Carla, is a fellow church member, the service was held in our church. Carla's Mom was a quilter, at age 97 she still stitched every single day, right up until she was hospitalized earlier this year. Carla told me that her Mom would rise in the morning and go straight away to her sewing machine, (like it was her job!) she'd piece quilt tops all day long. She donated countless quilt tops to charitable causes throughout her lifetime and, to this day, has left over 100 quilt tops stacked neatly in a cupboard outside of her bedroom. Our Pastor's memorial sermon has stayed with me. I share those words below, with his permission. It should be noted that this Memorial Service was held on National Quilting Day, I am sure that Zelma was smiling from her Heavenly home with that knowledge. 

Memorial Sermon

I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful

and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat

and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man.

There’s a particular love that one knows when they receive a

handmade quilt from someone. Chances are, somewhere in our

homes tucked away in a closet, we all have a quilt we received a

long time ago from someone who made it for us out of love. And if

this quilt is handmade, we know it isn’t just something to keep us

warm, but it’s a treasured item, one that carries

memories-stitched together out of care for us.

Those who knew Zelma Rohde in her life with us know how much

she loved to quilt, a gift she has undoubtedly passed down to her

daughter Carla. And in this love of quilting, there’s so much we

can learn about Zelma’s life and the kind of person she is. To quilt

for someone is to labor in love and express....in precise,

hand-stitched detail...what that person means to you.

If the life of Zelma was sewn into a quilt and spread out before us,

what would we see? I imagine we would see something

resembling our first reading in Ecclesiastes: For everything there

is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

Zelma’s life quilt would undoubtedly be large and thick, because

Zelma lived a long and full life with us. And now, as we look back

on this full life of Zelma, we can see all the times and seasons of

her life as one, beautiful, stitched-together masterpiece.

Zelma’s quilt begins with fabric of her time to be born, and today

we remember it has received its final stitch in her time to die.

But between the first and last stitch of a quilt, there is so much

that happens in between. In Zelma’s life, she had times to plant,

and times to pluck up what was planted.

It’s my understanding that along with quilting, Zelma was an avid

gardener. And I’ve learned that gardening can teach anyone who

puts effort into it important virtues...primarily patience. And from

this we know Zelma knew patience, when to reap the rewards of

her labor, and when to have just a little more patience to see her

projects through.

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time

to build up.

If this life quilt of Zelma were honest, it wouldn’t shy away from

stitching together the difficult times and seasons. Seasons in

Zelma’s life when things were dark, when she needed her own

healing. But we would also see a rich tapestry of the seasons

when she was there to build someone up in love and

encouragement.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time

to dance.

When we remember the life of Zelma, it’s only natural to

remember both the times of joy and the times of hardship.

Memories of laughing with her, and maybe even weeping with her.

But like a quilt of many colors, those dark times bring out a

boldness in the bright colors of her laughter and joy. Because it is

in these times when we see the love of her Lord, Jesus Christ

most perfected in her.

A time to seek, and a time to lose; A time to keep, and a time to

cast away; A time to tear, and a time to sew.

The memory of Zelma full life, and the lives of all our faithfully

departed, cause us to reflect on our own, incomplete lives. Today,

we observe the life quilt of Zelma after receiving its final stitch, but

each of us have our own life quilts that are still being sewn and

stitched together. And one day, just like today for Zelma, those

closest to us will look back on all the stitches and fabrics of our

life.

At first, this might make us nervous to think about...every stitch?

What about the bad stitches in my life? What if there are fabrics in

my past that I’ve completely ruined?

Let us remember how Zelma sought to fix her stitches - through

the correcting, love of Jesus Christ, who has labored in love for us

and expressed....in precise, hand-stitched detail...what we mean

to Him upon the cross.

Zelma trusted Jesus to tear away the ruined fabric from her quilt

and sew back the perfect cloth of His righteousness. And now, by

faith in Him, Zelma lives on in His Resurrection from the dead.

In the same way, we can trust in Jesus to stitch His mercy in us in

those places we may need it most.

As we remember the life of Zelma, let us see her life as a quilt

God has stitched together out of love for us. Her life is one that

will always keep us warm in times of hardship, and it will always

carry memories stitched together by the grace of her maker and

Savior: Jesus Christ, her Lord, Amen.

- Reverend Matt Knuppel

Grace Lutheran Church

18 March 2023

And so, if YOUR life is arrayed to the world as a quilt, what will it reveal about you? I pray that my life's quilt will display rich, happy colors. I hope it will show that I gave good effort and always tried to do my best, that my life was one lived in faith; and, also, like Zelma, that I might rise and contentedly stitch for as long as I am physically able! 

What a precious, tangible, legacy that would be!

Life is Good!

Life Interrupted

So, a week ago, Mr. Goodneedle and I decided that we'd try our hand at upholstery, we're learning as we go. We have two wing chairs in our bedroom that were begging for facelifts and we'd finally succumbed to their incessant whining. He began the time consuming task of removing staples and slowly peeling the 1980's era crewel-work front and coordinating mauve velveteen back from the framework, salvaging each section to serve as a pattern piece. I disassembled the seat cushion covers; it, too, was a tedious task. This photo represents where we left off, on Wednesday of this past week... right now we're at a standstill. My dear mother-in-law somehow twisted her right knee and succeeded in doing severe damage, rendering her completely non-weight bearing. It took a few days and a few Dr.'s visits for her as well as an ultrasound (to rule out a blood clot) and an ambulance ride to the Emergency Department for an MRI before the final diagnosis was delivered. What began for her as a painful annoyance quickly escalated to a condition where she could not walk. She's now residing in a local hospital, resting the leg, and will soon be turned over to an orthopedist for further treatment/rehab. It's frustrating for her, she has no idea how it happened. When you're frail, and elderly, it doesn't take much to find yourself sidelined indefinitely, and with that comes a moderate level of confusion too. We're doing all that we can to help but it's going to take time, patience and a cooperative spirit on her part before any progress happens as far as getting her back up on her own two feet, and, ultimately, back home if at all possible.

In the meantime we have chosen new fabric for reupholstering the chairs, but that's as far as we've gone. I have a quilt ready to load on Snowbird that will cover our bed; out go the pastels and in come some deeper, richer tones for our all new bedroom decor. As far as the newbie upholsterers go it's going to take time and patience before we see progress in the redecorating department... but it will happen! We know that to be true. Life interrupted for us is easy enough to start back up. Sadly, the truth of a life interrupted for someone who's 92 years of age and fragile of body is a traumatic occurrence; it's likely to be a long time to get back to where she was.

Join me in prayer, if you will, for healing of body and spirit and a return to normal life, 

whatever God wills that to be, for my dear mother-in-law;

 she, and we, would deeply appreciate that today.

Life is Good! 

A Grace-filled Life

I live a blessed life, filled to overflowing with moments of pure grace. By Christian definition grace is the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. My constant prayer is that I remain open to these blessings and aware of the true gifts that they are; and, more importantly, from where they come... always returning thanks back to God. 

A few years back I kept a gratitude journal after reading Sarah Ben Breathnach's book: Simple Abundance. The book was a gift from my daughter and I found it to be transformative. Since then I have developed a heightened awareness of blessings and grace moments, although I have long-ago given up the practice of actually keeping the journal; every now and then I think I should go back to that habit of actually writing them down, it's a humbling experience.

On Saturday we traveled to the Capital City to watch Mason play soccer. Our oldest grandchild has developed quite a competitive spirit and is a great team player; to be there and witness his God-given athletic abilities and his cooperative nature was such a treat. I realized suddenly, standing right there on the sidelines in the warm late morning heat, how very much I had to be thankful for: our close proximity to all of our grandchildren, their good health, our own good health and for the loving family unit that binds us together... blessings bestowed. Grace comes: not always in big and monumental ways, it comes in the everyday moments. Over the last few days it has come on the sidelines of that soccer field, it came around the dinner table over a simple sandwiches shared with loved ones, it came at a quilt guild meeting in unexpected surprises received from thoughtful friends, and just today in a loving note from a kind and generous friend who is going through a grief period of her own. These grace moments are so sweet, so tender, and so pure that they touch my heart and reduce me to tears. How can I possibly be worthy? How can I ever be grateful enough for all of these blessings and this life filled with God's grace? I am assured that God is there, in the midst of each sacred instant, and that God is also working within me; to be there, to bear His grace, and to pass it along. I'll do my best. How has grace touched your life today? Look around, you'll see! It's what we do next that really counts...

Mason (front row, left) and the Defeaters

Life is Good!

What's Under Your "M" Key?

Typing on my laptop was becoming a challenge, my "M" key wasn't responding. I spent a lot of time going back and hitting it again; over and over, with increased pressure until an "M" finally appeared. It was a gradual progression from an intermittent annoyance to a full-fledged pain in the neck over the period of a few weeks. Grrr! I mentioned this to my husband; I wasn't sure what to do, I didn't know if we needed to take the computer in for a repair or what the solution could be. He looked up a DIY repair site on the Internet and found some video help. The next thing I knew he had the keyboard apart, a small attachment on my vacuum, and was cleaning underneath the key buttons. He reported that there was a fair amount of dust and debris under there, but that the "m" key was, by far, the dirtiest! In a jiffy it was all back together and working like brand new again, it was that easy! Who knew? Isn't this the way it is with our lives too? Isn't it usually something very simple that gets in our way and slows us down, something that is insignificant but becomes monumental? A task that needs completing, a hurt that needs attention or forgiveness? What's under your "M" key that's slowing you down these days? It's amazing how quick and easy the fix can sometimes be!

Life is Good!

Reflection

After dinner last evening I went for a brisk walk around the neighborhood; I found the house bathed in a rosy glow of this sunset, inside and out, when I reentered through my own front door, the splendid reflection of a glorious day! Earlier I had attended the memorial service of a friend, prompting a different reflection, the personal type.  As I busied myself through tasks and chores all afternoon I remembered my friend, pondered my own life, and thought about how I will want to be remembered. It's simple really, memories will be, can only be, a clear reflection of how one's life is lived; what a powerful and profound realization! When it's all said and done I can only hope to leave a rosy glow such as this one, a splendid reflection of a glorious life. Wow, that's a tall order, so is the sobering awareness that this eventuality is really up to me; one day, one step, at a time!

Life is Good!

Tension, A Delicate Balance

If you sew, you know the delicate balance that is required between the top and bottom threads to keep the tension harmonious. It's the same thing with our daily lives. Our schedule, often too crammed-full, is the thread that holds the day together and when the tension gets out of whack our health suffers. Such was the case yesterday; I've been busy, but was staying afloat (surface tension), or so I thought. A headache started building at church while laying out quilt blocks. I drank some coffee, thinking that caffeine would help, but by that point it was like tossing a thimbleful of water on a forest fire... too little, too late. The drive home was excruciating, the sun glinting off the hood of the car might as well have been daggers straight to the brain. The pain took up residence over my eyes as illustrated above, and held on; aspirin, ice water, and a dark and quiet room in which to rest were my weapons against the unwanted boarder. Today is a better day, there is a dull ache in the back of my neck to remind me of my head's former tenant but I can manage and get some things done, although I have adopted a somewhat slower pace, I'll be back to full strength soon. Take it from me, balance your daily schedule as though you were adjusting your sewing machine. You can't keep tightening up in one area without making an allowance elsewhere; something will snap... believe me, it's all about give and take.  I'll return, I have LOTS of show and tell from this past week, and it's all good!

Life is Good! 

I'm In...

...TIME OUT!

(not the because I was naughty kind, but rather the blogger-break kind)

No worries, it's all good. I won't be posting for awhile; life has intervened, and there's nowhere I'd rather be...

Life is GOOD!

...but you already knew that...
It really, really is!

Billy Bag, The Good Birds Club, and Why I Blog

This bag hangs in my sewing room, its name is Billy. It was a gift from a friend, a blogging friend; one who was unknown to me, in real life before I blogged. Through the years we've shared stories and small gifts, we've prayed for each other through difficult situations and celebrated together the births of grandchildren, weddings, and good news of every variety. We've sewed for each other, and together for people unknown to us except through the wonderful world of Blogger. We became friends, blogging friends, and life was good.

Yesterday Gregory came to play for the day. We watched Sesame Street together. I became interested in the show when Big Bird received an invitation to join a particular club: "The Good Birds Club". Big Bird was excited to be invited and wanted, so very desperately, to become a member; but, he soon found out, that the invitation came with conditions. To be a "Good Bird" he needed to change his appearance and his voice, he was required to become someone other than who he was. This lesson for the viewer was about the power and the effects of bullying; one that can't be learned too early or communicated too often. In the end, Big Bird understood, through his real friends, the value of being exactly who he is, and how being genuine and loving himself was his TRUE gift to others.

There's been a buzz among bloggers lately concerning the "why" of blogging. I know why I blog and I make no apologies for my posts not appealing to all of the people all of the time. My blog contains posts about me and my life, a LOT of that life is consumed with quilting and, hence, there is much quilt and sewing related content, but that's not ALL that this blog is about anymore than that is ALL that I am about. I love my family, home, my dog, nature, hiking, the outdoors, technology, opinions, humor, music, travel, food and entertainment; I post about those things here too. My faith is fundamental to who I am; yes, I will post about my church and share my faith through this blog. I cherish my friends, both real (face-to-face) and the blogger variety, their friendships are all genuine. My blog is a true reflection of who I am, I don't try to present myself as someone else or post about what's new and trendy simply to draw more readers; to be honest, I wouldn't know how. I don't choose to advertise for compensation on my blog but, then, I don't make my living here, either. I respect the choice of those who carry ads on their sidebars and I understand that if they're selling books, services and products why this would be a sound choice and a perfect venue for them. I purchase those books and products and am happy to know where I can find what I need when I need it. There's a great big blogosphere here and there's room for all of us to exist in our own comfy little niches. I don't blog to live, nor do I live to blog; but I do LOVE to blog and I will continue to do so when I have something of interest to share through a post. I have lots more to say than I ever thought possible when my blogging journey began back in July of 2006. (Those of you who know me, in real life, won't find that hard to believe.) I love to talk, I adore story telling and I can't help but share my life... it's all good, you know! What started off as a few essays and a little quilty 'show and tell' became so much more. Once I discovered that more than just me sharing with you, there was real life give and take. There were opportunities through blogging that enabled us to join forces and truly share. The ripple effect of lives touched through friendships made here, was, and continues to be, truly amazing! Blogging is not a burden for me, but rather, a blessing. I'm happy when you stop by and I appreciate your comments, but I certainly don't expect them and I understand why many of you are questioning how to best use your time right now and may be considering abandoning your blogs altogether. I have taken one extended blogger break and many shorter "time outs" over the course of the last five years, maybe that's an alternative to consider. In any case, if you can't come up with a reason to continue blogging, or if you find yourself blogging out of a sense of obligation, remember Big Bird and what he learned, you need to be true to YOU. What it all comes down to is this: if your blog is good enough for you, then it's good enough.

Back to the Billy bag (above), and what it represents. It was given to me by Nancy, who blogs from Near Philadelphia. We met, for real, this past summer. She made this bag especially for me from her beloved William Morris fabrics (hence the name, Billy), whenever I use this bag I think of Nancy and how very special she is. She knows me for who I am, we became old friends before we'd even met! We started out as blogging friends, then became real life friends; we have hugged, and the circle expands. That, my friends, is why I blog.

Life is Good...

and through blogging

it is even better!

Life Happens...

...when you're busy making plans for other things. Today is "Gregory" day. I keep my youngest grandson on Mondays, I leave the house at 7 AM and arrive at his home at precisely 7:30. This morning was no different, I was in the process of bidding Mr. Goodneedle good-bye, armed with my "nap time" projects when the phone rang; the caller I.D. displayed "Mom". My heart sank, it was my mother-in-law, she does NOT get up early; this couldn't be good news. She had fallen, last night, she couldn't get up and she needed my husband to come; the details were sketchy. I went my way and he went his. I arrived at Gregory's home just about the same time that Mr. Goodneedle arrived at his mother's, our worst fears were confirmed. An ambulance was summoned and Gregory and Nana were enroute to join them. Mom's spirits were good, despite an eight-hour-plus detour to the carpet beside her bed. She fell at 11 PM last evening, she hit her head and her side against her bathroom vanity. She didn't want to disturb anyone's sleep even though she had access to the telephone and a life alert button... I firmly believe she thought she would eventually gain enough strength to climb up into her bed and be O.K. Unfortunately, that never happened. After a grueling day in the E.R. she has finally been admitted to a room. She has three broken ribs, that's the bad news. The good news is that her spirits are positive and she's looking forward to a short hospital stay and coming home to her little dog, Linus. He is living here with us temporarily and not any too happy about that; but, I didn't get any appliqué done today during nap time either. Why? Because, life happens when you're busy making plans for other things, that's just the way it is. Please pray for Mom, God is listening and there's power in numbers; I know there's an army of prayer warriors out there. She is feisty and funny and full of life; and, as I always say...

Life is GOOD!

Cold Hands, Warm Heart...

I'm not making resolutions for this new year, for me that's an exercise in futility. I'm making a vow instead, to reach out more; to live with an open heart... every day. I spent last evening stitching mittens and as I stitched, the words from a poem spoken at a funeral that I attended on New Year's Eve replayed in my head and seeped into my soul. "Something Worth Leaving Behind" is about making a difference in someone else's life, about loving another person and investing yourself in that person. That's the kind of legacy I want to leave, one of a life lived with an open heart! There's no day like today to start. Cold Hands? Maybe. Warm heart? Absolutely... with God's help.

Life is Good!
Philippians 4: 13 "I can do all things in him who strengthens me"

Every Age She's Ever Been

I'm sure you've seen this brain-teaser puzzle before. Is it a drawing of an old woman, eyes downcast, wearing a frown? Or wait, is it a young woman turning her head away, wearing a ribbon around her neck? Once your eyes have seen one it's difficult to focus on the other again. I dare say that's the way it is in real life. My mother in law is 86, she lives in her own home, with only her little dog for company. She's content, most of the time. We know she's lonely, but this is where she wants to be; and will be, until she can't stay there by herself anymore. We take her anywhere she needs to go outside of her immediate neighborhood, to church, to the mall, to the doctor's office, to the drug store; she's happy with this arrangement. I picked her up for our monthly circle meeting on Tuesday. She was ready when I got there, she was wearing her Christmas sweater. We talked about friends and family on the short drive to the meeting; sadly, friends and family who are no longer living, she had chosen the topic. I felt a sense of sadness seeping in by the time we arrived. I helped her up the steps and went back out to move the car, once she was settled. When I entered a second time she had taken a seat at a table that was already full; I sat down at the next table and couldn't help but notice, as time went on, what a great time the ladies at mother's table we having. All of similar age to mother, these women were not only smiling and giggling(!), but clapping their hands in delight! I was curious about the conversation at that table. I later learned that our female Pastor had asked who at the table had ever worn a crown, been in a beauty pageant or been on a homecoming court. The answer? Quite a few! I never knew that my own mother in law had been a beauty queen when she was sophomore in high school, or that we had a former Potato Queen and Basketball Queen in our midst. These ladies were transported back to happy, carefree days through these memories; back to times when they felt beautiful and hopeful and excited about life. It was a wonder to behold. Mom was happy all the way home, she asked if we could stop at the mall; we did, she was gleeful and chipper as we shopped, I noticed that she even had a slight spring to her step as we navigated between the stores! We talked about mailing packages and Christmas dinner on the drive back to her house, no more sad conversations about departed loved ones. I thanked our Pastor the next day for injecting such a great mood-brightener into our Circle meeting, I explained how it had worked wonders even hours later. She reminded me of this passage, from Ecclesiastes:

"I'M EVERY AGE I'VE EVER BEEN"
( I have put eternity in their hearts Eccl 3:11)

I hadn't thought about it that way, but yes... I am, too; every age I've ever been. I love that! Now, go back up and look at that picture puzzle again. Can you see it, every age she's ever been?

Life is Good!

What's It All About?

Life is a whirlwind of activities these days. I no sooner cross one thing off the "to do" list and three more are added. That's OK, 'tis the season. And yet, it's easy to lose sight of what's really important when I find myself jumping from thing to thing and trying to cram it all into one day without being exhausted and/or cranky. What's it all about, anyway? My daughter sent this photo yesterday, a souvenir of this past weekend in the mountains; two of my favorite boys! Yep, "that's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown"!

Life is Good!

Mason Has Arrived!

Wednesday, July 23, 12:00 PM
6 lbs. 1 oz., 19.5" long
Mom, Dad and Mason are doing very well.

Welcome to the world, little one!


Life is the BEST!

The Tiny Chiclets Parable

Life is Good! I say that everyday and I believe it, but life isn't always fair. Any parent with more than one child can tell you equal and even distribution of anything is impossible. I have a friend who has attempted, with dogged determination, to make everything equal for her two children. They are now grown adults and she still does the same, to the penny. Our children were raised with as much fairness as is possible, however, sometimes one simply needed more than the other. When that was the case they received whatever it was that they needed; whether it was time and attention, or money. The other one understood that we would do the same for them, if and when there were a situation that called for unequal distribution. I felt then, and I still do today, that this understanding helps to build character and develop compassion for others. I'm reminded of the lesson that my children taught me when they were small. We had rented a beach cottage for a week with another couple, our good friends, they didn't have children at that time. One morning during that week my friend took one of our children with her to the grocery store. I don't remember now if it was our daughter or son who went, it doesn't matter anymore. The child who went to the store returned with a package of Tiny Chiclets, a huge prize! The child who remained didn't receive a prize but, seemed happy and content with whatever it was they were doing at the time, having remained with the rest of us on the beach. Later, I learned, to my shock and amazement that the "remaining" child had flushed the contents of the offending prize package down the commode. There was screaming, wailing and tears. There were insults flung, and hurt feelings, but eventually life returned to normal; whatever that was back then. I have thought back upon this incident many times and chalked it up to 'kids being kids', but it did open my eyes to how perceived favoritism, even for a moment, could either be a devastating or power-full dynamic, depending on one's position. The actual "flushing" act, though childish, was a way of leveling things out. It was one child's way of saying: "You had something, I didn't, and now we both have nothing; we're equal." This was a perfect teaching moment for this parent. I remember talking about entitlement after one child expressed the thought that they should have something simply because the other one did. Over time these children understood the lesson. Now they are adults and have come to appreciate each others successes based on their own, individual choices. I'm baffled by adults who demonstrate the same entitlement mentality that I saw in my small children way back when. I daresay that we wouldn't have constant news stories today about dramatic credit debt and epidemic foreclosures if there was broader understanding of the "Tiny Chiclets" parable. Thanks for indulging me in this "soapbox" moment.

Life is Good!




22. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot.
Try to nip small problems in the bud.
Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.

What Would You Do?

What would you do if confronted by a mugger? Read this news story straight from the pages of NPR, you won't forget what Julio did, guaranteed. This story was just too good not to post here.

Life is Good!

Morning Edition, March 28, 2008 · Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner.

But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn.

He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.

"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.

As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm."

The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"

Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.

"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.

Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth.

"The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"

"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"

Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"

"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said.

Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.

The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.

When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you."

The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."

Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."

Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."

Produced for Morning Edition by Michael Garofalo.

And One More Thing...

... that can be added to the ever growing list
of life changes that are afoot for 2008!

My husband will officially retire, again, July 1.
All the more time to spend with that grandbaby!

Life is Good!

Consider This...

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle".

This was at the bottom of an e-mail, a forward, the type I ordinarily delete. For some reason I didn't delete this one; but rather, read it through. The sentence above concluded the text. It's worth consideration, think about it. I know I will this week.

Life is Good!

They Came, They Saw...

Yes, they came and visited my sewing space; the Home Extension Club of a neighboring county. They were completely delightful... so interested in, and complimentary of, my quilts-- it was enough to make one blush! Let me tell you about one of these ladies, she was remarkable! She's in the front row, holding her purse; 95 years young! She sat on the sofa with the sweetest smile on her face the entire time. The others in her group asked questions and talked about their own quilts and their quilting ancestors. They told historical tales about the settling of their community and all the while she sat, smiling and nodding. When it was time for the group to depart they left one by one, but she held back. She took my arm and whispered to me that she was blind and deaf, both of these ailments brought on by advancing age, but that she'd had a wonderful time. She loved getting out and she was so very thankful that she'd been able to attend. She hoped to come back again! I was amazed. Imagine this... blind and deaf, every reason in the world NOT to go out anymore. Staying home has to be easier... but no, she gets up every day, gets dressed, and gets on with the business of living; she is celebrating life! I'm so glad she came last week, and I do hope that she does come back!

I need to thank her,
thank her for reminding me...

Life is Good!

Imprints

We are who we are because of the people and experiences that have left imprints on our lives. I've had many life-teachers, one stands out as a bright and shining example of honesty and integrity; I don't even remember her name. When I was twenty-one years old I worked for The Singer Company at Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette, IN; I was the bookkeeper. The store was open from 1 PM until 5 PM on Sundays, every once in a while I had to take my turn on a Sunday shift. One such Sunday I was working along with a fellow employee, John. He didn't much like working Sundays, either; he was a service technician and was as eager to close out that afternoon in March as I was. It had been a slow day and as we we approached closing time, I was cutting fabric for a lone customer. John slid one of the front doors closed at five o'clock and closed out one of our two cash registers, he waited for me to finish up so that we could lock up and each go home. The customer needed some notions to go along with her fabric purchase; finally, I carried her accumulated items to the register and rang up the sale. John had readied a bag for me, it was waiting on the counter, I slid her items inside and he locked the door behind her. I totaled out the register and looked for the receipts, checks and cash from the other cash drawer while John locked up the office. We only needed to drop these into the bank deposit as we exited the mall and we were free to leave for the day! I asked John where the contents of the other cash register were and he gave me the strangest look... "In the bag..." he responded, in what I remember as sort of a strangled whisper. "Bag?" I questioned; but we both already knew what had happened. He'd placed the money in the very same bag that I had sent home with our last customer. She was now carrying fabric and matching thread along with most of our day's receipts! I can recall, even now, the cold, sinking feeling of absolute panic that was overwhelming me as John ran in circles around the store before bolting to the parking lot in an attempt to find her. It was too late, the parking lot was empty. We didn't know the customer, she'd paid by cash, we had no way to contact her. We didn't have a choice, we had to call our manager. At first he couldn't believe that we would do anything that absent-minded, but when he figured out that we were serious he asked that we each come in the next morning before opening. We were both certain that we were losing our jobs. He sat us down and closed the office door, I'm sure we must have looked absolutely pitiful. He didn't fire us but rather gave us a pep-talk and then told us about all the times he'd screwed up and how people had given him second chances when he felt he hadn't deserved them. We both were relieved, able to breathe again, and yet still felt like we'd let people down; we had much to prove now that we'd been let off the hook. Less than fifteen minutes later our boss came strolling out of the office wearing a huge smile. The customer had phoned, she'd found the money and was returning it right away! I was amazed, I hadn't even dreamed that might happen! Somehow The Journal and Courier got wind of the story and printed a small article in the next day's paper entitled: "Singer Co. Pads Lady's Purchase". (I still have a copy of that article in a scrapbook somewhere.) We took some good-natured ribbing for awhile from customers and fellow mall employees who'd stop by and ask if we were giving away any money that day, things like that. But, as long as I live, I'll never forget the look on that dear lady's face when she returned that bag of money thirty three years ago, she was so exceedingly joyful. (So was I!) She was the human face of honesty and integrity; she taught me so much... simply through the way she lived her life. I am who I am today because of the scores of people and myriad of experiences that have left imprints on me; joyful, indelible imprints!

...I am deeply appreciative...
Life is Good!