December 14, 1967
In these days before Christmas everyone is in a rush. We discover short tempers and ill humors. This is the time to use “grace notes” in our daily living.
Grace notes are those small trills that the composer puts into a piece of music to add charm and beauty to it.
And we can put grace notes in our life…by a twinkle in our eye, a bit of humor, warmth in our greeting and going out of our way for others. They are the personal touch, the little extras that bring delight to others and add beauty and charm to our own lives.
I GUESS growing up can be a painful process for animals too.
The stock cows “spoil” their offspring by letting them tag along with mother until they are almost half-grown. When the time comes for them to be cut loose from mother’s apron strings, the calves really throw some noisy tantrums.
When the farmer happens to have 50 or 60 of these crybabies fussing at once, he can’t keep their behavior a secret. In calf language they are hollering, “I want my mama!” Anyone who drives onto the farmyard is greeted by this sound.
After a few nights of this disturbing racket, the children in the family plead to sleep in a bedroom that doesn’t face the cattleyards.
CHRISTMAS BAKING is full of traditions and memories. Each year we make old favorites that Grandma got us accustomed to…like krandser, sandbakkelse and spritz. And they are all hard on the butter supply.
Just think, in Grandma’s day she first had to churn all the butter she used in her recipes. And I complain that Christmas baking is a lot of work today!
YOU MUST read the article “In Praise of Pigs” in the December Reader’s Digest. It will give you more than one chuckle. I guess we just haven’t been looking at the pig from an appreciative point of view.
The fact that a pig’s heart closely resembles a human heart is very interesting. The mechanisms of both hearts are similar…but I hate to admit there are other heart similarities too, and these are not in praise of pigs…or man!
For instance, pigs are known for their selfishness. They aren’t a bit concerned about the welfare of the other pigs…only that they get plenty for themselves.
And pigs have a craving for wallowing in the mud and find enjoyment in getting all dirtied.
I think all of us have discovered these distasteful inclinations deep in our own hearts…even if they only show up in our thoughts.
PIGS WILL be pigs. But people don’t have to be!
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” Ps. 51:10
November 27, 1969
The Pilgrims really started something when they served turkey for the first Thanksgiving dinner. Now it just doesn’t seem like Thanksgiving without it.
What if they had served pheasant or rabbit?
What do you do when Tom Turkey becomes the family pet? Turkeys don’t have a lovable look and scare most people with their deep-throated “gobble – gobble – gobbles”. It’s hard to imagine a big turkey tagging you around…because he is friendly!!
But there have been families who have become so attached to one that they had roast beef for Thanks-giving. They just couldn’t bear to think of taking bites from familiar turkey wings and legs.
The Secret
The curious cow remarked one
day while chewing on a cud of hay…
“People are a funny brand – our
farmer I can’t understand.
His corn is wet, the mortgage’s
due, but I just never see him blue.
Even though some things go
wrong, still he whistles out a song.”
Then spoke up the wise old cat
“That man is smart; I’ll tip my
hat!
I get around…and I have found
that people either SMILE or
FROWN.
Some tarnish life with discontent,
while other people’s days are
spent
in counting all the blessings sent.
Happiness is quite an art.
– The secret is a grateful heart.”
THERE IS a Thanksgiving game that is guaranteed to be quite a revelation of the sometimes little and funny things that make our lives fuller and happier. Count your personal blessings, using the letters of the alphabet as a guide. Let your answers come brainstorming (whatever comes to mind) for example: “A” – jars of Applesauce in the basement, Anti-freeze on the car, Aunt Rachel’s fruit salad recipe, etc. “B” – babies (maybe there’s a special one), snow boots, books, etc., etc…
It’s fun and it’ll give you a thankful heart.
THE MORE you give thanks, the happier you are! Gratitude is a good feeling. But you get the greatest happiness when you say “Much obliged!” to God…
“What shall I render to the Lord for all his bounty to me?” Ps. 116:12
