What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Autographs and Love Notes Revisited

Today is the day I have set apart to share with you my "Wednesday Treasures".  After our "September" questions yesterday for "Tuesday 4", I was reminded of these pictures and this little autograph book. I knew I must have shared it with you before, so I search for the post and found it. I hope you won't mind reading it again.  Be sure to click on the pictures from the Autograph book so you can enlarge them to read.
Note: This is a new picture. The Autograph book is the pink book standing up in front of pictures of my mother and my sister and me, and the dolls are also special "treasures", from left to right: 
Anne of Green Gables, which was one of my mother's collection of Madame Alexander dolls, which came to me because I am named after "Anne" of Green Gables...my name is Pamela Anne.  The next doll is Valerie, a gift from  my Dad for Christmas one year because she has red hair.  Next comes a doll that I gave to my mother for her 85th birthday, and the last one is my Margie doll, named after my Aunt Margie, who gave her to me for my 7th birthday. 

Original Post from 6/6/2017:
I was looking back through my old autograph book the other day...you remember those little books of blank paper that are intended to have signatures of special people, little funny sayings and other special words from friends or family...and I made a few discoveries that I'd forgotten or just hadn't really paid close attention to.

This particular autograph book was a gift from a friend on my 10th birthday!

It's right down there on the table at the far right end... I also received my first and only Barbie Doll for this birthday from my Grandparents!  I still have her today!
Here I am with my friends who came to my party.  L to R: my neighbor Kim, my cousin Becky, me, my girlfriend Rhonda, and my friend Linda. Linda gave me the autograph book!

I thought it would be kind of fun to go back through and share with you some of the funny and special autographs that I collected in this little book.

The most famous autograph in my book was from the actress Gloria Swanson:

 This was also on my 10th birthday.  Gloria Swanson came to a local new housing development for their grand opening, and my parents took me to see her.  I didn't even know who she was as she was a rather "old" movie star at this time, but it was exciting anyway.  I also had my picture taken with her and a friend of ours, whose mother was the local photographer for the community newspaper, so this picture also ended up in the paper!
Somehow, she also autographed this photograph, but I don't know how that happened since the picture wasn't developed when we were there with her.  The only thing I can figure is the photographer, Mrs. Bunny Rapalje, must have sent the photo to Gloria Swanson for the autograph and then gave it to me.  I never realized that until today as I wrote this!  And Mrs. Rapalje is no longer living, nor are my parents, so I can't ask them.  Maybe her daughter Janet would know, if I could locate her...

Anyway, I digress...

I was having such fun looking back through this little autograph book, reading all the funny, pithy sayings that many of my friends wrote back in the day...here are a few that were typical:

(You can click on the picture to enlarge for better reading)

My cousin Becky wrote this!

(This was written by my big sister...)


















It appears that I didn't use this autograph book much after about age 12, so that explains the "maturity level" of these autographs.  I also noticed that even though I saved a special page in the book for a "special fella" to write on, none did.  I guess it was just the age...boys still thought girls had cooties and would never write in our autograph book...and if they did, it probably wouldn't have been anything very "special".

However, in between the silly sayings I did discover two very special messages from my mother.  One I actually chose as my life verse and the key verse that stays on the front page of this particular blog:

My mother wrote this as "A Thought for Every Day"....(and that is why I chose it as my life verse!)

Psalm 19:14
  I just realized that she inadvertently  left out a couple of words, so here is the verse in its entirety:

"Let the words of my mouth 
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Thy sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

And this note I had actually forgotten or not realized was in here...and just rediscovered it when looking through the pages again...and it is perhaps the most valuable and important message of all to me:


When I read this I just cried.  My mother has been gone from earth for about 11 years now, and this was written to me way back about 55 years ago...and I honestly do not remember reading it before now. The other one I had read over and over again, but the pages must have been stuck together on this one because I just don't remember reading it before.  And what a powerful blessing and prayer for my life!

"Dear Pamela, 
I have nothing very clever to say...I'll just put it on record that I love you so much and pray that you will continue to grow in spiritual goodness and love of God.  
Your Loving Mommy."

Wow! How can I say thank you now to my mother for this wonderful blessing?  I am humbled and in awe of this, because when she wrote this to me, I was only about 11 years old...and I wonder just how much this "prayer" that I would "grow in spiritual goodness and love of God" had to do with the way my life turned out?  I will not claim that I have much "spiritual goodness" in and of  myself...whatever "goodness" is there can only be because of Christ and what He has done in my life...and my love of God is due to Christ loving me and giving Himself for my salvation as well...but I wonder if I would ever have reached that place in my life if it had not been for this prayer and the loving example of my parents and other godly people throughout my life who helped to direct my steps into the right paths that would lead me to Christ.  

When you are a child you sometimes take for granted the love of your parents and other important people in your life...but I know there are many perhaps reading this today who have never experienced that in their own lives.  We can't go back and "do over" life. We can't make our parents into what we wish they could have been for us.  But we can start now, wherever we are in our own lives, and make a difference in the children, grandchildren or other special young people over whom we may have some influence.  We can speak words of love and praise and encouragement that could make a total huge difference in the paths they may choose to take in the future.  We can PRAY for them even when we may feel we don't have any other way of reaching out to them due to circumstances beyond our control.  Many families are broken, separated, spread far apart, and you may feel you can't make any significant impact on them at all.  But you can pray!  Even if that is the only way available...it is always the best way!  God hears our prayers...and He answers them in due time.  

Thank you for taking this little walk down memory lane with me.  

"The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:
"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."
Jeremiah 31:3

18 comments:

  1. Your mother's handwriting is almost identical to my mother's!

    This was wonderful how you read that message after all these years. Amazing, the treasures God has hidden for us on the path. Who knows, twenty steps ahead could be something really fantastic waiting...a pile of gold...an answer to prayer...a message for today that was written 55 years ago. He knows tomorrow, so why do we worry about today? (I'm just talking to myself here...)

    :-)

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    1. Wow, Sandi! Your mother's handwriting was almost identical to my mother's? Did your mother take shorthand and use it a lot? My mother did, and consequently her handwriting often had little bits of shorthand scattered throughout. I don't these notes did, but I sometimes had to get out my shorthand notes (after high school) to decipher her handwriting! She always wrote like she was taking dictation and in a hurry! It was kind of a joke as the years went by... But in this incident, it's the message that counts...and I am so glad that I saved it all these years...because i really don't remember reading that personal note to me. I'm sure I must have, but maybe it just didn't have the impact then that it has now that she's gone to heaven. I like your thoughts to yourself above...I believe God does have special blessings ahead for us in places that we would not think to look ordinarily. That's His secret plan for us that will be revealed in HIS time, when He knows we are ready! Thank you for your thoughts today. I wonder if your mother knew my mother! :)

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  2. Oh how sweet is this post, Pamela! You are famous too! Gloria Swanson!
    I love the testimony you gave of your Mother. My Mother has been gone for 36 years and she had a big influence on my life, how she lived hers with faith, love and faithfulness! We may not realize the influence we have on others but we do have an influence weather it be good or bad. I just pray I can leave a testimony of love, faith and a witness of my Lord!

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    1. I think about you with your beautiful grandchildren, and all the wonderful memories you have made with them...baking cookies, tea parties, out to lunch, special times together...and I KNOW your grandkids will have nothing BUT wonderful memories of your love, faith, and a witness for your Lord. You are blessed to be near to them so you can spend that time together. My only grandson is 1500 miles away, and we rarely see him...and now that he's almost 18, he stays really busy with work, school, and girlfriend/activities, so our phone calls are becoming rare and far between. I am wanting to have more contact...but have to trust the Lord to work it out. I can PRAY for him...that is the most valuable tool I have.

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  3. I remember those little autograph books, Pam! I remember we used them in sixth grade at the end of the school year for our classmates to sign instead of getting year books. You've given us a wonderful walk down memory lane!
    And what your mother wrote to you brought tears to my eyes. How precious it is to have her note and the scripture she wrote so long ago. I'm sure her continuous prayers for you did help you to get where you are today.
    Blessings!

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    1. I am just in awe of this special message...and so happy I discovered it! Yes, we have special memories from our classmates, etc., yearbooks in high school, school pictures often have little notes on the back...special friends, special times...happy days! Thank you for sharing this time with me today.

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  4. Pam: it is nice that you were able to save that autograph book all these years. It was a treat to read the ones from your peers. They brought smiles to my face. I especially love the ones from your mother. When I was in elementary school, each year we received a 'memory book' with the pictures of each class in our school. At the back of the book were pages for autographs.

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    1. I'm kind of like the "Addams Family"..."Their house is a museum"...Ha Ha! I've saved a lot of OLD stuff, but then when I discover something like this it makes me glad that I did save it. I would hate to think I would have missed this message now when it means so much to me. I think if I saw it as a youngster I didn't realize the value of it like I do now. Thank you for sharing this special time here with me today. You are a blessing.

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  5. Pam, what a sweet, touching post. Your autograph book is a treasure! Even though, I'm quite a bit younger I remember having at least one autograph book (possibly more), and yes, I'm sure I still have it/them!

    Blessings!

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    1. Oh Kim! I'm so glad that the autograph book idea didn't die with us old-timers...but that it survived at least to your generation! I hope you will dig it (them) out sometime and giggle over the silly things written there. Perhaps you will also find a real gem in amongst the sillies! Be blessed my young friend!

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  6. What fun and then what a wonderful blessing. You were certainly meant to find that message from your mom exactly when you did. It's a God thing indeed!

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  7. I loved going down memory lane with you. Your MoM's writing in your book is such a treasure, what a wonderful thing to cherish.

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  8. What a sweet trip for me today visiting down memory lane with you. OH I ADORE all the pictures. Made me smile. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  9. I believe in the ever-after so, I can honestly say your mother KNOWS you're thankful!! what a beautiful treasure you have.

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  10. As I commented in 2017, Pamela, I won't add too much here - only that I truly enjoyed walking through these memories with you once again!
    Blessings!

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  11. I always love reading your posts, and I'm so grateful that you're willing to share you heart. Loved your mom's notes and your friends' silliness. I am going to write that "everyday" verse at the top of my lessons plans. (I'll be working on them as soon as I finish this comment.) I appreciate the encouragement to pray. My students start next week, and I have one who is really hurting. I need to remember that the Holy Spirit can reach this students in ways I can't.
    Jan
    Laughter and Consistency

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  12. How beautiful! I always loved the autograph books and how nice to meet someone famous! Such sweet things written too. You are blessed!

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