Memorial prompts – family and poetryDDR
Today is:
- Ellis Island Family History Day. See www.ellisisland.org – marking the day in 1907 when more people came through Ellis Island than at any point in it’s history.
- National Haiku Poetry Day – April is national poetry month. Today commemorates the haiku specifically.
- National Stress Awareness Day – stress is a leading cause of illness in our lives.
- Verrazano Day – commemorating the discovery of the New York Harbor by Giovanni Verrazano.
What thoughts do these invoke of your loved one? Share your memories, and invite others to share them too!
Memorial prompts – tragedies and comedies
Memorial Prompts:
- Today is Emancipation Day in Washington, DC; it’s the the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia (1862).
- 5th anniversary of the 2007 Virginia Tech University shootings that took 32 lives.
- It’s also the birth anniversary of Charlie Chaplin (1889-1975), Wilbur Wright (1867-1912).
How did your loved one deal with tragedies in their life? We all have them – those things that make life almost unbearable. What did your loved one do to make life more bearable?
Do thoughts of Charlie Chaplin, the great silent movie star, or the flights of Wilbur Wright, of the famous Wright brothers, bring any memories to your mind?
Share what you remember, and invite others to add their memories too. If you have not started a memorial blog or memory book, today is the perfect day to start.
Memorial prompts – laughter, baseball, and the Titanic
I realized today I was calling these by the wrong name, they should be called memorial prompts instead of journal prompts! Memorials are for remembering others; journals are for your own memories. Though I hope some of you decide to use these as journal prompts as well – by wishing you knew more about what your loved one thought about some of these items, you may realize how important it is for you to write your own journal!
Here are todays prompts, what do you think of about your loved one when you read the following:
- International Moment of Laughter
- Day Pan-American Day
Today in history:
- In 1828, Noah Webster published his American Dictionary of the English Language.
- In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford’s Theatre, Washington, DC, and died the next day.
- In 1910, President William Howard Taft began a sports tradition by throwing out the first baseball of the season at an American League game between Washington and Philadelphia (Washington won 3-0).
- 100 years ago, in 1912, the luxury liner Titanic struck an iceberg just before midnight. It sank hours later on Apr 15.
If you have not started a memorial blog or memory book, today is the perfect day to start.
Our prayers go out to all those in the Midwest who are in the path of the storms that will be coming today. We pray for your safety.
Journal prompt – Politics and UFOs
Today is Thomas Jefferson Day (third president of the US – his birth anniversary – 1742-1826.)
- What was your loved one’s political leanings? How did that affect his/her life?
This weekend is the Ozark UFO Conference, Inn of the Ozarks, Eureka Springs, AR (Apr 13-15). See www.ozarkufo.com
- Believer? Non-believer?
In 1742, Georg Frederick Handel conducted the first performance of Messiah at Dublin, Ireland. Handel also was the harpsichordist.
- Favorite type of music?
Journal prompt – Wild side?
Today is “Walk on your wild side” day. What did your loved one do to walk on their wild side?
My Dad
I don’t really think my dad had a wild side. Though when he was sick, he would sniff a little cayenne pepper. Cleared out the sinuses, he would say. So, my dad…wild? not quite so sure. Crazy? Yes, there was a little of that in him…
Flip-Pal Spring Daily Deals – One day each
Have you seen the Flip-Pal, a small scanner that makes it easy to preserve your old photos and save them onto your computer? If you’ve been holding off on purchasing one, this is the week to go for it! There are a lot out great deals on the scanner and accessories over the next few days. I’m finally going to get mine with today’s deal, after I convince my husband of our great need. After all, what else are we going to spend our tax return on?
Note: All promotion codes are active 12:00 a.m.11:59 p.m. MDT (-6 UTC) on their respective dates.
- Thursday, April 12 Purchase a Flip-Pal mobile scanner and receive a grey Flip-Pal mobile scanner Carry Case FREE! (Both items must be in your shopping cart)
Use Promotion Code: sdd412
- Friday, April 13 Save $20 on the purchase of a Flip-Pal mobile scanner with Creative Suite Craft Edition DVD!
Use Promotion Code: sdd413
- Saturday, April 14 Save $5 on the purchase of Flip-Pal mobile scanner accessories! ($25 minimum order)
Use Promotion Code: sdd414
- Sunday, April 15 Save $20 when you purchase a Flip-Pal mobile scanner plus a Deluxe Flip-Pal mobile scanner Carry Case with Pocket! (Both items must be in your shopping cart)
Use Promotion Code: sdd415
- Monday, April 16 Save $30 when you purchase a Flip-Pal mobile scanner with Creative Suite Craft Edition DVD plus a Deluxe Flip-Pal mobile scanner Carry Case with Pocket! (Both items must be in your shopping cart)
Use Promotion Code: sdd416
- Tuesday, April 17 – The grand slam!
Save $30 on the purchase of a Flip-Pal mobile scanner when you also purchase all of the following items (all 4 items – including the scanner – must be in your shopping cart): A Deluxe Flip-Pal mobile scanner, Carry Case with Pocket, A Flip-Pal mobile scanner Sketch Kit, An Eneloop AA 4 Pack with AC Charger
Use Promotion Code: sdd417
Disclaimer: I am a Flip-Pal affiliate and earn a commission when you order through the links on this website. Thank you for your support!
Memorial prompts for memorial blogs and books
Recording our memories of loved ones who are gone – especially with others – such an easy thing to do these days. You can start an online blog through blogger.com or WordPress.com, or create a memorial book through online services such as Mixbook or Blurb that let you tell stories and add pictures in a compelling way.
Starting today, we will be sharing journal prompts to give you ideas about what to write about, and I’ll share some of my own memories of those I’ve loved who have passed away.
Today is:
- Barbershop Quartet Day
- International “Louie Louie” Day
- National Bookmobile Day. See www.ala.org
Was your loved one very musically talented?
What did they think about reading?
Share what you remember, and invite others to add their memories too. Feel free to comment on this post, or go start your own blog to share your memories!
My Dad
My dad was not super musically talented. He could be heard singing an occasional song at church, but outside of that, he was not exactly a “whistle as you work” kind of guy. Now I wish I knew more about that side of him because I love music, I love to sing, and so do my kids. I’m curious to know what he thought about his own musical talents. I’ll have to go ask my mom…
Disclaimer: I am an affiliate for the photo book programs you see linked to above. I receive a commission when you click on one of their links and buy something. Thank you for your support!
Mommy’s Light and Service
Are you in or around the Pennsylvania area? Support Mommy’s Light, a wonderful organization that helps kids who are grieving a loss.
This year, April 28th, is third 8th annual Mommy’s Light 5K & 1Mile Race. This is an event for the entire family, with even a “Tot Trot” for kid age 2-5 following the race.
if you don’t live in the northeast, consider doing something else this year to support an organization that benefits those grieving a loss. Service is the absolute best way to help us forget our own struggles, no matter how heavy those struggles are.
For more information:
http://www.mommyslight.org/mllo/page.php?78
And here are a couple other sites that include information about other grief support groups:
* http://www.celebrationofalifetime.com/id9.html
* http://www.griefshare.org/findagroup
Changes to the Photo Memorials
When this website was first created many years ago, I wanted it to be a resource free of advertisements, free of solicitations, something that you could just learn from. I’m not a big fan of money. I woudl love it if our society was based on simple service – we all give what we can in whatever way we can, we all work hard, and everything is free for everyone.
Unfortunately, things don’t work that way. Maybe someday, but not today. Life circumstances changed, and made it necessary for this website to start paying for itself. Plus, kids grow up, finances don’t grow fast enough to keep the pace of what your kids need, you know the drill. And so, we signed up for a couple of affiliate programs. Nothing big, but something to at least help pay the bills.
And at some point I realized, earning money – that is not really a bad thing. We’re all stuck in the same world having to do the same thing – feed our families. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting to help people forget some of their sadness, and be able to make a living while doing it.
I created the Photo Memorial product because I wanted to serve, to give something to those who needed some uplift and remembering, but also give my son the ability to earn a little money towards some things that he wants to do over the coming year. I thought that for sure if we offered something valuable, with a donate button, that those who felt it was valuable and helpful to them would donate. But those who are struggling with finances would at least be able to have something as well.
Well, it hasn’t turned out as well as we’d hoped. It’s been difficult to find the time to create the memorials. And no one has offered a donation for those we’ve created. (This could be because it takes us some time to create them, or because those who order them struggle with their finances….) So, starting tomorrow, we are going to go ahead and charge for them. We will also send a physical print, so it will not be a digital file only that you will need to print yourself. You will receive a print by mail as well. And we claim no copyright – the background image and the poem are both free from copyright, and you provide the individual’s picture, so there’s no need for us to copyright it. You can reproduce it however, wherever you would like.
As much as we hoped that we would not have to do this, to charge a specific amount for the memorials, we don’t have another choice that will help us ensure that we are providing the best product we can for each customer. Each one is a beautiful, unique portrait. Each one is priceless to the family who receives it. We hope you understand the need to move forward in this direction.
In defense of a nation
What a touching way for a mother to help her son understand what his father did for his country. This child will grow up seeing this picture of himself with his father’s things and, within the sorrow of missing him, feel a sense of gratitude for what he did.
His father, Marine LCPL Carpenter, gave his life defending our country in Afghanistan earlier this year, a month before his son was born.
Baby Landon’s Mom wants his story to be known. Take a moment to share this photo with your friends and reflect on the price of freedom.”