Taking the Peonies to Fairview

Today I have been thinking of my grandparents. I loved all three that I knew in my life, but my Dad's parents were very close to me in many ways. My grandfather, James Jr., died when i was 10 and my grandmother died when i was 22. I was the oldest grandchild and had the opportunity to be with and know them the most. We shared some very important grandparent-grandchild moments in life for which I am most thankful.

My grandmother was the keeper of the family history and story. It was on Memorial Day weekend that she was very intentional about going to all the cemeteries here in Louisiana. We always picked out the flowers that her parents and those close to her would have liked and then head out to the Riverview and Fairview Cemeteries.

I was always the one who would go along for the annual trapezing around the countryside in Grammy's classic Chevelle with our flowers to find the ancestors. As we would come upon the Smiths, Vasconcellos, Collins, and Readings we would always recall the names and stories of our family. The drive out Frankford Rd to Fairview (which is in my opinion the prettiest place in the country) would always mean passing the family homesteads and commenting on their stories.

Since my grandmother passed away some 11 years ago I have carried on her tradition. (I think she made me promise I would back when I was like 8.) Today is the day for my special trip to the country. I will get out Grammy's old Chevelle and head out the old road past the homesteads and when I come to the top of the cemetery and find the Smiths under the big Oak tree and Grammy & PawPaw not to far away under the Bradford Pears, I will be reminded again of the names and stories of my family.

The great-grands all get Violets this year. Great great Aunt Will Ella who I only knew until I was 10 years old, when she was in her 88-98th years, will get bright Zinnias (she had a very sad lonely life, so I always give her big & bright).

It will be Grammy's that I will go to last. I think she would have approved the selection, for she always had a thing for pink Peonies.

la te da

well today was crap.
so, in the midst of a crap filled day that we aren't going to elaborate on, i will note some nice things i pondered in the last few days driving around town...

i want a house with
...light up house numbers.
...an entry way-hall.
...a dinning room.
...shade trees, none of which can be sweet gum.

the streak is over

well i just recently boasted to a friend that my sermons lately had been so good....easy to put together, delivered well and engaging for the congregation. good thing i stated those qualities out loud because it meant that all such luck was over. today's was crap. there i said it.

the slack sermon was only augmented by the electricty that decided to go hairwire today. we lost power to the church just about the time worship was starting. so in the hot dark we worshipped and managed pretty well, rearranging worship as we went. random craziness.

ecumenism into the mississippi

after the monthly meeting of the louisiana ministerial alliance i am usually ready to shove ecumenism out into the mississippi river. oh my lord these people are picky, critical, and ALL know everything.
today i was on the verge of reminding them that "in fact we are not on staff with eachother, nor were we called by God to this place to be on staff together... so get off my back."
the way it seems to work in our small town, is that we do everything together. the list includes: baccalaureate, pentecost, palm sunday, maundy thursday, easter sunrise, national day of prayer, world day of prayer, blessing of the animals, world communion, vacation bible school, youth group, mission outreach, thanksgiving. it is all just too much.
only by the grace of God, i am president of the august body of clergy so as to keep said meetings moving. alas.

may it be noted, i find it interesting that it is not our polity that is the problem. humm...

there, i have vented. much better now.

breakfast alfresco

what a glorious morning. we fed the youth groupers breakfast on the Parsonage Patio this morning. there were 8 in attendance showing prom pictures, offering harassment to each other and some pretty witty banter for 7:15 a.m.

we are in just 4 weeks endeavoring upon our 4th summer mission trip together. we have a good group signed up, this amazing early-retiree couple as sponsors, and a good location. i believe it will be a good thing.

ahhh... the good air, a pleasant 70 degrees, with blue sky and sunshine. it will be a good day.

being reminded of the goodness

well for the second month in a row i have not needed "spirits" after a church board meeting. i think they are getting soft. (that and several people were not in attendance :)

generally things are going well. let me elaborate...
the new office is finally complete. four and a half months later we are up and running. the church lawn looks great...we hired it out. the flowers around the place are in full bloom. people are still riding the "easter and each sunday after has been good" train. i feel like i am actually getting some things done. after five months i can now work on and mail and newsletter...which will bring the anxiety level of some waaayyyyy down. the cars are all running good and all clean. i had lunch with the family today and that was good. the love life has had some spark as of late. after five days of rain i had my yard mowed before any of the mowing fiends in my neighborhood. the summer is shaping up nicely...a mix of events and openness. general assembly is coming this summer and that is always my best time with my friends. the air conditioner at the parsonage kicked on without a hitch.

being reminded of the goodness. ---a good place to be at the end of this day.

cruise directing.

its seems my folk really like road trips. and this bunch of FCC Sr. Adults always have have so much fun together...

we began the day as i was lining up the cars in the church parking lot and checking each person off and getting the traveling cars full, when a few of them said "you should be a cruise director" ---to which i thought "you ain't kinding me..." and we all know how i love my old people and carting them around!

here we are post big fried chicken lunch at Pere Marquette Lodge... a wonderful old state park lodge in IL overlooking the Mississippi River. these are some of my most favorite people here in Louisiana. mom and dad went along also and are over by me on the right side of the picture. the trip also included a ferry ride and several sight seeing stops. i made everyone switch cars half way through the day (a la youth group) to keep things fresh. :)

humm... i wonder if the QE2 is looking for a young director...

from the desk of...

today...
+in recovery from full day road trip with my senior adults yesterday. they are hilarious and crazy. 22 of us in 5 cars galavanting around scenic Illinios. lunch, sights, ferry rides...(details and photos are coming...)
+a rainy wednesday.
+lots of office time.
+movement of raccoons. (don't ask. my parent's have some who have broke into their attic...and trapping them at night and i am here and they are in stlouis which means i have to manage said captives..ugh...and in the rain. they are mean little s.o.b.s)
+planning our observance of the National Day of Prayer. what does one do with that!?