Beauty

As I look out the window, admiring the breathtaking landscape of color that the Artist has created, my heart swells with a longing to be out in the woods, sketch pad and pencils in hand, to capture just a breath of the beauty. A treasure that would be, I'm sure, when the long winter months come and I'm feeling gloomy and all seems grey. Where does this longing come from? In my memory, I have never done such a thing, but it still beckons me like a floating balloon waiting to be caught but always just out of my reach. This, to me, is quite a wonder. Is it from my heart? My soul? My spirit? My flesh? Someday I want to learn more about each of those parts of the human. What an inexhaustible study that would be!!!

I don't anticipate winter with very much joy. I prefer autumn with its brisk breeze, the flying leaves, the crisp bite to the air, the smell of burning wood, the sight of your exhale. Have you ever thought about a constant autumn? An oxymoron, isn't it. That's worth thinking about, and I will most likely be devoting part of my thoughts to that question while doing my chores today. I bet there are some parallels that can be drawn between the spiritual life of a man and the seasons of the year. I bet that parallel has already been drawn numerous times, but it is still something worth thinking about! Or researching . . . : )

Well, if I am not careful, I will be spending my day thinking, praying, researching and maybe even writing, but that's not what I'm supposed to do today. My vocation is my priority, and although cleaning bathrooms, making doctor appointments, washing clothes, and working on projects in the home doesn't sound as glamorous to me today, it is what I am called to do, so do it I will! I hope you have the opportunity to see the Artist's hand at work around you and in you, because you are a beautiful creation.

HUMILITY

You know, it is SO HARD sometimes to ask God for help in those small everyday things...
"Please help me with my attitude"
"Please help me to do what I'm supposed to do even though I don't FEEL like it"
"Please help me to pray for this person that I'm so frustrated with, and help me to understand them"
"Please show me some light on this situation which seems impossible"

but I don't really know why, because I ALWAYS get the grace when I ask for it. I guess the truth is that at times I really don't want to change. I just want what I want. Hmmmm....it comes down to humility, doesn't it. I guess Fr. Dan is right. : )

Surprised

Veiled Magnificence
I was recently struck by the reality of how our decisions can impact those around us.

On my way home from work yesterday, Dave's mom called to see if I could help her get Dan and his car home to Detroit. Dan recently had surgery on his shoulder and it would not have been prudent for him to drive. Happy to have a way to support them, yet a little anxious about how I was going to get my household chores done, I arrived home to let the kids know I would be heading right back out. I was greeted with a pleasant surprise! Tony and Jacquie had taken it upon themselves to declutter and clean the main floor, their own bedrooms, and some other areas of the house. Because of their actions, I was able to peacefully help Dan and Mom, and even enjoy their company a bit longer than I otherwise would have, and still make it home in time for dinner.

Each day, we are invited to love. The daily, seemingly insignificant choices that we each make to follow through with an impulse of generosity or compassion, or to listen and respond to the still, small voice that inspires us to take an action of love, are the threads which are used to weave beautiful coverings of mercy, uniting humanity into brotherhood.

Dan, Mom, Tony, Jacquie, myself, (and I'm sure others known to God alone), were encouraged, built up, and blessed by the choices each of us made that day. Writing this helps me to remember that no act of charity is useless. By the grace of God alone, will every thought and action be an additional thread in the beautiful comforter of mercy.

Is it really July?

Growing Older
I am still amazed. It is actually July of 2008. I will be turning 50 this year, and can hardly believe it! Inside, I still feel like "me". Somehow I thought my personality would change with age, or that I would become less of the "me" that I always knew and more of a stranger to myself. I don't know why I thought that, but I have to tell you that it is incredibly fun to age, and still be "me!"

Of course on the flip side of this, it is incredibly daunting to realize that I am still "me." Although I'm comforted by the security of being myself, I'm a little bummed about the insecurities that still assail me and apparently will continue! The temptations I struggle with seem to be always with me, like a "thorn in my side." But I will press on, because I know that God is merciful, just, and just plain --- love. Now how can I complain about that???

Touched by Love

I just have to tell you this story. I bought two dozen beautiful roses, a very pretty and uncommon orangish-red color to have in honor of Jacquie's Confirmation. I arranged them in a vase with some baby's breath, and went to bed. In the morning, every one of them had died! Every one of their heads had drooped down. I've never been able to resurrect flowers when they've been in that state, even if I trimmed the stems and watered and fed them. I was going to return them to the store, then realized that I had forgotten to put water in the vase! So it was my fault. I decided to pray. I asked the Lord to give me a sign that he hears my prayers, and that he loves my kids, and that since he created flowers in the first place, I knew it was no difficulty for him to bring these back to life, and if he would please do that, it would really be a sign of love to me. I put water in the vase (no trimming or feeding, though), and went about my business. Here's what he did for us!

Needless to say, I got down on my knees and thanked him. I felt very loved! They lived for 2 1/2 weeks, and never drooped again, just died standing straight up!

My tree is in bloom!

How fun is that! I have a Kanzan cherry tree (non fruit-bearing) that is blooming beautiful, delicate pink flowers. Gorgeous! I was so worried that the blossoms would die during our last frost--even to the point of praying for their safety! Each day more blossoms emerge, and my heart fills with joy. Sometimes the simple pleasures in life bring me a surety that all will be well. Seeing the care with which each branch, twig, leaf and blossom is created makes me think of the care that God has taken in creating each one of us. Down to the last hair on our heads, says Scripture!

I find myself thinking about people, and how much God loves each one of us. I pray that my encounter with my fellow man will be an opportunity for God's love to move through me and to me, for every encounter with another is an encounter with Christ.

As for how things are going on the homefront, it's been pretty busy! Sebby had his third birthday, and at his party I learned that Leah & Joey are going to try to work out their relationship and not pursue getting divorced. Hurray! There are lots of details surrounding that, but the plan is that Joey will move to a different house at the end of May, and Leah will join him at the end of July when the lease on the sublet she has expires. Evie is planning to live in an apartment with some friends some time before she starts school @ EMU, and Bernadette has fully moved back home for the summer, and will start at GVSU in the fall. She's going to room blind with three other women in an apartment on campus.

Monday is Dave's birthday (he'll be 50!) so we're having the kids over tomorrow to celebrate. I'm looking forward to that! Have a wonderful day, and I'll be back in touch as soon as I can.

What a Beautiful Day!

Somehow my wilted spirit is being lifted just by this gorgeous day, and some time to chill. I have been stretched lately, and not without pain, but I know that all will be well. God is much bigger than any of the circumstances we find ourselves in, and I am truly blessed.

Tomorrow Evie & I will be joining Judy Darnell in serving lunch to the homeless in Detroit. Seeing others in such pain isn't easy, and I'm a little apprehensive about it. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Webshots Slideshow of our Anniversary

A Surprise for our Anniversary

Sunday the kids surprised us with a fabulous meal at Argiero's in Ann Arbor, and then presented us with a new savings account which they opened for us, and plan to contribute to over the next year for our 25th anniversary celebration. We have talked about going to Europe for a long time, and they wanted to help us realize that dream. What an awesome family we have!! Thank you Leah, Joey, Sebastian, Mike, Bernadette, Evie, Tony & Jacquie

Our 24th Anniversary

Dave and I celebrated our 24th anniversary, and man was it fun!!! The kids had told us to leave the 10th free, because they had a surprise for us, so we went out Saturday night. We had dinner at the Common Grill (excellent food!) and then went to the Purple Rose Theatre where we thoroughly enjoyed Vino Veritas, a play about two couples and how their relationships are affected by truth serum that three of the four friends drink. 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!!! I can't believe it is 2008! Where does time go? The last month was very full, with recovery from surgery in the midst of all of the holiday hubbub. Dave did the lion's share of shopping & wrapping, and we also had help from my women's group and of course our family. 

Although we couldn't celebrate our regular traditions to the extent that we prefer, we still had lots of good times. Usually St. Nick comes to our home on the evening of December 6, but for some reason he couldn't this year! We aren't quite sure why he didn't show, but as Evie so aptly put it, "Wow! First time in all these years that we didn't follow our tradition, and we lived!!" True. We lived! It is interesting how stockings appeared mysteriously a couple of weeks later though...but Epiphany wasn't celebrated with our usual cake (with three foil balls that determine our kings that year), or with our C-M-B (Caspar, Melchoir & Balthazaar) blessings...hopefully we can still do that!

Our annual time with Dave's mom & siblings on Christmas Eve was really fun. The white elephant gift exchange is always enjoyable, and this year Tony was #1. He liked that! He ended up with a russian hat and a russian bottle of vodka, (which he promptly gave to Mike as a Christmas present)! That gift was quite a hit as it came all the way from Moscow where my nephew Ryan is an embassy guard with the Marines. We then went to Midnight Mass for the first time! We attended Holy Trinity Student Parish. It was so inspiring for me. They began with several Christmas carols, sung beautifully, and it really brought me into Christ's presence. I'm so glad we went.

Christmas Day is traditionally very low-key, happy, chill-out time for all of us. The older kids come home early, if they haven't spent the night here, and we begin our activities around 9am. It is so fun having Sebastian here--he loves the present opening time! It is such a blessing to have all the kids here and to have that time together as a family. Every one of us looks forward to it. Later in the afternoon some of us went to my moms, where we celebrated with her & others who came. 

 I'll save other stories for another time so that you don't get blog-bogged! Hey, did I just create a cool catch-phrase?