Casseroles Follow Crises

We are going through some difficult times right now; and when my neighbor, Emily, heard she insisted on making us dinner this week.  You know it wasn’t really necessary.  I’m not sick or physically hurt, so I am perfectly capable of putting together a meal.  But dishes carry more than nutrition; they carry comfort.  Have you ever heard the saying, “Casseroles follow crises like summer follows spring”?  Well, now you have!  

Surgeries, illnesses, deaths or even heart-breaking crises should prompt us to get busy in the kitchen because food is the most basic of gifts and a reminder of our need for nourishment even when our hearts are aching or our bodies are broken. Going through a crisis in your life is like falling out of the boat that is your normal life.  So when friends call, send a card or bring those casseroles, it’s as if they are throwing you a life preserver and hauling you back into the boat.

Sometimes people going through hard times want both food and company, while sometimes just a pan of enchiladas and a quick hug are enough.  If made by people who care about you, a casserole does indeed have amazing powers of healing.

So…send a card, pay a visit, make a phone call, or get out that 9x13 inch pan!

Oh how I wish...

Oh, how I wish I had wings like a dove;

then I would fly away and rest!

I would fly far away

to the quiet of the wilderness.

Psalm 55:6-7



My Oldest Valentine

Bob is definitely my favoritest (is that a word?) Valentine in the whole world.  But my oldest Valentine (as in number of years) has got to be my dear brother, Wes.  He has been my Valentine for 53 years, and I can't remember one year when he has not sent me a Valentine of some sort.  

When he attended school , I remember crying as he packed his goodies and Valentine cards because I soooo wanted to to be old enough to go to school and because I wanted to attend a Valentine's Party too.  Well, my dear brother saved his napkin and a few little goodies from his party and brought them home in his lunch pail so him and I could have a little "Valentine's Party" at the kitchen table.  

He's not here, but my "Valentine's Party" started today with the arrival of this box:

Which contained this (and a mushy Valentine card - just the kind I like):

Which contains these:

I might be going down fat, but at least I'm going down happy!!!  And, as I'm known to say, "When they close that casket lid, they don't talk about how big your hips were.  They just say all this nice stuff about you."

In closing, I'll share my favorite picture of my brother and I.  You will notice he was willing to share his lollipop with me, but he DIDN'T let me touch it.  I think he knew me too well.

To the outside world, we all grow old.

But not to brothers and sisters.

We know each other as we always were.

We know each other's hearts.

We share private family jokes.

We remember family feuds and secrets,

family griefs and joys.

We live outside the touch of time.

Clara Ortega

Amen?

Author (and mother) Elizabeth Stone once said that the decision to have a child is momentous because "it is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."  Can I hear an AMEN to that?

A Review of 2012 -- Part IV

June

Lyle graduated from Redding Christian High School  --  Class of 2012:

During the graduation, they honored the parents whose last child was graduating from Redding Christian School.  Embarrassing but nice!

Lyle was Salutatorian of his class.  He gave a wonderful speech:

 We were blessed to have many friends and family join us for the evening:

Our dear friend and "pretend Grandma" Helen Kinnier

Lyle, Gramz and Emilee

Uncle Wes and Lyle

Robert and Molly came all the way to Redding for Lyle's Graduation

Jeff, Hannah and Lyle

We had an Open House the following night for friends and family, and around 35 people came.  We had a great time!  I displayed all of Lyle's school pictures (which I did NOT appreciate) and his graduation pictures:

And, last (I KNOW THIS BLOG POST IS WAY TO LONG!!):

Lyle and Mrs. Hamilton  --  Kindergarten Graduation  2000

Lyle and Mrs. Hamilton  --  High School Graduation 2012