Letter from Mom

A REASON FOR GRATITUDE

    What does Africa mean to you? I grew up thinking of the jungle teeming with lions, elephants, apes, warrior tribes and Tarzan beating his chest. Of course current unrest in that continent have muddied my initial perception. Now I think of malnourished homeless kids, vast savannas, National Geographic photographers with their telescopic lenses, warlords, and gangs waiting to chop your head off. So why this sudden fascination for Africa? I might be going there next Wednesday!

    A few years ago I joined the Trepmakers --- a group of Rotarian businessmen bent on teaching kids to become entrepreneurs. We don't help kids find a job ... we help them create them! Statistics show that one entrepreneur hires an average of 5 people. We spread the Trep spirit internationally as well. Last year we taught about 5,000 African students. This year 3 of our group were set to leave next week. 2 nights ago John called and told me one of their group could not go. He asked if I could go instead. My mind raced to my current workload. Could I finish my work? Could I shift my appointments? Should I pass the adventure of a lifetime? John said we needed to move fast because there were several documents that needed to be processed. There was no time to pray about it so I told John if God wants me to go He would clear the way.

    Everything seemed to be going smoothly until the last minute. I was supposed to "overnight" my documents but I missed the pickup time. So here I sit waiting and hoping that despite the delay, brought on by the Thanksgiving holiday, that my papers will get done before I leave. Whether I go or not, I am already thankful for being even considered.

    Thanksgiving day --- a day we give thanks for gifts (deserved and unmerited) as well as gifts that never made it to our doorstep.

Wisdom from Tom of Pasadena, CA

A Letter From Ma
Contributed by Tom of Pasadena, CA

This Thanksgiving we have much to be thankful for. Look around because the things we take for granted may be someone else's treasure. --- Raoul

Dear Son

Your Pa has a good job now, the first one in 48 years. We are a great deal better off than we were.

Your Pa gets $14.95 every Thursday and so we thought we would do some fixin' up. We sent to Monkey Wards for one of them new fangled things called a bathroom that you hear tell of in some houses. It is put in by a man called a plummer. On one side of the room is a big long thing the pigs drink out of, only you get in it and wash your body all over.

On the other side of the room is a little white thing called a sink. This is for little washings like your hands and face. But over in the corner. Son, we've got somethin' there, a little contraption that you put one foot in and wash it and then pull a little chain and get fresh water to wash the other foot in. Two lids come with the dern thing, and we ain't got no use for them, so I'm using one for a bread board and the other one has a hole in it so we took it and framed Grandpa's picture on it.

They are awful nice people to deal with. They even sent us a big roll of writin' paper with it.

Take keer of yourself, Son.

Love, Ma and Pa

Videos of the week:

Turkey Disco
Contributor: Tom of Pasadena, CA

Disco lovers you're gonna like this. Happy Turkey Day!!

Mog’s Christmas Calamity
Contributor: Rodney of Manitoba, B.C.

Mog's a dog. Mog's a sad little dog --- and rightly so because he's just plain unlucky. Well ... kinda. Watch the video and see what kind of mischief Mog gets into.

World's Best Airport
Contributor: Art of Pasadena, CA

Thanksgiving is the day when Americans travel the most. Wouldn't it be nice to have an airport like Singapore? There's a reason why this airport has won 500 Best Airport awards. It's so good, I'd like to go to Singapore just to see this airport.