All of you are so good at this sort of thing, I thought I would try to enlist your help with my project....
Most of you have heard me speak of my friend Jane is who fighting a fierce battle with advanced ovarian cancer.
This Christmas I am filling a big jar with her favorite chocolate candies wrapped in paper. To each candy I want to add a small tag with something nice written on it.
A phrase, a bit of a lyric, a scripture, some quote or something lovely and perhaps encouraging on it.
So every day she can pull out a treat and also find something dear to hold in her thoughts.
I'm hoping to come up with 100 things to write on the bits of paper.
Any suggestions?
Merme
bbbbbbbbb
"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)
From: Maine | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged
posted
Life is teaching you some painful lessons. But it is from adversity that strenght is born. You may have lost the inning but I know you'll win the game.
If you don't have a smile, I'll give you one of mine.
I know things are tough right now. Life sometimes gives you the test before you've had a chance to study the lesson. I know you'll succeed. Keep on keeping on.
Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is.
If you're headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns.
Luck is like a chameleon. Give it a little time and it will surely change.
Sitting still and wishing makes no person great. The good Lord provides the fishes, but you must dig the bait.
When fate shuts a door, come in through the window.
Everyone you meet knows something you don't know but need to know. Learn from them.
I call life's disappointments speed bumps - things you have to get over to enjoy the rest of life's journey.
I love your laughter and I love how you make me laugh.
Reach for the stars. You might not get them, but you won't wind up with a handful of mud either.
If your headed in the right direction, each step, no matter how small, is getting you closer to your goal.
Dreams come true for those who work while they dream. Sweet dreams.
I know you're disappointed. We don't always get everything we want. But to balance that, think of all the the things we don't get that we don't want.
He has achieved success who has worked well, laughed often and loved much.
One of God's greatest miracles is to enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
Be smarter with other people, just don't tell them so.
The people on our planet are not standing in a line single file. Look closely. Everyone is really standing in a circle, holding hands. Whatever you give the person standing next to you, it eventually comes back to you.
posted
wow Christina! where did you get all those from?
Merme - this is such a wonderful idea! She will surely treasure your effort and sentiments inside.
Amy and I did something similar for Brian's 18th birthday. He was into "Marvin the Martian", and I was lucky enough to find a Marvin cookie jar. I bought a small pad of bright colored papers, and Amy and I wrote a different saying on each piece about what is wonderful about Brian. It was a great activity to do with her, and he enjoyed it as well.
I'll have to think about this for a few...
bbbbbbbbb Lynne's knitting journal "I'm spayed, declawed, and housebound - how's YOUR day going???"
From: Rockland County, NY | Registered: Nov 2003
| IP: Logged
I like the one word thoughts that will make her think, know what I mean?
Strength Purpose Hope Faith Love Determination Preserverence Laughter
bbbbbbbbb We are all under the same stars... therefore we are never far apart.
From: Washington, the state that is... | Registered: Aug 2004
| IP: Logged
I know from experience that when a person is gravely ill it helps to be able to hold a thought in the head. Those of us who memorize a great deal, find this easier, having things to fall back on so to speak, in the night watches when rest doesn't come easy and fears abound. But even so, it can be hard to remember what you already know to think about and need a prompt!
Often, in these circumstances, reading is too difficult. It is impossible to wade through an entire chapter with any concentration, so forget about piling up chapter after chapter. Plus, the very weight of the book itself can be too much.
That's why I've been sending Janie small books with nice thoughts on a single page. The kind you can flip open and read one sentence and it doesn't matter if you read the page before or the page after.
And that's where this idea came from, really, a way to compile some lovely thoughts in one place for her, presented in a very sweet manner. Even if she isn't up to the candy on any given day, she might still reach in the jar for the phrase of the day, you know?
And I do think it would be cool to add the One Word tags too. A single word can just mean so much, depending!
Thanks for this idea.
Merme
bbbbbbbbb
"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)
From: Maine | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged
posted
Just wanted to let you all know that this project is nearing it's completion and we expect to be able to mail it soon.
I found a really attractive rubbermaid container in the perfect shape and size. It will be better to mail that than the glass jar I had originally thought to use. Plus it won't be as fragile for daily use as a jar would be.
On the outside I am putting a pretty label that says "Jar of Cheer" on one side. On the other side I am putting another label with that quote from the Gospel of Mark from when Jesus came to his disciples at sea during a bad storm and said to them "Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid."
That scripture verse was my "anchor" verse my sister and I picked out the day before the amputation. She wrote it for me in big letters using a Sharpie and hung it where I could see it from my hospital bed. So if the pain got bad or I got too scared, I would have a reminder within view. When they moved me to ICU, the nurses hung it there too, and when I woke up all those weeks later, it was still there...
To this day that little sign hangs in my kitchen, right near my coffeepot.
So I have a pad of really pretty paper for stationary. It has a design of flowers in very muted colors as the background and is lined for keeping the writing tidy. That's what I will cut up to make the tags for each piece of candy.
Sunday after church, I went around the parish hall with a card and lots and lots of people signed it! The card will go in the box with the gift.
We just want her to have a clear reminder that although we live hours away, we are with her every step of the way... we have not forgotten her and we will not forget her, come what may.
I plan to get everything finished today.
Thanks all of you for your help... it means so much to all of us who love our Janie.
Merme
bbbbbbbbb
"In the midst of winter, I learned there lives in me an invincible summer" Camus (maybe a paraphrase)
From: Maine | Registered: Oct 2004
| IP: Logged
I am from God I am part of God and God is part of me Therefore, I cannot be dimished. I am strong, I am loved and I am loving, because I am living this day in accordance to God's great plan.
And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started and to know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot
Deep peace of the running wave to you. Deep peace of the flowing air to you. Deep peace of the quiet earth to you. Deep peace of the shining stars to you.
Celtic Blessing.
Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance.
(this is my old signature line. feel free to use it!)
Celebrating 10 years of helping your gardens grow!
| 
login | 
| 
| 
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[wavey]](graemlins/wavey.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[kissies]](graemlins/kissies.gif)
![[angel]](graemlins/cherub.gif)
![[Love]](graemlins/love.gif)
