Happy 4th Of July

Happy 4th of July week...Hope you all enjoy your family, friends and all the activities
 that come with this holiday celebrating our Independence!  Be safe and have FUN!

If you ever see this...by Mary Hazlett

Have you ever dipped your toe into a pool of water and watched as the ripples move?  Watching this phenomenon, I ponder how far reaching the effects are with such a small and simple thing as barely touching the water. 

With yet another Mother's day come and gone, I took the time to reflect on my mother as well as my own opportunity of motherhood.  From a storage bag, I gently removed the letters and notes that my mom had given me over the years.  I read them, cried on them, smelled them, and even hugged them as each one brought back a memory.  The card my mom gave me with the birth of my first child still plays the lullaby when you open it.  One note in particular is my favorite...and it was not given to me in an envelope or for any special reason.  

My mother loved little notebooks and she collected many.  The one that I am specifically remembering is pictured here and hung in my mother's sewing room for years.  Its home was on a pin, just above my mother's sewing machine.  I often spent time with my mother in her sewing room.  I loved to watch her create beautiful things.  She was very determined in making things just right... I got to pick out several seams in my day.  

Knowing the hours my mother would be spending sitting at her sewing machine, I wrote a note to my mom in this little notebook that read, "Mom if you ever see this, I love you lots!"  Gauging by the handwriting I would guess that I was only 12 years old.  I knew my mom would see that note at a time she was working and quite possibly frustrated with a project... and perhaps needed a little encouragement.  It made me happy knowing I could help her even a little.

Well, the years did pass as they always do and I had forgotten about that little note.  And for any of you that has lost a loved one, you know what happens when you enter into the home of your lost loved one.  First you go around the house touching everything that they might have touched, smelling their things, and closing your eyes imagining that they are there with you.  I did this too... and the first place I went was to my mother's sewing room.  I sat on her chair, closed my eyes to imagine my mom there with me and when I opened them I saw the notebook.  I reached for the notebook and lifted the front cover.  Inside was that little note I had wrote to my mother all those years ago...stapled to the cover of the notebook with this response, "Mary if you ever see this, I love you lots too!  Mom OX".

With tears beyond control, I thanked our Father for that little note.  I thanked Him for such a mother who cherished those little things and gave her love so willingly back to me.  For who would have guessed that 21 years earlier that this small note would be so profound to a hurting daughter...a daughter that needed her mother's words and strength at that very moment.   I will forever cherish that little notebook.  

So I too would love to be that kind of mother to my three darling children.  For I see how fortunate I am to have these beautiful children and to experience motherhood.   I can only hope that I may be the kind of mother my mom is...so I will begin by saying to my darling children:  If you ever see this ... I love you lots and thank you for making me a mother!  

"All that's Gold Does NOT Glitter...but it can sure make it easier to find it under the mud"...by Gina Waite

The Faith of a child is a beautiful thing! To be able to witness that faith…well you’ve just found a little piece of Heaven on Earth. I remember when my daughter was three-years-old. She loved nothing more than to stand on a step close to the top of our home’s full flight of stairs…wait for her Uncle Mike to arrive and position himself at the bottom, and then would freely, and uninhibitedly, jump into the air in a swan-dive- type pose…only to be caught by her Uncle just before hitting the ground. As I watched with trepidation, I realized that with each and every jump my daughter would take, it was EQUALLY as important for her Uncle to believe in her ability to launch herself appropriately into his arms. It was as essential to her faith in knowing she would be caught that my brother exemplified complete determination and dedication to being there as a support to catch her before she hit the ground. This example of complete faith and unwavering determination reminds me of a recent experience between a certain nephew and his precious ring!

Andrew, nephew extraordinaire and willing enthusiast of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of The Rings” and “The Hobbit,” novels, worked very hard to earn enough money to buy himself a very convincing replica of the famed books’ ring. After playing outside and single-handedly trying to recreate Peter Jackson’s cinematography magic when the golden ring rotates perfectly, and mesmerizingly slowly, through the air…Andrew disappointedly expressed his sadness at his inability to catch the “precious." As the ring was then lost in a half-acre worth of thick, Kentucky Bluegrass, hope seemed futile as it was very possible he would never recover it…but a pleading prayer and innocent faith would inspire all who loved him to help search for the ring.

Hour after hour his family searched until one day, and the fine pin-pointed accuracy of a dear friend’s metal detector (thank you Lamoyne and J Ann), the general location of the ring’s whereabouts was identified and it's muddy grave, exposed. I watched as my brother Richard, a very loving father, remind our Andrew that through his example of faith and prayerful supplication…it inspired unwavering dedication and the process by which the ring was finally recovered. Presentation of “The ONE Ring” then ensued and the pay-off for all the time and recovery efforts was truly in watching our Andrew’s face light up as the ring was then restored to it’s rightful owner! As I said before, to witness the faith of a child is to experience a little piece of Heaven…and to quote from Shakespeare, “All that’s gold does NOT glitter,” but it can sure help you find it under the mud!

"Lions and Tigers and Bears"...by Jim Terry

While surfing the net the other day, I noticed a picture from a famous movie known to most of us…”The Wizard of Oz.”  As you recall, Dorothy, the main character in the movie, is swept away by a tornado only to experience a remarkable journey in a world very much different from what she was used to.  While there, she met and conversed with munchkins, saw flying monkeys and followed a yellow brick road to the Emerald City.  During her adventure, she also had many different experiences with people, fictitious characters and even encountered “lions and tigers and bears”…well maybe not all of those animals, but certainly a cowardly lion.  And since it is now OFFICIALLY the travel season and we all like to be swept away and experience our own journeys known as “family vacations”, I wanted to provide you with a suggestion of something to do.

I recently took a trip down the California coast to a sleepy little coastal town known as Monterey.  Monterey is located about two hours south of the San Francisco area.  If you have the time and are an adventurous personality, I would HIGHLY recommend forgoing the major freeways and take Highway 1 south instead.  It will definitely take you more time to reach your destination but then you will be able to see the lighthouses that are frequent along the coast, smell the salty air, gaze at the cliffs that plummet into the Pacific Ocean below, and—if you want to stop—can even experience the sand on your feet and in between your toes.  

Once you finally reach Monterey you can then head to the aquarium, stroll along cannery row and head over to their version of “Fisherman’s Wharf.”  As you meander down the boardwalk you will notice all of the traditional gift shops and restaurants that one may expect in a “tourist trap,” but at the end of the pier is where I found the “diamond in the rough”…Monterey Bay Whale Watch. I had seen photos, watched videos and heard the stories about whales breaching the water, but now I was ready for my own journey to begin.

As I boarded the ship for my four-hour tour, I must admit that I was bursting with excitement…I seriously was like a kid in a candy store or definitely like a kid on Christmas morning.  I had experienced plenty of nature before since I grew up by Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, but never in my day had I experienced, let alone anticipated, how exhilarating it might be to see a FORTY TON mammal leap from the water. 

The seas were a bit rough and cold that day but each person that turned yellow and threw up, each crash of the waves on the bow of the ship that tried to drench my camera and its lens, and every cold splash of water that was lanced against my face from the piercing wind, only made me more determined to get what I paid for…”an EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME.”

So without further adieu, I will let the collage associated with today’s blog speak for itself in whether or not you think I saw anything or got what I paid for.   I will say just one thing though, “I, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, did have an experience in a world that was foreign to me but definitely turned out extraordinary, impressive and remarkable in the end.  And even though I didn’t see ‘lions and tigers and bears’, I did see…sea lions and dolphins and whales!”

“Some Journeys Take Us Far From Home.  Some Adventures Lead Us To Our DESTINY!”  ~C.S. Lewis~ 

The American Hero...by Roger Robicheau

"The American Hero always comes through
To capture our hearts with a spirit so true

Some proudly are soldiers who march in harm’s way
Insuring our freedom, courageous they stay

While others come forth as civilians so brave
Determined in purpose, so steadfast to save

We should always keep clear a place in our heart
For each has a value beyond precious art

Their duty to country will not be surpassed
Please honor their courage, for some it’s their last

We live in a world which can be hard to bear
Thank God for these people, how greatly they care

Do ponder new heroes and what they will face
And pray for their safety no matter their place

Our heritage brings out the best, we all know
Our great book of heroes is destined to grow"

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

"And Long May She Wave"...by Marlene Terry originally posted on July 4, 2013; forward by Gina Waite

To ALL our valued readers...no, it's not April. Nor were we trying to fool you...but somehow Monday came and went...WITHOUT a Nutshell post for you to read! As I was thinking of what to write about, and solidified the beginnings of another story, I realized that this story...this FANTASTIC story that my Mom wrote about an American hero, J.O. Young...was a PERFECT story to share again. It's Memorial Day on Monday...drive safely, enjoy the memories of relatives that have passed on AND remember to be grateful for our Veterans and that Grand Old Flag!

Take it away Mom...

"On this special day and as  promised we're sharing a few thoughts and comments from a veteran of World War II. Not the kind of vet who was serving in the Armed Forces at the time but one who earned that status from the U.S. Congress after being incarcerated as a civilian contractor and held as prisoner of war for nearly four years.

In 1941 J.O. Young was working on Wake Island as a carpenter for the Morrison Knudson Company. Here are his remembrances of the happenings of that time:

"Four hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7, 1941," J.O. said, "the Japanese attacked Wake Island. We civilians fought along side the US Marines stationed there. There was just no way we questioned if we should. We just did it. And on Dec. 21, the Japanese Navy finally overran the island and captured those of us who survived.

"As dawn broke across the lagoon, the Stars and Stripes was flying, but shortly thereafter, it was lowered and in its place was hoisted a white bed sheet, denoting our surrender. The sheet was then replaced by the Japanese flag, The Rising Sun.

"Later in the day we, as prisoners of war, were marched past the barracks that had been commandeered as the command post for the Japanese soldiers. There was our American Flag, wadded up in a ball and being used as a door stop."

During the ensuing weeks and months, other interviews and chats with J.O. told of the sufferings and sacrifices of those prisoners who were moved from Wake Island to other Japanese POW camps throughout the war. 

One such sacrifice involved the unraveling of their own socks so the yarn could be used as a makeshift binding thread that sewed together strips of fabric taken from their clothes, blankets and towels, in order to create an American Flag.

"It was crude and we had to keep it hidden most of the time," J.O. told me. "But it was a huge reminder of who we were and what we held most dear. ... It helped us all to make it through."

"What was indelibly impressed on my mind during that time was that when 'Old Glory' does not fly, there is no freedom!"

...  Hope all of our Flags are up and flying today. ... And long may she wave!

♦ Hope you'll let me share your stories and photos here at my new residence "In a Nutshell." Email me at nutshellstories@gmail.com. 

"I'm a Cracked Pot"...by Gina Waite (picture courtesy of Mike Terry. Author of The Cracked Pot story, ~unknown)

Mother’s Day is such a lovely day! Mine was interlaced with sweet memories of a sweet Mother who tried her very best to do everything she could to make a fabulous life for her family! I’m not certain my Mother knew what a wonderful woman she was…because women can be their own worst critiques! Often times, instead of taking value in everything we tried to do right, we dwell and linger in the things we wish we did…better! 

I don’t know why we are so hard on ourselves because it’s our imperfections that make us perfectly suited for the individual’s God knows we can bless! It’s like the cracked pot story! Wait…are you saying you haven’t heard the cracked pot story? Well, as I know I’m a cracked pot, with imperfections very easy to see, I’d love to share the story and message with you! It’s a story for anyone who’s not quite perfect! It all starts with a perfectly perfect water pot…and a cracked one, who doesn't see the value in his imperfections:

“A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole, which she carried across her neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it. While the other pot was perfect, and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the mistress's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to her master's house.
The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream:
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your mistress's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in her compassion she said, "As we return to the mistress's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt badly because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my mistress's table. Without you being just the way you are, she would not have this beauty to grace her house."

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. We've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them! ...AND...there's a lot of good out there!”

heart emoticon Hope you'll let us share your stories and photos at our residence..."In a Nutshell." Email us at nutshellstories@gmail.com.