Gifts from the Heart

The Blue Star Moms of America, Santa Clarita chapter member, Sarah Slotterbeck of Newhall wrote the following to her son Christopher Nicholas Slotterbeck who is in the Navy, stationed in Korea.

Congratulations to Dick Harris, Valencia, the winner of the February Magazine of Santa Clarita photo of the month contest.  With a theme like Valentines Day, where often times the emphasis is so often on romantic couples, we loved the approach Harris took of photographing the love between a father and son.  Scott Olmsted and his son Thomas were his subject matter.

Provided by Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital

God vision?  Got vision?  Or is it both?  Got God vision?  Some of us don’t even bother to ask the questions and that can be detrimental on two levels.  First, a life lived without vision is destructive.  Proverbs 29:18 says, “Without vision, the people perish”.  Other translations suggest “people are unrestrained”.  The idea is simple, human beings were created for a life bigger and more significant than we can imagine and a purpose larger than ourselves.

I have been an art collector since 1977, and collecting both art and guitars, motivated my wife and I to open up an art gallery in 1981.  I have had so much personal enjoyment from the art and my instruments, including the playing of the guitars I collect, that I would not trade my profession for any other.

I can’t believe that is has been over 11 years since I first appeared in this magazine for their Teen Model Search.  Back then I was young and still in high school, never even thinking about being married and having children.  It seems like that life was so far away.  Now, I am happily married and pregnant and 11 years have just zipped on by.  Life could not get any better if you ask me.  I have always been a very outgoing person and was delighted when I was asked to write this article every month detailing my pregnancy.

Every year millions of people give and receive Valentines to the ones they love and care for, but do we really know where the ritual began?  Many people believe that Valentines Day was deemed to celebrate the death of St. Valentine, a martyr for marriage during the Roman era.  Others believe the day was originally celebrated as one of the ancient Roman festivals of Lupercalia.  One ritual of Lupercalia took place on February 15.

Andy Toy, Santa Clarita has a vivid imagination and a strong faith in the hereafter and the proof is in his first book, titled, “Dreaming of Heaven”. The 23-year-old College of the Canyons communications major was born in Newhall and found the time needed to write the book while laid up following his knee surgery.

Who was Saint Valentine?  And why do we celebrate every February 14 by giving gifts to our loved ones?  The most popular candidate for Saint Valentine is a priest from the time of the Roman Emperor Claudius II. Claudius believed that young single men made better soldiers, so he outlawed marriage for them, but a priest named Valentine defied him and secretly continued to marry young lovers.  Sentenced to death by the emperor and imprisoned, he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter.

It used to be that when laundry day came, you had to gather up your coins and hope there would be enough machines available for you to wash all your loads at once.  Not any more. Santa Clarita Laundry has changed the way you’ll think of laundromats forever.  This high-tech, brand new facility is completely coinless.  That’s right, no coin machines that leave you with dozens of quarters being endlessly fed into little slots.

You may have seen the sharp Grins 2 Go® van driving around the streets of Santa Clarita Valley, and wondered what they do?  
“We’re in the business of capturing special moments,” says Michael Asmar, owner of the Grins 2 Go® On Location unit in Santa Clarita.
Asmar opened the Grins 2 Go® franchise business in October, offering event photography and location portraiture with superior service, quality, convenience and a genuinely refreshing experience.  Loaded with lights, stands, cameras, printing equipment and more.

If You Liked Pirates of the Caribbean, join The Magazine of Santa Clarita Book Club.  Do you love to read?  Are you one that always has a passionate opinion about a book you’ve read?  We want you!  The Magazine of Santa Clarita in collaboration with Borders bookstore, Valencia is starting a book club.  This month’s selection is a fast-paced exciting read, Captain Alatriste by Arturo Peréz Reverte.  It’s a swashbuckling story about a former soldier and mercenary who becomes a hero of Spain’s 17th century Imperial wars.

The Golden Pen Writers Guild, comprised mostly of members of the SCV Senior Center creative writing class has produced the first in a series of literary collections called Life Lessons and Confessions.  The compilation of short stories and poetry will be presented at an Open Mike event hosted by the group at Panera Bread (McBean Pkwy and Baywood Drive) on the first Thursday of every month.

Anytime you go to a professional gallery or frame shop to have something custom framed, you want to work with someone who has artistic ability, and someone who is well versed in preservation techniques to preserve your art and treasures. With photos, limited edition art, original watercolors, or any type of paper to be framed, a UV (ultraviolet) acrylic sheet is usually the best choice of glazing for your collectable. Because we live in an earthquake area, you should know that UV or any acrylic glazing is lightweight and virtually unbreakable.

Do-overs, another-shots, re-boots, second-chances, fresh starts … it’s endlessly interesting in life how things cycle.  Times change, priorities shift, the calendar rolls and we’re back to where we started, recognizing that we’re in a place of needing a new beginning. One of the greatest things about faith in God through trusting His Son Jesus Christ is the invitation and initiation of New Beginnings that is at the heart of the true Gospel.

Christ Lutheran Church, Santa Clarita, will be hosing the 4th Annual Soul Satisfaction, “Extravagant Grace: Discovering the Untamed Love of God” on January 26 and 27.  Renowned author Brennan Manning will be the keynote speaker.  His book, Ragamuffin Gospel, has been a spiritual inspiration to people from all walks of life and from all corners of the world.  Brennan encourages men and women everywhere to accept and embrace the good news of God’s unconditional love in Jesus Christ.

After their eighth successful year of delivering singing telegrams, the Madrigal Singers of Canyon High School are again offering the ultimate in a Valentine’s Day experience for that special person to whom you wish to express your devotion. The award-winning vocalists will serenade your sweetheart and present him or her with a delectable edible rose made by our local Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory!

Healing Waters is celebrating their three-year anniversary with an open house on Wednesday, January 24 from 6 to 9 p.m.  They are featuring free Blood Microscopy by Carrie Kish (owner), Chair Massage by Kristi Arredondo, QRA Demonstrations with Keith Sersland (Traditional Naturopath), Custom Vitamin Profiles with Cindy Scheer and more.  Please drop in to help them celebrate!