Candy Land

One of the first board games I ever played was the classic, “Candy Land.” It was truly wonderful because of the name itself and the fact that six actual lollipops came with it and because my parents would always let me win and instructed my siblings to do the same. Sweet in every way!

I believe it is this board game that began my competitive streak and my deep affection for sugary confections.

What a grand experience of childhood was the local candy store stocked full of penny candy and complete with the right-out-of-central-casting store owner, an older gentleman with white hair and glasses. A quarter got you a paper bag filled with candy! Seriously, ask anyone of a certain age what they know about penny candy and watch their eyes glaze over like shine on a donut!

The store, “Gene and Boots” in Perryopolis is a throw-back to the sugar-laced glory days of childhood. Although it will cost one more than a penny, the store has all those great candies we grew up on. And, making an in the Maam stage of life statement, they don’t make candy like that anymore and....one can probably understand why:

Liquid- sugar filled wax bottles
Styrofoam-consistency flying saucers filled with colored sugar pellets
Candy cigarettes complete with the red-colored tip
“Charms” lollipops
“BATS” taffy on stick in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavors
Fireballs jawbreakers which were used to create a candy endurance test with the kids in the neighborhood -- how long could you keep the hot cinnamon jawbreaker in your mouth?
Pumpkin seeds coated in a half-inch of white salt
Yard long plastic tubes of sugar with the magical name “Pixie Sticks” because ingesting that much sugar made you believe you could fly!

I know I did not list all of the great candy. Do share some of your own sugar-filled memories of childhood when the candy was cheap and the sugar rush was long!

sj;

Hitting the refresh button

Since my years in the local church, the start of July has always been a renewing time for me, a new beginning, a fresh start. It comes from the clergy appointment season starting on 1 July.

Therefore, I find myself being drawn to images and words of resiliency and re-birth. I began to carry around a red rubber ball as a tangible reminder to “keep my bounce” and remain resilient, to keep coming back and to keep going forward. I write these words in a coffee shop named PHOENIX COFFEE.....perfect.

If one was able to steal a glance at my daily journal one would read a steady refrain of my need to be in balance, to have a clearer sense of purpose, to live me wholly. I have always been one who is kind of like a tumbleweed --- a make-up of lots of stuff and varied interests who tends to be blown about by the wind of the time to wherever it carries me. Hence, the need for balance, a plan, a purpose, a direction. I almost was driven to the point of listening to “One Direction” yet figured that would indeed be taking it too far.

All this is to say, it has been a very long time since I blogged....sigh.

All this is to say, I both need to and want to start up THE MINISTRY ON THE MARGINS blog.

Consider this, the first of a new season of posts.

Thanks for sticking with me.....if like Snow White you’ve kind of drifted from the blog, please come back.....

Water rush

It has been four years since last we saw one of the signature sights of our city -- the fountain at Point State Park. The wait is over --- tonight at 5 pm, the ribbon will be cut and the water will flow and soar to a height of 150 feet!

What is it that draws us to water?

We vacation at the ocean and spend hours walking in the surf, sitting on beach chairs reading as the waves roll in the rhythm we try and match with our breathing.

We trace the river’s run. We wade in creeks. We lull away the hours at lakes.

I confess I am one who needs to be near water -- I like to walk along the river’s edge; a favorite vacation spot is the ocean; I have spent many summer days swimming in the Buffalo Creek -- please, let us just pretend the water flowed from pure underground source....

Yet, with all this water log, there is something about the rush of a waterfall or the majestic height of a fountain that always draws me in. Maybe it's my prophet Amos moment of needed recall (a free dessert for the one who can explain that reference).

I am thrilled that finally the fountain at the Point will once again be turned on. I have grown weary of standing near the Fred Rogers stature and looking across the Allegheny River and seeing the teasing, yet, empty base of the fountain. Let the water flow!

The re-opening of the fountain coincides with the start of the annual Three Rivers Arts Festival. Speaking of water, natives of the area know that rain always accompanies the festival. Even if you can’t get to the grand re-opening of the fountain, make it a point in the next days to drive past, walk across (the walkways that is....if you walk across the water....whoa!), or splash in the fountain.

Where are the waterways and water rushes you visit?

sj;