BRINGING BACK SUNDAY FAMILY DINNERS

REAL-LIFE MOM
Returning to Sunday family dinners
By Cornelia Seigneur
Thursday, March 13, 2008 OREGONIAN SW WEEKLY
Last month my daughter, Rachel, and I traveled to San Francisco to apply for her German passport. We added to our weekend a visit with my college friend Meri Bartolomucci and her husband, Ray Bartolomucci, who live in the area.
When Rachel and I arrived on a Friday, Ray, a restaurateur, announced he would cook a Sunday family dinner for us and a few others.
The Bartolomuccis go to church Saturday nights, so Sunday began not with preparation for church but with prep for dinner. Meri and I returned from a morning run at 11:30 to the aroma of garlic, sausage and onions. Dinner would not be until 7.
Though Ray's back was injured, there he was preparing a multicourse meal. Meri said, "Sunday dinner is an all-day labor of love for Ray."
Said Ray, "I grew up with Sunday night dinners."
Meri, Rachel and I went off with one of the Bartolomucci children to tour -- and taste -- two of the restaurants Ray and Meri recently opened. Meanwhile, Ray continued preparing the meal, including boiling potatoes -- 10 pounds of potatoes, to be exact.
"Those are for homemade gnocchi," Ray explained on our return. He taught Rachel how to roll them out by hand.
As family and friends arrived, we found our spots at the table. After Ray's thanksgiving prayer, we began sharing our Sunday dinner. It felt like family.
The evening inspired me to want to begin our own Sunday dinners, a tradition my husband, Chris, grew up with.
After Chris and I met in college, he'd take me to his parents' Sunday dinners in their cozy Milwaukie home, a tradition he shared with his sisters. remember the winter dinners especially, with the wood stove burning and the smell of a roast simmering and potatoes bubbling. Chris' dad greeted us with a hug and we'd hear a warm "Welcome" from Chris' mom in the kitchen.
So, even before Chris and I married, I felt very much at home with his parents -- like family.
After Chris and I married, we could not always make the Sunday dinners. Then the kids and life got busier and the dinners stopped.




Chris and I have created other family traditions instead. But Meri and Ray's Sunday meal inspired me.
Upon my recent return from San Francisco I told Chris, "I think we should make Sunday dinners a tradition like your folks used to do. It's a great way to kick off the week, and the kids could invite their friends. It'll create lifelong memories, as you've had and Ray has."
Chris liked the idea. But he said, "Ray's shoes are hard to fill -- Ray owns restaurants. Plus, I like my Sunday naps."
"Well, I'll be the one cooking," I countered.
"But someone will have to clean," he reminded me.
I'll worry about that part when we get closer. For now, it's all about family.
Real Life Mom appears the second Thursday of the month.
Visit Cornelia Seigneur, a West Linn writer and mom of five, at her Web site: www.writermom.net

LET THE GIRL PLAY BALL!

My daughter Rachel and I were in San Francisco last weekend to apply for Rachel’s German passport as well as visit my college friend Meri and her family who live in Pleasanton. During the weekend, Meri’s niece Hillary had a basketball game in the Oakland Coliseum Arena, which was a huge deal. Meri’s sister Teri –Hillary’s mom - invited family members to come watch, and they all came from as far away as two hours.
Hillary’s team creamed the opposing team by about 15 points, and usually Hillary gets substituted into game in the second quarter, but in this game, she was not allowed to play at all.
Zero. Zip. Not a minute, not two minutes, not 20 seconds. Nada. This was bad enough and then I found out that a couple of other girls, who were seniors, also did not get to play during this game, part of some championship series.
That is ridiculous. I mean, the team was ahead, way ahead, and being able to play in the Oakland Coliseum is a huge deal, an opportunity that comes along rarely – unless you are a professional athlete. What were those coaches thinking? Did they think that they would lose by letting members of their second string play? If they are on the team, they must be decent players.
Those coaches were missing the point of the game. Sure, it’s fun being on a winning team, but those girls who were not allowed to play will always remember that they missed this chance. Years later, it’s not about winning so much as it is about how you play the game, and it is just not fair to leave players on the bench the entire game – that is not a good way to play the game. If the coaches were worried about winning, they chould have substituted during the second or third quarters or figured some way to let all have that once-in-a-lifetime chance.
In the end, those coaches are taking the love of the game out of those girls who were not allowed to play. Sure, they celebrated, sure they were happy to win, but deep down, I am sure they were thinking and wondering, what is wrong with me? I am sure they felt out of it. I am sure they felt not a part of the team. Because playing makes you part of the team. Those coaches missed the point and did those girls wrong.
I say – Let the girl play ball!

-- Cornelia Seigneur
www.writermom.net

25 TIPS FOR FREELANCE WRITING - SPEAKING Feb 25 Oregon Writers Colony

I will be presenting "25 Tips for Freelance Writing"
at the Oregon Writers Colony - OWC Presents! - Monday February 25, 2008 - 7 p.m.
at Powell's Books Store, located at Cedar Hills Crossing in Beaverton Oregon - -
Address is: 3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd - OWC events are free;
Visit www.oregonwriterscolony.org/owcpresents.htm for information.
These are fun events, low-key, last about an hour!

A SIMPLE HEART AND A BOLD PHONE CALL

Chris Miles’ simple heart and a bold phone call

By Cornelia Seigneur

As the handful of homeless folks streams into God’s Living Room located for a week in the Back Room of the church, Chris Miles welcomes them as old time friends. He scurries about, making sure the lasagna made by Mauro is in place, the tables are ready, and the clothes are in order for those with need.
On this second day that Rolling Hills hosted God’s Living Room, the down-to-earth Chris feels comfortable calling this place home. It was his bold phone call that got the ball rolling just one day before.
It was a bone-chilling Monday at 3:45 with the wind chill factor dipping temperatures into the teens. Chris was worried about those with no place to call home, those who feel they don’t belong, those with hunger pains wondering where they will lay their heads for the night. Those with little hope.
Chris knows what it’s like to be in a place with no hope.
He was there the day he took a wrong turn, and ended up driving by Rolling Hills. So he thought, ‘I’m here, why not stop in and talk to someone?’
That someone was the pastor on call, Aaron Doerr. Chris wept while sharing his story. God was filling his empty heart with Christ’s hope.
After attending church, the men’s retreat and the singles Bible Study, God was becoming Chris’s new place of refuge.
But real life didn’t get miraculously better; Chris had little employment and he found himself in need, receiving food from the Tualatin Food Bank, run by Linda.
Linda shares: “Chris started helping me and I told him about the emergency shelter I wanted to do, but we just didn’t have staff to spend the night, and Chris was like, ‘I might be able to do that.’”
And he did. The emergency shelter was held at the Tualatin Methodist Church, with Rolling Hills volunteers. But -- only available on weekends.
With Monday morning’s record-breaking lows,
Chris just couldn’t think of leaving the homeless on the streets.
So he made that phone call to Faith: “Can we open up the church to the homeless this week?”
There was no program in place, no committee meetings, just a simple man with a simple heart, wanting to make God’s Living Room available.
Church members came, bringing community and food and overnight assistance. And the homeless came.
“I let them know they can come. I want this to be a place of refuge. We’ll take anybody as long as they are not rambunctious. I have had the same issues; I have had the drugs, the loneliness,” says Chris.
He bought food for God’s Living Room with the Fred Meyer Gift Card someone gave him for his personal use.
Chris talks about doing God’s work.
“I try to use my story to help others. I try to communicate that God can forgive you,” Chris shares, “and that He gives you hope.”
And a place of refuge from the cold.
Sometimes literally.
-----
Cornelia Seigneur’s website is: www.writermom.net - This story was originally published in the Service Folder of Rolling Hills Community Church to highlight community service. - Visit www.rollinghills.org

Love from a 4-year old on Valentine's Day- REAL LIFE MOM column in Oregonian

Love from a 4-year-old on Valentine’s Day...REAL-LIFE MOM COLUMN


Real-Life Mom
By Cornelia Seigneur

Originally published 2-14-08 The Oregonian SW Weekly

Childhood - Their time together faces some changes with kindergarten looming T he phone rings and I can tell I will need to concentrate on this call, so I tiptoe into my bedroom and close the door. But I am discovered -- my littlest one, 4, follows me like a magnet and then my twins, 10, crash in as well, hopping onto my bed and laughing.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
I let them bounce on my bed even though they should not and I slip out of my room, but all of a sudden jumping on my bed is not fun if I am not there. They follow me, ignoring glares that tell them Mom is in the middle of an important call and they should be quieter.

Later I talk to my husband about being followed everywhere I go. He teases, "You're so loved." I roll my eyes and smile, and he adds, "You always wanted shadows."

Our youngest will start kindergarten this fall. Registration forms are due now, and I am trying to figure out whether to put him in all-day or half-day. My husband wants us to register for half-day.

"He's so young. Keep him home with you longer," my husband says. He views Augustin as so sweet and innocent that he's not ready to hit the big world for so long.

Age 4 truly is precious, and I tell my little boy while tucking him in that I love him so much. I am enjoying this time, yet admit that like most moms, during certain moments I just don't want to be engulfed by the surround-sound of kids.

Augustin knows he is getting older -- he'll be 5 next month. He also knows that my heart is torn because he won't be my little baby anymore. He looks at me with his deep dark-brown eyes and says with giggles, "I'm getting bigger and bigger."

I tease him: "No, I won't let you get bigger. I am going to hold you down."

He says, "Well, my feet are getting bigger." I take his feet and squish them.

He says, "Well, my tummy is getting bigger," and I take his tummy and squeeze it.

It is our little song and dance.

I tell him to not turn 5 so quickly, and he says to me, "I have to -- I get my knife." A guy thing with his dad.

I think Augustin knows and feels, in his little, preschool way, how important he is to me. Kids need that. As parents, we want to communicate verbally and nonverbally to our children that they are the most important, most valued, most beautiful human beings in our lives. That no matter what happens -- friends leaving, friends changing, jobs changing -- Mom and Dad are there and they love you.

Even when they are trying to get away for a moment of peace on the telephone.

West Linn writer Cornelia Seigneur, a mother of five, can be reached at inaword@comcast.net

Father-son Create Faith-based super hero Book series

This was originally published in The Oregonian newspaper on Feb. 7, 2008 in the SW Weekly section - a link is found at www.oregonlive.com

"Able to teach Christian lessons in a single bound"
Thursday, February 07, 2008CORNELIA SEIGNEUR

This is a true story.
Braden, 7, sees a customer drop a $20 bill at the West Linn Albertsons and, after picking it up, looks for the man.
The boy returns the money. It is the right thing to do and it is the very thing that a superhero would do.
Bingo.
A faith-based children’s series is born, with Braden as the real-life hero, Evan Jelic, a play on “evangelical,” as in evangelical Christian.
Braden’s father, John Curalli of West Linn, a marketing executive for a telecommunications consulting company, is co-writing the series with his second-grade son, believing it was divinely inspired.
“In my prayerful relationship that I have with God, this vision came to me for this book series, like a trumpet blaring when you get an idea, a firestorm of an idea, this concept. The name ‘Evan Jelic’ popped into my head,” Curalli said.
He is sending his seven-book series, based on Braden’s real-life experiences, to a publisher and a literary agent who have requested it, he said.
Curalli said the way he and his son write goes something like this:
“Braden tells me stories. He’ll say, ‘This is what happened to me today,’ and I say, ‘That would be a great story for the book.’ I observe and I begin to write, who says what and how it went and this is what happened, and he critiques it.”
The books, which are 12 to 25 pages each, are designed for parents to read to children ages 4 to 8 “as a tool to educate their children about their Christian faith,” Curalli said.
“I believe there is a need for parents to be able to install in their children three areas of Christianity — the armor of God, the fruit of the spirit and the gifts of the Holy Spirit,” said Curalli.
The first book, “Born Again,” sets the stage for the other six about the “armor of God,” Curalli said.
The premise is what he calls people’s “innate desire to achieve meaning and purpose in life.”
“We had this in the Garden of Eden and lost it when we fell,” he said. “For children, this desire manifests itself in a desire for superhero powers and adventures.”
In “Born Again,” Evan acknowledges this desire and tries to satisfy it by becoming “God’s superhero.”
The second book, “The Breastplate of Righteousness,” is based upon Braden’s experience at Albertsons.
“It’s about good character,” Curalli said. “The power of the breastplate is the ability to do what is right, no matter what the personal cost. Such as returning a $20 bill.”
In the end, good character is rewarded. Evan gets a cash reward and purchases his favorite candy, Laffy Taffy.
Father and son are field-testing the books.
“Braden’s best friend Ian Cruickshank has to keep these by his bed because he loves them so much,” Curalli said.
And for Halloween, Ian dressed up as Evan Jelic. “His mother went out and found a soldier costume,” said Curalli. Braden dressed up as Evan Jelic at a Harvest Party a year ago.
Said Braden, “Evan is very fun and I like the armor because my friends and I can play together and fight bad guys.”
And that’s also true.
For more information and to watch the progress of the book series, visit the website: www.evanjelic.info

Missing Harry

After my second visit to the Happy Rock Cafe in Gladstone Oregon, Harry already knew me by name.

"Where's Augustin, Cornelia?" he asked.

On other occasions, he'd wonder, "What article are you writing right now, Cornelia?"

Always addressing me and every one else who entered Happy Rock Cafe by name was just Harry's style. It showed he cared. It showed his warmth.

Every time I'd walk into Happy Rock Cafe in Gladstone, there he was, playing Cribbage with the other guys. But Harry stood out. He had fishing stories and tales of his family in Gladstone and thoughts on life and questions as to how I was doing.

One time, he asked me more about my writing. I told him I write faith and inspiration stories for The Oregonian newspaper among other articles. The faith stories intrigued him -- one day I came in with my lap top to write and he was between cribbage games and told me to come join him on his table. He wanted to talk about the faith stories I wrote.

"Are you religious?" he asked and we talked about God and faith in Jesus Christ and I shared with him my personal journey coming to Christ in high school and Harry was honest. "I don't like people shoving religion down my throat." I believe in doing good and being kind to people and that he was.

Lately I have been very busy with my new teaching job and working on my book, so I have not gone as often to Happy Rock Cafe, and I happened to be there a day after Harry died and I found out he passed away from a heart attack the night before while taking his dog out at 11 at night and I was shocked. 62 years old.

Happy Rock Cafe will never be the same.

GOD'S LIVING ROOM

Rolling Hills Community Church opened its doors to the homeless last night and will continue through Thursday night’s with the temperatures dipping into the teens. My daughter Rachel and son Wesley and I went over to the church to help and see what is going on tonight and we were absolutely amazed at how this has come together in just a day.
It started with Chris Miles, a Rolling Hills member, who had been organizing at another suburban church in Tualatin to provide a warm place for those without a home during last weekend’s cold, and he started thinking, “what about during the weekdays?” This week weather forecasters predicted record breaking cold temperatures and so he called Faith Carter yesterday at Rolling Hills and asked if something could be set up at Rolling Hills during the week as the other church in Tualatin was opening up its doors on the weekends. . .and Rolling Hills made it happen. Grass roots.
Mauro Cettina offered a big pan of his homemade lasagna and a meal was created. A family of three, including a 7-year-old boy, came by with the help of Bowls of Grace Ministry and two other homeless people were going to spend the night. Several church members were going to spend the night as well.
I spoke with Chris Miles and he calls this outreach God’s Living room. A warm place for friends and food and fellowship.
Someone asked him about last weekend’s numbers at the other church, which he helped coordinate, and he said on one night they had (only) one homeless person spend the night and someone said to him, “well, that is not many people, does that mean it was a failure? and Chris said – “No, not at all. If we help one person, it is a success.”
Jesus himself said he would leave the 99 sheep to search for the one that was lost. I think Chris Miles would agree.

Serving even when it is not "Required"

It’s a January Sunday morning, Keenan Booher’s month off from his every-other month volunteer “Greeter” position at the church.
You’ve probably met him. He’s the tall gentleman, with wisps of a beard and dark brown eyes, who opens doors for folks at church. For both services.
And though this is his month off, there he is, at the front of the church entry near the high school ministry, warmly ushering folks into 11 a.m. church.
You really feel like he cares that you are here.
“Good morning ladies, how are you?” he says to a mother and daughter.
“Hey, dude, how’s it going?” he asks of a high school student coming for 11 O’clock Amplify.
On another church member he notices, “Those warm boots.”
“Good morning! Are you cold?” he asks playfully as a young gentleman, sans jacket, shivers by him.
Why, you might wonder, is Keenan greeting folks on this, his month off?
“There’s a need and I enjoy helping when I can,” he says cheerfully.
That is why he joined the youth ministry’s mission trip to Mississippi last summer and leads a Bridge Bible study on Monday nights for 11 th grade boys this school year.
And, precisely why he spent a weekend in December serving at 5 Rock Ranch, a retreat center that ministers to youth and families. He and his community group offered to be available for whatever work needed to be accomplished at the ranch.
During the day, the men installed new shower heads in the ranch’s 24-room hotel, and they mounted soap dispensers, replaced flooring, laid new plywood and put in an automatic towel rack in the bathroom.
The women helped clean the kitchen and assisted with other tasks.
In the evenings, they gathered around the fireplace, singing songs and sharing stories.
“They told us stories about how state organizations are locking up offenders and how their ministry is helping reach families and introducing people to Christ,” Keenan shared. “5 Rock Ranch wants to teach men how to mentor others to be a father to a young kid, to teach a boy to become a man, and to help young women.
Keenan came home from the working weekend at 5 Rock Ranch by 9 a.m. on that Sunday in December, just in time to be a Greeter at church.
It was his month on.
But, I have a feeling; he would have been there either way.


- Published in the service folder of today's 1-20-08 Rolling Hills Community Church

Serving even when it is not "Required"

It’s a January Sunday morning, Keenan Booher’s month off from his every-other month volunteer “Greeter” position at the church.
You’ve probably met him. He’s the tall gentleman, with wisps of a beard and dark brown eyes, who opens doors for folks at church. For both services.
And though this is his month off, there he is, at the front of the church entry near the high school ministry, warmly ushering folks into 11 a.m. church.
You really feel like he cares that you are here.
“Good morning ladies, how are you?” he says to a mother and daughter.
“Hey, dude, how’s it going?” he asks of a high school student coming for 11 O’clock Amplify.
On another church member he notices, “Those warm boots.”
“Good morning! Are you cold?” he asks playfully as a young gentleman, sans jacket, shivers by him.
Why, you might wonder, is Keenan greeting folks on this, his month off?
“There’s a need and I enjoy helping when I can,” he says cheerfully.
That is why he joined the youth ministry’s mission trip to Mississippi last summer and leads a Bridge Bible study on Monday nights for 11 th grade boys this school year.
And, precisely why he spent a weekend in December serving at 5 Rock Ranch, a retreat center that ministers to youth and families. He and his community group offered to be available for whatever work needed to be accomplished at the ranch.
During the day, the men installed new shower heads in the ranch’s 24-room hotel, and they mounted soap dispensers, replaced flooring, laid new plywood and put in an automatic towel rack in the bathroom.
The women helped clean the kitchen and assisted with other tasks.
In the evenings, they gathered around the fireplace, singing songs and sharing stories.
“They told us stories about how state organizations are locking up offenders and how their ministry is helping reach families and introducing people to Christ,” Keenan shared. “5 Rock Ranch wants to teach men how to mentor others to be a father to a young kid, to teach a boy to become a man, and to help young women.
Keenan came home from the working weekend at 5 Rock Ranch by 9 a.m. on that Sunday in December, just in time to be a Greeter at church.
It was his month on.
But, I have a feeling; he would have been there either way.


- Published in the service folder of today's 1-20-08 Rolling Hills Community Church

NEW BLOG FOR WEST LINN BOOK PROJECT

Visit the website

www.westlinnbook.blogspot.com

for updates on the book!!

WEST LINN OREGON IS GOING NATIONAL

My husband and I moved to the wonderful community of West Linn in 1989 when I was pregnant with our first child, Rachel, who was born in 1990. We bought a house on a creek in the Robinwood neighborhood and have been here ever since. We’ve had five children since moving to West Linn, with four of them currently attending West Linn schools. Rachel will graduate from West Linn High School with the class of 2008!

I love walking places here and meeting people in the neighborhood. We take strolls to parks and the local coffee shops and to visit friends, and we truly feel blessed to be part of this amazing community of people.

As a freelance journalist and columnist for The West Linn Tidings and the local section of The Oregonian since 1996, I have had the chance to share the stories of the classy people and neighborhoods and businesses and families and festivals and organizations and schools and churches in this wonderful area.

And, now, I have the privilege of continuing the story West Linn in book form. I have signed a contract with Arcadia Publishers, a national publisher of local history books, to pen Images of America: West Linn, and have started this blog to share more information. I would like to give as many people as possible the opportunity to be featured in this heirloom-like book, which will be published later this year.

Bravo! West Linn’s going national!