thoughts on the news of the day: dad

hmmm…..

            It is becoming apparent that very shortly we are going to have to rip my 91-year-old Dad from the home he has lived in for close to 65 years. It’s a home we all grew up in; one that my Dad basically built with his bare hands.  Well, maybe I am exaggerating, but he didn’t have a nail gun or pre-fabs; only hammers, nails and an imagination.  Our family home has gotten old and is difficult to heat, cool, clean and keep in repair so it is kind of falling down around my Dad. But our home is probably his most priceless possession.  I would guess he loves it almost as much as he loves us.

 My brothers and sisters and I have avoided moving my Dad for years now.  We never thought that my Dad would go before my Mom.  And with Mom I don’t think it would have been so hard.  Mom loved adventure and I think she would have welcomed new surroundings in an assisted living center.  But Dad has lived longer and although he has done much better than we ever expected, it is now time to face the fact that living in his home is no longer a viable option for him.

I don’t think we ever thought it would be this hard.  We all told ourselves that we were keeping Dad in our family home because he would never agree to leave.  But now that the deed is eminent, I realize that for me and maybe all of us, that home is a symbol of security, stability and love.  I don’t want to have to go back in that home without life living there.  I don’t want to let it go.

As I write this the tears begin to flow.  Even more than losing my parents, saying good-by to what has past and to what will never be is like ripping a part of me away.  And I guess moving my Dad out of his beloved homestead rips us all apart in a way that can never be recaptured again. 

hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: memorial day

hmmm…..

            On this day in 2006, my Mom passed away.  I’ll probably never forget that day.  We knew my Mom was sick and that it was near the end.  My plan was to preach that Sunday in Durant, OK and then my daughter and I would drive up to Tulsa to be with my Mom and my family until she passed.  At the close of the service, we stood as a congregation and sang (coincidentally) my Mom’s favorite hymn.  I had this sense that my Mom was passing by … maybe even saying farewell. 

            After the service, we headed toward Tulsa, I called my brother to say we were on our way and he said, “Well … I didn’t want to tell you this while you were driving, but Mom has already passed away.”  Somehow I knew that it had happened.  Maybe it was just my imagination, but it has comforted me since that day to feel like Mom had said goodbye.

            Recently one of our politicians said that someday the memory of a loved one will bring a smile before it brings tears.  He was trying to console families who had lost someone who had been a casualty while serving in the military.  These were not casual remarks; he spoke from his own experience of losing some of his family members in a tragedy. 

            It is always hard to say goodbye to someone we love.  But Memorial Day marks a time when we can remember with joy those who have gone before us; those we will always hold closely in our hearts.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: heroes and angels

hmmm…..

            A few days ago, I posted a picture and a letter from my daughter (scroll down).  It was very dear to me and something I will always treasure.  But here’s (as Paul Harvey would say) “the rest of the story.”

            My daughter is a fan of a Texas Hill Country music artist, Granger Smith.  He wanted to produce a music video called “Heroes and Angels” and asked fans to send in photos of someone who fit that description for them.  He offered to include some of them in the video.  The link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc_u_dKT7gQ&list=UUYhfnFOdWfHv_OtE9KZA_JQ&index=1&feature=plcp  Towards the end you can see our picture!! How cool is that!!   My daughter and I are now media stars … well.. at least for our five minutes of fame!!!

            I hope you have someone in your life that you can call a hero or an angel … and I bet that you are a hero or an angel to someone, too.

            hmmm…..

thoughts on the news of the day: reviews

hmmm…..

            I am trying to decide this morning what I think about a woman who is being sued by a church in Beaverton, OR because she wrote a bad review of the church on Google.  There are so many questions that have popped into my mind.  Can just anyone at anytime say anything about any Google listing and get away with it?  Can you sue someone because they spoke their truth about a topic on a silly Google site?  What about freedom of speech?  What about freedom of religion?  What is the website’s responsibility in policing listings and reviews?

            Clearly in our country we have laws against slander and libel – but what if the review is solicited?  Can the receiver of the review ask for one and then sue when they don’t like the honesty of the reviewer?  Religion is a less clear field than politics.  We have pretty much hashed out what you can and can’t say about a politician but what about a church?

            Am I asking too many questions?  Didn’t Jesus say “Love one another?”  Why can’t we just all get along, especially in church?

            Oscar Wilde once said, “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”  I wonder if attendance in that church is up since the Google review story hit the news.  In an inside out backwards kind of way, it would be interesting to know the real effect of the review and the publicity on the Pastor and the congregation.  At the end of the day, was the church really harmed or did it benefit from the seemingly bad publicity?

            I’m going to have to think about all of this.  But I guess it would be a good idea to check the Google listing and  reviews  of our church every so often, too....  Wonder what people are saying about us!

            hmmm….

thoughts on the news of the day: skateboards

hmmm…..

            There was an article on the web recently about the new explosion of skateboarding for over-40’s.  The new-old skateboarders seem to thrive on the idea of re-living their youth, and the thrill of basically taking their life in their hands.  I admire those kind of people – the ones who train and discipline their bodies to perform amazing feats.  I know of a man in Oklahoma who is training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro next month.  He runs up and down the steps of a large football stadium to get in shape for the event.  That should get him ready for the climb ahead, at least I am sure he is hoping it will!

             It makes me wonder, what is worth taking a risk?  How is it that we are inspired to tackle amazing challenges and accomplish them?  Sometimes it’s for the money, sure.  And sometimes it is for the honor, glory or because its just the right thing to do.  But most of the time, at least part of the component is this question:  “Can I do it?” 

            Optimistically, I would like to say that we can do anything we put our minds up to do.  Determination is the probably the primary ingredient in accomplishing a goal.  Well.. there’s also courage, strength, patience, love and self-control.  Come to think of it, those ingredients are pretty much the fruits of the spirit. 

            It reminds me of the questions I was asked at my ordination.  “Can you ….?”  The appropriate response is always, “With God’s help. I can.”  That kind of works in all of life.

            hmmm…..

            

thoughts on the news of the day: daughters

  I know yesterday was Mother’s Day, but I thought this Facebook post from my daughter  was worth sharing, even if it is a day late:

“My favorite picture of you and I. That Easter we hardly had anything... But YOU made me the most beautiful Easter dress and basket and I never knew. A couple years later when we were snowed in and the one furnace we had in our small "house" in grandma's backyard barely worked, YOU took me out to build snowmen and made me think it was cool to heat my mittens up in the microwave. When our car got stolen and all my dolls were taken YOU got us that little for escort from Aunt Bev with no ac or radio and created my love for driving with the windows down and music blaring. Of course we used a boom box but I didn't care because YOU put the seat down in the back and made me a "room" in the car. Which I was positive no one else had. YOU taught me that great fashion can be found anywhere. I loved goodwill because I knew my $5 could get me a whole outfit but will never forget the, "we don't buy underwear here speech." My point is... Mom you raised me on nothing and I never knew. It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized most of my childhood you made less than I did right out of college. I have no idea how you did it with such grace, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. These sacrifices were made so that together we could go to seminary and then soon share our talents with the world. I am resourceful because of you. I am a survivor because of you. I know I can do anything because of you and I know love because of you. This was not meant to be sad. It was meant to be a testament to where we came from and where we are now. We did it together, just you and me against the world. Best friends forever. I wouldn't change a thing. I love you momma!

thoughts on the news of the day: teachers

hmmm…..

            I was talking to a member of our church the other day who had been a teacher before he retired 20 or so years ago.  He mentioned the fact that when he still lived in the town where he taught, grown men and women would come up to him and introduce themselves as someone he had taught over his career.  The students always seemed surprised that he didn’t remember their names.  No telling how many kids had come to his classroom over the years, but while he didn’t remember their names, they always remembered his. 

            Isn’t that the way it is?  I remember several of my teachers in school.  One was the bane of our existence.  Her name was Sister Amata (really, I’m not kidding).  She was a little bit smart, a little bit senile, and a little bit mean.  We gave her fits, but we remembered her.  Then there was a teacher named Sister Victima (not kidding again.)  She was the nice Sister.  She loved us and we knew it.  One day she gave me a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary because I was the best behaved kid that afternoon.  I cherished it for a long, long time.  If they are still alive, I am sure they wouldn’t remember my name, but I will always remember theirs.

            Teachers have a huge impact on our lives.  There is probably not a person in our country today who doesn’t remember at least one teacher who had a positive impact on their life.  We seem to take them for granted.  Wonder why?

            hmmm…..