Warm Thoughts

Trina Harger

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Personal Journals
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Warm Thoughts is a podcast embracing nostalgia, self-reflection, and legacy. Join Dr. Luetta G. Werner (b. 1926-2016) as we revisit her weekly column written for her small town newspaper. Narrated by her granddaughter, Trina Harger, curator of visualbenedictions.com.

11 Aug

Episode 312: Family Reunions

Summertime, summertime, summertime. Good old summertime. Here it is, August, a time to reflect on summer joys and challenges. As an early riser, I have enjoyed the rising of the sun, the peaceful mornings listening to the birds sing, and as I write these lines, it is a foggy morning. A heavy dew is on the grass as one walks down the country lane. Soon school will begin, and many schools throughout the country are beginning classes earlier this year. As a lifelong learner, I look forward to these school days, and golden rule days. However, I may feel my age when grandchildren ask me. Grandma, what century were you born in? This is a time to hike to the hills before school starts. What fun for families to picnic along the way? Sleep in tents, travel in the car in close quarters, a time to become firmly bonded before the fast paced schedules take over when back to school we go. August is a time when many families have their big family reunions. The Werner Clan extended, extended family, has always had their family reunions the 2nd Sunday in August. This year is the 60th anniversary, and they plan a really big celebration. The mother of all reunions, celebrating family. You can be sure there will be the babies there. The youngest and the oldest, and the oldies will have plenty of stories. You can be sure. I look forward to listening to the older and wiser men and women in the clan. One learns a lot from listening. Keep tuned. I will share with you, dear readers. It is interesting what researchers are finding about the family. That family is the best reward. The researchers have learned that those who emphasize their family life over their careers end up with higher earnings. Those of us who already committed to our families realized long ago that a happy family is its own best reward. Pioneer Proverbs: He who won't be advised won't be helped. The smart man knows how little he really knows. Have a great day. Learn something new each day. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, August 9th, 1995. Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past. Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table. I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it. Till next time, Trina
4 Aug

Episode 311: August is Here

Can it really be? August is here. June with its brief tranquil moments in July with its full moon and fireflies and celebration and holiday time is now a memory. August is time for the early harvest. Tomatoes ripening, the taste of roasting ears, new potatoes in the pot, fryers in the freezer, the aroma of baking bread and pies, and making pickles and preserves. August is vacation time with family before school starts. A trip to the mountains and hills, fishing by the lake, quiet brooks, streams, attending softball games, fair time, fun time, picnic time, more family celebrations and reunions, high school and college reunions, summer graduations, and for some moving on, moving on in life. How delightful are those summer days? For some, it may be the sweetest season of the year, where one can enjoy perfect freedom while walking or relaxing by the beach or lake. Summer with its soft nights and cool dawns at sunsets. Soon, summer will be gone, and autumn in all its beauty will arrive. Autumn, the mellower season, often called Indian summer, August is a time to reflect on the beauty of the seasons of the year. Warm Thought: Now is the high tide of the year, and whatever of life hath ebbed away, comes flooding back with a ripply cheer, into every bear inlet, and creek, and bay. James Russell Lowell. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, August 4th, 1994. Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past. Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table. I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it. Till next time, Trina
28 Jul

Episode 310: Today & Yesterday

My friend is celebrating another birthday and she wrote me and remembered that she too is having another birthday. She also wrote in detail about her senior moments. Our friendship has endured many years of joys and challenges. As time is fleeting so rapidly, each day is very precious, and I am reminded that today is the first day of the rest of my life. An unknown author helps us to be aware how special is today. Celebrate and enjoy today. Today is here. I will begin with a smile and resolve to be agreeable. I will not criticize. I refuse to waste the valuable time God has given me. Today has one thing in which I know I am equal with others…time. All of us draw the same salary in seconds, minutes, and hours. Today, I will not waste time because the minutes I wasted yesterday are lost as a vanished thought. Today, I refuse to spend time worrying about what might happen. I'm going to spend my time making things happen. Today, I am determined to study and improve myself. For tomorrow, I may be needed, and I must not be found lacking. Today, I begin by doing and not wasting my time. In one week, I will be miles beyond the person I am today. Today, I will not imagine what I would do if things were different. I will make a success with what material I have. Today I will stop saying, “if I find time,” or “if I had time,” for I will never find time for anything. If I want time, I must make it. Today, I will act toward other people as though this will be my last day on earth. I will not wait for tomorrow, tomorrow never comes. As we celebrate our birthdays each year, may we realize something important? The roses bloom and we don't want to miss them blooming. The birds sing, and we need to take time to listen. The sun is shining and we need to take the time to sit down and let it warm us. The world is rushing by, and we need to take the time to enjoy today. Thank you, Bertha, for sending me the thoughts about yesterday. My heartfelt thanks to all the readers of this Warm Thoughts column who share their bits of wisdom. Bless you. Yesterday. Put yesterday behind you. It's gone and won't come back. And we cannot see ahead, far down tomorrow's track. Enjoy the fleeting moments that come just for today. The sweet song of a bluebird, the morning sun's first ray. A warm and loving hand clasp, warm letters in the mail, a bunch of fragrant violets, rain splashing in a pail. Each day has something special, some joy or souvenir. It might be gone tomorrow, so enjoy it while it's here. Have a great day today. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, August 1st, 1999. Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past. Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table. I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it. Till next time, Trina
21 Jul

Episode 309: Arizona & the Snowbirds

New billboards are getting attention in Arizona. Some folks have reported seeing one or two messages. The newspapers listed all of them. Here is a list of variations of the Godspeaks billboards. The billboards are a simple black background with white text. I have a dear friend who has retired to Arizona, and I wonder if she has seen a few of the messages. Tell the kids I love them. Let's meet at my house Sunday before the game. Come on over and bring the kids. What part of thou shalt not, didn't you understand? We need to talk. Loved the wedding, invite me to the marriage. That love thy neighbor thing? I meant it. I love you, and you, and you, and you, and…Will the road you're getting on get you to my place? Follow me. Need directions? You think it's hot here? Do you have any idea where you're going? God. The snowbirds who will be driving to Arizona to spend their winters may see some of these billboards. Families will be taking a trip before school and classes begin. Enjoy the summer with all the family activities. A Summer Thought: Summer is when the children slammed the doors they left open all winter. Author unknown. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea Written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, July 25th, 2002. Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past. Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table. I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it. Till next time, Trina
14 Jul

Episode 308: Happy Birthday Luetta

A real faithful reader of this Warm Thoughts column sent some real gems of thought which I used in a recent column. It was like a Christmas or birthday present to receive them. Today is my birthday, and I decided I would share with you some more of the thoughts she sent me. Thank you for the birthday gift. And the Christmas gift too, as it is Christmas in the summer at the little home on the prairie. A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something. Common sense is not so common. A gentle word like summer rain may soothe some heart and banish pain. What joy or sadness often springs from just the simple little things? Courage is resistance to fear mastery of fear, not absence of fear. Mark Twain. Form good habits. They are as hard to break as bad ones. Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties. Spurgeon. The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. Moliere. Not the cry, but the fight of the wild duck leads the flock to fly and follow. Chinese proverb. What we hope to do with ease, we must first do with diligence, Samuel Johnson. It isn't that they can't see the solution. It is that they can't see the problem. G.K. Chesterton. Responsibility educates. Wendell Phillips. If A equals success, then the formula is A equals x plus Y and Z, keeping your mouth shut. Albert Einstein. Anger does as much damage to the vessel in which it is stored as it does to anything upon which it is poured. No person, even the humblest sort, can be strong, gentle, pure, and good without the world being made better by the existence of that goodness. To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. Do not keep the alabaster boxes of your love and tenderness sealed up until your friends are dead. Fill their lives with sweetness. Speak approving, cheering words, while their ears can hear them, and while their hearts can be thrilled and made happier by them. Good ideas need landing gear as well as wings. In the warmth of this summer, may you have many warm thoughts. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea Written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, July 18th, 2002. Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past. Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table. I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it. Till next time, Trina
7 Jul

Episode 307: The Most Creative Job in the World

Have you read about the most creative job in the world? Let me tell you about it. Perhaps you have even lived it. This most creative job in the world involves taste, fashion, decorating, recreation, education, transportation, psychology, romance, cuisine, designing, literature, medicine, handicraft, art, horticulture, economics, government, community relations, pediatrics, geriatrics, entertainment, maintenance, purchasing, direct mail, law, accounting, religion, energy, and management. Now, just what are you thinking? Just who would want this creative job? You may be thinking that anyone who can handle all those creative jobs just has to be very special. Yes, she is. She is a homemaker. Have you been able to do some summer reading? I am always interested in the new books that have just been published. A new book that is being published is about our president's wife and is entitled Laura, America's first lady, first mother. The author is biographer, Antonia Felix. The author has created a revealing, intimate portrait of the soft-spoken down to earth woman who made people magazine's list of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. At a time when our country needed the calming warmth of a mother's touch, Laura Bush stepped forward to offer just that. America's first lady transcended party politics and national tragedy to become America's first mother. We'll appreciate hearing from you about some summer reading that you have especially enjoyed reading about. Thanks for sharing your warm thoughts. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea Written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, July 11th, 2002. Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past. Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table. I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it. Till next time, Trina
30 Jun

Episode 306: Still She Waves

Today we celebrate Independence Day. It is a day of celebration for parades and families, and we see our nation's flag flying in the breeze. As a mother and grandmother, I save precious thoughts that my children and grandchildren have written. Recently, I ran across an essay that my daughter Kathy wrote when she was 13 years old and in 8th grade. On this Independence day, you too may appreciate these thoughts written by a teenager. Still She Waves. Our nation's flag is a moving observance of the honor accredited to our forefathers. The men and women who made possible for us a life of liberty and justice in this great land of ours. Our flag has stirred many a patriotic citizen like Patrick Henry, who forcefully stated, “Give me liberty or give me death!” And John Paul Jones, who boldly proclaimed, “I have not yet begun to fight. To sacrifice himself for the cause of freedom and the blessings of liberty.” The colors chosen for our beautiful flag bring out the ideals and opinions of the colonists towards obtaining and keeping a more perfect union. Red is for hardiness and courage. White represented purity and innocence, and blue stands for vigilance, perseverance, and justice. We surely must admit that our forefathers use careful thought in choosing such unusually good colors to be displayed on our flag. Our nation's flag became significant in battles for several reasons. Soldiers would proudly hold aloft their flag to show members of their regiment where they were located. Other brave men would carry the flag through each war that was fought, and would suffer all, even death, rather than to give up the flag, since permitting the enemy to capture the flag meant a joyous victory for the opposing side. Old Glory deserves the respect of our nation's people. It is not a mere length of material, but in it we discover the representation of the people who have made America what it is today. People from England pioneered this country and brought about the democratic government which we now live and enjoy. These people fought and killed their fellow Englishmen and sacrificed themselves so that their families, and those that followed, might have this freedom. Often we take such noble acts for granted, though we should be ever so thankful for their unselfishness and concern. Our flag stands for people who came from Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, and many other countries, who brought their abiding faith, their talents and ambitions, their delicious styles of cooking and preparing food. Their leadership qualities and their ideas of setting up a decent republic. Yes, our flag represents all this. Throughout the years, it has become a symbol of what a country can do when it uses Christian principles in government. We can rightly be proud of our nation, for it is one that is not a shame to place the words, “In God we Trust” on their coins. May we lend our country support in joyously singing, “God bless America.” This essay was written 41 years ago and daughter Kathy is now a grandmother - a teenager and Golden ager. She has just published a book entitled “From Hilltop to Hilltop: A Pioneer Spirit Endures.” It is a story of a people of God who have retained that pioneer spirit of courage, risk taking perseverance, generosity, hard work, and care for the community throughout the 150 year history of the oldest Lutheran Church in Texas, where her husband is the senior pastor. Thank you, Kathy, for allowing us to share your essay with the readers of this Warm Thoughts column. I will send you the original manuscript. I'm glad I saved that one! Happy Independence Day! Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea Written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, July 4th, 2002. Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past. Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table. I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it. Till next time, Trina
23 Jun

Episode 305: Gems of Thought

It seems that the readers of the Warm Thoughts column appreciate thoughts that may sometimes jog their minds. They also tell me they like essays and poetry. I really appreciate it when they share their thoughts. This column came from a very faithful reader of this column who apparently collects gems of thought. Thanks for sharing these thoughts. Let the words I speak today be soft and tender, for tomorrow I may have to eat them. Well done is better than well said. Ben Franklin. When someone does you wrong, don't do what comes naturally, do what comes supernaturally. Love God. Among the few things more expensive than an education these days is the lack of it. A real leader faces the music even when he doesn't like the tune. A good leader inspires men to have confidence in him, a great leader inspires them to have confidence in themselves. Our words may hide our thoughts, but our actions will reveal them. No person who is occupied in doing a very difficult thing, and doing it very well, ever loses his self respect. George Bernard Shaw. Education is not received, It is achieved. A friend will strengthen you with her prayers, bless you with her love, and encourage you with her hope. The roots of education are sometimes bitter, but the fruits are sweet. Education is not received. It is achieved. Do not let any kindness go unappreciated. Pray for a good harvest, but keep on hoeing. When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries, and you rejoice. An Indian proverb. Four things to learn in life: to think clearly without hurry or confusion, to love everybody sincerely, to act in everything with the highest motives, to trust God unhesitatingly. Helen Keller. To God, thy country, and thy friend be true. A child is the root of the heart. Give your troubles to God. He will be up all night anyway. A man who falls in love with himself has no rivals. One must never be in haste to end a day. There are too few of them in a lifetime. Have a great day and have many warm thoughts. Warm Thoughts from the Little Home on the Prairie Over a Cup of Tea Written by Dr. Luetta G Werner. Published in the Marion Record, June 27th, 2002. Download the Found Photo Freebie and cherish your memories of the past. Enjoy flipping through the Vintage Photo Book on your coffee table. I hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! Please follow along on this journey by going to visualbenedictions.com or following me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast,Spotify,Stitcher, and Overcast. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! I’d greatly appreciate it. Till next time, Trina

Warm Thoughts is a podcast embracing nostalgia, self-reflection, and legacy. Join Dr. Luetta G. Werner (b. 1926-2016) as we revisit her weekly column written for her small town newspaper. Narrated by her granddaughter, Trina Harger, curator of visualbenedictions.com.

Creator

Trina Harger
Years Active

2018 - 2026
Episodes

99
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© Visual Benedictions
Show Website

Warm Thoughts