Aging & Humor

Laughter is better than crying about spilled milk, or gravity and specific body parts, don't you think?  Click on this link for comedic relief:  Anita Renfroe

Update

I did not get the position I interviewed for, and that is perfectly alright.  I may be touching and influencing more lives as the prison librarian.  In fact, I'm adding a picture of the inside of my child's prayer book.  My daughter gave this to me when we were in Ohio in July.  Looking at the child's handwriting, I believe I may have been destined to become a librarian.

Please Return!  Isn't that just a hoot?

I thought I'd plug the program I'm doing with the inmates.  It's called Fatheread and the inmates are given five children's books to practice and then I record them on DVD.  They send the books, the DVD and homemade crafts home to their children.  This is all at no cost to the inmate, except for mailing the items home. Throughout the year, I do solicit donations from the community to keep the program going.  One inmate's family was so impressed by this program they sent a check in the amount of $500 to help fund it for other families.  That is a wonderful way to 'pay it forward'. 

The books I'm using are: Amelia's Road, Abiyoyo, The Bossy Gallito, Quick as a Cricket, and The Story of Ferdinand.  Each book covers a specific area of child development such as: what families value and establishing Independence.

The inmates all have homework assignments in addition to practice reading the books.  They set goals and write a mission statement, I have them write their obituary, a poem or nursery rhyme for their child(ren), and then just some general reports and recommendations for program improvement.  The poem / nursery rhyme is returned and I ask them to send it home to their child(ren).

This session, I had one inmate father write that when he was growing up, no one ever read a book to him and he doesn't recall books in his home.  He insists these books that he is sending home to his children will become heirlooms and will be passed down from generation to generation.

And so it goes, until next time,

Tamara

Breath of Heaven, Breath of God

COME, SPIRIT, breath of God, breathe new life into me. Blow away the cobwebs in my mind: clear away the debris in my soul. Bring healing to my wounds and comfort to my grief. Refresh my spirit, set my feet to dancing, and set my heart ablaze. Wind of God, touch my life and open me to your direction.   ~Amen!

- Larry James Peacock

Openings: A Daybook of Saints, Psalms, and Prayer
From p. 143 of Openings: A Daybook of Saints, Psalms, and Prayer by Larry James Peacock. Copyright © 2003 by the author. http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/.

This prayer just spoke volumes to my heart. Not a portion of it, but in its entirety. The cobwebs of my mind... the debris of my soul... healing to my wounds and comfort to my grief.  How could I have forgotten that only HE can know the depth of my pain, my sorrow?  Oh Wind of God, do touch my life and open me to your direction!

I have an interview today for a new position.  Please pray for God's will in this matter.  It is a promotional opportunity with advancement potential.  However, as much as I would welcome a new position, I don't want to go where God doesn't lead.

Thank you all!

Tamara