My Dad, take 2

(Christmas at the Ordway in Minneapolis with my family
left to right: dad, mom, Chad (brother), Jodi, Ashley, Adam, me -- back row;
Adam, Alexis -- front row)

For those of you checking this blog somewhat regularly, or who know me and my family personally, let me give you the mass update.

I head home tomorrow (Monday) to be with my dad during his second heart bypass surgery in three months. In the meantime, he has also had an additional surgery on his leg. The first bypass didn't "take" and so they need to go in again. He really needs this surgery that is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as well as our whole family as we are together this week.

New Favorite Hymn

I had a wonderful time at a retreat center that my spiritual director introduced me to. It is called Spring Meadows and is in Harmony, PA, just north of Pittsburgh. There are two bedrooms in a long house with wall-sized windows facing the woods. At the bottom of the woods is a decent sized pond and row boat, paths to walk, and a brook running through the property. In addition to the delicious homemade food made by Rosa Lee and eaten family-style with her husband Grant, she also does spiritual direction. A one-stop, retreat/B&B/spiritual/nature center. A wonderful time with God and spiritual friends. I discovered some hymn words that have come to mean a lot recently. It is sung to the tune of Findlandia, which is the "We rest on Thee" or "Cedar Grace" tune. I share it here for you:

Be Still, My Soul
(to the tune of Finlandia)

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Thro thorny ways leads to a joyful end.


Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be for ever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Amen.

When does the "New" Begin?

Can it be only three days back in town and I am already bored? I'm not really bored -- life is far too confusing for that to ever happen, but I am tired of the projects which I find myself doing.

I've been scrapbooking some old memories...boxes of them. At times this has been hilarious, and I only have 1989-91 left to go...but now I am finding it tedious.

I just finished reading all the old magazines laying around my house while I was on the plane from Austin. I cleaned out my craft closet and finished up a bunch of 1/2 done projects. And, I finished a bunch of books that were on my shelf. I'm happy these things are done and not taking up space, but my life is not significantly improved or changed by these accomplishments. One thing I've learned by going through these memories, is that I feel like I am scrapbooking someone else's accomplishments. I am simply not this person anymore.

I've been thinking about sabbatical as getting "caught up" and being "refreshed". I'm just wondering how long getting mythically "caught up" will take? I would have thought 2 months would do it...

So, that's it. After this weekend...no more "catching up". Staring next week, I am going to throw away the old things that are not finished, so that I can turn my focus to new things -- like school, using my new heart rate monitor, learning Arabic, reading new books, taking a modern dance class, and learning how to paint. Just typing those things brings a smile to my face.

I have discovered a lot of things about myself through learning new things and taking them into my life -- like ministry, biking, skiing, and water coloring. Maybe in another 20 years my life now will be unrecognizable because I will continually be learning new things and discovering more of who I am.

So, Onward and Upward!