The 5th Street Candle Collection - Stories
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This photo on the Esther's Hazelnut Coffee Candle is me and my mom Easter Sunday 1961. My mom’s amazing coffee cake recipe is on the tag. Whether you bake the delicious coffee cake or not...you’ll love the wonderful coffee aroma with a hint of hazelnut throughout your home.
The story behind...Esther's Hazelnut Coffee Candle
Steps of True Faith
By Shelly Thompson
Approximately twenty years ago my mom (Esther) was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer. She showed me a lump in her neck on Mother's Day that year. A few days later a biopsy was done. Following the biopsy, the doctor's office called early that afternoon and said the results were negative! We were so relieved…there was no cancer. However, when the phone rang at 6:00 pm that night...it was the Doctor...there was a long pause, followed by his shaky voice explaining there had been a mix up with the lab results...my mom, in fact, had squamous cell carcinoma...an very aggressive form of cancer. In just a few short hours our great news changed to bad news. Isn't that so typical of life?
A few days later she had surgery to remove the lump and surrounding lymph nodes. The prognosis wasn't good. I was scared...I knew my mom could die. Being younger then...I boldly asked my mom one day if she was afraid. Her response and that conversation is forever etched in my mind. When I asked her if she was afraid...this was her reply, "No, I am grateful." Grateful!! For cancer?? I was so confused. I asked her what she was talking about...didn't she realize how sick she was...the treatments that were ahead...the uncertainty...possible death...the dire circumstance she was facing?
I’ve never forgotten her calm response straight from her heart, "I am grateful...it's me who has cancer. I can bear this. I am so grateful it isn't you girls or your father." I learned that day what a heart that trusts fully in Jesus really looks like...regardless of disease, prognosis, circumstance, uncertainty...she found gratefulness and trust in her heart. She trusted God. Completely.
When you trust God like she did...you have a glad and sincere heart...that is grateful in ALL circumstances. During her journey with cancer, she shared her courage and strength with those around her. There was many pots of coffee made during those days as her friends would come for a visit to encourage her. But, it was often she that encouraged them with her continued love for life and never quit attitude. She battled cancer armed with gratitude and joy. She continued to do whatever she could each day she had treatments. She never quit praying and thanking God that it was her who received the cancer diagnosis...she was forever grateful.
After many months, treatments, radiation burns, loss of saliva, choking issues, severe weight loss, and a post surgical hemorrage, she became cancer free. The cancer never returned. She enjoyed many years...continually sustained...by her grateful and trusting heart and her faith...in the One she trusted. There were many meaningful conversations over coffee for years at her kitchen and dining room table.
During her cancer diagnosis, I got to see a real life chapter in the Heart of a Warrior lived out.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
By Shelly Thompson
Approximately twenty years ago my mom (Esther) was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer. She showed me a lump in her neck on Mother's Day that year. A few days later a biopsy was done. Following the biopsy, the doctor's office called early that afternoon and said the results were negative! We were so relieved…there was no cancer. However, when the phone rang at 6:00 pm that night...it was the Doctor...there was a long pause, followed by his shaky voice explaining there had been a mix up with the lab results...my mom, in fact, had squamous cell carcinoma...an very aggressive form of cancer. In just a few short hours our great news changed to bad news. Isn't that so typical of life?
A few days later she had surgery to remove the lump and surrounding lymph nodes. The prognosis wasn't good. I was scared...I knew my mom could die. Being younger then...I boldly asked my mom one day if she was afraid. Her response and that conversation is forever etched in my mind. When I asked her if she was afraid...this was her reply, "No, I am grateful." Grateful!! For cancer?? I was so confused. I asked her what she was talking about...didn't she realize how sick she was...the treatments that were ahead...the uncertainty...possible death...the dire circumstance she was facing?
I’ve never forgotten her calm response straight from her heart, "I am grateful...it's me who has cancer. I can bear this. I am so grateful it isn't you girls or your father." I learned that day what a heart that trusts fully in Jesus really looks like...regardless of disease, prognosis, circumstance, uncertainty...she found gratefulness and trust in her heart. She trusted God. Completely.
When you trust God like she did...you have a glad and sincere heart...that is grateful in ALL circumstances. During her journey with cancer, she shared her courage and strength with those around her. There was many pots of coffee made during those days as her friends would come for a visit to encourage her. But, it was often she that encouraged them with her continued love for life and never quit attitude. She battled cancer armed with gratitude and joy. She continued to do whatever she could each day she had treatments. She never quit praying and thanking God that it was her who received the cancer diagnosis...she was forever grateful.
After many months, treatments, radiation burns, loss of saliva, choking issues, severe weight loss, and a post surgical hemorrage, she became cancer free. The cancer never returned. She enjoyed many years...continually sustained...by her grateful and trusting heart and her faith...in the One she trusted. There were many meaningful conversations over coffee for years at her kitchen and dining room table.
During her cancer diagnosis, I got to see a real life chapter in the Heart of a Warrior lived out.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Welcome to 5th Street.
Welcome! If you've purchased a candle from the 5th Street Candle Collection, I personally, hope you are enjoying it. Welcome to something different 'The 5th Street Candle Collection' from our family to yours...tied with apron strings...faith in God’s plan...and love. These candles were created from the book 'Heart of a Warrior - A Legacy of Faith', now in it's 4th printing. 'Heart of a Warrior - A Legacy of Faith' was written after the passing of my mother. It's about my years growing up on 5th Street, a quaint little neighborhood tucked in Highland Park in Des Moines, Iowa. Our neighborhood was like the fictional Mayberry. There's so much of my history, my roots, on the big hill of 5th Street. It's where my story begins. If you can, visualize the tidy well manicured lawns of 5th Street, with small cozy homes lining the big hill...porches where you were always welcome and the neighbors visited over coffee and sweet tea as flags waved in the breeze...you're in the right spot, welcome to my childhood neighborhood.
In my book 'Heart of a Warrior' - A Legacy of Faith, I had the amazing honor to introduce readers to the ‘Warrior’s’ of 5th Street. A special place God planted a group of elderly women, mostly widows, that helped raise two young girls, as my mom was misdiagnosed and finally, even institutionalized. Among these faithful sweet women (I refer to them as the Aunt Bea’s of Mayberry in ‘Heart of a Warrior') was my sweet grandmother (Millie McKeever-Stout) and grandfather, four houses away. As my Dad spent time at the hospital with my mom, my grandparents, and God’s faithful Warrior’s of 5th Street...the Aunt Bea’s, helped raise two young girls. Each devotion in ‘Heart of a Warrior’ - A Legacy of Faith, introduces you to these Aunt Bea’s of 5th Street sharing their story in a tiny version of a real life Mayberry, where God moved mountains...in the ordinary small acts of His Warrior’s
The 5th Street Candle Collection was created to share the stories of the women of 5th Street from the book ‘Heart of a Warrior’ - A Legacy of Faith. These one-of-a-kind unique candles bring the devotions in 'Heart of a Warrior' to life. The simple brown tag on the candles have their favorite recipe (often the very scent the candle was created from) and part of their encouraging story. These candles light the flame of hope and encouragement, passed down from the 5th Street Warriors to you. A flame of love and devotion to God that will not be snuffed out from generation to generation.
The candles are made locally in Walnut, Iowa by a candlemaker. They are hand poured one at a time with pure soy and exceptionally high quality ingredients made only in the USA. These special candles tell a story. They're different. Just like the neighborhood on 5th Street, when you light the flame, you'll remember...a place where your memories and 5th Street intersect and your home is filled with the scent of cherished memories, laughter, and happiness in simpler times.
These candles are special...because they've been created to honor real people, real lives, and real women who had a story to tell. Welcome to 5th Street, relax sweet friend, you've found a place that is warm, welcoming, and filled with hope.
Blessings, Shelly Thompson
Author and Publisher of The Notebook Cafe - Inspired Words for the Journey
Welcome! If you've purchased a candle from the 5th Street Candle Collection, I personally, hope you are enjoying it. Welcome to something different 'The 5th Street Candle Collection' from our family to yours...tied with apron strings...faith in God’s plan...and love. These candles were created from the book 'Heart of a Warrior - A Legacy of Faith', now in it's 4th printing. 'Heart of a Warrior - A Legacy of Faith' was written after the passing of my mother. It's about my years growing up on 5th Street, a quaint little neighborhood tucked in Highland Park in Des Moines, Iowa. Our neighborhood was like the fictional Mayberry. There's so much of my history, my roots, on the big hill of 5th Street. It's where my story begins. If you can, visualize the tidy well manicured lawns of 5th Street, with small cozy homes lining the big hill...porches where you were always welcome and the neighbors visited over coffee and sweet tea as flags waved in the breeze...you're in the right spot, welcome to my childhood neighborhood.
In my book 'Heart of a Warrior' - A Legacy of Faith, I had the amazing honor to introduce readers to the ‘Warrior’s’ of 5th Street. A special place God planted a group of elderly women, mostly widows, that helped raise two young girls, as my mom was misdiagnosed and finally, even institutionalized. Among these faithful sweet women (I refer to them as the Aunt Bea’s of Mayberry in ‘Heart of a Warrior') was my sweet grandmother (Millie McKeever-Stout) and grandfather, four houses away. As my Dad spent time at the hospital with my mom, my grandparents, and God’s faithful Warrior’s of 5th Street...the Aunt Bea’s, helped raise two young girls. Each devotion in ‘Heart of a Warrior’ - A Legacy of Faith, introduces you to these Aunt Bea’s of 5th Street sharing their story in a tiny version of a real life Mayberry, where God moved mountains...in the ordinary small acts of His Warrior’s
The 5th Street Candle Collection was created to share the stories of the women of 5th Street from the book ‘Heart of a Warrior’ - A Legacy of Faith. These one-of-a-kind unique candles bring the devotions in 'Heart of a Warrior' to life. The simple brown tag on the candles have their favorite recipe (often the very scent the candle was created from) and part of their encouraging story. These candles light the flame of hope and encouragement, passed down from the 5th Street Warriors to you. A flame of love and devotion to God that will not be snuffed out from generation to generation.
The candles are made locally in Walnut, Iowa by a candlemaker. They are hand poured one at a time with pure soy and exceptionally high quality ingredients made only in the USA. These special candles tell a story. They're different. Just like the neighborhood on 5th Street, when you light the flame, you'll remember...a place where your memories and 5th Street intersect and your home is filled with the scent of cherished memories, laughter, and happiness in simpler times.
These candles are special...because they've been created to honor real people, real lives, and real women who had a story to tell. Welcome to 5th Street, relax sweet friend, you've found a place that is warm, welcoming, and filled with hope.
Blessings, Shelly Thompson
Author and Publisher of The Notebook Cafe - Inspired Words for the Journey
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‘Heart of a Warrior’ - A Legacy of Faith
Now in its fifth printing, this special book shared so many of those cherished moments from 5th Street. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit, buried in between encouraging and inspirational posts on The Notebook Cafe Facebook page, I’ve shared the words God has put on my heart about my family, growing up on 5th Street, a legacy of faith handed down from generation to generation, laughter and joy a family celebrated life with, deep grief and loss including saying goodbye temporarily to my mom until the great reunion in heaven...and so much more. In His beautiful design...God shared the ordinary lives of 5th Street, and expanded the neighborhood to include so many people across the United States...thousands have ventured back to 5th Steet through the pages of ‘Heart of a Warrior’ - A Legacy of Faith, and became part of our story. Seriously, I am so overwhelmed and humbled by all that God has done. So much more than I could have asked or imagined (Ephesians 3:20). Click here to learn more...the book ships free. Heart of a Warrior |