OF POULTRY AND PRESIDENTS

 

Please read in gentle musing tones directed at no specific individual.

Current rhetoric in many fields is rife with hot-button words. And most of them have given me pause for thought. Just because you and I have a different perspective is one of us hate-filled and bigoted? If I say you are, does that not make me the same? I don’t see myself in that light, and I’ll bet you don’t see yourself that way either. Can we not take a firm stand on an issue without squaring off verbally? Must we denigrate one another in the guise of righteousness? The old WWJD bracelets posed a viable question. What would Jesus do in modern times when bombarded with the moral and social choices we are called to make? The first image that comes to mind for me is to picture His writing those mysterious words or symbols in the sand, reminding us that we are all sinners and in no position to cast the stones of condemning words. And calling one another such descriptive words is casting stones, no matter on which side of the issue we stand.

Maybe I’m just simple-minded, but it is difficult for me to see why you or I might label one another unflatteringly simply because we espouse principals each of us believes to be justice. Ah, justice. But what about mercy ~ with one another? It seems that mercy often gets lost in the shuffle of hyperbole.  There was a time when I wanted to shout back that I was not a hate monger or bigot when I felt maligned. Now that desire has finally been replaced with quiet sadness for the one who is unable to replace verbal vitriol with the milder tolerance he assumes I do not have. But I need the same lesson. We cannot duplicate the love of God if we do not extend this grace to one another.      

Remembering the Day

If I don't write down memories it's quite possible that they won't last as such these days. Since there are a few more minutes left in our anniversary day, I'm chronicling random images from dawn until past dusk.

The day began with a knock at the bedroom door awakening my bridesmaid and me around 7 a.m. It was my dear daddy dressed in full tuxedo with a white towel draped over his arm. He greeted us cheerily, with a bow, carrying a tray with two glasses of orange juice. How could we not rise with a smile! It truly set the tone for the day, and I shall always remember the effort it took for him to give us that delightful moment.

The day was filled with activity. Lots of last minute details to occupy the whole family until the magic hour. I was amazingly relaxed ~ more so than anyone else, I believe. Everyone thought I was on something, but it was just a natural high. Finally Daddy walked me down the aisle and the deed was done.

I had told Buzz several times before the ceremony that I wanted only a brief kiss to seal the deal. When the time came, I had my hands on the front of his shoulders as he kissed me, and kissed me, and kissed me. I was pushing those shoulders with all my strength, but to no avail. You can even hear the wedding guests laughing on the audio tape. He showed me that he would do just as he pleased even before we left the alter. I was pretty outdone with him as we walked up the aisle ~ but wore a smile because I didn't think it would bode well for wedding talk if I looked irritated so early into the marriage. I was well over it by the time we got to the reception. Now it is a fun memory.

We had trouble getting away from the reception because we were having so much fun talking to the guests. Finally some asked us to leave so they could go home, and we left to change clothes and leave the church building. When we came out in the foyer to leave, Buzz had his tie (everybody dressed up in those days) in his hand. I did not know he couldn't tie a real tie. What to do? I knew how to tie one so we stood in the foyer while I tied it for him. We even have a picture of it in our album. Looking back now it seems so silly to leave in full church clothes ~ but those were different days. We got out to his black car and someone had painted it up all over. That white never did fully come off of that car!

When we got to the hotel that night, we opened our luggage and someone (and you know who you are!) had filled it with rice. The stuff went everywhere as we pulled out clothes. I was quite outdone. Being well-trained by my mother, I got down on my hands and knees to scoop up rice before making another move. It bothered me to leave that mess for housekeeping. That was another thing I would do differently today.

My wedding day was a fun-filled day from beginning to end. I always urge brides-to-be to pledge to themselves that the event will be enjoyable. The wedding will proceed, almost no matter what. And it's so much better to remember it as a joyful day than one of tension and over-expectations. I'm glad I can say that 42 years later!

 

August 15, 2012   

Beautiful Tables of August 12, 2012

What a special event took place today! It was an occasion that occurs far less frequently than I would like. I was privileged to feast at the two most beautiful tables in my world all in the same day. As I reflected on the second one, I realized that there were two, and must consider them both.

The first was set before my brothers and sisters in Christ. It is one from which I am eager to be served each week. The eucharist, the body, and the blood of grapes comprise a simple, but holy feast which brings to mind the sacrifice which fuels my gratitude and joy for the coming days. I am refreshed and strengthened by this celebration with my family of believers.

The second table is the old mahogany oval in my dining room around which are gathered all the people most dear to me in life. Present are my husband, our two sons, our daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Although the menu is a little more complicated, it wouldn't matter if it only consisted of a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of water. The beauty of the table is the dear faces of the ones we love more than any other on earth. I sat there basking in their presence, wishing I could freeze the moment to bring out on the days after they return home, and the oval is far too large for two people. No, the beauty is in its being filled with happy, loving souls bound together by blood and marriage. And again I am joyfully grateful ~ refreshed and strengthened by the second celebration of the day.

Blog Birthday ~ August 13, 2012

All about me......Hmm.....Where do I start? And more importantly where do I stop? Maybe I'll just jump in in the middle and see where it goes. I'm officially an elderly woman. I know this for certain because the newspaper will identify a traffic accident victim my age as "the elderly woman...." Even so, I think I am a case of arrested development because inside I am still about 19 years old. In my life I have taught jr. high history in a large city; been a welfare social worker in a much smaller one; been a SAHM to twin sons; owned and managed a small retail business; and am now enjoying retirement ~ finding life to be fuller and busier than I ever dreamed possible.

It may soon be obvious, if not already apparent, that I have absolutely no journalistic training past English Comp 101. However my mother was an English and journalism teacher; and I would not have dared put out anything for the public to read while she was living lest she give in to her irresistible urge to edit. In recent years I have found it helpful to write out my thoughts in an attempt to bring coherence to the jumble that fills my mind. Somehow through written composition my thoughts become more focused and organized ~ and I make more sense to myself. (Does that make any sense?) My Facebook posts are too long and don't seem to fit the norm, whatever that is, and I just can't bring myself to advise my friends as to every time I'm tired, or suffer stress, or want to go shopping, or, or,........... So blogging for me, as I now see it, is my effort to journal a bit, allowing any who care to peek at the persiflage of my ordinary, but authentic life. (I've always wanted to keep a journal, but my handwriting is illegible and only confuses me 12 hours after it's written. Computers have changed my life!)

Considering that you are reading my ideas, I would love to hear yours. Of course, keep it clean, and please be kind to all. I put great stock in civility, and I hope my friends do as well.