What is a Wemmick?

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A Wemmick might drive a wooden car because he or she is a wooden person.

When I was teaching, I read my students The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss. The lesson is very simple. A Sneetch is a Sneetch with or without a star on his or her belly. All one has to do is substitute people for Sneetch and the lesson is complete. Max Lucado wrote You are Special with another lesson that I think children and adults would appreciate.

The people in Wemmickville reward or disapprove of community members on a daily basis by placing stickers on each other. Gold stickers represent talent and good looks while gray stickers represent ordinary or failure. Punchinello is the main character of the story and he is covered with gray stickers every day.

One day Punchinello meets a girl who doesn’t have any stickers because they will not stick to her. When he asked her why this was, she took him to meet Eli the master woodcarver, the creator of the wooden people. Punchinello went to see Eli daily and eventually the stickers would not stick to him.

We aren’t given stickers, but we are labeled in many ways: talent, age, gender, disposition and other ways. The cool kids versus the nerds and mean girls who taunt the nice girls have all been fodder for books and movies. We watch and draw our own conclusions, but Max Lucado gives a way to help us not let labels stick.

Our creator is God and going to him daily in prayer of course is the message. It might take time and patience, but it is worth the effort. Max Lucado created a wonderful book and Sergio Martinez’s illustrations are delightful. Give it a try; I think you’ll like it.

The Wisemen’s Gifts

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I was surprised to learn about frankincense and myrrh.

I broke one of the wise men in our nativity set and of course could not replace it. I had to order three new wisemen and they came with gold, frankincense and myrrh. The order also included information about frankincense and myrrh. They both come from tree resins.

Frankincense comes from the Boswellia tree. The trees grow in India, Africa and the Middle east. Frankincense was burned in Jewish temple as an offering to God. It was one of the gifts given to baby Jesus. It acknowledged his holiness and the wisemen’s belief in him. It is said to have a woody fragrance. A small bag was sent with the wisemen and we will put a few pieces in our fireplace when we make our first fire of the season. I’m eager to smell it.

Myrrh comes from the Commiphora tree. It is found in the same area as the Boswellia tree. It is not a large tree and it resin is the reddish looking little pieces the kneeling king is holding. Myrrh was used to anoint religious leaders and kings. It was also used for burial. Some believe it was an indication of what was to happen to Jesus.

Both frankincense and myrrh have been used for thousands of years as medicinal remedies as well as in religious ceremonies. I read a wide variety of ailments that have been treated with them. I know some churches today burn incense and I’d be interested to know if it is frankincense.

The Feast of Epiphany celebrates the arrival of the wisemen 12 days after Jesus’s birth. But their arrival time has been studied and debated for many years. Some believe Jesus was a toddler when the wisemen arrived. The book of Matthew 2:1-11 says the wisemen “came into the house and saw the young child.” King Herod also ordered that infants age two and under be put to death, so that supports the idea of that Jesus was not an infant. It doesn’t matter to me when the wisemen arrived. I’m just thankful that God sent him to us. His birth is Christmas.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with love and thankfulness. Maybe a few of you will receive frankincense and myrrh. It is available on Amazon!

Thanksgiving Traditions

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Holiday skits make for a hilarious holiday tradition!

Once again Thanksgiving was filled with laughter as my daughter and granddaughters entertained with Thanksgiving with Holiday Icons. It was written by my eldest granddaughter and my role was the grandmother. Apparently, I don’t take direction well, so I think I will be sent to the audience next year.

We have been performing a skit for about five or six years, so it has become a tradition. I wrote the first ones but the granddaughters began writing the skits three years ago. I’m allowed to give ideas, but the script is theirs. It’s fun and it certainly creates memories. It also helps that I have lots of costumes in my house!

Our dinner was delicious and there are lots of leftovers. I keep saying I’m going to make less, but that doesn’t happen. It’s the only time a year we have turkey and I tend to go overboard. We have a beef roast at Christmas so Thanksgiving is the only day we eat turkey, dressing and cranberry salad. My mom used to make a Thanksgiving dinner in the summer because she said once a year wasn’t enough. We didn’t have air conditioning and eating a big turkey dinner in the summer just isn’t the same. We also didn’t have a dish washer so cleaning up was not fun. Memories!

Since Thanksgiving is over, I can now begin decorating for Christmas. I know many have already put up trees, but I wait. I think each holiday deserves its time. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I’d love to hear some of your holiday traditions!

Awww November!

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 3 Comments

November is a month to pause before the hectic month of December.

I know some people are already in Christmas mode. Some have even put up their Christmas tree. Not me. I want to enjoy November and relish in the calm before December arrives. There is a calmness in these days if we allow it.

October is a month of fun fall activities which include picking apples and choosing the best pumpkins to carve. Halloween costumes must be considered and of course Halloween decorations. It’s a very busy month.

November’s main event is Thanksgiving which means the few days before I will be preparing for the feast, but prior to that I can enjoy the remaining fall days and finish the fall yard cleanup. All Saints Day begins the month and being alone in my garden is the best time to remember loved ones with a smile or a tear. Veterans Day is another important day of remembrance. My husband will go on another Honor Flight this month in honoring fellow veterans.

November will always be a time when I remember the assassination of President Kennedy. I’ve been to Dallas and seen the book depository and the grassy knoll. It was a terrible day and there apparently is still much to learn about this event. We’ll see.

I decorate for Thanksgiving with turkeys, pumpkins and scarecrows, and Christmas waits for December 1. It’s important to have a few weeks of calm and remembering. Most of all it’s a time of thankfulness. Given what is happening in our country and around the world, I am well aware of my blessings. I hope you have a blessed and quiet November. December awaits us!

Molasses is not just for Baking!

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Cookie baking is all year round for me, but autumn calls for molasses cookies.

I grew up in a family of bakers and their recipes have become mine, but some how mine don’t taste the way I remember. That is true of my Aunt Hazel’s molasses cookies. I recently tried a new soft molasses cookie and I think I’ll go back to my aunt’s.

I learned in history class about the importance of molasses in the triangle trade. Slaves were brought from Africa to the sugar cane plantations in the Caribbean. The molasses made from the sugar was shipped to New England to make rum. The rum was taken to West Africa and was used to purchase slaves. What I didn’t know was that molasses was the primary sweetener in America until the early 1900s when the price of refined sugar dropped. That bit of information helped me understand the importance of molasses outside of rum production.

Molasses is made from sugar cane and sugar beets. Sugar cane produces the sweetest sugar and is used for cooking and baking. Sugar beet molasses is used in animal food. It provides protein and minerals for beef and dairy cattle. Molasses is also used in the production of yeast. (Who knew?) A strange use of molasses is its use on gravel roads for dust control. It’s a natural product and because it’s sticky it really works. I wonder about it getting on the cars. I wouldn’t want to scrape molasses off my car.

I learned that if I’m out of brown sugar I can add one tablespoon of molasses to a cup of granulated sugar. Want dark brown sugar? Add two tablespoons. It sounds like I’d have a gummy mess, but I might try it just to see if it works. Many of my cookie recipes call for brown sugar because it brings a nice taste that granulated sugar doesn’t. The darker the sugar the better the taste. I can’t verify that, but it makes sense.

Hope you all are enjoying the fall temperatures and beautiful blue skies. A cup of cider and a couple cookies makes the day even better! My favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin, and they are made with brown sugar.

Drowning in Caramel!

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This poor little apple is suffering from over decorating.

Fall is the season when those who like to decorate begin transforming their homes and lawns. I admit I’m one who happily charges into my storage area and begins pulling out pumpkins, ghosts and scarecrows. This poor apple suffered from an idea gone wrong. I think it kind of looks like a bird.

God is the best decorator. The maple trees are beginning to turn red and the cool air smells clean and fresh. The mums and asters brighten porches along with pumpkins and warty looking gourds. Today we are expecting rain and I know the dry, dry ground will appreciate the drink. All of my flowers and bushes should enjoy having rain over the garden hose water.

This is also the time to freeze fresh corn and apples. I already made corn chowder and apple crisp, but the plan is to be able to enjoy the fresh taste throughout the winter. One of my granddaughters wouldn’t even taste the chowder. When asked what was in it, I told her corn, potatoes, bacon, cheese and other things. “Chowder is a soup,” I explained. “Oh,” she said, “I only like tomato soup.” Kids!

Fall means football in Ohio, especially those who live in Columbus. We have Browns, Bengals and even Steelers fans, but we unite over the Buckeyes. Game day provides another opportunity to decorate. Homes, yards and people are covered in Buckeye attire. I know it sounds crazy to some, but it’s tradition.

World events fill the news, but nature’s beauty or a cute scarecrow can bring a smile. I am thankful for these beautiful fall days and abundant color to come. Fall is a fun filled season and hopefully it will bring a Buckeye win over Michigan this year!

Time for a Change!

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The Monarch butterflies are feasting in preparation for their journey south.

The butterflies and hummingbirds are both eating heartily in preparation for their journey, and I get to enjoy watching them enjoy my garden. It’s a time to move forward. The kids are back at school facing new experiences and new challenges. My new challenge is figuring out my new laptop.

I’ve been without my computer for almost two weeks and it’s been a time of extreme stress. My old laptop was 14 years old and retrieving the data from the old was not easy. The computer whizzes figured it out, but I was worried. None of my documents were backed up, and I was afraid of losing my novels. I almost cried when I learned they had safely transferred my data. Today I sent my novel to an agent.

I’m moving forward like the students and I share their nervousness. As a teacher, I was always nervous when school began and as a writer, I’m nervous reaching out to agents.

Fall will return with cooler temperatures, colorful leaves and football. I will continue to write and direct a play I’ve written for my church. I have new challenges and am eager to embrace them. It’s an exciting time for sure!

Red Rover and Redwoods

/ Jeanne Lemmon Skinner / 1 Comment

Joined hands provide strength, protection and confidence.

Red rover, red rover, I dare Susan to come over, was a familiar sound on playgrounds growing up. We held tightly to each other and only the biggest kids could break through our fence of arms. Unfortunately, arms got broken and children were hurt so the game had to end. The positive thing about the game was the confidence holding hands gave us. Strength flowed through our arms and hands and we felt we were impenetrable. It was a great feeling that other games didn’t provide. I think it was because we were physically connected. Our strength was created because of the connection and that gave us confidence.

The redwood trees have a shallow root system that spreads out and connects with others. It’s like joining hands. The roots find support and share nutrients from this connection. These enormous trees stand against fierce winds because their roots are intertwined. They are confident they can defeat the wind because they support each other.

Reading about the redwood trees reminded me of red rover which made me think how I am connected to others. This has been a summer of reunions. Family, co-workers and classmates are all connected to me. When I reflect on the past, I can say I survived strong winds because of the people whose sturdy roots supported me. I believe everyone needs that kind of support and am thankful I found it.

I have fond memories of playing red rover and seeing the redwoods, and now I have a new appreciation for those who shared their roots with me.

Don’t Make Me Go!

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The things we don’t want to do are often the things we learn the most from.

I admit I was a wimp when I was little. I never wanted to leave home, but every summer I went to my grandparents’ farm to stay a week. I cried of course, and I also had a good time. The highlight of the week was fishing. I learned to put a worm on my hook, and I learned patience waiting for a bite. Every summer I went and every summer I would look for a reason not to go. As an adult, I remember it fondly.

I recently learned about the prophet Jonah. Everyone probably knows that Jonah was swallowed by a whale but the Bible calls it a huge fish. I never knew the importance of Jonah’s experience until now. God wanted Jonah to go to a city called Nineveh and tell the idol worshipping people about God, but Jonah was afraid of the violent people who lived there. Instead he got on a ship and sailed in the opposite direction. A storm came, he went overboard and spent three days inside a huge fish and then was vomited out.

Jonah agreed to go to Nineveh and preach about God. He told the people that the entire city would be destroyed in 40 days if the people didn’t repent. The people believed Jonah and the king ordered all the people and even the animals to fast and wear sack cloth in atonement for their sins. The city was spared and Jonah was angry.

Jonah had wanted these evil people destroyed for all the sins they had committed but God didn’t. God forgave his children. Jonah knew God was a loving, compassionate father, but he still wanted these awful people of Nineveh punished. The lesson here is important to share.

To truly to forgive someone who has harmed us, means we want the best for them. From my experience that only happens through prayer. I know I have said I forgive someone and still hoped their evil tongue would be covered with blisters. That is wanting punishment in exchange for my forgiveness. God educated Jonah and through him, educates us. It takes a lot of praying for this to happen, but it is worth it.

Jonah’s story is much more than being swallowed by a big fish.

The Student Teaches a Lesson

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Life’s lessons are found in surprising places.

Daylisha was an eighth grade student of mine. She was loud and full of energy. I knew when she was headed for the classroom. She wasn’t a dedicated student, but she did her work. She graduated from high school and unfortunately got into drugs. She also had a baby boy that changed her life. Today she works with people who are trying to become drug free. Daylisha is a success story.

You might be asking how did she accomplish this? The answer is God. She turned to him and asked for help. That is one lesson to learn. Many of us continue to worry and struggle to find a solution to a problem and forget to ask for God’s guidance. He tells us to bring our problems to him. Daylisha did and still does.

Last week Daylisha posted on Facebook that she had broken her ankle and sprained the other one. Her response was that she was thankful to only have broken one ankle. This young woman has a job and a son to care for and she’s thanking God that she only broke one ankle! I thought I’d probably be saying, God, you better send a lot of rain because I won’t be able to water my garden now! That clearly is a complaint and a weak plea for help.

In the Bible, ( Thessalonians 5:16-18) we read to rejoice always , pray without ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances. Daylisha reminded me of this verse. Give thanks in all circumstances.