Snow showers in April bring us the month of May. Soon it will be the month of May - an exciting month of the year. A month of wonders. The amazing beauty and mystery of this world wraps itself into May. May is family month. There are the Mother's Day celebrations, graduations, and the May flowers help us celebrate and also honor the dead on loved ones graves. The beauty and drama of this world entwines the whole month of May. The first Thursday in May is National Day of Prayer. The entire month of April has been "Pray USA," and people everywhere have become more aware of the power of intercessory prayer. A National Day of Prayer has been an American tradition since the Continental Congress first declared its need for Godly wisdom in 1775. Then in 1952, Congress passed a joint resolution establishing an official day of prayer. The law was amended in 1988, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday in May. This year, one of the speakers in Washington DC will be Dr. John C. Maxwell. It was my privilege to attend a prayer seminar he presented recently in Houston, Texas. He is the author of the book "Partners in Prayer." His life was changed when a stranger came to him and stated, "John, I believe God has called me, a lay man, to disciple, encourage, and pray for pastors. And the reason I came here today is so that I could pray for you." With those words, John Maxwell saw his agenda replaced by God's agenda. This stranger who felt the need to pray for this pastor fulfilled a need in Maxwell that he didn't even know he had. The results were very evident fourteen years later in the 3,500 member church the pastor served. Many people who have become partners in prayer have strengthened their prayer life and reap the benefits of the power of prayer. Warm Thoughts: If you pray for one another, you will be helped yourself. Yiddish proverb. For more of our nation's life is shaped by prayer than is formed by legislation. The single most important action contributing to whatever health and strength there is in our land is prayer. Eugene Peterson. May the month of May bring you many warm thoughts! Warm Thoughts from Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner Published in the Marion Record, April 24th, 1997. <a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie">Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.</a><a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book">Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.</a>I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to <a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/">visualbenedictions.com</a> or following me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/">Pinterest</a>. You can listen to the podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330">Apple Podcast,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw">Spotify,</a> <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts">Stitcher,</a> and <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts">Overcast.</a> And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.Till next time,Trina

<description>&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Snow showers in April bring us the month of May. Soon it will be the month of May - an exciting month of the year. A month of wonders. The amazing beauty and mystery of this world wraps itself into May. May is family month. There are the Mother's Day celebrations, graduations, and the May flowers help us celebrate and also honor the dead on loved ones graves. The beauty and drama of this world entwines the whole month of May. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;The first Thursday in May is National Day of Prayer. The entire month of April has been "Pray USA," and people everywhere have become more aware of the power of intercessory prayer. A National Day of Prayer has been an American tradition since the Continental Congress first declared its need for Godly wisdom in 1775. Then in 1952, Congress passed a joint resolution establishing an official day of prayer. The law was amended in 1988, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday in May. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;This year, one of the speakers in Washington DC will be Dr. John C. Maxwell. It was my privilege to attend a prayer seminar he presented recently in Houston, Texas. He is the author of the book "Partners in Prayer." His life was changed when a stranger came to him and stated, "John, I believe God has called me, a lay man, to disciple, encourage, and pray for pastors. And the reason I came here today is so that I could pray for you." With those words, John Maxwell saw his agenda replaced by God's agenda. This stranger who felt the need to pray for this pastor fulfilled a need in Maxwell that he didn't even know he had. The results were very evident fourteen years later in the 3,500 member church the pastor served. Many people who have become partners in prayer have strengthened their prayer life and reap the benefits of the power of prayer. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Warm Thoughts: If you pray for one another, you will be helped yourself. Yiddish proverb. For more of our nation's life is shaped by prayer than is formed by legislation. The single most important action contributing to whatever health and strength there is in our land is prayer. Eugene Peterson. May the month of May bring you many warm thoughts! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Warm Thoughts from Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Published in the Marion Record, April 24th, 1997.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie"&gt;Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book"&gt;Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to &lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/"&gt;visualbenedictions.com&lt;/a&gt; or following me on &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Pinterest&lt;/a&gt;. You can listen to the podcast on &lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330"&gt;Apple Podcast,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw"&gt;Spotify,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts"&gt;Stitcher,&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts"&gt;Overcast.&lt;/a&gt; And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Till next time,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Trina&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

"The single most important action contributing to whatever health and strength there is in our land is prayer."

Episode 223: Partners in Prayer

Easter joy! May all of you who read this column have a joyous Easter season. The day of Easter 1993 may be history, but the joy of that first Easter and the joy of every Easter sunrise service and every Easter celebration since that first Easter will live on and on. In my last column I shared some warm thoughts about Bethlehem and the plight to the Holy Land. If it were not for Easter, the season of Christmas would not be a celebration. Easter is truly a celebration of life. This past week, many people throughout the world celebrated the real reason for celebrating Easter. Many worshipped in their church, and some even traveled and made their pilgrimage to the Holy Land and walked the Via Dolorosa or the way of sorrows and traveled that road to Calvary. For many families, it was a time of loss and sorrow, but a time of growth as they share their grief. For many other families, it was a joyful time of being together and celebrating the season of Easter. Some schools experience spring break and holiday, and children especially appreciate this time of family togetherness. A survey was once taken and 1,500 children were asked this question, "What do you think makes a happy family?" We are so often surprised by the wisdom of children. They don't list money, cars, fine homes, or televisions. The answer they gave most frequently was "doing things together." And so we listen to the children. "I just love the stories my mom and dad tell me when I am tucked into my bed." "Singing together and going to church together as a family." "Vacation time when we can go to the hills." Yes, a time of togetherness. Perhaps as you think about celebrating family, you will agree with the results of the survey and listen to what the children in our lives are telling us. It is the time to celebrate Easter and new life and time to celebrate the family. A Warm Thought for the week: The greatest investment you can ever have is to spend time with your family. Have an Easter season filled with joy! Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner Published in the Canistota Clipper April 15th, 1993. <a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie">Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.</a><a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book">Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.</a>I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to <a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/">visualbenedictions.com</a> or following me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/">Pinterest</a>. You can listen to the podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330">Apple Podcast,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw">Spotify,</a> <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts">Stitcher,</a> and <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts">Overcast.</a> And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.Till next time,Trina

<description>&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Easter joy! May all of you who read this column have a joyous Easter season. The day of Easter 1993 may be history, but the joy of that first Easter and the joy of every Easter sunrise service and every Easter celebration since that first Easter will live on and on. In my last column I shared some warm thoughts about Bethlehem and the plight to the Holy Land. If it were not for Easter, the season of Christmas would not be a celebration. Easter is truly a celebration of life. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;This past week, many people throughout the world celebrated the real reason for celebrating Easter. Many worshipped in their church, and some even traveled and made their pilgrimage to the Holy Land and walked the Via Dolorosa or the way of sorrows and traveled that road to Calvary. For many families, it was a time of loss and sorrow, but a time of growth as they share their grief. For many other families, it was a joyful time of being together and celebrating the season of Easter. Some schools experience spring break and holiday, and children especially appreciate this time of family togetherness. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;A survey was once taken and 1,500 children were asked this question, "What do you think makes a happy family?" We are so often surprised by the wisdom of children. They don't list money, cars, fine homes, or televisions. The answer they gave most frequently was "doing things together." And so we listen to the children. "I just love the stories my mom and dad tell me when I am tucked into my bed." "Singing together and going to church together as a family." "Vacation time when we can go to the hills." Yes, a time of togetherness. Perhaps as you think about celebrating family, you will agree with the results of the survey and listen to what the children in our lives are telling us. It is the time to celebrate Easter and new life and time to celebrate the family. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;A Warm Thought for the week: The greatest investment you can ever have is to spend time with your family. Have an Easter season filled with joy! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Published in the Canistota Clipper April 15th, 1993.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie"&gt;Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book"&gt;Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to &lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/"&gt;visualbenedictions.com&lt;/a&gt; or following me on &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Pinterest&lt;/a&gt;. You can listen to the podcast on &lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330"&gt;Apple Podcast,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw"&gt;Spotify,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts"&gt;Stitcher,&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts"&gt;Overcast.&lt;/a&gt; And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Till next time,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Trina&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

"The greatest investment you can ever have is to spend time with your family."

Episode 222: What Makes a Happy Family?

Happy Easter! After the long winter, the seeds of spring are beginning to appear. We are reminded once again that in our lives we will have times of winter, but spring will come as promised. Spring is a time when one gets the urge to travel with the birds and visit family and friends, renewing old friendships and making new friendships. This past weekend, it was my joy to travel back to my roots and visit family and see many of my old friends from years gone by. Celebrating a 40th wedding anniversary with family was one of the highlights of the journey. Traveling old familiar roads brought back many memories and can give one a bit of nostalgia. Memories, memories! As I traveled down memory lane, I cannot help but be reminded of that journey to the Holy Land twenty years ago this Holy Week. It was a "touch of heaven" as the seat buckles clicked in place in the mighty jet engines of the Jumbo 747 Star of Bethlehem revved up. And the hearts of over 400 passengers on El Al charter flight 2001 from New York to Tel Aviv began to soar. We all were excited about our mission tour. The Pat Boone Family were our hosts and as the huge blue and white birds bent down the runway, all heads were bowed as Pat Boone led us all in prayer over the plane's intercom. As the star in Bethlehem dipped down, strains of "peace be unto you" a national song of welcome felt the cabin the plane rolled to a halt. We were there. And everywhere we went we were greeted with "shalom." The 400 people on that Pat Boone tour found a new dimension of love the moment they stepped on the grounds of the Holy Land mission in Bethlehem. We came, we saw, and we were conquered by the love of the precious bent-winged angels and the orphan children in the mission complex. We saw the children we sponsored and gave our gifts of love which warmed their hearts. The voices of these happy orphans over our visit were like chirping birds on the playground on Mount David. They melted your heart and the wellsprings of the human spirit to overflowing joy. During this Holy Week, as one reflects on this pilgrimage on the 20th anniversary, it is with a warm heart and a thankful one as one is reminded of the events of this week. The journey from Bethlehem to Calvary and then to the empty tomb and the garden is an experience that one can never forget when you return home. The songs sung at the historic and sacred sites still ringing in the ears of those who made the trip. The memory of being greeted everywhere with "shalom" is a prayer for peace in our hearts for the year 1993. Shalom, shalom. A Warm Thought for the week: When the going gets tough, the peace of God keeps us a-going. Have a joy filled Easter season! Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Canistota Clipper April 8th, 1993. <a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie">Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.</a><a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book">Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.</a>I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to <a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/">visualbenedictions.com</a> or following me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/">Pinterest</a>. You can listen to the podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330">Apple Podcast,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw">Spotify,</a> <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts">Stitcher,</a> and <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts">Overcast.</a> And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.Till next time,Trina

<description>&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Happy Easter! After the long winter, the seeds of spring are beginning to appear. We are reminded once again that in our lives we will have times of winter, but spring will come as promised. Spring is a time when one gets the urge to travel with the birds and visit family and friends, renewing old friendships and making new friendships. This past weekend, it was my joy to travel back to my roots and visit family and see many of my old friends from years gone by. Celebrating a 40th wedding anniversary with family was one of the highlights of the journey. Traveling old familiar roads brought back many memories and can give one a bit of nostalgia. Memories, memories! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;As I traveled down memory lane, I cannot help but be reminded of that journey to the Holy Land twenty years ago this Holy Week. It was a "touch of heaven" as the seat buckles clicked in place in the mighty jet engines of the Jumbo 747 Star of Bethlehem revved up. And the hearts of over 400 passengers on El Al charter flight 2001 from New York to Tel Aviv began to soar. We all were excited about our mission tour. The Pat Boone Family were our hosts and as the huge blue and white birds bent down the runway, all heads were bowed as Pat Boone led us all in prayer over the plane's intercom. As the star in Bethlehem dipped down, strains of "peace be unto you" a national song of welcome felt the cabin the plane rolled to a halt. We were there. And everywhere we went we were greeted with "shalom." The 400 people on that Pat Boone tour found a new dimension of love the moment they stepped on the grounds of the Holy Land mission in Bethlehem. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;We came, we saw, and we were conquered by the love of the precious bent-winged angels and the orphan children in the mission complex. We saw the children we sponsored and gave our gifts of love which warmed their hearts. The voices of these happy orphans over our visit were like chirping birds on the playground on Mount David. They melted your heart and the wellsprings of the human spirit to overflowing joy. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;During this Holy Week, as one reflects on this pilgrimage on the 20th anniversary, it is with a warm heart and a thankful one as one is reminded of the events of this week. The journey from Bethlehem to Calvary and then to the empty tomb and the garden is an experience that one can never forget when you return home. The songs sung at the historic and sacred sites still ringing in the ears of those who made the trip. The memory of being greeted everywhere with "shalom" is a prayer for peace in our hearts for the year 1993. Shalom, shalom. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;A Warm Thought for the week: When the going gets tough, the peace of God keeps us a-going. Have a joy filled Easter season! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Published in the Canistota Clipper April 8th, 1993.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie"&gt;Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book"&gt;Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to &lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/"&gt;visualbenedictions.com&lt;/a&gt; or following me on &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Pinterest&lt;/a&gt;. You can listen to the podcast on &lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330"&gt;Apple Podcast,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw"&gt;Spotify,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts"&gt;Stitcher,&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts"&gt;Overcast.&lt;/a&gt; And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Till next time,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Trina&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

"When the going gets tough, the peace of God keeps us a-going."

Episode 221: Memory Lane

As I flipped the calendar, I was shocked that it was April already and April Fool's Day. Some of the readers of this Warm Thoughts column will recall the fun we had as children and trying to fool someone on that day, even if we had to lie a bit. It did seem to be permissible for just a day. You tried to fool at least one person. It was just a fun game.The next day, April 2nd, has become Reconciliation Day. There is an interesting story about this special day. It was a California woman who wrote Ann Landers back in 1989, expressing a need for a reconciliation day. She expressed the need as she became aware that the years are flying by. Her parents suddenly seemed old and time somehow became very precious. She recalled misunderstanding and unmended fences that separate us and a sense of barriers. She stated in her letter the following words, "Wouldn't it be terrific if a special day could be set aside to reach out and make amends? We could call it Reconciliation Day. Everyone would vow to write a letter or make a phone call and mend a strained or broken relationship. It could also be the day on which we could all agree to accept the olive branch extended to a former friend. This day could be the starting place. We could go from there to heal the wounds and our hearts and rejoice and a new beginning."Ann Landers replied that it was a beautiful idea. She suggested that in the absence of a national holiday, it would be wonderful if every person would pick up the phone and call someone with whom he or she has had a falling out. She was sure that there would be some heartwarming results. She encouraged people to just do it and not wait for the telephone rates to change. The rest of the story is that the first reconciliation day was adjusted for April 2nd, 1989. On April 2nd 1992, the letter written by the California woman in 1989 was repeated in the Ann Landers column and Ann Landers stated that "from now on April 2nd will be Reconciliation Day." It may not be a national day of reconciliation, but it would be wonderful if everyone would have a reconciliation day. Your own reconciliation day is your choice. I personally think we all need an international day of reconciliation. And this is no April Fool's joke! Will appreciate your thoughts. You, the readers, have so much to share and I know you really care too.Thought for the Day: Life is too short to hold grudges, to be able to forgive can be enormous healing. Forgiving love can last a lifetime. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner Published in the Marion Record, April 3rd, 2003. <a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie">Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.</a><a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book">Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.</a>I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to <a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/">visualbenedictions.com</a> or following me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/">Pinterest</a>. You can listen to the podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330">Apple Podcast,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw">Spotify,</a> <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts">Stitcher,</a> and <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts">Overcast.</a> And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.Till next time,Trina

<description>&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;As I flipped the calendar, I was shocked that it was April already and April Fool's Day. Some of the readers of this Warm Thoughts column will recall the fun we had as children and trying to fool someone on that day, even if we had to lie a bit. It did seem to be permissible for just a day. You tried to fool at least one person. It was just a fun game.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;The next day, April 2nd, has become Reconciliation Day. There is an interesting story about this special day. It was a California woman who wrote Ann Landers back in 1989, expressing a need for a reconciliation day. She expressed the need as she became aware that the years are flying by. Her parents suddenly seemed old and time somehow became very precious. She recalled misunderstanding and unmended fences that separate us and a sense of barriers. She stated in her letter the following words, "Wouldn't it be terrific if a special day could be set aside to reach out and make amends? We could call it Reconciliation Day. Everyone would vow to write a letter or make a phone call and mend a strained or broken relationship. It could also be the day on which we could all agree to accept the olive branch extended to a former friend. This day could be the starting place. We could go from there to heal the wounds and our hearts and rejoice and a new beginning."&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Ann Landers replied that it was a beautiful idea. She suggested that in the absence of a national holiday, it would be wonderful if every person would pick up the phone and call someone with whom he or she has had a falling out. She was sure that there would be some heartwarming results. She encouraged people to just do it and not wait for the telephone rates to change. The rest of the story is that the first reconciliation day was adjusted for April 2nd, 1989. On April 2nd 1992, the letter written by the California woman in 1989 was repeated in the Ann Landers column and Ann Landers stated that "from now on April 2nd will be Reconciliation Day." It may not be a national day of reconciliation, but it would be wonderful if everyone would have a reconciliation day. Your own reconciliation day is your choice. I personally think we all need an international day of reconciliation. And this is no April Fool's joke! Will appreciate your thoughts. You, the readers, have so much to share and I know you really care too.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Thought for the Day: Life is too short to hold grudges, to be able to forgive can be enormous healing. Forgiving love can last a lifetime. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Published in the Marion Record, April 3rd, 2003.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie"&gt;Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book"&gt;Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to &lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/"&gt;visualbenedictions.com&lt;/a&gt; or following me on &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Pinterest&lt;/a&gt;. You can listen to the podcast on &lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330"&gt;Apple Podcast,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw"&gt;Spotify,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts"&gt;Stitcher,&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts"&gt;Overcast.&lt;/a&gt; And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Till next time,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Trina&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

"Life is too short to hold grudges, to be able to forgive can be enormous healing. Forgiving love can last a lifetime."

Episode 220: April Fools & Reconciliation Day

Happy Easter! Easter and Spring have arrived. As I write these warm thoughts, it is the week before Easter and there still are some mountains of snow surrounding the little home on the prairie. My grandson, Trevor, who lives in Nebraska and who is spending some special vacation days with his grandma in South Dakota, is overjoyed to make an Easter snowman. Is spring really here in South Dakota? The events following Palm Sunday bring many memories of my past trips to the Holy Land. Walking the Via Dolorosa on the way to Calvary is a memory that often comes to mind not only during Holy Week. It was my special joy to make a pre-Easter pilgrimage and also a trip to the Holy Land at Christmastime. What memories. Climbing the hill of Calvary and worshiping in that Garden Tomb. Two of my friends entered the tomb in that garden with me and sang, "He is risen! He is risen, indeed!" The events that happened on Easter so many years ago, remain vivid in my mind having also walked that road of Emmaus the day before leaving the holy land to return to America. Thoughts from that beautiful hymn come to mind as I walked that road of Emmaus. "Abide with me this eventide. Thy walk with me, has made my heart within me burn as I commune with Thee. Thy earnest words have filled my soul and kept me near Thy side. O Savior, stay this night with me. Behold, tis eventide." Warm Thoughts: Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands. The seasons come and the seasons go and many of the changes they bring, but in the warmth of a mother's heart, it is forever spring. May you have a joy filled Easter season! Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner Published in the Marion Record, March 27th, 1997. <a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie">Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.</a><a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book">Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.</a>I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to <a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/">visualbenedictions.com</a> or following me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/">Pinterest</a>. You can listen to the podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330">Apple Podcast,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw">Spotify,</a> <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts">Stitcher,</a> and <a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts">Overcast.</a> And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.Till next time,Trina

<description>&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Happy Easter! Easter and Spring have arrived. As I write these warm thoughts, it is the week before Easter and there still are some mountains of snow surrounding the little home on the prairie. My grandson, Trevor, who lives in Nebraska and who is spending some special vacation days with his grandma in South Dakota, is overjoyed to make an Easter snowman. Is spring really here in South Dakota? The events following Palm Sunday bring many memories of my past trips to the Holy Land. Walking the Via Dolorosa on the way to Calvary is a memory that often comes to mind not only during Holy Week. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;It was my special joy to make a pre-Easter pilgrimage and also a trip to the Holy Land at Christmastime. What memories. Climbing the hill of Calvary and worshiping in that Garden Tomb. Two of my friends entered the tomb in that garden with me and sang, "He is risen! He is risen, indeed!" The events that happened on Easter so many years ago, remain vivid in my mind having also walked that road of Emmaus the day before leaving the holy land to return to America. Thoughts from that beautiful hymn come to mind as I walked that road of Emmaus. "Abide with me this eventide. Thy walk with me, has made my heart within me burn as I commune with Thee. Thy earnest words have filled my soul and kept me near Thy side. O Savior, stay this night with me. Behold, tis eventide." &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Warm Thoughts: Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands. The seasons come and the seasons go and many of the changes they bring, but in the warmth of a mother's heart, it is forever spring. May you have a joy filled Easter season! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea by Dr. Luetta G Werner &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Published in the Marion Record, March 27th, 1997.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href="https://mailchi.mp/ca4562a48f6c/foundphotofreebie"&gt;Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/photo-book"&gt;Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table.&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to &lt;a href="http://visualbenedictions.com/"&gt;visualbenedictions.com&lt;/a&gt; or following me on &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href="https://www.pinterest.com/visualbenedictions/"&gt;Pinterest&lt;/a&gt;. You can listen to the podcast on &lt;a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/warm-thoughts/id1446381330"&gt;Apple Podcast,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2gYMEQKDWyIQE3lI0A1xv7?si=kUjtUwJjTJ6xnKSoYeZIbw"&gt;Spotify,&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/warm-thoughts"&gt;Stitcher,&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href="https://overcast.fm/itunes1446381330/warm-thoughts"&gt;Overcast.&lt;/a&gt; And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Till next time,&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;Trina&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p class="" data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="white-space:pre-wrap;"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

"Fair are the meadows, fair are the woodlands. The seasons come and the seasons go and many of the changes they bring, but in the warmth of a mother's heart, it is forever spring."

Episode 219: Forever Spring

Warm Thoughts is a podcast embracing nostalgia, self-reflection, and legacy. Join Dr. Luetta G. Werner (b. 1926-2016) as we revisit her weekly column written for her small town newspaper. Narrated by her granddaughter, Trina Harger, curator of visualbenedictions.com.

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