Schedules are hectic and days are fleeting – time, although I thought so as a lad, does not stand still.My commitment to pen a new blog each and every day of this year constantly challenges me to keep pace – I often find I have lagged behind and am in a ‘catch-up’ mode.After I had completed a couple of writings, I hurriedly posted them to my blog websites and emailed them to the family so those nearby could start reading them.I broke my normal protocol of first sending blogs to Cynthia so she can check for typo’s, grammatical usage, and general information and layout in my press to get them to avid and voracious readers.Now my clan was engrossed in perusing Blog 237 Reminisce.Cynthia raised her deep brown twinkling eyes above her ‘readers’ and said, “you have an extra ‘i’ in it” – where? – “in maize” – how ‘corny’ can you be? You know I meant maze as in labyrinth – “yes, but what you wrote was maize as in Early American Indian planting!That was mortifying enough but at that very instant my mother’s voice pierced the entire living room in an elevated pitch announced, “I will have you know my roast was NOT dry!”The life lessons to be learned here are: 1) when you have a system that works, stick with it, even when pressured to do differently, and 2) forget about semantics even in the context of literary license if your mother’s roast is involved – I learned my lesson, even though this time it was a lose-lose proposition!
The temperate gentle breeze whispered through the lowest branches of the sugar maple suspended a mere six feet above the thin Kentucky Blue Grass which was showing signs of significant foot traffic.The fifty feet of circular shade covered us like the hand of the Almighty covers His children, and provided a relaxed atmosphere for our Indian-summer family conference.We sat there in the three weathered lawn chairs lazily gazing across the fields adorned in the lavish richness of green bushes laden with soy beans and, in the distance, the gentle waving of yellowing tassels atop a tall stand of corn much like plumes of feathers on a peacock.The conversation emanating from Cynthia’s uncle was slow and sectioned by pauses as though taking time to remember what was just said and planning ahead for just what needs to be said to finish his thought.We listened as he expressed his bewilderment at why he was so lonely since losing his mate and his sadness at his inability to recall the names of the people who had extended care to him in his recent five-month lodging at the nursing home where he now is only able to relate who did what by how fat or thin they were.We were amused.Dementia has erased his ability to recall the names of the people across the street, but he was fully aware that “every-other-week there were two different guys who showed up to cut the lawn, one was real fat and one was real skinny except for the one week in there where the skinny guy did not show up and the fat guy did the lawn two weeks in a row”.He gets his own breakfast but the daughter-in-law comes by to make him lunch and his son comes by "of an evening to put in his eye drops and make him (his) supper." At 92, he reminds me how similarly we enter and leave this world – we can only relate things by size and shapes, fat and thin, and are dependent upon others for nourishment and care.The bell curve of life for Virgil is on its downward slope now and today’s visit warmed my soul, even though the feebleness of his frame betrays the brutality of the aging process.This is something that every one of us shall face if life runs its normal course, and a smile sneaks upon my face as I realize that, in some ways, the process is creeping up on me even as I sit under the shade of a sugar maple with Virgil.
Whenever we are home for a visit, it always seems that we end up at some point reminiscing over either some nostalgic event or simply running through a whole list of consecutive thoughts somehow linked together with a chain made of people, places or things each evoking the next in the series.Today was one of those days – it started out harmlessly enough with my mother asking Cynthia to crawl down on the floor (a feat for Mom, but thankfully still fairly simple for my honey) and look through some old videos that she thought she remembered were held in the sacred archives of a cabinet conveniently located between two favorite living room chairs.She pulled them from the maze with adeptness that left my mother’s jaw lower and her eyes wider than before.Amazed that she had found them so quickly, Mom instantly slid one of them into the VCR and began playing the recording of our former music group etched for posterity nearly twenty-one years ago.The occasion that inspired the treasure hunt was a reunion we have scheduled with the friends from those years who are coming to Mom’s to visit, now living in the vicinity making travel possible – boy are they going to be jazzed to see themselves as we saw ourselves – older – whiter headed – but such is life and the joys of aging simultaneously producing an increasingly thickening of the soul making it impervious to embarrassment.We watched images of grown children in their youth and deceased elders revisiting our memories, both equally adept at drawing an effervescent tear to the corner of the eye.We reminisced too long – dinner was later and the roast was drier than expected, but the hearts were warmed and richer for the experience.Reminiscence – I highly recommend it!!!
Since days of yore, men of age have parleyed to exchange deeds of valor and feats of daring, be they squires or sires, serfs or masters.Conquests bold and of determined spirit were all laid bare among the banquet tables of the town meeting hall.Rescues of fair damsels, whether from angry beasts or evil lords, were all boasted before peers for comment and acclaim.Arising at dawn, it fell my lot this fair day to guide chariot and steed to local village lodge, passing the humble abode of my father-figure to carry him to the confab of talking heads – thereupon arrival we did approach the maiden of the chalet to give us brews that might aid in communal discourse of social gathering – alas, no, me hardies, no ale hath passed these lips save for the produce of the wee Columbian bean of java, robust and hearty.Jesting and foolery done in, solemn matters of propitious eminence did flavor the consort of souls this day and substance of state was discussed until, all topics exhausted, until, final resolution of all worldly ills subverted, time drew nigh of return to the castle keep for reunion with damsels fair.Aye, me hardies, this lodge of subject hath been haven to men of seniority for multitude of season and yet remains the most suitable for address of issues and matters of the realm - Yea, me hardies, ‘tis me Hardee’s.
We had the privilege of being guests in a Sunday School class today as we were in town for a visit with my mother.Greg, the teacher of the class, gave us the text for the lesson of Deuteronomy 6 and then pointed out that, already into the fifth book of the Bible, this is the first mention of the love of God and ‘what did that mean to us’?After a brief discussion, the opportunity to offer input came to me – my perspective is that a lot of historical information regarding the formation of ‘God’s Chosen People’ and their transition into the land of promise and the delivery of the law, all of which point to the watchful eye and oversight of the Most High, but now it is time to reveal the motivation of our Father toward his people – love.The focus of love is always on the object of affection – deference to the other – selfless and nurturing.Love is built on respect – respect is built on the observation of the character of the loving one and it becomes a perpetual tennis-volley-style model of living, not for self or gain, but for the other.This love feature describes perfectly our God with His creation, a great marriage or any other relationship where the observable narrative includes the word ‘love’.How is the word ‘love’ used in your relationships – with God, with your spouse, with your neighbor across the street from you?Remember, it all starts and ends with your relationship with God.
As I sat awaiting my ride to the airport, my gaze scanned radar-style across the ‘Enchanted Garden’ meticulously created by my darling spouse over the past few years, a beauty to the beholder’s eye and a haven for all sorts of backyard visitors. The ominous gray sky prophesied nearing showers but failed to discourage this menagerie. From the shepherd’s hook, a burgeoning octagonal feeder served as delicatessen to four finches as their fluttering wings held them secure at their banquet site. Two southern gray squirrels spiraled energetically up the sprawling oak and back down again while a third performed perfect chin-ups on the terra cotta feeder dish below, ultimately bringing him up to the heap of seed for the eating, tail arched over his back as a parasol to fend off the increasing pace of droplets. Turtle doves, two pairs, took mannerly turns in the hanging wooden safflower trough, delicately suspended near the wrought-iron archway framing the path through the delightful enchantment. Unique, the way in which all nature’s creatures seemed to instinctively defer each to the other without offering the first audible offense that another of God’s creation had encroached upon space that should belong solo to him, rather, seemed perfectly satisfied to share-and-share-alike in the abundance that had been provided – somehow thankful that any allowance at all had been made for them. Strange – how these simplest animals in the kingdom seem to have completely mastered a concept that has oddly eluded the human sector – why do you suppose that is?
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You know, in many ways, I truly feel badly about criticizing my president – especially in light of the way I was raised – to have the utmost respect for those in high offices, especially our national leader, given the mantle of responsibility they must bear.I have found it highly offensive over the years to hear pan reviews of former leadership, especially when the items the media chose to expose seemed to demean our president and his position – the journalistic world has brutally mistreated George Bush and ridiculed his Texas carriage as something less that acceptable to the rest of us – some sort of hayseed or bumpkin not of adequate caliber to represent our nation in proper form or fashion, but I have to ask you:
◦If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved?
◦If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?
◦If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky? If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?
◦If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?
◦If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current on their income taxes, would you have approved?
◦If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the fourth of May (Cuatro de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?
◦If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on "Earth Day", would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?
◦If George W. Bush's administration had allowed Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually "get" what happened on 9-11?
◦If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?
◦If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?
◦If George W. Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?
◦If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again 10 times within years, would you have approved?
◦If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?
◦If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?
So, tell me again, what is it about Mr. Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive?Can't think of anything?Don't worry.He's done all the above in his first 5 months as president -- so be patient you've still got three years and seven months to come up with an answer. Only a few of the opening remarks are mine - I do not claim authorship of this list of statistics, I am merely forwarding them to you as discerning citizens to do with as you see fit.
Today is a normal Thursday and Grannie and I have come from spending the morning with our Isaac-boy, a delight if ever there was one.We had the privilege and honor to spend this particular morning with our son, Ben, as well, since he had today off from his employer-related duties.What a joy it was to watch the two of them interact – Dad, with his patience well in hand, Son, with his newest developmental nuance, testing his father’s resolve.How gratifying to see the quite normal evolution from infant to toddler, ever checking his growing boundaries to see if they are the same today or if, by pressing them, he can affect the dynamic to produce some newly-found freedoms to explore.A true battle of the wits, and both of the main characters in the play have plenty.Isaac is poised to vault over his play wall in an instant while Daddy is determined that he is only allowed outside the barrier when he says it is okay.Back and forth – forth and back – oh, how the reminiscences take me back to bygone years when the test of wills was between my son and me – some wonderful years, even through the tests.To see the reenactment now evokes both a chuckle and a tear.What fun to observe the determination played out on both sides – both wills, tenacious.What emotions stir to recall this tug-of-war between Ben and me during his developmental years – both wills, determined.I am proud of Ben today for the man he has become, though still enough room for improvement, I think my father might say the same about me as well if you could ask him.Generations pass, but the process is not all that different.What will you become, my little Isaac-man?I pray that you shall have character to carry you though life and that your Daddy can properly show you the right way to go.
As Cynthia and I traveled down the thoroughfare traversing the county while preparing for our northerly excursion, we noticed several flags, Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes furled to evoke pride and patriotism in the citizenry.We have always thrilled to see the Red, White and Blue creation of Betsy Ross which served always to remind us of how much we love this nation.Today was slightly different, however – actually sad in a way.At least three of these ensigns of freedom flew in tatters and were faded, an offense and usurpation of flag etiquette and a sight that should never be seen.If one has assumed the responsibility of flying the colors, one must also adopt the posture of propriety in the conscientiousness of action.As I thought more about this violation, the thought occurred to me that this is a true commentary on the state of the nation – currently in shambles, faded from its glorious presence – disheartening to its rank-and-file public – seemingly unable to stir the bold confidence of former ages.Today, rather than to criticize, I choose to verbalize - a whisper heavenward – God, reprove our leadership and restore us to a people of faith – a nation who firmly and soundly returns to the original base of solidarity that formed this ‘land of the free and home of the brave’.Renew our hearts to beat synchronously to reach out to our fellow man and bless them from the true riches of this great land, the character of America and of Americans.Bring us back to accountability and demand the same from our politicians – and once again, through morality and will, elevate them from mere politicians to magnificent statesmen.Create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and renew an upright and steadfast spirit within me.After all, I may not allow myself to expect more from my fellow man than I, myself, am willing and obliged to give.Thank you, my Father.Amen.
I came across the picture appearing in this blog concerning a topic I wanted to discuss – Respect.Aretha Franklin made a smash hit of the song bearing the same title in 1967 which ultimately became her signature tune and life statement, even though it was originally released two years prior by Otis Redding – the main subject being deference offered by the opposite gender.Now the poster-style image bearing the effigy of Uncle Sam seems to be juxtaposed against our social background and begs the caption from every American, “We will if YOU will!!”As a young man, respect was something instilled in me from the onset – respect your elders, respect your parents, respect your governmental leaders and so forth.It seems to me that respect, however, is slipping away from our social fiber and is grossly lacking as a base model being instilled in our young people today.Respect meant acceptance without resistance – whatever was asked of you, you just acquiesced because it was proper to do so.American youth now neglect the elders, feel that the driver has right-of-way over pedestrians, in other words, it is no longer about relinquishing will to that of the more experienced, rather it is now about ‘me’, ‘my rights’, ‘my space’, ‘what’s in it for me?’!Government is more and more made up of younger people who have cut their teeth in this new Gen-X ‘me’ generation and therefore now act as though it is about them rather than about those they are elected to represent.All I really would like to see once again is a government that wants to respect me for who I am in the arena, the entity with whom they have been entrusted responsibility to make the way for the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness – but then, does that suggest I am becoming self-centered and more like them?I certainly do not want to be disrespectful – neither do I want to be disrespected!!How do you feel about it?
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