THE YELLOW SHIRT

Here is a touching story, I hope you will enjoy it:
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"The yellow shirt had long sleeves, four extra-large pockets trimmed in black thread and snaps up the front. It was faded from years of wear, but still in decent shape. I found it in 1963 when I was home from college on Christmas break, rummaging through bags of clothes Mom intended to give away.
'You're not taking that old thing, are you?' Mom said when she saw me packing the yellow shirt. 'I wore that when I was pregnant with your brother in 1954!'
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'It's just the thing to wear over my clothes during art class, Mom. Thanks!' I slipped it into my suitcase before she could object. The yellow shirt be came a part of my college wardrobe. I loved it.
After graduation, I wore the shirt the day I moved into my new apartment and on Saturday mornings when I cleaned.
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The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I wore the yellow shirt during big-belly days. I missed Mom and the rest of my family, since we were in Colorado and they were in Illinois . But, that shirt helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had worn it when she was pregnant, 25 years earlier..
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That Christmas, mindful of the warm feelings the shirt had given me, I patched one elbow, wrapped it in holiday paper and sent it to Mom. When Mom wrote to thank me for her 'real' gifts, she said the yellow shirt was lovely. She never mentioned it again...
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The next year, my husband, daughter and I stopped at Mom and Dad's to pick up some furniture. Days later, when we uncrated the kitchen table, I noticed something yellow taped to its bottom. The shirt!
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And so the pattern was set.
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On our next visit home, I secretly placed the shirt under Mom and Dad's mattress. I don't know how long it took for her to find it, but almost two years passed before I discovered it under the base of our living-room floor lamp. The yellow shirt was just what I needed now while refinishing furniture. The walnut stains added character.
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In 1975 my husband and I divorced. With my three children, I prepared to move back to Illinois . As I packed, a deep depression overtook me. I wondered if I could make it on my own. I wondered if I would find a job. I paged through the Bible, looking for comfort. In Ephesians, I read, 'So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will be standing up.'
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I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all I saw was the stained yellow shirt. Slowly, it dawned on me.. Wasn't my mother's love a piece of God's armor? My courage was renewed.
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Unpacking in our new home, I knew I had to get the shirt back to Mother. The next time I visited her, I tucked it in her bottom dresser drawer.
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Meanwhile, I found a good job at a radio station. A year later I discovered the yellow shirt hidden in a rag bag in my cleaning closet.
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Something new had been added. Embroidered in bright green across the breast pocket were the words 'I BELONG TO PAT.'
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Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery materials and added an apostrophe and seven more letters.
Now the shirt proudly proclaimed, 'I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER.' But I didn't stop there. I zig-zagged all the frayed seams, then had a friend mail the shirt in a fancy box to Mom from Arlington ,VA. We enclosed an official looking letter from 'The Institute for the Destitute,' announcing that she was the recipient of an award for good deeds.
I would have given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the box. But, of course, she never mentioned it.
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Two years later, in 1978, I remarried. The day of our wedding, Harold and I put our car in a friend's garage to avoid practical jokers. After the wedding, while my husband drove us to our honeymoon suite, I reached for a pillow in the car to rest my head.. It felt lumpy. I unzipped the case and found, wrapped in wedding paper, the yellow shirt. Inside a pocket was a note: 'Read John 14:27-29. I love you both, Mother.'
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That night I paged through the Bible in a hotel room and found the verses: 'I am leaving you with a gift: peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, for now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do, you will believe in me.'
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The shirt was Mother's final gift. She had known for three months that she had terminal Lou Gehrig's disease. Mother died the following year at age 57.
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I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her grave. But I'm glad I didn't, because it is a vivid reminder of the love-filled game she and I played for 16 years. Besides, my older daughter is in college now, majoring in art. And every art student needs a baggy yellow shirt with big pockets.
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A TRUE FRIEND IS SOMEONE WHO REACHES FOR YOUR HAND AND TOUCHES YOUR HEART."

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GETTING READY FOR 9/12

A REMINDER

"In Washington, DC on September 12th America will be heard. The media will mock you, but what else is new? They can't ignore you forever -- it's time to raise our voices in unison to let our government know that we are sick and tired of the recklessness. We know you have a life, a job and usually don't have much time for activism. But this year 9/12 is on a Saturday and what better way to spend a weekend than letting your voice be heard in Washington. How can you get involved? Go to the912Project.com and you'll see people from Pennsylvania to Florida to Georgia and all over planning for the big day. If you are still thinking about coming to the march, it’s not too late. There are still buses that need to be filled and plenty of hotel rooms to be booked. Don’t miss your chance to demand politicians listen to YOU. Visit the 912project site and the meet-up site to find out how you can be a part of it all!"~~From Glen Beck's letter.

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"Measure not your age by years, but by your love of eternal values."

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FICKLE WIND

Here's a poem for the up-coming Fall season; it's called Fickle Wind:
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Glorious Summer is paying her dues

With leaves drifting down in multiple hues.

Children vie for the biggest and best.

Alas, poor me! I must rake the rest.

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But waiting finally dealt the right card,

The wind blew the leaves right out of my yard!

Smiling, I sat on my porch to relax,

Then watched while the wind re-filled to the max

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My yard and the eaves, the walk and the drive

With leaves all in heaps, inviting a dive

By the kid in me. I couldn't resist,

A sight my neighbor wouldn't have missed!

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Copyright Beverly J. Caligaris , All rights reserved.

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KATY ABRAM, AMERICAN MOM

Here is an e-mail from Katy Abram to Glen Beck:

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"It's 4:41 a.m. I finally just got a few hours of needed sleep. And sitting here writing you maybe is a way to help myself feel a little better. I can't stop crying right now. The gravity of the past two days is finally hitting me. I am merely an American who wanted to ask her senator a question. Sorry. That's all I wanted.
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Last evening I went on MSNBC's Hardball with Lawrence O'Donnell. The lamb walked into the lion's den knowing she could be eaten alive. The lion pounced. The lamb is still alive. But is questioning why she would have placed herself in such danger. I new Hardball would be difficult but I want those who don't watch the channels that I watch to hear from a normal American. I'm not a plant by the GOP. I am a mom. I may not be the most articulate person. I may not be well versed, but I know what I believe. I can't quote numbers or facts well. I know my limitations. But I know who I am. I know what I believe in.
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Glenn, I have received hundreds of e mails from people like me. My friends tell me they have fan pages for me on Facebook. I have bloggers tearing me apart or holding me up. I feel like I've just stepped into your world. I don't know how you do it. I have always respected you but it has grown a hundredfold in the past 48 hours. I have lost seven pounds in two days. I have barely eaten. My head hurts and I miss my kids. They come home today from my in laws. I just want to hug them.
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My daughter Madelyn asked me on the phone last night who the sleeping giant was. That's a great question. It's such an honest one from my 7 year old. God bless her. Who is the sleeping giant. I'll tell you who he is. The sleeping giant consists of those of us who have buried our heads in the sand for years. We know what we believe and yet it's our voice yet if we voice our opinions publicly, we are chastised and called hate mongers or racist even when those lies are unfounded. We are the people who you don't see in the news. We are the people who love this country so much but feel so powerless to do anything. We feel powerless against this huge machine of government and media. We are the people who are finally taking a stand. We no longer just yell at the politicians on TV. We now go to town hall meetings to have our questions answered, our voices heard and our faces seen.
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This giant is now awake. He is ready to fight for this country, his freedom and his liberty. I ask that you pray for my family. I've been praying for yours for some time now. I know I want to fight this, but I don't want this ruining our family, our business or our lives. My gut says I can do this. If I must be the waking voice for those whom I have touched, then sobeit. And that's the end."

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All opinions and comments are most welcome, just click on comments and air your thoughts and beliefs.

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9-12 - MISSION STATEMENT AND INFORMATION

8/16 IMPORTANT SUNDAY UPDATE – On 9-12-09 – WHERE Will You Participate?
Posted by Editor on August 6, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Read the Mission Statement. One of the important parts of that statement says:
This is a non-political movement. The 9-12 Project is designed to bring us all back to the place we were on September 12, 2001. The day after America was attacked we were not obsessed with Red States, Blue States or political parties. We were united as Americans, standing together to protect the greatest nation ever created. That same feeling – that commitment to country is what we are hoping to foster with this idea. We want to get everyone thinking like it is September 12th, 2001 again.
__________________________________________________
Dear 9-12ers,
The time has come for us to focus on September 12th.
Many have asked about the event in Washington DC on 9-12, here are a couple links to help you find out more information from the people who have organized the event and are helping people find the best way to participate.
EVENT INFO
Grassfire.org may offer some addition input

IN SUPPORT OF AN UP-COMING PROJECT - 912

August 15-16, 2009
"If it be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws — the first growing out of the last.... A sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government."
- ALEXANDER HAMILTON, 1794
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The 9/12 Project

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The 9 Principles:
1.
America Is Good.
2.
I believe in God and He is the Center of my Life.
God “The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained.” from George Washington’s first Inaugural address.
3.
I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.
Honesty “I hope that I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider to be the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.” George Washington
4.
The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.
Marriage/Family “It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known. By a law of our nature, we cannot be happy without the endearing connections of a family.” Thomas Jefferson
5.
If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.
Justice “I deem one of the essential principles of our government… equal and exact justice to all men of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political.” Thomas Jefferson
6.
I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.
Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness “Everyone has a natural right to choose that vocation in life which he thinks most likely to give him comfortable subsistence.” Thomas Jefferson
7.
I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.
Charity “It is not everyone who asketh that deserveth charity; all however, are worth of the inquiry or the deserving may suffer.” George Washington
8.
It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.
On your right to disagree “In a free and republican government, you cannot restrain the voice of the multitude; every man will speak as he thinks, or more properly without thinking.” George Washington
9.
The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.
Who works for whom? “I consider the people who constitute a society or a nation as the source of all authority in that nation.” Thomas Jefferson

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The 12 Values

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* Honesty* Reverence* Hope

* Thrift* Humility* Charity

* Sincerity* Moderation* Hard Work

* Courage* Personal Responsibility* Gratitude

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I hope that you who are not familiar with the 9 Principles and 12 Values will read and embrace these words. We need to all try VERY hard to participate in the Project on 9/12/09.

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ALSO, PLEASE REVIEW JANET CANTRERAS' LETTER TO THE GOVERNMENT; IT IS POSTED ON JUNE 18, 2009, IN THIS BLOG!! PLEASE, PLEASE READ IT. WE MUST SAVE OUR BELOVED UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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CHOCOLATE CAKE (No eggs, no milk)

WANDA'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

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• 3 C Flour
• 2 C Sugar
• 1/2 C Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsps. Baking Soda
• 1 C Vegetable Oil
• 2 C Water (room temp is good)
• 2 TBSPs. Vanilla
• 2 TBSPs. Vinegar

`Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9X13 pan or 2 round cake pans. Mix dry ingredients, add water, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Mix well (I prefer not to use the mixer, by hand works best for me with this recipe and it's easy.) Bake about 35 mins., 40-45 mins. in high altitude.

And here's the frosting :

• 1 C Sugar
• 4 TBSPs. Milk
• 4 TBSPs. Margerine
• 1/2 C Chocolate Chips

Boil sugar, milk and margerine for 1 minute, add chips. Beat. Spread on cooled cake and share with a friend. This is an incredibly moist cake !!!

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Please let me know how this recipe works for you, I sometimes have trouble getting the frosting to suit me, so I use a prepared icing ( strawberry, white and creme cheese are all good ).

ROBIN WILLIAMS PLAN FOR PEACE

The following, according to an e-mail, is from a speech given by Robin Williams in New York City.
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"You gotta love Robin Williams.......Even if he's nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan. What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message. Robin Williams' plan...(Hard to argue with this logic!) 'I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here's one plan.'
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1) 'The US will apologize to the world for our 'interference' in their affairs, past &present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those 'good 'ole' boys', we will never 'interfere' again.
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2) We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany , South Korea , the Middle East , and the Philippines .. They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.
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3) All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are.. They're illegal!!! France will welcome them.
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4) All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.
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5) No foreign 'students' over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a 'D' and it's back home baby.
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6) The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.
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7) Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)
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8) If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not 'interfere.' They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.
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9) Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don't need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.
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10) All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us 'Ugly Americans' any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH..learn it...or LEAVE...Now, isn't that a winner of a plan? 'The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat and she's yelling, 'you want a piece of me?' God bless!!! "

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"A friend is a person with whom you dare to be yourself."

~~Pam Brown

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SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice Doggie' until you can find a rock."

~~Will Rogers

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"Tact is the unsaid part of what you think."

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"You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says,'My God, you're right! I never would have thought of that!' "

~~Dave Barry

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"One reason why a dog is such a lovable creature is that his tail wags instead of his tongue."

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SOME THOUGHTS

From Bill O'Reilly's "No Spin Zone" column: "...remember, Benjamin Franklin would not have supported national health care."

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A friend is one who joyfully sings with you

when you are on the mountain top,

and silently walks beside you through the valley.

~~William A. Ward

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Here's a notation I made 35 years ago:

"We'll remember 1974 forever , I would guess

as the year we fought it out with the banks and IRS."

~~Bev Caligaris

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Til Tomorrow

GOD'S CELESTIAL PAINTINGS

Here is another lovely poem by Clarence Tresler

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GOD'S CELESTIAL PAINTINGS

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Who paints the heavens at morning time

with all the colors that inter-twine?

Who mixes the colors for the Master's brush,

the colors, the shades and the soft smooth blush?

Who draws the plan and sets the theme

for the printing of this beautiful scene?

Who changes the scene through-out the day

Blending from one to another in a beautiful and pleasant way?

Who in all this splendor fills our hearts with love?

Who sends all the blessings from the Heavens above?

It is our great and wonderful Lord,

the most cherished one of all.

Who walks with us with His guiding love,

and answers our every prayer and call.

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Copyright (c) Clarence Tresler,All rights reserved

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"My friend is one who takes me for who I am."~~Henry David Thoreau

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