Blog Posts

What Has a Soldier Ever Done?

5/27/2016

I realize that not everyone shares the same views or beliefs of what our United States military is, does and stands for. In fact, some people may pose the question, “What has a soldier ever done for me?” With the Memorial Day holiday upon us, I wanted to write something to help bring to light just a few examples of what our soldiers have done for us. So here's hoping that the next time you hear someone ask what a soldier has ever done for them, you will share this with them.

What Has a Soldier Ever Done?
A soldier endured six to twelve weeks of constant drilling from sunup to sundown, being yelled at, calisthenics at all hours of the day and night, living in closed, tight quarters with dozens of other soldiers, knowing that if one of them makes a mistake, they will all pay. Six to twelve weeks of this while we attended school, enjoyed recess, went to college or reported our job.

A soldier left behind his family and friends to go live in a foreign country for only God knows how long while we had picnics with our families, partied with our friends or rocked our babies to sleep each night.

A soldier lived in a tent or a foxhole in the desert for months on end while we sat in our air conditioned homes and offices.

A soldier ate military rations while we enjoyed home-cooked meals, dining out in fancy restaurants and grilling on the weekends.

A soldier wore full military gear seven days a week while we got to dress up for a night out or wear our favorite jeans and t-shirt.

A soldier fought against the enemy, dodging bullets, bombs, avoiding landmines and roadside IED’s while we argued with our parents about curfew, or sat in a board room discussing the profits and/or losses from last quarter.

A soldier marched wearing heavy military-issued boots while we ran our 5K’s wearing our Nike’s or went to the beach wearing our flip flops.

A soldier attended a church service held in a tent or barracks and prayed that he would make it home to see his family again while we attended church in a fancy building and passed the collection plate to help those less fortunate.

A soldier lost an arm or leg or eye, while we swam, hiked or danced.

A soldier flew home beside several of his comrades…all of them in a wooden box draped with the American flag. These soldiers gave their lives so that we may continue to live ours.

~Ruth McDonald Mair~
5-27-16

God bless our all of our soldiers, but especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

2 Comments

Make the Time...It Matters to Someone

4/12/2016

0 Comments

I Asked

I asked my friend to meet for lunch
So we could exchange news
She had plans she couldn’t change
But soon we’d visit, we were overdue

I asked my sister for some time
One day a while ago
She said she had some things to do
When she was free, she’d let me know

I asked my brother to meet up
Just to spend a day
He said his schedule was all full
He’d reach out soon, he’d find a way

I asked my son to watch a movie
I thought we both might like
He had a game and date that night
But he’d call soon, and we’d grab a bite

I asked my husband to go out
And have some time for us
He said he had to tend the yard
We’d find some time, there was no rush

I asked my Lord to save a place
For me in Heaven’s land
He told me, “It’s all been tended to.
I’m waiting for you, come take my hand.”

~Ruth McDonald Mair~
4-12-16

Thank you for stopping by my site. If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend or two. If you would like to be notified when this site is updated, send an email to ruthswords@yahoo.com, with "subscribe" as the subject line and include your email address in the body. Your email will be used only for these notices and will not be given out. Have a blessed day! ~Ruth~

0 Comments

An Open Letter to the Mother of My Future Daughter-in-Law

2/1/2016

1 Comment

Dear mother of my future daughter-in-law,

As I sit in my living room writing this letter to you tonight, I realize how connected you and I are because of the relationship between your daughter and my son. I am thankful for that connection, and I am thankful for your friendship.

As mothers, you and I dedicated our lives to these two children. We spent countless hours with them as babies, holding them in our arms, nurturing them and loving them, kissing scrapes and cuts, applying first-aid ointment and band aids. We lived through the first immunizations, the first day of school, driver’s training, the first date, the first broken curfew. We attended school programs, parent-teacher conferences, field trips, and graduations. We have done our absolute best to get these two children to where they are today…two adults ready to commit the rest of their lives to each other.

As we prepare for our children’s wedding day, I want to thank you for raising such a beautiful, thoughtful and special young lady. When I see her look at my son, I see the love in her eyes and the devotion she has for him. I see her eyes sparkle and that beautiful smile on her face. I can feel her love for my son. She has learned the importance of letting these emotions show because she was blessed with you as a role model.

I want you to know that even though I feel your daughter has already been a part of my family for some time, I am looking forward to the day she will become a wife to my son….the day she will become more than just my daughter-in-law. She will become my daughter. I want to thank you for sharing her with me. You will always and forever be her mother, her confidante, and first friend. I will never try to impede the close-knit relationship she has forged with you over the years. Please be assured, however, that I will always be there for her in whatever capacity she needs me. I will support her and cheer her on, hold and comfort her, and love her unconditionally for all the remaining days of my life.

I look forward to the beautiful day she walks down the aisle, takes my son’s hand in hers and they pledge their eternal love to each other.

Sincerely,
The mother of your future son-in-law

1 Comment

A 101 Year Old Legacy

1/13/2016

0 Comments

Miss Lillie Gladys Holcomb March 2, 1914 - January 11, 2016

Can you imagine being given 101 years on this earth to live, learn, love and make a huge impact on others?

I know a woman who had exactly that. Her name was Miss Lillie Gladys Holcomb. Everyone always called her “Miss Gladys.”

I first met Miss Gladys when my family moved to a small town in Georgia when I was 8 years old. She was the elementary school principal. Though I may be wrong, I don’t think it was common for a woman to be a school principal in the 1970’s. That alone should have been my first clue at what an extraordinary woman Miss Gladys was. In the years I attended her school, I never once heard her raise her voice, never saw her angry or upset, never saw her flustered in any way. Instead, I can remember her smiling and saying “Good morning!” as we would arrive at the school each day. I remember her helping students, praising students, encouraging students and always asking us to “READ!” If there had ever been a prerequisite class to become a school principal, it could have been called “Principal Training 101” she would have been the perfect person to teach it! Miss Gladys understood kids and she took the time to let us know she genuinely cared.

Miss Gladys was also a member of the church my family attended. I remember her welcoming us to our very first service and telling my family that if we, as new comers to the community, needed any advice on where to shop for groceries, barber and/or beauty shops, banks, clothing stores, dentist, doctors…anything at all, she was there to help. Miss Gladys was a member of that church for over 80 years, so I know my family was not the only one she welcomed with such open arms! She was just that way.

I can remember going Christmas caroling to her house each year. She lived in a big house with her sister. They would always stand in the door and listen to us sing the carols and when we were finished, they would invite us into their home and serve THE best cookies and hot tea ever! They would sit with us and talk and tell stories and always made sure we knew we always welcome back at any time, not just at Christmas.

I had the opportunity and great pleasure to visit with Miss Gladys at her nursing home just last spring when I made a visit back to that small town in Georgia. I had been away for almost 40 years and that amazing woman remembered me! She did not recognize me by sight, but once I told her my name she knew exactly who I was and she remembered my parents as well. My friend and I got a good chuckle when at one point during our visit Miss Gladys looked at us and said, “You know, I am 120 years old!” We assured her she was NOT 120 and I recall her smiling and saying she was ready to go to Heaven. I will treasure that visit with Miss Gladys for the rest of my life.

Although I lived in that small town only five short years, the impact Miss Holcomb had on me has been with me all these years. I may not have been aware of it on a conscious level, but now reflecting back, I can see it. Miss Gladys was a one-of-a-kind woman and I am so thankful that she and I crossed paths. From reading posts on social media over the last day or so, I can tell she was a major influence in many, many lives.

Miss Gladys is no longer on this earth with us, but we can be certain her legacy of love and compassion will live on in our hearts, memories and best of all in our actions as we pay forward in her honor.

0 Comments

Turning My Back in 2016

1/1/2016

2 Comments

2015 has closed its doors and we have stepped into 2016, the start of a brand new year. No one knows exactly what this year will bring, although we all have hopes and dreams of what will be. Some are planning weddings and honeymoons while others are trying to adjust to living alone once again. Some are preparing for the arrival of a newborn while others are figuring out the best move for their elderly loved one who can no longer care for themselves. Some are preparing to graduate college and begin a new and exciting career while others are planning to retire from many years of service and dedication.

In 2016 I am going to simply turn my back.

I will turn my back to the past, no longer regretting mistakes I have made, moving forward with the lessons I have learned. I will turn my back to the unkind words of others, speaking only words of kindness. I will turn my back to the negativity of those who wish to bring me down and see me fail, celebrating in the success of others as they better themselves. I will turn my back to the gossip others spread, finding the positive in those being spoken poorly of. I will turn my back on the impatience of others, reaching out a helping hand to those in need. I will turn my back on the road behind me, looking forward to a much better life and more happiness as I put others first in my life. I will turn my back on all things negative, letting a more positive light shine on my face, casting the doubtful and unkind shadows behind me.

This year, will you help build a wall against all the evil and negativity, making the world a more positive place? Will you join me in turning your back in 2016?

2 Comments

The Lesson Outside My Window

12/18/2015

0 Comments

Yesterday afternoon I was sitting in my living room admiring the Christmas tree my granddaughter and two youngest sons helped me put up and decorate last weekend. The gold tinsel and the ornaments of red and white seemed to be glowing from the strings of lights. The angel on top of the tree was lit up. As I sat there looking at this beautiful tree standing in front of my French doors, I saw a truck driving by slowly on the road in front of my house. It was quite loud, like the exhaust may have been ready to give out. Something about this truck made me stand up and go to the window. As I looked out, I saw that the driver had pulled off to the side of the road just down from my house. An older man with quite the scruffy beard and wearing an old, tattered coat emerged. He had neither a hat nor gloves on. I watched as the man shuffled to the back of his truck and pulled out a clear milk jug which appeared to contain water. He slowly made his way to the front of the truck and struggled to lift the hood. I could see him fiddling with something under the hood and then he poured the liquid from the clear jug into what I presumed was his radiator. He tossed the empty jug back into his truck, slowly climbed back into the driver’s seat and was on his way once again.

As the man drove away, my heart was heavy for him. I said a prayer that he would arrive safely to where he was going and that he would have a warm house and a good home-cooked meal waiting for him. Then I started thinking of all the people outside of my windows. How many of them don’t have a home or warm clothes or food? How many of them need a job? How many of them might have a terminally ill family member and though they know their days together are limited, they are thankful for every minute they have left? How many of them won’t have a Christmas tree full of ornaments and lights, let alone any gifts to put under such a tree? How many of them struggle just to make it through to the next day?

I think God sent that man by my house yesterday for a reason. To make me realize that no matter what battles I may be dealing with, however bad I think things may be, and no matter what my financial situation may be, there are others out there who would love to be in my place.

Let’s make Christmas a little different this year. Let’s all take a little extra time opening our gifts, not just tearing into them and throwing the paper wherever it may land. Let’s all put a little more emphasis on being thankful for the things we have received. Let’s all enjoy our family time a little more, sharing more hugs. And let’s all remember there really is a world outside our windows that we can all learn from.

I want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and may you be blessed with a happy and healthy year in 2016!

God bless you!

0 Comments

Just Another Day in the Chicken Coop

9/29/2015

2 Comments

I know my posts are usually serious, but I wanted to write something not-so-serious today. While the outcome could have been much worse, there are only a couple of scrapes and bruises, and a good laugh at the mental image!! Read on...

For those of you who don't know, my husband and I live on six acres and we own two cows, nine chickens and a dog named Bandit, who is temporary--she will be going with my youngest son when he moves out in a couple of weeks. Anyway, here is a story of what happened to me yesterday in my attempt at being helpful.

When I got home from work yesterday, Don wasn’t home yet. Knowing that he's had some tough days at work, I thought I would be helpful by watering the cows and gathering the eggs from the chicken coop. I turned on the water to start watering the cows and decided to multi-task and go gather the eggs while the watering hole was filling up. I headed over to the chicken coop, opened the door and went in. That in itself was a task because the chickens wanted out and the dog wanted in! Anyway, I managed. Bandit sat down next to the gate and waited. I stepped over and around all the chicken poop and whatever else may have been on the ground, opened the door to the coop and stepped up inside. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there were nine eggs! We’ve only been getting about four of five a day lately. Well, I started picking up the eggs and realized I forgot to bring anything to carry them in so I lifted the tail of my shirt and started putting them in there. Now, mind you, I still had my dress clothes on from work--something I would regret in a few short minutes. One of the eggs looked “funny” and when I touched it, it wasn’t “done”…one end of the shell was hard and the other end was like touching some old lady’s flabby underarm skin. Needless to say, I left that egg for Don to take care of. I finished gathering the remaining eight eggs, gently laying them in my shirt tail. I was bragging to the chickens how proud I was of them for laying so many eggs after their drought. I went to step down on one of the four cement blocks we have for a step outside the coop. Wouldn’t you know it, the very one I stepped on decided to flip up as I put my weight on it. From then on, everything seemed to be in slow motion. I felt myself falling, and tried my darndest to grab the door of the chicken coop to save myself, knowing that if I fell, those eggs were all goners! Well, the door seemed to know what was going on and decided to jump back about two inches out of my reach. I teetered on the step for what seemed like several minutes, when in actuality I know it was two seconds or less. Next thing I knew, I was on my side. My feet were under the chicken coop, my torso was laying over the cement brick and my arms and head were on the ground. Luckily my face did NOT land in a pile of chicken poop! Once I got my wits about me, I realized that two of the eggs had fallen out of my shirt tail. I was unable to shoo the chickens away quick enough—who knew chickens were cannibals??? I managed to get up, counted the eggs in my shirt tail—there were six left so I wasn’t too disappointed with my acrobatics at my age. When I looked toward the gate, there sat Bandit, still waiting for me. I think she was disappointed that I didn’t have chicken poop on my face!! She walked back up to the house with me and I turned off the water that had been running for the cows and went inside and put the "safe" eggs in the fridge. Then I immediately went to the bathroom, stripped out of my who-knows-what-was-on-them clothes and put my pj’s on—I knew I had hit my limit for the day!!

Now that you have (hopefully) had a good laugh, I hope you have a great day!! Please feel free to share this with anyone you know who might need to smile today! God bless!!

2 Comments

My Father-in-Law

8/21/2015

4 Comments

Lots of women have, or have had, a father-in-law. But not every woman has had one like the one I had for fourteen plus years. I have to put the “plus” on there, because even though the man was legally my father-in-law for fourteen years, our relationship did not end when my marriage to his son did. I am convinced, and it would be a tough case to prove otherwise, that I had THE perfect father-in-law in John J. Ladiski.

As I mentioned, even though my marriage to his son did not work out, he remained a very important part of my life through the years. That alone takes a very special man and I know that few men out there would continue to treat their former daughter-in-law with the love and respect I received from this gentle and loving soul.

The fact that he continued to treat me as family even after I was no longer legally family is not the reason I consider him to be so wonderful. He came to the United States on a boat as a young boy with his family. He grew into a fine young man and served in the United States Army in World War II. The young woman he married was the love of his life until she died in 1999. With his wife by his side, they raised a family of six girls and one boy. It wasn’t always easy…he worked hard not only in a factory, but also by farming. Because he was a church-going, God-fearing man, he knew that there was no need to run from trouble or hard times—he faced them head on and he came out a better and stronger man after each trial. I never, in all the years I knew him, heard him utter one negative word about anyone. He not only loved his children and grandchildren, he loved them enough to teach them about love and how to be wonderful, caring, self-sufficient adults.

Four years ago today, his family, friends, and I had to say goodbye to this wonderful, amazing, loving man. But even though he is gone, his love and life lessons are still with us. I feel it and see it every time I look at one of my sons. I am so thankful this man was a part of my life. I treasure each and every time he would tease me just to see my face turn red; I treasure each and every time I would run into him somewhere and he would pull me into a hug and plant a huge kiss on my lips; I treasure that his children allowed me to visit him and gather one last hug and kiss before he passed away; but most of all, I treasure the fact that he was a very special man put on this earth to be a blessing to so many others, including being the perfect father-in-law to me.

John J. Ladiski
9/5/1918 – 8/21/2011

4 Comments

My Daily Words Will Go On!

7/22/2015

2 Comments

In January 2015 I started posting little quips on Facebook each morning. At first these were just thoughts that would come to me and I would think, “Oh, I should share that.” After a few days of this, I started praying each night for God to put some words on my heart to share with my Facebook friends. Sure enough, He answered those prayers each and every night.

However, after a couple of months of posting these words, someone confronted me and told me that some of the things I posted were offensive to them and that I should stop posting to avoid offending anyone else. Well, I felt terrible that I would have offended anyone, so although reluctantly, I immediately stopped posting my daily words. Just for the record, I never posted any of these quips directly at someone or to intentionally offend anyone.

For the last few months I have been thinking and praying about this matter. It has been placed on my heart to pick this daily routine back up, and I intend to do so…in full force. My suggestion is that if you do not like what I post on Facebook, then you can easily hit the “unfollow” button, or if it is that offensive to you please feel free to unfriend me. I refuse to give up my love of writing just because one person has had their nose bent out of shape. In all honesty, my guess is that something I posted hit home with this person and made them see something in their own life that they did not like. I have had many, many positive comments on my posts and if they have, even in the tiniest way, helped someone through a rough day, then my words have accomplished what I intended.

I am a Christian by faith and I believe in God. I believe there is a heaven and a hell, and I believe there is eternal life for us in one of those two places once we leave this world we are living in now. My daily posts are a reflection of these beliefs and convictions. If you share my beliefs, that’s great. If not, I am okay with that as well. My daily posts have never been, nor will they ever be, negative, derogatory, slandering or intended to put anyone down. I write them to be positive thoughts and to hopefully brighten someone’s day. Because we never know what another person may be dealing with, a positive or kind word can do wonders and I want to be a part of that!

Thank you to all of you who support me by reading my blogs and daily posts and for all the kind words of encouragement. You are the ones who keep me inspired! As long as God gives me words to share, I will gladly do so!

2 Comments

The Wallet

6/25/2015

0 Comments

A wallet with no money in it. That’s all his dad had left to him.

His dad had not been a wealthy man by any means, living in a rented apartment above a storefront and working part time as a mechanic up until the aches and pains of his disease confined him to bed three weeks ago. It had taken all the money in the man’s savings account to pay the funeral expenses. Luckily he had no outstanding debt when he died. There was no will to be read, as the old man had owned nothing when he died. Nothing but the wallet. The day he died, he had placed it in his son’s hand and said, “Son, I am leaving this world a much richer man than when I entered it 74 years ago. I have a world of wealth in this old wallet and I want to leave it with you. Please take good care of it and its contents and perhaps you can pass it on to your son someday.”

The wallet had been sitting on the nightstand by his bed since the day his dad gave it to him two weeks ago. How could his dad have said he was rich and suggest that the wealth could be passed on someday? There was no money whatsoever in that old wallet. Just a bunch of old yellowed pictures and a folded up piece of paper that looked like they had been there for ages.

As he reached to turn out the light and go to bed, he caught a glimpse of the wallet. He carefully picked it up and turned it over in his hands. The wallet had to be almost as old as his dad had been. He opened the wallet and one by one, cautiously removed and took inventory of the items it held: four pictures and one folded and tattered piece of paper.

He looked at the first picture. It was of him and his dad on their last fishing trip two summers ago. They hadn’t caught many fish that year but they had certainly had a good time together. He remembered his dad telling him that this might be their last fishing trip together. If he had only known then how true those words were. On the back of the picture, in his dad’s handwriting it said, “My amazing son. I am so proud of him! ”

The second picture was of him and his dad at college graduation thirty something years ago. He didn’t even know his dad still had this picture. He was in his cap and gown holding his diploma. His dad was next to him dressed in his suit and tie. They were both smiling so brightly their faces were shining. Turning the picture over, he read, “My amazing son. I am so proud of him! ”

The third picture was a picture of him riding his bicycle down the sidewalk in front of his childhood home. He recalled this as clearly as if it were yesterday. Riding his bicycle alone for the first time with no training wheels! There was a look of terror combined with sheer joy on his face. His dad was in standing in the background appearing to cheer him on. The back of the picture read, “My amazing son. I am so proud of him! ”

The fourth picture was a picture of his dad holding a tiny baby in a tiny hospital room. The picture had been taken many years before. He recognized the baby from some of his old baby photographs. In the picture, it appeared that he and his dad were staring into each other’s eyes. His dad’s face was beaming. He turned the picture over and read, “My amazing son. I am so proud of him!”

When he was finished looking at the pictures, he moved on to the folded piece of paper. He carefully unfolded it and as he read it, he could not believe the words written in his father’s handwriting. “Dear Son, You are no doubt wondering why I would have left you only a beat up old wallet when I died. My dad did the same for me. I learned a lot from that wallet, so I have been planning the same for you since the day you were born. While it contains not one cent of money, this wallet contains a world of wealth to me. Please always remember that you are my amazing son and I am so proud of you! Love, Dad”

He blinked back tears as he replaced the contents of the wallet and gently laid it back on his nightstand.

A wallet with no money in it, yet it contained a world of wealth. That’s what his dad had left to him.

Thank you for stopping by my site. If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend or two. If you would like to be notified when this site is updated, send an email to ruthswords@yahoo.com, with "subscribe" as the subject line and include your email address in the body. Your email will be used only for these notices and will not be given out. Have a blessed day! ~Ruth~

0 Comments

<<Previous

Forward>>

Author

I currently live in Michigan with my husband, Donald. I have three sons and one daughter as well as four grandchildren. For as long as I can remember I have had a passion for writing. I give God all the credit for allowing me to share my writings with you.

What Has a Soldier Ever Done?

Make the Time...It Matters to Someone

An Open Letter to the Mother of My Future Daughter-in-Law

A 101 Year Old Legacy

Turning My Back in 2016

The Lesson Outside My Window

Just Another Day in the Chicken Coop

My Father-in-Law

My Daily Words Will Go On!

The Wallet

Author

Archives

Categories