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| Newsletter #2 March 20 , 2007 |
| Jeanne's House of Angels Newsletter |
| Featured Angel: Amanda Leigh Davidson - McKinnon |
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| Amanda Trivia: Favorite color: Royal blue, Deep Purple Favorite flower: Dandylion, Daisies Favorite movie: Beauty and the Beast (wore out the tape) Favorite Hobby: collecting Bugs, Drawing Favorite song: anything by N'Sync Favorite Food: spaghetti, grilled cheese, tacos, pizza, crab legs |
| Amanda Leigh Mckinnon was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on June 29, 1989. On August 12, 2000, at the age of 11, she was called to Heaven. She was in a fatal ATV accident while out on a family weekend camping trip. Amanda is survived by her Mom and Dad (Lorna & Wes), her brother, Kyle; Grandma and Grandpa Mckinnon; Grandma Davidson; Aunty Tammy; her uncles Doug, Trevor, Justin, and Boyd; cousins Cassandra, Reece, Jalayna; and many friends.
Amanda's Grandpa Davidson joined her in Heaven on
January 13, 2003. They both will be missed dearly. This information can be found on Amanda's site, but the following is one of those stories that you won't find on her site, but one that a mom will always remember. It was Christmas and Amanda, who was five years old, was at her Grandma and Grandpa McKinnon's home. Her Uncle Trevor came to the house with Christmas gifts. Being curious, as any five year old would be, Amanda kept asking her uncle what he bought everyone. Giving in to her, he showed her what he got for her mom, but told Amanda not to tell her because it was a surprise. Well as soon as Amanda's mom, Lorna, arrived, she kept saying "I know what Uncle Trevor got you for Christmas." Lorna, going along with her, kept saying, "Well, tell me." But Amanda kept saying "I can't tell you. It's a secret." Finally, Lorna said, "Okay, just give me a little hint." Amanda thought about it and said, "You put cookies in it." This, of course, set off gales of laughter from the adults. On Christmas morning, Lorna opened her present from Uncle Trevor, a snowman cookie jar. But the story doesn't end there. About 5 years ago. Lorna was cleaning house and decided it was time for the cookie jar to be put in the garage sale. Without her knowing, her brother, Amanda's Uncle Trevor stopped by and saw the cookie jar. He bought it and surprised Lorna that year by giving her the snowman cookie jar for Christmas. To Lorna that cookie jar is a very special reminder of Amanda, not only because of the "hint" but because she believes that Amanda, wanting the cookie jar to stay with Lorna, sent a signal from Heaven to her Uncle Trevor. And after hearing Lorna's story, I believe it too! |
| "If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path."
Buddhist saying |
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| TEDDY AND MRS THOMPSON
Jean Thompson stood in front of her fifth-grade class on the very first day of school in the fall and told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her pupils and said that she loved them all the same, that she would treat them all alike. And that was impossible because there in front of her, slumped in his seat on the third row, was a boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed he didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were unkempt and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy was unpleasant. It got to the point during the first few months that she would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at the top of the paper biggest of all. Because Teddy was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to enjoy him, either. At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's records and put Teddy's off until last. When she opened his file, she was in for a surprise. His first-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright, inquisitive child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around." His second-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well-liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." His third-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues to work hard but his mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken." Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in class. He is tardy and could become a problem." By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem but Christmas was coming fast. It was all she could do, with the school play and all, until the day before the holidays began and she was suddenly forced to focus on Teddy Stoddard. Her children brought her presents, all in gay ribbon and bright paper, except for Teddy's, which was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a scissored grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of cologne. She stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume behind the other wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed behind just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my mom used to." After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and speaking. Instead, she began to teach children. Jean Thompson paid particular attention to one they all called "Teddy". As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. On days there would be an important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember that cologne. By the end of the year he had become one of the smartest children in the class and...well, he had also become the "pet" of the teacher who had once vowed to love all of her children exactly the same. A year later she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers he'd had in elementary school, she was his favourite. Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still his favourite teacher of all time. Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would graduate from college with the highest of honours. He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still his favourite teacher. Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still his favourite teacher but that now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D. The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering...well, if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew usually reserved for the mother of the groom. You'll have to decide yourself whether or not she wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. But, I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson smelled just like...well, just like she smelled many years before, on that last day of school, before the Christmas Holiday began. You never can tell what type of impact you may make on another's life by your actions or lack of action. Sometimes just a smile on the street to a passing stranger can make a difference we could never imagine. Would it be nice if we all could have this impact on people? |
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| From Bumper Stickers: Lord help me to be the person my dog thinks I am. I'm still hot. It just comes in flashes. It's my cat's world. I'm just here to open cans. Every time I hear the word "exercise", I wash my mouth out with chocolate. |
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| Links click anywhere on the tags to visit the website |
| On GROWW, you will find your partners in pain sharing their experience and strength. We have message boards, resource listings and secure chat rooms hosted by the most loving people on the internet for all who are grieving. |
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| "A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."
Maya Angelou |
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Through a Child's Eyes
" Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the old man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing, I just helped him cry." Teacher Debbie Moon's first graders were discussing a picture of a family. One little boy in the picture had a different color hair than the other family members. One child suggested that he was adopted, and a little girl said, "I know all about adoptions because I was adopted." "What does it mean to be adopted?" asked another child. "It means," said the girl, "that you grew in your mommy's heart instead of her tummy." As I was driving home from work one day, I stopped to watch a local Little League baseball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was. "We're behind 14 to nothing," he answered with a smile. "Really," I said. "I have to say you don't look very discouraged." "Discouraged?" the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. "Why should we be discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet." A lesson in "heart" is my little 10 year old daughter, Sarah, who was born with a muscle missing in her foot and wears a brace all the time. She came home one beautiful spring day to tell me she had competed in "field day" -- that's where they have lots of races and other competitive events. Because of her let support, my mind raced as I tried to think of encouragement for my Sarah, things I could say to her about not letting this get her down -- but before I could get a word out, she said "Daddy, I won two of the races!" I couldn't believe it! And then Sarah said, "I had an advantage." Ah. I knew it. I thought she must have been given a head start...some kind of physical advantage. But again, before I could say anything, she said, "Daddy, I didn't get a head start... My advantage was I had to try harder!" " A little boy about 10 years old was standing before a shoe store on the roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering with cold. A lady approached the boy and said, "My little fellow, why are you looking so earnestly in that window?" "I was asking God to give me a pair of shoes," was the boy's reply. The lady took him by the hand and went into the store and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water and a towel. He quickly brought them to her. She took the little fellow to the back part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed his little feet, and dried them with a towel. By this time the clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair on the boy's feet, she purchased him a pair of shoes. She tied up the remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, "No doubt, my little fellow, you feel more comfortable now?" As she turned to go, the astonished lad caught her by the hand, and looking up in her face, with tears in his eyes, answered the question with these words: "Are you God's Wife?" |
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| The Blue Jay
Susan Hartley Swett O Blue Jay up in the maple tree, Shaking your throat with such bursts of glee, How did you happen to be so blue? Did you steal a bit of the lake for your crest, And fasten blue violets into your vest? Tell me, I pray you,—tell me true! Did you dip your wings in azure dye, When April began to paint the sky, That was pale with the winter’s stay? Or were you hatched from a blue-bell bright, ’Neath the warm, gold breast of a sunbeam light, By the river one blue spring day? O Blue Jay up in the maple tree, A-tossing your saucy head at me, With ne’er a word for my questioning, Pray, cease for a moment your “ting-a-link,” And hear when I tell you what I think,— You bonniest bit of spring. I think when the fairies made the flowers, To grow in these mossy fields of ours, Periwinkles and violets rare, There was left of the spring’s own color, blue, Plenty to fashion a flower whose hue Would be richer than all and as fair. So, putting their wits together, they Made one great blossom so bright and gay, The lily beside it seemed blurred: And then they said, “We will toss it in air; So many blue blossoms grow everywhere, Let this pretty one be a bird.” |
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| Crock Pot Meaty Spaghetti Sauce
1 pound lean ground beef 1/2 pound italian sausage, remove from casings 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 large onion) 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cans tomatoes (14.5 ounces each), diced or broken up 2 cans tomato sauce (8 ounces each) 2 cans (4 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained 1 cup chopped green bell pepper 4 tablespoons tapioca, quick-cooking 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon dried leaf basil, crumbled 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, crushed 1/4 teaspoon pepper dash salt, or to taste hot cooked spaghetti, drained In a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, cook ground beef, sausage, onion, and garlic until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender; drain off excess fat. Meanwhile in crockpot, combine undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, green pepper, tapioca, bay leaves, oregano, basil, pepper, and salt. Stir in browned drained meat mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 hours or high heat setting for 5 hours. Remove bay leaves. Serve sauce over hot spaghetti. Serves 8. |
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| And for dessert................ |
| DISCLAIMER: The above is just a joke.......you should never put green sprinkles on a kitty sundae! |
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| Rainbow Bridge: In tribute to all God's little creatures who filled our hearts with love, hapiness and joy . |
| Good Health
This site is dedicated to convincing people to live a healthy lifestyle, to improve their quality of life, and avoid (or reduce the severity of) chronic disease... |
| M.A.D.D.
MADD's mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. |
| Understanding And Dealing With Grief And The Loss Of Life
By: Michael G. Conner, Psy.D Revised: October 12, 2006 In our hearts, we all know that death is a part of life. In fact, death gives meaning to our existence because it reminds all of us that life is precious. The loss of a life is life’s most stressful event and can cause a major emotional crisis. After the death of someone you love, you experience bereavement, which literally means "to be deprived by death." When a death takes place, you may experience a wide range of emotions, even when the death is expected. Many people report feeling an initial stage of numbness after first learning of a death, but there is no real order to the grieving process. Symptoms Of Grief and Loss Denial ,yearning, disbelief, anger, confusion, humiliation, shock, despair, sadness, guilt These feelings are normal and are common reactions to loss. You may not be prepared for the intensity and duration of your emotions or how swiftly your moods may change. You may even begin to doubt the stability of your mental health. It is important to be reassured that these feelings are healthy and appropriate. These feelings and expressions of powerful emotions help you come to terms with your loss. Remember, it takes time to fully absorb the impact of a major loss. You never stop missing a friend or loved one, but the pain eases after time and this allows you to go on with your life. Mourning A Loved One It is not easy to cope after a loved one dies. You will mourn and grieve. Mourning is the natural process you go through to accept a major loss. Mourning may include religious traditions honoring the dead or gathering with friends and family to share your loss. Mourning is personal and may last months or years. Grieving is the outward expression of your loss. Grief is likely to be expressed both physically and psychologically. For instance, crying is a physical expression, while depression is a psychological expression. It is very important to allow yourself to express your feelings. Often, death is a subject that is avoided, ignored or denied. At first it may seem helpful to separate yourself from the pain or ignore your feelings, but you cannot avoid grieving forever. Someday those buried feelings will need to be resolved or they may cause physical or emotional illness. Many people report physical symptoms that accompany grief. Stomach pain, loss of appetite, intestinal upsets, sleep disturbances and loss of energy are all common symptoms of acute grief. Of all life’s stresses, mourning can seriously test your natural defense systems. Existing illnesses may worsen or new conditions may develop. Profound emotional reactions may occur. These reactions include anxiety attacks, chronic fatigue, depression and thoughts of suicide. An obsession with the deceased is also a common reaction to death. Dealing With A Major Loss The death of a loved one or close friend is always difficult. Your reactions are influenced by the circumstances of a death, particularly when it is sudden or accidental. Your reactions also are influenced by your relationship with the person who died. A child’s death creates an overwhelming sense of injustice for lost potential, unfulfilled dreams and senseless suffering. Parents may feel responsible for the child’s death, no matter how irrational that may seem. Parents may also feel that they have lost a vital part of their own identity. Their reason for living may seem shattered. A spouse’s death is very traumatic. In addition to the severe emotional shock, the death may cause a potential financial crisis if the spouse was the family’s main income source. The death may necessitate major social adjustments requiring the surviving spouse to parent alone, adjust to single life and maybe even return to work. Elderly people may be especially vulnerable when they lose a spouse because it means losing a lifetime of shared experiences. At this time, feelings of loneliness may be compounded by the death of close friends. A loss due to suicide or tragedy can be one of the most difficult losses to bear. It may leave the survivors with a tremendous burden of guilt, anger and shame. They may even feel responsible for the death. Often, survivors benefit from professional advice to cope with this devastating experience. Seeking counseling as a family unit during the first weeks after the a death is particularly beneficial and advisable. Living With Grief Coping with death is vital to your mental health. It is only natural to experience grief when a loved one dies. The best thing you can do is allow yourself to grieve. There are many ways to cope effectively with your pain. Seek out caring people. Find relatives and friends who can understand your feelings of loss. Join support groups with others who are experiencing similar losses. Express your feelings. Tell others how you are feeling; it will help you to work through the grieving process. Take care of your health. Maintain regular contact with your family physician and be sure to eat well and get plenty of rest. You should not sleep more than 10 hours a day without your doctors approval. Be aware of the danger of developing a dependence on medication or alcohol to deal with your grief. Accept that life is for the living. It takes effort to begin to live again in the present and not dwell on the past. Postpone major life changes. Try to hold off on making any major changes, such as moving, remarrying, changing jobs or having another child. You should give yourself time to adjust to your loss. Be patient. It can take months or even years to absorb a major loss and accept your changed life. Seek outside help when necessary. If your grief seems like it is too much to bear, seek professional assistance to help come to terms with your loss and work through your grief. It’s a sign of strength, not weakness, to seek help. Helping Others Grieve If someone you care about has lost a loved one, you can help them through the grieving process. Share the sorrow. Allow them, even encourage, them to talk about their feelings of loss and share memories of the deceased. Listen. Don't pressure. Don’t offer false comfort. It doesn’t help the grieving person when you say "it was for the best" or "you’ll get over it in time." Instead, offer a simple expression of sorrow and take time to listen. Offer practical help. Baby-sitting, cooking and running errands are all ways to help someone who is in the midst of grieving. Just having someone around who is generous but not intrusive can help. Be patient. Remember that it can take a long time to recover from a major loss. Make yourself available to talk. Encourage professional help when necessary. Don’t hesitate to recommend professional help when you feel someone is experiencing too much pain to cope alone. You might makea list of professionals who specialize in grief, trauma or major life transitions. Helping Children Grieve Children who experience a major loss may grieve differently than adults. A parent’s death can be particularly difficult for small children, affecting their sense of security or survival. Often, they are confused about the changes they see taking place around them, particularly if well-meaning adults try to protect them from the truth or from their surviving parent’s display of grief. Limited understanding and an inability to express feelings puts very young children at a special disadvantage. Young children may revert to earlier behaviors (such as bed-wetting), ask questions about the deceased that seem insensitive, invent games about dying or pretend that the death never happened. Coping with a child’s grief puts added strain on a bereaved parent. However, angry outbursts or criticism by a parent will only deepen a child’s anxiety and delay recovery. Instead, talk honestly with children and in terms they can understand. Take extra time to talk with them about death and the person who has died. Help them to discuss and talk about their feelings and remember that they are looking to adults for healthy behavior. Looking To The Future Remember, with support, patience and effort, you will survive grief. Some day the pain will lessen, leaving you with cherished memories of your loved one. Copyright 1998 - 2006, Michael G. Conner |
"Faith is not something to grasp, it is a state to grow into." Gandhi |
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| KIDS IN CHURCH
3-year-old Reese: "Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One particular four-year-old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A Sunday school teacher asked her children as they were on the way to church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" One bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin 5, and Ryan 3 The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. "If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the first pancake, I can wait.' Kevin turned to his younger brother and said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore where a seagull lay dead in the sand. "Daddy, what happened to him?" the son asked. "He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied. The boy thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" "I wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied. "Just say what you hear Mommy say," the wife answered. The daughter bowed her head and said, "Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted by Gail Coy (thanks for the chuckle, Gail) |
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| The featured angel in the next newsletter edition will be Mark Espinal. If you do not want to receive the newsletter, please email me and I will remove your name from the mailing list. AnnieHoo49@twcny.rr.com |