FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ ROSE ~ 08 March 2026

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

ROSE

The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.

She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?"

I laughed and enthusiastically responded, "Of course you may!", and she gave me a giant squeeze.

"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.

She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids".

"No seriously", I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age.

"I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one!" she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day, for the next three months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, "I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know".

As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, "We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die.

We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."

She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose".

She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those months ago.

One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be.

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; chapel; military; troopsupport

[Kathy in Alaska]

SPRING AHEAD TONIGHT!!

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please join us for Sunday Chapel ~ ROSE, and Liberty

Lt. Charles F. Suver, CHC, USN, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division
"Mass at Iwo Jima"

Please stop in and say a prayer of protection for the military.
Prayers from all denominations are needed.



Sunday Liberty starts after the Guest Military Chaplain's Service!

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

Nice to see the snow seems to be stopping at last. It was coming down hard a couple of hours ago but the sun’s starting to peek out at the airports. Still can’t see the mountains, though, and that’s where the snow’s been coming from.

It’s been raining here since around 4 this afternoon but is about to stop. Steady, fairly hard rain and did we ever need it!

[lightman]

Spring forward to keep the Lord’s Day in the Lord’s way.

A blessed Third Sunday in Lent (Western)/Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas (Orthodox) to all!

[left that other site]

Hi Everybody!

I’ve already reset my clocks, and now it feels really LATE! LOL!

(((HUGS)))

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

Has the rain made it to you yet?

Within the last hour it looks like the snow has stopped finally. It warmed up to snow and now back to the below zero temps on Monday.
Days might make it to double digits.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Shavua Tov.
Wishing all our Jewish troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
a peaceful and prosperous week.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers for our troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
for a safe and peaceful week ahead.

[Kathy in Alaska]

WOOHOO!!!! You got rain!

[radu]

Yes, the rain made it and the main event is almost through with us now. Looks like we’ll get a little more later tonight and maybe into the morning. There’s more in AR just starting to move into TN. We’ll take all we can get!

Darn the luck!! Temps are going to bottom out AGAIN? Not good. Y’all need a break.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, lightman, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

And a “blessed Third Sunday in Lent (Western)/Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas (Orthodox)”.

Is your stove “put to bed” for the winter?

We got warm enough to snow,and now headed back to cold.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Extra prayers for Israel...

He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our G-d from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

May HASHEM cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.

May He lead our enemies under their sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is Hashem, your G-d, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

G-d bless and keep your children safe, Alouette.

[radu]

Yes, we did. I was disappointed there weren’t some thunderstorms here with nice light shows though. LOL Probably just as well because there were some storms around the state that caused wind damage. It was blustery here all day but not damaging. Once the rain started, the wind died.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...and a Blessed Lord’s Day and Shavua Tov to you and yours.

I hope your weather is finally improving. We’ve had almost a foot of snow, but it has finally stopped.

I reset a couple clocks, but it’s too early and I get confused. LOL!

[SkyDancer]

~ Evening All! ~

~

~ Welcome To My World ~

I’m Down There Somewhere

[left that other site]

It’s supposed to go into the 60s tomorrow!

Melt some more snow!

Woo Hoo!

Going to bed now. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Kathy in Alaska]

Sleep tight!

[lightman]

I’m pretty certain that the stove won’t be fired again until late November or December.

Had an icy mix Tuesday morning which eventually became rain...but there has been almost constant fog ever since.

4-D weather: dull,damp,drizzely and depressing.

[Kathy in Alaska]

God Bless our military men and women who have given their all.

Thanks, unique.