The Gift Of Love...by Jim Terry

With all the hustle and bustle around you, I have one question for you…”Are you ready for Christmas?” I sure hope so because, as you know, it is HERE!

With all the ribbons and bows…the warmly lit tree…the stuffed turkey already placed in the oven early this morning to feed the crew…the aromatherapy that is created from the potpourri simmering on the stove providing a wave of aromatic hue…the visitors and family that were delayed and delayed again due to inclement weather to only be picked up at the airport late last night or slowly coast into your driveway in the wee hours of the morning...The fatigue...WHEW!!! We made it! Now what???

I read an article the other day that a friend shared which talked about love that I wanted to share with you. Why is it that, at least once a year, we all become a little nicer… a little kinder… a little more giving of ourselves?

In my opinion, it is because of one word…”LOVE!” The LOVE of others… the LOVE of giving… and of course the LOVE of receiving… And the love of receiving is not necessarily receiving a physical gift, (though for you last-minute shoppers, I still need my bag with a million dollars in it please 😉), but this can also be receiving a gift of joy, a gift of happiness or a gift of peace that simply comes from giving. The gift of LOVE!

Children are always the greatest example of what love towards others should be. Prejudices are not an innate quality in humans. They are learned! This is why kids love without boundaries or limitations. In the article mentioned above, a group of kids 4 to 8 years old were posed with the question, "What is love?" Their answers are listed below and are strikingly profound and insightful.

“'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore...So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca - age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.' Nikka - age 6 (we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6

'My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image!) Karen - age 7

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8

And the final one: 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 man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.' "

So during this Christmas season, maybe just do something simple...be giving...be kind...share your french fries...smile when you're tired...take a moment to stop opening presents and listen...or maybe just help someone cry. It may just surprise you how much comfort, hope, and love that can be received simply by giving the gift of love!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

So I am not going to spend a lot of time today on a blog because I want you to be able to spend time with your family and friends, but I did want to share with you just a couple of thoughts. I recently was reading an article written by Chris Tiegreen. He makes a lot of valid points that ring true! This is what he said…

“ • It’s often said that whatever you focus on grows larger. That’s true for fears, hopes, dreams, offenses—and blessings. Gratitude focuses so closely on the good that the bad can become almost unnoticeable.

• Gratitude shifts your perspective. It makes you realize the glass isn’t half-empty. In most cases, it’s actually more than 90 percent full. If you don't think it is, you might need to focus more on what you're thankful for.

• Thankfulness is healthy. People who are continually grateful are generally in better health than those who aren’t. Conversely, complaining (the opposite of thankfulness) is at least as unhealthy as having a poor diet. The difference in physical symptoms between thankful people and bitter people is startling.

• Thankfulness is a strong anti-depressant. Sometimes simply stating your gratitude out loud—even just two or things you’re grateful for, no matter how small—can change your mood for the rest of the day.”

So be grateful…Be Thankful...Be HAPPY…it’s just that simple, isn’t it?

One last thought for today…”The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about?” ~Nora Ephron....And of course be "THANKFUL" for?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING. I hope your day is filled with love and gratitude!

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

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

May all the ghosts and ghouls in your life have fun on this day. Stay safe and "BOO!"

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"I Knew You Were Waiting For Me!"...by Jim Terry

It is the eve of summer and as we are rapidly approaching the beginning of fall, I can’t help but think, “Where has the time gone?” Today is also another national holiday known to us as Labor day. Hopefully, you are lucky enough, as I am, to not have to work today and can enjoy your day. If you are working today, “THANK YOU” and know you are appreciated for your efforts.

As time appears to speed up as I age, I find myself ever so more conflicted in this ever progressively crazy world we live in trying to find a bit of peace and happiness. The world just seems to be falling apart, doesn't it? In times like this, I find myself relying on my thoughts and my memories to once again draw a smile. This particular memory is one that is dear to my heart and will coincide with our holiday today, which deals with “labor.”

Picture it…1987. It was a time of cropped tanks and tops, shoulder pads, aerobic gear, baggy sweatshirts over that aerobic gear, Nike, and, if you were really "rad," you owned a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses. It was also a time when I was a really young lad…Seventeen years old to be exact.

Ever since I was about 8 years old, I remember that my “job” during the summers was to help my grandmother, Hattie, by mowing her lawn weekly. Nineteen eighty-seven also ended up being the summer where my grandmother also needed her house repainted.

Stripping the paint from a house today is simple! You use a pressure washer or a variety of several other power tools to help you make the job easier. However, I was not that fortunate. Hand scraping the peeling paint from the home and re-nailing the siding that was pulling away from the side of the home proved to be an almost 2-week process if I remember correctly. There also was a lot of time listening to the “top 40” play the same songs again and again on the radio during that summer.

One song that I grew to love during that time, and still love today, which always reminds me of my grandmother while working at her home is a song sung by George Michael and Aretha Franklin, "I knew you were waiting for me." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDxzQJaA228

I can’t tell you the number of times I heard that song while working at her home, but those of us that had to listen to the radio back in the day, know they would relentlessly play the same songs over and over again until they fell from their top spots. This song was no different.

So each and every time I would show up at my grandmother’s home to either start painting or mow her yard over the years, there she would be. She would have already completed the edges of the yard by doing the trimming and had already completed one round of mowing around the perimeter of her yard to prove, “She could still do it.” While I was painting, she would have already put out the tarps, the ladders, and the paint to make sure, “I was ready” for my tasks ahead. I actually have to laugh at the vintage cartoon photo included with today's blog of a grandmother mowing the yard stating, "Why should the boys have all the fun?' This definitely reminds me of my grandmother.

And since my grandmother was also hip in keeping up with the fashion trends, she would also be sporting some very familiar attire for the time...a headband. The headband you ask? A dishtowel tied around her head to keep the sweat from running into her eyes. An Egley family trait, which I also inherited…sweating easily! I remember her saying as she worked, "Gad, it's hot!"

So as I reminisce and find hope and happiness in these memories, I want to thank my grandmother for allowing me to labor and provide her with the help she needed. These endeavors also taught me some valuable lessons concerning the value of a dollar, the value of work, allowed me to spend time with her, and unbeknownst to me at that time, has formed some of my most wonderful and cherished memories. The best part of that cherished memory that I hold close and dear to my heart and want to tell my grandmother is, "Each and every time I would pull up to your home or be dropped off by family, I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING FOR ME! Gad, I love and miss you, Grandma!"

HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!

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Happy 4th of July

"Where liberty dwells, there is my country!"

     ~Benjamin Franklin

We hope your day is "safe and sane" enjoying the freedom we all are lucky enough to experience and have. Happy 4th!!!

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Happy Father's Day

 We want to wish all the Dads out there a very HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! We hope your day is as great as you are. 

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HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!

"Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it. It flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it."

– Unknown

We hope your holiday is filled with tears, fun, and laughs in remembering and celebrating those that have sacrificed for us. Happy Memorial Day!!!

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