The Powerful Lesson I Learned the Day Our Dog Went Missing.......
.TNT:
Mot: The Powerful Lesson I Learned the Day Our Dog Went Missing ...
Janene Dutt: · February 18, 2022 ·
I will never forget the day our sweet, beloved Labrador Charlie went missing. It was totally my fault. It was me who let him out. Me, who got distracted by the million things moms get distracted with, me who just plain forgot about him.
With the chaos of my kids and their friends coming and going on a Saturday, it was hours before anyone realized he was gone. And then I saw it. Charlie’s collar, lying on the table, which I had foolishly taken off of him the night before.
I panicked almost immediately. We live in an area surrounded by dense woods, where packs of coyotes roam regularly. Not only did he have an hours long head start, if someone did find him, they would have no idea how to contact us.
TNT:
Mot: The Powerful Lesson I Learned the Day Our Dog Went Missing ...
Janene Dutt: · February 18, 2022 ·
I will never forget the day our sweet, beloved Labrador Charlie went missing. It was totally my fault. It was me who let him out. Me, who got distracted by the million things moms get distracted with, me who just plain forgot about him.
With the chaos of my kids and their friends coming and going on a Saturday, it was hours before anyone realized he was gone. And then I saw it. Charlie’s collar, lying on the table, which I had foolishly taken off of him the night before.
I panicked almost immediately. We live in an area surrounded by dense woods, where packs of coyotes roam regularly. Not only did he have an hours long head start, if someone did find him, they would have no idea how to contact us.
My husband, kids, and myself took off in three different directions, by foot and by car. We combed the roads and trails, calling for him, to no avail.
I texted a neighbor to be on the lookout for him, and within minutes, she had posted Charlie’s photo on a local Facebook page, alerting people he was missing.
I called my friend, who before I could even finish my sentence, said “We’re on our way.” She, her husband, and three kids descended upon our neighborhood in a matter of minutes.
Driving along a road, I saw two boys, classmates of my daughter, heading down their driveway on bicycles. I was about to ask if they had seen a roaming dog, when they saw me and said, “We just heard. We’re going out to look for Charlie.”
Word spread quickly, and at one point, I ended up on the same road as my husband. I saw a young guy on a motorcycle pull up, speak with my husband, and speed off.
“Who was that?” I asked.
“No idea,” he said. “But he’s looking for Charlie.”
I felt my eyes well up with tears. A few tears of worry perhaps, but mostly, at that moment, they were tears of pure gratitude.
I was overwhelmed with emotion that we are lucky enough to live in a community where people truly care, where neighbors help neighbors, where people are generous with the most valuable gift there is – the gift of their time.
And thanks to these wonderful people, Charlie was found before dark that day, tired from his big adventure, but none the worse for wear. How I wished that dogs could talk, I’m sure he’d love to tell us all about his brief life on the run.
A kind woman had seen my overly friendly boy wandering around her yard and seeing he had no collar, brought him into her home to keep him safe until she found where he belonged.
As I thanked everyone later that night, one of my neighbors said something that really struck a chord with me: “We will always rally for you.”
A simple, yet powerful statement. We should all have someone that will rally for us in a time of need. Sometimes, we are lucky enough to have many.
When we moved to this little island in the rural Pacific Northwest from suburban California a few years ago, we didn’t know a single soul. We left behind close family and longtime friends. I honestly didn’t know if I could ever call a place with no family around, “home”.
I remember fighting back tears in the school office the day I registered my kids, because I literally didn’t know anyone I could put down under “Emergency Contact”. I had never felt so far from home.
But I realized something the day Charlie went missing.
Home can be many things…it can be where you grew up, and it can be where your family is.
And sometimes, home is simply the place where people have your back.
The place where people will rally for you.
History of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and U.S. Currency
.History of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and U.S. Currency
The BEP had its foundations in 1862 with workers signing, separating, and trimming sheets of United States Notes in the Treasury building. Gradually, more and more work, including engraving and printing, was entrusted to the organization.
Within a few years, the BEP was producing Fractional Currency, revenue stamps, government obligations, and other security documents for many federal agencies. In 1877, the BEP became the sole producer of all United States currency. The addition of postage stamp production to its workload in 1894 established the BEP as the nation's security printer, responding to the needs of the U.S. government in both times of peace and war.
History of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and U.S. Currency
The BEP had its foundations in 1862 with workers signing, separating, and trimming sheets of United States Notes in the Treasury building. Gradually, more and more work, including engraving and printing, was entrusted to the organization.
Within a few years, the BEP was producing Fractional Currency, revenue stamps, government obligations, and other security documents for many federal agencies. In 1877, the BEP became the sole producer of all United States currency. The addition of postage stamp production to its workload in 1894 established the BEP as the nation's security printer, responding to the needs of the U.S. government in both times of peace and war.
Today, the BEP no longer produces government obligations or postage stamps, but it still holds the honor of being the largest producer of government security documents with production facilities in Washington, DC, and in Fort Worth, Texas.
The centrality of the BEP to the financial, monetary, postal, and printing developments of the United States since the Civil War has made it a repository of numerous invaluable historic items. At the same time, the BEP's history reflects and provides a unique perspective on the development of modern America.
These facts have long been recognized by the BEP, which is devoted to the preservation and exploration of its own past. Some of the work of the curatorial, archival, and historical efforts of the BEP and its Historical Resource Center (HRC) is presented on this website.
Colonial Notes 1690
The Massachusetts Bay Colony, one of the 13 original colonies, issues the first paper money to cover costs of military expeditions. The practice of issuing paper notes spread to the other colonies.
Franklin's Unique Counterfeit Deterrent 1739
Benjamin Franklin's printing firm in Philadelphia prints colonial notes with nature prints--unique raised impressions of patterns cast from actual leaves. This process added an innovative and effective counterfeit deterrent to notes, not completely understood until centuries later.
Continental Currency 1775
The Continental Congress issues paper currency to finance the Revolutionary War. Continental currency was denominated in Spanish milled dollars. Without solid backing and easily counterfeited, the notes quickly lost their value, giving rise to the phrase "not worth a Continental."
Monetary System 1792
The Coinage Act of 1792 creates the U.S. Mint and establishes a federal monetary system, sets denominations for coins, and specifies the value of each coin in gold, silver, or copper.
Greenbacks 1861
The first general circulation of paper money by the federal government occurs. Pressed to finance the Civil War, Congress authorizes the U.S. Treasury to issue non-interest-bearing Demand Notes. All U.S. currency issued since 1861 remains valid and redeemable at full face value.
To continue reading, please go to the original article here:
How To Avoid Being Scammed This Valentine’s Day
.How To Avoid Being Scammed This Valentine’s Day
Posted: February 7, 2022 by Jovi Umawing
With Valentine’s Day approaching, you can be sure that the scammers will want to take advantage of lovebirds everywhere. From romance scams and sextortion, to fake dating sites and phishing campaigns, here’s how to avoid a sting in the tail this Valentine’s Day.
Romance scams
Stories of online romance scams are abundant on the internet. And with COVID-19 having forced everyone to stay home much more and not meet in real life, it’s no wonder that reports of these sorts of scams have significantly increased since the start of the pandemic. LINK
So whether you meet someone on a dating site or social media, here are some common red flags to look out for:
How To Avoid Being Scammed This Valentine’s Day
Posted: February 7, 2022 by Jovi Umawing
With Valentine’s Day approaching, you can be sure that the scammers will want to take advantage of lovebirds everywhere. From romance scams and sextortion, to fake dating sites and phishing campaigns, here’s how to avoid a sting in the tail this Valentine’s Day.
Romance scams
Stories of online romance scams are abundant on the internet. And with COVID-19 having forced everyone to stay home much more and not meet in real life, it’s no wonder that reports of these sorts of scams have significantly increased since the start of the pandemic. LINK
So whether you meet someone on a dating site or social media, here are some common red flags to look out for:
Their profile and picture seem too good to be true.
They profess their love very quickly.
They share a lot about themselves—often personal stuff—in the first meeting.
They claim to be overseas and cannot stay in one place for long.
They try to lure you from whatever platform you are on to talk to you via email or video chat.
They claim to need money for something, such as to help their friends or family, repatriation, or something else entirely.
How to avoid romance scams:
Don’t give scammers the information they need. Scammers rely on what you volunteer about yourself online to tweak their script and lure you in.
Do an image search of the photo and the name of the person you’re in touch with. Scammers often steal someone else’s image to use as bait.
Go slow. Scammers tend to rush, building rapport with their victims as quickly as possible to fleece them of their money as equally quickly.
If they encourage you to invest in something—be suspicious. Start digging around online about the company that, they say, is worth investing in. Never send them money.
Follow your gut instinct. If something feels off, cut off contact immediately and report your experience to the police, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), and the dating or social media site where you met the scammer.
To continue reading, please go to the original article here: LINK
"Bits and Pieces" Posted by Mot at TNT ~ Enjoy
.TNT:
Mot: Do you remember the movie, Forrest Gump? I can still remember seeing it at the movie theaters and marveling over how smart he was, even though he considered himself to be ‘stupid’.
He certainly did capture the hearts of many people and most of us still enjoy watching that movie, even down till this day. We can often associate ourselves with Forest in some way or another, which is why this little joke is so hilarious. It shows what happens when our beloved Forest goes to heaven and is faced with answering 3 questions. What would he say? Read the joke to find out:
Forest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter himself. The gates are closed, however, and Forest approaches the gatekeeper.
Saint Peter says, “Well, Forest, it’s certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must inform you that the place is filling up fast, and we’ve been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The tests are fairly short, but you need to pass before you can get into Heaven.”
TNT:
Mot: Do you remember the movie, Forrest Gump? I can still remember seeing it at the movie theaters and marveling over how smart he was, even though he considered himself to be ‘stupid’.
He certainly did capture the hearts of many people and most of us still enjoy watching that movie, even down till this day. We can often associate ourselves with Forest in some way or another, which is why this little joke is so hilarious. It shows what happens when our beloved Forest goes to heaven and is faced with answering 3 questions. What would he say? Read the joke to find out:
Forest Gump dies and goes to Heaven. He is met at the Pearly Gates by Saint Peter himself. The gates are closed, however, and Forest approaches the gatekeeper.
Saint Peter says, “Well, Forest, it’s certainly good to see you. We have heard a lot about you. I must inform you that the place is filling up fast, and we’ve been administering an entrance examination for everyone. The tests are fairly short, but you need to pass before you can get into Heaven.”
Forest responds, “It shore is good to be here Saint Peter. I was looking forward to this. Nobody ever told me about any entrance exams. Shore hope the test ain’t too hard; life was a big enough test as it was.”
Saint Peter goes on, “Yes, I know Forest. But, the test I have for you is only three questions.
First: What days of the week begin with the letter ‘T’?
Second, how many seconds are there in a year?
Third, what is God’s first name?”
Forest goes away to think the questions over.
He returns the next day and goes up to Saint Peter to try to answer the exam questions. Saint Peter waves him up and asks, “Now that you have had a chance to think the questions over, tell me your answers.”
Forest says, “Well, the first one, – how many days of the week begin with the letter ‘T’? Shucks, that one’s easy; that’d be Today and Tomorrow !”
The saint’s eyes open wide and he exclaims, “Forest! That’s not what I was thinking, but … you do have a point though, and I guess I didn’t specify, so I give you credit for that answer.”
“How about the next one,” says Saint Peter, “how many seconds in a year?”
“Now that one’s harder,” says Forest. “But, I thunk and thunk about that, and I guess the only answer can be twelve.”
Astounded, Saint Peter says, “Twelve! Twelve! Forest, how in Heaven’s name could you come up with twelve seconds in a year?”
Forest says, “Shucks, there gotta be twelve: January second, February second, March second…..”
“Hold it,” interrupts Saint Peter. “I see where you’re going with it. And I guess I see your point, though that wasn’t quite what I had in mind. I’ll give you credit for that one too.”
“Let’s go on with the next and final question,” says Saint Peter, “Can you tell me God’s first name?”
Forest says, “Well shore, I know God’s first name. Everbody probably knows it. It’s Andy.”
“Andy?!” exclaimed an exasperated and frustrated St. Peter. “Ok, I can understand how you came up with your answers to my first two questions, but just how in the world did you come up with the name Andy as the first name of God?”
“Shucks, that was the easiest one of all,” Forrest replied.
“I learnt it from the song. . . . “ANDY WALKS WITH ME, ANDY TALKS WITH ME, ANDY TELLS ME I AM HIS OWN. . . .”
St. Peter opened the Pearly Gates and said: “Run Forrest, run.”
************
Mot: My dad has bees. Today I went to his house and he showed me all of the honey he had gotten from the hives. He took the lid off of a 5 gallon bucket full of honey and on top of the honey there were 3 little bees, struggling. They were covered in sticky honey and drowning. I asked him if we could help them and he said he was sure they wouldn't survive. Casualties of honey collection I suppose.
I asked him again if we could at least get them out and kill them quickly, after all he was the one who taught me to put a suffering animal (or bug) out of its misery. He finally conceded and scooped the bees out of the bucket. He put them in an empty Chobani yogurt container and put the plastic container outside.
Because he had disrupted the hive with the earlier honey collection, there were bees flying all over outside.
We put the 3 little bees in the container on a bench and left them to their fate. My dad called me out a little while later to show me what was happening. These three little bees were surrounded by all of their sisters (all of the bees are females) and they were cleaning the sticky nearly dead bees, helping them to get all of the honey off of their bodies. We came back a short time later and there was only one little bee left in the container. She was still being tended to by her sisters.
When it was time for me to leave we checked one last time and all three of the bees had been cleaned off enough to fly away and the container was empty.
Those three little bees lived because they were surrounded by family and friends who would not give up on them, family and friends who refused to let them drown in their own stickiness and resolved to help until the last little bee could be set free.
Bee Sisters. Bee Peers. Bee Teammates.
We could all learn a thing or two from these bees.
Bee kind always.
Mot: Awareness Tips when Raising the ""Wee Folks"" ~~ from Mot of Course! ~~~
Mot: -- Uh Oh!! ~~ Here We Go Again! ~~
Mot: Additonal Insight on When You Become Even More Seasoned! ~~~home
Note from Dinar Recaps
.Note From Dinar Recaps
Well, It has really been a long road for many of us and we want to thank all of our readers for sticking with us through thick and thin. We really hope we are almost there, but no one knows the exact timing…certainly not us at DR.
Many of you have emailed us asking us what they could expect to see on our site by way of an RV/GCR announcement once everything happens.
Several Intel Providers have referred their listener’s to our site to receive 800 numbers or secure links in order to make our exchange appointments. We would like to thank these Intel Providers for the confidence they place in us.
Note From Dinar Recaps
Well, It has really been a long road for many of us and we want to thank all of our readers for sticking with us through thick and thin. We really hope we are almost there, but no one knows the exact timing…certainly not us at DR.
Many of you have emailed us asking us what they could expect to see on our site by way of an RV/GCR announcement once everything happens.
Several Intel Providers have referred their listener’s to our site to receive 800 numbers or secure links in order to make our exchange appointments. We would like to thank these Intel Providers for the confidence they place in us.
A few intel Providers have been told by bankers that they will be sending Dinar Recaps and other Dinar Websites this information to publish (or possibly email out). We hope this is true, but have not been told directly by any bank.
A reminder, EVERYTHING posted on the Dinar Recaps website, emails, or other related social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) are what OTHERS are saying. NOTHING is from Dinar Recaps.
As of right now, we plan on posting exchange information and protocol’s that we are allowed to post by groups and banking institutions. This will include exchange numbers and links that we are allowed to post for all of our readers when it is “time”.
We could also be posting the exchange tips and other pertinent info from others that could prove helpful and valuable to our readers….if allowed to.
Warning or advise to all…it is very important that EVERYONE does their own research and consult professionals to find out what is best for THEIR own circumstance or situation. Just because something is posted at Dinar Recaps does not mean it is the best option for YOU.
At this time we have not been informed of any details or information of what we will or will not be allowed to post.
We think we will get that information as soon as the event happens.
We at Dinar Recaps are currency holders like yourselves. So, IF we all have to sign NDA’s at our exchange appointments it is unclear what we will be allowed to post (if anything) after we conclude our appointments (or even if the website should be kept open.)
Online now, on our website we have our ADVICE and POST RV categories with helpful posts.
Again, we want to thank you all for your readership throughout the years of bringing you the latest in News, Rumors and Opinions from “Dinarland”. We have always posted what we have been reading from all the others in “Dinarland”.
Thank you again to all of the Intel Providers and News Hounds for all their time and research over the years.
As for a RV Announcement post- we do plan to have our website top picture being fireworks. As well as emailing all the people who are on our daily newsletter EMAIL LIST.
The Dinar Recaps Team
Dinar Recaps has NO further information about exchanging now, or in the future. DO NOT email Recaps with any exchange questions. EVERYTHING we have now is posted on the website, and/or posted on our POST RV Page online
Happy New Year from Dinar Recaps 2022
All of us at Dinar Recaps wish all of our readers a
Happy and Healthy New Year.
May all your dreams and wishes come true in the New Year.
Due to the holiday, we plan to have new posts off and on Friday and Saturday. Please check our BLOG PAGE for any new posts.
On New Years Eve (Friday) we plan to have 10am and 6pm (ET) email Newsletters.
On Saturday New Years Day, we plan to have a 11am (ET) and 6pm email Newsletter.
Please scroll down for new posts.
All of us at Dinar Recaps wish all of our readers a
Happy and Healthy New Year.
May all your dreams and wishes come true in the New Year.
Due to the holiday, we plan to have new posts off and on Friday and Saturday. Please check our BLOG PAGE for any new posts.
On New Years Eve we plan to have 10am and 6pm (ET) email Newsletters.
On Saturday New Years Day, we plan to have a 11am (ET) and 6pm email Newsletter.
Please scroll down for new posts.
Picture from https://www.happynewyearall.com/
Merry Christmas from The Dinar Recaps Team
Please scroll down for new posts.
All of us at Dinar Recaps would like to wish all our Readers a Very Merry Christmas.
We wish that all your dreams and wishes come true this coming year.
Due to the holiday, we plan to have new posts off and on Friday and Saturday. Please check our BLOG PAGE for all new posts.
On Christmas Day we plan to have 11am and 6pm (ET) email Newsletters.
Have a happy and safe holiday. The Dinar Recaps Team
Please scroll down for new posts.
All of us at Dinar Recaps would like to wish all our Readers a Very Merry Christmas.
We wish that all your dreams and wishes come true this coming year.
Due to the holiday, we plan to have new posts off and on Friday and Saturday. Please check our BLOG PAGE for all new posts.
On Christmas Day we plan to have 11am and 6pm (ET) email Newsletters.
Have a happy and safe holiday. The Dinar Recaps Team
Picture from Viktor Hanacek at Picjumbo.com
The Little White Envelope
.TNT:
Mot: THE LITTLE WHITE ENVELOPE:
"It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. Oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it – overspending and the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma – the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.
Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
TNT:
Mot: THE LITTLE WHITE ENVELOPE:
"It's just a small, white envelope stuck among the branches of our Christmas tree. No name, no identification, no inscription. It has peeked through the branches of our tree for the past ten years.
It all began because my husband Mike hated Christmas. Oh, not the true meaning of Christmas, but the commercial aspects of it – overspending and the frantic running around at the last minute to get a tie for Uncle Harry and the dusting powder for Grandma – the gifts given in desperation because you couldn't think of anything else.
Knowing he felt this way, I decided one year to bypass the usual shirts, sweaters, ties and so forth. I reached for something special just for Mike. The inspiration came in an unusual way.
Our son Kevin, who was 12 that year, was on the wrestling team at the school he attended. Shortly before Christmas, there was a non-league match against a team sponsored by an inner-city church. These youngsters, dressed in sneakers so ragged that shoestrings seemed to be the only thing holding them together, presented a sharp contrast to our boys in their spiffy blue and gold uniforms and sparkling new wrestling shoes.
As the match began, I was alarmed to see that the other team was wrestling without headgear, a kind of light helmet designed to protect a wrestler's ears. It was a luxury the ragtag team obviously could not afford.
Well, we ended up walloping them. We took every weight class. Mike, seated beside me, shook his head sadly, "I wish just one of them could have won," he said. "They have a lot of potential, but losing like this could take the heart right out of them." Mike loved kids – all kids. He so enjoyed coaching little league football, baseball and lacrosse. That's when the idea for his present came.
That afternoon, I went to a local sporting goods store and bought an assortment of wrestling headgear and shoes, and sent them anonymously to the inner-city church. On Christmas Eve, I placed a small, white envelope on the tree, the note inside telling Mike what I had done, and that this was his gift from me.
Mike's smile was the brightest thing about Christmas that year. And that same bright smile lit up succeeding years. For each Christmas, I followed the tradition – one year sending a group of mentally handicapped youngsters to a hockey game, another year a check to a pair of elderly brothers whose home had burned to the ground the week before Christmas, and on and on.
The white envelope became the highlight of our Christmas. It was always the last thing opened on Christmas morning, and our children – ignoring their new toys – would stand with wide-eyed anticipation as their dad lifted the envelope from the tree to reveal its contents. As the children grew, the toys gave way to more practical presents, but the small, white envelope never lost its allure.
The story doesn't end there. You see, we lost Mike last year due to dreaded cancer. When Christmas rolled around, I was still so wrapped in grief that I barely got the tree up. But Christmas Eve found me placing an envelope on the tree. And the next morning, I found it was magically joined by three more. Unbeknownst to the others, each of our three children had for the first time placed a white envelope on the tree for their dad. The tradition has grown and someday will expand even further with our grandchildren standing to take down that special envelope.
Mike's spirit, like the Christmas spirit will always be with us."
For the Man Who Hated Christmas
(A true Christmas Story by Nancy W. Gavin, December 2015)
At a Gas Station on a Cold Christmas Eve............
.A NEW CHRISTMAS STORY . . .This story is better than any greeting card.
The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been
anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to
him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate.
He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last
hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless
man stepped through.
Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his
customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank
you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy,
I'll just go."
"Not without something hot in your belly." George said.
A NEW CHRISTMAS STORY . . .This story is better than any greeting card.
The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been
anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to
him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate.
He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last
hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless
man stepped through.
Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his
customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank
you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy,
I'll just go."
"Not without something hot in your belly." George said.
He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger.
"It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're
done, there's coffee and it's fresh."
Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me,
be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy.
Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you
help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with
child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block
looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead.
"You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.
"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George
as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old
truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the
garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was
waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever
looked at, but she runs real good."
George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into
the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the
truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George
thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos
was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he
got something in his belly," George thought.
George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It
cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the
truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do.
Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't
cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can
fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on.
"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the
snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't
going to drive the car anyway.
As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a
police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left
shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."
George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had
received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention.
"Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been
there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct
tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said,
trying to make the policeman feel at ease.
"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for
his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the
policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."
The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there
talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone
into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.
He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the
officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the
area."
George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the
Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check
for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya.
Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your
gonna be right as rain."
George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked.
"None for me," said the officer.
"Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no
donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.
The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun.
"Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was
shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this
before.
"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.
"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon
away. Somebody else might get hurt."
The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now
give me the cash!"
The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to
the cop, "we got one too many in here now."
He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you
need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that
pea shooter away."
George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man,
reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released
his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good
at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he
went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last
week."
George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now
and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we
can."
He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from
the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup
of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in
here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort
this thing out."
The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot
you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer."
"Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said.
George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an
ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn.
"Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.
"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"
"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the
other cop asked as he approached the young man.
Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just
dropped his gun and ran."
George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.
"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued.
"Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."
The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man
leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"
Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks
for everything."
"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve
some of your problems."
George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a
ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha
would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."
The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw.
"I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."
"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories.
That's all I need."
George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared
next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's
something for that little man of yours."
The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old
man had handed him earlier.
"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that
too," George said. "Now git home to your family."
The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in
the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."
"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."
George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you
come from? I thought you left?"
"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say
you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"
"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother
was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin'
cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and
besides I was gettin' a little chubby."
The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the
holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold
and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great
doctor.
The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by
terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and
not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it
as good as any man."
George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know
all this?" asked the old man.
"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when
your days are done you will be with Martha again."
The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have
to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."
George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the
stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill
the room.
"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."
George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, Lord Jesus"
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!
"Christmas 1881" Posted by Mot at TNT
Mot: Christmas 1881
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their
means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were
genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him
that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.
It was Christmas Eve, 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the
world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy
me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that
night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we
could read in the Bible.
Mot: Christmas 1881
Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their
means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were
genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him
that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.
It was Christmas Eve, 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the
world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy
me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that
night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we
could read in the Bible.
After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the
fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling
sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read
Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and
went outside.
I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the
chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in
self-pity.
Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in
his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out
tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for
Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason
that I could see.
We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of
anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I
knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them
to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat,
and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave
the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the
work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going
to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We
never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was
already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him.
The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy.
When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of
the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high
sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a
bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever
it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.
After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came
out with an armload of wood - the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down
from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing?
Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" "You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or
so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure,
I'd been by, but so what? Yeah," I said, "Why?"
"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in
the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt." That
was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for
another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I
began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it.
Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house
and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and
told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying
a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in
his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked. Shoes, they're out of
shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he
was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy
too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to
think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards.
Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was
still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split
before we could use it.
We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that,
but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and
candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer
neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as
quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door.
We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?"
"Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt... could we come in for a bit?"
Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped
around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting
in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat
at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.
"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of
flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had
the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out, one pair
at a time.
There was a pair for her and one for each of the children -
sturdy shoes, the best... shoes that would last. I watched her carefully.
She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her
eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she
wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out.
"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said,
"Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size
and heat this place up."
I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had
a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears
in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around
the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her
cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak.
My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before, filled my
soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had
made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of
these people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids
started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen
looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long
time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the
Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send
one of his angels to spare us."
In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up
in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but
after Widow Jensen mentioned it, I could see that it was probably true. I
was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started
remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many
others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.
Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed
when they all fit, and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then
I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord, that the Lord would make
sure he got the right sizes.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to
leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. ... They
clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their
Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to
invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey
will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if
he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about
eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here,
hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest... my two
brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away.
Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to
say, may the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't
even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said,
"Matt, I want you to know something. Your Ma and me have been tucking a
little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for
you, but we didn't have quite enough.
Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your Ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a
little candy for those children. I hope you understand."
I understood alright... and my eyes became wet with tears again. I
understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle
seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He
had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her
three children.
For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a
block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I
felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a
rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.
Don't be too busy today... share this inspiring message. Merry Christmas
and God bless you!
Happy Thanksgiving from Dinar Recaps
All of us at Dinar Recaps wishes all our readers a Happy Thanksgiving. Stay safe and healthy.
Note: we will not be doing a 10pm ET email Newsletter today, Thursday.
Our 6pm Newsletter will likely be sent around 7pm (ET).
Please check our BLOG PAGE throughout the day for any new posts.
All of us at Dinar Recaps wishes all our readers a Happy Thanksgiving. Stay safe and healthy.
Note: we will not be doing a 10pm ET email Newsletter today, Thursday.
Our 6pm Newsletter will likely be sent around 7pm (ET).
Please check our BLOG PAGE throughout the day for any new posts.
