Mom

My mother would have been 101 today. Mom was my hero. I would like to be just like her.

Today I have been thinking about how she could make us laugh. She usually didn’t mean to be funny, she just was. Before she and dad married she decided to buy him a pedestal ashtray to sit beside his easy chair. He opened the gift at her house and said he would just leave it there and use it at her house. “But, William, I wanted you to take it home and have it there” He said he didn’t think his mother would allow it in the house. He asked if she had really looked at the pedestal. She looked more closely at it and discovered the pedestal was a provocatively posed nude. She blushed and admitted she had not noticed the naked woman. One year she gave my dad several pair of cute socks for Christmas. They were decorated with cute smiling pigs and the initials MCP. “Mom, do you know what those initials stand for?” Her response was, “What initials?” she had given dad socks indicating he was a male chauvinist pig. She was again embarrassed. Another time she made a chicken casserole for a big family dinner. It looked great! Then we tasted it and found it was not edible. “Mom, what did you put in this? It is too hot to eat.” She said the recipe called for two cans of green chili peppers, weren’t jalapeno peppers the same thing? Whenever mom got caught in a mistake she would laugh and make it into a wonderful moment for all of us. Life was too precious to get upset by the mistakes she or any one else made. Her laughter was infectious and covered a multitude of life’s problems.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Another Elegant Party

Yesterday we had a big party at church to honor Dee. Dee has just retired after serving the church for over 20 years as a pastoral assistant. She is a wonderful, caring lady who is much loved by everyone. This party required more work and people than a tea party for grandchildren. Instead of seven and eight, the average age was seventy and eighty. Many people cooked and prepared decorations and favors for this party. We severed of homemade turkey salad, cranberry salad and blueberry muffins to 250 people. The tables were decorated with angels, which had been lovingly made, by a group of older women. I spent Friday and Saturday in the church kitchen helping to get it all ready. The work was actually a lot of fun because of the friendship and love shared by all the helpers. We laughed and told stories and got in each other’s way. After lunch there was a program to honor Dee. The program was just right. Dee glowed in the love that was showered upon her.

Isn’t it fun to do something for someone you love?

New Store

A new grocery store has opened here. Today was the grand opening. It is big and beautiful, and they have a little of everything. The produce section had lots of wonderful fruits and vegetables. I had never heard of several of them before. The management figured that these would be new to many customers and had put up little signs that described the flavor and how to cook these strange looking foods. Today it felt like a party in this new store. It was crowded with curious, friendly shoppers. I visited with friends from all over town as we browsed and ate some of the many free samples that were offered today. I left the store full and happy and didn’t even buy anything.

Don’t you just love checking out new stores?

5 Teenagers

Yesterday we celebrated my number five grandchild’s thirteenth birthday along with my second grandchild’s seventeenth birthday. That means I have five teenage grandchildren. I think I must be old. I’m not sure when they got so big. I must not have been paying attention. How can I be old enough to have five teenagers who call me Gamma?

An Elegant Party

The table was set with the best china. Lovely white linen napkins were in place on the lace tablecloth. The guests, wearing elegant hats, were sipping Kool-Aid with their pinky fingers sticking out. We had tea sandwiches, which we had cut out with cookie cutters earlier and arranged lovingly on a crystal plate. The plate was garnished with fresh berries and chocolate. My guests, ages seven and eight, and I were having genteel conversation at our elegant tea party. “My children are always so noisy when they return from school. They disturb my quiet reading. I find I must stop and play ‘I Spy With My little Eye’ with them. Then they will be quiet again,” says my eight-year-old granddaughter. I admire her wise child rearing practice and ask how she handles her servants. “Well, I find that when the butler has done a good job, it is good to throw a dollar into his hat. A little extra money seems to keep him happy.” We then discuss which boutiques we have found best and where to shop for handbags. After we have eaten all the sandwiches and chocolate we decide to go watch “The Little Mermaid.”

I love being a gramma.

9/11

Where were you on 9/11? What did you do?

I was working at the doctor’s office. There was a TV in the waiting room for the patients to watch while they waited. Suddenly we were aware of something unusual going on. It was reported that a plane had hit the World Trade Center. What a terrible accident we thought. How could that have happened? As the events of the morning unfolded on the TV it became more and more difficult to concentrate on the task at hand. The office was full of patients, and taking care of them seemed like the best thing we could do. Then a plane hit the Pentagon and my world seemed to stop. My son works in the Pentagon. Was he okay? Was he alive? What was happening? Our office is located near Andrews Air Force Base and it shook as the planes scrambled into the air. I tried to concentrate on my work, but I kept shaking as I thought about it all. There was no word from David and no way to call him. Dr D came and hugged me. “Any word from your son? Just breathe.” Patients came, were cared for, and left. The noise of airplanes permeated the building. In the afternoon I went outside and listened to the planes and prayed. My coworker found me there. She said, ”Your daughter is on the phone. She just talked to David. He is Okay.” Then the tears came and I could breath again.

That night many of us gathered at church for an impromptu, informal prayer service. We felt angry, afraid, and confused. We found comfort in being together and sharing the emotions of that terrible day.

My son is alive and well. Other families could not say that. So many died. So many more continue to die because of that day. The world is not the same.

This morning I went to school with my granddaughter to celebrate grandparents’ day. There was a short musical program and time to visit in her third grade classroom. She is bright and happy and was proud to introduce her gramma to her classmates. In many ways the world is still the same.

Homeland Security

I drew this picture of two abandoned lookout towers at the beach where we played this summer. Similar towers are scattered up and down the Atlantic coast. They are relics left over from World War II. During World War II people who kept a vigilant lookout for submarines that might be trying to launch an attack on America manned these towers. During that same time my father-in-law and other volunteers climbed to the top of the Bank of America building in our little California town. The bank building was six stories high, by far the tallest structure around. They watched for enemy aircraft. They were armed with binoculars and a chart of pictures of enemy airplanes. Lookout towers and volunteers on tall buildings were our homeland security system.

Technology has improved. The old towers stand empty. Do you feel any safer?

Annapolis

The storm of last weekend is long gone. This morning the weather was perfect, just calling us outside. We decided to go visit Annapolis, one of our favorite places to spend time. We forgot that there was a Navy football game today, which delayed us a while as the midshipmen marched from the Academy to the stadium. It was really a neat sight. Thousands of young men and women in their dress whites marched by while the navy band played rousing marching music. It was a stirring patriotic sight. After the parade we went to the City Dock and enjoyed lunch on a patio beside Ego Alley. Ego Alley is a small inlet off the Annapolis harbor where beautiful yachts come in and turn around, just for the joy of seeing and being seen. It is always a busy place full of interesting people showing off their expensive toys. After lunch we cruised out under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on one of tourist boats. The sky was blue, the sun was warm and a cool breeze made the day perfect. The water looked like a field of glittering diamonds with the sun reflecting off of it. The bridge looks very different looking up from the water. Up on the bridge there is nonstop traffic zooming by. The scene below is calm and peaceful. From either perspective the Chesapeake Bridge is quite an impressive sight. We obviously weren’t the only ones who wanted to be out one the water today. There were thousands of sail boats to be seen enjoying the afternoons breeze. They were a beautiful sight.

I hope you found time to see something beautiful today.

Retirement

People frequently ask me what I do all day now that I have retired. The answer is, “Whatever I want!” This week I am working as a substitute nurse for two days. This is the job I used to do. I come home exhausted too tired to enjoy anything else. I am so thankful I am not that tired all the time anymore

Retirement is wonderful. I stay very busy, but I do start the day later and go a little slower. I read more. I take art lessons at the senior center and find great pleasure in drawing pictures of this beautiful world. I sing one day a week in the senior chorale. That is a great group of friendly people who think parties are a required part of the program. I spend time visiting people who are sick and lonely. I hear lots of good stories from little old ladies who need a friendly ear. I teach Sunday school and laugh at the antics of my second graders. I am learning yoga. I love yoga. Tonight is bell choir practice. This is the first practice since May and I am really looking forward to our new season. When we get it right the bells make glorious music. I play with my grandchildren and go out to dinner with my sweet husband. Retirement is wonderful. I highly recommend it.

Inconvenience

The remains of hurricane Ernesto blew through here last Friday. It brought lots of rain and lots of wind and knocked down several trees, which took down the power lines and left us without electricity for three days. I hate to complain, but being without electricity for three days causes a lot of inconvenience. Electricity is something I usually just take for granted. I flip the switch and the lights are supposed to come on. This morning I am very aware of the blessings of electrical power. I am sitting here at the computer, sipping coffee brewed in my all-electric kitchen, while the dishwasher hums in the background and my music is playing on the CD player. The air-conditioner is cooling my hot and humid house, and the lights are all working. A normal sounding morning brought to me by the power of electricity.

Yesterday we grilled all the meat in our non-working freezer. I won’t have to cook for several days now. This morning I threw away the remains of food in the refrigerator and freezer that were probably unsafe to eat. We spent several hours cleaning the remains of the storm from our yard. There was no serious damage. No one was hurt. It was an inconvenient week-end. I am counting my blessings.

Bill

Today would have been my father-in-law’s ninety-fourth birthday. Bill was a good man. He adored his wife. His three sons were each a joy to him. His greatest pleasure was being with his family. Today I looked for a picture of Bill. It was hard to find one of just Bill. He was always pictured with his beloved Kay or with the whole family. Thinking about that, I decided that was right. Bill would have been incomplete without Kay. There was a romantic movie I once saw where the hero says to the heroine, ”You complete me.” Bill and Kay were the perfect example of completing one another. I owe Bill much. He taught my husband how to be a good man, a good husband, and a good father. Thank you Bill. Happy Birthday.

The picture is of Bill and his three sons with Kay. The cute boy in the glasses grew up to be my husband.

Voting

Yesterday we received a sample ballot for the primary election to held here in two weeks. I think it is a privilege and an honor to be able to vote, but it is also hard. How do you decide whom to vote for? It is not too hard to make a decision for the better-known posts. I can figure out my candidate choices for governor and senator. They are in the news often and I can see what they say and what they do. But how do I make a decision about which candidate I like for clerk of the circuit court or judge of the orphans court. I don’t know what the job is, and I have never heard of any of names on the ballot. The positions that concern me the most are the people to be elected to serve on the local school board. These people will run the school system and impact the education of my grandchildren and all the children of this county. Our school system has had some serious troubles and flaws in the past and these people will have a big job ahead of them. There are twenty-four candidates running for five positions on the board. I have never heard of any of these people. I have read the little blurbs about them in the paper, but really that has not been very helpful.

How do you make an informed and wise choice for an important job when you have so little information with which to which to make that decision?

Obits

What do a World War II flying ace, a tenor, a nursery school teacher, a graphic designer, a homebuilder, and a Foreign Service officer have in common? All of them had obituaries in this morning’s paper. It seems very inadequate to have an entire life reduced to just two or three words.

I wonder what words will define my life. Nurse? Homemaker? Sunday school teacher? Blogger? All of those are accurate, but they seem so incomplete. It doesn’t mention my laugh, which can be heard above everyone else’s in a noisy room. It ignores my love for listening to people and the stories they tell. My faith, which is the thing that sustains me, is ignored. The joy my family and friends bring me is not mentioned.

What few words do you hope will define your life?

Strange Man

Sometimes I wonder if my husband and I have anything in common. There are all the children and grandchildren and forty-five years of being married, but other than that we are not much alike.

Yesterday we were running errands together. He was driving from the post office to the bank when he turned on a street that was not the usual route. I asked him why he turned on that particular street, and he replied, ”There is a 375 car parked on this street. I need to see it.” “OK,” I replied. “What is a 375 car and why do you need to see it?” So he explained that while he is driving he likes to find all the eighth numbers on license plates. I still did not understand. He continued to explain that he likes to find the numbers that represents eighths in decimals, like .125, .250, .375, .500, etc. Since he has been entertaining himself for a while with this license plate number game, he now knows where cars are parked in town with all the numbers he needs. Its not fair to go out of the way to see the right number, but you can go a different way if it gets you there in the same amount of time. He is easily entertained. I enjoy watching flowers and people and beautiful skies. It never occurred to me to look for eighth license plate numbers.

He is a little strange. But I think I will keep him.

Smithsonian

The Smithsonian Museum of American History will be closing the end of this month for a two-year renovation. Today I decided I needed to go take a last look at this collection of Americana. What a treasure of stuff this place is! I saw the flag that flew on the pentagon after 9/11 and the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner. I took a docent led tour, which was great fun. The guide had so many interesting tidbits of history. She made us feel like we were there for some of the great events of our country. We saw Julia Child’s kitchen. Did you know she was over six feet tall and had her kitchen customized to accommodate her height? I saw so many things that had great stories behind them. There was George Washington’s uniform and the table and chairs used at Appomattox when Lee surrendered to Grant. There were the ruby red slippers worn by Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and some of the original Muppets. There was a great collection of things to do with American music. I listened to the Grand Ol Opery and looked at memorabilia from Woodstock and the Grateful Dead. There was a poignant moment in the section about the Vietnam War. A small alcove was dedicated to prisoners of war from that terrible conflict. As I turned into the alcove I saw an older man sobbing. He was standing in front of a small display about the Hanoi Hilton and crying. I felt like I intruding on his grief and left wondering what memories he must be reliving.

It was a wonderful experience. I am going to go more often and enjoy some of the treasures that Washington DC has for us all to enjoy.

Sanctuary

Sanctuary is defined as a sacred place or a place of shelter and refuge.

The room in our church building where we have worship services is called the sanctuary. It is a beautiful and peaceful room. I can see woods outside the big windows and watch the light play among the leaves. The change of the seasons is displayed through those windows. The ceiling is high giving the room a spacious feel. I like to be in the sanctuary when it is quiet and empty. I often sense the Devine at those moments. I like the sanctuary when it is full of people who have come together in community to worship God. I love it when the church says the Lord’s Prayer together in one voice. I think God likes to hear his people pray. I think God smiles when we pray. I love the smiles and hugs of people who care about me. I feel safe in this room. It is a sanctuary.

Mares Tails

Yesterday during my art class at the senior center one of my fellow students came running in all excited. “Everybody come outside. You have to see the mares’ tails. They are just amazing!” I had no idea what she was talking about, but her excitement made me go outside and look. Mares’ tails are high, thin wispy clouds that fan across the sky and are said to resemble the tails of horses, hence, mares’ tails. The proper name for them is cirrus clouds. The sky was beautiful with all those feathery clouds stretching long fingers across the clear blue sky. My classmates and I stood there pointing out the different cloud formations and discussing how we could paint them. As we stood there the crowd around us began to grow. Others had seen us hurry outside and gaze upwards. More people gathered and stared upward with us. “What are you looking at? What’s up there?” They all seemed a bit disappointed that we were just looking at the beautiful sky. I guess they expected our enthusiasm was from something a bit more exciting. I wonder what they expected.

Would you have come outside and looked up to see what had so attracted a group of senior citizens?

Amazon Women

I have just finished reading a book about Theodore Roosevelt called, “The River of Doubt.” It was a fascinating story about a journey Roosevelt made after his presidency. He explored an uncharted thousand mile long river in Brazil that emptied into the Amazon. In 1914 this was an extremely dangerous journey that nearly cost him his life. As part of the background for understanding the Amazon the author told an interesting story about Amazon women.

A Spanish explorer in 1542 was the first European to penetrate the dense, deadly jungle of the Amazon. He returned with an astonishing tale of a tribe of vicious women warriors who went about naked with bows and arrows in their hands .One of these women could do as much fighting as ten Indian men. The explorer named these women the Amazons, after the famed women warriors of Greek mythology, who were said to have removed their right breast so they could more effectively shoot a bow and arrow. It is from the Greek word “a- mazos”, meaning no breasts, that the word “Amazon” is derived.

Gross!

I had never heard of these Greek women warriors before. I wonder if a mastectomy really could improve your archery skill?

Abrakadoodle

“Look at my blue cow!”” I made a purple turtle.” “Look at mine.”

I heard these and many similar exclamations of joy today at the “Back to School Bash” at our city’s gym. I was there helping my first born in a booth she had at the Bash to entertain the kids and advertise her art education business. We had paint and markers and lots of creative young minds crowding our booth all day. While I helped the young artists my daughter explained her art education program to their parents. She runs the local Abrakadoodle franchise, which specializes in teaching kids various kinds of art. The kids were having a great time. One of the nice things about art is that there is no wrong way to do art. The kids have such a good time. I think my daughter loves her job as much as the kids love to create. She loves the kids. She loves the joy she sees in their faces.

Do you have a job that you love? What makes a job fun?

Blahs

I’ve had the blahs the last couple of days. I just don’t feel like doing anything, and the things I do are just going through the motions. I have more than my fair share of blessings and nothing is particularly wrong. I just feel kind of lethargic. Maybe it’s a let down from living in a busy beach house full of eleven different personalities and coming home to my peaceful, quiet house. Whatever. It will go away and I’ll feel more like me in a day or two.

What do you do to help get you through the blah days?

Easy Silence

At the beach last week I listened to The Dixie Chicks a lot. I really enjoyed several of their songs, but this one is my favorite. It reminds me of my sweet husband who provides a peaceful, quite place for me. It is called “Easy Silence.”

When the calls and conversations
Accidents and accusations
Messages and misperceptions
Paralyze my mind

Busses, cars, and airplanes leaving
Burning fumes of gasoline
And everyone is running
And I come to find a refuge in the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay

Monkeys on the barricades
Are warning us to back away
They form commissions trying to find
The next one they can crucify

And anger plays on every station
Answers only make more questions
I need something to believe in
Breathe in sanctuary in the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay

Children lose their youth too soon
Watching war made us immune
And I've got all the world to lose
But I just want to hold on to the

Easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me

The easy silence that you make for me
It's okay when there's nothing more to say to me
And the peaceful quiet you create for me
And the way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay for me
The way you keep the world at bay

Beach Food

With a houseful of children we found eating at home much more pleasant than trying to eat in one of the many restaurants in Rehoboth. Still we each needed to eat our favorite beach food while we were there. Every evening we walked to the boardwalk to find our favorite delicacy. My daughter would have found the week incomplete without a wonderfully sinful candied apple, dipped in caramel and rolled in chocolate or coconut or nuts or all three. I went to the Candy Kitchen to purchase a chocolate covered strawberry, which I did not offer to share. Korh’s Brothers frozen custard, the vanilla, orange twist, was a favorite for several. Matt, my grandson’s buddy who joined us for the week, wanted Po-ta-toes every day, so we had to get a bucket of Thrashers fries soaked in vinegar. Of course the trip would not have been right without Grottos pizza for all the kids at least twice. We ate all the wrong foods and enjoyed every bite.

What is your favorite beach food?

Beach Memories

After a week in a beach house full of family and friends, it is good to home again in my quiet and peaceful house where I think about all the wonderful memories we made together.

One evening after supper we all went down to the beach to fly my daughter’s two-string kite, which is a bit more challenging than a regular kite. It was great fun to watch everyone take a turn learning to get the kite aloft. While waiting to fly the kite the kids turned cartwheels and played football in the sand or ran laughing into the water. As I watched something appeared out on the water. I couldn’t figure out what it was. A red, neon looking bubble appeared on the horizon which grew bigger and brighter. It looked otherworldly. Suddenly I realized that it was the moon rising up over the horizon. I have never seen a more spectacular moonrise. It was an amazing sight. For this old gramma it was a perfect evening at the beach, happy grandchildren frolicking together while God provided a backdrop of sheer beauty.

Found Money

Yesterday I found $150, all of it in quarters. Wow! This is so cool because tomorrow I am leaving for a week in Rehoboth Beach with an assortment of children, grandchildren and friends. The quarters are the kids designated arcade money. It won’t last long.

My daughter has been renting a beach house for a week each summer since her ex left. It has become a great family tradition. The number of people in the house varies each day as an assortment of friends come and go. But the house is filled always with fun, laughter, and some of the people we love most in this world.

One of my favorite memories last year was walking home from the arcade with my 10-year-old grandson. It was the last night of our vacation. He had been saving coupons from the arcade all week. He had a gazillion of them, which he had just cashed in. He had redeemed them for a remote controlled whoopee cushion, gifts for some friends, and a huge disco ball He needed help carrying all his loot. He was so happy. As we walked down the boardwalk, he said to me, ”Gramma, every boy needs to excel at something. I excel at video games. And look, it’s finally paid off!”

I look forward to another week of new adventures and memories.

Colors

We have been working with colored pencils in my art class. I really enjoy this medium. To achieve rich, intense colors with pencil, you must put layer upon layer, upon layer. A few layers of color will give only a faded and pale shade. Vibrant, brilliant color takes time as you put layer, upon layer, upon layer.

One of the techniques we have practiced is to undercoat the entire picture with one color. Then as you build the picture on top, the undercoat color influences all the other colors and thus influences the finished picture.

In one picture I first covered the entire page with blue. The finished picture was a cool, cloudy English countryside. The blue, though unseen, had kept a cool feeling throughout the drawing. Another picture was of a sunny beach in Aruba. I had undercoated the paper with a warm yellow that helped give the drawing a warm sunny feel.

Isn’t this a lot like life. It takes time to achieve a rich, vibrant life as we build layer, upon layer of experiences. Underneath all the layers is one thing that influences everything else.

What is the one thing that undercoats your life and influences all the experiences that are layered upon the foundation?

Grocery Shopping

I received a call this morning from the hospice volunteer office. One of their patients was out of groceries. Could I help? I said sure and called the patient to make arrangements. I expected to get a list and run to the store, but it wasn’t quite that simple. The 83-year-old patient is Italian and speaks very little English. Her husband is legally blind but speaks good English. They wanted to go to the store and do their own shopping. I can understand that. I would definitely not have picked the right food. So we loaded her wheelchair into the car and got everyone settled. First we had to go to the bank and cash their check, then on to the store. I pushed the wheelchair and the husband pushed the grocery cart. This couple expresses their love by fussing and arguing loudly with one another. It got to be pretty funny as we tried to find just what she wanted. “No, not that one. Don’t you know what I want?” Then they would fuss in Italian while I tried to figure out what kind of fish she wanted. After squeezing all the plums and peaches and examining all the mushrooms we made our purchase and loaded people and groceries back into the car.

Now we just needed to stop by the pharmacy for his heart medicine. He said he would not need any money for his prescription because the insurance would pay for it. He went into the pharmacy while we waited in the car. In a few minutes he was back, and he was fuming. “What is wrong with this country? What has President Bush done for seniors? Nothing! He has done nothing for me and my wife!” It seems his heart medicine was going to cost $150, and he did not have $150. So we went home. I told him to call the social worker at hospice. People there are good at figuring out how to work with insurance and they could help him. I left my phone number and told them to call whenever they needed a ride to the store.

Growing old is not always easy.

Summer

The temperature hovered around 100 degrees today. It is close to 90 degrees now at 10 pm. It is a perfect evening to go to Rita’s.

Rita’s Italian Ice is a summertime favorite. The little building that houses Rita’s is by a busy highway in the parking lot of a little strip mall. The mall is home to a consignment shop, a pizza place and a tattoo parlor. The crowd that gathers there is a multi-generational, multi-ethnic mix of interesting folks. Tonight we joined the throngs craving a refreshing Italian ice. There were gaggles of teenagers laughing and flirting with one another. Moms and dads and excited little children were there in abundance. Several people, dressed in white shirts and ties appeared to be stopping by on the way home from work. It is a fun place to sit on a bench and observe people.

What could be finer on a hot evening than a mango gelati and a parade of interesting people to watch?

Sex

I’ve just finished reading an interesting book called, “Father Joe.”

It is a true story by Tony Hendra about his spiritual mentor and friend, a Benedictine monk named Father Joe. Tony is so inspired by this loving, wise man that Tony has dreams of becoming a monk himself.

At the age of fourteen Tony indulged in some hugging and kissing with a married woman. The young woman’s husband finds them. The husband is Catholic and a friend of Father Joe. He decides to take Tony to Father Joe to decide the appropriate punishment. Tony confesses his almost affair to the monk. Father Joe replies,

“You’ve done nothing truly wrong, Tony dear. God has brought you here before any real harm was done. The only sin you’ve committed is the sin of …s-s-selfishness.”

A few years later Tony was troubled by the stirrings and longings of sex. He has been obsessing about a beautiful classmate and wondered if this was some form of idolatry. He goes to Father Joe for advice.

Tony begins by telling Father Joe about his dreams,

“…But at least there was nothing sexual about them.”

“Of course they’re sexual, dear. Whatever’s wrong with that?”

“What about chastity?”

“Chastity doesn’t involve surgery, does it? We’re all sexual beings. Sex is a wonderful gift, a physical way to express the most powerful force in all existence – love. Sex is a brilliant idea of God’s, I think. Almost like a sacrament.”

“Sex is a sacrament?”

“D-don’t tell the Abbot!”

“There’s no sin in having sex?”

“Yes yes yes. There can be. But sex is a sin far less often than we’re led to believe. It’s all a question of context. If you have sex to hurt or exploit another, or to take pleasure only for me, me, me, and not return as much or more to your lover… then it becomes sinful. We monks make promises before God and the community to remain celibate. For us to have sex would be a betrayal of God and our brothers. It’s not the sex so much as breaking the vow that is the sin, just as it is when you break a vow of marriage ---the hurt to your partner. They’ve made sexual sins the worst of the lot, haven’t they? Because sex is so powerful, people are fearful of it! We must take the fear out of sex as well.”

Is Father Joe right? Is the biggest sexual sin one of selfishness?

Today is the sixteenth wedding anniversary of our son,David, and his beautiful bride, Allyson. We have a great daughter-in-law. Our grandchildren have wonderful parents. Happy anniversary David and Allyson.

Today is also our foster son’s thirty-third birthday. Happy birthday Todd.

The picture is David and Allyson’s wedding. Todd and Paul are the groomsmen.

The prep for a colonoscopy stinks!

It Is Well With Mt Soul

For me one of the best moments in the Women of Faith conference came in the closing, wrap-up part of program. The singing group Avalon had performed several times during the weekend (I must go buy one of their CDs). The male lead singer for that group has an amazing soprano voice. One of my favorite speakers there is Luci Swindol, a 74-year-old bundle of energy and inspiration. She has a beautiful, very deep voice. They were asked to sing a hymn, any hymn. She sang bass, he sang soprano. They sang my song. Anyone who knows me knows that this song is very special to me. The powerful words reassure me that God is in control and I can rest in his love and trust my life to him. When we made the painful decision that it was time to leave the church where we had worshipped for forty years the congregation sang this song for me, reminding me to trust our future to God. We spent several months looking for a new church home. Some places we only visited once. We worshipped with others for several weeks. For an assortment of reasons none seemed quite right. On our second visit to the local Presbyterian Church I prayed that God would give us a sign, a clear sign that this was or was not the place for us to make our church home. During the offering, the accompanist picked up his flute and played a haunting and beautiful rendition of my song. I started crying. Dennis and I looked at each other and we knew that this was the place to settle. God had given the sign we sought.

When have you felt God speaking to you in the words of a song?

When peace like a river attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot,

Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Chorus

It is well (It is well)

With my soul (With my soul)

It is well, it is well with my soul.

My sin – O the bliss of this glorious tho’t

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross

And I bear it no more;

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.

Chorus

And Lord haste the day when faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back like a scroll,

The trump shall resound

And the Lord shall descend,

Even so – It is well with my soul.

Chorus

Joy

The theme of this year’s Women of Faith was Contagious Joy. The idea is that our joy is infectious and spreads from one person to another. We all experience moments of great joy, where we just burst with happiness and wonder. Those are wonderful moments, but, lets face it, most of life is less than those moments on the mountaintop. We live in a busy world of routines and fatigue. Life can be humdrum and a bit disappointing. How do you find joy in the midst of your daily life? Luci Swindol says joy is like little, iridescent bubbles that pop into our day. They are beautiful and fragile. We have to seize those moments and store them in our hearts to remember and enjoy as we walk through our days.

Here is a list of the bubbles of joy that filled my heart over the past couple of days.

1. Eating an ice-cream cone while watching storm clouds in the distance –a simple pleasure shared with the man I love.

2. Watching my granddaughter sing in the choir.

3. A hug from a good friend.

4. Pulling weeds from my garden in the cool of the evening.

5. Sharing pizza and laughter with my family.

6. A friendly greeting from my fellow art students after missing several classes. “Hi Suzy. We’re glad you’re back. We missed you.”

7. A phone call from Dot. Her mother is stable for the moment.

8. Riding my bike around my neighborhood and feeling the wind in my hair. I feel like I’m a kid again.

9. Finding a picture that I had lost. Rejoice. That which is lost has been found.

10. The constant assurance that God loves me.

Friends

The Women of Faith conference was great. I’ll have to sort out some of the moments and tell you about them over the next few days. The experience was intense.

My friend Dot checked her cell phone at the first break. There were three calls from her sister so Dot went to find a quiet spot to return her sister’s calls. When Dot returned to her seat one look at her face told me she had bad news. Her mother had had a massive stroke and was non responsive. The doctor said there was no hope for recovery. It would be only one day, maybe two before her time on earth was done. My friend just sat there, too stunned to move. All I could do was to hold her. We worked out a few plans on how to get her home so she could drive to Pennsylvania and be with her mom. We held each other a long time. I returned to my seat but couldn’t stay there. My heart was breaking with my friend’s pain. I went out to find a quiet place to just sit for a while, praying for my friend and feeling anew the great loss of my mother’s death. After some time passed I looked up to see another friend coming toward me. She had seen me leave and was worried about me. She recently lost her mother. She loves Dot. She loves me. She understood. Hugs are far better than words. Thank you, Joyce.

How desolate this world would be with good friends to hold us when it hurts.

Dot, I am standing in the gap for you. There is a friend praying for you.

Women of Faith

I will be attending the Women of Faith conference at the Verizon Center in Washington DC for the next two days. This will be my fourth time to attend and I am looking forward to it. There is something wonderful about coming together with 20,000 women to worship God. I remember chills going down my spine as all those voices joined together to praise God. The speakers always inspire me and I come away feeling God’s presence. I will be attending with a group of women from the Church of Christ where I attended for many years combined with a group of women from the Presbyterian Church where I am currently a member. One of the great blessings of the Women of Faith conference is that it joins all the various traditions of Christianity together and for these two days we are one body of believers worshipping the God we all love. That is a very good thing.

I have felt the presence of God most intensely when I was alone and had a private audience with the Almighty. There were other places of corporate worship that were more intense than Women of Faith. Zoë worship conferences in Tennessee brought me to the foot of the cross and into the presence of God.

What brings you to the foot of the cross? When have you been intensely aware of the presence of God? Where were you when you were lost in wonder, love, and praise?

Disneyworld always brings back memories of other times.

It was May 15,1960, my 19^th birthday. Dennis had invited me to go to Disneyland with him where we would meet several of our friends from college. We had been dating just over a year at the time. When I got in the car he asked me to put something in the glove compartment. I said I would just hold it. He insisted that I put it in the glove compartment. I did and found a jewelry box that contained a diamond ring. He smiled and asked if I would marry him. I cried. I could not speak but I did nod my head. Finally I said yes. We had to go back in the house then and tell my parents. They were happy and we all laughed and cried. Finally we left for our date in Disneyland. It seemed to be a magical and romantic place that evening. All of the lights were twinkling just for us. We rode over London on the Peter Pan ride and dreamed about our future. Everything would be wonderful in the happily ever after we planned together. When we ran into our friends I showed off my sparkling diamond and glowed in the joy of love and excitement. I have always loved riding the Peter Pan ride and remembering that wonderful, magical evening.

Where were you when you became engaged? Was it beautiful and romantic? Was it funny and silly? Have you lived happily ever after?

Home

It is good to be home again. We had a great time enjoying all the adventures of Disney with our two granddaughters.

We drove from Maryland to Florida and back again. That is a lot of driving. The world becomes a long ribbon of highway bordered on each side by green. We live in a very green world. The only break in the green was the thousands of billboards. We counted 32 Cracker Barrel restaurants.

Can anyone explain why there is such a difference in the price of gasoline? The least expensive we saw was $2.50 per gallon. The highest price was $3.26 per gallon. It seems to me that 76 cents per gallon is too much difference to pay for the identical product.

Lines

Waiting in lines is a big part of the Disney World experience.

There are signs at most rides with the expected wait time. We decided a posted time of 30 minutes was a reasonable limit for a good ride and found that usually the time was shorter than posted. If the line was longer we got a fastpass (a great idea that lets you come back later and get in the front of the line). Some of the big rides had wait time of 110 minutes. Because we had free time waiting for our fastpass ride we discovered rides and attractions that the girls would have otherwise skipped. One of their favorites turned out to be the Carrousel of Progress, an original Disney attraction that I first enjoyed in California 50 years ago.

What is the longest you have ever waited in line? Was it worth the wait?

What wonderful things have you discovered while you were waiting for something else?

Disneyworld!!!

We have conquered four mountains this week. We have done Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain and Everest; the four mountains of Disney World. In fact we did them all twice. We arrived at the Magic Kingdom before opening time and we were there before the lines got long. We were able to just walk onto rides for the first hour of the day. It was great. When it got hot and crowded we headed back to our resort and rested. We then returned after dark and stayed till closing. My favorite memory was watching the girls running across Tomorrowland, holding hands and giggling as they headed to ride Space Mountain. It was 10:30 at night and I know they were tired, but joy overcame fatigue. They were the picture of happiness.
Here is a list of things to do in while waiting in line:
1. Eat. The girl’s backpacks were filled with snacks and water.
2. Create and practice elaborate handshakes.
3. Check out all the teenage boys and rate them on a scale of one to ten.
4. Giggle
5. Repeat
The pictures are of us on the Buzz Lightyear ride. It was like riding through a giant arcade game. What fun!

Another Trip

We are leaving in the morning for a trip to Orlando. We are taking our twelve and fifteen year old granddaughters to Disney World. It should be an adventure. I’ll have stories to tell of life with girls and Mickey Mouse when we return.

Glory Days

We enjoy eating out. Our community is blessed with several nice restaurants that we patronize several times weekly. Our favorite of these eateries is Glory Days. Glory Days is a cross between a sports bar and family restaurant. There is a large screen TV above the bar and 20 or 30 more TVs on all the walls. Most of them are tuned to various sports programs. Tonight we could choose to watch one of several baseball games, tennis, hot-rod racing, or poker. I’ve just about learned how to play poker by watching while I eat dinner. There are usually a couple of the sets showing cartoons, and a couple others are tuned to news shows. The place is a haven for fantasy football players on Sundays in the fall. All the TVs are a nice distraction, but the thing that makes this our favorite is the combination of good food and pleasant staff. My very favorite thing to eat there is the broccoli. It is the best broccoli I have ever eaten. I get teased for bragging on the broccoli so much, but it really is good. When we sat down tonight our favorite waitress had our drinks in hand and ready to serve us. She remembers our orders from previous visits and knows what we like. She was sorry to report that he cobbler tonight was apple. I only order cobbler if it is peach. We almost always see friends while we are there. It is a favorite for many, both young and old.

What is your favorite restaurant? What makes it you favorite place?

Lumberjack Show

While we were at Niagara Falls we walked along a park that stretched a couple of miles along the Niagara River. It was a beautiful, sunny day. The roar of the water and the mist from the falls was a constant as we walked along enjoying the view. Along the way we encountered several street entertainers. There were musicians and jugglers, but our favorite was the lumberjack show. They had set up bleachers and a stage in the park where Team USA had challenged Team Canada to a contest of lumberjacking skills. We watched in awe as Team USA won the single buck contest. (Buck refers to a bucksaw. The ones we saw were about five feet long. Single denotes that one man was handling the saw.) The contest was to see which man could saw through a log in the least amount of time. There were several heats of this contest and the USA won them all in amazing speed. It took between sixteen and twenty seconds for one man to saw through a log three feet in diameter. Maybe this is no big deal if you are a lumberjack, but we were totally amazed. The ax-throwing contest was the next event. The Canadians won this by throwing large axes across the stage and hitting the bulls-eye. Then came the ladies who were referred to as lumberjills. Team USA won in the lumberjill double buck contest. I was so proud. I wanted to be a lumberjack when I was a little a girl but was told girls couldn’t do that. It was wonderful to affirm that girls can be lumberjacks.

Overhead at the Senior Center gym today; “What day is it today?” “It’s Wednesday.” But I don’t work out on Wednesday. Are you sure it’s Wednesday?” “Yes, it is Wednesday.” “Then what am I doing here?”

My eight-year-old granddaughter is here this morning. She has decorated our house with flags and written Happy Birthday U.S.A in sidewalk chalk all over the front porch. Our home looks very patriotic.

I love this nation of ours. It is my home, my country, and my native land. I appreciate all the blessings that come to me because I am an American and I am grateful for all those who made great sacrifices for this nation. God bless America! However, I always want to put an asterisk after I say that and explain that like the apostle Paul my citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20

I found the lyrics to a song in a book by Marcus Borg called, “The Heart of Christianity” that I found appropriate for today. The song is titled, “This Is My Song,” and is sung to the tune “Finlandia.”

“This is my song, O God of all the nations,

A song of peace for lands afar and mine,

This is my home, the country where my heart is;

Here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine;

But other hearts in other lands are beating

With hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean

And sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;

But other lands have sunlight, too, and clover,

And skies are everywhere as blue as mine.

O hear my song, O God of all the nations,

A song of peace for their land and for mine.”

My Fourth of July prayer is that there will be peace on earth.

Stories

We’ve just returned from church. The minister had a great lesson. He is a good man who is paid by our congregation to preach and to minister to the people of this church. He earns his money.

I have been thinking about family stories and today I thought I’d share a couple of stories about my grandfather. He was a minister in first half of the last century, a time when ministers were not paid a salary. He ran a little store and taught school to earn money, but if you asked him what he did he would always answer that he was a minister of the gospel.

One time Grampa went to another town to hold a gospel meeting. He took the train to get there and stayed in the home of one of the members for the week of the meeting. At the end of the week the church passed around the collection plate to get enough money to pay for Grampa’s train fare. When the money was counted up, it was discovered that they had collected fifty cents more than needed for the train fare. They immediately called out to the brother who was the most generous giver that he had given too much. The brother should come and take back fifty cents. He said no. “Give that fifty cents to the preacher. He did a fine job for us this week.” So my grandfather earned fifty cents plus train fare for preaching every night for a week. He was content.

One my mother’s earliest memories is about the time Grampa was was paid in molasses for his preaching. She and her little sister, Rubye, were sitting on little wooden chairs in the back of the wagon. In the wagon with them were two barrels of molasses that had been given to them by one of the church members. The day was hot, and as they rode home the molasses began to expand in the heat. It oozed out of the barrels and covered the floor of the wagon. When they arrived home my mom’s feet were stuck to the floor of the wagon. She couldn’t move her feet. She was forced to untie her good church shoes and leave them stuck in the molasses in order to lifted out of the wagon. What a mess that must have been!

Do you have family stories that make you smile?

Roots

Today we took our two teenage granddaughters to lunch in Annapolis. One of the sights at the city harbor is a statue of Alex Haley, the author of “Roots.” He is depicted telling stories to a group of children. Several plaques along the seawall quote sayings from his epic story of Kunta Kinte, the African boy who landed in Annapolis in a slave ship and was sold into slavery there on the waterfront. One of the plaques stressed the need to learn from our suffering. Several stressed the importance of forgiveness. There were several that talked about the importance of family. I find it a very moving memorial. It demonstrates for me the triumph of the human spirit over evil. Haley believed that by sharing our stories, by knowing our heritage, we could learn that we all share a bond in the human family.

What stories are told in your families that help you to triumph over the evil that life throws at you?

Son In Law

I have a great son in law. There are two qualities that make him a good son in law; (1) He loves his wife, and (2) He loves his children. He becomes a great son in law because he also loves me. He is wise, funny, and kind. He makes me laugh and he listens when I am in need of a good listener. He has seen me at my worst and still treats me with respect. I am so glad he married my daughter.

Happy Birthday, Gary.

Electricity

I came home from a meeting last night to find that we had once again lost electric power. This seems to happen whenever we have a big storm. It is most inconvenient! When we woke up this morning there was still no power. In our house that means there is no way to make coffee. I am not nice without my morning coffee so I obviously needed to go to the local bagel bakery where they make very good coffee. As I sat there drinking coffee and looking over the morning paper I took note of the people who were there at eight in the morning. There were several like myself, alone at a table, enjoying coffee and reading the paper. Several people were treating this place as their office. They had their laptops and papers strewn across the table and seemed oblivious to rest of the room. I know my older daughter, who runs a business out of her home, comes here to interview prospective employees. There were several groups of men dressed in suits who appeared to be having a business meeting. The noisiest groups were several gatherings of senior citizens who were just there to socialize. There was much laughter and conversation at those tables. I found one older woman particularly fascinating. She was there when I arrived, sitting alone and drinking coffee, but she was not alone long. It seemed that almost everyone knew her. I counted seven who sat down and visited with her for a few moments before going on and several others who just stopped and chatted for a minute. She smiled, nodded and listened to them all. She was still there when I left. She must be a good listener. It was really a very pleasant hour.

When I returned home there was still no power. What could I do? Normally I would check the answering machine and look at my email, but that doesn’t work without electricity. I finished putting things away from our trip. I washed dishes. It was getting hot and stuffy. No air conditioning without electricity. I tried to turn on the fan, but the electric fan wouldn’t work. The power finally came on late this afternoon.

I was very frustrated because I was unable to blog last night. That seems silly since it had been a very quiet day and I really had nothing important to say. I just have gotten a bit addicted to blogging and reading the blogs of others. Why is that? I don’t think I am the only one who feels this way. Why do you like to blog?

White Water Rafting

One of the highlights of our Pocono vacation was a white water rafting trip down the Lehigh River. We thought it would be a fun trip to share with our grandson. At thirteen he is quite confident that he can do it all. We were told it was mostly a float trip with a few minor rapids. Obviously “minor rapids” means different things to different people.

We arrived at the check-in point and were assigned a raft. Each raft group had to decide on a captain for their individual raft. What? Where is the professional guide I expected? “Oh, we have four. There is Chris up front to lead the pack (there were about twenty rafts in our group and we never saw Chris again after he pushed his raft into the water). In the back Matt will act as sweep and make sure no one is left behind. Jenny and Bill will roam through the group in their kayaks to make sure we are doing okay.” I was not sure that was enough supervision for this novice group. Next we listened to the safety lecture. We learned what to do when the raft tips over, how to float down the river safely if you get thrown out of the raft and how to signal for help if there is a serious injury. I was getting nervous. Then we were off, floating down the river. At times the river was slow and peaceful. DQ jumped in the water and swam and played with others more adventurous than Grandpa and me. Pulling him back in the raft when the guides began to yell,” Everyone, back in the boats. White water ahead.” Then we paddled hard forward or hard back and tried to miss the rocks that were sure to catch us and flip us over. We successfully negotiated all the rapids and were quite proud of ourselves. DQ yelled as we finished the last one, “This is the best moment of my whole life!”

It was a great moment for us all.

The T-shirt I bought after the trip says, “You don’t quit rafting because you get old, you get old because you quit rafting.” I’m not sure if I’ll keep rafting, but I will keep on enjoying the all the adventures of living.

Home Sweet Home

We are home. My head is full of happy images from our vacation. There were three lovely, romantic days in a luxury hotel, followed by a week in the Pocono Mountains with our 13-year-old grandson. It was all good. Now we are home. The vacation was wonderful. I’ll share some of our adventures later this week.

There’s no place like home.

Niagara Falls

Yesterday I rode The Maid of the Mist to the base of Niagara Falls. It was totally breathtaking. I had already stood at the brink of the falls and watched as millions of gallons of water spilled over the edge in a mesmerising roar. I got dizzy watching it and felt the ground tremble with the power of all that water. The experience in the Maid of the Mist was far more awesome. The sound was deafening. The mist from the falls completly surrounded us and blocked our vision of everything except the water falling all around us. It was wonderful.
We are staying here to celebrate our fouty-fifth anniversary. They claim that this is the honeymoon capital of he world. We did in fact see two wedding parties yesterday. Mostly, thought the town is filled with families and senior citizens.
We have a wonderful hotel room overlooking the falls. In the cool of early morning the mist rises up high above the falls. In the afternoon sun a rainbow always spreads it's arch across the falls. I never get tired of looking at this beautiful sight
Now I can happily cross off one more on the long list of places I want to see.

Library Card

Today I went to the library. I pulled out my library card and it just crumbled and fell apart in my hands. I don’t know why it did that. I have been using that card for over forty years and it never fell apart before. When we first moved to Bowie there was no library. I remember the great joy we felt when our new library opened. I was there that first day to get a library card, and I have used that card well. That card fell apart today. I now own a brand new library card. In fact, I have two cards. One goes in my wallet, the other hangs on key chain. Very cool.

We are leaving tomorrow for a trip to Niagara Falls. We are celebrating our forty-fifth wedding anniversary. My husband has packed his binoculars and bird books, his camera, and his GPS (his favorite toy on a trip). I have sharpened all my pencils and bought a new drawing pad for the trip. I have books on tape, (the purpose of my trip to the library today) to listen to along the way.

What do you bring for entertainment when you go on vacation?

Hands

I have been taking a drawing class since I retired two years ago. At the start of each new semester we are asked to draw our hands. This is used as a measure of our drawing skills. Hopefully the drawings improve over time. The new semester just began so I have been studying my hands. Drawing is mostly about seeing, really seeing the object to be drawn. What do I see?

My hands are getting more interesting as I get older. The veins are far more visible as they snake across the back of my hand. The skin is looser, with lots of wrinkles and fine lines. The fingernails are cut short in an effort to keep them from splitting, but there are several splits and ridges in the nails. There are a growing number of brown spots scattered across the hand. My niece once asked my mother why there were so many brown spots on her hands. Mom replied that those spots were love spots. The more brown spots you have the more people there are who love you. If that is true, then many people love me. On the ring finger there is a wedding ring. It represents a long and happy marriage. I am blessed. These hands have thrown baseballs, tended babies, wiped away tears, washed dishes, cared for the sick, applauded the wonderful, and have been raised in worship. Young hands are smooth and unwrinkled. They hold onto dreams and possibilities. My hands are wrinkled and spotted. They reflect a full life, full of sorrows and full of joys.

Deacon

Tonight it was approved that I serve as a deacon for my church, Christian Community Presbyterian Church. I feel honored and humbled to be asked to serve in this way. I also feel surprised. Me? Really?

At the ordination service I will be asked, ”Do you trust in Jesus Christ as your savior and the head of the church, and through Him believe in one God, Father, and Holy Spirit?” I can answer that I do. I will be asked, ”Will you seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love?” I will certainly try. I will then be asked, ”Will you be a faithful deacon, teaching charity, urging concern, and directing the people’s help to the friendless and those in need? In your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?” I will do my best to be a faithful deacon.

Aroma Moods

This afternoon I went to a spa party. A room full of women gathered to sample an assortment of lotions and potions and possibly buy some of the products. We washed and exfoliated our hands and then enjoyed a lovely hand massage. After that we each got our own basin and sat together soaking our feet in a lovely peppermint foot wash. When was the last time you sat with 20 women while they soaked their feet in warm, scented water. The conversation can get pretty interesting. After soaking a while we scrubbed our dry feet with a defoliant and then soothed them with a lovely peppermint foot lotion. My feet are so soft and clean. The demonstration then became a sampling of the various scents of body butter. This rich, creamy lotion comes in many scents. One is surely right for whatever your mood may be. Some scents were said to be calming and relaxing, guaranteed to take away your stress. Other scents are invigorating and stimulating, they will wake up your skin. Some scents are sensual and passionate, to be used for special moments. I wont tell you which scent I purchased.

What scent would suit you best today?

Field of Dreams

This morning I watched my grandson play baseball. He was full of dreams. I watched him as he waited for the game the start. He was pretending to catch and throw the ball, the perfect play was in his head and he was acting out each step of his role. I listened to him and the other boys while they waited for their turn at bat, “I’m gonna’ hit a grand slam home run!” There is nothing finer than the baseball dreams of an 11-year-old boy. The pain of striking out was almost too much to bear; the broken dreams were a hard reality. Hope and dreams returned quickly and he once again stepped to the bat, confident and full of dreams.

An Anniversary

Twenty-two years ago today our beautiful daughter married her college sweetheart. The wedding was beautiful. They are still smiling and still beautiful. Happy anniversary Laurel and Gary.

Nurse

Today I took a day off of retirement and went back to work. I sometimes sub for the nurse that took my position in the doctor’s office where I worked for 20 years.

I was up early, dressed and on the road at a time when I am usually enjoying my second cup of coffee and reading the morning paper. Walking in the door I was greeted by smiles and hugs from my office mates. We have shared a lot of life over the years and it was good to see everyone again. I looked at pictures of grandchildren and heard about the latest cruise. The patients were all happy to see me again, (except for the four year old boy that needed three shots.) I have cared for these people for many years and they feel like my family. I heard more stories and saw more pictures. All that was fun. Then there were the charts, mountains and mountains of charts that needed to be dealt with somehow. I called patients about lab work, sent reports to other doctors, and called in prescriptions. Then there was the filing, the endless filing. And the cleaning. And the restocking. And the ordering. Too much work and not enough time.

There was a big traffic mess on the beltway, so the ride home took nearly an hour. I was home long enough to change clothes, grab a sandwich and head out the door for a meeting at church.

I remember why I retired. It was a great job, but it was just so time consuming. I’ll repeat it all tomorrow, but then it’s back to retirement for me.

Woman Attacks Mountain

Today one woman (me) attacked a monster of a mountain. The mountain is about 12 feet high and about 60 feet long. This mountain is the border between our house and the next-door neighbor’s house. During the years when we were raising children, and then during the years when I was working full time, the mountain became an overgrown jungle of weeds. It was truly ugly. Now I am retired and I finally have some time to attack this overgrown mountain. Today I pulled weeds, dug holes, planted hostas and daylilies and spread mulch over the front 20 feet of this ugly mountain. It is beginning to look much better. When I finished I was covered in dirt and sweat and was truly exhausted. This feeling of fatigue that comes from working hard is a rewarding sort of tired because I know I have accomplished something. The mountain is still winning the war, but today I won a small battle against the weeds and put the overgrown jungle into retreat.

Peanut Butter

I really like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I don’t think we ever outgrow this basic sandwich of childhood. Today I had a variation on the standard PB&J. I had peanut butter and banana. It was yummy. Peanut butter is a very versatile food that combines well with so many other foods. My father-in-law, a very picky eater, ate peanut butter & bologna - ugh. Bonnie, my high school buddy, ate peanut butter & pickle sandwiches- gross. Dr C, my employer, used to sit in the lunchroom and use a tongue blade to eat peanut butter straight out of the jar. He’d wash it down with a can of beer.

What do you eat with your peanut butter? Do you have any original suggestions?

How Old Are You?

Today I was watching my grandchildren play when some neighbors came over to play. I chatted with them a few minutes, just getting to know them. I asked Jerry how old he was. “I’m seven, but I’ll be eight on my birthday,” was his reply. I then asked Ada how old she was. “I’m ten, but I’ll be eleven on my birthday.”

I smiled as I thought about their answers. Why is it that people so often tell me how old they will be on their next birthday instead of how old they are today? I know the kids are anxious to grow up and can hardly wait to be older, but it’s not just the kids. When I ask some of my older friends they say, ”I’m going to be 75 on my next birthday.” Perhaps when we pass seventy we are just so grateful for each new day that we are just praying to make it to another birthday. This phenomenon is not limited to the young and the old. When I was working in the doctor’s office I frequently asked people how old they were. The answer I most often heard was, “I’ll be x on my next birthday.” I used to assume that the birthday was coming up in the near future, but no, the birthday was 6 or more months away. Are we really all anxious to another year older?

I’m 65, but I’ll be 66 on my next birthday. How old are you?

Baptism

Today I watched as 2 sisters were baptized. Nicole and Lee Ann are 12 and 13 years old. It was a sweet ceremony as they confessed their faith in Jesus and were baptized into Christ while their entire extended family and the congregation watched. My mind wandered back to 1952 when I was 11 years old and I was baptized.

Brother Scott finally finished the sermon and stepped down from the pulpit to offer the invitation. “If there is anyone here today who wants to repent of their sins and be baptized, you can come now as we sing the invitation song.” Brother Smith steps up to the podium then and begins swinging his arm. Brother Smith leads singing by swinging his arm around and around in a huge circle, and the congregation begins the song. “Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in his grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” I step out into the aisle and walk down to the front of the auditorium where Brother Scott is waiting and sit on the front pew. After the song is finished he takes my confession. He asks, ”Susan, do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?” I answer that I do. Then I walk into the dressing room, which is up a fight of stairs behind the baptistery where my mother is waiting with tears in her eyes and a big smile. She hugs me tight. She has pulled out the clothes for me to wear – a long heavy cotton gown. I change into it quickly and mom leads me to where the steps lead down into the baptistery. Brother Scott appears from the other side. He has taken off his suit jacket and is wearing big rubber waders to keep his clothes dry. He takes my hand and leads me down into the water. The water is about 3 feet deep. He puts one hand on my back and raises the other hand heavenward. “Upon your confession of faith in Jesus Christ, I now baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” Then I hold my nose and he lays me back into the water until I am completely immersed. When I come out of the water I feel a sense of total purity. I know that all my sins have been washed away. I am a child of God. I go back up the steps where my mother is waiting. She holds me tight. I remember that her dress got all wet. I tell her that I feel holy.

That day will always remain in my memory as one of the most important days of my life. That was the day I decided to follow Jesus. I have been on a journey following Him ever since.

I hope Nicole and Lee Ann will remember today as one of the most important days of their lives.

Bowiefest

Sometimes I just love living here in Bowie. Today was one of those days. I spent the day at Bowiefest, an outdoor celebration of our town. There were booths by all sorts of civic and religious groups. There were rides for the kids. Children were dancing and old people were singing on 2 different outdoor stages. There were all sorts of yummy foods – I had a fresh roasted ear of corn, a smoothie and a cone of sweet roasted almonds. I think that was a well-balanced, nutritious lunch. I was there to work in the booth that was promoting our local hospice. The best part of the day was all the people. It was so good to see old friends and catch up one another’s lives. I got lots of hugs from people who have been part of my life over the past 40 years of living in this town. I love living in Bowie.

David

Today is my son’s birthday. He is 39 years old. This is a surprise to me because I am defiantly not old enough to be the mother of someone that old, never mind the fact that he has 2 older sisters.

David was a quiet little boy who loved to read. One night when he was about 6 he called me into his room late one night. He had something important to tell me. “Mom, I like A the best.” I asked him why. “A has Africa and animals. I like all the animals.” He enjoyed looking at our World Book encyclopedia and volume A was obviously his favorite. I knew then that he would always have a thirst for reading and learning. He has filled this mother’s heart with great pride and given me many moments of laughter.

Now I watch him as a husband and father and feel blessed. He is a good man, full of faith that sometimes amazes me.

The picture shows him wearing an aluminum helmet his sister gave him to protect him the aliens who were trying to zap his brain waves.

Family

I love having my family nearby. It is good to be able to share so much of their life.

Both our daughters went out of town today. That left gramma and grampa in charge of getting 4 kids to their activities. At 6pm our 16-year-old grandson had to be his drivers ed class. At 6pm our 12- year- old granddaughter had to be at softball practice. At 6pm our 11-year-old grandson had to be at baseball practice. The 8-year-old just tagged along with us. Of course all of these activities are in different places. I remembering doing this all the time when their parents were this age. It was just part of the daily routine. Now I am just the pinch hitter as the kid’s chauffeur. I love being able to be there when they need me. I am glad that I am the gramma and it is no longer my main responsibility. It is one of the perks of getting older.