You Tube Tuesday - Dads

This is dedicated to my favorite dads!  I know it's not Father's Day, but this is too good to wait.
See if you recognize your dad in this video.




Here are my three top dads.  I love you - khakis, socks with sandals (you know who you are) and all !

My dad - rockin' the 4th of July!  Nothing says party like a recliner on the front lawn.

My dad-in-law (just call him 'Buttons') with his favorite grandson.  (It's my blog, I can say what I want!)

My babies daddy - lord of the Grill, King of the Coals!

This and That

I have been wracking my brain today.  I am completely uninspired.  I don't know if it's the summer haze or having the kids at home but today I've got nothin'!

So, I'll just chat about a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

~We had a beautiful Father's Day.  Our kids showed dad how much they love him with handmade cards and tokens of their love.

He is an incredible dad plus he's a big softy so he eats this stuff up!
Our pastor preached a great sermon about legacy, posing the question "What kind of legacy will you leave?"  It was a good challenge for all of us, not just the dads.  Whoever we are, we are influencing someone - a son, a niece, a coworker or friend.  Even strangers that we meet can be affected by how we respond to them.  What kind of legacy are you leaving?  If that question makes you uncomfortable or you are dissatisfied with the answer, ask God to help you reflect His love to those around you.

I have been blessed with the best example in a father and also in a father-in-law.  What a godly legacy they are leaving for us and our children.  They are men of faith, love and compassion.  They inspire me and I am privileged to have them in my life.

 I'm still a daddy's girl

*Check out my Father's Day post under Personal Heroes - Chapter 3.

~Being June, wedding bells are ringing and my niece is getting married in three short weeks now so things are gearing up.  We had a shower for her on Saturday and there will be another in two weeks.  Friends and family will be arriving from out of town.  What fun!  The joy that a couple shares as they begin a new life together is so beautiful to watch.  It has made me reflect back on my own wedding day almost 29 years ago - yikes!

 The bride-to-be Natalie and her beautiful mom (my sister Kathy)

Little did we know, as young as we were, the challenges that lay ahead for us.  It is truly by God's grace and with His love that we we have built a family and our lives together.  We could not have done it on our own.  He is the One we lean on when disappointments, pain and the stresses of everyday life weigh us down.

~I met with a dear friend this morning for a cup of coffee (one of my favorite things to do) and we were thinking back on the past several years.  They have been filled with loss, pain and incredible challenges, for both of us.  But it is such a comfort to know that whatever life throws our way, we are resting in the Father's hands and He cares about us.  I love this Scripture, it remains one of my favorites.  Hope it encourages your heart today.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Personal Heroes - Chapter 3

I had another hero in mind for today, but in honor of Father's Day I have chosen to share with you a profile more dear to my heart.  


I called him Poppy.  The general population knew him as Pastor Eugene Vaters.  He was a circuit preacher, a spiritual pioneer, a gentleman, a poet, and my grandfather.  My dad, the eighth child in the family, was born on Poppy's 40th birthday.  He was and remains, my greatest hero.

To me, he was bigger than life, and time with him was a rare treat.  He lived on the Atlantic Coast on the rugged island of Newfoundland, much too far away from our home in Toronto.  My grandmother, who we called 'Mom Vaters' (she did not like to be called 'Grandma') is the Jenny of Jenny and Pearl.

There is one particular time together that I recall most fondly.  When I was just a little girl, about 7 years old, we went on vacation to visit my grandparents.  Our favorite cousins, Elizabeth and Sarah also lived there and my sister and I were so excited at the prospect of spending time with them.

"I have decided" Poppy pronounced one day.  "I am taking my girlies to the Cabin for an overnight stay."  We squealed with excitement at the prospect of a road-trip.  My Aunt Pauline objected.  She couldn't imagine how her 73 year old father could possibly manage four energetic tow-headed little girls, but she was overruled and we were on our way.

Now, you have to understand that the Cabin, as it was called, was little more than a one-room wooden shack in the middle of a rocky outcrop in the remote little village of Victoria, where my grandmother was born.  There was no running water, one bed and a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.  None of that mattered to us.  We escaped from our parents and the boys, the four girls together with our adored grandfather.  It was an adventure!

Our first meal at the Cabin was peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and Poppy made us all scream with disgust when he opened a can of sardines and plopped them in the middle of his.

Because it was their summer retreat, he had a garden planted at the side of the house.  He asked us all to come out and assist him for a while and we happily trooped outside.  The soil on the property was more rocks than earth, with a profusion of wild blueberries, but difficult growing conditions for any other crop.  The task slated for the afternoon was removing rocks that sprouted up every year, faster than weeds.

We set to work digging and raking while Poppy began removing some of the larger rocks.  The sun was shining brightly at first but was soon hidden behind a bank of low clouds.  The fog rolled in from the Atlantic, thick as pea soup and it wasn't long before the other girls begged to go inside, away from the damp and the cold.  They called to me to go inside and I hesitated at first.  It was cold and I was getting a bit tired, but I declined as I saw an opportunity to have my grandfather all to myself.

The fog settled around us like a misty curtain and our breath came out in cottony puffs.  I immediately set to work beside my grandfather, pulling out the biggest rocks I could find, determined to show him I was a big girl.  The only sounds were the muffled laughter from inside the Cabin and the chink of metal against the rocky soil.  I couldn't imagine anyplace I would rather be at that moment than in that tiny garden working side by side with the grandfather that I adored.

The air became colder and the mist fell like rain, dampening our skin.  The minutes turned into hours and time was suspended as my hands grew numb prying rocks from the stubborn soil.  Throughout the afternoon, my dear Poppy would encourage me, touch me gently on the shoulder and smile at me approvingly, spurring me on.  He was planting seeds of love in the stubborn soil of a hard-headed little girl.

Years later, a young lady received a letter from an old man.  "Do you know, Karen, I could see again those nice, little fingers following my digging fork at Victoria, hooking out the stones?"  he wrote.  "That is so vivid.  You were so determined and you stayed with me all the while the girls were warm and cozy in the Cabin."  He saw my determination and stubbornness as an attribute and not a great character flaw.  What an incredible gift.

Poppy has been gone for over 20 years now, but I often reflect on that precious time together, remembering it fondly.  Thanks Poppy, for believing in me .

'Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD.'
Leviticus 19:32


P.S.  Dad, Happy Father's Day!  Thanks for being the best grandpa ever to my kids.  I love you.

National Donut Day

Today is National Donut Day.  I knew you would want to be aware of this before this day passed and you had to wait another 'hole' year (sorry for the pun) before you got to celebrate it again.  I haven't had my donut yet and even thought, for one brief insane moment, of making donuts today.  But, I got over that and I think I'll head up to our favorite donut shop,  DK's on Chapman Avenue.  The donuts there are baked fresh all day and they are Yummy!

I found out some interesting facts about National Donut Day and thought I would share them with you.  I know you're curious, right?  This is according to the site www.holidayinsights.com

National Donut Day is always the first Friday in June and it was started to honor the Salvation Army "Lassies" of WWI. It is also used as a fund raiser for needy causes of the Salvation Army.  This is what caught my attention, since one my favorite pics of my grandmother (the Pearl in Jenny and Pearl), is of her dressed in her Salvation Army uniform.

Anyway, during WWI, Salvation Army "lassies" served in Europe on the front lines, making home cooked foods, boosting the morale of the troops. Sometimes, they cooked doughnuts in oil inside the metal helmets of American soldiers. Thus the name 'doughboys'.  These brave ladies were the only women outside of military personnel allowed to visit the front lines.

So today, on National Doughnut Day, look to see if your local doughnut shop is offering free donuts to raise funds for the Salvation Army or for another needy cause. If they are, give generously!  Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme are offering free donuts today, so check it out.  For my Canadian friends,  ask your local Tim's to make it a tradition!

While we are on the subject of National Days, let me share with you just a few of the other National Days coming up in June.  Hey, any reason to celebrate is a good one, right?

6   National Yo-Yo Day- my brother would like this one
7   National Chocolate Ice Cream Day - Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie, anyone?
8   Best Friends Day - nice
9   Donald Duck Day
10 Iced Tea Day - refreshing
11 Hug Holiday - definitely
14 Flag Day
17 Eat Your Vegetables Day - this one must be popular with the kids
18 National Splurge Day - Oh yeah!
20 Father's Day - love you Dad
22 National Chocolate Eclair Day -I thought every day was chocolate eclair day.  French's Bakery here I come!
23 National Pink Day
23 Take Your Dog to Work Day (Why!?) .....date varies
24 Swim a Lap Day
26 Forgiveness Day - good idea
27 Sun Glasses Day

"Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, 
    make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!" (Amanda Bradley)

Mother's Week

On Monday my daughter gave me a kiss and wished me "Happy Mother's Day!" again. I suggested to her that maybe we needed to make it Mother's Week instead. I think I could get some steam going on this. There may be a few other moms out there who would agree. I don't know who makes the final decision on these things, but it's worth looking into.

In honor of Mother's Week I would like to tell you about Jenny and Pearl and a few moms that have influenced my life.


Jenny was my paternal grandmother. Her given name was Sarah Jane but she was 'Jenny' to my grandpa and those that knew her best. She was, at times, a milliner, a preacher, a mother, grandmother and so much more. She had a wonderful sense of humor with a twinkle in her eye, even after she became blind.



Pearl is the translation of my maternal grandmother's name 'Helmi'. She was a Finnish woman who baked the most delicious 'pulla' (sweet cardamom bread), was a prayer warrior and a pillar of her church.

I have chosen to name my site after these two women because I strive to be like them. I know they dealt with illness, disappointment, death and tragedy, but their faith remained strong. Neither of them are with us anymore, but their legacy lives on through their children, their grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

I am blessed to have this kind of legacy.

There are a few other women I am thinking of as Mother's Week draws to a close. These are just a few

My mom - a prayer warrior like her mother before her. I know she is always there for me!

My mother-in-law - she exemplifies 'grace under pressure' and is someone I have grown to love and admire more with every passing year.

My sister and sister-in-laws - when I think of all the heartache, illness and 'LIFE' that they have had to deal with and how gracefully they have done it - I am challenged to 'keep the faith'!

My Aunt Pauline - her passing this year left another little hole in my heart that will not be filled until we get to heaven.

So... as Mother's Week draws to a close (I feel this catching on already!), take the time to thank all the women in your life who have impacted you and determine to BE that kind of woman (or man) - one who 'keeps the faith' whatever life throws your way!


"You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors."
James 1:3