Dot Hatfield

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Lent 2019

Lent 2019

March 14, 2019 Leave a Comment

“What did you give up for Lent?”

Those of us who observe the discipline of the 40 day journey from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday and Easter Sunday are asked this question about as often as we hear “Are you ready for Christmas?”

It’s not a rhetorical question. Folks really want to know.

Lent is so much more than “giving up something”, but okay, we can talk about that. It’s a tenet of the 12-step program that one should replace the habit that is abandoned with positive behavior. It is also scriptural (Luke 11:26). Giving up a time waster? Read a good book.  Leaving off chocolate? Eat a salad.

When we compare the small sacrifice we make to what Jesus has done for us, it seems ludicrous.

He gave his life — Can I spare an hour? He fasted to the point of near death — Can I do without dessert? He has taken care of me for 85 years — Can I donate to the Little Free Pantry?

It’s not about what I “give up”, it’s about Him and His sacrifice.

“Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe.
Sin had left a crimson stain.
He washed it white as snow.”

The Little Free Pantry sits at the far corner of the First United Methodist parking lot, 302 North Main, in Beebe. Take what you need. Leave what you can.
facebook.com/beebelittlefreepantry/
How to open an easy-open can

How to open an easy-open can

February 5, 2019 Leave a Comment

Of course, the easiest way to open a can is with an electric can opener. But these handy small appliances may soon be obsolete.

A few years ago, Campbell’s Soup Company put out a line of soups with pop-top lids. Convenient, I suppose, for campers who forgot to bring along a can opener and, having caught no fish or shot any game, were now forced to eat the back-up meal packed by their pessimist wives.

The idea of pop-tops caught on and nowadays most cans have those ‘easy open’ lids. And just to be sure you pop that top, manufacturers make the bottom of the can round, unfriendly to any type of automatic or manual opener.

Soft drinks pop open easily, needing to make only a small hole to drink from. But try opening a large can of chicken, or 16 ounces of spaghetti sauce, without cutting yourself or spilling most of the contents. Thus the need for these instructions.

Pull up the loop on top of the can. Never mind you just broke a nail. Soldier on, you can fix it later.

Yank as hard as ever you can on the loop. This will probably break the loop away from the rest of the lid. Hopefully it will also make a slit wide enough to slip in the blade of a paring knife. With a twisting motion, increase the opening as much as possible.

When the lid is nearly off the can, you will again meet great resistance, making it impossible to budge the lid further. A pair of strong-grip needle-nose pliers should do the trick and finish the job.

Be sure to work over a pan in the sink to take care of spills. Also, keep a First Aid kit handy.

There. Isn’t that better than messing with an electric can opener?

These instructions come with a glossary of appropriate words that have no power to move the job along but might relieve some tension.

Next: How to open a peppermint without alarming the whole church.

If only life were like the movies

If only life were like the movies

January 6, 2019 3 Comments

Years ago, in an old movie the name of which I have long since forgotten, a writer decided his book was no good and put it in a drawer to rot. His girlfriend or maybe wife retrieved it and secretly sent it to a publisher, who (of course) loved it and put it into print forthwith. In the next scene, the author received a package containing his beautiful book, hard cover. He immediately made the Times Bestseller List and lived happily ever after on the royalties.

Alas, this does not mirror real life at all.

In early November, 2018, I retreated to The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow (Eureka Springs, AR) to finish my novel Worth the Candle. This story had long been in my head, first touched paper in 2015 under the working title “Meant to Be,” resided on a thumb drive most of 2017, and was the main focus of my 2018 resolutions: finish it or shred it.

So, Yay! The writing was completed in plenty of time (I thought) to see a book  by the end of the year. My publisher, Alderson Press, quickly sent me samples of a cover to approve.

I engaged a proof reader. After 10 days rest, I read the text again to locate redundancies, over-used words, needed clarifications, and even a couple of typos.

Off the manuscript goes to the printer, who returns a “proof copy not for resale” a week later (we’re now crowding December). Believe it or not, once I looked at the proof, I decided I wanted a major change in the formatting. Might as well do it right, right? These corrections were made immediately and returned to the publisher.

Screech. That’s the sound of brakes as everything comes to a halt while everyone tends to Christmas. My book was suddenly way on the back burner. I can expect to see my corrected copy later.

The publisher assures me my novel is correct now and they have even listed it for sale on Kindle and Amazon.com. But I have not seen a final copy! I’m told it was mailed to me on December 30 and will arrive before January 9. Really?

So, just about now I could use a movie scenario. A loved one who presents me with my beautiful, finished book. A listing in the New York Times. And of course royalties for the rest of my life.

More about Worth the Candle next week!

 

Catching Up

Catching Up

October 21, 2018 Leave a Comment

What a wonderful birthday. Thank you, thank you, thank you all my family and friends.

There is nothing exactly like a Facebook birthday. I received over 100 greetings from near and far, old friends and new. There were images, videos, and throw-backs of memories. I “liked”every one of them.

Also, snail mail brought cards and the land line brought calls, all wishing me well. Such a wealth of attention leaves one thinking “it’s all about me!”

And speaking of me . . . I haven’t blogged here lately, have I?  Sometimes, for me, life gets too busy to write about. These past months have included a Writers Conference, trips, Lay Servant speaking, and a Dinner Theater production. (Pictured above is me speaking this morning in McRae.)

The weeks ahead will focus on a retreat to finish my 4th novel, Worth the Candle.

I will be here again around Thanksgiving . . . or surely by Advent.

Thank you all again for the good wishes.

Grace and Peace.

Give the World a Smile Each Day

Give the World a Smile Each Day

April 29, 2018 Leave a Comment

It’s often exciting when, at my age, something happens to me for the very first time in my life.

Not so much this time.

I have seen such occurrences in movies — usually for the comedy effect. But when it happened to me — well, humor is in the eye of the beholder.

Between Sunday School and Worship, I visited the ladies restroom and walked out engaged in conversation with my friend, Sandra. The hall was fairly crowded and as we zig-zagged, chatting away, she said, “. . . you have . . . uh. . . there is . . .”

I stopped and looked where she indicated. About a yard of toilet tissue, stuck to the bottom of my shoe, trailed behind me down the hall. It blessedly turned loose about that time, either by its own volition or the kindness of a passerby.

I didn’t retrieve it right then. First, because I don’t bend very well and second, someone needed to take care of Sandra! She was practically doubled over with laughter, unable to walk straight.

Momentarily she seemed to get a grip, only to be overcome once again. We parted at the door, since she sits on the back row and I was headed to the front with my family. I hope she made it okay.

The whole incident was a little embarrassing, and I have no idea how many others in the hall observed my foolishness.

But in the end I felt okay. At least I gave someone a reason to smile.

Going to the Picture Show

Going to the Picture Show

March 25, 2018 6 Comments

One day this week, my sister and I took ourselves to an indoor movie. It had been ages, but we had seen good reviews for the latest block-buster I Can Only Imagine and decided to not wait for Netflix.

Movie-going has changed a little since last we partook. The next town over has a Cinema with 8 screens, and as it turned out, the picture we chose was in a “VIP” theater. Which translates into “not senior friendly.” The aisles and seats were spaced to give plenty of room, but the hand rail for the many steps leading up to the seating area was about shoulder high. Okay, we’re short. But still.

We ventured only three rows up, still uncomfortably close to the mammoth screen, but about as far as we wanted to go.

The seats were large, comfortable-looking recliners. We sat and Betty immediately lay flat on her back.

“What did you do?” she asked me. The large chair jerked forward.

“I did nothing. I’m trying to figure out my chair.”

“Well, you made mine lay down. Sit me up again.” The chair made a move, obviously had second thoughts, and reclined even farther.

“I did not touch your chair.”

Finally, I asked a young patron to show me how to operate the recliner. The control was on the inside of the right armrest . . . where Betty put her purse. It had met with the controller and continued to rotate it every time Betty moved. (I told her it wasn’t me.)

After making ourselves comfortable — and by the way, the chairs really were VIP comfortable — we thoroughly enjoyed the movie.

The theater was about half full and people began filing out as soon as the credits rolled. We, however, waited for the lights to come on (so we could see where we were going), making us the last out of the theater. The usher was a little taken aback when he opened the door and saw two sweet little old ladies who apparently don’t get to town very often.

All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon. It reminded me of other times we went to the movies together. Our dad’s store was just down the street from the Plaza Theater in downtown Gainesville, Texas. I still remember the fun we had. 75 years later, it is still fun going to the movies with my sister.

And the picture itself? Definitely worth seeing. I have no doubt that you will enjoy it, just make sure you get to the theater early enough to get your chair fully adjusted, before they dim the lights.

 

Are We Really What We Eat?

Are We Really What We Eat?

March 12, 2018 2 Comments

I grew up in Texas during WWII, when everyone I knew had a garden. It was considered the patriotic thing to do.  So, if a person should want to eat greens, we had spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens, a leafy kind of lettuce, and poke sallet.

Missing from the line up was kale. I never heard of it.  Later I remember it being used as a garnish to bring color to the plate — never to eat.  I guess it’s a matter of geography because in England, kale was the go-to greens grown in their victory gardens during the Great War.

But when my youngest son, who makes his home in health-conscious Oregon, ordered an Island Green (spinach, kale, mango, banana) from our favorite smoothie place … well.  I like greens okay, but not in my dessert!

So if you are interested in healthy eating: kale is in, gluten is out. It has something to do with Celiac Disease, which forces many people to stick to a gluten-free diet.

For those in the food service industry this has presented a real challenge.

And since necessity is the mother of invention … voila! … gluten-free pizza! The crust is made of chicken. It’s also no-carb so it satisfies the Keto-diet users. A downside might be that it’s always thin crust — no stuffing there.

So, at the end of the day, if we are what we eat, I want to be a chicken fried steak. Cooked Texas style, dropped in the frylator and covered with white gravy.

With a kale garnish, of course.

 

Super Bowl Sunday: Review from a Less-than-avid Fan

Super Bowl Sunday: Review from a Less-than-avid Fan

February 7, 2018 1 Comment

Let me say up front that in my opinion the best part of Super Bowl Sunday was THE GAME!

When this day rolls around each year I seldom get involved unless (1) I have guests, (2) a team I like is playing, (3) I’m invited to a party.

And then I watch … until/ unless someone I don’t want to win is winning, or it’s a blow-out, even if my team is the blower. In either of those events I just might leave and rent a movie.

That’s what I planned to do last Sunday.  These two teams are a little too far north for me to be very interested in them one way or another. There are perfectly good NFL teams in the south for me to follow.

But I’ll admit I was hooked by the hype and actually felt a little sorry for the Eagles. Everyone seemed to be declaring them losers before the game even started. So I decided to view the opening activities, maybe stick around until the first score, then mosey on about my business.

And what do you know, the Eagles scored first.  Only 3 points, but still.

I decided to stay a bit longer and ended up seeing the whole game. Can’t remember the last time I stuck it out for the long haul.

I have seen many critiques of different aspects of Sunday’s event but as I said the most interesting was the GAME. It moved quickly with very few reviews, (#ruiningcollegefootball). I muted the announcers so I can’t speak to how inane their comments might have been.

One of the NBC camera persons seemed enamored of Tom Brady. After every play or significant event, we were treated to a glance at Brady, even if only the back of his head.

The commercials were well placed and long enough for me to get to the bathroom to wash my hands or to the kitchen for something to eat. I can’t evaluate the content or entertainment value because I didn’t watch them closely enough to see if the lengthy scenario would eventually advertise soap, a truck, or a bottle of beer.

I also can’t score the half-time show. I heard it (no matter where I went in the house) and other than being aware they were repeating the same phrase, I could not decipher what it was. They might win an award for mumbling the most redundancies within a certain time period.

I think it’s safe to say that half-time show was not directed at my demographic.

I love to see the underdog win. I am pleased when the pundits are mistaken. I savor the moment right along with the loyal fans who have supported their team through thick and thin.

Long story short, I enjoyed Super Bowl LII.

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