Tardy Report

Well, aren't I the tardy one to finish reporting on our trip to Minnesota?

So, we attended a beautiful wedding. Everyone looked so pretty/handsome. 

This in our son, Ben, and our daughter-in-law, Sara.

This is Adam, our nephew, with Ben. I like that photo.

After the wedding we had a bit of time as we made our way across town to where the reception dinner and dance were to be held. It was the perfect opportunity to go by the seminary Mike attended in the 1980's.

We lived on campus there for three years when Maria and Ben were little.  It was fun to be there with them again all grown up. We walked through the woods, a shortcut they both remembered.  

We traipsed  around the campus a bit, enjoying sharing memories. It was fun to learn what snippets the kids remembered. It was also fun to share that with the grandgirls and our children's spouses. They may have been bored but they were all good sports.

Wouldn't it have been weird, back when Maria was a four year old walking that same sidewalk, if we could have seen into the future?  We used to take Ben to a daycare down that sidewalk. We have had a lot of adventures and seen a lot of places since then. The best part is, we have added more people to our family mix since those days.

Elise entertained herself with some spinning and twirling. Two is such a fun age.

The campus was really pretty, complete with cherry blossoms... At least I think they were cherry blossoms.

After a quick, self-guided tour, we were off to a beautiful wedding reception that was in a lovely place on the edge of the Mississippi River. 

We were so happy that we got to spend that happy time with family.

Mom

Happy Mother's Day to all the ladies out there. Whether you have had children of your own or not, you have likely "mothered" someone along the way.

Most especially, Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, Grace. Don't you just love her name?. It suits her well.

I am wishing I could be with my Mom today.  I thought I would be with my Mom today. But, this happened. 

It didn't matter that I had already folded all my winter close into my under-the-bed storage container. It still happened.

That is how it looks out my back door at this very moment, May 10. That just seems all wrong. Our lilacs were just starting to bloom!  

Under all that snow is a lawn that needs mowed, weeds that need pulled and new little flowers that should be soaking up the sun. Oh well. It is moisture and we need that.

Anyway, it would not be a gift to my Mom to make her worry if I chose to make that 2 hour drive across an icy Wyoming prairie that is frosted with so much white fluff. I bet it would be a beautiful view, though! 

Anyway, let me tell you a couple things about my Mom.

My Mom raised her children with love that required a lot of sacrifices. She taught us all, by example, how to put other's needs even before our own. She protected us from some harsh realities that she had to face quietly, while showing us only a smile. She protected our childhoods with ferocity. I only recognized this in retrospect but I am so grateful for it.

My Mom also taught us to do things for our own enjoyment. She was already a mother when she discovered she was also an artist. We all watched her study and work and learn and progress with her talent. That set a good example for us as well.

My Mom was my first best friend. Even in high school, she was the one I wanted to come home and talk to after something exciting/sad/funny happened. I really love my Mom. 

My Mom was also the first and maybe most important gift I received from God. Thank you, God, for my Mom.

Spring Gone Wild

I admit it. I have been watching The Weather Channel again today. Well, in my defense, I do believe it is one of the best reality shows on television and today it was really fun. 

One thing I enjoy about the weather channel is how excited the reporters get when the weather is all wound up as it is this week-end. They try to show their concern for those in the path of scary weather, and I know they are sincere about that. But it is fun to see how excited they get about the vortexes and the rotations and the different bright colors on the radar. I like seeing people enjoy their work.

I admit it; I like a good storm. I like them in the way I like a good movie. I want a bit of excitement and tension, but I also want to knew it will all turn out to be ok in the end.

The thing I like about BIG weather, like wind and such, is it really demonstrates to me the power of nature, and by nature

I mean God. It is a good reminder of who is in charge.

So, we have ourselves a bit of a weather situation here. It is May and we have snow. Yep, SNOW!. 

While that is not unheard of in these here parts, it certainly isn't our usual. Sure, we are all complaining about it but not too seriously. After seeing The Weather Channel and knowing others have tornadoes, tropical storms, giant hail and flooding going on this weekend, our sloppy, wet snow doesn't seem so bad.

Speaking off wind, though, that is always a powerful force here. Look at these trees by our church. They are permanently pointed East, thanks to our wind so often coming at us from the West. Oh well, it keeps our air refreshed.

I postponed posting more photos from our Minnesota trip because it seemed important that I report on our snow. Those Weather Channel people get me all fired up!. Thanks for reading, "weather" you wanted to or not.

Minnesota Wedding

We just enjoyed a quick but fun trip to Minnesota!  We were only gone a few days but we really packed those days full of friends, family and fun.

Our niece, Allison, got married on Saturday. What a beautiful wedding and what a stunningly beautiful bride! I didn't take photos at the actual wedding but we have all been passing this photo from phone to phone. I think it was taken by the bride's mother. Thanks for sharing! 

This was our first time meeting Kyle, Allison's chosen one. It was easy to like him and we all approved. He seems to know what a treasure he has found in Allison. I really liked that. We all look forward to years of family gatherings and opportunities to get to know him better.

It really is true that when you marry someone, you marry their family as well. I am not sure everyone quite gets that at first. To me, that is part of the process of becoming"one".  Learning to love those your beloved cares for is so important.

Adding new people to the family enriches all of its members. I think of our own nuclear family, that is, Mike and me and our children. I loved that little family!  However, I would never want to go back to our family without our son-in-law and daughter-in-law. They have both brought joy to our family, adding their own personalities to the mix.

When I became an in law to Mike's family, I suppose I thought of myself as an add on, not a real family member. I don't mean that I wasn't kindly welcomed, because I was. I am just saying what was in my own head. I did not yet share history with them. 

I didn't really think about the fact that at one time both of Mike's parents probably felt like an add on to each other's families as well. Maybe you have to be a generation into it before you realize you are an integrated part of that family as will as the family in which you've grown up.

I am rambling, aren't I? Does any of this makes sense to anyone else? 

Anyway, I think families are important. I know that not everyone is blessed with a supportive family. I am grateful for mine, all branches of it. That is what I wanted to say. That is what I feel.

I have more to tell you and more photos to share. All this emotion is wearing me out, though. I will get back to you soon! 

Cordelia's Astronaut Dreams

Cordelia is really interested in space exploration.  Eric has taught her a lot of information, which she happily shares, regarding the planets. He's a great Dad,  isn't he?

Cordelia will not only tell you the order the planets are in, she will tell you interesting facts about them as well. Remember, she is only 5 years old.

Well, recently Cordelia told me that she is not so sure she really wants to travel into space now. I asked her why and she told me there were two big reasons she might decide to not go.
 
   1.   Astronauts have to eat their food through a straw. Cordelia stated that she did not think macaroni and (vegan) cheese would go well through a straw.

That seemed like a valid concern to me. I felt she could overcome that worry, though. She could adapt.

Her second reason might  be an insurmountable problem for her, though...

   2.   "Grandma, they do not wear dresses up there!"

Yeah, that may be a deal breaker for our little granddaughter.

Did you notice the space  helmet on the floor behind her?

   

Prairie Wyoming

Wednesday was a day to rejoice! I was with my Mom in Rapid City. She underwent tests and received the excellent news that no cancer was evident! Yes, it was a great day.

Last night I got to visit with my sister and a bit with one of my nephews. It was just nice to sit around being relaxed and happy with the good news.

I got up real early this morning and drove the two hours back to our town, arriving just in time to report to work. I absolutely love that drive! I wish everyone could enjoy the wildness of Wyoming at least once. It is so open and much of it looks as it probably has for centuries.

Here, just ride along with me to enjoy the Wyoming  Sunrise, open prairie, a band of sheep, a little Spring shower and a sense of quiet peace.

Baking With the Girls

Not long ago I had a fun afternoon with Cordelia and Elise. While Eric took Maria to the movies, the girls and I went to the Science Zone. 

Those of you who have followed Maria's blog, Maria-rose.blogspot.com ,may remember that Elise broke her arm while at the Science Zone last Fall. They have not been there since, as Elise trembled just at the mention of the place.  But, Cordelia was begging to go and Elise decided she was ready as well. She said, "Grandma, I promise I will never break my arm again! ". How could I turn them down? 

They had such a good time! 

It is a simple little place in the basement of a furniture store but it is a fun place.

Later, we went tho their house and baked a very colorful cake.  The cake was for their Mom and they took it all very seriously. They wanted it to be beautiful for her.

They may have done some taste testing.

It was truly an artistic process. The sprinkles were a big hit.

They were quite proud of the results and then waited for their Mom to come home to be surprised.

Half Mast

It was a somber morning at work today. One of our own had become very ill just over a week ago. When I had visited her in the hospital she told me she would miss the jokes I put on my office for each day. So, last week I took daily photos of them and sent them to her daughter, also a co-worker and friend, to share with her.

When I got to work today and learned she had died, I just didn't feel it was respectful to put up another joke. There is a time to laugh and a time to cry, I felt. 

Instead, this is what I put up...

It seemed right to me. Hopefully it seemed respectful to my co-workers as well.

Her name was Gloria. She was a sassy, spunky lady.  By this afternoon, people were reminding each other of her sense of humor and some of the things that made her special.  There were even some chuckles as people spoke of ways she had made them laugh. She loved to laugh.

Isn't that kind of how life is sometimes?  The weeping and the laughter can be so close together, even happen simultaneously on occasion?  Life is funny that way.

Gloria was a person of faith, a person who knew true hope. I don't feel sad for her. In fact, I rather like wondering about what joy she is experiencing right now. I feel sad for her family. I feel sad for her work family.  But, I also know about real hope and I do believe death is just another beginning. 

The jokes will be back on my door again. Gloria would not have wanted that to stop. But, today was a day of half mast. It was a day we recognized our loss.

A Word From Pastor Mike "You Can Make a Difference For God"

I'm a bit slow, but the following was Mike's Easter Sermon:

Happy Easter! Here at our congregation we have been reading the Book of Acts during Lent, 50 readings in 50 days. The companion  book to the series is called, The Essential Question - How You Can Make a Difference for God.

The Essential Question  is from Acts 22. It involves the conversion of Saul, Christianity's greatest enemy, into its greatest missionary and theologian. The Essential Question Saul/Paul asks is "What do you want me to do, Lord?"

Let's hear the story from Saul/Paul...
   As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus about noon, a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me and I feel to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And I answered. "Who are you, Lord?"  And he said to me, "I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting." Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, "What do you want me to do, Lord?" And the Lord said to me, "Rise and go into Damascus and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do."

Saul went into Damascus, prayed and fasted. He regained his sight. He went into the Jewish synagogues and proclaimed that Jesus is the Son of God. He started going by Paul instead of Saul.  He spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the Roman Empire.

What a turn around from trying to stamp Christianity out to becoming its greatest promoter. Paul's life made a difference. Two billion Christians in the world and not only is Christianity the world's largest religion, it's growing!

Since our series, The Essential Question, is about a question, I have been investigating questions. Did you  know that in the Gospels Jesus asked 307 questions? The questions were sometimes simple. How many loaves do you have? What's your name? Sometimes the questions were probing, Who do people say that I am? Who do you say that I am? And sometimes the questions were heart-wrenching... Why did you doubt, oh you of little faith? Do you want to be made well?

Jesus was also asked at least 183 questions. Depending on who you listen to, he only answered 3 to 8 of them directly.

Questions help us to learn and to gather information. Questions even help us to believe. Questions are fascinating.

Back in 1993 a two word question became one of the most successful advertising campaigns ever. Do you know what it was?   ...Got milk?

At first they weren't going to run it because
     a) it was lazy
     b) it was grammatically incorrect

The popularity of the ad spilled over into other fronts...
Got Jesus? Got God? Got coffee? Got talent?

Friends got your back. Atheists got nothing. Kids - got your nose.  A Colorado billboard before you get into Wyoming... Got Weed? (Mike had many more examples and photos on the big screen to go with them. I guess you would have had to have been there.)

In our Gospel reading the woman, Mary Magdalene, Mary, the Mother of Jesus and Salome had a question, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"

The Gospels tell us that Jesus was wrapped in a linen shroud and laid in a tomb cut out of rock, then a larger stone was rolled in place to seal the tomb. When the women got to the tomb their question was answered, the stone was rolled away. Inside a young man in a white robe said, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples. He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."

Of course, all the questions were answered for the women (sarcasm). They were afraid! They fled. Their heads were probably about to explode with questions.

Of course, when the women told the disciples, all their questions were answered. No way! They had to check it out for themselves. Even then, though they believed, I'll bet they still had questions.

What are we to make of Saul, a Jewish hit man, a thug. He knew for a fact that Christianity was a lie and he wanted to stomp it out. He has an encounter with the living Christ and he asks the essential question, "What do you want me to do, Lord?" He made a difference for God.

You can make a difference for God, too! Maybe you have questions, that's ok. The women at the tomb had questions. The disciples had questions. Saul had questions. Augustine, a great church leader had questions. Martin Luther had questions. The Protestant tradition was born out of questioning.
The thing is, what are you going to do with questions?

For some people questions lead to a negative road of bitterness, indifference, a hard heart and despair. Questions can also lead to understanding, eyes being opened, an "Aha" moment, confession... thank you God for all you've done for me.

If you were to ask me what all this Good Friday and Easter stuff means I'd tell you 3 things.

     1) What Jesus did for us on the cross brought reconciliation between us and God. Right relationship with God has been restored. Our sins are taken away.
     2) Jesus won the victory over death. Because he lives, we shall live, too. We don't need to fear death. it brings us closer to God.
     3) In his instruction, Jesus taught us how to live with God and neighbor. His teaching brings meaning to life. Now I get it!

When I asked God the Essential Question, "What shall I do, Lord?" the answer was Preach the Gospel.

• You are God's good creation but we are sinners. We fall short. We miss the mark. Repeat every day...tell God you're sorry and that you trust and believe in his forgiveness.
• God loves you. God is not as worried about your past as your are. God's all about new starts, beginning again. God wants us to have life and have it abundantly. God wants us to have joy. God wants to bless us and he wants us to have a life of purpose.
• God wants relationship with us. He'll take our doubts, our questions. He'll take our thanks and praise. Thank God for Easter, for the beauty of creation, thanks for Easter dresses, thanks for family and friends, thanks for health, for food and drink. Thank God for all good gifts. Let your Easter and everyday be filled with thank yous for God.

So this Easter you have:

1. The cross restoring relationship with God 
2. The empty tomb is victory over death 
3. The teaching of Jesus brings meaning and purpose to life

You also have the Essential Question, "What do you want me to do, lord?"

Well, that will be answered differently by everyone but let me suggest a few things:

•    Use your talents.
•    Be kind, be encouraging, be thankful.
•    If something jumps inside you... do it.

Whatever you do, ask God to help you and whether it be big or small, do it to the Glory of God. I know you can make a difference for God.

Bowling!