‘Ink Re-Cap 157. Random Sketches and Scribbles
‘Ink Re-Cap 157.
Random Sketches and Scribbles
about our day of thanks, razzleberry pie, and a fall scavenger hunt.
Last week I told you I wasn’t feeling Thanksgiving.
I’m thankful to be able to tell you today that we had a most amazing Thanksgiving day,
replete with amazing food and wonderful people. And my heart was right in it.
Because last Saturday as I went about my work, I listened to Christian singing. I set myself to pondering the words as I listened, and something happened. Suddenly the heavy burden of the week lifted. And along with the stress, the physical pain that made my week even more miserable basically all went away. I began to enjoy the day, my work, and I looked forward to getting ready for Thanksgiving.
And if one of you was praying, thank you.
Somebody must have been, and the bottle spilled over onto us. (Because Kim’s reaction to her “no” from SSI was initially negative, but since Saturday she’s been amazingly resigned. And forward-looking.)
Then, on Sunday morning our pastor spoke on the affection we should feel toward God. Love, yes, that is a given, but we should also feel affection, as toward a friend.
And I knew exactly what he was talking about.
Affection to God feels so perfect.
‘Ink Re-Cap 157: Our Week on the Blog
Vintage-Themed Bridal Shower Activities and Game Ideas
Kim’s Story, Chapter 9: Our Little Bear Cub
The Perfect Pie Pan for Baking Your Thanksgiving Pies. My Marie Callendar upcycled pans definitely did their job. And the pie crust recipe from last week was a hit. Part butter, part shortening. My go-to from now on. And, my Bro-in-law who mostly stays away from pumpkin pie, said the praline on the top made it worth a second piece!
Children’s Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt: For All Ages! We had so much fun with this. I told our friend’s daughter (4 years old) on Wednesday at Church that we were going to have a treasure hunt. She’s usually sweet and friendly, but this time she shied away. Later her grandma talked about it with her, and she said, “But I don’t know how to play treasure hunt.”
Then on Thanksgiving Day when we got to our gathering house, she came up to me and said, “I can hardly wait for the games!” And, oh, boy, we had fun with the games! It worked for all of them, from 2 year old to 10 year old. The prize at the end was making a crown with gems and glittery stickers. But the one boy (2) put his foot down there. He carried his crown around in his hands without the gems and stickers, thank you very much! So cute.
My Table Set For Company: True Christian Hospitality This story turned into another one after I posted it. Another friend messaged me and asked if this was about her mother (which I actually knew nothing about). The name and the second part of the story both fit! I couldn’t believe it. I have two friends whose mothers died with their tables set! It just gives me this, well, deep affection for God!
‘Ink Re-Cap 157 Search Engine Spotlight:
This is the post of the week:
Christmas Desk Candy DIY: Upcycle Old Books
Economical, upcycled old books decorated with ribbon and ephemera from past Christmases stash.
Also a super quick and fun last minute gift for a book-lover friend.
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Christmas Sale!!!
It is 29 days until Christmas Day 2021!
It’s almost past time for making lists and planning menus and… addressing your Christmas Cards.
We’re keeping our
First Annual/Pre-Black Friday/Holiday Hullabaloo
CHRISTMAS SALE!!!
for one more week. Use the golden link to see all the Christmas cards discounted 50% for our special GIFTees. Which is you, if you signed up for our email list!
Inspiring Inklings of Real Life
The World Outside Our Work Window
Yes!! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The day with its activities and family and friends and food…
Well, it was way better than I could have imagined the way last week went for us!
Kim and I both enjoy getting ready for events. For us both, and even more for her, the getting ready is so much more fun than the actual event. But when you’re with family, it’s all good.
Truly a Thanksgiving Day to be thankful for, and wish to give back more than we’ve received.
For some reason I’m remembering this story about dangerous love and giving more than is required. About a grand old lady who gave back so much more than was required of her.
Here’s the story:
One day 80+ year old Doris apologized to her pastor that she “tried to bring the muffins, but I was kidnapped.” When she came to deliver the muffins, she parked, then reached back in to get her package. Suddenly, she received a great push from behind that sent her sprawling into the passenger seat. The thief growled, “Give me the keys and you’ll be okay, old lady.”
Doris settled herself with great dignity in the passenger seat, and gave the grungy boy the keys. He smashed them into the ignition, started the car and roared off. Doris was quiet for awhile.
She told her pastor, “Then I said to him, “What’s your name?” He said it was Jesse. I said, “Jesse, why are you doing this?” He said, “So we can go to your ATM and get money from your account.” So I said, “Why?” and Jesse said he was a drug addict and needed money for drugs. I told him it was a terrible thing to be a drug addict. It’s not how God wanted his life to be. Jesse drove to one ATM after another, using my password to extract the limit each time. I said, “Jesse, you need to get help from God. You need a good rehab program. God wants to help you.”
“When he reached the maximum withdrawal limit for the day, he stopped the car. Jesse said he had what he needed and he was going to leave me there. Then I told Jesse I couldn’t get out of the car to move to the driver’s seat, because I was so sore. He said he’d come around to help me, which I really appreciated. He came around, helped me out, gave me his arm and helped me to the driver’s seat. Then he leaned in to put the seatbelt across me, and kissed me on the cheek.”
Her pastor said, “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
Doris said, “Yes, it’s bad but bad things happen all the time and why shouldn’t it happen to me? Let’s pray that Jesse gets the help he needs and that I can heal.”
Doris sat in the witness box at Jesse’s trial, and Doris said, “Judge, Jesse needs help. He needs a really good rehab program so he can get his life back. Please, judge, find help for him.”
Books of the week:
“The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor”*
by
The story above was taken from this book. Just one of the many examples of naming someone as worthy of love and caring. Note: Don’t read this book fast, since short portions sink in better than a marathon read.
Amazon:
Jesus didn’t see a sick woman, he saw a daughter of God. He didn’t see an outcast from society, he saw a child of Israel. He didn’t see a sinner, he saw a person in the image of the Creator. Are we able to see others with the eyes of Jesus? Seeing rightly is the beginning of renewal, forgiveness, healing and grace.
Seeing rightly, says Mark Labberton, is the beginning of how our hearts are changed. Through careful self-examination in the Spirit, we begin to bear the fruit of love toward others that can make a difference. Here is a chance to reflect on why our ordinary hearts can be complacent about the evils in the world and how we can begin to see the world like Jesus. With each chapter broken into brief segments punctuated by questions, this book is ideal for both personal reflection and group discussion. See what happens when you take a chance on the dangerous act of loving your neighbor. Your vision might just be changed forever.
Our children’s book pick, because it’s about a child who needed dangerous love.
“Wonder“*
by R. J. Palacio, 2012
I didn’t get very far into this book before I realized that this is an iffy recommendation.
The book’s theme is awesome, the writing interesting and funny. But almost insensitive, like when Mom and Dad tell Auggie his new principal’s name is Mr. Tushman, and Dad and Auggie laugh and make jokes about his name. Or when his mom told about Auggie’s birth, and how a nurse with flatulence (more common word used, however) played a hilarious part in the story. So as a parent you might have to think about how, or even if, you want to read this story.
The premise of inclusion for all children and how Auggie learns to fit in is a good theme. If slightly unrealistic. Some children like Auggie don’t have the personality to overcome their looks, and what happens to them? Do they take heart from reading about Auggie? I hope so. Many public school teachers read this book to their students every year because they say it makes a difference.
DO ANY OF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR BOOKS WE CAN SHARE, THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOU OR YOUR LITTLES? WE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.
Miscellaneous
Smirk:
To me, the following story provides plenty of smirks to last for the next week.
Random Factoid:
Quoted from whitehousehistory.org:
The official “pardoning” of White House turkeys is an interesting White House tradition that has captured the imagination of the public in recent years. It is often stated that President Lincoln’s 1863 clemency to a turkey recorded in an 1865 dispatch by White House reporter Noah Brooks was the origin for the pardoning ceremony.
By 1914, the opportunity to give a turkey to a president was open to everyone, and poultry gifts were frequently touched with patriotism, partisanship, and glee. In 1921, an American Legion post furnished bunting for the crate of a gobbler en route from Mississippi to Washington, while a Harding Girls Club in Chicago outfitted a turkey as a flying ace, complete with goggles. First Lady Grace Coolidge accepted a turkey from a Vermont Girl Scout in 1925. The turkey gifts had become established as a national symbol of good cheer.”
So this year President Biden pardoned two turkeys, raised on a farm in Indiana.
And this Canadian prairie girl living in the southwest for almost 40 years had never heard about this tradition before. The part about turkeys put up in a hotel close to the White House was rather horrifying to speculate on. Remind me to check which room it was if we ever stay in that hotel in DC…
Inspiring Quote
Now for the week’s fridge quote.
How To Get It:
Go to this page and fill in the form. This adds you to our email list, or, if you’re already on it, verifies you’re still one of our besties.
Then comment, “Quote 157” and we’ll zip it over to you.
