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HAVEN OF RESPITE
by Karin A. Lovold
Sometimes I run to the bathroom. Other times I quietly sneak away there.
Sometimes I take an extra long time in the shower, or spend more time
getting ready -- just so I can be in the bathroom that much longer.
My oldest daughter is nine, my middle daughter is almost seven, and my
baby is two and a half.
Things wouldn''t be so overwhelming at times if it weren''t for the fact
that my husband has spent the past year with chronic, and at times,
excruciating back pain. He had surgery over a year ago, but it didn''t work
out like we''d hoped.
Since then, we''ve tried a million different things to try to relieve
the pain, but nothing''s seemed to work -- until, we got a second opinion
from one of the best neurosurgeon''s in the state. He says he''s found the
source of the problem and can make my husband pain free. Ah! What a
relief!
His surgery will be in less than a month, and as we get closer to the
"big day" I''ve been pondering this past year and have discovered that it''s
been my bathroom that has been my haven throughout it all.
The wonderful thing about my bathroom is that there''s a lock on the door.
I know, I know. Most bathrooms have locks on their doors, but there
are some that don''t, and I sure don''t envy the moms who have those.
"Mom! Can I have this?" or "Mom! Can I have that?" are what I hear a
million times a day. "Mom, can I have something to drink?" "Mom, can you
help me with my homework?" "Mom, I have to go potty!" "Mom, Brittany''s
hitting me!" "Mom, Lindsay wont let me play on the computer!"
It''s always, "Mom this!" or "Mom that!" They know better than to
bother dad -- he''s in too much pain.
Where do I go to find a moment''s peace?
Where do I go to just catch my breath or gather my thoughts?
There''s no where in the house I can be alone, except, that is -- the
bathroom. So, that''s where I go to, even run to at times.
Once in my bathroom, I push that little button-lock on the doorknob
and I am free, if only for a moment. No one can see me, no one can even
hear me -- I am totally and completely alone!
Sometimes I just fall on the floor and cry. Other times I get on my
knees and pray. But most of the time, I just open up the window and feel
the fresh air on my face. I look outside into my woods and breath in and
out. In the dead of winter, it''s cold, but I don''t care. In the summer,
it''s hot and humid, but I don''t care. It''s a moment alone, and that''s all
that matters to me.
What would I do without that lock on the door? I don''t know.
There have been many times that I''ve snuck away into my "hiding place"
and within seconds there''s a little girl''s hand on the doorknob on the
other side trying to open it. It''s at these moments that a smile tugs at
my face. I see the knob trying to move, but it won''t! There is nothing,
and no one, that can interrupt my solitude, and it''s all because of that
lock on my doorknob.
I don''t hide in there for long -- just a few minutes, maybe five at
the most. But, it''s just enough time. It''s just what I need to rejuvenate
myself, so I can walk out and face the busyness of my world once again --
to help my daughters with their problems, feed them supper, or breakfast,
or lunch.
Just give me those few minutes, a few times a day, in my bathroom --
my haven -- and I can accomplish anything.
-- Karin A. Lovold <kal3860 @ chartermi.net>
Cha Mẹ nuôi con như biển hồ lai láng .Con nuôi Cha Mẹ sao tính tháng , tính ngày .

THE BANK ROBBER
by Helen Prescott Amole
We just sat down for supper when the doorbell rang.
A stranger explained that he was referred to our family by our friend,
the Sheriff. He was being transferred by his company and had nowhere to
leave Charlie. He asked if we would keep him.
The entire family had gathered at the door to see what this was all
about and we followed him out to his truck. He opened a cage and extracted
a fat raccoon who scrambled onto his shoulders.
From that lofty perch we were surveyed through a black furry mask by
two dark shiny eyes.
"This," the man said, "is Charlie."
And this was no wild raccoon! I went inside to phone the Sheriff, and
returned in time to see our youngest son, Chris, lugging Charlie toward the
backyard. His brothers were carrying the cage.
Since no one''s arm had been chewed off and each boy was trying to hold
him, I could see the family was falling in love with this fat ban***. I
figured we had another "critter" added to our household.
The guy thanked us and left. We put Charlie''s cage behind the garage,
clipped on his long chain and looked for his bedding materials. That''s
when we discovered that he didn''t have anything -- just his big striped
ringtail to sleep in. We got dishes and gave him dog food and water, put
cut grass in for a bed and a rain cover over the cage.
We finished our cold supper and Chris and his dad left for a boy scout
meeting. Later, an excited group of scouts came over to see our raccoon.
The next day, I called my father who lived nearby. He came to check
on our newest orphan and give advice. The major skill raccoons use for
protection is tree climbing and Charlie was too terrified to try. Our
oldest son reluctantly volunteered to try to teach him. With Charlie
wrapped around his shoulders, he climbed up a ladder into the tree. Those
black paws had a choke hold over the top of Steven''s head. Above all the
screeching and chattering I heard Steven''s voice. "I''ll bet I''m the only
kid in the world that''s up a tree trying to teach a raccoon to climb. I
quit!"
Down they came. Jerry and Chris took over the job and got Charlie to
climb trees by rewarding him if he climbed up to them. Charlie had no idea
how to eat like a raccoon. Mealtime found me and Charlie rolling pieces of
chicken and stuff in his water pan to entice him to feel his food. He
finally caught on and dunked a frog before he ate it.
Charlie learned lots of raccoon skills and had grown a thick coat of
fur, so my father made arrangements to release him at his club located out
on a big lakeshore. The staff agreed to keep an eye on him.
We took off his collar, painted a red mark on his back and said a sad
goodbye to Charlie.
Things were going well until the night a large bank arranged a fish
fry for their lady employees.
The program was in progress, the bank guard was chatting with the bus
driver, and the workers were preparing the food in the kitchen when Charlie
wandered out of the woods and smelled fish.
He sensed the aroma was coming from the clubhouse so he pushed open
the screen door and strolled straight down the aisle and right onto the
stage. Screams erupted from the ladies as they tried to get away from
Charlie. Still following fish aroma, Charlie scampered into the kitchen
where he located the grand prize -- a plate of fish.
By the time the cook saw Charlie, that ban*** had climbed onto the
food table. Shouting and swatting at Charlie, he tried to remove him but
it was a futile effort. The noise and bedlam brought the bank guard with
drawn gun, as the kitchen crew shouted, "Don''t shoot Charlie!"
Our favorite raccoon was spread-eagled over a plate of fish, growling
and chewing away.
With the help of the kitchen crew, the cook lured Charlie out into the
tool shed with the ruined plate of fish. The guard finally calmed the
ladies and the kitchen crew got things reorganized and they were able to
complete their unusual evening.
Charlie made the headlines of the bank''s newsletter, with pictures, as
the only successful robber in the history of the bank.
-- Helen Prescott Amole <hpamole @ msn.com>
Cha Mẹ nuôi con như biển hồ lai láng .Con nuôi Cha Mẹ sao tính tháng , tính ngày .

THE FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY
Marlene was substitute teaching in a kindergarten class last week.
One little boy had something very important to tell Marlene, and she nearly
cracked up when she heard it. This is what he said: "Mrs. Reynolds... you
know that thing where you change the clocks on the weekend that''s coming
up? Well, I just thought I should tell you. My daddy don''t celebrate
holidays, so I''ll be running about an hour late!" -- M. Reynolds of Kansas
With Easter coming up, many Sunday School teachers are spending a lot
of time trying to tell the story of the crucifixtion. Deenie tells about
her grandson Corbin, 5, who listened intently as his Sunday School teacher
told about the soldiers offering Jesus vinegar when he said, "I thirst."
The Sunday School teacher then let the children taste vinegar if they
wanted to. Corbin gleefully asked to be the first one. However, instead
of tasting it, he drank it and promptly threw up. Then he messed his
pants. Later when the family was talking to Corbin about his experience,
they asked him if any of the other children threw up. Corbin replied,
"Nope. After they saw me throw up none of them would try it." Then
Corbin''s dad asked, "Well, do you think Jesus threw up when they tried to
give it to him?" Corbin replied, "Nope - he died!" -- Deenie Daugherty
(grandmother of Corbin) of West Des Moines, Iowa.
Nancy, then 3, (now in her late 50''s) was being taught the alphabet.
She would say them all in perfect order but when she got to R, S, T, U...
she would say "R, S, T, Me!" Whenever anyone would try to correct her with
"not me, U" she would continue to say " yes, Me!" -- June (daughter to
Nancy) of Gary, Indiana
When Sheila''s granddaughter was 3, every time she visited her favorite
thing to do was to get on the bathroom scales. One time she asked, "How
much am I, Nana?" With lots of excitement, her grandmother said, "OH WOW,
29 pounds!" She said, "OK, Nana, it''s your turn." So Sheila got on the
scales and her daughter jumped up and said, "OH WOW NANA, 8 o''clock!" --
Sheila Lee of Fresno County, California
When Sheila''s grandson Jordan was 5, he said, "Nana, did you know my
daddy is an Idian (meaning Indian)?" Sheila asked, "Does that make you an
Idian, too?" Jordan replied, "NO NANA! I''m Inhuman!"
When Pat''s oldest granddaughter was 2 they visited Astroworld, an
amusement park in Houston. The little girl had a great time. Pat
overheard her saying she had loved going to "Ashtray World!" -- Pat Martin
of Chandler, Texas
Margaret has four children: Alex, 10; Andrew, 4; and twins Austin and
Anthony. They have a large dog named Duke. One morning Andrew was coming
through the hallway and Duke kept getting in Andrew''s way. Andrew yelled,
"Mommy, Duke''s like a big stop sign... he keeps making me stop!" --
Margaret Compton of Kendallville, Indiana
Margaret''s husband let his hair grow. It was getting long and shaggy,
so he got a hair cut. When he got home, Andrew put his hands on his
father''s face and said, "Daddy, you look like a man!"
When "Bubby" was 4, they were getting ready to leave in the car. His
seatbelt wasn''t fastened when his mother started the engine. "How did you
start the car when I didn''t have my seatbelt on?" Bubby asked. He thought
the car wouldn''t start unless his seatbelt was fastened! -- Cathi Mott
(mother of Bubby) of Castleton, New York
Aubrey, 3, recently painted a picture with pretty purple lines and
colors. Her mother, Erin, was very proud of the picture until she asked
Aubrey what it was and Aubrey replied, "It''s your stretch marks, Mommy!"
-- Terri P. Jones (great-aunt of Aubrey) of Louisville, Kentucky
Cha Mẹ nuôi con như biển hồ lai láng .Con nuôi Cha Mẹ sao tính tháng , tính ngày .

PANORAMIC EGGS
by Wanita Bates
Easter.
Glorious, sunny, crisp, everything-is-new Easter.
That''s what I remember when I think about Easter when I was growing up
in Pennsylvania.
The anticipation of going to Robert Hall''s to buy a new dress and coat
was almost overwhelming. We didn''t get new clothes very often, but it was
some sort of unwritten law that you must show up in church on Easter
morning radiant in a pristine outfit. Finding that perfect dress (straight
skirt? crinoline?) was a time-consuming affair.
Then you needed a light coat. Not a bulky, overstuffed drab coat that
was serviceable enough until you outgrew it, but a lovely, light pastel
frock that just might not be warm enough, but one that you would wear no
matter what -- blizzard or heatwave.
Then a hat! Oh, the joy! Several dressing tables would be set up so
you could perch that little veil (or some years, a wide brim) over your
teased curls and decide which one was YOU. Of course, it had to match the
coat.
Shoes were important, so mom would march me off to the footwear
department. I almost always ended up with flats, with a strap across the
foot to anchor it securely. How I longed for heels, which would make me
taller than my friends, causing others to think I was older than I truly
was, and make me every inch the sophisticate.
Do you remember having your shoes dyed to match your outfit? Fashion
had reached its pinnacle! If you were lucky, you also got a matching
handbag. Now, church handbags were different than everyday handbags. They
were usually small clutch bags, perhaps with a rhinestone clasp. As long
as they were large enough to hold a comb, a real handkerchief, and
lipstick, they were big enough.
And gloves. Discreet, white, ladylike, dainty gloves. I would search
until I found some that had tiny pearls or gathers across the back of the
hand -- certainly not plain gloves for me!
I still have some of these dinosaurs in my closet, and I enjoy trying
them on.
After returning from church, where I obediently sat still, straight
and silent, we returned home, where I would find an Easter basket. Every
tiny piece of candy and chenille chicks had to be removed to be certain I
hadn''t missed anything. Jelly beans were sorted out from chocolate, and
mental rationing began.
But the one thing I miss most about those Easters is my chick.
I can''t remember not getting a chick each Easter. The dime store sold
them in huge rainbow flocks for oh, about 19 cents. The colors were
remarkable! Fuschia, purple, dark green, blue, and orange -- each was to
be admired in its own way.
You received a small sack of feed with your chick, and away you went
to create a habitat. I loved the little chicks, and would tuck them up
under my hair, where they''d contentedly snuggle down and sleep. We usually
put our chick in a laundry basket with a crumpled towel in the bottom, and
one covering the top when night fell. Later we''d drift off to sleep to the
tune of tiny peeps that got weaker and weaker until the little darling
drifted off. We used a lot of tissue cleaning up everywhere after the
chick, and eventually they''d begin to sprout real feathers and grow out of
the cute stage. There would come a day when I''d return home from school to
be told that the chicken just wandered off.
Was I so gullible? I just accepted the verdict, and life went on.
Years later, I realized that mom had probably dropped my chicks off at
the farm near the 3M Company. We had occasionally gone by there to see the
animals. Had I looked closely, perhaps I would have seen the random orange
feather peeking out from underneath a majestic coat!
And panoramic eggs! Specialty shops still carry them, but you rarely
see a hollowed-out sugar egg with a little scene inside today. They were
edible, but how could you destroy such a work of art?
Ah, the memories of spring and Easter.
Those WERE the good old days!
-- Wanita Bates <batesw @ sfcc.cc.fl.us>
JUST FOR TODAY
The flurry of excitement,
And symbols of this time,
The colored eggs, the bunnies,
All may be mine.
Just for today.
The lilies, the dogwood,
Tulips and more,
So bountiful with color,
Find a path to my door.
Just for today.
I must seriously reflect,
On what this all means;
So many bright beginnings.
It certainly seems.
Thus, in prayer, I must approach Him,
To always guide me, too;
That, I, with resolve,
May also, begin anew.
Just for today.
-- Gayle Smith <maximgts @ swbell.net>
Cha Mẹ nuôi con như biển hồ lai láng .Con nuôi Cha Mẹ sao tính tháng , tính ngày .

OLD ROVER
by Roxanna Kerns
Sitting beside me as I type this story is "the ugliest dog I ever saw."
I have to tell you those words have never actually come out of my
mouth -- they have been said by friends and family members who look at my
dog, Rover.
Personally, I think he is adorable and one of the sweetest dogs God
has created. I am just thankful Rover decided to adopt our family as his
own. Let me tell you about the first time I saw him.
One Sunday morning, my husband and I were driving down a busy stretch
of road. My stomach sank as I saw two dogs headed across the highway. One
was a black Lab and the other was a little brown mutt. I quickly covered
my eyes until my husband patted me on the arm and said, "It''s OK honey,
they both made it across safely."
I said a small prayer that God would protect both of them on their travels.
Later that week, I was back on the highway when I saw a lifeless shape
lying by the side of the road. I didn''t want to look, but I did, and I
knew then the black Lab had been killed sometime earlier that week. I
looked around for the other little dog, but he was nowhere to be seen. I
said a silent prayer that God would lead him to a loving family who would
take care of him.
About a week later, I saw the little brown dog crossing a street near
my home and noticed how thin and sad he looked. I once again asked God to
lead him to a good home so he would know a loving family.
A couple days later the little roving dog had found his way to our
home, looking very frightened. I called to him but he just ran away in
fear. I wondered what kind of life that poor dog had to be so scared
around humans. Once again I said a little prayer for the wandering fellow.
About a week after seeing "Old Rover" at the entrance to our home, I
noticed he was sleeping under a bush not far away. I thought he might be
hungry so I went inside and got some leftover chicken and noodles and a
bowl of water. I took it outside and called the small dog, but he started
to run in the other direction. I then yelled at him that I had some food
and I would just leave it outside in case he was interested in coming back.
I very loudly went back inside and shut my front door. I hurried to
the window to see what Old Rover would do. Well, after timidly sneaking up
on the food he gobbled it up like he hadn''t eaten for a week.
Rover and I played this feeding game for about two weeks. I would
leave food out, and when I went inside, he would eat it quickly without a
thank you or a nod in my direction. I didn''t mind though because I could
sleep better at night knowing the poor thing wasn''t starving. I already
had a dog that was treated like a queen in our house and I knew another dog
was out of the question.
Sometime later, a neighbor had come over to visit and as we were
sitting in the living room we heard a painful crying coming from outside.
All of us hurried out the door to see two dogs savagely attacking Old
Rover.
My husband ran at the two dogs until he frightened them away. The
poor little stray hurried to my side to get away from the attackers. As I
cautiously put my hand down to sooth him, he looked up at me with the
saddest eyes I have ever seen. My heart broke as I realized my hand had
blood on it from the poor thing''s wounds.
My husband knew what I was going to say before I said it. So he got
the car to take him to the vet. While my husband was getting a blanket, I
looked the dog in the eyes and whispered in his ear, "I promise that you
will never be scared, lonely, hungry, or hurt again. You''re my Rover now
and I will love and take care of you until you die."
Rover put his head in my lap as if to say thank you.
That was two years ago. Today, Rover shares his life with Curly Sue
(who has finally conceded that there are other dogs than just her in the
world) and a family that loves him.
The vet told us that Rover had a very abusive life in the past. I
can''t change his past, but I know his future is full of being loved.
He may not be the most handsome dog in the world, but I don''t think he
is the ugliest either. God knew exactly where to find him a good and
loving home.
My Rover is an answer to a prayer -- my own!
-- Roxanna Kerns <higkerns @ ponyexpress.net>
Cha Mẹ nuôi con như biển hồ lai láng .Con nuôi Cha Mẹ sao tính tháng , tính ngày .

THE FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY
Mickianne has a 4-year-old granddaughter, Nattie, who has just come
to live with her. Mickianne lives on Fortuna Parkway. Nattie''s mother was
trying to teach her the new address. Nattie told Mickianne, "I know my new
street. It''s Tunafish Parkway!" -- Mickianne of Clay, New York
Lesley was driving past McDonald''s and the sign read "Collector''s
Plate $1.99." Her 12-year-old daughter said with shock, "McDonald''s is
starting a church!" -- Lesley Green of Highlands, Texas
Deanna, 10, saw her mother putting medicine for mites in the ear of
their dog, Worf. Several months later, Deanna saw Worf scratching his ear,
and she asked, "Does Worfy have ear termites again?" -- Karen Payne
(mother of Deanna) of Lily Dale, New York
Drew, 3, watched curiously every morning as his father stepped on the
scales to weigh himself. One morning Drew hopped on the scales and looked
down. Knowing that he had no idea what he was doing, his mother Becky
asked, teasingly, "Drew, what are you doing?" He replied, "I''m measuring
my feet like Daddy!" (Drew is now a freshman in college.) -- Becky Coyle
(mother of Drew) of the University of Mississippi Foundation
There was a lot of reader response to the story last week about the
little girl who drew who mother''s stretch marks. Kas Quimby said it
reminded her of the time when her daughter was only 2 and she saw Kas in
only her undies. She asked what the purple marks on her legs and hips
were. Kas said they were stretch marks and she told her little girl (who
weighted 9 pounds at birth), "You gave them to me." She was quiet for a
few minutes and then said, "Wow, they sure are beautiful!"
Emma, 3, was on holiday in Singapore. They were enjoying the night
zoo, traveling on the tram. The guide said, "And on your left are the
Indian Rhinos." Emma said in a loud voice, "Are they on holiday as well?"
The guide didn''t miss a beat and said yes they are on holiday. Emma asked,
"How long are they staying?" The guide said, "They love Singapore and plan
to be here for a long long time!" -- Fiona (mother of Emma) of Bangkok,
Thailand
Keatyn, 6, came home from school anxious to tell about her day. Her
father was talking about his workshop. (He can go on and on about it!)
Finally, Keatyn could wait no longer. She reached over, pushed on her
dad''s shoulder and asked, "Where''s the off button on this thing?" --
Heather White (mother of Keatyn) of southern Iowa
As they were driving in the car one evening, Fern was singing, "Put
your hand in the hand of the man who stilled the water." When Tim heard
it, he wanted to know, "Who''s the man who stilled the water?" Fern said,
"Jesus." With utter amazement Tim gasped, "Who did he steal the water
from? God?" -- Fern Boldst of St. Catharines, Ontario
Here''s another story from Fern, who has four sons. After Fern
carefully explained the Easter story to the boys -- how Jesus died and rose
again on Easter morning -- Terence said, "And then He ate His Easter eggs!"
Ashton, 7, recently had a friend over to spend the night. As they
were sitting at the dining room table waiting for dinner, Ashton''s mother
overheard them talking. Carlee mentionedthat someone at school had gotten
in trouble for saying the "F-word." Carlee told Ashton that at her house
they get in big trouble for saying the "F-word, the D-word, and the
S-word." Ashton''s mother agreed that they don''t allow those words to be
spoken at their house either. But Ashton''s mother found it hard to imagine
that Carlee knew what those words were so she asked her to whisper them in
her ear. Carlee whispered, "The F-word is FAT, the D-word is DUMB, and the
S-word is STUPID!" -- Amber Vandenburg (mother of Ashton) of Marshall,
Michigan

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
by Lee Simonson
You didn''t have to be a golf enthusiast to appreciate the "other"
miracle that took place this past Easter Sunday.
Easter represents a day of hope. So it was fitting that one hope was
realized in a remarkable effort that had millions of viewers around the
world glued to their televisions and holding their breaths.
The outcome of the prestigious four day Master''s golf tournament came
down to one final stroke on the final hole. It couldn''t have been scripted
any better.
What made this day, this hole, this final putt so special, was the
golfer himself -- Phil Mickelson.
Yes, the fans loved him. They loved his personality and boyish looks.
They knew how he had been swinging golf clubs since he was 18 months old
in the backyard of his San Diego home. Interestingly enough, he is right
handed in everything he does, except golf. When his father demonstrated
the game to him righthanded, he stood on the opposite side of him and
followed along lefthanded. His father had built a putting green in the
backyard so he could learn the game and practice.
But this green on Sunday was far from his childhood backyard. It was
at the beautiful Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia -- one of the most
spectacular and difficult courses in the world.
However, that wasn''t the only difference. You see, 33-year-old Phil
Mickelson has had a monkey on his back since he started playing
professional golf in 1992. He''s developed a reputation for always coming
in second or third in major tournaments -- never finishing first.
Oh, he''s considered one of the best golfers in the world and he''s won
many lesser tournaments -- the Buick Invitational, the BellSouth Classic,
the MasterCard Colonial and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. But the
ultimate prize for golfers is winning the U.S. Open, the British Open, the
PGA Championship and the Master''s. But despite 42 tries, Phil had come to
be known as "the best player to never win a major."
Competition has been fierce. As soon as Phil was gaining his stride,
along came a younger Tiger Woods who played like a vacuum cleaner, scooping
up golf titles and tournaments like candy. Phil was constantly asked by
reporters -- thousands of times -- why he couldn''t win. Yet, he was a
class act, and despite being hounded incessantly, he was always gracious
and never lost his temper or friendly composure.
Was Phil always going to play second-fiddle? Would he ever be able to
breakthrough and show the world that he indeed had the talent and mind set
of a true champion? Could this be his chance?
The Master''s on Sunday was a seesaw among great players. Tiger Woods
was out of contention early on. His game of late has been off. But there
were other formidable contenders who were all within one to three shots of
being in the lead. Each hole seemed to create a new leader, each one
capable of securing the title.
But somehow, the golf commentators and experts sensed something about
Phil Mickelson''s play early in the game which singled him out. The cameras
surveyed the players, and despite the tremendous pressure, anyone watching
could see Phil''s confidence growing each and every hole. The crowds would
cheer him on as he walked down the fairways, and he would gesture back with
a sheepish smile as he looked around and seemingly wondered to himself, "Is
this what it feels like to be winner?"
Phil and the world would soon find out. At the end, Phil had to make
an 18 foot putt. If you think that''s easy, get a measuring tape or
yardstick and measure out 18 feet on the floor or your yard outside and
picture yourself trying to hit a golf ball into a tiny 4-1/2 inch cup.
Fortunately, Phil was playing with Chris DiMarco who happened to hit
his ball right in front of Phil''s on the green. This was a tremendous
stoke of good luck since Phil now had the opportunity to see how Chris''s
putt would play out -- how the ball would roll over the bumps and slants on
the green. He would know how his ball would react and he could compensate
for it.
If Phil made the putt he would win.
The religious services for Easter had concluded. Most of the family
get togethers and meal celebrations were over. The eyes of the world were
now on one player who had a chance at making golf history.
Everyone held their breath. You could hear a pin drop even though
thousands of people were standing only a few feet away. For a moment, the
world stood still.
Phil knew what he was up against and knew what he had to do. He hit
the ball and millions of people watched as it rolled... getting closer...
closer... and WOW! It dropped in the hole!
The crowd went wild and Phil jumped up in the air. Tears of joy
started flowing from everyone. Phil hugged his caddy and went looking for
his wife, Amy and three children. It had taken 14 years of hard work and
effort to achieve this dream, but it had finally arrived.
Yes, Phil Mickelson won the coveted Green Jacket that Master''s
champions are awarded. When he put it on, he said it felt nice. And while
no one even mentioned it, he also won over $1 million.
But money wasn''t on anyone''s mind. There were other more important
things to consider. Things like hope, conviction, never giving up --
savoring a long sought victory with beloved family and friends.
When Phil walked off the green and held up and hugged his gorgeous two
year old daughter, Sophia -- the spittin'' image of Goldie Locks -- he
looked at her and in one of the most heartwarming moments in sports
history, said, "Daddy won! Can you believe it?"
We''re not sure if Sophia knew what to believe at that moment.
However, Phil made believers out of the rest of us. He helped us to
understand a lesson we often forget -- that despite obstacles, setbacks and
disappointments, there comes a time when hard work, practice, and the right
attitude, will eventually pay off.
Thanks Phil, for reminding us.
-- Lee Simonson, Publisher, Heartwarmers
<publisher @ heartwarmers.com>

FACE TIME
by Jay Miller
Four years ago my daughter became the proud parent of a 6 week old
Miniature Dachshund.
She dearly loves this puppy which she named Vicious because he barks
at everything, including door bells ringing on television. He barks like
crazy at visitors, but as soon as he is satisfied that they have been
effectively barked at, he is ready to be petted and automatically has made
a new friend.
Some time back, my daughter moved to an apartment that didn''t allow
pets and she needed to find a home for Vicious. I really care about all
animals but I really wasn''t sure I wanted to be the surrogate parent to a
yappy little "Wiener Dog".
The first night he was with us we found out that he was bound and
determined to sleep with my wife and me -- under the covers.
Down he went to find a spot which he pawed at and circled several
times before he was content, laid down and went to sleep. Sometime later,
he wiggled his way out from under the covers, not knowing or caring what
time it was or where he was, and he shook his head vigorously. Out of a
dead sleep, I got my face slapped with a pair of flapping ears -- what a
way to wake up!
Then he headed down to the end of the bed, outside the covers, and
laid down. It was like he was taking a break, from sleeping.
Now just about the time I was getting back to sleep, he decided it was
time to get back under the covers. So up he came, wiggled his way between
my face and the pillow and down he went under the covers and settled in
right next to my legs. After a few minutes of wondering if I was going to
be able to tolerate his comings and goings, I fell back to sleep.
Well, about this time he started having doggie dreams and started to
kick and run in his sleep. Now I''m wide awake and contemplating what to do
with my new bedmate and where I might be able to relocate, place, or move
him to so that I could get some sleep. Eventually, I did fall back to
sleep.
Morning arrived and I slowly opened my non-ear-beaten eye to see what
was going on. I saw the little guy sitting about 6 inches from my nose
watching me for some indication that I was awake. I quickly closed my eye
and pretended to be asleep. But it didn''t work. He reacted by snuggling
up to my face and gently laying his head on my cheek.
Now this can be truly classified as "face-time"!
This closeness made me realize that all the things he did to wake me
up the night before were trivial. He has been with us for several weeks
now and he goes through pretty much the same routine every night and every
morning.
After he is satisfied that I am really awake, he gives me a couple of
quick licks on my cheek, nose, and forehead as if to say, "I love you and
it''s time to get this day started." He jumps off the bed and starts his
rounds as he goes from room to room to make sure it''s safe and nothing has
invaded his territory during the night. He then saunters back to me as if
to report that everything is OK.
As you can tell, this little "wiener dog" has found a big place in my
heart and even with his nightly ups and downs he''s definitely here to stay.
I really enjoy the "face-time".
-- Jay Miller <dem.utah @ worldnet.att.net>

THE FUNNY THINGS KIDS SAY
On Easter Sunday Maulena went to breakfast in a pancake house. There
was someone dressed up as the Easter Bunny. Two ladies came in with three
darling little girls who were so excited about meeting the Easter Bunny.
The bunny came inside and the little girls decided they wanted to draw a
picture of it on their placemats with the crayons provided by the
restaurant. One little girl told the bunny, "Stay still because we need to
get a good shot of you!" After talking to the Easter Bunny for a while,
the girls realized it was actually a girl because you could see a bit of
her face inside the "eyes." The littlest girl said, "We know where your
husband is. He''s at the Mall!" -- Maulena of Phoenix, Arizona
I ran into Olga the other day and she told me about her
granddaughter, Kyrie, who is in middle school now, who decided to play
Easter Bunny this year. Kyrie got 30 eggs to hide -- but she only had six
prizes. So inside of 24 eggs she put the message: "Sorry!" When little
Mariah was done with Kyrie''s egg hunt she announced, "I don''t like the
Easter Bunny. There are too many ''sorrys!''" -- Olga Hernandez of
Kendallville, Indiana
Like many mothers with lots on their mind, Tricia is constantly
forgetting things. She finds that an easy way to remember something is to
tell Olivia, 7, and Ethan, 5, to remind her. They make good "walking
lists" because they have great memories! One day Tricia told Ethan to
remind her to stop and pay the insurance bill at State Farm after she
picked him up from pre-school. He proudly said he would remember. Then he
added, "Mommy, do you think they will let me pet the cows?" -- Tricia
Olmstead of Hillsdale, Michigan
JoAnne was grocery shopping with Brian, 7. When she got to the check
out she realized she had forgotten to get the whipped topping. She asked
Brian to run and get her any kind. Brian came back and said, "Here, I got
you the free one." JoAnne said, "Well, I still have to pay for it." Brian
said, "No you don''t -- it says FREE on it!" It was "fat free!" -- JoAnne
Johnson (mother of Brian) of Chews Landing, New Jersey
Bob and Ruthie''s 8-year-old granddaughter is playing softball this
year. She was telling her dad how well she can hit the ball, and said,
"Yesterday I was smacking those balls out of the park - whatever that
means!" -- Ruthie Garvin of Humboldt, Tennessee
Fern gives her four sons stars on their charts for being good. She
told them she should get stars for being a good mother. Tim, 7, said,
"Well, you wouldn''t get one every day!" -- Fern Boldt of St. Catharines,
Ontario
Bailey, 5, asked her cousin Macey to go get her a book and when Macey
asked where it was, Bailey said, "On the loving couch." (She was referring
to the love seat). Bailey''s Aunt Melandie took her to Farm Animal Days at
the local university. When Bailey''s mom asked where she was going, she
replied, "On a chill frit." (She was trying to say field trip!) --
Bailey''s great aunt Margaret of Garner, North Carolina
Nan''s husband went on the Atkins Diet and it worked so well that Nan
tried it. She lost more than 50 pounds in eight months, going from a size
18 to a size 10. One morning Nan was getting ready for work and her
daughter Katie, 9, was watching. Katie said proudly, "Mom, you look ALMOST
NORMAL!" -- Nan Asher of Ypsilanti, Michigan
Sam, 2, is talking up a storm. His father asked him recently what he
wants to be when he grows up. After thinking for a moment or two, he
replied, "Four?" -- Michelle Munroe (aunt of Sam) of Cape Cod,
Massachusetts
When Riley was 4 he waited patiently for his new baby brother to be
born. When the nurse brought the new baby out for Riley to see for the
first time, Riley stared at the baby for a minute and then turned to his
Memaw and said, "You know, he''s kinda dusty!" -- Jennifer Rees of
McAlester, Oklahoma

LITTLE THINGS MEAN A LOT
by Ellie Braun-Haley
Is it possible to alter the actions of school children?
To take the focus from bullying and that of reporting inconsequential
tales of fault finding?
Well one young woman thought so and she worked a year to achieve this
goal. Laurie Braun, a concerned and caring mother -- a woman with a lot of
imagination and the determination to make a difference -- became the
igniting force behind an avalanche of kindness in a Canadian elementary
school.
Laurie wanted to help the students to focus on positive actions and
words. After gaining the approval of the principal, Laurie developed and
operated a program that would do just that. She set about to inspire and
motivate hundreds of children to file reports on one another for their kind
gestures no matter how small the deed.
"The interesting thing about it all," says Laurie, "is that it truly
was the little things that they all began noticing." She picked up two
reports at random and read them.
"When I was by myself, Jeffry sat on the swing with me."
"I slipped and cut myself on the ice and Sara sat with me."
These and other similar reports handed in by the school children
eventually soared from the hundreds, to well over the thousand mark.
"The children revealed a lot about what their concerns are during
these early school years. I saw a noticeable pattern regarding the
reports," says Laurie. "They (the children) spoke a lot about their
appreciation for being included, their appreciation for having someone to
play with and their relief and appreciation when another student comforted
them after a spill."
The response was magnificent and participation of the students
increased weekly. Subsequently, the load of volunteer work for this one
parent, increased leaps and bounds. Students had filed sixty reports of
kindness, in one week alone.
"It became a challenge," said Laurie, "to fit everything on the
bulletin board and to keep it sparkling and colorful. I think the kids
loved the glitter of the displays the most!"
Ms. Braun devoted well over a hundred and seventy hours working both
at home and at the school to prepare materials and build weekly displays to
keep the children interested.
The elementary school took on a conspicuous change. Kids were sharing
lunches and opening doors for one another. Kindness thrived! Even the
crossing guard at the cross walk was reported for her acts of kindness.
"The wonderful thing about this," commented Laurie, "was that the
report was put in by a youngster who was so shy he had never even spoken to
the crossing guard, although the guard had spoken words of encouragement to
this one particular youngster many times."
A child who held the reputation of being arrogant was suddenly helping
another clean out her desk. One lonely child reported on a classmate,
"When I needed a friend to play with, she was there."
The reports went up weekly, but not just as ordinary reports. Over
the weekend, the innovative and artistically inclined Laurie, chose a theme
so that every single report was set on special paper, highlighted with
sparkling glitter. One week she placed the names of the youngsters on
lightning bolts and another week every report was done on teddy bears and
yet another time on little T-shirts, all hanging on a clothesline.
The bulletin board itself was always eye-catching and crowds gathered
so that soon parents, teachers and other staff were also gathering around
to take in the theme and designs for the new week.
When the school year drew to a close, Laurie took each and every "good
deed" report filled in by the students and teachers and attached them to
one long continuous roll of paper. Once posted, this was to be the final
reminder to all, that little things do make a difference.
She chose a time when only teachers were at the school and she and her
young daughter literally wrapped the school walls with over a thousand
kindness reports.
What was it that motivated this woman? She says, "It all came about
because I could see some of the younger children in the elementary school
were worried over bullying. Others concentrated too much energy on
reporting the wrong choices of others. I was looking for something to
counteract this when I came up with the idea of reporting one another on
acts of kindness. I sincerely believed, and still do, that an act of
kindness should receive ten times the attention given to a deed that came
about because of wrong choices. I wanted my program to encourage both
students and adults to focus on the positive, on what is appreciated, not
what is annoying or hurtful."
The program also had some unforeseen side benefits. The reports often
indicated when problems were at hand and Ms. Braun was able to alert the
school authorities.
"I noticed one week that many of the reports spoke of various
individuals being helped up after falling on the ice. I contacted the
school and they were able to alleviate the ice problem."
On the final day for that school year, Laurie asked the principal if
the children could leave their classrooms and walk about to view this huge
accumulated list of their good deeds and thoughtfulness. The students were
told that any reports which featured their name could be taken home as
souvenirs. Laurie watched as the excited students gathered around the
reports, first reading them, then commenting and remembering and finally
reaching to retrieve the reports to take them home as mementos.
"I watched those youngsters that day and felt so proud of their
accomplishments. I thought, look at the huge amount of kindness you all
gave to one another. You all noticed even the smallest of gestures and you
have made such a difference in the lives of one another."
Choked with emotion, Laurie felt the tears and an overwhelming warmth
of pleasure for the success of her quest.
Is it possible to alter the actions of school children? To take the
focus from bullying and fault-finding?
One woman proved that "yes" anything is possible when you follow your
instincts and your dreams.
-- Ellie Braun-Haley <ms.ellie @ eaglecreek.org>