Care Packages for "Neighbors in Need"

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view […] until you climb into his skin and walk around in it." 

--Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

I live in a small town, enough in the country and away from the city that, for the most part, means I experience "small town" things as part of my norm. We know our post office and library ladies on a first-name basis now, and the kids eagerly anticipate the treats we will get when we stop by. I always see at least 3-4 people I know in our town grocery store. And our local hardware store looks like something from"The Andy Griffith Show." Idyllic, right? And our family is working on developing good relationships with our neighbors - you know, the ones who live in our neighborhood. It's not easy, and I'm personally not very good at easy hospitality, but I've been working on it. 

Yet every time I think of the story of the Good Samaritan and the lawyer's question to Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" I can't get certain people out of my mind's eye. They're the ones that we pass

on a regular basis as we're driving into "the city," standing on sidewalks and street corners with their signs and backpacks. My lack of familiarity with homeless people means that I usually try to avoid eye contact, especially since I never have anything to give them. Because, I mean, who wants to smile and wave ... and nothing else? I feel terrible the whole time. And not because of some emotional urge to make myself feel like a good person, but because I always hear that question, "Who is my neighbor?" Driving past these people is a somewhat- regular occurrence. So yes, they are my neighbors.

Jesus, through a question, allows the lawyer to see who is being the true neighbor: "the one who showed him mercy." I remember

someone telling me that part of mercy is the compassion that comes from "putting yourself in other peoples' shoes." It's what Jesus literally did for us. I can't always do that physically speaking, but God has given us the gift to imagine, I believe, so that sometimes we can do just that: put ourselves in the place of others - imagine what they are feeling and why they are doing what they do. Even if I don't always understand it. 

So, over the holidays I remember seeing an idea on pinterest for some "care packages" that you can pass on to anyone you run into that has a need - even as quickly as handing it out the window while driving. I didn't act on it then as I should have. But after another reminder at last night's ladies' Bible study (on reaching our neighbors with true hospitality), I knew it was time to act. Below in pictures is what I hope will be a means to show love to my neighbors in need that I pass on the street corners (one of which came up to me in a parking lot the other day looking for food). I tried to put myself in their shoes to see what the needs might be - and if anyone has more ideas to add to this, please feel free to let me know! I hope we can start overwhelming our neighbors with love in caring for some of these needs. 

Note: most items included are hygenic in nature, because what I have heard from friends who work with the homeless a lot is that these hygenic items can be somewhat expensive and hard to come by (we all know how this stuff adds up). Most items are from Target/Aldi/Dollar Tree.

CARE PACKAGES FOR "NEIGHBORS IN NEED"

Contents 

Care packages all laid out

• socks
• 3 granola bars
• shaving cream/razor
• toothbrush/paste/case
• washcloth/soap
• shampoo
• flushable wipes
• gum
• water bottle
• lemonade packet
• hot beverage pack (tea, hot cocoa)
• chapstick
• lotion (girls only)
• Feminine pack (girls only)

TOTAL COST: about $6 each

• Additional items not in packages: Hats, gloves, handwarmers (to pass along as needed)
• Also going to print off little notes to go inside - with encouragement and some info about our church's food ministry.

Girl's care package

Guy's care package

Feminine pack

granola bars inside socks
held with hairband 

                                     

Aldi has great divided boxes to put these in
for easy car travel. Mine sits up front. 

One for husband's car (recycled lego bin)

Stored in the box

I also put a few sets of hats & gloves and
handwarmers in case there's a need.

Spiced Pumpkin Parfaits

I have a confession. A true confession. A truly horrifying Thanksgiving-day confession. You see, the truth is, I don't really care for ... pumpkin pie. Or most fruit pies in general. I mean, I love fruit, and I can certainly eat just about any pie you put in front of me (major exception being coconut - I cannot handle coconut). But let's just all be straight-up at this point: we eat pie for the crust. Or at least I do. Some of my earliest memories involve my mother slapping my hands because I was once again picking off pieces of pie crust (from an as-yet-uneaten-pie). And to me, the true mark of adulthood comes when you can make your own pie and pick off crust pieces with no consequences.

So getting back to the point, I don't like pumpkin pie. But last fall, I had the first-time privilege of hosting my in-laws (famous for

This is my very first turkey.
I just thought you should all see it.
I slaved over him.

gargantuan Thanksgiving feasts) for Thanksgiving. At our house. Where I wasn't planning on making a pumpkin pie ...

The answer (in my opinion at least) was to try to create the mirage of a pumpkin pie without actually having to make and eat a pumpkin pie. So when I saw these charming little Spiced Pumpkin Parfaits over at The Cozy Apron, I knew where Thanksgiving Day dessert was headed. To Parfait of Pumpkin Bliss.

These turned out so well and were such a hit that I made them again at Christmas last year (when MY parents came to visit). However, that's where my other confession comes in: I was 7 months pregnant then, and by the time I got done cooking our meal and prepping that dessert, I was so wiped, I couldn't even finish my meal - or dessert. Both times. But I know the parfaits are amazing because, well, I sort of picked at stuff while I was making them. Snitching is my game. :-)

I hope if you are looking for something fun and pumpkin-y for the holidays, you can try these out. They really are amazing, and I thought a much better finish after a big meal than a heavy piece of pie.
(NOTE: I did make a blueberry pie later in the week so we could say we DID PIE.)  

Below is a link to the original recipe with a few notes: 

Spiced Pumpkin Parfaits 

with Chantilly Whipped Cream and Honey-Graham Crumble

a few notes

• You can substitute vanilla extract for the dark rum.
• I used just regular granulated sugar in the whipped cream and pumpkin cream. 
• If you're wondering where the mascarpone cheese is in the grocery store, check the deli section (wisdom learned after 40 minutes wandering all over Target's grocery section). 
• I would advise removing any rings before making the crumble. 
• Also, this recipe makes a lot of extra crumble. You could almost cut the crumble part in half. Or refrigerate leftovers and use them for something else (or just give kids a fun bowl of crumbles). 

The four finished parfaits.

Megan for The Sisterhood

Fall Baking ... Pumpkin Cookies and Scones

Things have been a tad crazy over the last few months. My husband graduated from dental school, we moved to another state, he started a new job, and we found out another Dow is on the way! Lots of changes, to say the least. And we are now entering my favorite time of year - fall, with its crisp air and changing colors.

With fall comes pumpkin season, and with pumpkin season comes baking. For us at least, two pumpkin treats are an essential part of fall baking: cookies and scones. Although the temperature is still in the 70s around here, the official start of fall this week had me wanting those pumpkin staples.

A while ago, Joanne shared a family favorite and go to pumpkin cookie recipe here on The Sisterhood - didn't want to reinvent the wheel on this one (since they're so yummy). 

However, I started searching Pinterest for a pumpkin scone recipe that was simple and that I already had ingredients for. I came across this Starbucks Pumpkin Scone knock-off recipe and am in love with it. Check it out and let us know if you love it too! 

Jill for The Sisterhood

Menu Planning Made Easy

It's almost time for school to start, and this year I'm beginning a new adventure: my oldest is starting school (insert  *gasp* emoticon). I'm actually really excited about this new phase, and it's given me an adrenaline burst to get certain facets of our lives a little more organized - or at least, more functionable (that's a word, right?). So, when I saw this idea posted on facebook a few weeks I ago, I immediately took a screen shot of it and quite literally burst out "That's it!" It's the menu planning option I've been looking for for years. Believe me, I have done them ALL: the notebooks, the day planners, the special meal planners you can download, writing out the week's meals on a chalkboard, writing out the week's meals on an old picture frame and glass with a dry erase marker. Nothing has really ended up working that well. But THIS. This is genius. And right up front I'm not taking any credit for it, since some person-whose-name-I-forget posted it originally. I'm simply sharing what I did, so that if this helps you, you can do the same. 

Here's my Easy Menu Planner: 

OVERALL CONCEPT: Compile a list of meals that you use regularly and write them on cards so that you can pin them up and rotate them as needed.

SUPPLIES NEEDED: 

• Scrapbook paper
• Adhesive of some kind (tape, glue, etc.)
• Various decorative stickers
• Sticky Letters (or really awesome handwriting)
• Notecards
• Magnetic Clips (like these)
• Sticky note pad
• Magnetic cup/container (like this)

INSTRUCTIONS: 

First, I started out by compiling all my recipe cards that I regularly use for meals and writing out each meal name on my menu-planning cards, with just the ingredients needed on that back. That way, as I'm making a shopping list, I can just flip the card over to see what's needed. 

Then, I created a little "board" out of scrapbook paper and used my awesome sticky letters from the Target dollar bins to label everything (including the magnetic clips for each day). 

After that, I simply clipped a few menu cards onto each day's spot and put the rest into the magnetic cup (along with my writing pen and a pad of sticky notes for making shopping lists each week). 

For breakfasts and lunches, I didn't really need "meal cards," since we sort of rotate the same few things. So I just pinned them up as a reference point. 

And that's it! Each week (typically on Sunday afternoons), I'll just go through my cards and clip up the ones I want to use for the week. And if I know we won't be there a certain night I can just leave it blank (e.g picture below). Then I can make my shopping list off of the ingredients (before shopping Monday or Tuesday). 

Hope this helps some others of you who have also been looking for news ways to menu plan. Feel free to let us know if you have other suggestions or additions to this as well! (Or simply awesome recipes that I should add to my own stash. Good food ideas are always welcome :-) ). Here are some of our favorites. 

Megan for The Sisterhood

In Memory

July 5, 2004 was a day that changed the Pfeiffer family forever. God suddenly took devoted wife and mother, Hope Pfeiffer home 11 years ago today. I did not know Hope, but I have the humble privilege of living every day with some of the people she loved dearest. At Samantha's graduation ceremony at the end of May I couldn't help but think about the undeserved privilege to enjoy one of the high points in a mother's life and yet Hope was not there to see it. She would have been bursting with joy to hear Samantha's valedictorian address, to crowd in for group pictures afterwards and enjoy dessert at Big Boy in celebration. And yet, she was not there.
 

In March of this year, Rob published a book entitled "Hope's Prayers". The cover of the book is a scanned image of Hope's prayer journal (looking carefully in the bottom half of the cover will reveal an impression of the words, "Family Prayer Requests/Answers"). The title of the book is comprised of letters in Hope's own handwriting that was extracted from her journal. The theme of the book is prayer. The main purpose of the book is to give Samantha and Michael a tangible way to know who Hope was. This book is a treasure. It is a treasure for two children who have been robbed of the chance to know their mother beyond the perspective of a 4 and 6 year old. It is a treasure for family members who miss Hope dearly. It is a treasure for friends who marvel at the survival of such a tragedy. It is a treasure for me who gets to, in Hope's place, love the children to whom the book is written.

In the pages of "Hope's Prayers" I learn intimate details of how

God carried some of the people that I love dearest through some dark days. I learn that my God has a perfect plan He is working out, even through pain. I learn that God answers prayer - sometimes years after the pray-er has died. It is through "Hope's Prayers" that I can identify a little better this year about the weight that 4th of July parades and fireworks brings to Hope's closest family. 



Many have asked how I feel about the book "Hope's Prayers". I suppose the inquiry is due to an awkward element of focusing on a first wife while being married to a second wife. I do not feel that awkwardness, however. I am thankful for "Hope's Prayers". The content of the book points my attention to a good God who not only worked in the Pfeiffer family in 2004, but also is working in the Pfeiffer family in 2015.

On this 11th anniversary of Hope's death, I am overwhelmed both by the joyous privilege it is to love Rob, Samantha, and Michael in her place and by the abundant grace of God which has been poured into my life.

Joanne

P.S. "Hope's Prayers" is available in paperback and electronic format via amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com

http://hopesprayers.com/ 
Hope's Prayers Facebook Page

Hope's Prayers - a great Mother's Day gift idea

Samantha & Michael with their Mom, Hope. 

For anyone familiar with our family, you're probably aware of the incredible and sweet story behind Joanne's marriage to Rob (she details their engagement in 2 parts here and here). We were all so excited at God's leading and provision for Joanne (in a husband) and widower Rob (in a wife - and mother for his 2 children). But what I didn't know was much about Rob's first wife, Hope (the mother of my niece and nephew, Samantha and Michael). For the past 10 years, Rob has been compiling memories, letters, interviews, and poems in order to produce a special book - addressed to Michael & Samantha - about their mom. But even though it's written from his perspective to his children, it's also a very moving and accessible story for us "outsiders." I thoroughly enjoyed reading it as I traveled to South Carolina last week to spend some time with my parents (as my mom was recovering from major surgery). As I was expressing my thoughts about this story to my mom, the thought occurred to me that this would be a great gift for mother's day. So we're sharing some reviews here about it to hopefully pique your interest and give you a great gift idea. 

-Megan Albright-

Hope's Prayers, by Rob Pfeiffer, is available on amazon.com and Barnes and Noble online in both print and e-reader friendly versions (kindle & nook). 

REVIEWS FROM THE SISTERHOOD

Michael & Hope

Samantha and Michael have such a treasure in this book. They are able to read of their mom's life and many of her thoughts through her beautiful poetry. Their dad, Rob, so kindly lays out the many trials and lessons learned that their family endured. It's an encouragement to see the truths of Scripture woven throughout the book not only to admonish and advise Samantha and Michael as they prepare to leave home, but also to challenge us as believers in many of life's aspects. 

-Julie Rudie-

Last picture as a family
July 4, 2004

Rob Pfeiffer shares with his children, using their mother's own letters and poetry, insights into Hope's personal struggles as well as her growing walk with Christ, her Savior. Each chapter begins with snippets of the final hours of her last day. These snippets provide a compelling backdrop that draws the reader into learning more of Hope Pfeiffer's life.Then each chapter details their mother's life's journey as a daughter, wife,and mother. I believe the reader will learn along with Samantha and Michael that "life is hard" and sometimes "life is very hard," but Christ is the only hope.  

-Grace Albright-

As I read through Hope's Prayers I was constantly reminded of God's grace. Grace through strength and perseverance in trials and God's amazing grace over sin. It was a joy to see the truths of God's Word left to my niece and nephew, through the life of Hope. And, it was a great privilege to be allowed to look in as an 'outsider' and learn more about God's grace.

-Jill Dow-

Although written mainly for his children, Rob Pfeiffer's book Hope's Prayers is a beneficial read for anyone who encounters life's trials. The journey God planned for their lives was difficult, but God's faithfulness was abundant. 

-Faith White-

Through this book I was given much new insight into the life of the mom I barely knew. Also, I learned about what my relationship with God should be, based on her example. Never in my life could I have asked for a better gift.

-Samantha Pfeiffer-

A New England Literary Adventure (with a birthday shout-out to Robert Frost)

A year ago, I got to do something that I'd been wanting to do for a long time. You see, even though I grew up in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region, and even though I've always been a heavy reader, I had never visited a single literary historic site in NE (and believe me, New England is especially full of them). So when my husband and I got the chance to be a part of 2-day conference in New Hampshire, he graciously allowed me to add an extra day on our trip to stuff in as much literary site-seeing as we could. 

The poor man didn't know what he'd gotten himself into. 

From all outward appearances (and probably according to most men), it was a long, miserable, boring day of looking at old houses and tombstones. New England at the end of March last year was, typically, cold and icy-rainy. So yes, it was 34 degrees and rained the entire day. And yes, we mostly stopped and looked at old houses and tombstones. But I had the time of my life! (And Joel enjoyed the benefit of numerous Dunkin Donuts stops - it wasn't all bad for him). So for those of you book lovers out there who would enjoy a quick peek at my trip (and perhaps get some inspiration for your own literary journey), here's my catalog of events. 

1ST STOP: ROBERT FROST'S FARM. DERRY, NH. 

Frost is unquestionably one of my favorite poets. Probably sounds a little cliche, but it's true. I love free verse ("Mending Wall" is a personal favorite - see below). The farmhouse itself was closed for the season, as were most of the places we stopped - most likely that ended up saving us money and time in the long run. I got a quick peek in the windows and sludged my way out back to get a fun photo op on one of Frost's own stone walls. I'm sure with all of those "fences," he was a good neighbor.

Sign out by the road (his farmhouse is right on a main road now); reading "Mending Walls" next to Frost's own stone wall; quick peek on the porch through the windows. Happy 141st Birthday, Robert! 

2ND STOP: ORCHARD HOUSE (ALCOTT), THE RALPH WALDO EMERSON HOUSE, AND THE OLD MANSE (HAWTHORNE). CONCORD, MA. 

Reading Little Women outside
of Orchard House

Clustered in the small downtown area of Concord, MA are the homes of famed authors Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorn. Orchard House is actually open year-round, so that was my one splurge. Joel opted out of the tour, preferring to sit in the car and read his own theology books while I paid the $10 to walk around Louisa's creaky but delightful homestead. It's not as large as I imagined (based on the Little Women movie and pictures I'd seen); but it had a number of enchanting nooks and crannies. Definitely worth a stop and tour in my opinion. 

Emerson Home

Emerson's home was another "closed for the season" location - so I risked my life posing on a busy street for a quick stop. The Old Manse (Hawthorn's home) was actually open for tours, but since we didn't want to pay another fee, I just ran and got a quick photo before the workers came out and asked for a "donation." From here, we went to a few outdoor (and free) literary scenes in Concord. 

3RD STOP: OLD NORTH BRIDGE, SLEEPY HOLLOW CEMETERY (AUTHOR'S RIDGE), AND WALDEN POND. 

Reading Emerson's Concord Hymn at
the Old North Bridge, Concord, MA. 

The next few stops were a tad miserable (hence, shortened) because of the weather. Joel and I took a little walk to get to the Old North Bridge, which crosses the Concord River - and is home to first battle of the Revolutionary War. If this sounds more like a "history stop" than part of a literary adventure, you must not be familiar with the Concord Hymn by Emerson. This poem, which I love, is actually the reason I wanted to make this stop, as I used it for a project way back in 6th grade. Now here I was, reading Concord Hymn "by the rude bridge." However, at this point, my fingers were stinging so badly from the cold that I could barely hold my book open - a small price to pay for my photo-op. 

After a few minutes thawing out in the car, we made our way through Sleepy Hollow Cemetery up to the aptly named Author's Ridge, so called since Louisa M. Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Nathaniel Hawthorn are all buried on the same hill overlooking the rest of the cemetery. Literary lovers come from all over and pay homage, mostly by leaving cheap ball point pens at the various tombstones. I preferred to pay homage to one of my favorites by allowing my 1900 copy of Little Women a few moments of rest on its author's gravesite. (Believe me, in this weather, it was a sacrifice). Sometime, I'd love to come back in better weather and visit a little more of the cemetery. 

Sneakiest photo of the day:
Walden Pond

Walden Pond, our last stop in Concord, MA was closed-up in more ways than one. The site-seeing shop was locked and barred; and the walkway down to the pond was chained off with various signage threatening tourists and passersby to refrain from attempting to be the next Thoreau. So our stop here was more like a sneak-stop - we parked the car in a closed parking lot, ran across the road, and got a quick photo in front of the pond as a police car drove past us. We got out of there rather quickly. 

LAST STOP: LONGFELLOW'S WAYSIDE INN. SUDBURY, MA.

Our destination for the evening - and the highlight of the entire trip for me - was having dinner and taking up lodgings at Longfellow's Wayside Inn on the Old Boston Post Road in Sudbury, MA. If you're not familiar with it, the Wayside Inn, est. in 1716 and the oldest operating inn in the country, was the inspiration for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's collection of poems called the Tales of a Wayside Inn (which includes his even-more-famous poem "Paul Revere's Ride" ... you know, "one if by land, and two if by sea" etc.). I enjoyed reading through the Tales during our dessert in the tavern (New England Indian Pudding - fantastic!), and then throughout the evening in our room. 

We paid a little extra to get one of the "special" rooms - room #10. When I first called the Inn to set up a reservation, the receptionist let me know about room #10, which has about 8-10 different spots throughout it that are more-or-less hidden and contain clues and notes from previous lodgers - a veritable treasure hunt! I found a number of these in our room, and eventually hit the goldmine when I opened up the antique chest in our room - absolutely full of letters. I dug around in the letters briefly and found some dating back to the 1970s and 80s. I made sure to write my own letter and leave it in the chest ... to be read upon my return someday. :-) 

3 of the hidden notes I found from previous lodgers: 
underside of a drawer, window ledge, and wooden beam in the closet. 

The "treasure chest" of letters

Breakfast at the Inn - complete with creaky floors
a crackling fireplace, and corned beef hash. 

The next morning, after a hearty New England breakfast in the tavern, we took a quick drive up to the Grist Mill - a mill built by Henry Ford and still in operation today, producing the flour and cornmeal that the Inn uses in its baking. I purchased a bag of cornmeal; and yes, it has made some marvelous cornbread throughout the past year. 

The Old Grist Mill - still in operation today

We had a flight to catch that afternoon, so that was the end of our literary adventure. I've still got a list of other authors' homes to visit someday; but for now, this was a wonderful day trip for me. I'd love to hear if you have your own literary stops to share with me - always adding to my list. 

So thank you, Joel, for humoring me and my book-nerd loves. It was an adventure I won't soon forget. And speaking of forgetting ... happy birthday a day late, Robert Frost!

Megan Albright, for The Sisterhood