For over a year I have been attending the Community Presbyterian Church in Pittsburg, California with my wife Nancy. This is a small, progressive community of faith. Nancy and I were recently invited to share in the church newsletter some of our history. This is what we shared:
 Nancy and I were married at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania in 1976. This was Nancy’s birth-town/hometown. 1976 was the same year I graduated from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. Nancy, a graduate of Westminster college in Pennsylvania, was working at the Combined Insurance Company in Chicago, and was serving as an elder at the Edgewater Presbyterian Church where we met. Born in Cheyenne Wyoming, living my early years in Aurora Colorado, I went to Hastings College in Nebraska before moving to Chicago. My career as a Presbyterian pastor took me to Davenport Iowa, Evanston Illinois, and 28 years in Saginaw Michigan. We are now retired and living in Rio Vista, California.
We are blessed with a beautiful daughter, Emily, born to us when we lived in Davenport,Iowa. She now lives with her family in Concord with her husband, Ken, and our fast-growing grandson, Thomas. He is ten years old.
While I was serving the church as a pastor in Saginaw, Nancy got her Masters degree in Library Science from the University of Michigan that led to her pursuing a career as a Librarian, both in Saginaw, Michigan, and as an information specialist with the Dow Chemical company in Midland Michigan. We both retired in 2013 and made our move to RioVista in 2017.
As for hobbies, I have been building with LEGOS for fifty plus years. This has always been a great way for me to relax. Nancy, is currently working with a national organization, ‘Case for Smiles’, coordinating the work of dozens of volunteers who make colorful, seasonal pillow cases for pediatric oncology patients in Sacramento hospitals. For relaxation, Nancy is always working on quilts she ‘gifts’ for family and friends. Nancy likes pineapple on her pizza and I miss snow. 😀
We’ve been blessed with 47 years of marriage, memorable experiences and a wonderful family. We have been blessed to connect our faith with ‘church’ admitting that it’s nice, in retirement and with my health issues, not having the pressure ministry has placed on both of us for half a century. I find the welcoming love of God for all creation through the Comminity Presbyterian Church. We love the people we are getting to know. May God continue to work in and through us.
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. 15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. 16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
INTRODUCTION
Paul is writing from a prison in Rome so that with the shield of faith in hand we can do the hard work in withstanding evilthat has infiltrated heavenly places. This World Communion Sunday, recognizing there is evil in sacred places all around the world, this one verse stands out:
As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.
It’s a tough job to prepare ourselves to proclaim –- promote — preach peace in a violent world knowing millions of souls are hungry… suffering and oppressed, dying… searching for God’s presence, God’s embrace, God’s love, security and peace.
SHOES FOR PEACE
Some years ago, when doing Children’s Sermons, I would occasionally give a small bag to a child in the congregation. I would ask this child, along with a parent, to put an object in the bag – any object – to share with me in doing the Children’s message the following Sunday. It was my goal to find a way to talk about God with whatever object was put in the bag. This was a fun exercise we also called: ‘STUMP THE PASTOR’! I recall items put in the bag: A Flashlight, candle, a colander, a fan, a pencil, scissors, stethoscope, postage stamp….
A SHOE? I recall telling the children: let’s go out and look for God in the shoes people are wearing. Can we find God in all of the shoes
I believe God is in ALL the shoes… ALL THE SHOES, assuming the affirmation that God created everything. We are all created in the image God. It only makes sense! If you can accept this logic: God is in all of our shoes.
New shoes. Old shoes. Comfortable shoes. Casual shoes. Weird looking shoes. Scuffed shoes. Swanky shoes. Cowboy boots. Flats. Pumps. Tennis shoes. Sandals. Stilettos. Moccasins. God is with us, all around us, in us and all of our shoes.
There are some cultures where people don’t always wear shoes or moccasins—particularly in warm southern regions when going barefoot is preferred. For health reasons I’m not wearing shoes.
MANNERS AND METHODS:
Something I didn’t know. In the Islamic world there are well defined “Manners and Methods” for wearing shoes. (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4, pp 65, Hadees 5855 / SUH-HEE BOO-KAA-REE). This rule when putting on shoes:
“…. always put your right shoe on first, then your left. Taking them off start with the left shoe then the right so that the right shoe is always first and the left shoe last.
Do you think about which shoe you put on first? Many of us in our homes have rituals or rules when we wear shoes. In many of our homes we take off our shoes when entering our home … because bottoms of shoes are often dirty and can in some cultures represent uncleanliness.
What about hitting someone with a shoe?
In December of 2008 there was a “shoeing incident” when an Iraqi journalist threw both shoes at President George W. Bush—in protest of his policies landing this journalist in jail for nine months.]
Regardless what cultural rituals we chose to follow, can we affirm, created in the image of God there is a soul in every shoe? Forgive the pun!
Whether we put the right shoe or left shoe first? What’s really important is our contemplating the charge Paul gives us:
As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim, preach, promote the gospel of peace.
Movie: TILL
I recently re-watched a thought-provoking—a disturbing movie: TILL. This is amovie about the needless, violent murder of a 14-year-old African American boy, Emmett Louis Till…nickname, BO. This was in 1955.
The first part of this movie was when young Emmett was preparing to travel from Chicago to visit his cousins in the small town of Money, Mississippi—population 400. Emmett was filled with exuberant joy in preparing for this trip…new shirt and tie billfold and hat and wing tip shoes! For me, all the love of God, innocence and joy, were to be found in those wing tip shoes.
Emmett was enjoying his visit with his cousins in Mississippi. Until an incident in a store and the racial hatred of a clerk and this clerk’s brother and friend – common in the south in the 50’s — would end in his abduction, torture and murder. He was only 14 years old.
The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber called the death of Emmett Till one of the most heinous hate crimes in American history, “an icon of injustice”, creating a mass movement that “calls us to the cause of justice today” … our continuing to promoting finding justice for men and women and children around the world who continue today to suffer the consequences of hate-filled racism. This scripture – worth repeating:
As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.
I share this story about Emmett Louis Till, BO, for three reasons:
First: The violent murder of Emmett points us toward all that is evil/broken in this world — and this part of the world called the United States. Because way today too many children continue to die …too much poverty and hunger and disease… and violence… NEEDLESS SHOOTINGS.
Gun violence in 2022 took the lives of 28,000 souls in this country, with projections this year to surpass 38,000. Firearms (according to CDC) are the number one cause if death of children in this country.
We live in this part of a world with social cancersinfecting or nation: hate crimes, white supremacy, the beginning of a long, long list of malignant, cancerous issues that create distrust — bedlam — chaos.
+ + +
The question of HATE: I confess, personally, it’s hard to love some people I don’t know or understand. The phrase, “hate the sin not the sinner” resonates in my confessing that I find it hard to see God in the shoes of people who do monstrous things… people I probably will never fully understand.
My honest prayer: “God forgive me when I cannot find your peace in all the shoes!” YET, I MUST TRY! WE MUST TRY!
To my second point: The story of Emmett Till, for me, is more about his life than his abduction and death. I look at his picture of 14-year-old Emmett and his new shoes purchased prior to his traveling to Mississippi–shoes that symbolize the exuberant joy and love we wish for all God’s children. Every time I see a child playing and laughing, I see the love and joy and hope and peace we want for all God’s children – peace we are CALLED to pass on, promote, proclaim to future generations
Emmett Till. We need his story to live. What I want to hold in my heart is the memory of the joy-filled boy—reminding us what we must search for in our lives—love and joy—the sacred embrace of God in what this young boy experienced, exemplifies, symbolizes… what we pray for and pass on to ALL God’s children around the world. Emmett still speaks to us the need to fight for justice and peace for all the children of this world.
God isn’t about clinched fists and frowns and tears–hate. Spontaneous laughter and smiles with open hands and arms — full stomachs and safe homes and schools and streets – these are all things OF PEACE God wants for ALL children all around the world!
Which leads to this third point:
Third, in promoting, preaching, proclaiming peace we cannot be complacent. We cannot allow ourselves to be inured/numb/anesthetized to the reality of violence in our world—our community. Working for love-filled justice and sustained peace is our calling, our mission.
Emmett Till’s mother, Mamie, fought this fight for peace. After the death Emmett she invested her life in fighting (according to author Timothy Tyson) the “wave of terrorism” that continues to take the lives of innocent children around the world. Mamie’s voice needs to heard today — through our peacemaking efforts…so that children like her son Emmett don’t have to suffer or die prematurely.
We support the promotion of the gospel of peacethrough various ministries of this church. It’s important that we find ways to support the work of the church ‘care team’ and ‘outreach committee’ and special offerings…
FINALLY
A STARTING POINT — Tomorrow morning when you put on your shoes. I don’t’ really care if you put on the right or left shoe first. What’s important is to put on shoes in intentionally, consciously walking for God’s peace – for all God’s children.
Consider a new ritual in consciously thinking of new ways you can promote peace throughout each day in everything you do and in all of your interactions.
A starting point: When you on your shoes tomorrow — take pause for just a moment or two—to think about your day with God in your shoes – promoting the PEACE with these words we so often say: May the peace of God be with you…. And also, with you.
A fond memory from the 1990’s was the Warren Ave Presbyterian Church in Saginaw,MI, hosting as a guest speaker the late Lula Briggs Galloway—founder of the Juneteenth Creative Cultural Center and Museum in Saginaw, MI. Ms. Galloway was an author and social activist who spent years working with congress to make Juneteenth a national holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the day America’s last slaves found out they were free. Ms. Galloway wrote the book “Juneteenth: Ring the Bell of Freedom.” She died in San Jose California in 1998.
I’ll never forget the Holy Saturday night, many years ago, receiving a late night call that my mother had a stroke. She was in Lincoln, Nebraska, 800 miles away from where I lived in Saginaw, Michigan. Easter worship in the church where I was pastor was just a few hours away.
How could I lead worship and preach on Easter? I held in my heart both my mom and my family and the congregation I was called to serve. Words can’t describe the emotion, the pain, the questions. Seminary didn’t teach us how to live through personal crisis like these! God leads us through these experiences. What I remember:
1) I did my best to lead Easter worship. I was numb. God did most of the work!
2) I was honest with the congregation sharing my situation.
3) I asked for prayers.
Following worship I got into my car and drove to Nebraska—easier for me to drive than fly. My family couldn’t join me. Driving was good. I had time on the road with my thoughts and prayers and God.
Finally, with my mom and sister we talked and prayed. All mom could do is look at me with searching eyes and very slight movement with her hand. I had not seen her for several years. I could only try to imagine what she was trying to say. I thank God I had this time with mom before her death. My sister was also with me.
I remained in Lincoln several days, along with my sister and her family, to conduct memorial service in the nursing home where she lived. I remember asking my church secretary to fax materials from Saginaw that I would need to conduct this service. In the service I sang a favorite, “His Eye is on the Sparrow”. We had ice cream and cake—something mom would have enjoyed.
My wife and brother and other family members couldn’t be with me. Another service would be planned so other members of the family could attend.
My point in writing this:
I thank God, through the RISEN CHRIST, for the strength to get me through what all families in a host of contexts in our congregations, experience every day. With all the painful things that befall us, God is always with us! With Gods help, through faith, we can get through anything. Jesus lives! God is with us! ALL THE TIME!
“We belong to God” – An Ash Wednesday message in preparing for a journey through Lent 2023. This blog is an update of what I originally delivered to the Presbytery of Lake Huron in 2011.
Reflecting on first words of the Brief Statement of Faith, guiding me in preparing this message—from the Heidelberg Catechism:
“I belong—body and soul, in life and death—not to myself but to my faithful savior Jesus Christ”
I. THE PHOENIX—MY PERSONAL STORY
First, a glimpse into my personal story. Before moving to California, I went to the same family doctor for over 30 years. Dr. Caroline Scott is an active Episcopalian worshipping in a church just a few blocks from the church I served. When I went in for an office visit, we would typically spend time talking about our common interest in doing Christ’s work, personally and as a church, in downtown Saginaw Michigan. I am fortunate to have found this doctor who is as passionate about God’s work in the city as in taking care of her patients. I recall she used to provide free health screenings and counsel to members of her inner-city parish.
I mention Dr. Scott because her medical practice has been appropriately named the PHOENIX FAMILY PHYSICIANS. The Phoenix is a majestic mythical bird, a fire spirit that can live for 500 to a 1000 years. Near the end of life the Phoenix builds a nest of twigs that then ignites; both nest and bird burn and are reduced to ashes, from which a new young Phoenix emerges, reborn, to live again.
My family and friends and church have helped me rise like a Phoenix from the flames of a heart attack over 30 years ago. Take note, my young friends and family, you can have a heart attack at the age of 35! At the age of 50 I had double knee replacement that ended with a septic infection that almost took my life. My family and friends gathered thinking this might be the end. It took me more weeks to recover than I can remember. The Phoenix rose again just a few years later when another infection shut down my kidneys…..I escaped meeting St. Peter one more time! My wife Nancy was out of town. The Lake Huron Presbytery Executive got me to the Emergency Room. The church and Lake Huron Presbytery had my back! Through the years I’ve had to deal with arthritis, heart disease, lymphedema — now retired and disabled often using a walker or wheel chair. Like the Phoenix, I have been given several opportunities to emerge from the ashes.
I have been blessed. Good things have come from these experiences. Retirement and moving with my always supportive wife Nancy to California to live close to our daughter and her family has been good. I have a collection of excellent doctors and many-many good friends.
II. A LOCAL CHURCH STORY
On a church level, the congregation I served from 1985-2013 has become a major part of my story. I can’t avoid knitting my personal health experiences with the experiences of this congregation. We lived through these experiences together. Just as I walked with members of the congregation as a pastor through challenging times, this congregation walked with me through my health challenges. We struggled, together, to emerge from the flames of crisis and ashes to discover again and again and again, as Joel says, that the “Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Literally, the church established in 1867 burned on January 2, 1898. Ten months later the church emerged from the ashes, rebuilt and rededicated under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Joseph Tewell. This pastor then died a few years later from a heart-attack at a relatively young.
Throughout the years the church has had to adapt and change and re-tool how it did ministry. The church grew to 1400 members in the 1950’s and closed in 2018 with around 60 faithful members — always and consistently pouring resources into the community. As pastor and congregation, we spent many years re-inventing ourselves in how we did things—as a spiritual island in a city devastated with crime and blight and poverty—always focused on ways we could share God’s “abounding and steadfast love” with others—always striving to rise like a Phoenix.
Some of our re-tooling through the years of my pastorate involved discovering that we couldn’t do ministry alone. We ran our own in-house programs for children and youth. We ran a summer program for inner-city youth called “Summer Magic”. In recent years we had partnered with the East Side Soup Kitchen, that used the church gym and professional kitchen, to serve the homeless and hungry poor. The church also had a mobile health clinic, the Naussau Clinic and converted a garage into a huge walk-in freezer for food rescue program called Hidden Harvest. Creating a playground for neighborhood children was another major church development. The Soup Kitchen and Hidden Harvest eventually moved into a new building called the Hunger Solution Center.
Also, after several years of intense planning in partnership with Healthy Community Partners, St. Mary’s Hospital, Neighborhood Renewal Services and the First Ward Community Center….the church opened its doors, rent free, to the Mark Neumeyer Cathdral District Youth Center. The late Mark Neumeyer was the man who called up one day and said: ‘Let’s talk about ways we can partner together in serving children in the community, As many as 40-50 children would come to this after-school program every day. It didn’t hurt that the church had a gymnasium. Women of Colors working specifically with neighborhood women and children came into the church and evolved into a huge community program. I absolutely LOVE sharing stories filled with these programs evolving from a church helping people rise from ashes of poverty and despair.
III. CONCLUSION
There is one short sentence in the Presbyterian Church Constitution that has been central in helping the church rise from ashes of inner city despair in defining her mission: “The church is called to undertake this mission even at the risk of losing its life, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life….” A similar affirmation is found in the church constitutional, “Christ gives to the Church all the gifts necessary to be his body……..a community of faith, entrusting itself to God alone, even at the risk of losing its life.”
When I have been ill, there is no denying my fear in not knowing about the future. The same is true in the church. In various different contexts, we fear what is going to happen to us if we continue to do things the ways we have always done them before. The church did her work until she had no more resources to maintain programs in a huge and expensive building. I invested as much as I could until health and disability took me into retirement. Yet we still search for ways to rise from the ashes in new contexts as the vibrant, living body of Christ.
So this question: Post COVID, in what new ways is God leading? What is going to emerge from the flames of all the “unknowns” before the church in discerning God’s calling?
In our personal lives, what are we going to change in discerning ways we can be more faithful to God in sharing our lives with others?
We must re-set this Lent in carrying with us this affirmation: Whatever happens in our respective contexts, personally or as families or communities and a church, there must always be knowledge that we are not alone. God binds is together and builds us up in love. God is always with us. God has our back.
As we enter into another season called Lent: rise from the ashes of change to experience, again: WE BELONG TO GOD. IN LIFE AND IN DEATH….I BELONG TO GOD….WE BELONG TO GOD!
🙏
Joel 2: 1-2, 12-17
2Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain!Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, it is near— 2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness!Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes;their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come.
12 Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart,with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 rend your hearts and not your clothing.Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful,slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. 14 Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him,a grain-offering and a drink-offering for the Lord, your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast;call a solemn assembly; 16 gather the people.Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged;gather the children, even infants at the breast.Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy.
17 Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep.Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O Lord, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations.Why should it be said among the peoples, “Where is their God?” ’
Matthew 6: 1-4 NRVS CONCERNING ALMSGIVING
Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
(I don’t usually post political statements. I felt the need to go public with this journal entry)
There is no denying the fact that former President Donald Trump finds himself in the news almost every day. I find it amazing that most of the news portrays Donald Trump as a man who has a lot of STUFF going on in his life that is being investigated by congress, courts, or a host of political and non-political institutions — entities that suggest much of what Trump has and is doing is (allegedly) criminal. In short I don’t see a lot of people giving Donald Trump awards for being a model citizen or a champion in business. For many he is a popular politician. He is also known globally as a twice-impeached former lover of golf-President. So why does the GOP continue to support him? why do thousands love him? Because he is all they have? Do people really long to be like him? For me, Donald Trump divides us. He creates CHAOS wherever he goes. He has a militant, vocal following. He wants to be President again — but why? WHY? WHY?
There is no denying that Joseph Biden finds himself in the news almost every day. He has a lot of STUFF going on with COVID, inflation, crisis, natural disasters, global warming, a host of domestic and global issues. As far as I can tell Joseph Biden doesn’t spend a lot of time golfing. He is not being investigated for any crimes. He is a popular, loved life-long politician. FACT: he won the last election! Joseph Biden has devoted his life in defending the constitution without the need to be announcing in every speech — “I am the greatest, smartest, richest leader America (or world) has ever seen!” Bidens love for this nation is palpable. He has a dozen major projects designed to improve the lives of all Americans—rich or poor regardless of race or creed or social standing. He isn’t building walls. He longs to heal divisions between people and nations. He works for unity and peace…even with those in whom he disagrees…even trying to work with republicans and democrats.
These are some of my thoughts as a citizen and Democrat. While I don’t know who I will support the next time we have a Presidential election, I know for a fact I will be looking for a woman or man who governs with a smile and outstretched arms and open hands longing to embody the great affirmation that “WE ARE ONE NATION UNDER GOD”. I don’t need or want a divisive, authoritarian King. I want a President who will help me once again proud to be an American.
This is a Facebook post on August 7, 2020. I found it helpful, worth sharing, and something I want to save.
“The following is from Irene Ken physician, whose daughter is an Asst. Prof in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University, quite informative.
* The virus is not a living organism, but a protein molecule (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.
* Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.
* The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam).
By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.
* HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 25 degrees Celsius for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.
* Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.
* Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.
* Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.
* NO BACTERICIDE OR ANTIBIOTIC SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; antibodies cannot kill what is not alive.
* NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only
-between 3 hours (fabric and porous),
-4 hours (copper and wood)
-24 hours (cardboard),
– 42 hours (metal) and
-72 hours (plastic).
But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.
* The virus molecules remain very stable in external cold, or artificial as air conditioners in houses and cars.
They also need moisture to stay stable, and especially darkness. Therefore, dehumidified, dry, warm and bright environments will degrade it faster.
* UV LIGHT on any object that may contain it breaks down the virus protein. For example, to disinfect and reuse a mask is perfect. Be careful, it also breaks down collagen (which is protein) in the skin.
* The virus CANNOT go through healthy skin.
* Vinegar is NOT useful because it does not break down the protective layer of fat.
* NO SPIRITS, NOR VODKA, serve. The strongest vodka is 40% alcohol, and you need 65%.
* LISTERINE IF IT SERVES! It is 65% alcohol.
* The more confined the space, the more concentration of the virus there can be. The more open or naturally ventilated, the less.
* You have to wash your hands before and after touching mucosa, food, locks, knobs, switches, remote control, cell phone, watches, computers, desks, TV, etc. And when using the bathroom.
* You have to HUMIDIFY HANDS DRY from so much washing them, because the molecules can hide in the micro cracks. The thicker the moisturizer, the better.
* Also keep your NAILS SHORT so that the virus does not hide there.“
A few weeks ago our daughter reflected on Facebook all the wonderful places she has had the opportunity to live. She now lives in Now she lives in the San Francisco Bay area in Concord. She is married to a wonderful, caring man, Ken. They have an energy-driven, smiling, laughing, playful seven year old son, Thomas. On my grandson’s behalf I say: HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY. HAPPPY DAUGHTER’S DAY!
On the eve of seeing Emily and her family, the first time while we have been quarantined in our homes with the current pandemic, I’m awake at four in the morning excited to see them from a “socially appropriate distance”. We will visit in the court yard at our home in Rio Vista, about 35 minutes from their home. My chair will be inside the Casita that has an entrance into the courtyard–and I will be wearing my mask. Emily and her family will be seated with masks six feet away in the corners of the court yard. We’re going to order burgers from a local restaurant that delivers. Nancy has made cup cakes for the occasion.
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During this pandemic, Emily has been 500% involved with her husband in caring for their active seven year old son and young puppy Pike— a beautiful Boxer. While it hasn’t been easy, time has gone pretty fast with all the activities Emily plans for Tommy. We also spend time on Facetime and a neat interactive program called Caribu.
Emily has shared with us how happy they have been, amid the tragedy of a society closed down, to have been blessed with so much quality time together as a family. My reflections take me to how much my wife and I have been blessed to watch our daughter (mom and wife) grow through the years–especially during these weeks/months confined to home.
Some background on Emily: Readers of this blog may need to know that Emily is a PK = preachers kid. Her life has taken her to many cities through the years. She was born in 1980 and baptized in Davenport, Iowa. As a baby, I spent a lot of time with Nancy and me and our church youth group. I especially remember long work trips with the youth with a baby in tow. We had a lot of teenagers willing to help us with babysitting. Emily’s youngest years were at my second Call as an Associate Pastor in Evanston Illinois. Her playground was the back yard of the manse next door to the church in sharing this sacred play-space with the church day care. Happy, social Emily was always surrounded with lots of children.
Our move to a Saginaw Michigan in 1987 put her Emily in a school system that would take her from Kindercare, Kempton Elementary Scool, South Middle School until she graduated from Arthur Hill High School in 1999. I’ll never forget crying that rainy night at her graduation from High school.
Emily moves quickly through Delta College and Michigan State University with a wonderful internship in Washington DC working for Senator Debbie Stabenow. She had the chance to ‘rub shoulders’ with Hillary Clinton. (Sorry for dropping names!) She worked for the Whirlpool Corporation that took her professionally, to Nashville Tennessee, Charleston North Carolina and then to the San Francisco Bay area where she currently lives. Health issues, another story, has caused Emily to go on disability. Nothing she has encountered has kept her from being a strong woman in caring for her family! That’s why I am writing this short essay.
I firmly believe, as parents, we’ve been called to be trustees of of our children. Emily is first and foremost a Child of God. Along with her family, she is a precious soul God has given us. I can’t imagine the world without her.
There will always be ups and downs. I know that Emily and her family will be able to work through anything the world throws their way. As I’ve said before, next to her mother she is the strongest women I know!
On Mother’s Day our journey continues. We will be safe from the dangerous virus that lurks all around us. I know Emily will weather the storms in always finding the God-filled sunny days ahead as shed grows as a woman and MOTHER.
This year of our Lord, 2020, I pray that our journey together will continue in marvelous ways. God only knows.
Three years ago Nancy and I made the decision to move from Saginaw, Michigan to Rio Vista, California. The decision was easy. For health reasons, it was becoming obvious that I could not make regular trips to California to visit our daughter and her family. We wanted to live close to Emily, Ken and our young grandson Thomas. Emily, Ken and Thomas live about 45 minutes from Rio Vista.
It was also important that we find a home we could afford. California is an expensive state. It was impossible for us to find affordable housing near San Francisco. Then Nancy and Emily, on a trip through the Sacramento Delta, found the gated community named TRILOGY. This is a 55+ community with beautiful homes, an 18 hole golf course and lots of other amenities. The HOA fees are reasonable. There are roughly 6000 residents in this affordable gated community of seniors. TRILOGY is part of the city of Rio Vista, population roughly 10,000, located on he shore of he Sacramento River–and the Sacramento DELTA. Rio Vista is halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento. We love our home on Riviera Drive complete with a casita (pictured) my study and man-cave with private entrance.
I’m still getting used to life in a small town. We have no doctors. One good grocery store, a pharmacy and hardware store take care of our immediate needs. The fire department comes to the house once a year to change smoke detector batteries. I have a great barber who comes outside to help me and my walker in and out of my car. McDonalds and KFC/Taco Bell are the only fast-food outlets on highway 12 that runs through our small town. Main Street and Front Street have a number of good restaurants, bars, small shops–all great for tourists. Several small churches can be found in Rio Vista–no Methodist, Lutheran or Presbyterian churches in Rio Vista. We travel once or twice w week the 20-30 miles to do major shopping, visit doctors. We pass by Travis Air Force Base on our trips to Fairfield, about 15 minutes from our home. NAPA and several wineries are within thirty minutes of our home. Nancy has found several groups she thoroughly loves–quilting with friends on Wednesdays, playing cards, a couple of service projects including making pillow cases for children with Cancer. This takes her to Sacramento once or twice a month to deliver what she and her friends make. She loves having Wednesday nights out with her friends–and trips once or twice a week to Concord to visit Emily and her family. We love taking our lunch to a couple of places along the shore of the Sacramento River. I always look forward to visits from the ‘kids’ — especially Tommy who is now seven. I’d have to say playing with Legos is our favorite activity. While we still miss all that was available when living in Saginaw, Michigan, our home for 30 years, nothing can replace quality time we can now spend with our California family and friends.
SO WHAT IS THE SACRAMENTO DELTA?
A triangle of land just east and inland from the San Francisco Bay Area, the Sacramento DELTA provides drinking water for more than 20 million Californians (2008 statistic). The Delta is an expansive inland river delta and estuary formed by the confluence of the Sacrament and San Joaquin rivers–just east of where the rivers enter the Suisun Bay. The Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers are major shipping channels–depth of over 30 feet. The DELTA is also a major boating, fishing, camping, touring wonderland offering many attactions for tourists.
Because of these rivers, we cross several bridges to get just about ANYWHERE! Nothing is worse than trying to cross the Rio Vista Bridge when a big ship is traveling to or from Sacramento. We can be held up in traffic for up to thirty minutes. Because all we have are two-lane roads in and out of town, one accident can tie up traffic for hours.
There is much to learn as we continue adjusting to Delta living. I hope this brief introduction will help friends and family understand where we now live.
RIO VISTA GAS FIELD and WIND FARM
Rio Vista is also known as one of the largest natural gas fields in the nation. Spanning portions of three counties and covering over 29,000 acres, it is the largest natural gas field in California. –fifteenth largest in the United States. Driving through TRILOGY and the 3000 homes and parks and golf course, one will also see several locations where this gas field has active outlets. One cannot avoid seeing on the horizon, leaving the gates of TRILOGY, the hundreds of wind turbines. The delta is also known for the low-elevation hills and brisk breezes allowing for this source of natural energy–the future in California. Also o note, after we made our move to California, are all the solar panels on home roofs that capture energy from the sun. So far, we have not made he decision to install solar panels on our house.
Wind is a ‘big deal’ for us on the Delta. With the winds come the threat of fires. Power outages are also common throughout the Delta. We’ve been lucky so far when it comes to the fires. The new normal for people living in California are these threats of fire and power outages. This will be a topic to address at another time.
I thought it was time to write a few things about life in Rio Vista and the Sacramento Delta. Take a close look at the map of the Delta–lots of things to see and do. Enjoy.
My first years of ministry my tool box for writing sermons was pencil, pen and paper — and typewriter. This was the 70’s! A black IBM ‘Selectric’ was my favorite. I must have kept that typewriter in my writing ‘tool box’ into the 80’s.
I don’t remember exactly when, but my first computer was a so-called portable Radio Shack Tandy TRS-80 — a big and heavy machine with a white carrying case that looked like a sewing machine case on steroids.
I loved using both the typewriter and computer. After ten years of ministry I moved to the Warren Ave Presbyterian Church in Saginaw MI where computers were introduced into the regular work of maintaining church finances.
Around 1985 I parted permanently from the use of a typewriter, though it took the office over a dozen more years. We always kept a big blue ‘IBM Selectric’ around the office that came in handy in filling out wedding, baptism and a host of other important forms. Personally, I always had an IBM PC or a laptop. I never used a Mac!
This may sound funny, but I took my first computer class at Ghost Ranch—YES, this rustic, rural church owned camp located in the beautiful mountains near Abiquiu, New Mexico. Ghost Ranch is known as a sacred place where we can usually get away from our computers and high=tech tools. I believe this class I took was limited to eight or ten of us….computers provided. I remember all the extension cords and computer wires that connected us to one or two power outlets and one hard-wired printer.
The church has always been quite progressive in helping us clergy-types use these important tools that would make sermon writing/editing a major time-saving tool. No longer would I need to re-type sermons three or four times to come up with something that could give me a manuscript guide in proclaiming the gospel!
These are my earliest thoughts in the use of a computer. What are your memories? And by the way–
Now retired, I am writing this blog on my smart-phone. 🙂
Bound and Nurtured in God's Love 