The Finish Line

Happy New Year 2013!  Sending out good wishes to all.
True story. As I was leaving the gym today, a fellow member I hadn't seen in a few weeks entered. We exchanged hugs and greetings, then she exclaimed, "Hey Sylvia, I'm still reading your book! For real, want to see?" She pulled Behind Church Doors from her tote bag and flipped through the pages to show me how far she was into the novel.  I was impressed, because she's told me that it takes her forever to finish a book. Then she said, " I really like NikkiMac!"  She was referring to the main character in my first and second novels. I'm fine tuning the second novel, which is coming out in a few weeks.
The lady at the gym encouraged me today, and I want to encourage anyone who is currently working on a positive project. Keep at it.  Pray about it.  Go for the finish line.  Give God thanks for your talent and energy.
Keep the faith,
Sylvia

A Sudden Cry

I was an elementary school classroom teacher in an urban school district for more than 30 years. Most teachers I know are clear about the instinct to protect our students. In our school, we protected them from aggressive dogs that wandered onto the playground, from bullies, and from some parents who wanted to give them physical discipline in the classroom. We teachers shielded them from shady persons who occasionally slipped into the building. We sometimes had to protect them from other students or the bigger siblings of other students. I've faced many circumstances in defending and shielding students, but I never had to face an assault rifle.
Yesterday, I thought I was dealing with the news concerning the little children and school staff tragedy in CT. I  prayed when I heard about it on Friday. At church on Sunday, we prayed for all involved. But yesterday, the event came across the television screen with the faces and names of those now stilled. Suddenly, this teacher burst into tears.
Still praying,
Sylvia

On The Receipt

There's a controversy about the notes a waiter supposedly wrote on his order tab to help him identify the customers at his tables. I don't know if this is a practice among wait staff; I thought they just went by the numbered tables in a section. I remember seeing something like room/table maps with numbers at some restaurants. I know I'd need help remembering tables if I was working as a server. I'd really need the numbers. Anyway, this waiter allegedly wrote FAT GIRLS on his order tab. The problem is it was printed on the receipt which was given to the three female customers. Needless to say, the women customers were not amused.
This made me wonder what a wait staff person would write on his/her receipt about me to help remember the group at my table in a restaurant.
Woman with Afro?
Eyeglasses?
Short Lady?
Laughing Lady?
FITB?  (This is an old term: Fly in the buttermilk, for when I'm with my friends who aren't African American.)
Water drinker?
What would the wait staff write on the receipt about you?
Smiles,
Sylvia

Good Deeds

The other day, I was reminded of something very important. When you do something nice or helpful for another person, it feels good when that person recognizes your kindness and shows appreciation to you. However, even if the person doesn't show appreciation to you, don't be discouraged. Continue to do good anyway. It lifts your spirit and you'll be blessed.
Take care,
Sylvia

Hurricanes, Ice Cream, Faith

Right now, we're being visited by Hurricane Sandy. Major storms bring out interesting behaviors in people. Yesterday in between church services, I went to a local dairy, and the place was full of shoppers. What can I say?  I was there, too. My reason was not to get extra milk , bread, cheese, eggs, or other hurricane staples. I went to get three pints of ice cream because I only allow myself to eat ice cream on Sundays after dinner. I got three pints because it's Buy 2, get 1 free. This supply will last for a good while. Anyway, I heard one cashier say,"These people act like it's the end of the world!" 
I know the world will one day come to an end, and I live to be in the right position on that day. If  I'm living in obedient faith, it'll be okay if I'm at the dairy on that day.
Take care and be safe,
Sylvia

Mending

A young lady relative approached me with a pair of slacks. The inseam had come apart, so she wasn't able to wear them. She asked, "Do you think I should take these to a tailor shop and have them sewn?"
My reply was, "They just need to be stitched back together, the opening is only about 5 inches. A running stitch will do it, but a back stitch would hold better. Can't you just sew them yourself and save some money?"
She said, " I don't know how to sew them."
Her facial expression showed me that she was serious. Of course, I sewed them for her, and we'll soon have a date for me to teach her how to sew a couple of mending stitches.
This event made me think of how, long ago, mothers or grandmothers or junior high school home economics teachers prepared young people with basic life skills for when they were to be on their own. My sister knows how to stitch mend, and I think my brothers do also. (Of course, one of them is an exceptional clothing designer, so he knows more about it than the rest of us!)  My husband knows how to stitch mend, too. I wonder if it's a Baby Boomer thing. 
Do you know how to stitch mend?  Do your children know how?
Smiles,
Sylvia

Chicken Check

Some people are busy with ways to get around the law. A recent article reports about a person who was arrested at an airport because he smuggled in more than five pounds of cocaine into another country. What's unusual is that the cocaine was stuffed inside roasted chickens. An airport security scanner detected that oblong packages containing the drug were wrapped in foil and stuffed inside the cooked chickens. While many of us consider roasted chickens as tasty and low fat sources of protein, at least one person saw roasted chickens as drug containers.  From now on, when I see a roasted chicken, I may  think about this news article. Check your chickens.
Smiles,
Sylvia