A Person of Character

What is the character of a person?  I recently heard someone define character as "doing the right thing, even when no one is looking."  This definition rings very true to me.  It is one word I would use to describe both of my parents.  They were people of great character.  While reading in one of my mom's journals, I came across an entry that confirmed what I already knew about their character.  The journal entry is dated March 15, 1988.  To let you see the whole picture, let me give you a bit of background information.  By this time in my parents lives, they have been retired for a number of years, no longer active in the school system as teachers.  Yet read what my Mom wrote:


"Mar. 15--Returned $95.45 to York P.T.O.  Money was discovered while searching thru a desk drawer."


How many years that money had been in that drawer, I don't know.  What I do know is that my parents had not been involved with the local PTO for years.  No one knew that they had that money.  No one would have known if they had kept it.  But it was not their money so it must be returned to its rightful owner.  That is the type of parents mine were; if it's not yours, return it to the owner, don't keep it.  What a legacy to know that my parents did what was right, even when no one was watching.  The reason behind this kind of character is that they always knew WHO was watching them.  My parents loved Jesus and their lives reflected Him.  What does your life reflect?  Are you a person of character?  It makes me stop and think.  That is the type of person I want to be, even when no one seems to be watching.  I know WHO is watching.  Do you?


John 12:46  "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness."


Reflect His light.

Just Some Thoughts

I didn't realize until today how long it has been since I posted here.  The days are a blur of busyness that sometimes doesn't really matter.  Since Mom passed, life has changed yet remains the same.  We get up everyday, work, eat, sleep and do it all again without much thought.  I find myself going through my day and never once thinking about her.  Then other days, she is all I can think of.  She is greatly missed.  Her spirit lives on through each of her children and spills over onto her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She was such a great influence in our lives.  The things I learned from her, I use daily.  I learned to cook, sew, clean, and love others from her.  Mom had the gift of hospitality and her home was always open to whoever stopped by.  This gift is evident if each of her children.  Some of us seem to have a larger portion of it but we each have it.  I love visiting Ohio because I know that my brother's house will become a hospitality center, not just for me, but for anyone who is within shouting distance.  Good food will be made, laughter will resound from the walls, hugs will greet everyone and contentment will be felt.  With Valentine's Day arriving next week, dig deep into your bag of "gifts", find hospitality and share it with those you love.  The memories you make, will carry you through the times when you need a bit of encouragement.  Thank you Mom, and the rest of my family, for good memories.

Mom's Journal: The Week of August 1-7,1956

This week is well documented in Mom's journal from 1956.  It was the week that I was born, and even with a brand new baby, she took the time to write about what was going on with the new baby and her family.  While I have a vested interest in this week, I found Mom's writings also give an insight into the kind of friends and family that surrounded her during this time.  Hope you enjoy these writings as much as I did.

August 1, 1956--Uncle Chas. Trusdle (his birthday)
Hospital $19.20   Left for hospital about 1:30am.  Baby born at 3:08am.  Weight 7lbs 10oz  19" long  Has dark hair, large hands and rather resembles Martha and Lydia.  George here in evening said "She's a fat little pig."

August 2--Grandma and Grandpa Trusdle here in afternoon.  Baby is a little dummy about nursing.  Was up and had a shower this a.m.  10 o'clock at nite she managed one good feed....

August 3--Cards came from Aunt Verna, Nathers, Grandma Trusdle, Jeanie and Clifton, gift card from jewelry.  Visitors:  Mother Griffin-a.m., Bea p.m.  Dr. Yoder was in and ordered no bottles for baby after 8 hrs.  She began to work and got along very well.  Changed roommates--Mrs. Paul Kirkpatrick, Norwalk left--Mrs James Johnson-Lyons Park Trailer Court, Fremont immediately--hospital is full!

August 4--Cards from Phil and Elva, Penny and Bob Murphy, the Missionary S.S.   Since 12 a.m. this morning baby has been nursing every 3 hrs.  Had technician take blood sample--took a hot shower and washed hair--castor oil at 5:30 a.m.
Clifton and Jeanie were here.  Dr. Yoder was in.  Baby is nursing well and slept from one feeding to the next.  

August 5--Slept good.  Soreness is gone.  Baby is to get a laxative--nurse says she is turning onto her tummy and they are getting the "d" for it.  George came and brought gift from employees at F.B.  It was a yellow saque.  Bea sent card with note.  We had RAIN!  Martha's card came.  It said "I love you.  Have a nice time.  Congratulations mama.  Martha"  I loved it!


August 6--Going home day.  Baby refused to eat in the nite.  Spent 40 min. trying to get her to nurse at 6 a.m.  Practically no success.  Dr. Yoder was in.  Baby's care--water some after feeding
Mine--lite once a day for wk. (wt-140lbs)
Cards came from Richard and Russell Perry, Grandma Miller, Mrs. Kaiser sent blue fuzzy slippers, 2 lg nightgowns, 2 slips, 1 cap.  Visitors:  Grandma Griffin, the twins came--Lydia knew me, Lois didn't.  Ellen came and got supper and did dishes.  Armstrongs visited hospital just before we left.


August 7--Baby slept 4 hrs. between feedings--took 1/2 oz. water at 11 p.m., again at 7 a.m.  Wt on our scale--6lbs 14oz.
Dad and George worked on the pump house wall.


Several things I noticed from reading Mom's journal.  The first was that she stayed in the hospital five days.  This doesn't happen any more!  The second was, when she came home, friends, neighbors, and family members were there to help out with the other four girls, cook and clean, and just support the family.  Today, so many of us do not have a community of family and friends around us, caring and helping us through life's ups and downs; we are a mobile society, not living near our families.  May I suggest you find a church home, put down your tent stakes, get involved and make a "family" where ever you are.  I miss not living near my family, but I have a church family I can turn to when I need that kind of family support.

John 15: 12-14

"This is My command:  love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command you."--Jesus

Posted by Sarah 

Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom

Today would have been my parents 66th wedding anniversary.  It has been almost two months since Mom past, and I still find myself thinking of things I'd like to share with her.  Today I honor her memory by sharing her journal entries from her 11th, 12th and 13th wedding anniversaries.

July 25, 1956--Anniversary #11
Martha made a lovely card and gave me a big hug and kiss for a present.  Mother and I took the children to Lutz school for polio clinic.  Martha got second shot, twins first--it was too soonfor Mary's third shot.  Had a card from Cliff and Jeanie.


July 25, 1957--Anniversary #12
12 years?  It doesn't see possible!  Celebrated quietly.  A card signed by all(?) the girls came, thanks to Margaret and Ellen.  George reassured me that he doesn't regret it.  We had supper in the back yard at Mom and Dad's with James and Margaret.  Ellen frosted a cake "Happy Anniversary 12" with 5 yellow roses.


July 25, 1958--Anniversary #13
To celebrate we baked chocolate cakes that proceeded to collapse; nearly ruined the ground meat pinwheels by dumping on all the pepper in the shaker (the lid wasn't screwed on).  George brought home ice cream and a watermelon.  Nice to be remembered.  Uncle James took pictures of us all together.


My parent's marriage has been an anchor for their children.  We watched them persevere through rough times and the good times.  And we watched as Dad held Mom's hand as she breathed her last breath.  Thank you for being such a wonderful example of what it means "till death do we part".  

Mom and Dad's 60th wedding anniversary celebration

"Who can find a capable wife?  She is far more precious than jewels.  The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will not lack anything good."  
                                         Proverbs 31:10,11

Posted by Sarah

"Thank you".....the Mother and Daughters Quilt Ministry Way

The last four years of our Mom's life were spent sewing quilt blocks most days, resulting is boxes of completed blocks yet to be finished into quilts.  It will take years to finish the quilts Mom started, which is a good thing.  With the sewing of each quilt, memories will be shared, resulting in laughter, and probably some tears.  So it only seemed appropriate for the family to use some of these quilt blocks to say "Thank you" instead of just preparing thank-you notes to mail out.

We took some of the quilt blocks made from the bright jewel tone fabrics that Mom really enjoyed working with and made them into hot pads.

 Mom used up yards and yards of these different bright fabrics.  Yellow was her favorite one, and her favorite color.  I think it reminded her of sunshine, and that seemed to make her happy.

Our family has been called "not normal", but that's okay; we are a bit quirky.  The most important thing is we love each other.  We will move forward into the "new normal" that awaits us, remembering and reliving memories of Mom, who started this whole family along with our Dad.

Posted by Sarah

A God Wink--Seeing something unexpected in nature that turns our thoughts toward our Creator

A few years back, a friend of Steve and I told us about God winks.  A God wink are those times when you see something in nature that you were not expecting, that wows you and reminds you that God is real and who He says He is.  An few examples of God winks that friends and family have share with us are:   a friend coming face to face with a manatee while snorkeling, a family member looking out at the ocean just as a whale breeches, sitting at the ocean and seeing dolphins jumping and playing, seeing an eagle swoop down and catch a rabbit, or seeing a brilliant double or triple rainbow.  Get the idea?  These events are not everyday occurrences, so when they happen we tend to be awe struck by them and they cause us to think of our Creator.   The evening of my Mom's funeral there was a God wink.  


The family returned home after the services and meal at the church to bury Mom privately on the farm where she and Dad had lived together for over 60 years.  After closing the grave, my nephew took my Dad back to the house where he sat on the porch watching the sunset, something he and Mom did almost every evening in the summer.  A few of the family members were at the house, some of us were walking across the field to the house and some members were still near the grave talking together.  When those of us who were walking to the house were about halfway there, we noticed a huge flock of birds coming toward us from the south.  Being the first part of June, it was a bit unusual to see such a large flock of birds.  Then someone mentioned that they looked like geese, which was even more unusual since migration north of most geese was past, and they weren't flying in formation like a flock of geese.  Just before this flock of geese reached the fence row at the south edge of the yard, one goose honked, moved out in front, while the rest of the geese fell into formation.  They then flew over between my brother's house and the road (his front yard) at the height of the telephone wires.  Normally, when you see a flock of geese, they are honking at each other but this flock flew past my dad on the porch, over us, and over my Mom's grave so quietly, you could hear the feathers moving as they flapped their wings.  And it wasn't a small flock of geese; my nephew counted about 40 geese in half of one side of the V formation.  There were anywhere from 100 to 120 geese in the flock.  Where they came from, since there isn't a pond or lake nearby, I don't know.  The sight made us all stop and say, "WOW!"  I can't speak for everyone in the family, but for me, it was a God wink.  God is so gracious and so loving that it is not unlike Him to show that love to His children in this way.  God sent those geese for us to see at that moment, to let us know all was well.  He sent Mom her own personal fly over acknowledging a life well lived for Him. 



"....Well done, good and faithful servant.....enter into the joy of your master."   Matthew 25:23




Posted by Sarah

You Are Now Resting in His Peace.

On Friday, June 3, 2011 at 9:54.38pm, my Mom went to be with Jesus.  The last week of her life was hard to watch for those caring for her, her family.  When I arrived early Thursday afternoon, I went in to see my Mom, spoke to her but don't know if she knew I was there;  she didn't respond in any way.  By that evening, all her children were at her bedside.  We sang the old hymns to her and my dad before turning out the lights at bedtime.  The next day, Hospice came out and confirmed that Mom was in a comma and it was only a matter of hours before she would pass.  Throughout that day, we each spent time with her telling her what we still wanted to say to her.  After supper, my parent's pastor, Jeff Martin, came out to meet with us about the service we were planning.  See, Pastor Jeff has only been at my parent's church about a year and never knew Mom when she was well.  We wanted him to know some more things about her so when he spoke at her memorial service, it would be real and meaningful.  After sitting and talking with him for a while, my sister-in-law, Donna, came out and got my sister Lydia to come check on Mom.  Her breathing had changed.  "It's time to come sing."  All of us who were there went into my Mom's room and began singing hymns again.  We knew the end was near.  My dad sat singing with us, holding Mom's hand.  As we began to sing "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine", we all watched Mom's breathing as it was becoming less and less.   As we were singing the second verse:  "Perfect submission, perfect delight, Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;  Angels descending, bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love...." Mom stretched, closed her mouth and was still.  We continued to sing the song, crying and holding onto each other.  We sang her into glory, to her heavenly home.  What a bitter sweet moment it was.   We will miss you, Mom, but we know without a shadow of doubt the we will see you again on the other side.

".....she's a dancer in the garden....she dances with the flowers....in the early morning hours....she's a dancer..."----from a song by Larry Norman.

 Posted by Sarah