Re: Invisible

[Guest guest]

Beth and Amy,

The store was a Spencer's Gifts. I usually don't go in there because they don't have much that appeals to me, but since I had some time to kill while waiting for my mother to do her shopping, I went in. It was dissappointing that the voice was such poor quality. Had it been decent, the temptation to buy it would have been very great.

I too have a "Freddy Glove". A friend of mine bought me one for a Christmas/birthday present around 1989 or so. Its was made of plastic of course with bendable blades, but if you came after someone with it in low light you could really scare the daylights out of them. I nearly got in a lot of trouble with that thing in high school, which was a boarding school so there was ample opportunity to use it in low light conditions. For a while people actually thought I had made a real pair out of metal, which I thought was really funny.

[Guest guest]

Freddy likes you, thats really cool, Its a shame its cheap sounding, rather than cool, most people don't pay attention to details like that. Did you try waving your hand directly in front of it that has worked for me when the sensor doesn't pick me up. I have always loved Freddy and most horror movies, sounds like a great store which one was it if you don't mind me asking gotta see if they have one close to us so I can check it out. BethVISIGOTH@... wrote: I was out at the mall today for the first time in a few months. In this one novelty store they had this lifesize bust of Freddy Kruger from Nightmare on Elm Street. It looked OK, but had no price tag on it, so I figured it was too expensive for something I didn't really need. Also, it was supposed to speak but I didn't see any remote or anything, which I figured they didn't put out for fear it would be stolen. So, I walked on looking at the movie stuff they had. About that time, these two other men walked passed the bust and it started talking. Freddy was laughing and saying a famous tag-line from the movies, but it was pretty lame sounding, like something you would find in a cheap little kid's toy, not a "collector's grade" item. I thought perhaps they had found a button or something on it, but as this next man walked by, it started up again. Evidently it had a motion sensory built into it. When

that man moved one, I went over to have a look. Sure enough, there on the lower part of the chest was little hole in the sweater where the sensor was. Even though I was easily tall enough to trip it, the bust remained silent as I moved in front of it. Either it didn't register me for some reason, or Freddy recognized as being a fan from back in the day and kept quiet. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I know that of which you speak! My 9-year-old son LOVES that specific Freddy item. I am glad Freddy spared you, !

I did get my son a Freddy claw from a costume shop (soft, bendable plastic, but quite convincing). And a mask ..

He is happily playing away with those and a metal detector at my mother's in western Kentucky ... way out in the countryside, having the time of his life.

My mother lets him be who he is.

Amy

Invisible

I was out at the mall today for the first time in a few months. In this one novelty store they had this lifesize bust of Freddy Kruger from Nightmare on Elm Street. It looked OK, but had no price tag on it, so I figured it was too expensive for something I didn't really need. Also, it was supposed to speak but I didn't see any remote or anything, which I figured they didn't put out for fear it would be stolen.

So, I walked on looking at the movie stuff they had. About that time, these two other men walked passed the bust and it started talking. Freddy was laughing and saying a famous tag-line from the movies, but it was pretty lame sounding, like something you would find in a cheap little kid's toy, not a "collector's grade" item.

I thought perhaps they had found a button or something on it, but as this next man walked by, it started up again. Evidently it had a motion sensory built into it. When that man moved one, I went over to have a look. Sure enough, there on the lower part of the chest was little hole in the sweater where the sensor was. Even though I was easily tall enough to trip it, the bust remained silent as I moved in front of it.

Either it didn't register me for some reason, or Freddy recognized as being a fan from back in the day and kept quiet.

[Guest guest]

She sounds like the perfect Grandma! My granddad let me cuss in front of him when I was a young kid. He's only cussed once from all the years I've known him. Of course I know better not to now. I don't know though. Do you ever worry he might become desensitized to violence?"Amy L. " <amyb_short@...> wrote: I know that of which you speak! My 9-year-old son LOVES that specific Freddy item. I am glad Freddy spared you, ! I did get my son a Freddy claw from a costume shop (soft, bendable plastic, but quite convincing). And a mask .. He is happily playing away with those and a metal detector at my mother's in western Kentucky ... way out in the countryside, having the time of his life. My mother lets him be who he is. Amy Invisible I was out at the mall today for the first time in a few months. In this one novelty store they had this lifesize bust of Freddy Kruger from Nightmare on Elm Street. It looked OK, but had no price tag on it, so I figured it was too expensive for something I didn't really need. Also, it was supposed to speak but I didn't see any remote or anything, which I figured they didn't put out for fear it would be stolen. So, I walked on looking at the movie stuff they had. About that time, these two other men walked passed

the bust and it started talking. Freddy was laughing and saying a famous tag-line from the movies, but it was pretty lame sounding, like something you would find in a cheap little kid's toy, not a "collector's grade" item. I thought perhaps they had found a button or something on it, but as this next man walked by, it started up again. Evidently it had a motion sensory built into it. When that man moved one, I went over to have a look. Sure enough, there on the lower part of the chest was little hole in the sweater where the sensor was. Even though I was easily tall enough to trip it, the bust remained silent as I moved in front of it. Either it didn't register me for some reason, or Freddy recognized as being a fan from back in the day and kept quiet. __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

>

" Either it didn't register me for some reason, or Freddy recognized as

being

> a fan from back in the day and kept quiet. "

That's funny! Both funny-peculiar and funny-ha ha--the first part of

the sentence is funny-peculiar and the second part, funny-ha ha. Did

you walk by again to see if it talked?

I hate those things, by the way. A guy at work has a collection of them

and will put one of them at the receptionist's desk at different times

so that when you come in they'll go off and scare you to death,

starting your day off wrong. And you never know when he'll bring them

in. Not funny-ha ha.

[Guest guest]

It most likely uses a passive infrared motion sensor and you didn't cause

enough of a change to the IR brightness in it's field of view of view to

trigger... Not enough warmer or colder than the background...

Or maybe it did " see " you and is programmed to ignore some

contacts to make the effect of its action more of a surprise...

Ender

At 06:19 PM 6/7/2006, you wrote:

I was out at the mall today for the

first time in a few months. In this one novelty store they had this

lifesize bust of Freddy Kruger from Nightmare on Elm Street. It looked

OK, but had no price tag on it, so I figured it was too expensive for

something I didn't really need. Also, it was supposed to speak but I

didn't see any remote or anything, which I figured they didn't put out

for fear it would be stolen.

So, I walked on looking at the movie stuff they had. About that time,

these two other men walked passed the bust and it started talking. Freddy

was laughing and saying a famous tag-line from the movies, but it was

pretty lame sounding, like something you would find in a cheap little

kid's toy, not a " collector's grade " item.

I thought perhaps they had found a button or something on it, but as this

next man walked by, it started up again. Evidently it had a motion

sensory built into it. When that man moved one, I went over to have a

look. Sure enough, there on the lower part of the chest was little hole

in the sweater where the sensor was. Even though I was easily tall enough

to trip it, the bust remained silent as I moved in front of it.

Either it didn't register me for some reason, or Freddy recognized as

being a fan from back in the day and kept quiet.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/8/2006 12:05:35 PM Eastern Standard Time, ender@... writes:

It most likely uses a passive infrared motion sensor and you didn't cause enough of a change to the IR brightness in it's field of view of view to trigger... Not enough warmer or colder than the background...

A possibility. My body temperature does run about half a degree or so below "normal" and my hands usually are cold.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/8/2006 12:05:35 PM Eastern Standard Time, ender@... writes:

It most likely uses a passive infrared motion sensor and you didn't cause enough of a change to the IR brightness in it's field of view of view to trigger... Not enough warmer or colder than the background...

A possibility. My body temperature does run about half a degree or so below "normal" and my hands usually are cold.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/8/2006 9:32:40 AM Eastern Standard Time, mikecarrie01@... writes:

That's funny! Both funny-peculiar and funny-ha ha--the first part of the sentence is funny-peculiar and the second part, funny-ha ha. Did you walk by again to see if it talked?I hate those things, by the way. A guy at work has a collection of them and will put one of them at the receptionist's desk at different times so that when you come in they'll go off and scare you to death, starting your day off wrong. And you never know when he'll bring them in. Not funny-ha ha.

Yes, I walked back by it but it didn't go off.

I don't care or those things either. Several years back I was in a store and those toys with the motion sensors in them were just coming out. I was walking down an aisle when all of a sudden this screeching starts up on my right and close by and something was wiggling. My reflexes shot out a backhand and I knocked the thing silly, or would have had it been alive. What is was was some kind of Halloween thing that supposed to scare trick or treaters. They probably didn't taken into account people who's response was the attack rather than run. Fortunately the thing wasn't broken because the box bore the brunt of the strike. Since noone was around, I just put it back on the shelf and made a hasty withdrawal.

[Guest guest]

This line of discussion regarding the child and the Freddy stuff is getting a bit heated, so let's cool that down.

9 might be a little young to be playing Freddy, but then it was also said that he has only seen mild clips about him. At that age my friends and I were always playing war and such and we came out OK. In my teens, I was a big Freddy and horror movie fan, but by the time I had reached my 20's, I didn't really care for them anymore. Freddy glove and all I have yet to attack anyone who didn't attack me first.

The biggest consumers of horror movies have always been young males, teens to early 20s. I think it is important that children be taught that movies aren't real, but also that doing those things is very wrong. I understood that and so did my friends. As a result, no harm was done, except for those nights when I was rather afraid of the closet door.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/9/2006 1:27:49 AM Eastern Standard Time, drumthis2001@... writes:

Of course he won't be a death soldier. I wasn't implying that. I was like that at about age 4. I'd dress up in cowboy boots, cowboy hat, and a big six shooter. My parents provided me withthe proper equipment to feel respect for myself and I'm forever thankful for that.

I remember those days. My hobby horse is up in the attic and I still have the fake leather chaps and vest of my cowboy get up. Those were the days when toy guns looked real, and you could actually find them in the toy stores. These days its hard to even find decent toy soldiers that aren't GI JOE or some other overly syndicated stuff. I think I had close to 1,000 of those little green army men at one point, all divided up in paper bags from platoon, company and battalion. Too bad they made so many mortor men though, that always threw off the TOE.

[Guest guest]

Actually, we don't allow slasher films (Carl's just 9) -- all the Freddy he's seen so far are some benign film clips online, and on DVD covers. He's happy with that!

I also got him a mask. He often wears the mask and the claw at the same time while he's playing at home.

Making things forbidden sometimes makes them more appealing, and in this case seems to demystify them -- this is often the case with Carl!

Amy

Nick:

She sounds like the perfect Grandma! My granddad let me cuss in front of him when I was a young kid. He's only cussed once from all the years I've known him. Of course I know better not to now. I don't know though. Do you ever worry he might become desensitized to violence?"Amy L. " <amyb_short@...> wrote:

I know that of which you speak! My 9-year-old son LOVES that specific Freddy item. I am glad Freddy spared you, !

I did get my son a Freddy claw from a costume shop (soft, bendable plastic, but quite convincing). And a mask ..

He is happily playing away with those and a metal detector at my mother's in western Kentucky ... way out in the countryside, having the time of his life.

My mother lets him be who he is.

Amy

[Guest guest]

Actually, we don't allow slasher films (Carl's just 9) -- all the Freddy he's seen so far are some benign film clips online, and on DVD covers. He's happy with that!

I also got him a mask. He often wears the mask and the claw at the same time while he's playing at home.

Making things forbidden sometimes makes them more appealing, and in this case seems to demystify them -- this is often the case with Carl!

Amy

Nick:

She sounds like the perfect Grandma! My granddad let me cuss in front of him when I was a young kid. He's only cussed once from all the years I've known him. Of course I know better not to now. I don't know though. Do you ever worry he might become desensitized to violence?"Amy L. " <amyb_short@...> wrote:

I know that of which you speak! My 9-year-old son LOVES that specific Freddy item. I am glad Freddy spared you, !

I did get my son a Freddy claw from a costume shop (soft, bendable plastic, but quite convincing). And a mask ..

He is happily playing away with those and a metal detector at my mother's in western Kentucky ... way out in the countryside, having the time of his life.

My mother lets him be who he is.

Amy

[Guest guest]

You don't allow it because he has nightmares. Am I incorrect? You are as wise as . Oh, I don't mean to flatter. Do you believe in demons in dreams? Did you ever stumble into walls when you were just a toddler? I did. I got mad at the walls. My dad would be a few feet away and he'd ask me if I was okay. I said: "Bad wall!". Then to replace that I'd bite my tongue in preschool because the kids made me nervous. My dad likened it to a frog in a jar of water. The water slowly heats up and the frog doesn't notice it until he's boiling and by then it's too late. I don't believe in communism and I don't believe in desensitizing kids to scary stuff. They'll appreciate and have more respect for things if they're raised in a secure environment and accountability. "Amy L. " <amyb_short@...> wrote: Actually, we don't allow slasher films (Carl's just 9) -- all the Freddy he's seen so far are some benign film clips online, and on DVD covers. He's happy with that! I also got him a mask. He often wears the mask and the claw at the same time while he's playing at home. Making things forbidden sometimes makes them more appealing, and in this case seems to demystify them -- this is often the case with Carl!

Amy Nick: She sounds like the perfect Grandma! My granddad let me cuss in front of him when I was a young kid. He's only cussed once from all the years I've known him. Of course I know better not to now. I don't know though. Do you ever worry he might become desensitized to violence?"Amy L. " <amyb_short@...> wrote: I know that of which you speak! My 9-year-old son LOVES that specific Freddy item. I am glad Freddy spared you, ! I did get my son a Freddy claw from a costume shop (soft, bendable plastic,

but quite convincing). And a mask .. He is happily playing away with those and a metal detector at my mother's in western Kentucky ... way out in the countryside, having the time of his life. My mother lets him be who he is. Amy __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

I meant to say something like this:

"Making things forbidden sometimes makes them more appealing, and in this case <<making at least the accoutrements of the scary things available >> seems to demystify the phenomenon -- this is often the case with Carl!"

Also:

This also helps him to clearly understand that it is just "pretend," not real.

When he's a little older and actually watches the films, he will, I think, have a more measured response.

Amy

Re: Invisible

Actually, we don't allow slasher films (Carl's just 9) -- all the Freddy he's seen so far are some benign film clips online, and on DVD covers. He's happy with that!

I also got him a mask. He often wears the mask and the claw at the same time while he's playing at home.

Making things forbidden sometimes makes them more appealing, and in this case seems to demystify them -- this is often the case with Carl!

Amy

Nick:

She sounds like the perfect Grandma! My granddad let me cuss in front of him when I was a young kid. He's only cussed once from all the years I've known him. Of course I know better not to now. I don't know though. Do you ever worry he might become desensitized to violence?"Amy L. " <amyb_short@...> wrote:

I know that of which you speak! My 9-year-old son LOVES that specific Freddy item. I am glad Freddy spared you, !

I did get my son a Freddy claw from a costume shop (soft, bendable plastic, but quite convincing). And a mask ..

He is happily playing away with those and a metal detector at my mother's in western Kentucky ... way out in the countryside, having the time of his life.

My mother lets him be who he is.

Amy

[Guest guest]

Of course he won't be a death soldier. I wasn't implying that. I was like that at about age 4. I'd dress up in cowboy boots, cowboy hat, and a big six shooter. My parents provided me withthe proper equipment to feel respect for myself and I'm forever thankful for that. I think what your'e doing is good. The jacket I wanted at age 6 was the fighter pilot one. It's totally a good thing. Men need to learn the accomplishments of defending the country and their homes from bad influences. Women have the best intuition when it comes to raising kids. No doubt. "Amy L. " <amyb_short@...> wrote: I meant to say something like this: "Making things forbidden sometimes makes them more appealing, and in this case <<making at least the accoutrements of the scary things available >> seems to demystify the phenomenon -- this is often the case with Carl!" Also: This also helps him to clearly understand that it is just "pretend," not real. When he's a little older and actually watches the films, he will, I think, have a more measured response. Amy Re: Invisible Actually, we don't allow slasher films (Carl's just 9) -- all the Freddy he's seen so far are some benign film clips online, and on DVD covers. He's happy with that! I also got him a mask. He often wears the mask and the claw at the same time while he's playing at

home. Making things forbidden sometimes makes them more appealing, and in this case seems to demystify them -- this is often the case with Carl! Amy Nick: She sounds like the perfect Grandma! My granddad let me cuss in front of him when I was a young kid. He's only cussed once from all the years I've known him. Of course I know better not to now. I don't know though. Do you ever worry he might become desensitized to violence?"Amy L. " <amyb_short@...> wrote: I know that of which you

speak! My 9-year-old son LOVES that specific Freddy item. I am glad Freddy spared you, ! I did get my son a Freddy claw from a costume shop (soft, bendable plastic, but quite convincing). And a mask .. He is happily playing away with those and a metal detector at my mother's in western Kentucky ... way out in the countryside, having the time of his life. My mother lets him be who he is. Amy __________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/9/2006 11:15:23 AM Eastern Standard Time, mikecarrie01@... writes:

I was affectedly badly by horror movies as a child. I wish my parents wouldn't have let me watch them. I had nightmares and when I was 9 watched a movie that made me think there were demons in the house, especially in my bedroom. I slept in the hallway for months and now hated a house I had formerly loved. Thankfully we moved less than a year after that happened. I still have flashbacks and fears from different movies I saw over the years. I finally quit watching them in my late teens. I think you have to know your child and protect him/her if they are sensitive like I was.

I remember when the older folks were all watching the Exorcist when it first came out. I must have been about 7 or 8 at the time. That movie really scared the stuff out of me and I didn't even watch much of it. Poltergeist is what really made me afraid of closets for some time. in that house I actually had a little playroom off my bedroom and I slept in there on the floor quite often for a while since the bedroom closet was right next to the bed.

However, it did have one funny result. I was spending the night at a friend's house and Poltergeist had just run again on the movie channels. I wouldn't watch it but my friend did. That night, I was awakened by some loud screaming. My friend was sitting up in his bed across the room screaming. When I had cleared off the extra bed, I had put the stuffed animals on the floor. One of those was a clown (remember the movie?). Unbeknownst to me, the clown had landed as if standing up. My friend woke up in the wee hours and saw that and thought the clown moved. So he called me several times (so he said) and when I didn't answer, he thought the clown had killed me and was coming for him so he started screaming.

[Guest guest]

>

> " Did you ever stumble into walls when you were just a toddler? I did.

I got mad at the walls. My dad would be a few feet away and he'd ask me

if I was okay. I said: " Bad wall! " . "

I'm clumsy and I used to think that inanimate objects were attacking

me. I still kind of have that feeling and get angry at things

for 'jumping up' and hitting me. LOL.

[Guest guest]

>

" The biggest consumers of horror movies have always been young males,

teens

> to early 20s. I think it is important that children be taught that

movies

> aren't real, but also that doing those things is very wrong. I

understood that and

> so did my friends. As a result, no harm was done, except for those

nights

> when I was rather afraid of the closet door. "

I was affectedly badly by horror movies as a child. I wish my parents

wouldn't have let me watch them. I had nightmares and when I was 9

watched a movie that made me think there were demons in the house,

especially in my bedroom. I slept in the hallway for months and now

hated a house I had formerly loved. Thankfully we moved less than a

year after that happened. I still have flashbacks and fears from

different movies I saw over the years. I finally quit watching them in

my late teens. I think you have to know your child and protect him/her

if they are sensitive like I was.

>

> >

[Guest guest]

thank you for sharing such a powerful message. Your friend is a true blessing!

Invisible

I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way

one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be

taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"

Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping

the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see

me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you

tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock

to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is

the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes

that studied h history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now

they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going ... she's going .... she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a

friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and

she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,

looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to

compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress;

it was the only thing I could find that was clean.. My unwashed hair was

pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut

butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a

beautifully wrapped package, and said, " I brought you this."

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why

she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "With admiration on for

the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover

what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could

pattern my work:

* No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their

names.

* These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see

finished.

* They made great sacrifices and expected no credit..

* The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of

God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the

cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird

on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you

spending s o much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by

the roof? No one will ever see it."

And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost

as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you. I see the sacrifices you

make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've

done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me

to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't

see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease

that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own

self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's

bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the

morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three

hours and presses all the linen s for the table." That would mean I'd built

a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And

then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're going

to love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot see if we're doing

it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not

only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the

world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

author unknown

Pass this on to all those mums out there who you know and love and have had

a part in building something great of their own.

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[Guest guest]

thank you for sharing such a powerful message. Your friend is a true blessing!

Invisible

I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way

one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be

taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"

Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping

the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see

me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you

tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock

to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is

the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes

that studied h history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now

they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going ... she's going .... she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a

friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and

she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,

looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to

compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress;

it was the only thing I could find that was clean.. My unwashed hair was

pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut

butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a

beautifully wrapped package, and said, " I brought you this."

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why

she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "With admiration on for

the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover

what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could

pattern my work:

* No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their

names.

* These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see

finished.

* They made great sacrifices and expected no credit..

* The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of

God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the

cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird

on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you

spending s o much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by

the roof? No one will ever see it."

And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost

as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you. I see the sacrifices you

make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've

done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me

to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't

see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease

that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own

self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's

bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the

morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three

hours and presses all the linen s for the table." That would mean I'd built

a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And

then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're going

to love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot see if we're doing

it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not

only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the

world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

author unknown

Pass this on to all those mums out there who you know and love and have had

a part in building something great of their own.

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[Guest guest]

It is my belief that God sees you and he loves you so very much. Jodi

[Guest guest]

It is my belief that God sees you and he loves you so very much. Jodi