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.

Today

Today is Friday. It’s 6:20am. It’s cold and rainy outside, but from the radar, this may be the last rain we get in this particular storm. I understand this storm dumped snow in the Rockies and has brought down some cold, chilly air from the North to a large part of the country. It’s time. We need the change.
The girls are rousting out and are getting breakfast. That usually consists of cereal, either hot or cold, juice, and sometimes bagels and/or toast. They seem to like that about as well as anything. On Saturdays, we sometimes fix waffles or some such.
Several girls are in a state of decision-making right now. One has just enlisted in the Air Force on a delayed-entry plan and will go in a few days following her graduation in May. One has a grandmother who is terminal and must hold it together (decent behavior) through this process. Still another is deciding if she will continue to act out and thereby be removed from this place to go to a more secure environment. Yet another is trying to decide whether she has intrinsic value or not to both herself and others.
You get the picture. It’s always something here at the home. We have about a week to go before we get a week off, but we’re not counting the days any more. We’re doing fine, as I thought we would all along. Although there were times….
Thanks so much for your prayers and your concern. Our Creator is indeed overshadowing this place and yours.

I Have Enough

As I was taking the girls to school this morning, they were talking about watching one of the many reality shows that is now on television. They were saying that they really enjoyed the show because it showed the real world.
Now, I’m no connoisseur of these shows, and I thought to myself, “What, don’t you guys think you’re living in the real world right now?”
Reality television is far from the reality that most of us know. If someone were to do a reality series based on the lives of ordinary people, it would tank rather quickly, because that reality is one that is mostly mundane, routine, and ordinary. There’s not the drama and crisis that is shown on the so-called reality shows.
Yes, what those shows portray is, in many cases, reality for someone. There truly are car accidents, tense moments in the emergency room, stress-filled meetings, etc. I know…I’ve been there and done that. But in the ordinary course of events for most of us, reality consists of school, exercise, getting along with others, homework, earning money, raising kids, going to church, and keeping the house clean.
I may ask my girls if they think they are living in the real world, or if the real world is somehow beyond what they are experiencing right now. I might be surprised at their answers. We all think we are living the dull life and that everyone else has a much better existence than we do. That is, we think that until we jump the fence into the greener pastures of someone else’s life and discover that they too have weeds, rocks, and other things that make our routine existence seem rather inviting once again.
I don’t know about you, but I see enough reality every day. I see the effects of rape and neglect. I deal with mental and emotional issues that would try anyone’s soul. I know that there are girls “out there” that are hurting far beyond what anyone should have to bear, and that we just don’t have the resources to care for them. I don’t need to live someone else’s reality in order to fulfill my life. I have enough on my plate.

Connections

It’s been a few days since I last wrote.  I dunno.  It just seems like the days fly around here.  Then at night when things quiet down, I’m too tired to do much thinking, let alone writing.  So, that’s the way it is.
We’re thinking about going to Western Kansas on our next weekend off.  We used to live out there, and think that maybe seeing the folks at church on a Sunday next month might be a good thing.  Of course, we’d stop in Central Kansas on the way out there, in order to see the in-laws.  We’d then take our time going on out to God’s country.
In many ways, it is indeed God’s country.  Sparse, expansive, and exquisite, the Western Kansas prairie is truly one of the wonders of the world.  If you haven’t taken the time to become acquainted with the short-grass prairie and the people who live with it, you’ve truly missed something special.
Impossible to tame, the prairies of Western Kansas only allow humanity to scratch out an existence and a living in accordance with the laws of the prairie, not the laws of mankind.  When man understands that it is the prairie that is in control, he does rather well, living in a sort of symbiotic relationship with it.  When man forgets and thinks he’s the cheese, the prairie bites back, and does so in a way that makes for an indelible lesson in humility.
That kind of living also makes the people who are there a bit different than those who live in a more citified and artificial existence.  Folks there are more down to earth…pragmatic…normal, if you will.  Yes, they still have the normal human frailties…greedy…gossips…indulgent.  But they also have a way of thinking, living, and relating to others that is refreshing and soulful.
We cherish our Western Kansas connections, and hope we’ll be able to make the trip soon.

The Full Measure

Our minister pointed us to a verse, in closing his sermon yesterday, that I had never really seen before.  It’s found in Revelation (yeah, that book that no one can understand), chapter 21 and verse 7.  The New American Standard Bible renders it thus, “He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.”
Note especially the first part.  “He who overcomes shall inherit these things.”
Now, we could get into a discussion of what “these things” are, but I think if one looks at prior verses, he can get a good idea of what these things are.  My point is that it doesn’t say that all who overcome will share in an inheritance.  I think it is saying that each one who overcomes will inherit a full measure of “these things” and not have to share or divide an inheritance with anyone.
How can that be?  I don’t know the answer to that any more than I can know how God can be omnipresent or three persons in one.  Put this one in the “unknowable” bin and mark it as “wondrous” along with so many other grand things we find in God.
My kids aren’t going to get much of an inheritance from me.  And what they do get, they’ll have to share.  But it won’t be that way, I think, with God and me.  I’ll get the full measure of the inheritance, just as you’ll also get the full measure of the inheritance.  Think about that today.

Who Would Have Thought?

I was in the local Subway sandwich shoppe this evening buying sandwiches for the girls for movie night. On Fridays, we often rent a movie and have movie night at our house. I had orders for five sandwiches, and was telling the young man what to put on what sandwich, when someone standing in line behind me said, “Jay,” and I turned. There were several people in line and I wasn’t sure which one said it until she said it again.
It was someone from my hometown not far from here. She recognized my voice, she said, as I ordered sandwiches. I didn’t recognize her until she said who she was.
Turns out she was a teen playing softball years ago and recognized me because she caught and I umpired…calling balls and strikes right behind her.
Life sends everyone into some twists and turns from time to time. Who would have thought that such a meeting would ever take place in a sandwich shop? Moreover, who would have thought that she’s living not far from us? I have to wonder just how many people I know are living within 5 miles of me? 10 miles of me? 20 miles?
I’d like to see a map of this area with the pins stuck in it wherever someone lives that I know or have known over the years. I think I’d be surprised, and I’d like to think that I’d remember them all with memories that are pleasant.
But that map will never happen, and I probably won’t ever know who is near me that I know. And maybe that’s for the better.

Do I Really Want to Know?

For a very few months a couple years ago, I taught at a vocational school in Lawrence.  I taught Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel to older youth and young adults who were in the school’s program.
The classes I had were a very diverse population.  A couple of the classes had two women who were Muslim and who wore the full-length brown dress with a full head covering and a kind of crosshatch cloth covering their faces.
At first, they were somewhat difficult to get to know, as I am used to facial expression and observation of body language.  Both of these kinds of communication were virtually impossible with these women.
I soon learned, however, that voice inflection played a big part in how they communicated with the outside world.  I also listened closely to the actual words they said and the way they structured their sentences, although it was clear that English was a second language for them.
I learned to communicate with these women and pick up nuances from their speech and actions that told me things they had never actually said in words.  It was good for me to have these women in my classes, and I grew to like them and see them as more than anomalies or abnormalities that had to be dealt with somehow in the name of diversity and political correctness.
I wonder about Sadiqah and Abeer now.  I have not a clue where they are, what they are doing, or what their situation in life is like.  I think I would like to know, but then again….

Organization of the Heart

I went into the maintenance shop on campus today.  We no longer have a maintenance man, and those of us on campus are sharing responsibilities for that job.  I have been in the shop before to look for something specific, but this time, I just looked around to be certain that I had an idea of what we have there in case I need something.
I was pleasantly surprised at the good condition of the tools and the arrangement of the spare parts for electrical, plumbing, etc.  Someone has taken good care of that area.  So often, those areas are messy and unorganized.  Not so with this shop.
I had to think that the condition of that maintenance shop is in many ways similar to the conditions of our hearts…not our physical blood pumps, but the place of our being within us.  Sometimes, there’s nothing there but a big disorganized mess.  But when we allow God to come in, He cleans up and cleans out.  He organizes.  He directs.  He cleans.  And He keeps it that way as long as we allow Him to do so.
I hope we’re able to keep the maintenance shop some semblance of clean and organized.  It’s so much easier to work in one when all of the tools and spare parts are easily located, and the work area is clean and inviting.  I also hope I’m able to keep my heart clean and organized, as always, relying on my God to do all the real work in that area.

No More War

Today is the first day of a week off for Pat and me. The girls are with the relief houseparent, and we have the place to ourselves. We aren’t loafing, though, because we have a re-dedication of Harrold Cottage this coming Sunday and we’re sprucing up the place in preparation for the ceremony and open house that follows.
It is an awesome thing to be recognized in this capacity. I personally feel a bit bashful and very humbled. We certainly are not up to the task on our own, and recognize and realize that there is a Greater Hand in this than we know.
It will be fun to see some folks from Topeka who will make the trip down, and it will be good to see some of Pat’s relations as well. Our son and his family will be here, as will others from the Wichita area.
I think sometimes that is one reason why we are able to continue with this work. There are, as the Hebrew writer says in chapter 11, a “great cloud of witnesses” urging us on and giving us an example, that we should follow in it. That great cloud consists not only of those who are alive and well on the earth today, but folks from times long past and gone who have struggled, wrestled, fought, and won the battle. They cheer us (all of us) onward and upward as we continue the war in battles present and yet to come.
One day, however, the war will be over. There’ll be no more battles. There’ll be no more war. As the song says,

It is finished! The battle is over,
It is finished! There’ll be no more war.
It is finished! The end of the conflict,
It is finished, and Jesus is Lord!

"It Is Finished"
Written by William Gaither and Gloria Gaither

Family

It is good to be a part of a family.  Whether that family is biological or otherwise, one of the needs of every human is the need to belong.  Families that function properly make sure that all who are a part of that family are assured of their acceptance.
I am fortunate to be part of several families.  My biological family is, I think, a truly unusual family if for no other reason than we made a commitment long ago to get along and to look after one-another.  We’ve done that well over the years, especially since our mother and father passed on.  We’ve gotten together almost every year for the last 20 or more years, and have a good number of children, cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws who join us in these gatherings.
Pat and I are also part of a church family.  We tried out one church when we moved to Wichita, liked it, and have stayed.  We never looked beyond this one.  It’s unique, and fills a real need in the lives of its family members.
One Sunday morning, the minister made an announcement regarding the health condition of one of his biological family.  He asked the congregation for prayers and became emotional as he talked.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone approach the stage area.  The man went up on stage while the minister was talking, put his arm around the minister, and said something to the effect of, “We’re gonna pray right now.”  He took over the microphone and led the entire congregation in prayer for the minister’s relative.
The man who did this was an Elder of the church and is himself battling cancer.  But he put aside his own aches, pains, and troubles to reach out to someone who has made it his life’s work to reach out to others.  I’m not sure there was a dry eye in the place when the Elder finished that prayer.
That’s what family is all about.

True Intelligence

I have always thought I was a reasonably intelligent individual.  Graduated ninth in my class in high school, with honors, 3.86 overall college GPA, 4.00 in the core courses.  I’ve held jobs that often required thought and work.  I consider myself to be at least moderately well-read and knowledgeable.
However, there are several things that I just look at and shake my head, because I have no clue how or why and probably never will.  One of those things is child abuse.
My wife and I are now in an occupation (houseparents) where the reality of child abuse (I don’t care if it’s physical, mental, emotional, or sexual…which includes all of the others) is before us every day.  Children are starved, chained, neglected, used for sex, given drugs, traded, passed around, and drained of all semblance of humanity or dignity.  This may not mean much to you, but when you see the effects every day and work with the effects every day and deal with the effects every day, it suddenly means a whole lot more.
The verse I am now thinking of suddenly means a whole lot more, too.  Mark records in Mark 10:13-16, “And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them.  But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”  And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.”
Now, I don’t know about you, but I believe that children have a special place in the heart of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.  And if you knew the way children were many times treated in those days, you would also know that Jesus made a powerful and compelling statement about His love for children and His desire that children be treated with dignity and respect.
I think I would rather stand before Jesus one day and answer to Him for just about anything OTHER than my mistreatment of a child.  I have a feeling there will not be much in the way of mercy or compassion for those who abuse the little ones among us.  I shudder at the thought that I may have, at some time, been guilty of some kind of improper action toward a child and thank God Almighty that the blood of Jesus Christ even covers these sins.

The Chill

“The Chill” has come.  This morning, I was uncomfortable as I trundled the garbage containers out to the street.  The trash man comes every Thursday about 9am, and as I took the containers out front for him to dump, I felt like I needed a jacket.
My understanding is that it will warm up in a day or two, so this chill won’t last long, but it won’t be long until a front blows through and the cold just hangs on for the rest of the winter.  We then can look forward to the few Indian Summer-type days that are left in this fall, and later on the first warm days of spring.
Winters aren’t as much fun for me as they used to be.  I dunno.  When we were younger, we were much more invincible, and a fall on the ice or shoveling snow wasn’t such a big deal.  Now, we have to be careful of falls (fractures, you know), and shoveling snow can mean heart conditions and more.  Driving is also much less an adventure and much more of a thing to be endured.  Somehow, maturity brings with it the knowledge that anything can happen out there, and every time we go out there and come back with nothing happening, we rejoice that we have once more conquered…something.
In any event, winter will be here whether we want it to come or not, and along with it the inevitable and sometimes interminable holidays, blahs, and claustrophobia.  Welcome spring!!

Amazing Love

It never ceases to amaze me; the older I get the more fascinated I become.  I’m talking of those couples that we all know who love one-another truly in sickness and in health.  Those couples of whom one of the two develops some devastating, incurable illness (such as Alzheimer’s Disease) and the other faithfully and lovingly cares for the other, even though the healthy person, too, is even then grieving over the loss.
It happened at our church recently.  And older couple—Bob and Enid—had been together for 61 years.  Enid developed Alzheimer’s some time back.  Bob himself is on the older side of life, and could not care for her himself.  However, he brought her to church, had a care-giver for her, and provided for her as no one else could.
When we first came to church there, he introduced Enid to me as his lovely and wonderful wife, even though she probably didn’t have any idea where she was or what was going on.  When the communion was passed, they made sure she was able to taste the bread and the wine.  They sat together, along with Enid’s care-giver, and Bob was always watching out for her.
I don’t know Bob and Enid well, as we’ve just moved to the community.  But in my experiences in health care, I’ve seen that same dedication and devotion to a spouse time after time.  It’s enough to make a grown man cry, and I sometimes do.
Daily visits to the nursing home where one may be residing, bathing, grooming, visiting, taking on outings, and a myriad of other activities are undertaken by both as they are able.  They sit, they visit, they hold hands, they kiss.  And even though one of the two usually has some form of dementia, the fire of love is still there, traveling between them, continuing to burn—yet not consume.
I am reminded of God’s promise to us, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”  Each time I see a couple in a situation like I’ve described, I’m again reminded that true love never, never, ever fails.

Just A Little Bit

I am offering the following, which came in an email. I don’t know who wrote this, or who the people are in the story. However, true or not, the story makes a valid and good point. I commend it to you.
Some years ago, I walked into my office after a Sunday morning service to find a sandwich bag on my desk containing three chocolate brownies. Some thoughtful and anonymous person who knew my love for chocolate had placed them there, along with a piece of paper that had a short story written on it. I immediately sat down and began eating the first brownie as I read the following story.
Two teenagers asked their father if they could go the theater to watch a movie that all their friends had seen. After reading some reviews about the movie on the internet, he denied their request. "Aw dad, why not?" they complained. "It's rated PG-13, and we're both older than thirteen!"
Dad replied: "Because that movie contains nudity and portrays immorality as being normal and acceptable behavior."
"But dad, those are just very small parts of the movie! That's what our friends who've seen it have told us. The movie is two hours long and those scenes are just a few minutes of the total film! It's based on a true story, and good triumphs over evil, and there are other redeeming themes like courage and self-sacrifice. Even the movie review websites say that!"
"My answer is 'no,' and that is my final answer. You are welcome to stay home tonight, invite some of your friends over, and watch one of the good videos we have in our home collection. But you will not go and watch that film. End of discussion."
The two teenagers walked dejectedly into the family room and slumped down on the couch. As they sulked, they were surprised to hear the sounds of their father preparing something in the kitchen. They soon recognized the wonderful aroma of brownies baking in the oven, and one of the teenagers said to the other, "Dad must be feeling guilty, and now he's going to try to make it up to us with some fresh brownies. Maybe we can soften him with lots of praise when he brings them out to us and persuade him to let us go to that movie after all."
About that time I began eating the second brownie from the sandwich bag and wondered if there was some connection to the brownies I was eating and the brownies in the story. I kept reading. The teens were not disappointed. Soon their father appeared with a plate of warm brownies, which he offered to his kids. They each took one. Then their father said, "Before you eat, I want to tell you something: I love you both so much." The teenagers smiled at each other with knowing glances. Dad was softening.
"That is why I've made these brownies with the very best ingredients. I've made them from scratch. Most of the ingredients are even organic - the best organic flour, the best free-range eggs, the best organic sugar, premium vanilla and chocolate." The brownies looked mouth-watering, and the teens began to become a little impatient with their dad's long speech.
"But I want to be perfectly honest with you. There is one ingredient I added that is not usually found in brownies. I got that ingredient from our own back yard. But you needn't worry, because I only added the tiniest bit of that ingredient to your brownies. The amount of the portion is practically insignificant. So go ahead, take a bite and let me know what you think."
Dad, would you mind telling us what that mystery ingredient is before we eat?"
"Why? The portion I added was so small, just a teaspoonful. You won't even taste it."
"Come on, dad; just tell us what that ingredient is."
"Don't worry! It is organic, just like the other ingredients."
"Dad!"
"Well, OK, if you insist. That secret ingredient is organic...dog poop."
I immediately stopped chewing that second brownie and I spit it out into the wastebasket by my desk. I continued reading, now fearful of the paragraphs that still remained.
Both teens instantly dropped their brownies back on the plate and began inspecting their fingers with horror. "DAD! Why did you do that? You've tortured us by making us smell those brownies cooking for the last half hour, and now you tell us that you added dog poop! We can't eat these brownies!"
"Why not? The amount of dog poop is very small compared to the rest of the ingredients. It won't hurt you It's been cooked right along with the other ingredients. You won't even taste it. It has the same consistency as the brownies. Go ahead and eat!"
"No, Dad...NEVER!"
"And that is the same reason I won't allow you to go watch that movie. You won't tolerate a little dog poop in your brownies, so why should you tolerate a little immorality in your movies? We pray that God will not lead us unto temptation, so how can we in good conscience entertain ourselves with something that will imprint a sinful image in our minds that will lead us into temptation long after we first see it?" I discarded what remained of the second brownie as well as the entire untouched third brownie. What had been irresistible a minute go had become detestable. And only because of the very slim chance that what I was eating was slightly polluted. (Surely it wasn't...but I couldn't convince myself.)
What a good lesson about purity! Why do we tolerate any sin, even in small amounts?

Thank God

I’ve only seen it twice. A girl comes to our facility with her parents/friends/relatives and moves in to the cottage. After a get-acquainted period which includes some signing of forms, introductions, a tour of the place, and a conversation with the caregivers, it’s time for Mom/Dad/Sis/Aunt/Grandpa to go and leave the girl behind.
I’ll never probably get over it. There is reluctance to leave and a long good-by; there are hugs and tears. Burly dads tear up as easily as feminine moms. And it works on me…the knowledge that they are leaving their loved one in our charge…in the home of stranger...hopeful that we can work some kind of magic that was absent until now.
It’s a time for me to stop, too, and reflect on what I’m doing and why. It’s a time for me to be at once thankful that people care enough to make a place like this a reality and angry that there exists a need for a facility of this kind at all.
It happened again yesterday. Chari (not her real name) came to stay with us. For awhile. For an undetermined time. Until she’s able to put the past behind her and learns to cope with the onrushing future. It will happen again...and again.
As long as there needs to be a place like this, it will happen. Dad will tear up and Auntie will cry aloud. Mom will long for one more hug and Grandpa will once again be the strong one for the family, as he once was years ago.
Thank God for places like this. Thank God for grandpas. And thank God that one day we won't need a place like this anymore.

Giving Account

Well, I guess it had to happen sooner or later.  I’m fighting a virus (cold) that I’m sure I picked up from one of the girls, who probably picked it up in school, etc.  I haven’t had a good cold for several years, and a warm weather cold has been even more of a rarity for me lately.
They say it takes about a week to shake a cold if you treat it and seven days if you don’t.  I prefer, however, to treat the symptoms, which tends to make things much more tolerable for me.  Hence the trip to Dillons a few minutes ago to pick up some antihistamine, which will dovetail nicely with my Tylenol and Sudafed.
I wonder what people in the olden days did before they had Dimetapp, Coricidin, Robitussin, and all the rest.  Can you imagine a cowboy on the prairie herding cattle and suffering from a cold…or worse yet, from allergies kicked up by the dust and pollen of the prairie?  What about those who suffered from migraines, hay fever, and other maladies?  And I won’t even go into hemorrhoids and those kinds of ailments.
The good, or even tolerable days were probably fewer and farther between in those days.  The blessing was that many people didn’t live long enough to have a lot of bad days.  Diabetes was always fatal.  Strokes, heart attacks, cancers, etc., were a scourge.  And even catching the flu was a serious matter, many times ending in death or at least a weakened condition.
We have much for which to thank our Creator.  We also have much for which to give account one day.

One Question Unasked

The roofers are here today.  They’re putting a new roof on our home here on campus.  Evidently sometime last spring, a hail storm came through and ruined many roofs in this part of Wichita.  We’ve seen roofers busy in several parts of our neighborhood.
This week, they were on the campus.  We have several buildings (9) and they all needed a new roof.  I don’t know the name of the company, but like so many roofing companies these days, they’ve employed a crew of Hispanics to work the roofs.
There are upwards of 20 men on the roof most of the time.  They don’t take long to strip off the old shingles, remove any leftover nails, lay down the felt paper and put on the new shingles.  They can complete a large home in a day and not even work much past 5 o’clock.
Several of them banter and make jokes during the day.  Several of them hum or sing some song.  They all know what their job is, and work well together even though the scene looks chaotic at times.
I have to wonder about these men.  I’m sure they are itinerant, moving from city to city as hail storms come and go.  Where are they living while they are in Wichita?  How do they receive good medical care, being always on the move?  What about dental care?  Where are their families?  How long have they been doing this?  Do they intend to do this until their health no longer permits?  How much are they paid?  Where do they do their laundry?  Where do they use the bathroom during their work time?  What do they do in their off time?
If you’ll look, you’ll see, though, that one question is not in the list.  It’s perhaps the most important question of all.  Do you know what it is?  I’ll give you a hint.  The word “Jesus” is in the question.
Now you know.  Why wasn’t that the first question in my head?  Why do I ask where they go to the bathroom rather than whether or not they know Jesus?  I don’t know.  I’m not sure I want to know.

Just Things

I know it’s been a week since I’ve written.  Those two or three of you that read my blog are, I’m sure, very disappointed in my lack of writing desire.  However, I have an excuse this time.
We started our week off last Thursday afternoon.  That evening, we went to Hays, Kansas to help our youngest son, his wife and our granddaughter move to Emporia.  He found work there on campus of Emporia State and this was the weekend to make the big move.
Friday, we got the truck, loaded and drove to Emporia.  Saturday, we unloaded the truck, took it back to the U haul place, and we started putting together a household.  Sunday, we attended services at a local church, then worked some more that afternoon on the house.  Sunday evening, we came back to Wichita.
Today (Monday), I spent a couple of hours in the dentist chair getting a crown prep on a molar.  We also, since I do my dentistry in my hometown, went to a neighboring community and did some shopping in a men’s store that I liked when we lived in south-central Kansas.
The owner-operators were still there, noticeably older, but every bit as talkative as ever.  I bought three pull-over shirts, ordered some Nike shoes (the inexpensive, non-flashy kind), and a sport coat.  When I go back down on the 29th for my crown install, I’ll go back down there and fit the coat and pick up the shoes.  What service.  They’ve got the Wichita stores beat by miles in service and accommodation.
So it’s been a full time off for us.  We still have some things to do before the girls come back to see us for three weeks this coming Thursday.  I may not write for a few days, but again may write tomorrow.  Who knows?  Check back.

Keeping Sane

I was just sure the world would come crashing down upon us this weekend as we’ve had the girls for a four-day holiday weekend.  Friday, school was out for an inservice day (whatever that is) and Monday (today) is Labor Day.  However, we’ve made it this far (Monday at 10:45am) without any major meltdowns or issues.
Now, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any problems.  The Plank Psychological Associates office is open and has been busy with a steady stream of “she said _____”, “it isn’t fair that _________”, and “nobody cares about (again, fill in the blank).”
But somehow, we manage to bump along from one hour to the next, getting chores done, getting in some exercise, and getting ready for school on Tuesday.  It always amazes me when lights are out and things are quiet just HOW quiet things really are.  I sort of wish I wasn’t so tired that I couldn’t enjoy the quiet at that time, but my eyelids are drooping then too, just as are those of the girls.
Here’s to Labor Day and four-day weekends at children’s homes…and the house parents that keep their sanity through it all.

It's Saturday Morning

It’s Saturday morning at Harrold Cottage, and I’m reminded of the old Bobby Russell song “Saturday Morning Confusion”.  Yes, I know that my girls are older than the kids depicted in the song.  But in many ways, it’s the same here as it is in the song.  I already can’t wait until bed time and it’s only 9am.



Saturday Morning Confusion

- Artist: Bobby Russell
- peak Billboard position # 28 in 1971
- Words and Music by Bobby Russell*


Here they come, warmin' up
I hear the pitter-patter of little people on the livin' room rug
Whoa is me!  There goes the TV
Now it's Popeye and Pluto, Batman and Bozo
Don't spill the corn flakes, they'll break at lunch break
Home from the office, why did I stop to have a beer with the boys?
Now my head's 'bout to pop

It's a Saturday morning confusion
If you think you can sleep, it's illusion
'cause you'll probably get a rude intrusion from Harry the dog
Harry the dog is as big as can be
'n' Harry the dog had puppies last week
We couldn't tell if it's a he or a she, now we know

It's a Saturday morning confusion
If I could just get to the bathroom
And get a cold rag and an aspirin to help how I feel
But here come the twins and they're screamin' at me
What is the deal to turn off the TV?
"Go ask your mother and quietly, your daddy is ill"

There he is-Cousin Jack
You got the leaf rake, too, keep at it till I get it all back
Hangin' round my yard, snoopin' in my garage
I tolerate 'im because he's my cousin
He's nice to the kids and Harry just loves him!

It's a Saturday morning confusion
And if I could just hide in my attic
So I couldn't hear my wife yellin' "Take 'em all to the show"
I'll take the whole neighborhood to the show
I'll just walk out in back where the money-tree grows
Grab me a handful and off to the show we'll go

It's a Saturday morning confusion
And if I could just get a transfusion
Or maybe go hide in the bedroom till five o'clock
Let it be known that at five the TV
Is gonna be tuned to the Game Of the Week
And that goes for dogs and twins and the whole family

It's a Saturday morning confusion
It's a Saturday morning confusion   day is done

Cousin Jack, in his yard cooking steaks on a grill that I'll never get back
The twins in front of the TV, Harry with his fam'ly
Sis on her date and Mom at the door smiles as she surveys the sight
For the first time today, the kingdom is quiet

LORD, LET US THANK YOU FOR SATURDAYS
AND MAY THEY REMAIN OUR FRIENDS!!
'cause I work all week long
Be strong till they're grown
And next Saturday then, we'll do it again

a- Here they come, warmin' up
I hear the pitter-patter of little people on the livin' room rug

FADE
Whoa is me!  There goes the TV

When Will We Grow Up?

I was noticing the clouds this morning as I sat out on the porch and the sun rose in the eastern sky. The wind was gently pushing puffy, cotton ball clouds generally to the south, and as they changed shape and the sun rose, the sky changed its appearance almost constantly.
I thought of God using the heavens as a canvas, having fun with His creation of clouds, wind, sun, and water. I thought about Him moving this cloud here…making that cloud come between the sun and another cloud…causing shadows and hues to fill the sky. I wonder if He thought about how many people were actually taking the time to watch Him paint the sky and bring forth a true miracle…the begetting of another day.
God indeed is faithful. He makes the sun to rise, the wind to blow, the sky to drop rain. And He does it all regardless of whether anyone in His creation is paying attention to His handiwork or not…whether anyone in His creation pauses to thank Him or not. He’s like the traffic cop that’s always on the beat or the ambulance attendant that is always at the ready. He’s like the electricity, natural gas, and water that we’ve come to just expect each time the furnace comes on, the light switch is flipped, or the tap is turned.
And we treat Him just as we treat those things. We’ve come to expect perfect days, just the right amount of rain, and temperatures not too hot or cold. Then we gripe when it isn’t just the way we want it. When will we ever grow up?

The Rains Came Down

“The rains came down and the floods came up…”  So goes the lyrics to a children’s song about the parable told by Jesus of the wise man and the foolish man.  Remember, the wise man built his house on the rock, but the foolish man built his house on the sand.  When the storm came, the house on the rock stood, but the house on the sand washed away.
Have you ever felt that your life was resting on a sandy underpinning, and that underpinning was slowly and inexorably washing away?  You felt like you needed to get yourself on something more solid and secure?
I don’t necessarily feel that way, but there have been times in the last week or two when I thought briefly that all order and decorum was slipping away out from under me and I was sliding toward some kind of abyss.
That never happened, though, because something under me caught me and kept me from washing away.  Maybe it was a rocky foundation…maybe it was something else.  I don’t know, but I do know that I’m grateful to Whoever it was that put that thing that caught me under me.

Shaping and Molding

Today is Friday.  We’ve been through, almost, a week of school with our girls.  We’re getting the hang of getting up early and getting six girls up and ready for school.  Now all we need to do is figure out the hard parts of this job.
I think I said once, maybe in this blog, that this was probably the most challenging job I’ve ever had in my life.  I’ve had challenges…many of them.  But this one, because it involves so many people who have so many issues, and because there is so little normalcy in these people’s lives, is a challenge unlike any I’ve had before.
We have treatment team meeting today and have a chance to do our own laundry and get things ready for the weekend.  So we’re trying to take full advantage of that time.
Life doesn’t always hand you what you think you need or deserve.  It seldom hands you what you want.  But if you take what you’re given and work with it…use it…mold it…shape it…and allow it to work, mold, and shape you, you find that what you’ve been given is just what you needed after all, and probably was what you wanted.
Oh, I’m not talking about anyone wanting cancer or a car wreck or something like that.  What I said was that if you  work with those things…use those things…shape those things…and let those things work, shape, and mold you, chances are you’ll find out that you’re the better person for it.  Even if those things end up taking your life and you’re a child of the living God, what better position could you be in than to be in the presence of the One who loves you unlike any other.

No Desire

We indeed have been, and continue to be blessed by being here in Wichita at this time in our lives.  Yes, the work is difficult.  Yes, we’ve already raised one family and now we voluntarily moved in with another.  Yes, we are working with kids who have issues and problems that have brought them here.  And yes, the pay is not great and the time spent is considerable (three weeks on [24-7]} and one week off.
But where else could we be right now that is better?  If we had our ‘druthers, where would we rather be?  I can’t answer that question with anything other than here, doing this, in this place.  We came out of health care and have no desire to return.
Health care is becoming so bloated, so bureaucratic, so regulated, so greedy, and so cumbersome that it is virtually impossible to do one’s job, whether one is a registered nurse, a lab tech, a housekeeper, or an administrator.  I mourn for the health care system because it is not only broken, it is dying.  Some are trying to salvage it, rescue it, or save it.  Others are milking what is left of it for all it’s worth while the milking is good.  And the consumer is the loser., just as the consumer is the loser in most aspects of our capitalist system.
Now, I’m not saying that we should do anything different, necessarily, because I don’t have any answers.  As long as the consumer is aware of the pitfalls of capitalism and the dangers of the road ahead, and plunges ahead anyway, who am I to suggest something different.  And we do know the pitfalls.  We can see the dangers.  We should know what is coming…but many of us prefer to keep our heads the sand.
Besides, I don’t think there’s any place in the world today that I would rather be than here, now, even with all the problems and issues we have.  There are even more in other places, I think.  That doesn’t mean that we don’t work to make our system better.  That doesn’t mean that we don’t criticize ourselves.  That doesn’t mean that we don’t make (as the politicians love to say) the tough choices.
God bless America.

The Girls Are Coming

The girls are coming back today.  We have one less than we had a week ago, as one girl is no longer in the program.  So we’ll have six this week.  They will have a slumber party of sorts tonight here.  We’ll get some movies, popcorn, goodies, pop, etc. and let them stay up late tonight.  But not all night.  We old folks can’t handle that.
We had a good, restful week this past week.  I am anxious about keeping the girls, but know that if we just take this one day at a time, we can do this.  I also know that we need to focus on the troubles of the day (sufficient for the day is the trouble therein) and not be concerned about what may or  may not come up in the coming hours and days.  God will give us the strength and wisdom we need in the here and now.  I believe that.  Now I need to live my life such that I practice that.
It’s quiet here now, but in a short time, they’ll be carrying their things back over here, ready (or not) to spend the next three weeks with us.  And we with them.  Praise be to our Creator for His marvelous grace!

Search Your Heart

We were in Hays this last weekend seeing my son and his family (our new granddaughter).  While there, we had the opportunity to worship at the local Church of Christ.
This building was where I was baptized 32-some odd years ago, where we married, and where we got acquainted with our Christian family.  Only one person is still there who was there when we were there those years ago.
The congregation has changed over the years.  I’ve sort of tried to keep track of them and what is happening with them.  They’ve had preachers, preacher problems, high attendance, low attendance, and everything in between.
But one thing I noticed about the worship at Hays, compared with Topeka or Wichita was the nature and tenor of the service.  The service was…well…the best word to describe it is “primitive”.
Now, that’s not a bad term.  The way I’m using it, it means simple, easy-going, home-spun, unpretentious, not showy or glitzy.  And don’t get the wrong idea.  I’m not saying that worship in Topeka or Wichita is pretentious, showy, or glitzy.  What I’m saying is that there’s a world of difference in worship in rural areas and small churches, and the larger, more metropolitan assemblies.  I think that’s true in any denomination.
Is one right and the other wrong?  Of course not.  Do some people prefer one over the other?  Yes, they do.  Some prefer the slower paced, simpler services.  Others like the more organized and polished variety.
Do they both get the job done?  It depends on what you think “the job” of worship assembly is.  For the answer to this question, you have to search your own heart.  I can’t do that for you.

Recent Happenings

I haven’t written much this past week. We’ve had the girls for a week, having given them to the relief houseparent last Friday afternoon. It’s been a time of recuperation for us.
We went to Western Kansas Saturday evening and Sunday, stopping in Central Kansas along the way. Our son and daughter-in-law along with our new grandbaby live in Western Kansas, and my wife’s family lives in Central Kansas. We made kind of a flying trip to see both sides of the family.
Yesterday, we just rested, as we are doing today. We’re working on changes to the schedules of the girls today, and hope to have something solidified with the relief houseparent on that soon.
Pat now is going with the relief parent to the school to pick up the girls, so she can see where they are picked up and how that situation is. I will go at another time…perhaps tomorrow morning.
This remains probably the most challenging and the most difficult work we’ve ever done. It won’t get any easier any time soon. Please continue in your prayers for us as we continue down life’s adventure that God will continue to work through us and that He will give us abundantly more than we can ever ask or even think.

A Friend

I lost a friend Tuesday. He died as a result of a fire that engulfed his mobile home. You know how bad those fires can be. He didn’t have a chance.
I’ve not seen him in thirty years. I’ve not spoken to him in that time, either. But I’ve thought about him…a lot…over the years and have followed his career in broadcasting. Those of you in Kansas who are reading this would immediately recognize his voice, if not his name or face.
Sheldon Craig Workman (Kevin Craig was his DJ or personality name) was the voice of the Dillons Food Stores for many years until this week, and has done other commercials (in Wichita, the “carganza” commercials and many others) that have run nationwide over the past thirty or so years. He also did intros for newscasts for KSN and other stations. That was his business. He marketed and sold his voice for commercials and voice-overs.
His voice was more than smooth...more than inviting...more than deep. His voice could (almost) melt butter. He had "the touch". He had "the range." He had "the golden vocal cords". He had what 99 percent of all other radio and TV personalities wish they had..."the voice". His was the standard by which others were measured...nationwide.
I first heard of Kevin when he was a DJ on the old 98FM KFH in the late 60’s in Wichita. They played rock, and I was into it. He was one of four young men that the station hired to develop younger listeners and a following. The only other one I remember now was Robert St. John, which undoubtedly was a personality name.
I moved to Hays when I finished tech school and got a job at KAYS Radio and TV. Kevin Craig came several months later as a DJ and personality. It was a dream come true for this farm boy-turning-man who was still finding himself and his way in life. KC (Kevin Craig) was larger-than-life!! And he was coming to Hays, America!! We quickly developed a friendship, and spent time together. We rode motorcycles, talked, listened to Chicago (one of his favorite groups) and generally had fun during the time we had together.
His grandparents lived in McCracken, not far from Hays, and we went to visit them a time or two…once on motorcycles. He was not at all in person like his on-air persona. He was quiet, unassuming, intelligent, and somewhat shy. He was lonely, just as I was, and to my surprise was very, very human. I cherish those memories.
Kevin was someone I’ve always counted on my short list of friends, even though we haven’t spoken for all these years. He was a groomsman at Pat and my wedding. His recent photos look just like those of years ago. I’m not sure he aged any at all.
I would like to think he would have remembered me and we would have enjoyed meeting again. In fact, when we moved to Wichita, I thought about looking him up (finally), knowing that he lived east of Mulvane. I could have tried to look him up before now, but something always kept me from making that call or driving out that way. That something was that Kevin continued to be a larger-than-life person in my mind, even as he was when he was a DJ on KFH-FM and I was an 18 year old teenager awed by the savvy and coolness of the DJs on the radio. I didn’t think then that I would ever get to know the great KC, and couldn’t believe it (and still can’t) to have been able to spend time with him in Hays.
Even as I contemplated looking him up a week or so ago, I thought that he might not really want to see me or care. But that wasn’t the real Kevin Craig, and deep down, I knew that. He did care. Deeply. And he would have wanted me to come see him. And we would have done some reminiscing and gotten caught up on what’s happened in our lives. And the void that is now in my soul wouldn’t be quite as large, open, and bleeding.
There’s a lesson here. You’ve heard it before. Don’t wait. It may become too late. Look up that friend. Tell someone you care. Send that letter. Write that email. Make that phone call. You just never know….

We Continue On

I’m not going to bore you with the details of our last several days getting used to the girls and they to us.  I will say that after seeing them, I can certainly understand how parents could be at the end of their ropes in dealing with them.  I also wonder how they got along as well as they did with all the issues they are facing.  This is a controlled environment, and it’s all some of them can do to just get through the day.
Of course, it wears on us as well.  This is parenting at some of the most intense levels.  I knew, yet I had not a clue.  It’s taking all that I have and am to make this work.  I’ve not faced a challenge like this, I think, in my life.  The only thing close would be the first few months of work at Oakley at the hospital there.
We continue on.  Keep us in your prayers.

We're Off

In just a couple of minutes, the first of our “charges” will be coming through the door. We’re asking that they come in about 5 minute intervals, but we’ll see how that works. Deep breath, suck it up, and we’re off.

Yesterday's News

Today is Monday.  We had a good day yesterday attending one of the local churches in the area, meeting people and enjoying the services.  We then spent the afternoon in some un-Sabbath-like work…unpacking more boxes and moving furniture.  But we got the bedroom walk-in closet pretty much set up, moved the last of the boxes from off the floor of the bedroom, organized the downstairs recreation area (for the girls) and were ready to call it a day.
However, the day wasn’t quite over as I discovered that the large chest freezer in the garage wasn’t working.  There was no power in the outlet.  No breakers were thrown and only one other outlet (in the garage) wasn’t working.  So I ran an extension cord to an outlet in the garage that was working and we’ll contact Bill (the maintenance man) today.
I had a conference with the relief houseparent and one of the girls yesterday…one that will be moving into our home this Friday.  We are getting to know the girls and hopefully will have some idea how they think and interact with one-another before they make the move.  That will be vital, as we must set up a working household from day one.  We don’t have the luxury of taking several weeks to get it right.
Today will be hot (again) and humid (sigh), and a time to stay indoors if at all possible.  I’m looking forward to it.

Routines

I have already set up kind of a routine in the mornings when we get up.  I open the window shades, make coffee, generally inspect things, and straighten up the kitchen if needed.  I then will go out onto the front porch to think.
I don’t think this routine will hold once the girls get here and school starts.  Actually, my guess is that I’ll have to do it all over.  Other people just bring a dynamic into one’s life that is impossible to ignore…especially when you have charge of them 24 hours a day.
But for now, the routine is good.  It brings a sense of order into what is still a chaotic situation for Pat and me.  My guess is that the chaos will reign for the foreseeable future as we absorb a ready-made family and deal with the comings and goings of girls into and out of the family.  However, we also know that the hand of God lives in this situation and enables us to see by faith that order and control are truly His.  We can, with eyes of faith, see that order and control and are grateful for the Rock which is ours to anchor upon.

Hectic Days

As you might guess, the last several days have been hectic, to say the least regarding them. You know the routine. You move boxes, open boxes, take a couple ibuprofen, unpack boxes, move furniture, put beds together, take more ibuprofen, try to find a “home” for everything, remove empty boxes, take out trash, take still more ibuprofen, and wonder why you moved as much stuff as you did.
We also have been learning what it means to be a houseparent here. We’ve attended meetings, met at least some of the children (some are at summer camp), and run errands for the home. We’ve studied policies and handbooks, filled out countless forms regarding insurance and employment, and visited often with our supervisor (Randy).
Tonight, Pat is staying in another cottage in preparation for staying with the girls there for the weekend. This cottage is a life skills cottage, and the girls who live there are older and pretty much on their own in the daytime. But at night, they still need some gentle supervision and Pat will provide that for a few days.
I’ll be here continuing to put things away and get the office in order. I’ll also work on getting addresses changed on things like insurance, credit cards, bills, etc. This is a hassle, this tie we have to society and our way of life. Time was when you could move and not tell anyone…it didn’t really matter. Now, you can’t do anything unless other people have all your numbers, your address, and a photo ID. Then they’re not sure they really believe you.
We have to get our TB skin tests read tomorrow afternoon at the health department. Hope we don’t forget it, because if we do, we have to repeat the test. We also have a team meeting and some other things going on tomorrow. It should be an interesting day.

We're Home

We made it. We're in Wichita. We had our last church service this morning, said our good-byes to several folks, went to get the truck (in Lawrence) and loaded and drove here. We had help this afternoon. Thanks Earl, Chris, Mary, and Vernon. Thanks Kevin, Scott, Michael, and Deanna. Without you, we couldn't have done this.
For the first time while talking with my new supervisor today, I said "we" in reference to the place we will be working. I told him that and said that we are in the midst of a change in our minds in terms of ownership. That was a good sign, and one that I was appreciative of seeing in myself today.
We will stay with my brother tonight, then unload the truck in the morning. We think several will be there to help and we can get it done in an hour or so. We go to the office tomorrow, fill out the requisite paper work, and start on the payroll.
Now the real work begins.

To Glorify God

This likely will be my last blog before we move from Topeka.  It’s Saturday night and I need to break down the PC and get it ready to move.
This has been a wondrous, wonderful time here in the Capital City of Kansas.  My wife and I have grown to be very fond of a people and a place in so short of a time.  We truly leave here with mixed emotions.
We were in Gage Park one last time this evening.  We talked about our times of moving and how some people seem to have such ordered lives.  We, on the other hand, have moved more times than I care to count (I think this will be the 11th time as husband and wife).  We were blessed to be in one place while our children were growing up and in school.  And one of us said that since it’s just the two of us, it really doesn’t matter much now whether we move a lot or not.
That’s true, very true.  Anyone who has given his/her life to Jesus Christ and is trying to live that life as being directed by God will be blessed if he or she never moves and blessed also if he or she has to move often.  After all, as Christians, we’re not here for ourselves, but rather to glorify the One who created us and sustains us.

The Disconnect

As I was driving back to the house this evening following the running of an errand, I thought of the disconnect that we are feeling now that we know we are moving.  That disconnect is something that is probably the most disconcerting to me at a time like this.
I no longer call Topeka home, and no longer call our place our home, yet we have not yet moved and begun to sink roots in Wichita.  It’s a kind of listless feeling…one that I’m sure many people feel in the course of their lives…but yet one that I don’t fully understand.
I can’t fathom what it must be like to be homeless and feel this way all the time; or to be a refugee and feel the disconnect, but not have a place to go.  I can’t imagine how it must feel to not be able to stand on soil somewhere and say that this is home.
We will be disconnected about 48 hours longer; then we will begin to plant roots in our new home.  We are truly blessed.

Communication

We’ve done most of the packing and all that remains is tying up loose ends with insurance, the bank, the doctor, etc.  We have a few boxes open that we’re putting little crippy-crap (as my sister says) stuff into, but we’ve pretty much been done for a day or so.
The weather will break this afternoon, hopefully, and we will have nice weather this weekend for the move.  Rain would be great, and much appreciated.  Temps in the 80’s (or even 90’s) would be a relief from the 108 to 110 degree temps we’ve been having.
Even though I’m excited about the move, I’m getting more and more nervous.  I have to understand that I’m not in this on my own.  I have a capable and competent woman at my side who doesn’t need me.
Now, I don’t say that in a mean way.  Clingy, whiny, overly-dependent women were never my thing.  What I mean is that she’s not dependent on me for her life and livelihood.  She’s always had an independent streak, and I enjoy and appreciate that.  She truly will be my “other half” in this venture and will be able to stand on her own as her own person.
Communication will be the key…something that we both could improve.  We’ll also be communicating a lot with the One who created us, all that we see and know, and all that we don’t see and don’t know.  I rather suspect that communication will be every bit as critical as any we could ever have.

Life Without Susie

Today, we think we have most all of the basement and garage boxed up, as well as the main floor. All that’s really left is the upper floor, which has most of the closets and the bedrooms. We should make a big dent in that today with my sister-in-law and niece from Wichita here to help.
We let Susie (our dog) go with my son and his family today. They didn’t leave until this morning due to the cooler weather prospects for this morning. She will be with them in Western Kansas as it would have been difficult to have her in Wichita with us.
It was not that difficult to actually see her go, but life won’t be the same without her around. She was truly part of our family, and there will be a big chunk missing in the coming weeks as we adjust to life without her.
If for some reason she doesn’t work out with them, I told them we would “work something out” with maybe my other son or perhaps my sister. I do hope, though, that Susie adapts to life out there and her remaining months (I don’t think she’ll last more than 12 to 18 months…she’s 15 years old) will be contented.

It Has Started

Well, I now feel that we “officially” are moving.  We have boxes piled in the corners of some rooms, empty boxes all over, and the house is a mess.  We also had our small group over last night, and they helped pack up some stuff.  Although it was a wild time, as there were several kiddos under the age of five in the group (and we old people had no place for them to go and play), they helped considerably and lightened our load a lot.
We also gathered to pray for one-another toward the end and had a meal together.  It was a good time that will not soon be forgotten.  We will miss our group and we will miss our church.
Our son, daughter-in-law, and our new granddaughter also were here and spent the night with us.  They will be here today also, as he is interviewing with the State for a job.  My sis and niece will be coming from Wichita for a few hours today to be with our granddaughter, and a sister-in-law and niece from Wichita will also be coming later today and tomorrow to help us pack.
A good time will be had by all, even in the midst of the chaos, sadness, and apprehension.  Thank you, Jehovah God, for your marvelous care and your rock-solid foundation.  Without You, we could never have the anchor in our lives that we need.

Work Prospects

We’re back from vacation, having had an eventful and fun time with the family.  We also had an interview scheduled for yesterday in southern Kansas, so came by Topeka for about 30 minutes, long enough to get fresh clothes and re-supplied.  We then traveled to Wichita and stayed with my brother in preparation for the interview yesterday morning.
The result was that an offer was made and we accepted it.  So, we are beginning the preparation for yet another move, this time to Wichita where we both will work as houseparents in a children’s home.  We will move, hopefully, in about 10 days.
We’ve been looking at this for some time now, and my wife’s unemployment really had nothing much to do with our decision.  We knew before her termination from her employment that we probably would accept an offer from this place.
So, again I may not blog often, and will have to rename the blog from Topeka Transplant to something else…Wichita House Dad?  I dunno.  In any event, we are not looking forward to the move, but are excited about the prospect of working in a ministry such as the one in Wichita.  Pray for us.

A Short Vacation

Sorry.  I took a short vacation from blogging this week.  A lot has happened.  We became grandparents for the first time this past Monday, and made the trip to Western Kansas to see Mom, Dad, and the new granddaughter.  Everything is fine; however, the baby had to stay in the hospital for an extra day or two “just to be sure”.
We’ve also been preparing for our annual reunion.  We’ll leave tomorrow for Missouri and will spend several days with family at a motel in Hannibal.  Of course, there is planning and effort that attends events such as this, and we have spent the week gathering the things we will be taking and making final preparation.
The Independence Day holiday was this week also, and though we were more concerned with our granddaughter this year, we truly enjoy this nation, its opportunity and freedom.  Yes, we have things we need to fix.  Yes, we have things we need to throw out and start over.  Yes, we have issues.  But we also have been blessed by Almighty God with abundance beyond anything we could ever think or ask.
We’ve been working on the employment side as well, but as yet have no firm plans for the future.  That probably is one of the harder things to deal with, yet seems to be the one that is most out of our hands.
We will leave early tomorrow morning.  I may well not blog again for several days.  Hopefully, we will come back from Hannibal refreshed and renewed and with confidence and trust in the Creator of the universe to provide our needs.

Good People

We attended an open house and home dedication in the Kansas City area yesterday for a couple who recently moved from Topeka.  They had been members at our church, and they retired and built a nice home in a nice place.  I was struck by the openness of the main area…a huge expanse of high-ceilings large windows, and open space that encompassed the entrance, kitchen, and living/dining area.  No walls were to be found in that area; only furnishings and a quiet elegance that lent itself well to the noise of the guests and visitors.
They are clear that they want their home to be used, and had it built with that in mind.  Guest quarters are quiet and well-appointed.  She is a great cook, and you certainly won’t want to miss anything she conjures up in her kitchen.
Many people will tell you to drop by anytime, and you know they really don’t mean it.  When these folks tell you to drop by, they not only mean it, they expect it.  They’re about 10 minutes from KCI, and I suspect that at least some of their friends will take advantage of both that and of their hospitality.  These folks both expect and welcome that.
There are decent people in the world, and John and Joan are two of them.  I am humbled and count it a privilege to know them.

A Good Week

It’s been an interesting week, to say the least.  It started with my wife losing her job, had our anniversary in it (yesterday), and is culminating with a long Independence Day weekend where many people will receive both Monday and Tuesday off work.  It is also hot, or rather is supposed to be hot today and through the weekend.  Today, they say, the thermometer may reach the century mark (100 degrees for those who aren’t familiar with the play on words).
There are some good things that are happening this week.  It’s nice to have the wife at home and becoming more and more like the woman I married.  It’s nice to have friends who finance the evening out for our anniversary.  And it’s good to spend time in the Good Book and in prayer.
We also are preparing for the arrival of a grand (son/daughter) any day and the reunion trip to Hannibal.  We’ve decided to go to Hannibal, even though there is no work right now.  We’ve planned for it and can’t see missing the family this year.
This blog may well have news of a move and new work for either or both of us in the coming days and weeks.  As I said in a prior blog, “the adventure continues”.  It certainly is and I want to be part of it.

The Adventure Continues...

Most of you already know that the past couple of days have been anything but routine at our house.  My wife was asked to resign from her management position yesterday afternoon.  She’s been having trouble at work for the last few months, and over the weekend it got intolerable, so they asked for her resignation.  I went out and helped her cart her personal things back home late in the afternoon.
We have been looking for other work for awhile, but this has heightened the tension of that endeavor.  We’ve been scouring the want ads, checking with friends, networking with associates, and doing those things that people do in situations like this.
We also have been praying…a lot…and have a sense of calmness about this that we haven’t felt before.  We trust that our Maker has a place for us and a work to do, and we have said repeatedly for Him to show us what it is and guide us there.
So, we’ll see where this goes.  We’ve been in Topeka for a year and a half, and it’s been a great thing for the both of us.  We may stay or we may go.  I don’t know at this point.  But I’ll include you in this as much as I can.
The adventure continues….

The Downtowner

Although I heard of it long ago, today we ate at the Downtowner in (where else) downtown Topeka.  Just a couple of hundred feet east of Sixth and Kansas, the Downtowner has been a fixture for years.  If you’re tired of being handed a pager that goes off when your table is ready, or wait people who are dealing with the pains of puberty, and want to find that long-ago ambience, food, price and service, this is the place.
Pat and I each had a hamburger deluxe.  I had a side of cole slaw and a piece of sour cream raisin pie, and we both had iced tea.  The total bill, including tax, was $9.89.  The menu said that a fried chicken dinner, meat loaf dinner, or roast beef dinner could be had for $4.50.  That included veggie, potato, and salad.  Tea and coffee were 60 cents.  My pie was $1.50 and was better than anything I’ve had that cost twice that much at a more popular joint.
The hamburgers, seared on a hot grill and injected with just the right amount of grease, were steamy and good.  The toasted buns had soaked up just enough grill grease to be crispy and delicious.  The fries were great, the slaw was OK, and the pie was pretty good, with crispy crust even underneath.
If you’re happy with Tiffany, Brianna, and Caleb waiting on you, go ahead and patronize the high-class joints.  But if you want the quiet competence of a Marge, Dorothy, or Hazel cooking and waiting tables, the Downtowner is the place to go.

A Good Lesson

I was following a kind of fancy pickup home just a few minutes ago.  The driving habits of this particular driver were different from many who drive such fancy wheels.  He accelerated reasonably from the stop light.  He drove in the right hand lane.  He drove the speed limit or less.  I was impressed.
Then I saw a bumper sticker on his rear bumper.  It said, “Live so the preacher won’t have to lie at your funeral.”
Unlike many with the fish symbols on their cars or some other kind of overtly religious bumper stickers…who race to beat the red lights and swerve in front of others, this man seemed to be living the life that was alluded to by his bumper sticker.
I followed him for a couple of miles, through two or three turns and stops.  I actually enjoyed following him, and even more, I thought about that sticker.
I’ve preached a few funerals.  No more than I’ve preached, it was hard sometimes to do it without deceiving people into thinking the deceased was somehow more righteous than he/she was.  Thanks, friend, for the lesson this morning.

A Lesson From the Weather

The weather is still, even with the super-doppler gizmos and the latest wham-slam graphics on the TV, a crap shoot.  Today was supposed to be rainy as of yesterday, but just cloudy as of three hours ago.  It’s raining right now.
Yesterday, we were supposed to have had inches and inches of rain…we got a tenth of an inch.
We think we’re so smart.  We think we can look ahead twelve hours or so and tell everyone what Mother Nature has up her sleeve.  But we can’t even see three hours ahead sometimes, let alone three days.
There’s a lesson there (somehow, you just knew that I was going to get to that).  We don’t have the foggiest notion of what life holds for us thirty minutes from now, let alone 30 days or years from now.  The thing is, regardless of what we think lies on the other side of death’s veil, we need to be ready to leave this existence at any time.  And most of us aren’t even close to being ready because we don’t like to think about it.
And we think we’re so smart.

One of Those Days

Today is one of those days that, as I look ahead, I don’t see anything in the day other than a dental appointment at 9:45 this morning.  The great thing about days like this is that they soon fill up, it seems, with things that I hadn’t planned on and had no idea I would be doing or seeing.  That is one of the exciting things about this work.
No plans for the day doesn’t mean “nothing to do” in this vocation.  Somehow, things seem to work in to fill the available time space and in many ways I’m more productive on days like this than I am when there is a tight schedule.  I don’t know what it is, but I seem to glide more smoothly from task to task when there’s not the press of the clock to be somewhere or do something by a certain hour.  (I don’t know if I’ve ever glided smoothly in anything, but that term seemed to fit in the last sentence.)
No, the dentist won’t be a problem.  It’ll be a first-time exam and a cleaning.  So, although it will probably take most of an hour, it shouldn’t be a visit that evokes visions of swollen jaws or packing in place of a tooth.  Been there, done that.  I’ve been very careful to try to avoid that in the future by daily brushing and flossing.  I don’t always get to the flossing part each day, but I’m a lot better at it than I used to be years ago.  And my teeth are in much better shape, too.  Yeah, I know, it sounds “icky”, but sometimes ick is necessary and preferable to dentures.

The Day

Well, today is Father’s Day.  And you who know me know that I don’t do a lot of celebrating for any holiday, and this one is no exception.  Yes, it’s nice to have such a day set aside for us dads, but I prefer my rut, thank you.
The day started as any other.  Church was just like any other, except for the Fathers Day sermon (which was powerful, by the way).  We went out to eat at Perkins, believe it or not, but because the line was out the door, we ended up going across the street to a nice steak place and were seated and served right away.  But even the restaurant was plan B because I had intended to put a roast in the oven and just eat at home.
Afternoon consisted of sitting on the back patio, napping, working with the computer, reading some, and baking a Marie Callendar dutch apple pie.  The pie was my treat for this day…I love those pies.
Now, I’m at the PC again, telling you about the routine-ness of my day and enjoying every moment of it.  It’s good to kick back, although I’ve done nothing really special today, nor has my family done anything special for me.  Oh, it’s fine.  I don’t mind.  Yes, it would have been nice if the number one son had come to services this morning, but I know he has a life and have no problem with that.
Besides, we’ll be grandparents soon.  That’ll be worth the wait.

Making Lemonade

It’s already windy today.  The wind promises to bring with it the heat and summer-y feeling that comes on a day like this.  Any walking, errands or other things that need to be done outside the confines of the four walls I probably should do this morning.  However, if I’m normal I’ll not get to them, saving them instead for later on in the afternoon when traffic becomes heavy and the heat and wind are truly oppressive.
I see that Western Kansas hit the century mark yesterday.  They’ll probably do it again today.  The wind probably will blow there, too.  And although they also complain at times about the weather, it’s not as pervasive as it is in Eastern Kansas.
I think those in rural areas (no, I don’t consider someone who lives in Shawnee County to be a rural resident regardless of where he lives in the county…contrary to what they may themselves think) have a certain “what will be, will be” attitude and a kind of a “we’ll take this along with all the rest and make lemonade out of it” attitude that others could only dream about and envy.
The ten percent of the population in Kansas that lives west of I-135 can teach us a thing or two about life and living.  It’s too bad we here in the East never get to know any of them very well.

A Lesson From the Patio

I was out back on the patio again this morning and was hearing that same robin who I talked about a few days ago.  He’s the noisy one…the one who wakes everyone and makes much more noise than his diminutive frame would seemingly allow.
He was competing with the air conditioners down below on the back drive.  There are six of them out there, and sometimes they make a lot of racket.  I got to thinking (now, that’s dangerous) that we are in some respects like either the robin or the air conditioner.
The robin was loud and boisterous, but his song seemed happy and fit into the context of the environment…trees, creek, park.  He let everyone within hundreds of feet know he was there and was not about to pass quietly into the night.
The air conditioners also were loud and boisterous, but they were just noise.  They, too, let themselves be heard, telling all who were around that they were there and on duty.  But they didn’t fit in with the rest of the environment, and were a nuisance.
Are we like the robin…boisterous, yet happy and pleasant, or are we more like the air conditioners…loud noise and just blowing a lot of hot air?

Whoaa!!

Today has been another great spring day out doors.  The temperature is in the mid 80’s, and the breeze is gentle.  The sky is a deep blue and the sun is plentiful.  All things seem to be enjoying the out doors, including Susie, who spent some time this morning just laying in the sun in the front yard.
Gage Park is going great today, too.  I stopped there following a Bible study at a home not far away.  I walked around the perimeter of the Gage Park railroad this time instead of just ambling about the park.  It’s about a 20 minute walk, and took me over the dam of one of the ponds.
On the dry side of the dam they have left the native wild flowers to grow.  When going by that place on the street, which is just a few feet away, it seems like a weedy growth.  But when looking at it from the perspective of the top of the dam, and at the slower pace of the walk, the beauty of at least a dozen different plants in full bloom was evident.
Slowing down often brings out the best in whatever it is we’re observing or doing.  I wonder why we don’t do that more often.

Noisy Robins

Noisy robins.  Smelly automobile exhaust.  Cool air.  Those were some of the things I observed on the back patio this morning as I drank my coffee and prayed.
There’s been a robin in the neighborhood who’s decibel level is much higher recently than his size would indicate.  The neighbor’s boyfriend fired up his older car after spending the night with her…the exhaust wafted up to the patio.  And it was cool this morning for a pleasant change.  God is good all the time, but He must have sensed that it was becoming a little too warm too quickly, and provided this one day, anyway, as a sort of respite for His creation.
But I also thought of other things not necessarily so noticeable this morning.  Uncertainty.  The fragility of faith.  The love of a merciful Creator.
Some of you know that Pat’s work at Aldersgate is in jeopardy due to the failure of the home to pass the state inspections.  Over the weekend, other things happened to exacerbate the issues.  We truly do not know if she will have a job at the close of this day.  That makes our faith appear at times to be rather fragile.  We don’t even know what is today, let alone what the future holds.  My prayer this morning was “We believe.  Help our unbelief.”  I think maybe for the first time, I truly understand what the disciples were saying when they said that to the Master.  But we quickly look at all God has provided, and express faith that He will continue to provide.  His faithfulness endures to all generations and is timeless, faultless, and perfect.
We rest on the unchanging and unending faithfulness of God.  What better anchor could we possibly have?    

Thursday Musings

It’s a warm, humid day this morning already in Topeka.  It’s Thursday, which means I don’t do quite as much planned stuff as normal.  So I’m doing some “unplanned” things.
Let’s see.  I’ve already cleaned up the kitchen, mopped the kitchen floor (on my hands and knees, with a wet mop rag), started a load of wash (the sheets), flipped over the mattress (we gotta get a new one some day), and sorted the other laundry for doing before we leave for the day Saturday.
I’m planning to go to Gardner in a couple of hours and visit our son, who takes his lunch at 1pm.  No big deal…just get out of town and see some country besides checking in with him.  He’s working three jobs this summer to pay off some bills.  Besides his bank day job, he’s delivering pizza and umpiring softball games.  He’s a busy boy and I just want to encourage him, since one of the bills he owes is to us.
Who knows what the rest of the day holds.  It’s always an adventure in a position such as mine.  However, that adventure can be good or bad, an upper or a downer.  It’s not dull and boring, though.
I trust the wife will have a good day today.  I just called her to tell her that our checking account would survive until payday (tomorrow) and that I was considering the trip to Gardner.  She seemed to be OK, but I know it’s tough there right now.  I wish there was something more I could do.  I feel rather helpless….

One Man's Complaint

Buying decent peaches, pears, bananas, tomatoes, and other produce at the local grocery store is an exercise in futility for anyone who has ever reveled in having one’s own garden or fruit trees. Produce managers and vendors haven’t a clue that if they would deliver produce that is tasty, they might just sell more of it than the cardboard and rubber that substitute for reality in the produce section of today’s store.
Peaches should have “give” to them when gently squeezed. So should pears. Tomatoes that bounce on the floor shouldn’t be allowed to be displayed. Bananas that are any shade of green should be banned. Cantaloupe that don’t smell “melon-y” shouldn’t be part of the goods for sale.
All of the stuff one sees looks good, but the taste isn’t there…because it isn’t ripe or the tenderness has been bred out of it so it would withstand the rough handling all the way from Chile. And people who don’t know better buy that stuff and think they’re getting something good.
Some of the farmer’s markets aren’t much better. Some of those folks know they can foist shoddy produce off onto customers who don’t know any better than the crap they otherwise get in the super market.
What happened to watermelon with taste? What happened to tomatoes that were to die for? What, for heaven’s sake, happened to corn on the cob that you could eat raw?
If there was one perfect fruit in the Garden of Eden, it had to be peaches. Ripe off of the tree, they are to die for. (They had to have been what the snake tempted Eve with.) They make the best jam and jelly the world has ever known. If you do partake of such a thing as a self-picked ripe peach, be sure you’re wearing something you don’t mind getting dirty, because the juice will run off your chin, you’ll go back for more, and you will be sticky all over until you wash it off. Try THAT with a Dillons peach.

Decisions

I’m compiling pictures to put into a slide show (digital, of course) for our annual family reunion in July. I have a good scanner and software, and the photos often come out better after the enhancing than they were in the original photo. That’s because many of the originals are 20 or 30 years old and are starting to fade.
The problem is that there are so many, and there are many from the other siblings as well. I’m not sure what to put in and what to leave out. Who can resist the photo that tags along with this blog? Now, just how many photos just like this (well, maybe they have their clothes on) can I leave out?
I may put together two or three shows and let people see them or not, as they wish. Or, I may just grit my teeth and cut out the ones that I don’t think are quite this cute. Decisions, decisions….

Can I Believe It?

I am well in to the day (Saturday) and feel as if I’ve accomplished little.  Yes, I’ve done my daily Bible listening.  Yes, I’ve had lunch.  Yes, I’ve read the paper and done a load of laundry.  Yes, I’ve prepared by Sunday School class for tomorrow.  But for some reason, I feel sort of “out of sorts”, if you know what I mean.
There are things that aren’t settled in my mind…things that have been there for some time, and I’m not able to deal with them just now.  I either don’t have the information I need, it isn’t time to do anything about it yet, or some other reason beyond my control keeps me and these issues up in the air and unsettled.
It’s not a good feeling.  I am someone who likes to settle things…to fix things…to get things off of the table and off of my plate.  And I’m not sure what to do, because much of what is causing the unease is not solvable, or at least not solvable in the near future.
So I wait, and I worry.  About things that I probably shouldn’t wait and worry over.  “Tomorrow is another day,” they say.  I just wish I could believe that.

Thank You, Rossini

When in the pickup going somewhere, I usually am tuned to a public radio station.  In this area, it’s KPR from the Kansas University campus.  I can also receive Radio Kansas out of Hutchinson, as they have a transmitter in the Manhattan area.  Public radio is so much better than the drivel of 100 commercial stations all vying for my ear.  Does that mean I’m getting old?
I was coming back from a “pastoral” visit today and was tuned to KPR.  They started the Overture to William Tell by Rossini.  As I listened, I saw that I would arrive home before it was over, so I pulled into a parking lot in a public park, under some shade, and listened to the rest of the overture.
I know that much guffawing, many jokes, and a lot of fun has been poked at the overture, as it is the basis for a lot of the old cartoon background music, and was the theme song of the old series, “The Lone Ranger.”  But as I listened to it…all of it…I sort of came to a different point of view.
Yes, I recall the cartoons and the TV shows (I’m not old enough for a lot of radio).  I know the Ranger was an extraordinary shot, always shooting the gun out of the bad guy’s hand, but never wounding him.  I know that he always managed to rescue Tonto as well as the people in distress (often children), and that he never wanted thanks for his work.
But I was also drawn back in my mind to a simpler time both in my life and in the life of our society; when it seems right was right and wrong was wrong; when decency and morality meant something other than as fodder for ridicule; when heroes were indeed heroes, worthy of emulation; when funny was funny, when entertainment was just that, and when times were more innocent.
I’m grateful to Rossini for his composition.