LAUGHING IN THE CARD SHOP

Years and years and years ago Mom and I stood at the card display at ZCMI. We laughed so hard we had to lean on each other to keep from falling over. People coming down the escalator from the second floor didn't know what to make of us. Some smiled and some looked away, maybe they were embarrassed to see two grown women being so silly. I secretly think they might have been a teeny bit jealous that we were such good friends and were having such a good time with each other.

I have looked back on that day time and time again, feeling happy I had that funny time with my mom and then sad that I would never have another one.

Today was a tender mercy day for me. Pam and I had gone to the mall to buy a gift for a friend's birthday. Then we needed a card. We found beautiful, sentimental ones. I bawled, and told her about my difficult week. She sympathized and said, "There, there."

I wiped my tears and we found the "other" section. Soon we smiled. The smiles turned into grins and then into laughter and then...well, it was like time had backtracked. I felt like Mom was there, leaning over our shoulders, laughing with us. We read card after card, some so silly they made no sense and yet were hilarious.

I thought I would remember the caption on this one but can't. Isn't he something? The fun must never stop for him.

This is a perfect visual of my life. I should have bought it and framed it. It's funny, isn't it? You have to laugh when your life's like this. Pam, laughing at yet another funny card. A friend who is willing to be there for me in good and bad times. What would I do without her?And Mom? I know she was there, I just know it. I'm so glad she got to see that the laughter in the card section is alive and well.

PEOPLE WHO GO THE EXTRA MILE

Tonight was card class. Our card class friend had six cards ready for us to make. She won't take any money for them. She designs them, buys all the supplies, pre-makes part of them, and then welcomes us into her home for as long as we want to stay. She is amazing.



Here are my favorites. This one is made like a quilt, all the colored pieces are different bits of scrapbook papers. We pieced them together on the back and then turned it over to see how it looked.
This one folds open, the first heart says, "Love," and the second one says, "You." There is room for a personal message under the 2nd heart.
The "candle" on this cupcake pulls up to read, "You take the cake."The white part on this one is embossed and a little gold heart hangs from the "E."
One of the women who comes to card class couldn't come tonight. She is home with a bad cough and is trying to get well so she can go to Oregon for her grandchild's baptism. She sent fabulous chocolate waffle cookies for everyone there! This woman is the Primary President in our ward which means she is in charge of all the children, age three to twelve for two hours every Sunday. It is a huge calling and she is always smiling. How does she manage that job with such grace? I have been in a Primary Presidency as a counselor and I can tell you it was a huge job and I was just a counselor.


Two extraordinary women--women who go the extra mile and even a whole lot more. I am privileged to have them as friends.

CARD CLASS

Card class tonight, as always, isn't about the cards, but about the friendships. And as always, very wonderful. Friends, who truly love each other and care about their lives, root for each other's successes and have sorrow for each other's hurts. Friends. If there is a nicer little word in the universe I can't think of it.

Tonight's theme was thank-you cards. None of us can ever bring ourselves to send them, we want to keep them as a pattern so we can make more that we actually can send. Which we never do.

NO ELECTION TALK HERE

I will be the one lone blog not saying anything about the election. Except to say that we must work together. We must do what we can to make this country great and be the good people we are destined to be.

Now, a bit of drivel, if I could just think of something to say....

Well...I did go to card class tonight where the emphasis is on friendship, not cards--but the cards were darling too.

It is like therapy to be able to go to Gaye's, to sit and be surrounded by talk flowing around you, no one dominating the conversation, everyone loving everyone else. Earlier today my personal history group met. Everyone read different stories, we've all had different experiences, lived different lives, are different ages and yet are the same. There is deep, real friendship among us.

Tonight a friend called and we must have talked for an hour and a half, about nothing and everything.

This is the kind of thing that women need. Besides shelter and love and maybe a baby or two--or five, they need friendship. Men, not so much. That didn't read right. Women need men, at least I do, one man--Phil, that is, but men don't seem to need friendship so much. Not like women do.

And shopping. A man's idea of shopping is have a need and figure out what store carries the item that is needed. He might call first and see which store has the cheaper price. Then he goes there and buys it. Mission accomplished.

Women's idea of shopping is to go to a store or to a bunch of stores and see what's there. At any store at any time. They don't necessarily need anything, it's the "looking" that accomplishes their mission. I can't count the number of times I've been leaving to go shopping and Phil has said, "What do you need?"

"Nothing," I say.

"Then why are you going?"

"To shop."

"But you just said you don't need anything," he says

"I don't. And I probably won't buy anything, either."

"I don't get it. You don't need anything, probably won't buy anything and yet you have to go shopping."

"Right," I say, giving him a kiss. "You finally got it." And away I go.

So, nothing in this post is important, not like the fate of the nation. Or even the fate of the economy, which wouldn't be so good if women stayed home and didn't shop when they didn't need anything.

A CHRISTMAS TREE

Tonight I went to my card class. I'm not really there because I'm a card maker. Last year I made ten Christmas cards and never sent them, in fact I don't even know where they are or I could send them this year. I go to the card class and I sit and look at the evening's project for a half hour before I even pick up the glue. I'm there for the friends.

Tonight our card teacher had four cards for us to make. Text already printed off, paper cut out to make poinsettias, paper cut to make Christmas ornaments, glue, ribbon, envelopes that fit each card and guess what? She won't let us pay for them. She pays for everything. We use all her materials, sit in her lovely home, surrounded by friends and good will. It's a good place to be.

One of tonight's cards was a quote by Howard W. Hunter (a member of the LDS church). It was set up to be in the shape of a Christmas Tree. I loved it--the card was beautiful--the "tree" words were printed on light green paper in dark green test. That paper was pasted on a piece of shiny dark green paper with the dark green border showing. Inside the card it simply said, "Merry Christmas."

This is my Thanksgiving gift to you. May you have a wonderful day with family and friends. If you are alone may you know you are loved and cherished by people unseen.

Be

gentle

Be kind

Apologize

Write a letter

Keep a promise

Try to understand

Give a soft answer

Laugh a little more

Express your gratitude

Think first of someone else

Seek out a forgotten friend

Gladden the heart of a child

Examine your demands on others

Speak your love, then speak it again

Manifest your loyalty in word and deed

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with truth

Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth

Forgo a grudge

Mend a quarrel

Encourage a youth

Welcome a stranger

Howard W. Hunter

But, most of all, remember that you are loved. You are valuable. You count. Those of you who have commented on my blog have been kind, funny, interesting and most of all your comments lead me to your blogs which I have enjoyed so very much.

You count in this world. You really do.

Much love to you, from me, whether you are across the street, around the corner or miles and miles and miles away--in places I have no idea of.

Lynne