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Jeanne's House of Angels Newsletter

Newsletter 1 March 16, 2007

This edition of the newsletter features Jeanne Ketcham as our chosen angel. Jeanne passed away from lung cancer on August 20, 2006. She leaves behind her husband of 39 years. Bud Ketcham. Her two daughters Christine and Cheryl. Also, her two grandchildren, Kayla and Nathan. This information is all on her site, but the purpose of this featured angel segment is to share a story that is not on her memorial site. So here is my favorite story about Jeanne.
My brother, Bud, was working late, so Jeanne and I decided to go out to dinner. We had some wine with dinner and perhaps , just a bit too much. By the time we got back to Bud and Jeanne's house, we were feeling pretty good. (probably a little too good). About the same time, my nieces, Chrissy and Cheryl, had just come home from an evening of roller skating. Jeanne and I had some oldies blasting, which just about drove the girls nuts. Their protesting was all we needed to push it to the next level, we put their roller skates on and started skating around the kitchen. Did you ever try to roller skate to "Wooly Bully" on a kitchen tile floor, with just a touch too much wine! Needless to say the girls were completely humiliated, but not as much as we were when we realized my brother had returned from work and was watching us make complete idiots of ourselves! That was over thirty years ago and I still remember it as if it were yesterday. I think that's why Jeanne is my favorite angel.

Featured Angel: Jeanne Ketcham

Jeanne trivia:
Favorite color: yellow
Favorite flower: yellow rose
Favorite movie: Ghost
Favorite actor: Patrick Swayze
Favorite song: Nights in White
Satin ( Moody Blues)
Favorite TV: Amazing Race,
American Idol, Survivor
Favorite hobby: Slot machines!

Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Confucius

Heaven and Hell
Author Unknown

A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said, "Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like."
The Lord led the holy man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.
In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
But the people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths. The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering. The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell.'
They then went to the next room and opened the door. It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water. The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, "I don’t understand."
"It is simple" said the Lord, "In this place the people have learned to feed one another."

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2

The Seven Wonders of the World
Author Unknown

Junior high school students in Chicago were
studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At
the end of the lesson, the students were asked
to list what they considered to be the Seven
Wonders of the World. Though there was some
disagreement, the following received the
most votes:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids
2. The Taj Mahal in India
3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona
4. The Panama Canal
5. The Empire State Building
6. St. Peter's Basilica
7. China's Great Wall

While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help."
The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are:
1. to touch...
2. to taste...
3. to see...
4. to hear... (She hesitated a little, and then added...)
5. to feel...
6. to laugh...
7. and to love.

The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop.
May this story serve as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful - and we don't have to travel anywhere special to experience them.
Enjoy your gifts!

A guy calls the hospital. He says, "You gotta send help! My wife's going into labor!" The nurse says, "Calm down. Is this her first child?" He says, "No! This is her husband!"

Dealing with Grief: A Basic Primer
by Anne Black, Ph.D.

Grief wears different faces. Learning to recognize these different faces takes practice. For some people, grief reactions are externally displayed.
For some people, there may be a need to keep busy to prevent feeling. For some people, there can be a strong impulse to create a legacy in memory of a loved one. For some people, there can be overt anger towards life—or God. For some people, living just stops and there is a sense of immobilization. And for some people, grief can feel like walking through the dark night of their soul—as they are pulled inward.
Grief can also take on different faces within the inner world of a person. Sometimes a wave of grief comes out of nowhere. Sometimes it feels like a 300-pound weight is bearing down on our chest and there is tightness in the throat. Sometimes there is a malaise and life loses its luster. Sometimes tears flow in response to a song, a thought, a memory, or a word. Sometimes fatigue and depression covers us like a thick fog. Sometimes we find ourselves reliving conversations and times shared with another. Sometimes a heaviness sits on our chest, and it's difficult to take a deep breath. Sometimes anger lurks just beneath our skin. Sometimes we lack energy to do the needful tasks in our life. And sometimes we are opened to a deeper awareness of our self and life. So how do we care for ourselves in healthy ways when one or more of these symptoms are present? It's helpful to remember that following a loss, the entire organism of a person (their mind, their emotions, their body, their physiology, their whole being, and their world) is reorganizing itself. This reorganization process takes time—and a lot of energy.
Listed below are some caring ways you can help yourself while you are adjusting to changes in your life and support your healing process: Embrace the silence. Emotional and mental work is required to grieve. This work can sometimes deplete the body more than rigorous physical activity. Giving yourself the gift of time to rest, to relax and to reflect (on the loving exchanges-not the regrets) can speed up the healing process. Rest guilt free and know that you are extending a loving gesture to yourself each time you bring peace and calm into your life. Be gentle with yourself. Ease up on your expectations of what you should be doing while adjusting to life without a significant person. Take people up on their offers to help. Accepting help does not mean you are weak or flawed. On the contrary, you are just someone who is grieving and benefiting from some extra help to have time to care for yourself. Open the floodgates. If you are able to cry, consider yourself blessed. Tears indicate your emotions are not frozen. Should tears surface during inappropriate times, promise you'll let them flow at home or with someone you trust and is comfortable being with your feelings. Some people are able to cry in the shower, while others let the tears leak out while listening to sad music or watching a sad movie. Whatever your style let the tears flow and the energy of grief to be released.
Move your body. Grief is energy: energy that needs to be moved. There are many ways to physically move the body to release grief. Some ways to release this grieving energy include: taking a brisk walk, chopping wood, screaming into a towel (to not distress others), aerobic exercise, yoga or swimming. It may take awhile for the body to be ready for these physical activities. Monitor yourself. If more stamina is required, wait awhile and try again later.
Creatively release energy. Creativity is another potent way for grieving energy to come out of your body. Poetry, sculpting, painting, singing, quilting and woodworking are examples of creative endeavors that help us directly connect with the feelings of grief-a and give these emotions an outlet. One does not need to be skilled in any of the arts to derive benefit from this approach. Even drawing stick figures can help tell your story and tap into the feelings of loss-and love. Watch your thoughts. Carefully observe what you are thinking. As a grieving mind rewires what has occurred, many thoughts surface to be processed. Just like you monitor your speedometer to know how fast you are driving, monitor your thoughts to discover what you are thinking. Are more flowers or weeds growing in the garden of your mind? Remember: You are the captain who is poised at the control panel of your mind. You have the ability to change thoughts that are causing disturbance. May your thoughts blossom into beautiful creations. Nurture yourself. In addition to rest-good nutrition, fresh air, exercise and surrounding yourself with beauty and peace is a recipe to maximize healing. Soothing baths, a serene massage, peaceful music, a gentle manicure, curling up with a book that speaks to your heart. Creating a calm, healing environment where you are surrounded by things that truly nourish you in healthy ways sends a powerful message to your psyche.
Establish your support team. Make a list of people who can help you stay open to the best parts of yourself while grieving. These are the people you will want to contact frequently. Some people have an uncanny ability to soothe and calm us, others to make us laugh, those with whom we can cry, while we look to others to help us intelligently process important decisions. Choose these people wisely, as they will determine how deeply and consciously you will grieve. Let inspiration fill you. When your heart breaks open following a loss, there can frequently be a deep yearning to nourish an inner longing—a soul hunger. Reach for whatever touches you in the depth of your heart—a passage from the Bible, Qur'an or Torah, poetry, spending time in nature, beautiful music that moves you deeper. Let yourself be filled with the awe of life, the love of the Divine and whatever rings of Truth to your soul.
As you open your heart to feeling the pain of letting go of someone you deeply love, may you also open your heart to feeling deep compassion and love for yourself. Gently be with yourself and honor your unique process. Soothe the tender part of your being that longs for softness and kindness. Give to yourself from a place of unconditional love and care.Know within every fiber of your being that everything you need to move through this time of transition is with in you. Slow down—listen—and respond to the call of your heart. Let your heart be your guide. This wise, knowing part of yourself can be trusted. You can survive this challenging time. In fact, when you do the needful work and keep your heart open as you go through the adjustment period, you can even thrive, though that may be hard to imagine now. Just trust your process and keep taking care of yourself, and know that sorrow and joy are at opposite ends of this dance through life. As each and every emotion surfaces, choreograph just the right steps to be authentically in each moment. Always, always, always keep your heart open—no matter how much pain you feel—and trust your innate wisdom to help guide the way toward your healing.

Irish Beef Stew Recipe

1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/4 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
I cup of Guinness beer (beef stock can be substituted)
1 cup of fine red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, Guinness, red wine, tomato paste, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

2 While the meat and stock is simmering, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes.

3 Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Serves 4 to 6.

FYI: If your car keys have the device that locks, unlocks, sounds the horn of your car, it can be used as an alarm. Keep your keys next to your bed. in case of a breakin, you can press the horn button. The horn will continue to honk alerting neighbors and possibly scaring off any would be burglars.

Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz
(Other uses for Alka-seltzer)

Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush, and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous china.

Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka-Seltzer tablets.

Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.

Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka- Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).

Remove burned-on grease from a pot or pan. Fill the pot or pan with water, drop in six Alka-Seltzer tablets, let soak for one hour, then scrub as usual.

Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka- Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.

Get short-term relief from nicotine withdrawl symptoms. As long as you're not on a low-sodium diet or have peptic ulcers, drink two Alka- Seltzer tablets dissolved in a glass of water at every meal.

Soothe insect bites. Dissolve two Alka-Seltzer tablets in a glass of ater, dip a cloth into the solution, and place the cloth on the bite for twenty minutes.

Say What???
(Actual quotes)

"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country,"
- Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC.

"That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it,"
- A congressional candidate in Texas.

"I love California. I practically grew up in Phoenix."
- Dan Quayle

"It's no exaggeration to say that the undecideds could go one way or another"
- George Bush, US President

"The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein,"
- Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.

"We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people."
- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instructor.

"It is wonderful to be here in the great state of Chicago!"
- Dan Quayle, VP

Links

"I cannot always control what goes on outside. But I can always control what goes on inside. "
Wayne Dyer

"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them. "
Dalai Lama

Reflecting His Love:
A site that has inspirational stories, poems
beautiful pictures, scripture quote

PsychCentral: the Internet's largest and oldest mental health social network created and run by mental health professionals to guarantee reliable, trusted information and support communities to you, for over 12 years.

Father Pat's Place:
Father Pat Umberger is a pioneer in using the Internet for faith-based purposes.
It is a safe and peaceful place

GriefNet.org is an Internet community of persons dealing with grief, death, and major loss

Click anywhere on the tag to go that website

I Promise


I promise I won't cry forever
But I need to just today.
I promise I will remember
How to live and how to play.

I promise that I'll dry my tears
When the heartache goes away.
I promise that it won't take years
But I need another day.

I promise that I'll live my life
As you would want me to.
I promise when I'm facing strife
I'll face it straight and true.

I promise I will endeavor
To do the best I can each day.
I promise I won't cry forever
But I need to just today.

                                 ~DMN~

I thought it would be appropriate to end this first newsletter with the first poem I wrote after Jeanne died.

Life is tough, get a helmet!

The next newsletter will be featuring Amanda McKinnon.
Please feel free to send me feedback, it can only help to improve the newsletter. If you prefer not to receive the newsletter, email and I will remove you from the mailing list. Dianne