Thank You, and Goodbye.

The original cornerstone

This is a hard subject to discuss out loud, so I’ll have to write it here. I’ve been singing and sighing, and yes, weeping a little bit today. It was a wonderful, difficult, productive, sad day. It was a day filled with gathering and letting go.

For almost fifteen years I was the minister of music at a large United Methodist church in Pennsylvania. Sadly the church which was once a thriving center of community events is now in disrepair with only a handful of members. The congregation has scheduled their final worship service in January.

Front view of new sanctuary Original sanctuary is in the background

This is the church where I grew up, was baptized and confirmed, and began my career. My wife and I were married in the sanctuary in front of almost 400 people. My mother was the organist there for more than 20 years. Leaving was one of the most difficult decisions we ever made, but I knew I had to change direction to plan for a family. After leaving I was invited back at the dying request of a dear member who asked that I direct the choir at her funeral. We only returned a handful of times after that.

Until …

A few days ago I received a text from a childhood friend, asking if I would like to have some choir music from the church. A million emotions gathered at once in my heart. “I haven’t set foot in the choir room since Dolly’s funeral. I don’t know if I can handle the emotional flood,” was my first thought. I wasn’t sure what would happen. I knew it would be good to have closure, but I also knew it would be eerily familiar and awkward at the same time.

A small sample of the music in the cabinets

I accepted the offer and met his wife at the church this morning. The building itself was mostly the same, with a few exceptions, mostly due to areas that are no longer accessible due to structural damage. It made me both happy and sad to be allowed into the building to explore my territory and write a conclusion to my story.

We sorted through five large cabinets filled with choir octavos, cantatas, sheet music, hymnals, and other books. As I looked at the years of musical memories, I recounted stories of the music, the church, members, former pastors, friends, celebrations, and sadness.  

2-manual Rogers organ

I took some pictures and walked around the classrooms, social hall, kitchen (what I wouldn’t give to have those pizza ovens in our church in NY), and sanctuary. I sat where my mom sat and played the Rogers organ one last time. It sounded glorious as always.

I was given a gift today. Not just the physical gift of music, but a chance to travel back in time to relive a treasured experience in a very personal way – a way that no one else will or can understand.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing me on last look around.

“A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;”

~Ecclesiates 3:6

Center aisle, looking toward the narthex.

  

Blessings

It's Thanksgiving Day and just like everyone else, I have much for which to be thankful today.

As many of you know, we experienced a very expensive summer, causing us to become very creative with ramen noodles, elbow macaroni, ground beef, tuna, and portable cooking appliances. I'm not telling you this to bemoan all of our misfortunes, but to count our many blessings amidst the trials.

Here are just a few ....

We have a functioning washer and dryer, and a much more luxurious refrigerator than I have ever owned.

We always seem to have all the food we need. What we are unable to buy is usually provided by through other means. Whether through a surplus (our children volunteer at the local food pantry) or generous friends, we always have plenty to eat.

We have been able to repair two of our vehicles. I can drive to work and leave a car at home for my wife and children when they need one.

We have learned to create meals without an oven. Recently some very dear friends loaned us a counter-top convection oven. It has been a godsend to our family. We still have retained our electric skillet repertoire because, honestly, skillet lasagna is phenomenal and fast!

We received a monetary gift, the result of which will allow us to purchase an oven in the very near future.

I was able to negotiate and restructure to bring a huge monthly bill current, which will relieve a huge source of family anxiety.

Another dear friend came to the rescue, knowing that I am forbidden to climb (long story short, I'm a fall risk), and tarped a hole in our garage roof.

So, while it may seem to the outside world that our life is filled with woe and burden, it actually overflows with blessings bestowed on us by our Lord, through our family and friends.

Thanks be to God!

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 

~Philippians 4:19~

hiatus. noun.

hiatus. noun.

2.  an interruption in time or continuity : BREAK

especially : a period when something (such as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted

after a 5-year hiatus from writing

....

Why the definition?  Simple. It's because I took an unintentional hiatus from blogging.  Sometimes stuff happens, though not planned, that interferes with one's best laid plans. That's what happened to this blog and my writing thereof. One busy day led to another, and another, and before I knew it, two and a half years passed without a single word passing from my heart though my fingers to the blogosphere.

That said, I'm here to revive this endeavor with a new outlook and perhaps a fresh coat of paint and a name change. (Not sure about that. Not yet, anyway.)

Fasten your seat belts. I'll be scribbling and bibbling about many topics, sharing memories, and waxing poetical. I'll be sharing this chaotic mind with the world, or as much of it as care to listen.

There is little doubt my words will find disagreement with some of you. My heart bleeds for you (*cough*).  In that case the only words of advice I will offer is that you cover your eyes, refrain from viewing the offensive bits, and read only the words that suit your palette.  I will make no apologies for the manner in which my mind spews forth joy onto the page. It is what it is.

Now give me a day or so to organize my thoughts ....

Today Is Happy Kids Day

Today is my mother's birthday. The year she died my son Linus declared her birthday to be "Happy Kids' Day." He didn't know it would be her last birthday on this earth.

Enjoying a Fluffer-Nutter

His idea was to do all those things Nana (Mom) would have done with them on her birthday.

This year we were in Ocean City. Mom loved the beach. She and Dad would whisk us off to Wildwood or Atlantic City for the weekend, sometimes several times a year. I'm glad we were here this year.

We frolicked in the ocean and ate fluffer-nutter sandwiches. We watched TV and lay around like slugs. We walked across the bridge and took some great pictures of the inlet (including a stunning capture of Pier 4 at sunset).

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Christmas Reflections 2015

We took a few days off this Christmas season to visit with my wife's family in the next state.  It's always fun to pack a bunch of people into a house and watch the kids play together while the grown-ups enjoy grown-up conversation and WAY TOO MUCH COFFEE.

We sang Christmas carols and lit candles in church. We ate ham and lots of cookies and drank egg nog.

Gifts at home this year mostly consisted of whatever we could stuff into their stockings, with a few little odds and ends for each person. You see, our budget took several significant hits this year such as an unplanned car purchase and one enormous hospital bill.

I am continually amazed by the love and understanding of our kids.  They LOVE opening their stockings so much they couldn't care less about other gifts.

Christmas is good.

The Sky At Night

Sometimes the sky here is very clear, I mean so clear that you can see the stars between the stars. At least that's what the tell me.  I used to be able to see all the stars, but sadly I can now only see the very brightest ones.

"Look at that! Is that Pleiades?"

"I don't know, but I do know that's the dipper."

(*sigh*)

Eyesight is a very nice thing when you have it, and a rather nasty thing when you lose it.

And even worse when you know what you used to be able to see. But can't.

That is all.

The Man Is A Hero.

Last week we took our annual family trip to Knoebel’s Amusement Resort, a wonderful amusement park filled with family friendly rides as well as plenty of water rides, thrill rides, and kiddie rides to make the entire family happy.

Oh, yeah, and did I mention the food? The Food Network rated Knoebel’s food “The Best Amusement Park Food in America.”  

So, we arrived, ate lunch, rode the rides, and had a great time!

There was, however, one kid who didn’t have such a great day, and I have a feeling he didn’t have such a great ride home, either.

Here’s why … 

We put a few of the kids on a ride called “Roto Jets,” which is basically a bunch of rockets that spin in a circle while also moving up and down. 

Anyway, three of our kids, along with their cousin, were just starting the ride when a kid stood up in the rocket behind my son. The ride operator yelled for the kid to sit down, but he wouldn’t sit. The man then stopped the ride, gently and safely, making sure that all the rockets slowed down and descended from way up there.

But before the rockets could descend or stop completely, the boy jumped from his rocket to the inside of the ride, where the spinning arms that operated the rockets missed his head by a fraction of an inch, while the ride continued to move, slowly coming to a stop.

The operator stood, pointed and yelled at the boy to freeze and not move a muscle.

The ride stopped, the operator, surrounded by several park officials, picked the boy up and he ran to his parents, who walked away with him.

I’m writing this down for several reasons.

First, I want the park to know from an actual witness the events as they happened, as they seemingly took no names or statements at the time, and did not detain the boy or his family to take a statement.

Secondly, I want the park to know that in my opinion the ride operator acted superbly in a frightful situation. He remained calm but stern, only yelling to keep the child from being killed. I’m not sure I would have been as calm as he. Excellent job!

Finally, I want to reiterate to my children, just as I did when it happened, that rules exist for a reason, even on park rides.

• Yes, you have to fasten the seat belt.
• Yes, you have to be tall enough to ride.
•  No, you may not stand up while the ride is moving.

The man who was operating the Roto Jets averted a disaster. He is a hero.

That is all.