Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Ray. Acknowledge, we pray, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Camping



We set up our tent over Memorial Day weekend and Misha and I took turns camping out in the back yard with Charis. Here's a couple highights for you: the first picture is Bekah working her way through a s'more (it rained, so we had to make and eat them indoors). The second picture is Charis and I in the tent before settling in for the night.

Memorial Day


Nearly 3,500 dead and 27,000 wounded in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. May God shed his grace on all who mourn.

Sunday, May 27, 2007



Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Fred. Acknowledge, we pray, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.

Friday, May 25, 2007

Rose

Rose lost her house today. Out mowing, stopped to unload a bag of grass and heard something strange. I arrived while it was still smoking, but it was three hours later that we walked around the outside and into the back yard to see what had been her deck furniture and home. Nothing to speak of seems to have survived other than her two dogs and the lawnmower. Her cat, Kelly, is missing, hopefully out in the woods scared and hiding.

Please pray for her.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant, Margaret. Acknowledge, we pray, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007



Greetings from Greenland!



Here's a tour of our "campsite."

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Partner

It was hard to leave my Partner this morning. I drove in silence for several hours after we'd said I love you to each other and goodbye. I think I had imagined it might be harder -- don't get me wrong, it wasn't easy by any stretch -- but I'm glad I got to say goodbye now.

On vacation with the family in the mid-80's Grandma had joined us for much of the drive from Iowa to the east coast. We each needed a "partner" to cross the street in Philadelphia or some other large city and so Grandma and I ended up as regular partners: the nickname stuck and we've been "partners" ever since.

We've had a great relationship; I've learned much from her wisdom and perspective. I particularly remember sitting at her kitchen table while she'd make lunch (I remember egg salad distinctly for some reason) and she'd listen intently to whatever I was talking about. When she spoke, they were obviously words she had measured carefully and put a lot of thought into. In my family, most adults treated me this way, but because I didn't get to see her every day, I think I gave more weight to her words.

A planned angioplasty a month ago resulted in the doc determining she was too weak for the needed operation; she was admitted into hospice care. She might be with us for many more months, maybe more years, but in case not, I made space to go visit her. We spent a day driving around town, eating together, napping together, sharing pictures, stories and laughs. We got to tell some stories a few times because her memory isn't so great...

I went to visit her this morning before I drove to the airport to fly back to New York and Confirmation class. She was wide awake in bed, waiting for me. Great hug, great smile. We said we loved each other. She said she was sorry she couldn't see the girls, but understood they couldn't make the trip. It was hard leaving. My dad timed a phone call pretty good: on the road to the airport we talked and had a good chat. Thanks, Dad.