A Blissful Meeting on October 17, 2012

The mission of a Toastmasters club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

Our President, Ada, opened our Peace Speakers meeting warmly welcoming everyone with thoughts about autumn.  She hoped everyone was enjoying the brilliant fall leaves, colorful pumpkins and other benefits of this fall season.

 

After gathering with friends at several bonfires the previous weekend, our VP of Education, Joelle, shared a fall-themed Invocation that was written long ago by poet, Robert Louis Stevenson:

 

 

 

  Autumn Fires

In the other gardens

And all up the vale,

From the autumn bonfires

See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over

And all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer,

Fires in the fall!

Robert Louis Stevenson

THE TOASTMASTER FOR THE DAY

Our Toastmaster, Becki, reminded us that December 7th is Staff Development Day at the Presbyterian Center.  She asked that members who are willing to help her with the 3 classes Peace Speakers will conduct that day to please send her an email.

 JOKE MASTER SHARES 

A HUMOROUS EXPERIENCE

Our Treasurer, Perry, relayed a personal story for our enjoyment as our Joke Master of the day.  He shared that recently his family traveled up to the cold north while he trekked down south to Georgia where it was warm.  He regretted it almost immediately.  Why?

Perry had managed to find a place at the North Shore of Lake Superior for his wife and two children to stay.  The Outpost Motel sounded cozy, with little cabins next to a lake and large white Adirondack chairs for lounging.  He learned that his family arrived there late, hungry, and tired.  When this was expressed to the owners of the motel, they offered pizza, which sounded great until they pulled out tiny frozen pizzas and popped them in the toaster oven.

Inside their chilly room, Perry's wife felt the need to crank up the heat. Later that night, near 3 A.M., their dog began vomiting violently. The hotel's radiant heat had warmed their room above 80 degrees!  Perry's family rushed outside in the dark of the night fanning themselves wildly to cool themselves off.  At 3 A.M. on a chilly October morning, the three of them sat in their pajamas in the Adirondack chairs gazing out at Lake Superior.   (For you animal lovers, the dog did survive.)

The next day Perry's wife and two children drove to a state park where lots of hiking was in store. At one point, his wife urged the kids down a hill, but their son stopped, sat in the middle of the trail, and bawled. His sister remarked, "It’s downhill." But her brother blurted out, “If there's a downhill...then there's an uphill!"

Picturing these entertaining memories that Perry missed of his family during a wintry Minnesota weekend makes him wish he'd been there to share them.

TODAY'S PREPARED SPEECH

Ada’s speech today was from Project # 2, a Special Occasion Speech called “My Pink Clay Pot - Praise and Remembrance”. 

She hooked me right away with, “How many people have you met who you know without a shadow of doubt that your paths were destined to cross?”  One of those people in Ada’s life was just laid to rest:  Gwendolyn D. Berry, or affectionately called “Mamma Gwen.” She played a major role in Ada’s life and in her church family’s life at Bethel Baptist Church.

Mama Gwen was a small petite lady, but her integrity carried the weight of steel. Retired from Phillip Morris, her employer contributed to her 15-year smoking dependency.  Regardless, Mama kicked the habit the last 5 years of her life, a proud accomplishment and feat!

Mama Gwen “lived her life" according to several Bible passages: Psalm 84:10, where Mama chose to be a doorkeeper in the house of God rather than dwell in the tents of the wicked, and Galatians 5:13, where Mama insisted on using her freedom to serve others in love rather than satisfying any sinful nature.  Her service consisted of the following (a partial list):

· For years Mama trained all ages interested in becoming church ushers and was the 2012 president of the adult ushers at the age of 80, just months before her passing.

·   Mama kept up with the sick and the shut-ins of the church, making phone calls to them, sending greeting cards with inspirational readings; comforting grieving families who’d suffered loss.

·   Mama also served as a member of the Missionary Society under Ada’s leadership for 3 years.  Doing whatever she could to make Ada’s job easier, she was the phone tree specialist, served dinner to bereaved families, and kept the church house fresh and clean.

Whereas Mama Gwen’s homecoming has left Ada deeply saddened, she will not be forgotten. She gave Ada the pink clay pot bouquet several years ago, and this sweet arrangement reminds her of the profound gift that Mama Gwen was to her.  Her integrity and well-lived life has encouraged Ada to be a doorkeeper and a servant of God as well.

 TABLE TOPICS RUMINATIONS

Our Table Topics master, Ken, asked members to ponder and share experiences related to Trick-or-Treating.  Looks like you're all set for October 31st, Ken!

Halloween:  love it or hate it?

Rhonda shared that she looooooves Halloween, a favorite time of the year for her.  She's into the color orange and always decorates to the hilt for this holiday.  She has playful Mickey Mouse jack-o-lanterns and a miniature village with a haunted house and other spooky elements, which is just the tip of iceberg when it comes to the fun she conjures up for Halloween.

What is your favorite pumpkin experience?

Perry shared that as a child, he grew up in Florida where they don't grown pumpkins.  But now his family regularly goes to Huber's Farm in Indiana where they have the tractor-drawn carts.  Huber's has a great deal where you only pay $5 for all of the pumpkins you can carry, which is not only amusing to watch but oftentimes painful.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Eva admitted that she has not had personal experiences of her own but has heard tales from others.  They mention things like shadowy visions or furniture moving mysteriously.  But does she really believe in the supernatural or the spirit world?  Eva concluded by saying she does believe in the supernatural, but how that is manifested in the natural world (in ghosts, spirits, answers to prayers) remains a mystery.

Growing up, what was your favorite Halloween costume?

Joelle shared that her dad made her a very creative costume one year where she was a Hershey Kiss, using a Hula Hoop to shape the base of it.  It was so unique that she won a contest at the mall.  The following year, she wore a costume she'd picked out of a magazine, and someone else wore it to the party she attended.  After that, she realized she preferred  her dad's creativity and original ideas for costumes.

What's your favorite scary movie or story?

Becki  admitted she loves The Final Destination movies, a series of low budget (and some would say "stupid") movies that follow the theme that a group of people have cheated Death, which catches up with them later on.  In one, Death comes after those who didn't board a plane that ends up crashing.  Becki says the movies build genuine suspense and she knows something's coming, but it slams her none-the-less.

Here Perry sits enjoying Table Topics and taking a few shots of his own of the speakers.  When the votes were casted, there was nearly a 3-way tie, but Joelle and Becki ended up tying with the most votes.  Each one enjoys a trophy and bragging rights until we meet again on November 7th.

Perry's expression exemplifies what members often feel at the conclusion of another Peace Speakers meeting.  Knowing that we are supporting one another in our growth and gaining communication and leadership skills is fun and satisfying.  If you're a visitor to this blog, please consider joining us for an upcoming meeting!

   We are an open Toastmasters club, 

so please pay us a visit!

OUR NEXT MEETING
IS NOV. 7, 2012

Conference Room B

Peace Speakers Toastmasters Club

Presbyterian Center

1st and 3rd Wednesdays

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

100 Witherspoon Street

Downtown Louisville, KY

Respectfully submitted,

Kay Chambers

VP of Public Relations for Peace Speakers