Supporting Those Who Matter

 With all that is happening in our world,

it has perhaps escaped your attention,

but there are only 45 days left until Christmas!

I am actually looking forward to the holidays this year.

I'm not entirely sure why,

but some years are just different than others.

(Source)

We don't go over the top with decorations,

and we don't spend a lot on gifts.

It's more about the feeling~

the merriness and closeness of family

and kindness of community.

That's where I'm really going with this.

(It really isn't to freak you out about shopping days left.) 😊

Regardless of your opinion on the larger situations,

we've been pushed to do more shopping online.

There are a couple of very important things that happen

when this sort of purchase occurs.

The first is easily seen, and you may or may not care,

but everything you purchase is tracked.

There is a part of me that really doesn't care 

if the big-wigs know that I bought a package of quilting needles,

but there is a morsel within me that is rather creeped-out by it.

Thing two is that the communal connection that typically happens

between a merchant and customer is severed.

It's not impossible,

but how many times have you avoided a shop 

because "they are rude in there" 

or you purposely try a store first because they are so nice and helpful?

This year more then ever,

small businesses and independent craftsmen & women

need your support.

As I stated above, we don't do a lot of shopping,

but I have made a special effort this year

even with my online purchases to support "little folks."

Most of the events that usually take place before Christmas

have been canceled this year.

I know from years past that many of those vendors

rely on that "extra" income.

If you already know area craftsmen that you like to support,

you might reach out and ask if they have any inventory on hand.

My guess is they do.

If you are on social media and can ask for area vendors

to post a couple pictures of their wares,

even if you don't purchase the items,

others will see and possibly lead to a sale.  

This exhibits a kindness and caring on your part

and gratitude on their part

which strengthens your community.

Community is so important!

It's something that has taken a huge hit this year.

Neighbors are being pitted against one another,

and barriers raised both internally and externally.

If we each do our part,

even from a distance, 

our neighbors and community will know we care.

And that we care

is what is most important.

Especially as we near Christmas~

the day we celebrate because He cared enough to send His son.

Merry blessings to you all.

PS~ If you are an independent craftsperson,

I'd like to invite you to leave a way to reach you

in the comments.

For security sake, please leave a search name

so people can find you rather than a link.

 

 

A Happy Turn of Events

 Have you ever experienced a sequence of events

that just seemed to be set in place by a Higher Authority?

A few weeks back, I stopped in at an "estate sale."

I have that in quotations because it was really sketchy a yard sale.

I browsed around and actually found a couple things.

(No shock there.)

As I was looking over the tables where the books were,

I noticed a pile of letters so picked them up.

The dates were from 1919 thru 1943

which of course sparked my interest,

but what really intrigued me was the name on the envelopes.

I thought maybe it could be a variation of a family name on my mom's side.

So I ended up getting the letters.

The first thing I did was put them in order.

Most were from L.

In 1919-20, they were "courting letters" from her to her eventual husband C.

Those were innocent and entertaining,

but evidently held a place in C's heart as he kept them

to be read by me 100 years later.

Then came the later letters during the first part of WWII.

These were primarily from L to E,

the son of C and L.

(Hope that's not too confusing, but I don't feel right sharing the names.)

E was 17 turning 18 years old and had been sent to work on a farm

in order to be deferred from the draft.

He was at first homesick, but soon met a girl and bought a car

so was then otherwise distracted :-)

Through the letters, I learned that there was also a younger sister, Y.

I wasn't very far into the letters before I tried looking up some of the names.

Due to the dates, I knew C and L would be gone

so looked up E.

He passed in the 90's.

So I looked up Y.  She died as a young wife and mother in a car accident.

I then went back to E and read his obituary to see if he had any children.

The only survivor listed was his wife B.

Sooo, I looked up B.

I was stunned to find she had passed away

less than a week prior to me acquiring the letters.

My heart sank.

Her obituary listed no survivors, 

but it did state the funeral home that was handling the arrangements.

I called the funeral parlor and explained to a very nice lady

what I had and that if there was family that was interested,

I would like to give the letters to their rightful owners.

I didn't hear anything for a couple weeks

and thought maybe there were no heirs or if there were, they didn't care.

Then I got a call from "Don" who is a son of E and B.

He said who he was, and I was thrilled.

It was a couple of days before we could coordinate to get the letters delivered.

In those couple days I corresponded with Don's wife a little.

They were curious since they didn't even know the letters existed.

They were trying to figure out how they went from "Grandma and Grampa"

to a yard sale to me.

The only thing they came up with was that

C's brother and sister-in-law lived with them at the end of their lives.

After both C and L had passed and then the brother,

the S-I-L (Don's aunt) was left in the big ol' house alone.

When she moved, she must have had a yard sale

or just put them in a dumpster which someone pulled from.

I learned that the name was indeed a variation of our family name.

The story is that there were 5 brothers who got in an argument

and changed their names so they weren't the same.

I delivered the letters to Don.

He was a rather dry character, but he had just lost his mom

so I'm certainly not judging there.

There were a couple other letters in with the lot from L's father and brother 

which would be Don's great grandfather and great uncle.

I haven't heard from them since I delivered them which is fine.

I can't express how good it felt to deliver them.

Something in me feels like L was nudging the circumstances.

On a historical note:

It was interesting to read about some of the things 

that were going on during the early years of the war.

There was less rubber in her corslet as she called it.

They couldn't get a suitcase because leather was in short supply.

She and E must have had a sweet tooth.

She would make him cookies and candy,

but almost begged for sugar rations from him and her in-laws :-)

There were funny bits about cars and dresses etc.

It was fun to read "ironed a whole dishpan of sprinkled clothes."

Overall, it was just an overall blessing.

I know one more little tid-bit about our family tree

as well as everyday morsels of life in the past,

and the letters are back with their family.

Hope each of you has a blessed day~