Vacation Bible School

We're in the midst of VBS right now and since I'm no longer our CE coordinator at the church, I'm not in charge. However, I am leading the music for the beginning of each evening. Jessica is in charge of the "technology" -- video, music and slideshows on the big screen each evening. Needless to say, we'll be pretty busy this week. Last night was the first night and it went fairly well, as first nights go!

Jessica is moving back to Lawrence sometime next week! :-(

Grandchildren!

We've had Katie (Mika's daughter) and Madison (Chuck's daughter)here; they are still sleeping as I write this. Yesterday Jessica was kind enough to let them dress up in her prom and homecoming dresses and they had a blast! Katie (long blonde hair) is 9 and going into the 4th grade; Maddie (glasses) is 11 and will be in Middle School next year!! Just yesterday they were babies. It's been fun, but I think Bob is getting a little too old for the hoopla that young girls bring with them! Come to think of it, I'm pretty tired, too!

Tuesday, I finally finished a bed quilt that I have been working on for years. I don't know the exact date (or year, even) when I began this quilt, but it was before we got Maggie, which was 5 years ago! Then I put it up when we got Maggie and I started back into the classroom -- just no time. This year I dug it out -- as overwhelming as it seemed, and finally finished putting the binding on Tuesday. I haven't yet taken a picture but will get one on as soon as I can.

Happy day to my readers! :-)

She's not a little girl, nor a teenager even!

Jessica turned 20 yesterday, no more a teenager. ( I wish I had a more recent picture of her on my computer...this picture is two years old!).
In two weeks she'll be moving out for good to an apartment in Lawrence. The past two years with her at college and then home for the summers, have been preparing us (maybe more than her) for this transition.
No one has a perfect child, but we were blessed beyond measure with her! Since I only had one child (would have loved to have more, but it wasn't in my destiny) I'm so grateful that the one child we have is everything Jessica has become. Here's to Jess and her life ahead! This is a Bible verse that I marked a long time ago in Bible specifically for her.

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. An I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saits, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:16-19

Too much partying!

Oh, oh! Maggie did way too much partying yesterday, celebrating "Uncle" Rick's birthday...she's suffering today!

Actually this picture was taken a few weeks ago. She never remains in this pose when I get the camera...but this time I managed to sneak up on her!

Fourth of July is about here and in Hays we have the Wild West Festival. Mostly carnival rides and bands that come in. Jessica loves it as do all her friends. Her parents are getting too old for that kind of stuff! Today is supposed to be a bit cooler. Yay!

A couple of days ago I found out that another on-line journal has accepted a poem of mine! I can't share it here or anywhere else on the web...but I can share the link to the poem when it is published. It may not be published until as late as November. But when it is, I'll share the link.

It's about the dust bowl days in Kansas -- a short poem based on things Bob's mother used to share.

Happy Birthday, Bro!

Today is July 2 and my brother Rick's birthday. For just a few weeks he and I will be the "same" age! Here's to a terrific brother and friend! We may be a lot older, but this big sister still thinks a lot of her brother!

Quilts for Kids

I'm about finished with a queen-sized quilt that I began years ago and because it took so long, I decided that I'm probably finished with the big, difficult projects. I like to piece and quilt, but get so discouraged with the larger projects that for now, I'm just working on smaller quilts (crib-, lap-, wall-sized). I found a program called "Quilts for Kids" which encourages people to take fabric remnants or fabric that might be thrown away and use it to make quilts for children in need.

I finished piecing a quilt top for such a project, (see above) using fabric I had used for a bulletin board at last year's Vacation Bible School...western theme. I'm having fun with this and it is now ready to quilt. I am using simple patterns for easy piecing. It keeps me busy while watching TV (and away from snacking!)

Summer is here!

Today promises to be a typical hot day in late June. The forecast predicts little wind, though!
I'm reading an interesting book by Parker Palmer (Quaker teacher, activist, writer.) His writing is thought-provoking and spiritual. Let Your Life Speak is about finding one's vocation. Yes! I'm middle-aged and "retired" and I'm still wondering what I'm supposed to be doing with my life. I guess I'm in the same boat as everyone else and when we stop wondering, we're either dead or dying!

I continue to write or re-write poems nearly every day. Here's one I first wrote in April. I know that whatever my "vocation", I hope that compassion is a large part of it. May it also be a large part of yours, dear reader.

How to gain compassion

There is no compassion
in the busy frenetic life.
One must sit still long enough
to feel the pain of another.
And soak in solid silence
so to hear the crushing whisper
of another’s sorrow.

Then with resolve, do
what is required
but not without first
taking time to pray.

Spring is nearly over!

I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping my posts up-to-date. Maybe that's an indication that things go fairly slowly at this household! Our lifestyle has become pretty laid-back, much like our friend, Maggie! Whenever she lays in the grass like this, I think of Snoopy hiding in the grass and his oft-quoted line: "Beagles in the grass, alas." Charles Schulz probably got that line from some famous poem but I wouldn't know.

I've been experimenting with different poem form types. This one is a silly one about our Maggie. It was fun, but doesn't have much literary value, I suppose.

Security

The lazy Bassett
lay curled upon
her pillow bed,

one eye shut
the other
watching

her mistress pour
herself a cup
of coffee,

then went back
to napping.

It's Snowing Cotton!

This is one of the highlights of the year...the week it snows cotton in our backyard! Just kidding!

It's a mess...but one we can live with since we greatly appreciate the shade this big old tree gives us. I tried to take pictures, but it was difficult...anyway I included some of them here.

I wrote a poem about our Cottonwood tree a couple of years ago. You can find it on the Kansas Poems website at this link: http://www.kansaspoets.com/kansas_poems.htm

The tree means a lot to me, with all its imperfections.

Tornado Alley

This past weekend has been a series of severe thunderstorms and tornadic activity here in Ellis County. Both Friday night and last night we had tornado sirens blaring and tornadoes which touched down in Ellis county. Fortunately none of them traveled through Hays, but our neighbors in Ellis were not as fortunate: some damaged buildings, trees and downed power lines.



Yesterday Bob and I went to Larned to decorate graves and missed the tornado activity in Ellis and Rush County, (by a hair) and decided to eat in Larned to wait it out. Coming back we ran into torrential rain, and were relieved to know that we made it back to Hays before another tornado had been seen near Rush Center -- which we had driven through 30 minutes before!

God was watching over us! Today, more rain, but the cooler temperatures were welcomed!

Jessica comes home today!

Jessica has her last "final" at 10:30 a.m. It's actually a final critique of her photography portfolio. After that she's on her way home. I know she's glad to be getting done with a very stressful semester. She begins working at the Hampton Inn tomorrow evening. She's actually excited about it. She liked working at the Hampton last summer and has maintained friendships from her work there.

Here's a poem I wrote quite a long time ago. It is rhyming instead of free verse.

Cycle of Grace

In the primitive hours of morn
before a brand new dawn is born,
the full moon’s shimmering silent light
removes the weight of blackest night.
And you are Promise, Lord!

And through horizon’s door, ajar
the sprouting of the mother star
makes night once more hide its face
and cede its will to daylight’s grace
And you are Light, Oh Lord!

But in the sweltering heat of noon,
as faith begins to wilt, its bloom
a fragile flower frail and dry
and thirsting as about to die
Then you are Hope, Oh Lord!

The afternoon’s late cleansing rain
The blood of Christ makes pure again
And life is stored in full supply
For undeserving souls and I
Receive your Grace, Oh Lord.

The aging day reclines to rest
And night absorbs my sins confessed.
While through the darkness can be seen
Again through moonlight’s silky sheen
That you are Love, Oh Lord!

Back from Lawrence

Wow! It's been way to long since I've posted anything here! We went to Lawrence on Monday and came back yesterday with most of Jessica's "big stuff". Thankfully, we had no rain on the way back, though it looked pretty threatening most of the trip. Jess is heading home Thursday after her last final and should be home mid-afternoon. It will be good to have her here this summer.

She was so tired when we saw her Monday; she had pulled another "all-nighter". Not an unusual circumstance for college students at the end of a semester. She worked a few more days than she had originally planned and consequently didn't have as much time to work on her design, drawing and photo projects.

She checked us into the hotel and looked so professional with her black blazer on. During our stay, she informed us that there was a German Baptist gathering south of Lawrence, so there were many German Baptists there with all their children. They made quite a picture with the women in their prayer caps, calico dresses and capes and the men with their beards, hats, slacks, vests all in black. Also staying at the hotel at the same time were some Nigerian dignitaries both men and women and their "guards" or assistants. Their dress was very showy and beautiful...the women in long colorful dresses and headpieces...the men in their long white flowing robes and hats.

Breakfast in the lobby was interesting with all the diversity! It occurred to us, that Jessica has had some valuable experiences working in the nicest hotel in Lawrence. She informed us that the "Russians" would be coming back next week--a group of four Russian men who visit about once a month! She hasn't had the nerve to practice her Russian with them, because they have such a "stern" appearance.

Anyway, our trip was pleasant...we enjoyed our time with Jessica and we got home safely. Can't ask for more.

Tiny Turtle

We woke up this morning to rain and thunder, lightning. It was a nice rain and lasted until shortly after noon. By 3:30 it had cleared off enough that I could take Maggie on our daily afternoon walk. I decided I wasn't up to walking as fast as I usually do, so I just took her over next to the nearby golf course, where there are a lot of trees and good things to sniff at (from her point of view!)

As we were on our way back, I happened to be looking down on the ground and spotted what I thought first was an unusual stone, or a nut shell. Upon closer examination, I saw that it was a tiny turtle about the size of a quarter! I picked it up which it didn't like, and it crawled off my hand and fell. My first thought was to take it home. But really, why? I don't have children at home, I don't teach any more, and it would probably end up dead. I decided it was better to keep it right where I found it. But the thought of how near I was to stepping on it, crushing it with my foot, completely unaware of its fragile life, gave me pause. How many creatures do we kill each day, just by our mere walking? I feel like I was given a tiny gift from God, by being privileged to catch the tiny creature even for a moment. :-)

Last day of April

Tomorrow is May Day!

I remember when Jessica was small, she loved to make a home-made basket and put flowers (often nothing more than flowering weeds!) inside and leave them at our next-door neighbor's doorstep. The neighbors' elderly father lived with them. She would leave the basket for him.

Sadly, he no longer lives...but every May Day I think of him and the little girl that once lived here with us.

**************

Here's a poem I've been working on the past few days. Still not finished; I think there's more to be done with it.

No Worry

My favorite time of day,
late afternoon
with a light breeze
fingering my hair.
The birds are gathering
in the bushes. Some are
feeding, some are singing,
some are searching for sturdy
supplies with which to build their
nests. All are busy being
and not one of them worries
about tomorrow.

Spring is in the air!

Today was a beautiful day! The air was slightly cool, but the bright afternoon sun and clear blue sky made for a wonderful spring day. April is probably the prettiest month in Hays...with all the tree blossoms...various shades of pink, red and white. And they smell good, too!

I got the church newsletter done today. This is the first one I've done and it turned out pretty good and with relatively few snags.

Here is a poem I wrote awhile back. I sponsor two children through Compassion International. This poem is about the boy I write to in Rwanda.

The Prayer of a Child from Rwanda

I look at his photo placed
on my refrigerator; black-brown eyes
and solemn face speak of need
I’ll never know. He wrote me a letter
back in October which I received today,
the warmest part of this cruel cold day
in November.

The letter leisurely traveled
from Rwanda to Kansas
to tell me of their rainy season
and that they are planting beans.
And he—an eleven-year-old
with a name I can’t spell nor
pronounce—prays for me,

a middle-aged woman whose
middle-class life is wealth beyond
what this young child may imagine.
A middle-aged woman who
takes the time now and then
to send him pictures and write of
things he might never see

like snowmen, icicles and frosted
window panes. Always careful
to not suggest the disparity
of wealth between our two lives,
(though who am I fooling?)
even as I write to him,

daily he hauls water to his home,
to his loved ones ill with AIDS,
to the chickens and goats they raise
to eke out a living. He helps tend the beans
just planted, goes to school, learns to read
and sings about Jesus. And when he has time
he prays—for me.

We've been in Lawrence. Jessica showed us around the Arts and Design building on the KU campus where she takes most of her classes. We even got to go into the darkroom where she and other students develop their photos. Since one of her classes was in the Spencer Art Museum on campus, we got a little tour of a couple of the exhibits in the gallery. A real highlight!



Now that we're home, we're just praying for rain.

Bob and I are going fishing today. Or maybe I should say, Bob is going fishing and I'm tagging along--to tend to Maggie, read, write and just ponder. The weather should be nice.


We probably won't do this too often, with the price of gas nearly up to $3.50 per gallon! That's a rip-off for sure. Bob wonders what his dad would think about all this price gouging. His dad ran a little Conoco station in Larned when Bob was growing up. Things were a lot different back then.


Here is a something from Thomas Merton that I read awhile back.


Our minds are like crows. They pick up everything that glitters, no matter how uncomfortable our nests get with all that metal in them.


(New Seeds of Contemplation

Blessing

Here's a blessing for the day that I wrote a few days ago and wish to share with you.



May each precious thing you see today
be reflection of Divine imagination;
each sound you hear, a sacred
echo of Holy Presence.
May the words of your mouth
be a song from God’s heart
and the thoughts that you hold,
whispers
from the Loving Spirit.

First Day Here!

Can you believe, this is my very first day in trying a blog? How many years now has blogging been in existence? Guess I'm a late bloomer. Anyway, thought I would use this as my personal soap box, given that I'm good at using the soap box! I've been trying my hand at writing poetry this past year and will use this space to share some of it...not to mention to clear the air regarding any of my "hot buttons"!

Stay tuned for a few photos now and then, also.

In the meantime, here is a poem I've been working on regarding a guy I saw at a truck stop when we were in Texas!

Cowboy at a Truck Stop

Years of smoking seeped from his body; rowdy hair crowded
beneath a cowboy hat. Well-worn spurs adorned his boots.
His seasoned face revealed it all: too many days
of sun-soaked toil, booze and cigarettes.

Securing himself against the counter, he emptied
his pocket of loose change. Trembling hands counted
each coin, working toward the total that would purchase his prize:
a liter bottle of beer wrapped in a brown paper bag,

courtesy of the cashier. He thanked the person next in line for
her patience--his appearance unbecoming such good manners--
then picked up the guitar stacked by the door and went out to his living.
No one asked him where he was going; no one offered him a ride.

It didn’t matter, for the air hung heavy with assumption:
just another drunkard drinking up another day.