Food can do so much more than just nourish the body. It can lift our spirits and add pizzazz to our lives.

Last week, my husband and I had a birthday party for our son who just turned 5. The theme was “Star Wars”.  To make the event extra festive, my husband decided to make a cake for my son’s birthday. “Make a cake” seems a bit understated for what he ended up creating. It was a 24-hour labor of love that resulted in gasps, unbelief and a lot of excitement.

At the end of the night, my husband and I both agreed that it was the best party we’ve had. Why? Not much was different from other family birthday parties. That cake not only tasted great, but looked amazing. It set the tone for the party and brought a new energy to the celebration.

Over the last several months, I have also sensed a new sense of energy at the Fireside Grille as new changes are implemented. It is amazing to even see the ambience change as the hearthstone oven was added and as our chefs serve us in their bright white chef attire.

The daily menu specials of salmon, sliders, taco salads, specialty pizzas, paninis and more have also added to the energy. I understand the changes to the Fireside Grille have just begun! I hear we will soon be enjoying made-to-order salads, artisan breads, and new international flavors.

Next Wednesday, June 23 from 11 am to 2 pm there will be a Grand Opening of the NEW Fireside Grille. Many of the local merchants who supply food to the Fireside Grille will be on hand to provide free samples.

If you are around that day, stop by for some free samples of salads, pizzas, cookies, parfaits and more! Everyone is welcome.

What is your favorite new dish at the Fireside Grille? I’m a big fan of the salmon with the orange glaze and the sweet potato fries!

Another Friday is upon us and it is time for some fun.

I was out recently snapping photos and this was an outtake…

What is your caption?

Enhancing Life is the motto on the Messiah Village emblem and there are many, many ways we experience this.

Enhancing spiritual life with worship and Bible study in the chapel, nursing neighborhoods and residential areas is a way to learn, pray and become acquainted.

Enhancing recreation and exercise life with morning exercise, swimming, disc golf, shuffleboard, and bowling.

Enhancing social life with special dinners and teas, local and distant bus trips, movies and theatre, evening games and chat times.

Enhancing learning is a service of Pathways Institute through classes, lectures, displays, book discussions and off-campus trips.

Enhancing life with crafts such as quilting, knitting, woodworking, bandage rolling, cooking, poetry, investment and stamp clubs.

Enhancing life through service such as filling water pitchers, pushing wheel chairs, entertaining children, serving the coffee, gift, and grocery shopping to name just a few.

Enhancing life comes to Messiah Village by service of dedicated staff members and many, many volunteers who live both in Messiah Village and in the extended community. All of this and more helps residents to enjoy living here.

I am an avid sports fan; despite several intervention attempts by friends and family I still find most, if not all sports a valuable departure from the stresses of day-to-day life.  I must admit, however, that today’s athletes tend to be overpaid, selfish and occasionally even criminal.  That’s why I found great intrigue in the events and reactions to the MLB game between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians on last Wednesday, June 2.  Let me set the stage for you….

A perfect game is an extremely rare occasion to say the least.  To quote Wikipedia, “Over the 135 years of Major League Baseball history, there have been only 20 official perfect games by the current definition. For comparison, more people have orbited the moon than have pitched a Major League Baseball perfect game.”

This past Wednesday night a perfect game was nearly executed if it were not for a blown call on the final out of the game.  A close play at first base involving the pitcher, Armando Gallaraga, was called incorrectly in favor of the runner by first-base umpire Jim Joyce.  But that’s just where the drama started…..

The grace and composure shown following that event was incredibly real and uncommon at the same time.  The pitcher, having every right to complain and argue, simply smiled and walked to the mound.  The umpire, upon seeing instant replay of his blown call after the game was moved to tears and apologized immensely not only to the media but also personally to the pitcher.  And the Detroit Tiger fans honorably provided the umpire with a lengthy standing ovation at the beginning of the next game.

It’s not very often that the reaction to the action speaks louder than the action itself.  In this case, however, I believe many people, both sports fans and haters alike, were left pondering their own responses to such an event.  I applaud Armando Gallaraga and Jim Joyce for personifying grace, humility and forgiveness in the midst of the public and scrutinized arena of sports.  May we learn from their examples ……..

The WorldBlu Principle for the week is —–  INDIVIDUAL + COLLECTIVE —– “In democratic organizations, the individual is just as important as the whole, meaning employees are valued for their individual contribution as well as for what they do to help achieve the collective goals of the organization.” One way that we have emphasized this principle at Messiah Village is our focus on the importance of being “person-centered and community-minded.” We have always believed that the individual is important, but that creating a community in which to work and live is also important. I hope that you feel valued for your individual contribution and that you also feel part of something larger than you are! I think we will be most successful when we emphasize both the individual and the collective.