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| Jeanne's House of Angels Newsletter |
| Newsletter #10 6/15/07 |
| Featured Angel: Matt Jones |
| William Matthew (Matt) Jones
1977-2006 www.matt-jones-1977-2006.memory-of.com Matt was born on November 4, 1977 in Salisbury, N.C. to Sam and Kathy Jones. He weighed 7lb.14oz. We couldn't have been happier. We were already blessed with a daughter, Lisa. Now we had our daughter and son. Lisa was delighted to have a little brother. Matt was a happy child with a BIG imagination! He had imaginary blue monsters and purple roosters. He loved matchbox cars, slingshots, and getting in the pastures with the cows. He was 100% all american boy! Growing up Matt played and loved any sport in season. One would end and we'd sign up for the next. His favorite sports were football and wrestling. He played football for Pinebrook and was on the wrestling team for North Davie. Some of Matt's favorite things were fishing, playing guitar, rock concerts, his chocolate lab Bo (who we now have), hitting golfballs, going shirtless, hanging out with friends and family, the beach, the color orange, children (his favorites being McKenna and Bubba), clothes by Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger. His favorite restaurants were Murphy's in Boone, N.C. and Arigato's in Winston Salem, N.C. His favorite foods were Mom's biscuits and gravy, cube steak, fried squash, and okra. He loved grilled cheese sandwiches served with loads of dill chips. Matt's favorite dessert was Grandma Kimsey's pumpkin pie. Some of Matt's favorite bands were Nickelback, Ozzy, Staind, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Guns N Roses. He had a great appreciation for music. Some of Matt's dislikes were country music, LMN(lifetime), gossip, housekeeping and stationwagons. Matt had a great personality, always joking and cutting up, and this is what everyone remembers about him most. He was always the life of the party & kept everyone around him lauging. He liked to do funny impersonations and did good Dr.Phil impressions! Our favorite one he did was, "It's not about you!" Matt was a confidant for many of his younger cousins. They would come to him with their problems or secrets, knowing he would make them feel better and never repeat what was said. They all miss him so much. On May 15, 2006 our world turned upside down. Matt was killed in a motorcycle accident a few miles from our house. His girlfriend called as soon as it happened. We were there in 5 minutes. But the ambulance had come and gone with him. He died enroute to the hospital. We never got to say goodbye. There was 50-75 of Matt's family and friends at the hospital within a very short time that evening. His funeral was standing room only in the chapel. Matt would have been so proud of the turnout in his honor. We never would have imagined our time with Matt would be cut so short. Our hearts are broken. I feel as if half my heart is missing. I'll never be the same without my only son. Matt's spirit and memory will live on in our hearts until we are all united again. Matt leaves behind his Mom and Stepdad, Kathy and Donny; his Dad and Stepmom, Sam and Robin; his sister, Lisa; his neice, McKenna; Mamaw Potts and Mamaw Jones; his step brother, Stevie; his stepsister, Amy; along with many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who love and miss Matt dearly. We are very proud to say that Matt is a donor. His major organs were too damaged from the accident to use, but Matt gave the gift of sight to two people. Matt always said when leaving, "See you on the flipside". The last time we saw Matt alive was Mother's Day 2006. This was the last words he said to us. He was killed the next day. We all had such a fun time on Mother's Day. Little did we know that our family circle would be broken the next day. Never take anything for granted. Never pass up a chance to tell the people you love how you feel about them. "Matt, we'll see you on the flipside." |
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| BISCUITS & GRAVY For the Biscuits: 2 cups all purpose flour 4 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda pinch of salt 3 oz. cold butter, diced 8 oz buttermilk Combine and sift the dry ingredients. Gently knead in the butter. Add the buttermilk and knead on a floured board just enough to bring the dough together. It is vital that you knead gently and no more than is necessary or you will develop the gluten in the flour and make the biscuits tough. Good biscuits are as much a function of technique as ingredients. Form a flat mass with the dough and cut out biscuits with a biscuit cutter. Don't make them too high or the outside could become over browned by the time the inside is cooked. Place them on parchment paper on a sheet tray and then into a preheated 400-degree oven. Start the gravy immediately. It should be done close to the same time as the biscuits, which is when they are golden in color. For the Gravy: from Debra Cazille Living Spring Farm Bed & Breakfast, Adamstown Pennsylvania - www.livingspringfarm.com ½ pound ground breakfast sausage. 2 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons all purpose flour 3 cups cold milk Salt and pepper to taste Sauté the sausage until it is cooked and has released as much of its fat as possible. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and do NOT drain the grease. You'll need it to make the roux. (I said this was delicious, not health food). You should have about 2 tablespoons of rendered pork fat. Add the butter and melt it. Then add the flour a little at a time over medium heat, constantly whisking. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Now start adding the cold milk a little at a time, whisking incessantly. Toward the end of the milk add the sausage back in. When you reach the desired consistency add salt and pepper to taste. Cut the biscuits in half, pour the gravy over them, and enjoy one of the most embracing and comforting taste sensations known to man. A few points here. The perfect roux has equal amounts of fat and flour. If for some reason your sausage renders noticeably less or more than two tablespoons of fat, adjust the amount of flour accordingly. If you end up making more roux you will need more milk so have extra on hand. Make sure the roux is cooked on no more than medium heat. We do not want to burn or brown the roux, just cook out the floury taste. Four things are necessary to assure a smooth, lump-free gravy. You must constantly whisk the roux and the gravy throughout the process. You must add cold milk to the hot roux. You must incorporate the milk a little at a time. And finally, keep the heat at no more than medium. You can adjust the consistency however you like, but a thick creamy gravy is the target viscosity. |
| "Who Has The Worst Pain?"
by Andrea Gambill During the 28 years I have been interacting with bereaved people, one of the most frequent questions I have been asked is, "Who has the worst pain?" Do bereaved parents suffer more than widows and widowers? Do children whose parents die feel more agony than children who lose a sibling? Is it harder to watch a loved one suffer for a long time before death releases the victim than it is to answer the doorbell or the phone at midnight and suddenly hear the news of tragedy? Is suicide worse than homicide? Is the death of an "older" child more difficult to grieve than the death of a newborn or infant? If there were one, clear and definitive answer to those questions, grieving could be neatly catalogued and mourners could be organized into convenient categories. Our comforters and caregivers would then be able to select from a predictable menu of helps, and everyone could get "healed" more quickly and efficiently. If only.... But the truth is it makes little difference how our loved ones died, at what ages, or what our relationships were named. The pain of grief is agony no matter how or when it happens. Long-term dying is not better or worse than sudden death—it is different. Mourning the death of an infant is not better or worse than mourning the death of a teenager—it is different. The grief of the widowed is not better or worse than the grief of bereaved parents—it is different. Death by homicide is not easier or harder than death by suicide—it is different. And the list goes on and on… There is no adequate preparation for the loneliness and emptiness that must be squarely faced when we finally come to the realization that we will never again in this life see that one who is so precious to us. In every case the mourning period can be just as painful and difficult for one as it is for another, but the grief needs of the bereaved can be very different. When the relationship to a loved one was cemented with the permanent "super glue" of devotion and commitment, death causes a ripping apart that leaves the survivor with a devastating and gaping wound, regardless of how the death occurred or what the relationship was named. However, if the adhesive that formed the relationship bond was simply "pressure sensitive," the separation may involve no more than the sting of tape being quickly pulled off skin. The pain may be sharp but short-lived, regardless of the type of death or the kind of connection. It all depends on how bonded the survivor was to the deceased. In our society, a "friendship" may not be taken as seriously as a blood relationship; an engagement may not be perceived as importantly as a marriage; the death of a parent may be assumed to be a more deeply felt loss than it truly was to the surviving child or children. And we must never assume that a long-term dying process has fulfilled the "grief quota" of the survivors who loved and lost! It's not fair to assume that if mourners have some advance warning that the death is coming, their grieving time is shorter or less intense. We must be careful not to confuse the natural relief that the deceased is finally beyond the reach of suffering with the assumption that the grief of missing them will be abated. By inadvertently giving our society the message that certain kinds of relationships or certain kinds of experiences are "worse" or "better" than others, the grief support for some survivors may be in danger of being prematurely aborted or even ignored entirely. Grief is an individual experience and comforters and caregivers must be careful to support the bereaved on a very personal, each-case basis. Mourners feel the pain of grief in direct proportion to their perception of how important the loved one was in their lives, and that value is entirely subjective. There is really only one criteria that establishes the quality and quantity of mourning: The intensity of grieving is directly related to the intensity of bonding. |
| "Remember that life's most treasured moments often come unannounced." |
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| "HOPE FOR THE DAY" from SilentGrief.com
http://www.silentgrief.com ----------------------------------------------------------- June 4, 2007 What's the hardest part about losing someone? That's the question that most people in grief answer every day of their lives. They know the answer because they live with it day in and day out. Separation. It's knowing that there is separation from the one that was loved so much. Some people might say that the separation should be easy when you believe in heaven, but the person in grief will tell you that, although knowing you will meet again some day, the pain of separation is still the most difficult pain of all. It's foolish to expect to "get over" a loss. The pain is always there. In time, the pain isn't always at the forefront, but it's still there. There's always the fantasy of what might have been. There are always those times when you will wonder what if things had been different. On the hard days it helps to remember that the pain will not always be this acute. Hope has a way of seeping into the heart and lighting a small flame that eventually burns brighter and brighter until we can be happy on most days in spite of the grief. Hope assures us that we are never alone. Hope anchors us to the thought of a better tomorrow. Hope shows us the miracles found in each new day. Hope allows us to lay our heads down on our pillow at night and sleep. Hope keeps us sane on those days when we feel like we're losing it. And, hope surprises us by appearing at times when we least expect it. Life takes a sudden turn and we are given new strength and new doors are opened. A new friend walks into our life. A new job leads you to a strong support system. A new season gives you the boost your soul needs. Hope is amazing. It is never late, and it always arrives in just the right way! --Clara Hinton "Hope is the link that anchors us to God." --Clara Hinton "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast..." --Hebrews 6:19 |
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| Dog Letters To God
Dear God, Why do humans smell the flowers, but seldom, if ever, smell one another? Where are their priorities? Dear God, When we get to heaven can we sit on your couch? Or is it the same old story? Dear God, Why are there cars named after the jaguar, the cougar, the mustang,The colt, the stingray and the rabbit, but not ONE named for a dog? How often do you see a cougar riding around? We dogs love a nice ride! Would it be so hard to rename the Chrysler Eagle the Chrysler Beagle? Dear God, If a dog barks his head off in the forest and no human hears him, is he still a bad dog? Dear God, If we come back as humans, is that good, or bad? Dear God, More meatballs, less spaghetti, please. Dear God, When we get to the Pearly Gates, do we have to shake hands to get in? Dear God, Are there dogs on other planets or are we alone? I have been howling at the moon and stars for a long time, but all I ever hear back is the Schnauzer across the street. Dear God, Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize? Dear God, We dogs can understand human verbal instructions, hand signals, whistles, horns, clickers, beepers, scent ID's, electromagnetic energy fields, and Frisbee flight paths. What do humans understand? Dear God, May I have my testicles back? |
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| "Real joy comes not from ease
or riches or from the praise of men,
but from doing something worthwhile."
- W. T. Grenfell |
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| Links |
| Hugs From Heaven
by Charlotte Anselmo When you feel a gentle breeze Caress you when you sigh It's a hug sent from Heaven From a loved one way up high. If a soft and tender raindrop Lands upon your nose They've added a small kiss As fragile as a rose. If a song you hear fills you With a feeling of sweet love It's a hug sent from Heaven From someone special up above. If you awaken in the morning To a bluebird's chirping song It's music sent from Heaven To cheer you all day long. If tiny little snowflakes Land upon your face It's a hug sent from Heaven Trimmed with Angel lace. So keep the joy in your heart If you're lonely my dear friend Hugs that are sent from Heaven A broken heart will mend. |
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| How To Photograph A Puppy
1. Remove film from box and load camera. 2. Remove film box from puppy's mouth and throw in trash. 3. Remove puppy from trash and brush coffee grounds from muzzle. 4. Choose a suitable background for photo. 5. Mount camera on tripod and focus. 6. Find puppy and take dirty sock from mouth. 7. Place puppy in pre-focused spot and return to camera. 8. Forget about spot and crawl after puppy on knees. 9. Focus with one hand and fend off puppy with other hand. 10. Get tissue and clean nose print from lens. 11. Put cat outside and put peroxide on the scratch on puppy's nose. 13. Put magazines back on coffee table. 14. Try to get puppy's attention by squeaking toy over your head. 15. Replace your glasses and check camera for damage. 16. Jump up in time to grab puppy by scruff of neck and say, "No, outside! No, outside!" 17. Clean up mess. 18. Sit back in chair with lemonade and resolve to teach puppy "sit" and "stay" the first thing in the morning. |
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| This is the tenth edition of "Jeanne's House of Angels" newsletter. I would like to thank Dianne and Maria for providing some of the information used in this edition of the newsletter.
A special thank you to Kathy Roberts, Matt's mother, in providing her memories of Matt. If you would prefer not to receive a copy of the newsletter, please email me and I will remove you from the mailing list. The featured angel in our next newsletter edition will be Jessica Brown. AnnieHoo49@twcny.rr.com |