The Future Has Just Begun

Nothing major happening.
I took off from work for our trip to visit Jim and Kay, but Geo’s work took priority, something we could not predict...so a vacation for us will need to happen at a future date.
I’ve been asked to mentor 3 new team leaders at work. Training is what I like best about my job.
Addie is pursuing her dream of graduate work in Great Britain. An expensive route, especially with the exchange rate, but if anyone can make it happen, it’s Addie. She reaches high and learns so much in the process. If, however, she ends up at grad school a little closer to home, that would be A-OK with us.
Jenn just became “van-certified” at her college. That means she can take her turn driving students to the homeless shelter for meal prep. She’s also acing her psych classes. She enjoyed Thailand so much. Would be neat for her to do grad work/service over there.
What did I hear this morning? “The future has just begun....,” meaning, take that step forward from where you are now.
Geo and I are looking at a Steubenville conference on Scripture this summer. I’ve been in need of a good conference to keep myself directed in the right way. All the better to share with Geo.
He and some of his guy friends are beginning a new exploration of the Book of Revelations. I pointed him toward Scott Hahn’s book for some background from the Catholic perspective.
Tonight we are invited to Mike and Carol’s for pinochle and dessert. Geo doesn’t play pinochle, but he really likes dessert. I’ve offered to teach him, and he says, “In time, not yet...” Geo, the future begins now!

Bye-Bye, Jenn

It’s been a fabulous holiday season. My Mom made the trip from Wisconsin and both girls arrived home from college. The household grew from 2 to 5 with all the commotion of three generations and one sweet dog under one roof, with holidays and a birthday in the mix.

Jenn survived re-entry from Thailand, and a break-up with her guy (or are they just “taking a break?”). Addie - always the independent one - is still on an alternative time schedule; i.e., she wakes up about 3PM for breakfast. That leaves lots of quiet time for her research of grad schools, application prep, and thesis writing.

Jenn is officially back at school today, yes - in the suites and settling in for the semester. I was happy to see her on campus again, but with mixed feelings. It’s like letting go all over again each time we see her off....Once a Mom, always a Mom. She is a treasure and deserves all the best.

Now we have some one-on-one time with our Addie. I promised her a shopping trip with dessert.

The good times continue.

The Hustle Award

Addie emailed last night. Our field hockey playing daughter Addie, after the muddiest game ever, had just received her college's very first "Hustle Award." It was for the player with the best team spirit who played the hardest and fielded the most balls.

What's that saying, "It's not whether you win, but how you play the game." Addie's team may not have won yesterday, but we are so proud to know that she is being recognized for leading in team spirit and playing her best with all her talent and skills. To be awarded for being the hardest playing member of this team is quite an achievement.

When Addie puts her mind to something, she also puts her heart and all her energy to the task. Her Hustle Award is an inspiration for all of us. Way to go!

79,999 More To Go

One of Jenn's service projects in Thailand is to help build dams. This morning, at the local Rotary meeting, a portion of Jenn's journal about this project was read aloud, and pictures of Jenna in Thailand were passed around. From the It's a Small World! Dept, we learned that one of the Rotary's projects is to help build dams to provide clean water for people in various parts of the world, and one of our local leaders had just returned from Chiang Mai where Jenn has been working!

Jenn, I know you won't mind, so here is a portion of your journal that was read this morning:

"...today I had quite the satisfying day. Most of my class decided they wanted to head to the hot springs and get spa treatment massages (it’s all incredibly cheap here- 80 baht an hour for a massage- no kidding). I decided to jump on board with another service trip instead so I hopped on the back of a truck and headed with just a few other people (the real troopers of the group) to help build a dam with the thai international Rotary (you can tell that one to Ed, pa) who plan on building 80,000 dams all over Thailand. We started off the morning by making cement blocks out of these really old school molds. It was a real art. The sweetest old man was instructing me what to do, but I could only follow along. It was just like icing a cake… mmm cake… Anyway, after spending the morning building the blocks, we learned what they were for. We got to meet the monk who would be walking on this 12foot walkway every night under the stars just chanting a few words under his breath as he walked back and forth, back and forth for the next couple of years. He even invited us to stay over one night if we wanted, since there were only a few of us so it would be possible. I might take him up on that next weekend… we shall see. In the afternoon, we actually got to start working on the dam project, which really just involved hiking up a mountain many times with sand, cement, and rocks over and over again. It was incredibly tiring but also so worth it. I feel like I was a part of something important and making that difference I always feel so called to do. It was cool to be able to construct a dam out of water from the stream, some random bamboo sticks from the forest, and stray dirt piles. Usually when I think of service I think exclusively of helping people, but to focus on nature and the environment will also help me to appreciate what I love most even more."

Thanks, Jenn, for your good work and for making us proud!

Rest of the Week

Per Geo's request, I am updating on the rest of the vacation week. With me still recovering from pneumonia, it was pretty low key.

A Georgia O'Keefe exhibit has been featured at the Shelburne Museum, so we took that in, along with other exhibits on the grounds. What I especially appreciated were O'Keefe's representations of Lake George.

Another day found us on the road, with Lucy, to Manchester. We really didn't do any shopping, but we did enjoy the drive there and back. Geo had the opportunity to see the Bose products at the store. Am trying to convince him to get the noise-cancelling headset, but so far, he is not buying.

And another day during the week, again with Lucy in tow, we visited President Calvin Coolidge birthplace and historical sites. A delightful day. Plymouth Notch is a place with rural beauty and charm, seemingly far removed from the fast pace of our modern day. It was so relaxing to be there, especially sitting in the Adirondack chairs on the porch of one of the old buildings, just taking in the scenery. The day was overcast, but the rain held off. We took part in the cheese-tasting - I favored the cheddar smoked variety, and we bought an apple pie. We also purchased a newly republished book of Calvin Coolidge letters.

We also took time to see Little Miss Sunshine. I also read a few books, the best being Julia Alvarez's SAVING THE WORLD (two novels in one, cleverly written.)

Now if I read my last paystub correctly, I still have some "Use or Lose" vacation time. More time off before October!

Hermit Day

DAY ONE OF VACATION

I packed a box of food, a change of clothes and a stack of books into the Blubaru and headed for our Kamp on the lake. My escape from chores, phones and the usual routine.

When I am here the necessary and not-so-necessary distractions seem to peel away and peace seeps back into my soul. Our Kamp neighbor Mr. Murphy used to call this place a piece of heaven, and if heaven were not like this, he's not so sure he would want to b there. I think he was referring to the beauty and the peace.

I prepared a Thai meal (okay, Jenn, it was pre-packaged), hot tea and cookies, and I enjoyed my meal for one. I brought out my stack of books and decided to start the easy one first, the one about Grace Coolidge, wife of President "Silent Cal" Coolidge. I really liked the references to Vermont, places we've actually visited.

It was very still this evening - hardly a ripple on the water. I let myself sink into the silence to be renewed.

I do miss you guys. I'm thinking of Addie playing up a storm on the field hockey team, and Jenn somewhere in the hot springs of Thailand this weekend. Geo- you were only three phone calls away.

Peace be with you always.

Comings and Goings

July has come and gone, and we’re nearly into the middle of August. Addie will be returning from Buffalo on Sunday to leave for college on the 17th. A highlight of her summer was her 5 day all expense paid trip to DC. Jenn is leaving for her semester in Thailand on the 19th. We’ll miss you guys!

I’m recovering from pneumonia. It sure has slowed me down, but maybe I needed some slowing down. I’ve had an excuse to put my feet up and relax – Dr.’s orders. Now if I could just get rid of this cough.

Geo is having an enjoyable weekend of summer activities – he’s with a group who will be sailing this morning. Yesterday he enjoyed the pool. He’s not one to usually go swimming, but the pool was so inviting, the weather and water temp just perfect. Who could resist?

I will meet him for prime rib dinner later this evening.

It promises to be a busy workweek again. It’s the week for gathering Labor Bureau stats, and is always the most hectic week of the month for us. Good times.

I’ve slowed down. I wish the whole month would slow down. Summer is zipping by way too fast.

It's the end of June and ...

Jenn has finally recovered from her Kolkata trip. So good to have her home again. She is tackling some home projects for us - a few rooms are receiving new coats of paint. She's doing the painting, and selecting the colors. Beachwalk is going in the hallway and one wall in the living room.)

News from Addie is that she has a new job with a nonprofit in NY state. She's living with a friend for the summer and then returning for her senior year at college. Yes, this will be her final year as an undergrad!

Geo is recovering from a bad cold that has slowed him up quite a bit. He's blaming Jenn for sneezing on him!

I'm involved with so many projects from work. I've got to schedule some vacation time. It's going to be "Use or lose."

Seems that the rain here has been on-going for weeks. More thunderstorms predicted for today, and isolated storms during the week. Walking in our yard is like stepping out on a huge wet sponge. We need some sunny warm and balmy days to dry out. The farmers are really hurting with flooded fields and no relief in sight. Weatherwise, this seems to be an unusual season.

Empty Nest

Exciting times here. Jenn very recently arrived home from her service trip to Calcutta. Addie, after a full semester in Paris - and traveling to London and Dublin, is now en route to Buffalo, NY via Canada until the beginning of senior year.

Saying "Good-bye" to Addie last night, I felt a little like I did when I put her on the schoolbus for her first day of kindergarten. She was leaving my world to enter a new world of her own.

Addie and Jenn have changed and matured so very much during their intercontinental trips. I admit I still feel very protective of them, but as they are venturing out on their own, I am assured that I not only have two very talented and caring daughters, I feel like I have two new "best friends."

"Welcome home, Jenn," and "My thoughts and prayers are with you, Addie, for more new adventurous beginnings!" Love, Mom

The Nest

Outside of our living room window, deep in the dense cedar tree, there is a lot of activity. Seems that a small bird has chosen this very spot to build a nest. I'm disappointed that I cannot actually see the nest. I cannot see the progress that is being made as it is being shaped into a first home for the baby- birds- to -be.

That a nest is being built is certain. The little bird is busily flying in and out from the cedar with strands of dried straw. The branches of the cedar are shaking while the bird is here. The spot chosen for the nest is a perfect one. Up against the house it is somewhat protected from the weather, and deep in the branches the nest is hidden from human sight.

I couldn't help but make this an analogy to faith. Faith is like that hidden nest that is being shaped. It cannot be seen, but - if we are observant - we know when it is there. We know that it is there because of all the activity that goes into shaping it, and all the activity - "the works" surrounding it and emanating from it.

Just as the bird uses dry straw to build the nest, I think faith is built from a lot of the "dry straw" of our lives - the lifeless down to earth stuff that seems to be of no useful purpose to anyone, and most of all to ourselves. If we pick up those parts of our lives and bring them to faith - the true active belief in the power of Life itself - any of that can be shaped to nestle the beginnings of new life and hope for the future.

So I am thinking, what is the dry straw in my life that I can pick up to shape into potential for something new and wonderful to happen. Just as it is for the busy bird, it will take focus, determination and diligence.

I am very eager to see the new birds in the cedar tree.

Extravagance

Father Michael challenged us to identify with some of the characters in the Passion Scripture readings. One of those he mentioned was the woman who poured out the costly contents of the alabaster jar to anoint the feet of Jesus. She did not just take a portion of the precious contents, but she broke the jar and poured out all she had. It was an extavagant gesture. To many it seemed that the contents were wasted. She could have graciously used a portion and saved the rest.
Father Michael challenged us to be extravagant in our relationship with Jesus, to be extravagant with our time. He asked us to think about "wasting time" with Jesus in prayer.
I thought about all the other times I waste, whether it is listening to the same news over and again, or surfing the net, or lingering over that second or third cup of coffee. And that may not be so bad. But I never thought of wasting time with Jesus.
We think about "setting apart some time" for the Lord, and that is a good thing to do. But how about lingering in prayer when we could well be doing other things? How about "wasting time" with Jesus. I just never thought about it in quite that way before...being extravagant with my time.
No time with the Lord is wasted. But why not be more generous?

Glimmer of Light in a Bleak Situation

From Peggy Noonan's April 6, 2006 column, another take on U.S. presence in Iraq:

"...Our troops in Iraq are the best of us: brave young men and women willing to put themselves in harm's way for their country. But they are by and large something else: very good, and kind, and generous human beings. Every day for three years they have, as part of their mission and in their off hours, been interacting with Iraqi kids and young people. Those kids, those young people, having been exposed to who Americans are--their kindness, their helpfulness, their humor and good nature--will never forget it.

Will this have implications for the future? Yes, I do believe it will. After World War II, half of Europe had been defeated by America, bombed by it. And yet America had the broad support and affection of Western Europe in the crucial quarter century after that war, in part because of efforts such as the Marshall Plan, but also because of exposure, both prewar and postwar, to American GIs. Europeans came to know who Americans were. American leaders and diplomats did plenty to help America's standing, but in the end the glory went, I think, to the GI Joes, and some Janes too, who won and occupied with American grace.

We will find, down the road, that many in Iraq will hold affection and respect for America because of the Americans they met and came to know in our armed forces in the first years of the 21st century. And this will have implications, and they will not be unhappy..."

For the full column, click on this title for the link.