The Source of our Strength

Father’s Day 2020

This is from one of my father’s (with a sprinkling of my mother’s) index box card collection of his prayers. I couldn’t let today pass without a word from my father.

6/26/05 Offering

“Our Father, remind us of the source of our strength–remind us too of the source of our gifts and treasures, with gladness and gratitude we return a portion of that which You have shared!

It is a pleasant task to trace back to the source of my strengths and gifts. They are stubbornly rooted in the good soil of my DNA. Whether I tend them carefully or not they have grown and bloomed. For that I am grateful.

But beyond my Genealogy, I know where my strength comes from. I know who wired me with the particular mix of gifts with which I have been gifted. I don’t control the garden.

That’s OK. Keep digging. Keep weeding. Keep smelling the flowers and the dirt. Try to avoid the buried insect larvae.

Continuing to direct the journey

Haven’t posted since a family member told me this need to do this blog was related to not coming to healthy terms with my father’s death. I don’t feel that is why I started it.

I started it as a way to celebrate their lives and to also peek in at a side parents (at least mine) don’t share with their kids.

So I continue on now, directing a journey in our COVID-19 world using sewing skills passed down the generations to sew masks for this war effort. Never would I have thought that my sewing skills (and horde of fabric) would be utilized in this manner. Mom would be pleased to see I remembered how to make my own bias tape.

Grandma would be happy to see I didn’t take sloppy shortcuts.

Thanks all! Your perseverance teaching me makes me feel useful and valued in my confinement.

#SewingMasks, #SkillsPassedOn, #Covid19Efforts

“I didn’t know that about you.”

A coworker told me this the other day. I had related a story sort of related to a presentation we had just witnessed.

The comment gave me pause.

How much do I keep in reserve to share later, at a different time? How many times do I fail to open a door and actually walk into a conversation for whatever reason? My sense of “the right time to have a conversation about ________ ” is always beyond the present. It is always next week, month, year.

As I walk through this new year, may I carry the realization that I only have today.

New Journey

7/26/05 Our Father in heaven, we give you our thanks for the accomplishments of those who pursue the exploration of space. Be with and sustain those who begin a new journey this day – be also with those who guide and direct their journey. Amen

In the real old days, my siblings and I had something like this to entertain us on our road trip family vacations.

Now, I lay in a supply of books to listen to. So while I physically travel to Peru, IL, I will be with James Fenimore Cooper and his buds as I listen to David McCullough read about the Americans in Paris in the 1840s. Fascinating so far.

Their new journey to the “old” world took them months just to get there. They would have needed a lot to entertain them, do you think?

Leave the rest

undated:  Instill in us a sensitive awareness to reach out a hand when another begins to stumble…as well as encouragement to help each other up when we do fall, and need to begin again.For we know as we have done it to one another we have done it to You. May we always do the very best we can and leave the rest to You.  Amen 

For all of Mom’s writings, there are few index card prayers. Mom’s were in the box when I discovered it, so Dad must have put them there.

I like knowing he discovered them up in Mom’s office and then merged them with his own.

As happens, some of these cards have now been through a calendar year with my posts. I didn’t post in order at first, now I do. This particular prayer was posted previously. https://wp.me/p8VEMI-3l

Today, what strikes me is, “Leave the rest to You.” Leave the remainder of my efforts to God. And also, leave the resting of a situation, the time we tarry, to God.

Tarrying is good. Though it tarries, wait.

Delivery service

Pondering peace and delivery service

7/15 Our Heavenly Father, deliver us from our own often selfish thoughts and concerns. Help us to see the needs of others – to speak an encouraging word, to do a kind deed, to lend a patient ear AND to do so with humility and compassion. Amen

To be delivered from something is not the same thing as having pizza or Amazon Prime delivery service.

Delivery service means, “I want it, now!”

To be delivered means, “Uh, I really am in a fix. I can’t fight, claw or buy my way out of this mess. I need help.”

To be delivered from selfish thoughts and concerns usually looks sort of like the gun enthusiast’ “pried from my cold dead hands” bumper sticker. And yes, that is how hard we hold onto selfish thoughts and concerns.

So if first we have to be delivered in order to see the needs of others, then there is a lot of painful work ahead. All good preparatory work for training in compassion.

As I understand my deliverer, it is a service Jesus took on with humility. Yes, He comes with Power and Might.

I just need to understand it is time to pay for the delivery service. I do want it now.

Now!

 

Remind me why…we exist

7/11/06 We thank you our God, on this day of celebration – for those who have served and maintained our past of service to this community. Support and guide those elected to serve us in the future. Remind each of us of why we exist – goals to be pursued and give us the energy to achieve. Amen

Each mission, each person, unique.

The reasons each of us exist are unique. Like pristine watercolors in my paint box before they are utilized in a painting, they are beautiful on their own. However, they need to be mixed up, blended, sullied even in order to be useful. To make the Master’s masterpiece.

When I see morning beams like this, I always envision the steps I’d have to take to block in the colors correctly. Logically, it doesn’t make sense to lay down the huge swatch of lime green in the tree leaves highlights first.

Shouldn’t what’s a highlight be last?

No, because it would never show up on the dark leaves.

So, our highlights are planned and layed down before we are born. We need to not cover them up, but let them shine forth.

We exist to shine forth the Master’s light.

To Get Aquainted

7/10 Our Father, as we stand and join in prayer remind us of our blessings. Help us to take the time to live – to get acquainted with Thee – to get to better know each other and to enjoy life and the opportunities it brings each of us. Help us too to use our time and energies wisely and well. Amen

Photo shot at the beginning of the day. Where was my intended post going to go? Not sure, but I do know that the light in this photo is real. A reflection yes, but it reminds me that appearances have many layers, and it takes time to get acquainted.

The Thai soccer team and their coach had plenty of time to be acquainted. I look forward to hearing more. I love the fact that the divers and a doctor stayed with them so long, helping them become acquainted with the equipment. Working and swimming alongside.

 

Created Places

Club chair prayer

6/27/06 Our Father, we come again grateful for this day – for our time here together this hour for those who had the foresight, imagination and tenacity to have created this place where some of our past might be maintained and respected. We acknowledge their efforts and accomplishments. Amen

Not sure which Exchange Club meeting place this might have been. I am guessing it was the Bowling Green Country Club (even autocorrect guessed that, go figure).

What history was maintained there? What artifacts remained?

I spent a long time last night scanning old photos of my grandmother’s courting days. 1921, was the date she began this scrapbook, yet the casual poses could have been on an Instagram post. She had a lot of fun with my grandfather and other family. They enjoyed each other’s company tremendously.

Their “place” was wherever they were with each other.

That I respect. I also respect how much work photography was back then.

Did my grandfather cart a box camera and tripod around…on his motorcycle?

I know where I got my photo skills, as well as the desire to capture the day’s feelings.

BTW, note to self: wear gloves next time you scan old photo albums.

Getting Nudged or Getting a Noogie

6/22/10 Our Father,  hear again our thanks for this day, this hour of fellowship, our freedom to gather and for so much that we take for granted. Remind us of these our blessings and nudge us a bit to be more grateful. Amen 

Nudged: with elbows. Noogie: with knuckles

Turns out that they both are related, at least etymologically. Personally, I think if God gives me a noogie (picture your obnoxious older brother with you in a headlock) it means you are safe (probably squirming) in God’s arms. That’s a good place to be. Stop fighting it. Maybe a noogie makes your hair grow?

William Safire’s Noogie