YOU ARE NOT THAT a poem from the archives by (me!) sandra, tvgp
originally written/posted, nov 25th, 2008
YOU ARE NOT THAT
you are not your pretty face
you are not your scars
y0u are not the house you keep
you are not your car
you are not your business card
your illness or your health
you are a cherished child of God
ever green, beloved.
you are not what others think
based on current trends
you are loved, day in, day out
on purpose, without end
if they stuck you in a mud pit
or covered you in jewels
or plopped you in a foreign land
without any foreign tools
if they placed you on a pedestal
then kicked you off for fun
none of this
is who you are
in the eyes of God.
you are not your ignorance
and you are not your knowledge
you are a cherished child of God
ever green, beloved.
~sandra, tvgp
"SHE'S DONE IT AGAIN!" (catherine teeter!)
so, how i see people..
how i view people.. is to notice what their God-given gifts, talents, passions are
and it has always been very obvious to me, that one of the many gifts my friend catherine has been blessed with, is an amazing passion and talent for planning, organizing, hostessing, and throwing wonderful parties!
friendship parties.. birthday parties.. tea parties.. craft parties.. girl's night out parties.. mom's night out parties.. dinner/movie..
the list is long!
and every celebration, without fail, has it's own particular charm, unique
theme, inspired activity.
and i've said all of that before, i know, but i am repeating myself because, "she's done it again!"
this year, for christmas: ladies christmas craft party
and true to her entertaining nature, she had the most delicious selection of appetizers and desserts.. i cannot name them all, but from gourmet cheese, crackers, to shrimp cocktail, to.. sinfully delicious chocolate/mint brownies, pumpkin spice bread...
apple ciders, red or white wines...
everything displayed in and on beautiful servingware.. inside her home which is entirely beautiful throughout the year, but down write enchanting during the holidays, with their christmas tree up, and hand-made decorations adorning the fireplace mantle, a table-top here, an end-table there
it is impossible not to experience genuine christmas spirit in the environment she creates.
and just look what we each got to make! totally charming block christmas tree's decorations
she had a craft station set up for each one of us at the dinning room table -each person with a glue-gun, glue-sticks, a bag of blocks, a tuperware container full of holiday themed miniatures, a red base, and a cone
d-shaped foam foundation to glue the blocks around
if i were to define joy, it would be exactly this: sitting around this table, with this great group of women/mommy friends, talking, sharing, drinking wine while creating these darling decorations.
heaven.
and several of catherine's friends are familiar to me now as friends, having seen and gotten to know them over the years at her variety of social gathering..
and then this year, -there was this new face.. and yet very familiar face..
you've all had it happen, haven't you: "i know you... i've met you before.. but i don't know where from..."
i offered up my usual.. "lived in pleasanton 15 years, ... kids at this school and that school... i attend centerpointe.. work at creative imaging.."
and she offered up her
i live here, have kids there, work here..
but nothing was registering.
so of course, as we sat next to one another at the craft table.. in and out and in between conversations, i'd be trying to place where and when i met her...
we both agreed we had met each other in more than just a passing way
"it has to be through my sister then," i insisted, "karin montgomery.." -and then i offered up all her places of employment.. family connections, places of work and play..
nothing still.
and then, -thank you God- as we were talking kids, i mentioned my jack, and that name rang a bell with her
and then we realized.. or actually,
she realized and i was delighted to confirm
that our children attended sonshine pre-school together... and not only that! but her adorable daughter, abbie, was in one of the craft classes i hosted at the pre-school, and i had asked her and her husband permission to place their daughter's picture on my
magtimeframes.com website
in fact, it remains there today! have you ever seen a sweeter child?!
joy to the world again! -so happy (and relieved!) to figure out how they heck we knew each other.
and still another connection was made with another of the mom's, thank you to a mutual friend at creative imaging..
these connections...
icing on the cakes catherine makes..
or better said, -like, the charming toppers on our block christmas trees
the great final touch!
***
"catherine.. thank you! again, so much for another great time, another great memory! -so grateful to count you a beloved friend.."
merry christmas! happy new year! love, ~s.
***
in group picture
back row left to write: michele melvin, catherine teeter, marianne ottaway, holly maestas
front row left to write: joanne palia, corri cooper, myself, joanna carney
