WRITE 2 THE HEART
Stories that are aimed "Write 2 the Heart"
December 12, 2001 Volume 1, Issue 48
Cheryl Speir, Editor, moderator@write2theheart.com
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Surely I am not the only one who feels this way
about Christmas ornaments.
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The Time Capsule
By:Cheryl Speir
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Every year at this time I take down and open a time
capsule. In it I find glimpses of the past. I didn't
know I was starting a time capsule the first time I
packed away Christmas ornaments, I thought I was
just preserving glass baubles to be used another year.
Now the boxes of ornaments are a treasure trove of
memories of Christmas past. There are many
ornaments that were made in school. Several were
given as gifts from teachers with dates carefully
written on the back. Some were handmade by dear
friends.
There was the year I let the boy's paint ceramic
ornaments. Chris painted a baby mouse lying in a
field of daisies. Aaron started to paint a mouse on
a candy cane and never finished it. Tim painted a
small rocking horse while Jeremy painted a lamb.
I can still remember holding two-year old Jeremy's
hand to help him paint the eyes.
Each year we have added glass ornaments and
laughed when our cat would break the thin glass balls.
We can never coax our cat to play with anything all year,
but pull out the ornaments and the kitten comes out in him.
One year the cat climbed up the decorated tree and knocked
it completely over, sending glistening balls and broken
glass all over the living room.
I look with pleasure at the ornaments that Chris and Nicole
sent us from Alaska. There are igloos and a wooden cut out
of a momma moose with a baby at her side and my favorite
of an Eskimo papoose wrapped in colorful silk bought in
honor of grandson Mason's birth.
Every year while the boys were small, they took great delight
in looking at all the ornaments and placing them on the tree.
There were a lot of "I made this" and "I remember when". As
they reached their teen years, one by one they lost interest
in Christmas trees leaving me with the bittersweet chore of
decorating the tree.
I am always on the lookout for ornaments that remind me of
someone or something in our family. Because we are a family
of Trekkies, I was overjoyed to find a Star Trek shuttlecraft
that gives a message from Spock when a button is pushed. I
have glass baby bears, angels and toy soldiers. I have even
bought many very old and scratched glass balls with scenes
etched in them to remember the Christmas's of my youth.
When I find these scratched up gems at a garage sale, I can't
help but feel sad for the people who are letting go of a piece
of Christmas past. I feel like they are willingly tearing out a
page of family history.
This year I got to share the joy of decorating my tree with three-year
old Mason. As he helped, I was able to show him the special
ornament his great-grandmother cross-stitched for his father. He
listened with undivided attention as I told him stories of his father
making ornaments and wanted to place those on the tree himself.
I laughed with delight, remembering other little hands that helped
to put on the same ornaments.
When we were through and stepped back to admire our handy work,
I asked him which were his favorite ornaments. Without hesitation
he pointed out the wooden toy ornaments that once belonged to his
great-grandmother. It was at that moment that I realized this time
capsule has touched the hearts of four generations. I hope it touches
the heart of many more!
Cheryl Speir
moderator@write2theheart.com
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I would love to hear about your Christmas memories.
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FROM OUR READERS
I'm still praying for Tim and the others on the list. I don't
know how you writers have time for quilting, sewing and
all the other housework duties that are a part of your lives.
I love to write, but can hardly find the time with all the
things in my life, including a retired husband!! Wish I could
sit here all day and just compose stories of all the things that
have happened in my life; it would be a "best-seller" for SURE!!
Your cyber-friend,
Nancee from NH
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<>< Prayer Request For Those In Service To Our Country <><
As you read over this list of names, take the time to pray for
each one and their families. If you have a request to add, hit
reply and send me their name.
Trey, Chris Speir, Tim Speir, Emmett Summers, and Eloise asks
for prayer for her family members in the Armed Forces and her
extended family.
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Cheryl's Corner
David took Chris fishing for a little father son bonding. David
had bought shrimp for bait, but Chris wanted to go on the river so
it wasn't used. I came home that night to find David frying his
bait to have for supper. Jeremy had mixed up the batter. It turned
out pretty good.
Goodness, I got a small flurry of email requesting recipes for
the goodies I mentioned last week. So I will print the recipe
for Corn Salad this week and send the one for Monkey Bread
next week.
CORN SALAD
4 cans of white shoe-peg corn (drained)
1 large tomato chopped
1 small onion finely chopped
enough mayonnaise to mix
Mix all together and chill for two hours for flavors
to meld. This recipe can be halved or doubled.
You will be pleasantly surprised at how yummy this is!
God Bless,
Cheryl
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Cheryl Speir
Write 2 the Heart
moderator@write2theheart.com
http://www.write2theheart.com
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