The Religion Teacher

There was a nun at my high school who was very tall and skinny. Her hair was short and stringy, and she had a name that was dorky - all perfect fodder for teenaged wit. She played the organ and piano, so sang and played at most of our masses. I didn't think she was very good. During class one day, she described her vision of heaven. It would be a perfect place, were we would all be perfect too. We would be able to do well whatever we wanted. She envisioned herself as a concert pianist. I don't recall what I thought of the story at the time, but it stuck with me. I realized later that when she was in church, she wasn't worried about being a great singer or pianist - she was offering up praise to God, and what He heard was perfect. I don't pretend to understand the mysteries of life or heaven, but I do believe in God. Not everything we do needs to be done perfectly - sometime perfect intent is enough.

There was a discussion on the radio about people who have affected our lives, which got me to thinking . Whether a chance encounter or part of my life, many have formed the way I see the world. I decided to write about a few of those people. It seems appropriate, sandwiched as we are between Mother's and Father's Day, to start with those who started me.

My Mom

John McCain once made a comment that we use the words "hero" and "courageous" too often. The implication was that only those who face death in war are truly courageous. While I agree we use those words too much, there are many forms of courage. I always thought of Mom in that catagory. I was 5 when she first got cancer, and 29 when she died from it. In between there was alot of love and living. Though I'm sure she had her moments, I never heard her say "why me"? In some respects she faced her health like a new adventure. I saw her scars from her first surgery and when she was in the hospital for her first hip replacement, she showed me the rod running through her leg holding everything together as if to say "look what I got!" She taught me not to be afraid of what life has to offer, but embrace it - the good and the bad. I miss her smile, her wisdom and most especially her idiosyncracies!

My Dad

When I think of Dad I see the juxtaposition of his physical strength and his inner gentleness, his inner strength and his heart on his sleeve. Dad was one of those people for whom family meant everything and I knew that he would do whatever he needed to take care of us. When I was in high school both Dad and a friend's father were out of work. Dad did whatever he could to bring in a wage until he found a permanant job - pumped gas, cleaned bathrooms, whatever. My friend's father turned down positions he felt that were beneath him. Dad taught me that no job done well is shameful. There is no doubt in my mind that if he needed to cross a border to provide for his family - he would. I also remember Dad getting his GED. Some men may have done it quietly - but Dad was open about it - teaching me the value of life long learning. Another memory I have is us watching the movie "Shenandoah" - tears running down Dad's face at the end when Jimmy Stewart is in church w/what is left of his family. His youngest son comes walking down the aisle, home alive from war. Dad taught me that it's okay to show emotion. I miss Dad - I miss watching him with his grandchildren, I miss his strength, I miss his love.

Lest we Forget

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

--John McCrae

Happy Birthday Mandy!

My favorite Christmas program is "How the Grinch stole Christmas" When the Moyer clan came home for my wedding, Mandy reminded me of the character Cindi Lou Hoo, so in my mind you will always be Mandy Lou Hoo

Naive vs Sophisticated

People today like to think they are so much more sophisticated than those of past generations with our educations and technology and such. There is a poll that has been making the news lately about the number of people who still think that George Bush knew about 9/11 ahead of time and chose not to do anything about it. Just because you read it on the internet or hear a celebrity say it, doesn't make it true. Grandpaw Cushing had a saying

"Believe 1/2 of what you see, 1/4 of what you hear and

nothing that you read in the newspaper."

I would amend that to include read on the internet. So, who is more naive and who is more sophisticated

We woke up this morning to two wild turkeys looking at their reflection in the window - they had their feathers fanned at the turkeys they saw in the glass. We scared them when we came up to look, so weren't able to get that picture. Chet was able to take these as they walked away.

A couple weeks ago, our Board of Realtors had an auction and dinner to raise money for their political action committee, the theme was "Hawaii." People in the office were talking about what they were going to wear to go along with the theme. As I was going right from work, I figured I would just wear whatever I had picked that morning. The day of the event, one co-worker was telling me about her shopping trip to find something new to wear. In one store, she asked the clerk what she had that would fit a Hawaiian theme. In my co-workers words: "She took me over to a department that had, well, you know, clothes like you and my Mom would wear" OUCH!!! She's 32, has a 13 year old step daughter and 6 year old son - not old, but not exactly a teenager, either. Well, I did what any self respecting gal would do - I went shopping on my lunch break. I found a pair of black, boot cut jeans (a full size smaller than the last time I bought a pair of jeans!) and a v-neck white t-shirt. I didn't think I looked bad. Went to the function, and who should come up to me in her denim mini skirt and tube top - you know - the kind that looks like you pulled your skirt up over your boobs. I guess I didn't realize that not looking old meant showing copious amounts of flesh. I give up, no one wants to see me in a tube top, and I doubt I could keep it up. As for the mini skirt - I'd probably drop something and not be able to figure out how to pick it up!

Happy Birthday Mike and Mar

I know I am a few days early - just wanted to wish you both a happy 60th! Hope we have another fun vacation like we had in Savannah soon!