Warm Thoughts

Don't forget to celebrate moments of life with your friends!

Happy Memorial Day! May we remember all those who sacrificed their lives so we could live with more freedom today.

We love all the daughters out there! Enjoy this short and sweet tribute to daughters all around the world.

Happy Mother's Day! Here is a poem and recipe we are sure all mother's will enjoy!

The mountains allows us to take time to reflect and meditate. Join us in prayer this Thursday for our National Day of Prayer!

This episode gives a special shoutout to all our volunteers out there! "Our lives will truly be enriched when we volunteer and give of ourselves without expecting anything in return."

As I write this column, it still feels like a wintry day across the prairie land. We are still awaiting Spring Fling days and planting those trees on Arbor Day. Last week, April, 18th - 24th marked National Volunteer Week, and we thank all those volunteers who give of themselves and volunteer their services. The national average is that volunteers give over four hours a week of their time to volunteerism. And many of these volunteers say that they receive more than they can ever give, we pay tribute to the many volunteers who are willing to serve so unselfishly for their church community and country. You deserve our thanks. Cheers!

Last week, National Library week was also celebrated. We are encouraged to read more to keep our minds real active for teenagers and grandparents who may not be able to jog with the younger generation, they can still jog their minds. Reading to someone you love is an encouragement for those grandchildren to find joy and relaxation through the gift of reading books.

Last week I was reading to my two-year-old granddaughter and relaxed so much that it was difficult to stay awake. “Grandma, you're falling asleep on me,” I heard her sweet little voice beckoning me before I fell into a deep slumber. Her remark awakened me and I became even more mentally alert to what she was telling me, and I tried to listen. I realized what a treasured gift one can give to generations in the future by reading and listening to the children, the week of the young child was also celebrated last week, and many organizations and schools celebrated it all month. The theme is “Young Children, Their Future in Our Hands.” That theme really makes us aware about the needs of the young children and their families, and how we can make a difference in helping them to meet those needs. Our lives will truly be enriched when we volunteer and give of ourselves without expecting anything in return. It is time to celebrate the age of real caring and we can find that joy and caring about the future.

A warm thought for the week: We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future. Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Have a great week of caring!

Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G. Werner

April 29, 1993

Published in the Canistota Clipper

Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.

Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.

Till next time,

Trina

During this time of reflection, we hope you are able to cherish memories and think of your loved ones often.

It is a real joy to receive letters from the readers of this warm thoughts column. There are so many gifted writers and I am happy that I can share their thoughts, often in my column. Keep sending your warm and precious thoughts. A reader of this column from Ohio, who has had her poems published in books and magazines, recently sent me her thoughts on memories from long ago.

Memories of a precious love.

I wonder where you are tonight. I wish I knew if you were alright.

60 years is a long long time to remember things that happened from January to December. And yet as I read the words in my diary, so true. It brings back all the happiness, I knew with you.

Our walks in the snow beneath a winter's moon. I wonder why it all ended so soon?

We spent so many precious moments together. It didn't matter to us, what was the weather. We walked in the rain. You held me so tight. It was always so hard to say good night.

We always said, “Good night, my love, until tomorrow.” We hoped we would never know, a heartbreak, or sorrow.

But fate stepped in and we went our separate ways. How I wish we could relive some of those happy days.

Sweet memories of a precious love. Kissed by sunbeams from heaven above.

In my heart, they will always stay. Wrapped in wishes that will meet again someday.

Ruth T. George.

Thank you, Ruth for the memories. You have inspired many other writers, keep on writing. Warm thoughts: For low the winter is passed, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of the same birds is come. May you have many warm thoughts in springtime!

Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G. Werner

April 17 1997

Published in the Marion Record

Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.

Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.

Till next time,

Trina

We hope you have a Happy Easter at home with family. Stay safe and healthy during this time!

Happy Easter everyone!

After the long winter, the seeds of spring are beginning to appear. We are reminded once again that in our lives, we will have times of winter, but spring will come as promised. Spring is a time when one gets the urge to travel with the birds and visit family and friends, renewing old friendships and making new ones. This past weekend, it was my joy to travel back to my roots and visit family and see many of my old friends from years gone by. celebrating a 40th wedding anniversary with family was one of the highlights of the journey. Traveling old familiar roads brought back many memories and can give one a bit of nostalgia memories, sweet memories. As I traveled down memory lane, I cannot help but be reminded of that journey to the Holy Land 20 years ago, this Holy Week, it was a touch of heaven as the seat buckles clicked in place. And the mighty jet engines of the jumbo 747 Star of Bethlehem revved up, and the hearts of over 400 passengers on l Al's charter flight 2001, from New York to Tel Aviv began to soar. We all were excited about our mission tour. The Pat Boone family were our hosts. And as the huge blue and white bird sped down the runway, all heads were bad as Pat Boone led us all in prayer over the plains. As a star of Bethlehem dip down strains of peace be unto you a national song of work on the cabin. The plane rolled to a halt. We were there. And everywhere we went, we were greeted with shalom. The 400 people on that Pat Boone tour found a new dimension of love The moment they stepped on the grounds of the Holy Land mission in Bethlehem. We saw and we were conquered by the love of the precious angels and the orphan children in the mission complex. We saw the children we sponsored and gave our gifts of love which warms their hearts. The voices of these happy orphans over our visit were like chirping birds on the playground on Mount David. They melted your heart and the wellsprings of the human spirit to overflow with joy. During this Holy Week as one reflects on this pilgrimage on 20th anniversary, it is with a warm heart and a thank for one as one is reminded of the events of this week. The journey from Bethlehem to Calvary and then to the empty tomb in a garden is an experience that one can never forget when you return home. The song sung at the historic and sacred sites still ringing in the ears of those who made the trip. The memory of being greeted everywhere with shalom is a prayer for peace in our hearts for the year 1993. Shalom!

A warm thought for the week: When the going gets tough, the peace of God keeps us going. Have a joyful Easter season.

Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G. Werner

April 8th, 1993

Published in the Marion Record

Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.

Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.

Till next time,

Trina

Are you reading a book or play during this time at home? In this episode we remember a community performance that touched our hearts!

Every year since 1959, the Freeman community has a festival of tasting, which they call the “Schmeckfest.” At the 43rd annual schmuck fest,the menu of traditional German foods that has had such universal appeal over the years will again be served. These foods have retained their popularity with guests from many states and several foreign countries. The dates for the Schmeckfest this year are March 29, 30th, and 31st. The musical “Secret Garden” will culminate the activities of the 43rd Schmeckfest.

Francis Hodgson Burnett wrote the beloved children's story, “The Secret Garden.” It is the story of Mary Lennox, a young girl who comes from India to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor and York Shire England following the death her parents from colora. At Misselthwaite, she is drawn to her aunt lilies garden, which has been neglected since she died in childbirth. Mary works and cares for the garden, and in the process, helps reconcile her uncle to his wife's death, brings her cousin Collin back to health, and finds both a new family and a sense of peace with her past. Why are certain parts of the mansion forbidden territory? What secrets lie hidden in the garden her uncle has locked up and most perplexing of all who or what

is behind that wailing Mary hears at night? I am certain that this will be a delightful musical. 

Each evening it will be performed at eight o'clock pm I always like to attend the Sunday matinee performance at 2pm, which will be on April 1. Recently, I saw a quaint old sundial engraved around the base were these words: 

With the kiss of the sun for pardon, and the sound of the birds from Earth. One is near God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on Earth. As one may gaze at the old sundial, we may realize we could reclaim the secret garden for a new generation. 

Among the last words of the author of the novel, she wrote, “As long as you have a garden, you have a future and as long as you have a future, you are alive.”

Food for thought: The Adventure of life is to learn the purpose of life is to grow. The nature of life is to change. The challenge of life is to overcome. The essence of life is to care. The opportunity of life is to serve.The secret of life is to dare. The spice of life is to befriend. The beauty of life is to give things to remember.

May I always remember to encourage you find the time. Keep a promise. Forego a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Listen, think first. Love someone else. Laugh a little. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure and the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak God's love. Speak it once again. 

Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie, Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G. Werner

March 29, 2001

Published in the Marion Record

Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.

Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.

Till next time,

Trina

Join us for another episode as we talk about the importance of loving anyway and continuing to do good in the world, despite the circumstances.

Now, before we leave heart month and the extra day of the year, thoughts seem to linger on recipes for the heart and many warm thoughts. Great minds have given us many thoughts from the heart on love.

How deep is love? What is love? When I have quiet thoughts from the heart, I am reminded of the poem which was decided by Dr. Carl A. Meneinger at the literary symposium on October 27th, 1981 at the Dag Hammarskjold auditorium, United Nations. It is entitled, “Anyway.”

People are unreasonable, illogical, self centered. Love them anyway.

If you do good people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Try to be successful anyway. 

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do it anyway. 

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. 

People favor underdogs, but I notice they follow the top dogs. Fight for some underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. 

People really need help but they may attack you if you help them. Try to help people anyway. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best

you have anyway. Love them anyway.

Warm thoughts: Speak gently. It is far better to rule by love than fear. Speak gently. Let no harsh words mar the good we may do here. My home is where you hang your heart. May you have many great thoughts from the heart. 

Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Luetta G. Werner

February 29, 1996

Published in the Marion Record

Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.

Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.

I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.

Till next time,

Trina