Not Normal

Today it turned cold. Not just cool, but downright cold. The temperatures went from 70 degrees yesterday to about freezing today. And we have something we don’t often experience in November…thunder. A storm is coming through as I write this, and it’s dropping hail/sleet pellets with wind, thunder, and lightning.
Sometimes we have an experience in life that isn’t a normal or routine thing. It could be a thunder-sleet in November, or it could be the sudden realization that someone else doesn’t think just like you do. It could be your having to cope with a death, injury, or other physical problem. Or it could be the nightmare of mental illness suffered either by you or by a loved one.
Whatever life hands you, know that you are loved and cared for in a very, very special way by the Eternal One who brought all of this together and gave you life. No, He’ll not take away all the pain and hurt, because that would be contrary to His justice. However, he will give you peace and strength to cope with, deal with, and handle the situation at hand, no matter what it is.
And that, dear friend, is worth pondering today.

Ready

“Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow.” Those of you who know the lyrics of old Christian hymns will recognize that line as one from the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”, written by Thomas O. Chisholm in 1923.
I’ve been struggling with that line today. We sang the song this morning in worship, and I went through the lines several times later today. The last time was when I was taking my nightly walk around the compound circle drive. I happened to stick on the words I’ve printed above.
Strength for today. It’s the mature Christian who understands that God gives to each the strength to get through the day, no matter the circumstance. It’s the quiet assurance we have that nothing we face is so bad and so overpowering that we cannot make it through the day.
Bright hope for tomorrow. This has, I think, a double meaning. There’s the tomorrow that is the day after this day; then there’s the tomorrow that Christians sometimes think of as the time after death. For the Christian, both of those times should also carry with them the quiet assurance that God will be there and will continue to be faithful.
Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow. I’m now looking forward to another day.

One More Night

Sometimes it seems like nothing you do ever really accomplishes anything. You go to your job, for example, day after day, and things just always end up the same. Progress in anything is very elusive and it seems like you’re just spinning your wheels. You become somewhat disillusioned and wonder what the value is of even trying any more.
Then something off the wall happens. Someone says something, or something happens that shows real progress toward the goal. Then it all seems worthwhile again.
Such was the case yesterday. We’ve been here about four months now, and it seems many days like the day to day rituals are just that. We get up, get the girls off to school, pick them up, feed them, etc. Nothing seems to change much from day to day.
Yesterday, however, one of the parents who was keeping one of the girls overnight called and wanted to know if the daughter could stay over one more night than planned. They explained that the daughter was behaving very well and had been very pleasant and appropriate and they wanted to keep her another night.
That doesn’t sound like much unless you knew this girl when she first came here to the home. If you knew that, you’d appreciate the quantum leap this girl has made in the few months she’s been here
It was a real sense of accomplishment to know that we had a small part in the changes for the better that have come into this young woman’s life. Oh, there will be times coming up when it will again seem like nothing is being accomplished and there’s no purpose to what we all do here. But as we continue down the road and witness even more of these kinds of incidents, they will continue to give us renewed strength to go on.

Happy Thanksgiving

Well, they’ve come and they’ve gone. My sister and her family were here for the day today. And, oh what a day it was. We enjoyed each other’s company and caught up on the latest happenings. And we ate, of course.
We have a sort-of tradition that whenever we can, we serve a crown roast. We did that today and it was delicious. We also had ham, spuds, veggies, rolls, salads, etc. enough that we weren’t very hungry when evening came.
We enjoyed playing cards, watching a video or two, and just visiting. Many caught some zzzz’s either on the floor or one of the couches, and then we went for a walk outside after dark.
Nothing was spectacular today, but it doesn’t have to be. The small things, appropriately recognized, are just as important and exciting as the big stuff. And the small things ruled the day today, even down to asking someone not related to us and at least temporarily not having a home, to eat and be with us.
Thanksgiving is a holiday the retailers overlook…perhaps on purpose…perhaps because of the looming Christmas holiday. I don’t know, but I do know that I enjoy the day, the lack of commercialism, and the peace the day brings.
Happy Thanksgiving.

What a Day

“Twas the day before Thanksgiving, and all through the house,”…no, that’s the wrong poem and the wrong time of year. Actually, in our house today, most of the girls (all but one) will be leaving for the weekend. The one who is left will be going tomorrow on day passes each day Thursday through Sunday. She will come back in the evenings to spend the night here.
We are looking forward to having Sis and her tribe here tomorrow, and enjoying their company as we serve crown roast, cranberry salad, and the other things we have developed as tradition over the years. Conversation and catching up are always nice, too. Even though we live in the same community now, we don’t see each other often enough to keep up as we should.
Everyone, it seems, has their “busy-ness”. Jobs, families, volunteer work all consume enormous amounts of time and energy. We run the treadmill of life much faster than we did even 10 to 15 years ago. Cellular technology has kept us connected, informed, and running. Future technology will cause even greater upheaval in our lives as we struggle to keep up and to adapt.
One of these days, it will all be over. Whether our economy and society collapses, or whether we die before that time, we will one day no longer have to worry about annoying ring tones, persistent spam, or unwanted websites.
As the old hymn says, “What a day, glorious day that will be!”

It's That Time of Year

I haven’t written in a few days. Really, there hasn’t been much to write about. It’s sometimes tough to sit down after several days of mundane and routine and write, but the exercise is worthwhile, if for no other reason than the mental exercise that’s involved in looking over the past few days and thinking of something that can be worded concisely, yet is interesting to the readers.
Such is the dilemma today as I think over the past few days, which have been dominated by a rather nasty cold virus in our home. I picked it up a few days ago and have not felt well since. One advantage of getting older is that colds usually are fewer in number and less severe, probably due to immune systems that have once in the past seen the same virus and have developed effective antibodies to that virus. However, this cold must be some kind of new virus or mutation, because the full-blown cold is upon me.
I thought yesterday as I was wheezing that I can surely see why more frail folks have difficulty even surviving a respiratory illness. It takes a certain amount of stamina and body reserve to fight and win the battle with a rhinovirus, and some people just don’t have it anymore. Many of those folks are older people, but some are the very young. And those groups are just the ones we are concerned with during cold and flu season.
That is also a good reason for a reasonably healthy person to maintain a certain level of fitness. One doesn’t have to be a marathon runner to better be able to fight off viruses and illnesses. It does help, though, if there’s a certain lung capacity and reserve of energy.
Colds last about 7 days if treated and about a week if left untreated. I think I’ll choose the seven day variety and take some Tylenol now.

The Good Times

I don’t know about you, but this weekend was just pretty good for us.  Jim and Judy were here from Western Kansas Friday evening for a short visit.  We had a great time at church this morning, and the small group meeting at our place this evening was productive as well as fun fellowship.  The weather cooperated, and the girls did well this long weekend (they didn’t have school Friday).
When things go well, we often don’t stop and thank God for that.  Maybe some of us don’t think God had much to do with it and it was just coincidence or what we expected.  I’ve come to think, however, that God maybe has more to do with things like this than we know, and although I know that trials must come along with the good, when that good comes, I know where it comes from.
This week, even if the good happens for just an hour or two, thank God for it and for that time when things went well and you were at your peak.  Then when the inevitable trials come your way, thank Him too for those; for it’s only because one wades through trials in life that one can truly appreciate the good times when they come.

So, Why?

Today was a wonderful day. It was the last full day off of a week off that we get every fourth week. We’ve had a good week. We’ve seen the relatives and our sons. We made a trip to Western Kansas to visit friends. We’ve been able to see our darling granddaughter today on a day trip to their home. The Republicans are at least saying that they are listening to the electorate.
So why do I feel like I want to sit in a dark room and just let time pass? Why do I not feel like smiling, crying, laughing, or groaning? Why do I not feel much of anything at all?
I don’t in truth know. I don’t think it has to do with the week off being over. I am (or at least was) looking forward to getting the girls back tomorrow. It doesn’t have to do with relationships with the wife or someone else. Those are as good now as they’ve ever been.
I have to wonder if the idea of advancing age has anything to do with it and this is a delayed reaction to a recent birthday. I’ve thought a lot about that recently. I’ve certainly got a lot more years behind me than I do ahead of me.
This is kind of a funky time for me right now until I get this thing sorted out. Anyone of you (two or three faithful readers) ever get this way? What do you think it is?

Time Off

We have some time off from work, so this past weekend, we went to Western Kansas. We went out to the little community where we used to live (until a couple of years ago) and spent the night with some friends. We then went to church where I gave the sermon and talked some of our work here at the children’s home.
Coming back to Wichita is a long drive from there. It’s over four hours by interstate highway, and that’s if one doesn’t stop more than once or twice briefly to empty a bladder or fill a tank.
The hills west of Salina were in rare form yesterday as we headed East while the sun was behind us, lowering in the West. As we went down into the Elkhorn Creek valley, the hills on the other side were subdued, yet obvious hues of crimson, tan, gold, maroon, and olive. The low sunlight created shadows where shadows don’t normally fall, and the whole scene seemed to jump out of a surreal landscape painting.
It only lasted for a brief moment, though, as we descended into the valley and the sun continued to set. Then it was gone…forever relegated to the neural synapses of just a few people who happened to notice the beauty.
I’m grateful I was one of those people. I thank God that He allowed me to see such a sight, even if for only a moment. It was a fitting ending to a great weekend with friends and extended family. Thanks, Larene and Kathy, for keeping us. Thanks also to Gary for the popcorn and conversation.
And thank you all for your hospitality and your love. We’ve made friends the last several years that will be with us for a lifetime. We covet your continued friendship and prayers, and long for the best for you and yours.

The New Generation

Our family has a “deep question” forum on the Internet. I don’t know the address, and it is available only via password in any event. I just click on the short cut and I’m there. We’ve done this awhile by email, but recently began posting questions for one-another’s perusal and replies on a forum-type web site.
Many of our questions are religious in nature. Some are not. We all try to post replies to the questions, and take turns asking questions. One question, for example, was that if Jesus knew 100% that he would raise from the dead and join the Father, was his death really a sacrifice. Others ponder homosexuality, specific scripture references, philosophical questions, etc.
I was heartened recently by information posted by one of my nieces. She posted a portion of another discussion board that was written by other teens in one of her advanced placement classes. The class hasn’t begun yet, but the kids are preparing for it by reading and discussion.
I was amazed at the depth of discussion, the literacy and writing ability of these young people, and their perceptions of the world around them, both material and spiritual. In fact, it sort of blew me away to know that there were young people out there who truly were interested in things beyond who was hooking up with whom, what some guy was wearing, or whether or not some rapper was going to get busted for drugs.
There is a whole new generation out there, folks, that is already knocking down old norms, establishing new norms, and making the world its place. Time goes on, and we all go with it, whether we want to do so or not. We can go into the future kicking and screaming, or we can go into it with wonder and excitement, experiencing the marvelous things God has provided in His creation. I prefer the latter.

Fall Colors

The fall colors are especially nice this year in Southern Kansas.  I haven’t seen trees and grass with colors such as what I find now for many years.  The hues of red, yellow-gold, brown, and green simply defy description.
They say (there I go with those pesky “they” people) that in order to achieve such a panoply of color and hue, the creation has to go through a stressful summer with a general lack of rainfall.  It helps if the fall weather comes in with warmer days and cooler nights than normal.  We also have had that this fall.
It also is beneficial if the right trees…the ones that normally produce more color…are a part of the landscape.  People in the Wichita area have been good, for the most part, in planting a variety of trees and other shrubs and bushes.  The variety is almost astounding.
This, I guess, is just like everything else worthwhile in life.  Good things don’t come easily.  Where the brilliant falls seem to require planning and appropriate planting on the part of people, summer drought, and cooler than normal temperatures, so the good things that are truly important in life seem also to require planning, foresight, and sweat.
Of all of those important things, I think our relationship with our Creator tops the list.  This, too, is something that requires work.  It requires diligence.  It requires patience.  It requires dedication.  It doesn’t just somehow happen with no effort on our part.
Most of all, though, it happens because God has already done His part.  He has already shown us the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Door.