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December 2016 – Jotting Joan

Month: December 2016

  • no instruction manual for broken leg

    Broken legs do not come with instruction manuals for recovery, and I needed one after tripping down one step resulted in cracks and breaks in my left leg and a broken left wrist. Two surgeries left me stunned and bewildered. No one gave me a repair manual for healing. They did give me a prognosis…

  • Cara’s guitar

    “You need a better guitar,” the professor told Cara Wiebe during her sophomore year at Calvary Bible University in Kansas City, Mo. “How much will it cost?” “At least $500,” the professor said. Cara shook her head at the impossibility of the price. Her parents, missionaries in Mexico, struggled financially. She prayed. At the end…

  • Elf on the Shelf

    The recent introduction of “The Elf on the Shelf” ramps up Christmas hype. The simple doll that parents hide each night reminds children, “The Elf is watching and reporting to Santa.” Many parents develop scenarios such as The Elf drinking cocoa, sitting with his feet hanging over the sink or toasting a marshmallow over a…

  • A van to go

    The engine light is on,” the van driver announced last summer. He took it to the shop. The mechanics fixed a part. The light stayed lit. He took it to a couple shops. Mechanics tried one thing and another to turn off the lights warning of something amiss with the engine. Just before a long…

  • Mr. R and the nursing home

    No surprise. During a recent visit, Mr. R said, “You need to write a column about the impact on people entering a nursing home.” He already knew. Back in the 1980s Mr. R urged us to think about nursing homes for our parents. “I don’t want to start an argument, I just want to open…

  • Such talented (?) grandkids

    Our grandchildren have impressive talents and insights. Take Sam, 6, he announced one morning, “Mom, did you know I can morning snore? I’m doing it right now!” Another time he said, “I feel so good…because my armpits stink.” That appalled his sister, Sophia,, “What! Why would that make him feel good?! Boys are so weird.”…

  • Thank you for the Eureka moment

    Eureka moments hit when a beloved item from the past appears at a yard sale, thrift store or Ebay. Overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude, some buyers can’t contain their excitement. Recently a seller of vintage perfume posted a copy of a ‘thank you’ note sent to her, She said, “Letters like this makes it so…

  • Watching history being made ruins my sleep

    History in the making has ruined my sleep. It began weeks ago when the Chicago Cubs hit, ran and stole their way into the play-offs and then the World Series. Night after night my in-house coach monopolized the lounge chair and television. Hovering around to offer him comfort food when his team failed, I quickly…