Our church held an interesting and fun event last weekend. The music director had the great idea of hosting a bicycle rally. This was an outreach event to our church neighbors… to help people get their bicycles into shape for the summer season.
The flyer.
There were a few bike stations set up…for minor repairs and pumping up tires as needed…there was a giveaway table, a raffle for bike helmets and bike locks. There was sunshine (although chilly at the beginning), and of course, there was music and food…donuts and coffee, hot dogs and water…all free…for all. O yes, and free t-shirts.
One of several bicycle help stations.
The raffle table, and overview of the lower parking lot at church.
Gary and I volunteered to help at the event. We envisioned lots of kids coming with their bikes. We were surprised, and enjoyed the fact, that many families came together, and many adults had their bikes serviced.
Another bicycle station.
A station for decorating bikes. Kids had fun with this…including the old-fashioned playing card attached to the spoke to make your bike sound “cool”.
There was a good turn out, and steady…not everyone came at once. We were there for four hours and all of us volunteers could tell people were having a great time, as were we!
There were a couple obstacle courses set up in the front parking lot.
The bike rally was deemed successful. We were able to show love to our neighbors, and offer them something practical and fun.
Hot dogs on the grill…always yummy.
It was most likely the beginning ofan annual event.
Occasionally I go up to the cities to help feed children…by helping make food packets.
Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) is a Christian organization that has been packing meals for hungry children all over the world, for many years…since 1987.
We gather for instructions.
There is a small group from my church that helps at the Eagan facility about once a month, and I join them when it works. When you arrive, you gather with fellow volunteers from all over the area to listen to instructions. Next, after washing your hands, you don a hairnet and gloves and enter the packing facility. It is set up with different stations in an assembly line format, and you go to your assigned station.
The packing facility with several stations.
One station can accommodate up to seven people. It’s a well-run operation. Once people are in place, they turn on the music and we sometimes dance and sway to the music, as we work.
There are four ingredients to the meal; vitamin powder, dried vegetables, soy, and rice. Two people scoop up the ingredients into a funnel that dumps into the plastic bag. The bag is weighed and then sealed and put into a box. In one hour, five of us working together at one station, can fill 9-10 boxes, of 36 packets each.
At this one (of five per day) session, the volunteers packed 60 boxes.
It’s a wonderful, hands-on way of making a difference for children. The meals we packed at our last session were going to Nicaragua.
It is a great volunteer activity for all ages…starting at age 5. And, if you can’t stand for a long period of time, you can sit and apply labels to the plastic bags before they are filled.
If interested to learn more or volunteer, check it out here: FMSC.
I’ve posted some short essays from my writing sessions before. I’m amazed where writing prompts lead, and I’m often surprised. For this assignment, the question was: “What object in your home have you been surprised to love more and more over the years?”
It took a little while before something shimmered to the top for me. And then it did. It is a photo of my two boys running through a farm field when they were younger. I had to look up date the photo was taken. It was 1988, and the boys would have been 6 and 4. I framed this photo back then, and have had it hanging in my house since. A few years ago, I went up to St. Olaf’s print center and had another color copy (8”x10”) made of the original because the first picture I had in the frame started to fade over the years.
I have the photo hanging in a hallway and I see it often. To me it represents some of the best years of my life, when my two wonderful young sons were little boys, healthy and happy, and growing and loving. I’m nostalgic for those times, those hugs, those gone-by-too-fast days when we were all together. I’m so thankful for the memories we made together as a family, and for photos I have of those times.
This picture was taken on the family farm in Pennsylvania. The boys are full of energy, runny and healthy, carefree, and so happy together. I think that best describes their childhood.
The photo is precious and makes me smile, time after time, and has become a treasured belonging in my home.
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity. Psalm 133:1 (NASB)
Antique, pull-down maps, chalk boards, pictures of George Washington and Abe Lincoln, and an aged, class photo decorate an old, country school building converted to a restaurant in Mantorville, Minnesota.
Front view of the Old School Cafe with bell tower.
The old school house is now the Old School Café, with good cooking, and a popular spot for town folks to eat. The portions were generous and the food was tasty and the ambiance was nostalgic and cheery.
Old School Cafe.
Outside was also inviting. There were old wooden benches and a school desk on the wide, front porch. There was a bell tower with the bell intact and rope hanging from it. Sculptures of children were placed around the grounds…a lovely idea for a school house yard.
The children on the slide was my favorite sculpture.
Another sculpture of children at a drinking fountain.
There were many, pretty flower pots scattered throughout the yard. On one side of the café was a charming, old wooden house dated 1855, that looked occupied, and the other side of the cafe was a garden area. It was fun to look around, and a delightful way to start the day.
1855 house next door to cafe.
I love whimsey. This little troll was attached to the 1855 house outside wall.
An outdoor seating area along side the cafe, between the cafe and the old house.
There always seems to be a kitty cat hiding in gardens.
Our next stop was the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota.
A well-done sculpture of a farmer and two pigs, outside the SPAM Museum.
An interesting, fun (and free!) museum dedicated to the story of Hormel’s specific product SPAM. Hormel began in the late 1800’s but SPAM was created in 1936 and became popular in WWII when the military ordered lots of SPAM to provide for the armed forces overseas… because it was convenient, and the shelf life was lengthy.
A life-size figure, a screen projection, was lamenting how he felt he had an overabundance of SPAM while in the army.
Some in the military might say the government overused SPAM. But it continues to sell today and there are multiple flavors of SPAM, and it is sold in multiple countries all over the world.
An interesting story on how SPAM got its name.
Free samples of SPAM were offered. We tasted the hickory smoked version and it was very good.
Of course, there is a gift shop featuring all things “Spam”, including flip flops that spell out SPAM when you walk in the sand!
A parting shot…a stunning blossom in the gardens of the Old School Cafe.
Some people my age tell their fond memories of reading the afternoon away when they were children. I do not have those memories. However, I do have good childhood memories…we lived in a close neighborhood full of kids. After chores in the morning we’d go outside to play until lunch. After lunch we’d go outside and play until suppertime. After supper we’d go outside and play until dark. At least, that’s the gist of it. But back to reading…
I don’t remember when I first started to like to read but I am grateful for the people and teachers in my life who taught me to read. In elementary school I remember reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (or was it Tom Sawyer?) and also Trixie Belden mysteries.
Now I love to read, and I read daily, and have for most of my adult life. I continue to enjoy adventure stories, mysteries and biographies.
I also love children’s books. I loved reading books to my own two sons when they were young and now I enjoy reading to my grandchildren. All three of them like to be read to. (I have been known to read children’s books to adults too.)
When Zoey and Ezra were here for ten days we read multiple books multiple times. How is it they want to read the same story over and over and over again? It’s so fun!
Grandpa likes reading to them too.
It was a blessing to sit on the loveseat, between the two children snuggled in blankets while they were engaged in looking at the pictures as I read the story. I treasure those precious moments, and all moments when I can read books to any of my three grandchildren. I love the warmth and closeness, and bringing adventures and love to them one book at a time.
…it is to attend a Family Orchestra Concert at St. Olaf College. The family friendly concerts are geared towards children and have become popular. We didn’t arrive early because we didn’t anticipate the crowd that completely filled the auditorium to overflowing. It was awesome to feel the enthusiasm in the room.
Before the family friendly concert there was time for children to touch and feel the instruments (what I’ve heard called “an instrument petting zoo”). Children can learn a bit about instruments and meet the musicians. From our seats it looked like there was wonderful interaction going on between the children and the college students.
When it was time for the concert to begin everyone quieted down and one could feel the excitement in the air as the music began. The selections were upbeat and fun!
The concert started off with the classic William Tell Overture and then a storyteller from Minnesota Public Radio (this is quality entertainment!) recited a story while the orchestra played “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” in the background.
Next the orchestra played a lovely piece from the movie Frozen.
There was a children’s conductor contest and the winner stood on the podium, by themselves, and conducted the students playing “Do Re Mi” from The Sound of Music.
We were introduced to a Northfield duo who love to create children’s music. The two professors sang two of their original songs: one called “Underwear Spaghetti” and the other “I Love To Sing.”
The finale was Chewbacca, a Star Wars character, who appeared on stage and conducted the orchestra for the Main Title from Star Wars. It was fun, and a great animated performance by Chewbacca.
Chewbacca directing the St. Olaf Orchestra.
photo by TA
It looked like the concert was as pleasureable to the student participants and conductor as it was for the audience. Everyone, young and old alike, seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was a thoroughly delightful time. I wish my grandchildren could have been there.
A dear friend of ours passed away a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, we were unable to attend her funeral.
In preparation for our grandchildren coming to stay with us for a few days we brought out toys and playthings, including a play tent.
The morning of our friend’s funeral our grandchildren asked to play with the tent, so we set it up for them and they were happily playing in it. And then our son asked, “Didn’t Rosella make that tent?”
Why, yes, she did!
I’m so glad he thought of that. How special that our grandkids were enjoying the same tent that dear Rosella gave to our own boys when they were young… and now happen to be playing in it the morning of her funeral. I think she was smiling from heaven.
Rest in Peace, Dear Rosella. You were very special to our family.
…The children in each different place will see the baby Jesus’ face
Like theirs, but bright with heavenly grace
And filled with holy light. O lay aside each earthly thing
And with thy heart as offering, Come worship now the infant King
‘Tis love that’s born tonight….
Some Children See Him – Traditional – A. Burt, W. Hudson
This nativity set was a gift from my mother. She brought it back for me from her trip to Israel, years ago. It is made of Olive wood. The grand-kids wanted to add felt characters from a play nativity set I gave them.
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It all began Wednesday night at our annual Thanksgiving service at Emmaus Church. We gather for praise and worship along with our traditional “circling around the sanctuary, holding hands and speaking our thanks in prayer together.” Then we head downstairs to the fellowship hall for a pie social! Folks bring pies to share, and everyone eats one or two pieces as they visit.
Sign pointing to LBSA community meal.
The next morning Gary and I helped at Northfield’s community meal. Laura Baker Services Association (housing, educational and support services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities) provides a traditional Thanksgiving meal to anyone in the community. No need to sign up, just show up for a delicious meal. This was their 19th year of arranging this wonderful event. They baked 22 turkeys, and made potatoes, stuffing, gravy, corn, salad, cranberries and pie! Last year we ate dinner at LBSA – this year we volunteered to serve. It was fun.
After we left LBSA we joined a family from church, who had invited us to come for dinner when they found out…at the pie social Wednesday eve…that we would not be with our family Thanksgiving Day. It was a beautiful thing, sitting around the table with old friends and new, sharing a meal together. We were blessed by their kindness, and by being at their family celebration.
The blessings continued as we joined our son and his wife and 1 ½ year old daughter at their home the next day, for another feast. My brother and his wife, their daughter and son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren came also. One grandchild is a baby boy…nine days old. The other is a three year old boy. The two “older” toddlers had fun playing together and exuded a lot of energy.
After our tradition of reading children’s stories, and eating dessert, the others said good-bye, so only our immediate family was left. In the living room, soon before we were going to depart, there was one more blessing. My daughter-in-love explained our granddaughter, Aria, “sets the stage often.” Aria points to the sound bar to have the music start (mom turns it on), then points to the gas fireplace to have it turned on (mom flips the switch), and then Aria starts dancing. What a joy to watch.
It was a special time…this blessed thanksgiving…and our hearts are full.
Now we’re moving into the Christmas season as I start to decorate the house, in anticipation of our other two grandchildren (along with mom and dad) coming over from Africa and living with us for a while. I hope their eyes light up when they see our Christmas tree full of colored lights. We’re so excited.
