Ark Valley News - The View from Sunflower Gardens

The View from Sunflower Gardens
By Marilyn Bentley
Last Updated: July 24, 2014

Sometimes it's nice to reminisce

Recently we had a guest guitar player in concert at Sunflower on Friday night.

She came for our entertainment!

We like Nancy's piano concerts every Thursday.

Mondays it's dominoes game night, Tuesdays it's marble games, Wednesday a group plays card games.

Folks still like our potluck dinners, van trips, Bible study, exercise days and walks around the building.

The jigsaw puzzles are fun, for some in each wing — each puzzle room also is a greenery — a little indoor greenhouse!

Verse of the week: Psalms 107:08: "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for is goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

Remember to pray for our troops and their families.

We all like our library: "I've hosted many strangers on my shelves. Some books I've owned which haven't paid their rent, with new ideas found within themselves. Yet can't complain, they are here by my consent!" –C.P. Campbell

It's fun to watch other folks here in their choices. In: what to wear, or eat, or their car, or what and when to attend other events here. It is a choice in job, or friends, or housing, or colors, or foods, or charities, or churches, or books to read, or where to travel or shop! There are many options in how we spend and share our time.

"Our relatives are ‘given' us, but we can choose our friends!" –Anon

"I believe: we must continue to strive for world peace and freedom — yet the cost is great. I believe in the future generation and it is up to my grands, to work with your grands to make this a better world we live in. I pray they will succeed. I believe an empty nest is a major change for all in the family! I believe it's good to support our youth in their sports activities, in church camps, and in little theater or piano recitals. It's good to be a chaperone. Growing old takes a lot of strength and determination. I believe the ‘red hat' girls have it correct, no rules, no officers, no committee — just to eat, visit, shop, laugh and relax together. I believe in the ‘STAR" — guiding wise men from afar, but mostly bringing light to a dark world." –Val Stille

"How can I repay for favors done for me? Sometimes by strangers, we will never see." –Anon

We like to thank book authors, poets, car repairmen, road repairmen, missionaries who are "global" helpers, merchants, postmen, preachers, garden centers, yard workers, sewers, cooks, cleaners and gleaners!

"The chain of kindness lines humanity!" –Anon

Recently I had family from out of state visit by traveling interstate highways to share love and time and dinners and conversation. So we "made memories!"

We all have all a few remembrances of times past — of school and church activities, of gardens, of library visits to choose non-fiction or fiction, of memories of holidays, weddings, births, funerals, family, school graduations, seeing the world, seeing the United States and of movie or TV shows. There are remembrances of storms, floods, dry years, different levels of jobs, of teachers and fellow workers. There are treasures in the land, and the skies, in homes, even in shopping malls and cultural concerts. We have memories of summer, winter, spring and fall. We share some basic truths, beliefs and values!

"Be kind, anyway!" –Mother Teresa