You Got Talent!

Our Activities Director taped a "sign up sheet" to my counter a few days ago. (We need to tape papers to the counter, because they have a tendency to walk away, if they are not attached somewhere.)
The new "sign-up sheet" was a recruitment for a Talent Show. It has come as a surprise to a few, but not to many. that most folks do not think that they possess any talent, what so ever. Dozens of residents have read the sheet, but so far only a few have signed up to share their talent. So far we have two photographers, 1 painter and a drummer.
Now, I happen to know that each and every resident of my work place has unique gifts and graces. There is one women who knits beautiful and intricate sweaters.  Another woman writes amusing and insightful stories.
The most amazing pies, bordering on sinfully delicious, are made by yet another woman.  Talent abounds and these folks are way too modest.
My friend, the pie maker, just assumes that everyone can do what she does. Not so. I can't think of a soul who can match her lemon cream pie, or any of her pastry creations, for that matter. She is a master baker with incredible talent.
Senior citizens, we are a talented population. Think how long we have been around. If nothing else we have a talent for living....and living well. Our age makes us experts at living, and many of us have quite a knack for it.
To Life!

Great and all powerful God. We owe our existence to you. Show us how to praise you and how to follow your example. We ask these things in your Holy Name.

Mrs. Anderson was right.

June is traditionally a major celebration time for 3 groups of folks. Brides and grooms, graduates and of course fathers. A nationally designated day to celebrate mothers has been in existence for quite a while. The day to honor fathers, paternal bonds and just good men in general has a much later officially assigned date. President Nixon, himself the father of two girls, made it official, as the second Sunday in June, in 1972.
However, Americans have been celebrating an unofficial Father's Day since the early 1900's, when Harry C. Meek decided (after hearing about Mother's Day) to work to have a day set aside to honor fathers. Oddly enough, Mr. Meeks chose his own birthday, June 15th, as the date for all future U.S. Father's Day Celebrations.
Over 150 Nations celebrate Father's Day. In many of those countries, the celebration coincides with St. Joseph's Feast Day, Joseph being the earthly father of Jesus. Joseph is recorded as being a pretty good dad. Not perfect (he left Jesus, stranded and alone in Jerusalem, for a couple of days), but like most fathers, he did the best job he could.
So, enjoy a day in your honor, gentlemen. It will be a day quite different from Mother's Day. Unlike mom, you probably won't be receiving any flowers or chocolate candy. You might not even get all of the greeting cards or phone calls that you are expecting, but when the times get tough and some fatherly advice is needed.....Father Knows Best.

Heavenly Father: It's hard to be an obedient child, but it's much more difficult to be a loving father.
Thank you for loving us unconditionally. We are trying.

Edamame, anyone?

Several weeks ago, I attended a United Methodist Church Conference being held at a beautiful big city hotel. Along with hundreds of  well-appointed sleeping rooms, this venue had numerous banquet spaces and a huge wait/catering staff. Our event lasted an entire weekend, so we had a total of seven full meals served to the 300 or so folks in attendance.
The food was good. There was plenty of it.
However, it became immediately apparent, during the first meal, that the staff was spending a huge amount of time preparing and serving "specially prepared" meals.
At the tables, seating 10, it was the norm to see two or three regularly plated banquet meals and 7 or 8 "special meals". Some of these "special folks" were having salads with specific types of lettuce. Others "no salad" plates". Some had requested "no pork" and others "no chicken". Vegetarian meals and vegan meals had been prepared. There were "no spice" requests, "no gluten" requests, "no dairy" requests, "no nuts" requests and specific fruit requests. And the list didn't stop there!
Food has always been important to Methodists. We are known to honor the large casserole dish as the "symbol" of our faith. There are very few skinny Methodists, and true to our doctrine of "no dish goes uneaten", there were perhaps only 1% of our group who were not in need of a little less chow and lot more exercise.
I found it interesting that these same attendees were all or had once been devotees of the good old-fashioned Methodist pot-luck dinner, salad luncheon and men's breakfasts. Only God knows what kind of ingredients go into the dishes served at those events.
God Bless the Methodists. I noticed that NO ONE turned down the desserts.

Dear Lord. Our immense propensity toward ridiculous behavior amazes me. It's a wonder you can love and assist us when you must spend a great deal of your time laughing hysterically.
It seems the harder we try, the crazier life becomes. Help us to focus and the truly important issues.
We must love you and one another and you have taught us.

Priorities!

My smallish Southeast Kansas hometown was featured in a two column article in this morning's copy of the Kansas City Star newspaper. The Crawford County Museum was reported as closing. It seems that the 75 year-old County Historical Society only has one member and he has been running the museum by himself for the past three years. He's tired and has decided to quit. I don't blame him.
All of the artifacts, he was quoted as saying, will be given to the county.
Put that fact up against another fact that I learned last weekend. While visiting this same smallish town, I discovered, much to my dismay, that in a town of less than 30,000, there are four Drive-Thru Liquor Stores. That's right, Drive-Thru Liquor Stores. I didn't even know such a thing existed.......especially in a state where the liquor laws have been historically strict. You cannot even buy alcohol, in a grocery store in Kansas.
I don't know where I'm going with these disparate facts or exactly how they are connected, but let me tell you, I am dumbfounded. What types of things are important these days? Where are our priorities, America?
Sometimes life is just darned amazing.

Great and all powerful Lord. Human beings are awe fully strange. Show us how to get it right. Help us to arrange our priorities, so that we can make life better for us and our fellow life travelers.
We praise you Holy Name.

Road Trip

I made a solo trip to St. Louis, and back, this weekend. All of those cross-country hours, in the car, gave me some intense and extensive alone time with me, myself and I. All three of us enjoyed the trip.
But, before you think that those 10 plus hours were quiet and contemplative, let me set you straight.
My plain old car radio and I are the best of traveling companions. From KC to Columbia ( a little over halfway on the journey) I sang along to contemporary country music. I actually enjoy country music, although I tend to get a little wound up in the story lines. After all, what isn't there to like about drinkin', lovin' and dirt roads?
From Columbia to St. Louis, my country music station petered out, so I switched genres and sang along to the songs from a station that claimed to be "St. Louis' only oldies station". Just imagine being able to groove to pop hits from the 50's and 60's, for hours! The Beatles, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino! It was terrific.
Listening to old-fashioned, regular AM and FM radio stations gives you a variety that you can never get listening to personally mixed CDs or commercial CDs. I enjoyed every musical surprise that came up on both stations.
On the way home, I reversed my listening and ended up "crushing beer cans" (a current hit) right up until I drove into my driveway.

Thank you for being with me on my journey this weekend, Lord. Your presence was greatly appreciated. I am blessed to be your child. Allow me to find the courage and wisdom to do what you want and need for me to do. I am your vessel.

Bloom where you are planted.

Grandma Wintle always said that flowers should not be planted until after Mother's Day. Here in Mid-Missouri, we have experienced snow showers and frosty mornings well into April, so May planting is a good thing.
I am planting flowers today, on the Saturday before Mother's Day. There are two new planters on my front porch, into which I intend to snuggle a nice mixture of colorful blooms. Planting will give me some time to reflect on the holiday and to remember some good times with the mothers and mother figures I have known in my life.
Master Gardening does not come naturally to the women in my family. My grandmother tended iris and peonies, which amounted to watching them grow. My mother, to my recollection, never planted anything. Just today, my sister just told me a story about the beautiful purple flowers that popped up in her backyard........but, after a couple of weeks went by, she realized they were artificial!
I will be doing my planting today, and I'm going to enjoy the experience, with a smile.

Great and glorious God: Each and every day is a wonderful gift from you. Help us to focus on our blessings instead of our misfortunes. Just like pretty flowers, we all unique and colorful creatures.
Allow us all to be nurtured and to nurture one another.

She's got a ticket to ride.

One of my responsibilities, as the Concierge at a Retirement Community, is to arrange for transportation for the residents. Every day, I work on scheduling rides to and from doctor appointments, hair dressers, podiatrists and therapists. It's a challenge, but in truth, I am honored that I get to help so many folks get to where they need to go and in a timely manner.
However, I am beginning to wonder what the effects of such a responsibility is doing to my Psyche.
My work is beginning to manifest itself in my dreams.
I had a very unusual dream last night. I was riding a unicycle, in the midst of a snowstorm.  I was trying to transport passengers to appointments on that unicycle. It was fruitless, and I was trying so hard to get my work done. I tried and tried, but to no avail. I just couldn't make it work.
My co-worker, upon hearing about my dream,this morning, told me that when she worked in food service it wasn't unusual for her to have dreams about not being able to reach a table to take people's orders.
And, I remembered that during my days of teaching school, I sometimes had dreams about not being able to get to a classroom to teach. I would be unable to climb stairs to get to the classroom, there would be a door that I could not open, or I was without the proper schedule of classes.
I guess, all of these dreams constitute a certain type of work stress. Everyday life is not easy.

Good and all knowing God. Help me to let things go. Allow me to leave my stress in the workplace. Lead me and let me do my best at work and then give me enough sense to leave the rest to You. You are my most learned teacher and advisor. Remind me to listen to your wisdom.