Sharing HeARTs, Snow, Coins

Sharing HeARTs

Pea at Pea's Corner says, "Inspired by Sandy at Art Tea Life I am doing a Valentine Giveaway."

What a neat idea, I thought, so I am going to give away something as well. I will draw three names from my February 5 post and send each a St. Valentine's Day ATC to each one. I am in the process of creating them right now...just put on the first coat of Twinkling H2O's.

I challenging all my arty friends to do the same...let's share the love!

It's hard to believe, but it's snowing again...here in Texas. I just talked to an old friend , and we agreed that we have never seen this sort of weather before...and she's in her 80's, so she's been here a while. That snow and sleet storm of a couple of weeks ago was amazing, and now this. The snow flakes, as you might be able to see in the photos, are huge, and it is beautiful. I realize if I lived in the North I probably wouldn't be this excited about it, but I'm like a kid. I love to see it!! Also, we have lots of junco today...the most this winter, and the sharp shinned hawk is back, and we just have tons of birds.

As you can see from this photo, Raf and Gus and the computer are keeping each other warm. This is Gus' favorite position.
One of my most long-time friends, Jack (Di's brother), sent me this. It brought tears to my eyes. Beautiful. Thank you, Jackson!



The pickle jar as far back as I can remember sat on the floor beside the
dresser in my parents' bedroom. When he got ready for bed, Dad would empty
his pockets and toss his coins into the jar.

As a small boy I was always fascinated at the sounds the coins made as they
were dropped into the jar. They landed with a merry jingle when the jar
was almost empty. Then the tones gradually muted to a dull thud as the jar
was filled.

I used to squat on the floor in front of the jar and admire the copper and
silver circles that glinted like a pirate's treasure when the sun poured
through the bedroom window. When the jar was filled, Dad would sit at the
kitchen table and roll the coins before taking them to the bank

Taking the coins to the bank was always a big production. Stacked neatly
in a small cardboard box, the coins were placed between Dad and me on the
seat of his old truck.

Each and every time, as we drove to the bank, Dad would look at me
hopefully. "Those coins are going to keep you out of the textile mill,
son. You're going to do better than me. This old mill town's not going to
hold you back."

Also, each and every time, as he slid the box of rolled coins across the
counter at the bank toward the cashier, he would grin proudly "These are
for my son's college fund. He'll never work at the mill all his life like
me."

We would always celebrate each deposit by stopping for an ice cream cone.
I always got chocolate. Dad always got vanilla. When the clerk at the ice
cream parlor handed Dad his change, he would show me the few coins nestled
in his palm. "When we get home, we'll start filling the jar again." He
always let me drop the first coins into the empty jar. As they rattled
around with a brief, happy jingle, we grinned at each other. "You'll get
to college on pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters," he said. "But you'll
get there. I'll see to that"

The years passed, and I finished college and took a job in another town.
Once, while visiting my parents, I used the phone in their bedroom, and
noticed that the pickle jar was gone. It had served its purpose and had
been removed.

A lump rose in my throat as I stared at the spot beside the dresser where
the jar had always stood. My dad was a man of few words, and never
lectured me on the values of determination, perseverance, and faith.

The pickle jar had taught me all these virtues far more eloquently than the
most flowery of words could have done. When I married, I told my wife
Susan about the significant part the lowly pickle jar had played in my life
as a boy In my mind, it defined, more than anything else, how much my dad
had loved me.

No matter how rough things got at home, Dad continued to doggedly drop his
coins into the jar. Even the summer when Dad got laid off from the mill,
and Mama had to serve dried beans several times a week, not a single dime
was taken from the jar.

To the contrary, as Dad looked across the table at me, pouring catsup over
my beans to make them more palatable, he became more determined than ever
to make a way out for me. "When you finish college, Son," he told me, his
eyes glistening, "You'll never have to eat beans again - unless you want
to."

The first Christmas after our daughter Jessica was born, we spent the
holiday with my parents. After dinner, Mom and Dad sat next to each other
on the sofa, taking turns cuddling their first grandchild. Jessica began
to whimper softly, and Susan took her from Dad's arms.

"She probably needs to be changed," she said, carrying the baby into my
parents' bedroom to diaper her. When Susan came back into the living room,
there was a strange mist in her eyes.

She handed Jessica back to Dad before taking my hand and leading me into
the room. "Look," she said softly, her eyes directing me to a spot on the
floor beside the dresser. To my amazement, there, as if it had never been
removed, stood the old pickle jar, the bottom already covered with coins.
I walked over to the pickle jar, dug down into my pocket, and pulled out a
fistful of coins. With a gamut of emotions choking me, I dropped the coins
into the jar. I looked up and saw that Dad, carrying Jessica, had slipped
quietly into the room. Our eyes locked, and I knew he was feeling the same
emotions I felt. Neither one of us could speak.

This truly touched my heart. I know it has yours as well. Sometimes we
are so busy adding up our troubles that we forget to count our blessings.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you
can change a person's life, for better or for worse.

God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.
Look for God in others.

The best and most beautiful things cannot be seen or touched! - they must
be felt with the heart ~ Helen Keller

- Happy moments, praise God.

- Difficult moments, seek God.

- Quiet moments, worship God.

- Painful moments, trust God.

- Every moment, thank God.