The Tale of the Wooden Bowl

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now...A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered.

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. "We must do something about father," said the son. "I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor." So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl! When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometime he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?"Just as sweetly, the boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work . The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks.

Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.


Your children learn what you teach by example, whether you mean for them to learn it or not.~~~~~~~~~~~

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things: a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that, regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.

I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as making a "life.."

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others, your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you.

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn! I've learned that you should pass this on to everyone you care about. I just did.

Thanks to Steve Sanders who sent me this story about the wooden bowl.

Note from Lucy: I brought TF home from the hospital last Friday. He is doing much better except that he keeps having cold sweats and he can't stay warm. They sent him home with an antibotic but this still worrys me. He is walking better. He's eating better. He's not in as much pain and his spirits are up. I think we are over the hump and he is on his way to getting well. YEA!

Oh Yes! I forgot to mention that today is my 36th wedding anniversary! WOW

Complications

I know you are all wondering how my husbands surgery went….The surgery went well but there have been complications. They took out his gall bladder and two small blood tumors off of his liver. They were able to do a laparoscopic procedure and avoid actually making a larger incision. It looked like things went well and he was sent home from the hospital on Sunday. His belly became extended and he was having terrible cramping pains. A heating pad helped relieve some of the pain but it was getting worse. To make a long story short we ended up taking him back to the hospital, thru the emergency room, on Tuesday. They did all kinds of tests on him and said he was leaking bile into his abdominal cavity. Yesterday they went back in, thru the prior incisions, to see if they could find the area that was “leaking”. They could not find it so they cleaned him out and inserted a drain. Tomorrow they will go in again, and try a different procedure, to see if they can find the leak. Hopefully they find the leak and fix it….Please pray of TF and his doctors. I will update as I know more.

Food Safety for the 4th of July

One uninvited guest will ruin many people’s picnics this summer — food poisoning bacteria.
There are 76 million reported illnesses in the United States alone each year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And six to eight million result in death.
Those cases more than double during the summer months as the hot weather promotes bacteria growth on foods like coleslaw sitting out in the sun.

“The good news is the most cases are preventable with proper care,” noted Dr. Anthony Hilton, a microbiologist with Aston University in Birmingham, England.

Of the diagnosed incidents of food-borne illness with an identified cause, fifty-five percent are the result of improper cooking and storage and 24% are from poor hygiene (not washing hands before and during food handling). Only 3% are due to an unhealthy food source.
Still, three percent of 76 million is over two million poisonings a year. According to Robert Tauxe, MD, deputy director at the CDC, most of the prevalent cases of mass food contamination in the US have been from produce. (Remember last year’s e-coli-tainted spinach and Taco-Bell’s diseased lettuce?) “Produce that grows close to the soil tends to be more susceptible, including leafy greens, tomatoes, green onions/scallions,” he said. Cantaloupe is especially vulnerable.

To minimize risk, Dr. Tauxe advises consumers to avoid bagged, premixed vegetables and fruits. “All that cutting, chopping, packing and mixing of produce from many places increases the chances of contamination.” He also suggests that all produce, even the ‘triple-washed’ ones, are scrubbed in your own sink at home before eating.

The majority of potential food poisonings can be eliminated with cleanliness and by following a few other food rules. “It is imperative that chilled food is properly stored in the refrigerator,” said Dr. Hilton. Overloading the fridge will prevent cold air from circulating and not keep food chilled. Keep raw meats at the bottom of the fridge so that juices do not drip onto other foods. Always cook meat thoroughly. Juices should run clear. No pink meat inside. Wash your hands and kitchen surfaces often. Do not use the same utensils on raw and cooked foods. Do not leave food out for more than two hours. Food should be reheated only once and it needs to be fully re-cooked, not just warmed. If you see mold or fungus on food, do not trim is away. Discard the entire food. For every bit of contamination you see, there are more bacteria you can not see.
Be extra careful when serving the elderly, young children, pregnant women or anyone with a compromised immune system. They are most susceptible to food illnesses. Thaw foods in the refrigerator or microwave. Marinate foods in the refrigerator.

These foods need extra caution: Eggs — cook until the yolks are firm. Never eat anything containing raw egg. Cheese — keep refrigerated until serving. Take special care with soft varieties. Fruit juice — only drink pasteurized. Milk and other dairy products — again, pasteurized and chilled. Do not ignore the ‘sell by’ date.

Some food poisoning can be severe. It may cause meningitis, miscarriage, paralysis or even death. Most cases are mild. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, a slight fever and vomiting that starts within two to 24 hours after the bacteria was ingested. The best treatment is bed rest and plenty of fluids. And with proper food handling, the only uninvited guest at your summer picnic this year will be the nosy neighbor.

I found this article on one of Dr. Blaylock's pages....

Note from Lucy: OK everyone, take care this 4th of July to keep your foods safe from bacteria and food poisoning. I am hoping that the rain stays away long enough that we will be able to go up to the Woodlands to listen to the symphony and enjoy the fireworks. We have had rain every single day for the last two weeks. Our yard needs mowing but it is so wet that we can't get out there to do it.

TF was able to go to the Astros game on Thursday night and see history made. Craig Biggio became a member of the 3,000 club (hits) that night. A friend of his had an extra ticket to the game and invited him to go. He had such a good time and got to see something that you don't see everyday... I'll bet that Biggio makes it into the hall of fame on his first ballot...

TF's surgery is fast approaching and I am starting to get nervous....Keep a prayer in your hearts for the both of us.....