Giving Back

Sharing with your best friend must be one of the sweetest things this side of heaven.  It some ways it doesn't matter what you share... laughter, chocolate, movie, funny story, a sad time, a regret... Joys and sorrows are made all the more wonderful when you are a companion to someone else and experience their companionship in return.

Imagine how filled my heart was in worship this weekend to give a testimony with my best friend about how he grew in giving and then how we are growing together in our giving to God's work in the world!!  Makes me want to brag on my God and my husband too!  Go God!  

Several weeks ago I began a Giving Journal.  Mostly it is filled with answers to some challenging giving questions from a book I am reading.  You'll find stories of givers in my family in there.  Lists of things that I am passionate about.  And some little seeds of ideas or ways in which I feel compelled to share with God's world the blessings that I have received.

It is ironic or God's timing or the work of the Spirit... that my Giving Journal has begun at this same season of my life in which I find myself care giving for multiple parents with ill health or disabled conditions.  Hmm... don't think I have not noticed the irony or coincidence.  Curious.  Very curious, indeed.  

What does it mean?  Not sure.  Will I find out?  Probably.  Right now I am sitting with these two awareness's: 1) that I in a completely new and different care giving role and 2) and I am in the reflection mode of discerning how is it that seek to be a giver.

Now we'll just wait and see what comes next... in my learning and living.

Autumn Beauty

On our anniversaty get-away, the love of my life and I wandered through the winding roads of Brown County State Park in Nashville, Indiana.  Here is a great photo taken from the open sun roof of our car! (while we were driving!  :) )

I must say the gray skies gave a vibrant pop of color to the autumn leaves.  Breath takingly beautiful!

What a delightful surprise this autumn beauty has been given the hot, drought ridden summer we just survived.  I just am in awe that we are one of the few creatures God made that has the eye sight and capacity to enjoy this sort of colorful beauty.  Just another indication to me that some things in this world God has created to bring simple beauty and wonder!

Taking Flight

On Tuesday when the temperature was a wamr, yet brisk 60 degrees.... we released our little friends.  Sad to see them go.  I missed watching their antics.  Did you know that their probiscus is longer than their legs?  Fascinating to watch them drink through their own portable-attached-personal straw!  Wonder if I can get one of those things when I am old and feeble.  Hmm.

One of our little friends, we think it was Sunday, decided not to leave on Tuesday.  We put him back in the habitat and released him on the following afternoon.  Todd #1 and Todd #2 took flight immediately although they looked like Woodstock trying to fly away.  All wobbly and what not.

It was unanimous after our final friend was sent back out into the BIG WIDE WORLD- that we want to do this again!  (but in the spring when it is warmer!)

Butterflies in the 'hood

In the middle of dinner Friday night, somebody got up from the table... wandered over to the butterfly habitat and hollered, "We have one!  It is hatching!"

At that moment, Todd #1 was with us in full wing!  (We named him Todd because it was Todd's birthday too!)  After we came home from our celebratory desert because the first 9 week report card by our daughter was awesome, we discovered that Todd #2 had arrived.  He is a wee bit smaller that #1. 

The following day, Flippy joined us.  She has trouble with her flying.  She lands up-side down in the orange juice and gets stuck with her feet in the air.  We try not to laugh, so we named her Flippy.

This morning while we were at worship and Sunday School two more butterflies busted out of their cocoons.  Smelly (who seems to be most interested in how everything smells) and Sunday (because well she/he was born on a Sunday) are our two newest pets.

Because of wind gusts of 23 mph we have decided to wait another day for the official release of our little friends.  That and the fact that one more cocoon remains.  We are watching closely to see if our sixth friend is alright. 

In the meantime we are on butterfly watch. Observing and enjoying.  Laughing and commenting on these little creatures. 

Mostly, I am thoroughly in awe of how my kid's imagination and wonder at God's world tickles her fancy.  You should hear how she talks to her little friends!  I overheard her "butterfly chatter" yesterday and welled up with emotion at how endearing and sweet she was to her "little guys".  Aw.  Too cute.

Anyone who is lonesome or afraid or wondering if life can begin anew.... needs to order some caterpillars and witness resurrection in person.  It is life changing!

Gifts for the Preacher/Pastor Woman!

Throughout the years folks in my congregations have blessed me in so many ways.  Sharing their lives, telling me their stories of faith and allowing me to enter into their deep pain as well as their amazing joy- name just a few of the gifts I have received.

Another way I have been blessed has been through the giving of gifts.  A recent unusual gift has brought to my mind all of the gifts I have received and collected over the years.  The daughter of a long time church member stopped by my office last week and brought (wrapped in a towel) the gift you see below.

Her mother, dear Beulah, made Hillary and the family wanted me to have her.  (I think they are really looking to 'farm out' all of their mother's doll collection.)  They were very grateful for the funeral service that I conducted for Beulah a month ago.   Presiding at Beulah's service was a gift to me...

Looking at Hillary or having her look back at me with those big blue eyes... reminds me of all the other unusual gifts that have been handed to me with appreciation.  Of course there are the usual gift cards and cash gifts.  And I thoroughly enjoy when the kids in worship give me their art!  Always nice to receive.  But then there are the gifts that are as quirky as the givers!  And you gotta love that!!

Here are just a few of them:

• Swiss army knife and jar of pickled pigs feet from a congregation in Granite Falls, NC
• purse intervention by an 'auntie' in the church raising me up!
• bottle of red wine (given after I completed a memorial service for her father)!
• large bowl of 100 daffodils from my first senior pastor as a welcome to ministry gift
• Duke Blue Devil cheerleader Barbie at my ordination as an Elder
• unusual candle holders (have gotten several of these) and thoroughly use them with gratitude
• Holy Communion cup and plate as a thank you gift (wow! it is a gift that keeps on giving)
• more angel statues than I can count, but enjoy having around me!
• John Deere baseball cap after I blessed the new John Deere tractor/lawnmower at my first congregation out of seminary when none of the other pastors would do it!  ha ha!
• books... oh so many of these, but the pinnacle of those was the gift book our Staff Parish chair person gave me while I was on renewal leave.  Wow- the words in there were a touch from God!
• and now little Hillary.  

You should see the BIG smile on my face as the memories of these gifts... and their givers... and the ministry that took place which brought about the exchange of gifts goes through my mind.  Wow.

I am overwhelmed with the wonder of generosity!  (happy contented sigh)

Homespun Goodness

Wholesomeness is a fresh baked, warm pumpkin pie with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the side.  Ah.  The hankering for such wholesomeness crept up on me yesterday... so this afternoon with the drippy rain of a Friday the baking shall commence!

Then the thought of that brought to mind knitting.  A visit to the local knit shop is on my list today to fetch some new stuff for a Christmas scarf that I want to make. Makes my toes tingle to consider a tummy full of pie with a pile of soft, fuzzy yarn in my lap.

Knitting made me think of writing which is how I ended up here on my blog.  I am currently working on my Giving Journal.  As that gets further along in thought I shall share it with you.  Very intriguing process to consider what motivates me to give, what I am passionate about, and what my values are around giving.  I am excited to see what I 'unearth' about myself in this journal writing and self-reflective process.  writing to me is a very good and wholesome experience.  Hmm...

And of course, writing brought to my mind, or at least lips, a cup of tea.  Sigh.  Now that is some homespun goodness right there!

Pie, knitting, writing and tea!  Too awesome!

What is on your list of homespun goodness?

And Then They Were Pupas...

Our six new 'pets' are now hiding from us.  They are transforming within their little changing rooms.  These little guy and gal (future Painted Lady butterflies) rest in a quiet safe spot within our home. 

All this science and nature stuff coupled with the gray rainy mornings we have had lately make me want to stay under my covers.  There with my blankets and pillows maybe I can change into a size 8 or at least shed some of my most annoying pet peeves.  Coccooning and shedding; these are the movements of autumn. 

We'll let you know how the caterpillars turn out... in the mean time I shall embrace the season and all it offers for my interior life.

Retreat Memories

Our Seaside Escape with the Calvary ladies was yet, another wonderful time of LAUGHTER, tears, quite stillness, prayer, conversation, friendship, support, singing, praying, eating, and dancing!  What a joy to know so many Spirit-filled, intelligent, funny, supportive, and likeable women!  I am so blessed.

The Retreat Staff shared with us the news upon our arrival that the conference center and retreat facility will close this November 30th.  We were saddened by the news.  Such a lovely space for retreats... and such a lovely Spirit in the space to meet and greet God.  I have been blessed with over 15 years of sharing in retreats at the St. Joseph Retreat Center and Little Noddfa. 

Just wanted to celebrate the memories and give God thanks for the good minstry that has happened in those spaces:

• remember the time we used sparklers to celebrate and caught the carpet on fire?
• remember The Orpah Show and how she was visited my 3 ancient and modern mystics?
• how about the year I spent hours sweeping snow off of the labyrinth so the ladies could walk it only to be blocked by Satan's wind.  grr.
• how about the time the directions were wrong and 98% of the ladies got lost in downtown Tipton?
• what about the time we didn't have enough snacks?  (oh yeah, that never happened)
• or the year we had a drumming circle in the chapel and about blew the plaster off the walls?
• remember when Jeri Jaggar fell down the stairs because she refused to use the elevator?!  (all ended well for that one)
• gosh, so many retreat leaders I have worked with... Cindy Torrance, Cherie McKay, Ellen Daniels-Howell, Rhonda Smith, Shirley Toth, Patti Hammerle, Sydney Powell, Katie Starks, Kendra Smith, and Holly Geddes.  And musicians for retreats: Allison Camillo, Cindy Torrance, Martha Wenrick, Katie Starks, and Susan Imel.  And dancers: Cheri Richard, Megan and Kristen Richard, Laura Portish, Shirley Toth, (me), and this year we added our hula dancers of Kendra, Allie, Linda and Becky!
• And a special shout out to our church matriarchs who have been able to retreat with us: Clari Bel, Laurel, Dodie, (even my mother in law) and many others before my pastoral tenure at Calvary.
• mostly- I remember how God's loving spirit met the women where they were (struggling with depression, eating disorders, unfaithful spouses, divorce, busy children, over full lives, grief of miscarriages, struggles with infertility, job loss, illness, cancer, change in income, care giving of elderly and needy parents, uncertainty, lonliness, their anger and dissappointment at Godetc.) and loved them through their lives.
• and for me too... God's gentle presence met me too in my lonliness, frustration, uncertainty, joy, gratitude, motherhood, ministry. 

 

As we finished our closing worship in the chapel, I asked the ladies to help fulfill a 'vision of remembrance' that was in my mind.  I wanted a photo of our group taken from the balcony of the chapel. 

 

Here we are blowing our kisses of thanks and appreciation to all who have gone before on our retreats, to the wonderful ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and a kiss of welcome to all who will join us in future retreat adventures in a new and wonderful place!

 

Thanks for the memories!