Won't You Be My Neighbor?

I had been out all day-
My nerves were shot,
my feet were tired-
but my long list of chores
was finally completed at last.

I couldn't wait
to get home and relax.

I hadn't thought much about it before-
this routine that I go through
when I get back home from some place...

...I usually toss off my uncomfortable shoes
and replace them with sneakers if I'm
going back outside...
I'll hum a little tune...
and I put on my favorite old sweater...

And today for the first time
I realized
that ...
I've turned into Mr. Rogers!

It's crazy, I know-
but hauntingly real at the same time.

My husband is so much like King Friday
and my sister sometimes acts like
Lady Elaine Fairchilde!
And my mail lady
is suspiciously starting to
look like Mr. McFeely!

I'm starting to speak softer,
dream about field trips,
and sing silly songs!
And sometimes I imagine myself
in the Neighborhood of Make Believe.

God help me if I go out
and buy a little trolley car!

So-upon this sudden realization-
I decided to do a little research
into the role-model
I had apparently morphed into.

Here's what I found out :

Every sweater that Fred Rogers wore
was hand knit by his mother.

Upon meeting Mr. Rogers for the first time,
Koko the Gorilla, (who learned
up to 1,000 words in sign language),
greeted him with a big hug-
then proceeded to take his shoes off of him.

Mr. Rogers weighed himself every single day.
He stayed at 143 pounds for the last
30 years of his life.
He found peace in the number 143.
He explained it by saying that
it takes one letter to say "I'.
Four letters to say "love".
And three letters to say "you".

He was genuinely kind.
While on a trip to a PBS executive's house,
he discovered that the limo driver
was expected to wait in the car for 2 hours.
Mr. Rogers invited him to come in and join them.

Later, Fred rode in the front seat
and he asked to meet the driver's family.
They went to the chauffeur's house,
played jazz piano and
talked throughout the night.
The two shared notes and
stayed in touch the rest of his life.

So-
maybe it's not that bad-
-Me turning into Mr. Rogers and all...
(Except I haven't got the weight thing
going for me yet ...)

We could all aspire to be like him.
With kindness toward others
and positive thoughts,
we could actually improve our quality of life.

Just wake up one morning and realize-
it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!

Troop 44

I noticed on my Celebrations Calendar
that tomorrow is Girl Scout Day.

So let's take a moment for the pledge:
"On my honor, I will try
To do my duty to God and my country,
to help other people at all times
and to obey the Girl Scout laws."

Oh, that takes me back....
Way back to about '67 or '68
when I stayed after school
to be part of the Girl Scout pack-
to learn the art of twisting pipe cleaners
and paper mache'
and how to tie a tourniquet in case
someone got snake bit.

I was part of history.
Of Troop Number 44.

I liked holding up my three fingers
and reciting the pledge
like I was going away to war
or something.

I think mostly that
I liked having cookies and Kool-aid
so I could go home and tell all my
brothers and sisters
and make them jealous.

"Na-na-na-noo-noo! I haahadd Koool-Aid
Aaaaand you-ooo-ooo di-dunt!!"

But it was also pretty cool
that one of our Girl Scout Leaders-
-Mrs. Bugal-
had blue hair.
She was nervous sort of woman
with clothes that smelled like moth balls
and a little sweater chain that
held her sweater on her shoulders
while she thumbed through
the Girl Scout Handbook.

Of course the highlight
of the whole scouting year
was camping out at the
Girl Scout Little House.
We cooked bacon
on an inverted coffee can,
learned to fold a flag,
and sang really neat songs
that I never heard in church.

It made the summer fun.

I earned about five badges
during my time as a Girl Scout.
One was for story-telling,
one was for gardening,
one for camping and exploring
and the last one for sewing.

I cheated on that one.

I had my Mom sign a piece of paper
that said I sewed on a button,
hemmed a pillowcase,
and mended a sock.

Any moron with half a brain
could figure out
that I really couldn't sew-
because most of my badges were
safety-pinned to my sash!

(Let's just say I wasn't the
neatest little scout
in the pack).

And, yes, there was the thrill
of Girl Scout Cookie Time.

(I usually sold two boxes).

But I loved going home
and telling my brothers and sisters-
"Na-na-na-noo-noo-
I baked these coo-ook-ies
and you-ooo-ooo di-dunt!"

Happy Girl Scout Day.
Hope your memories are as
cool as mine!

WWYouD?

I read a humor story the other day
about a woman who was desperate
to buy new furniture because
she had important company arriving
for the holidays.

In jest her husband blurted out-
"You act like Jesus is coming to visit!"

And, in her own defense,
she comically explained that
it might not be a bad idea
to get the new furniture immediately
just in case the Rapture came.

I laughed,
but it also got me to thinking...
Would I want new furniture
if Jesus actually came to visit?

Would I scrub and clean
and fix up my house
to be some kind of show place
that it really isn't-
just to impress Jesus?

Would I go out and buy steak and lobster-
a bottle of good wine,
and set my dusty Bible out
on the coffee table?

I think Jesus would want me to be me.

I think I would offer Him
the most comfortable chair in the house-
even though the arms are
a little worn
and it rocks a bit unsteady.

And if He had dust on His sandals
I'd wash it off for Him
and let Him know not to worry-
that nothing could hurt that old carpet.

I think He would be a bit suspicious
if there wasn't a little dust.
Plus, I think He'd be satisfied
to share my dinner salad
or a nice brat on the grill.

As for the Bible-
well, that's something
I should have thought of sooner.
Digging it out of the closet now
would just be a phony act
of deception.

I suppose it might be
something I should do today-
before He really comes to visit.

Just to get familiar with it and all.

You know.

I just hope that if Jesus came
He would feel that my home was full of love-
that it was comfortable and lived in-
that there was genuine happiness here-
and true gratitude and thankfulness.

And here's another thing-
I guess I better practice praying-
I'm sure He'd want me to lead off
during lunch and dinner and bedtime
with a word of praise.

Not to be preachy-
condescending
or pretentious-
but is your house in order
if Jesus came to visit today?




Be inspired:
http://www.wvyn.org/