Wednesday, May 31, 2017

End of a Day

It's 7:30 PM after a long day. Today I was trained on the work I will be doing (a.k.a. the routes I will be driving) beginning June 19.* Mostly the trainer drove and I watched, listened and took a few notes. When we got down to the Mall of America on route 5 we took a little break. Then I said I wanted to drive, just to know how it feels to get around that busy transit center. Don't forget to stop at the light rail tracks!

I'm home now and I think I'll get outside a bit. It's a beautiful evening. I don't know where Toni is at -- I misplaced my phone this morning and so can't call her. I sent her a fb message so hopefully she'll get that and now wonder where I am.

Peace and joy to you.

* I did my regular work today too, that is, drove my normal early morning and late afternoon routes. The 4-5 hours of training were sandwiched between.

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Sunday, May 28, 2017

Standing Apart Together

Toni and I are up at her parent's lake home in NW Wisconsin. We got here late Friday evening. Nice to be here--a good part of yesterday and part of today too was spent mostly with chores, including getting the dock in--for the second time this year.

When we were in town for church this morning Toni's dad bought ice cream, and now Toni and her parents are having hot fudge sundaes. I'm choosing not to indulge. I have this desire to stay strong and healthy over the long run, and eating sweet desserts isn't in my plan--at least not very often.

I stand apart from the crowd. This is normal for me. I choose to work out physically. Other's don't do that so much. Contrary to what most people do with their free time, I don't spend a lot of it being entertained. I spend time on the computer but, honestly, normally, online or elsewhere, I'm usually doing something either productive or intentionally restful -- and when I'm not I notice -- and I repent.

I believe these things in my life are parts of what the Holy Spirit is doing in me. But I recognize, and this is hard, that I can seem to be judgmental of those who chose to live more comfortably. When I actually am being judgmental, I catch myself in the act and repent. Or I catch myself soon afterward. Even so, the very way I live can seem to be judgmental of others. Like when I choose not to have a sundae tonight.

I don't know what to do about this now. Back a few years ago I was part of a small group spiritual experience -- technically it was called a "huddle," part of the 3dm program. The purpose of the huddle was to work with others in the process of transformation that I'm now doing pretty much by myself, or, by myself with God. I miss being a part of that small group experience. So much.

Right now I don't know where to find that sort of group. It's a sort of group experience that messes with our lives. I don't think many people want that. But since God is already messing with me, I'd rather do it with others.

It's a subject for prayer.

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Saturday, May 13, 2017

Older

It's mother's day weekend. I'll be spending time with mom & dad both tomorrow and Sunday, picking them up at their condo tomorrow and bringing them to my eldest niece's wedding shower, and then Sunday going to Edina to meet them at their church. Mom really likes it when I can come by.

I've got a little chore to do for them too, so there won't be a lot of "me time" this weekend. I can feel unhappy about not having a lot of the unscheduled time I treasure so much, but I can if I choose, keep focused on all these overflowing gifts the Lord has given to fill my days. It's strange that, at almost 61 years old, I still need to make that choice. I'm grateful the the Lord mercifully sets me straight over and over again.

Toni will be with her parents too, partly helping them with the process of getting them ready to move to an "independent living apartment" at a large "retirement community" in the smaller city where they've been living since Toni's dad retired more than 20 years ago. Dick & Jo (Toni's parents) hosted Toni and our kids and their spouses and children for dinner on Thursday night, plus Toni's brother and a niece and her children and husband and his parents. Don't try to keep track. It's a big group.

Both of us still have both of our parents living within an hour's drive of our home. And both sets of parents are still together. My mom often expresses her thankfulness that she and dad are still together, now in their elder years. My dad is the oldest of the 4. He'll be 91 this summer. Both sets of parents are dealing with the challenges that come with aging. Those challenges will come to Toni and me too.

My 61st birthday is coming up. I need to pause and think about that because I don't feel any older than I did 20 years ago. I'm training right now for a "5K" run that I was invited to do with my sister's daughters. Pretty much all of me still works pretty well. I've gotten over the migraines I used to have and the elevated blood pressure I suffered during some stressful times in 2009 and 2010. I have no disabilities or ongoing health issues. I rarely suffer any pain. I often feel like I'm in my 30s. One of my bus passengers, a teenage boy, said I looked that age. I asked him if he noticed my grey hair. He said that could be "a mutation." Even so, time does march on and things will change. I say now that I'll choose to look for the blessings in that too.

An older friend once told me, when he was entering his 80s, that every decade in his life was getting better. That's true for me in many ways, even though there is grief in seeing the older generation getting more dependent on us youngsters. I'm sure the time will come for me when I need care too. We don't live in this broken world forever. So even when things are going pretty well, it's good to keep my eyes focused on the Lord and His promises, promises that are there for EVERYONE who the Lord loves, meaning you too.

Peace and joy in Jesus to all who stumble upon this little reflection tonight, or whenever. God bless you now and always.

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Monday, May 1, 2017

Another View of Government

Written Monday late morning:

It's going to be a busy day here in our Roseville home. Our neighborhood contractor is here to attach the plumbing to our renter's sink and Jon & family are about to arrive here from Cokato, coming in on the spur of the moment, or at least without much advance planning. Toni's busy getting food ready for them -- our daughter Naomi and her son will probably come by for lunch too.

Last weekend, 8 days ago, Toni & I were up at her family's lake cabin, and while we were there a book grabbed my attention, a book that was jammed in with others above the built in firewood box. I'm not sure why it was there; I asked Toni and she said that maybe it was given to her parents. It's a rather new book -- looks like it was written by a Minnesota Legislator.

This book espouses such a different outlook on government than other things I've been reading over the past few months. Instead of government limited to "bringing wrath on the one who practices evil" and protecting citizens' freedoms, this book's author says that it's good for government to provide some things that "build and maintain an enduring middle class economy."

I haven't finished the book yet, but here are the "five foundations" that David Bly says are good for the government to help with:
  • Quality Education for everyone
  • Health Care for everyone
  • A world-class transportation system
  • Energy systems that maintain a clean and safe environment
  • Living wages for all working people
I can't accent enough how different that vision is from the limited government ideas I've been digesting over the past few months.

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I didn't finish writing this until almost 10 o'clock in the evening. When I was at home I mostly played with Jon & Breanna's girls. So much fun.

I need to head to bed now so I can be fresh to help with the transportation system we have in the Twin Cities tomorrow morning, world-class or not.

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