85 posts
Hard to believe, our last big birthday party was fifty years ago on July 4, 1976. We were living in Owosso, Michigan. Well, Heather, Chad and I were there. Jud was in New England. So, why the separation? Well, Jud had just been hired as…
So what brought this topic to mind? Credit last night and the Ipswich High School orchestra's final concert for this year. The theme was, The Soundtrack of Generations. If Director, Michael Coelho, doesn't win a Grammy for music educator of the year, no one should!…
The prayer came from my friend, Harold Bussell. We served together at Gordon College. Harold was Dean of the Chapel for several years, and I served with him, as the Assistant Chaplain, for three years. Then joined the staff at Grace Chapel, as Director of…
Nothing like a blizzard to hit the pause button on life as usual. Because the power stayed on, it's been a blessed break. My nest stayed warm and cozy. So I made Norwegian pancakes for one. That was a first. It was always for two…
Well, I'm late. A new blog post is overdue. Did you miss me? The Super Bowl and Valentine's Day are history. As for Valentine's Day, it's a day of dread for some and hopes-too-high for others. For sure, love is complicated and vital. Then there's…
Awoke before 11 a.m...Still on West Coast Time. (Or, another excuse.) Unpacked my suitcase. Then did two loads of wash. Put them in the dryer. Then folded the laundry and put them away. How's that for a good day's work?! See why I bragged?! OK.…
While some dive into dumpsters for scraps of food, others of us rid our refrigerators of stuff that went bad. Some of us have more than enough, and so it goes to waste. Which is why I loved a recent story on ABC news about…
About the bookmarks... Because Wendy asked, here are the front and back photos of the bookmark Jud and I gave Gordon grads at our last Gordon College Commencerment in May 2011. (See October 4 Blog post: Time to Stop Screaming...) And also, here is the…
And that's what I'm doing, thinking about that word, come . It's a welcoming word most of the time, unless, I put my hands on my hips and say, Come on now! You've gotta be kidding!" Or, if my grandfather missed what I said, he'd…
He's still one of my favorite people, although his name's been shortened. He's more Nate, now, than Nathaniel. Long ago, his dad was my boss. And we are still friends. Good friends. Stan was a really good boss, but he's an even better friend. So,…
Canada is our neighbor, not a long drive from where I live in New England. When we lived in Michigan, Windsor, Canada beckoned just the other side of the Detroit River. So, I feel protective of our northern neighbor. Good neighbors matter. So why this…
Well, It's Monday and I wasn't all that excited about my appointment with the dermatologist. I like her. She's thorough and catches stuff that should get caught. But still, today's one of those perfect summer days in New England and I didn't want to waste…
Well, I'm still here. And today would've been our 62nd wedding anniversary. Jud and I were married May 31, 1963 in the chapel of the First Baptist Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. Sounds long ago, but doesn't feel so far. And today Chad and his…
We all have stuff going on. So I laughed out loud at a Mother Goose and Grimm cartoon that's headed for my refrigerator door. Ralph, the Boston terrier, says,"I woke up feeling like a million bucks! How about you?" Grimmy replies,"I woke up feeling more…
For sure, it's a lot more fun to write about life's ups, than downs. However, like I wrote last week, "So much for fame. It's even more fleeting than I imagined." But infamous doesn't seem to have an expiration date. So I might as well…
Well, it's been a month of suprises. It started February 2nd at the airport in San Francisco when a United employee approached me at the gate. My first thoughts were, "What have I done now?" Actually, what I'd done was fly a lot of miles…
Comfort food. It comes with a side of memories. A few years back, I wrote about Mama's cinnamon rolls. Every Saturday, she baked cinnamon rolls for Sunday morning. So I confessed that I hoped heaven served cinnamon rolls. Then, Mark Taylor informed me that, as…
Well, two songs came to mind after I learned the results of this election. One was "You can't always get what you want" by the Rolling Stones. We didn't sing it in church. But one Sunday I heard a frustrated dad singing it to a…
It's been a week since it happened, and longer since I posted anything. But now it's time for a written confession, of sorts. So, here goes. Blame it on a love affair between me and Gordon College, if one can say such. I confess, it's…
It happens every Sunday but yesterday came with an added blessing. How so? Well, at our church, there is a place in the service when we pass the peace. We greet old friends and welcome new faces. But one little guy took it beyond when…
That's Matt, my son-in-love, a bridge builder. If I hadn't known it before, it came across in FULL CAPS Thursday night, at a celebration honoring his work in Public Health. Family, friends, colleagues and those from various organizations he worked with during the pandemic, spoke…
Last Friday, at The Believers' Summit in West Palm Beach, former president Trump made an alarming promise. "Christians get out and vote. Just this time. You won't have to do it anymore, you know what? Four more years, It'll be fixed, it'll be fine, you…
Strange mandate to find on the rear end of a car: Don't eat kale . But I laugh, shake my head and wonder about the driver. Bumper stickers talk. Some yell! And some generate more than a passing thought. Like, "And God bless the rest…
That's me. At age eighty-four I'm grateful to be alive. Repurposed. The word showed up with a bouquet from my neighbor, Beth. Her birthday's May 30th and mine June 2nd. Since they were going away for a few days, Beth, not wanting to waste the…
For sure, I'm not a birder. Those people are serious about their fine feathered friends. But when I stop and sit for a spell on my deck, it's often the birds that grab my attention. However, mostly I catch seagulls dive-bombing and screeching, "Mine! Mine!…
Blame it on my face. Apparently, it gives off signals that something's wrong. My kids call it my "bum face." Once, after being identified with such, I hurried to the closest mirror to check my expression. Well, reflecting back were furrowed lines, squinting eyes and…
One look at my crooked fingers left me wondering if I could still do it. Do what? Make a church with my hands. So I contorted my hands and fingers, then recited words from my childhood. "THIS is the church. THIS is the steeple. OPEN…
No day passes without someone leaving this earth and another one showing up. Crying comes naturally on both occasions. And so we show up at funerals to say, "You mattered." and at births "Welcome to this world." Take today, for instance. I'm in California, but…
Back when I was a kid, Southern Baptists held spring and fall revivals. We anticipated it, almost as much as dinner on the grounds. The dinners happened on Homecoming Sunday or on other special Sundays after church. Saw horses balanced the planks that formed the…
Sorry I'm late. Really, I meant to write last week but life interrupted, mostly in good ways. Between bundling up due to the DEEP freeze and preparing to speak in chapel at Gordon yesterday, I didn't blog. Odd word, but not my topic. Church is.…
Two days ago Chad's text refreshed my memory. "Dad's funeral was eight years ago right now! We made it." And he's right on both counts. The memorial service was January 18, 2015. As to Jud's death in November 2014, no day dawns without the awareness…
Duty called but I resisted. Finally, I gave in, headed to the garage to sort through some boxes. The garage needed to be cleared for its original purpose, a place to park a car in winter. Lily's. Mine prefers the outdoors. Truthfully, I never gave…
So, what does that mean? It means while I was away in France and Italy, I purchased a lot of postcards. My intention was to use them. But, I might add, I'm grateful it was hard to find post offices. Which means, I'm also happy…
My mind said, "Steamed fish with butter and herbs" but my heart (emotional not physical) cried, "Steak and potatoes." Steak won. One deep breath and taste transported me to DeKalb, Illinois, age nine. It happened Sundays after church. We walked into the parsonage and the…
He paced the median strip, while cars idled at the red light in Revere. I was on my way to pick up my granddaughter, Lily, at Logan airport. So happy she was coming, which is part of why you haven't heard from me since she…
While the Red Sox fought for the bottom of the division, Big Papa entered the baseball Hall of Fame. On a beastly hot day, thousands travelled to Cooperstown to see one of theirs, a son of the Dominican Republic and a Red Sox lifer make…
Sunday after church I pulled up to Chad's house, then headed around to the backporch. I love porches. Cozy, their dog, welcomed me. I love that dog. He wears his name well, unless you're a squirrel. Chad fixed brunch for me, since they'd already eaten.…
Yesterday morning, a Polish woman came to help me clean. We talked and she shared how angry and troubled she is over what's happening to Ukraine and so proud of her country for welcoming so many refugees. After awhile, I put on instrumental music, violin…
Maggie slept over. I love when the Grands come. Yesterday, with breakfast over, we just sat and talked. Sometimes the conversation turns towards Jud. It's good to remember, to share the stories. So yesterday, I told her two stories about her grandfather and Lynn, not…
Surrounded by stacks of papers, I write to escape. I'll do almost anything to avoid paperwork. And yet, guilt from the ingrained standards and example of my Norwegian mother and a perfectionist father leave me feeling guilty, but not enough to keep sorting. My bent…
And not for halibut, bass or compliments. A real friend alerted me to the fact that someone is impersonating me on Facebook. That must've been an adventure. I don't do Facebook, except connecting the blog to it. Well, my son, Chad, did that. So be…
We moved a lot when I was growing up. So I learned, early on, that home was something more than a house. It was people and a sense of belonging. This weekend reminded me of that truth, when I returned to Gordon College for Homecoming.…
Life is good, even at my age. Maybe, especially so. I'm in California taking care of GRANDsons, who in high school and middle school are better at taking care of me. I like them. A lot. And their friends. A folding chair or a bleacher…
Well, that's a new one, since I come from a region notorious for Spy-gate and Deflate-gate. But that's sports, this isn't. As one who is concerned about The Church today, "Sermongate" by Ruth Graham in the New York Times, grabbed my attention. According to the…
The email arrived today. After delays due to the pandemic, our Breakfast Club's regathering Friday. I enjoy this group and breakfast. It's my favorite meal, even without crispy bacon. Which is part of why I love the story, post crucifixion and resurrection, when Jesus invites…
Can we talk? For a few days a friend-elephant and I've carried on a conversation. We're still friends, as it should be. Differences don't have to divide, gouge ditches that over time erode into chasms too perilous to cross. While a nation remains divided and…
John Lewis preached the gospel. He proclaimed good news to the poor and those punished and disadvantaged because of the color of their skin. He wasn't Saint John but that's not the point. Some preach with words. But nothing speaks like our lives . We…
Awoke to blossoms fluttering past my window. That's strange. It's May. After a few blinks, I looked again. Snow! These are strange times. No point in fussing and fuming, I'm not going anywhere. Plus, this too shall pass, and as a matter of fact, already…
It looked like any old storm door handle in this condo complex until yesterday. Night had fallen and I hadn't, which is always a good way to end the day. I'd gone about my usual bedtime routine, turning down the heat, shutting off lights, except…
Growing up Baptist left me with few saintly thoughts. Saints were for Catholics who needed to be cautioned about idolatry. Now that I'm older and attend an Episcopal church, I recognize saints and sinners reside in and outside all churches. The saints I've known won't…
The Seagull fished off the back of the pickup truck, picnicking from an open cooler. The driver, stuck in Gloucester's 4th of July traffic, kept time to a tune he alone heard, oblivious to the feeding frenzy fascinating me. Remembering Finding Dory convinced me I…
It's a beauty of a morning at my Perch with breeze blowing off the Atlantic's sun dappled waters. Feel like singing, twirling about (cautiously) on the deck, arms spread wide like Julie Andrews in the opening scene of The Sound of Music, only I'd belt…
The box read,"You're AMAZING." I swallowed the message with my morning coffee. Today's Monday and a dreary one, when anything remotely encouraging comes as a gift, which it was. Not like I'd never seen the pink boxes as I'd scooted past the cosmetics counters, fearing…
Growing up a wiggler in a preacher's family had its rewards. During the sermon, to occupy my mouth, which was known to speak out at an early age, Mama fed me peppermints or LifeSavers, sometimes tainted with perfume and fuzzy with lint from her handkerchief.…
What a beautiful time of year in New England! It's pumpkin time and Homecoming at Gordon, and like the Swallows of Capistrano, we return. This morning, Dave and Melva, old friends sat at table with me, downing Norwegian/Swedish pancakes and catching up on life. Simple,…
Friends and family teamed up to take me to the hospital and deliver me back home today. A village of family and friends prayed and held the net while I jumped into the procedure by faith and bounced out with more bend in my knee…
Sometimes one needs to cry for what once was common, common goodness, small kindnesses that transformed and informed differences. Monday night, two friends gave me the gift of dinner, a movie and their good company. Lavish gift for body and soul. The small neighborhood theater…
Gloucester's Saint Peter's Fiesta's come and gone until late June next year. For Italian-Americans and many other immigrants in this town, it's the perfect segue to the 4th of July. Flags of Italy and Portugal flutter beside Old Glory on many a house, boat and…
The somber man handed me a piece of paper and calmly stated, "You've been rejected." He went on to explain why. I headed for my car, prepared to deal with his diagnosis. As I drove down the street, I noticed the large R at the…
First day of fall came and left without fanfare. Gray, drizzly day, devoid of the color tourist's flock to New England to experience during leaf peeping season. Needed comfort so heated a can of tomato soup and burned a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner last…
Martha reminded me and so I subscribed to The Writer's Almanac, a daily dose of poetry, significant people and events on one day in history. For example, a condensed version from the July 11th entry. "July 11, 1834 a baby boy's born in lowell, Massachusetts,…
What's not to love about July! "Tis the season for parades, sandcastles, fireworks and fresh strawberries from Marini Farm in Ipswich. Some complain of heat and humidity. I see both as God's shove to us timid folks to squeeze into a swimsuit, take the plunge…
The instructions from our choir director startled me into this morning,"Don't breathe when your neighbor's breathing. Stagger it." Well, I'd already practiced staggering on my way to the Crow's Nest on Deck 9, just not in my breathing, unless gasping counts. Never paid much attention…
All These Wonders, true stories about facing the unknown, came as a birthday gift from a friend. The book's filled with stories, collected and edited by Catherine Burns, from an NPR program called The Moth. Ms. Burns wrote in the Introduction, " Sometimes it is…
Wouldn't you know it, just when I thought I was getting a packet of love letters for Mother's Day, I received a large envelope with instructions and a guest . My mission, should I choose to accept, was to take Flat Stanley, the guest, around…
Two friends and I sat at supper tonight, enjoying more than food. Each time we're together, we find more in common. Tonight I learned they'd lost a son, killed by a drunk driver. We agreed, after the death of one you love, pain eases but…
During my growing up years, pencils and pens corralled me. First came doodling, then note taking to help me focus. Habit contained more than me, resulting in stacks of journals filled with sermon and lecture notes. Today I reread notes from last fall, when Mark…
Heard from a friend today who disagrees with me on some of my political views. Good friends do that. Speak truth to each other. Our friendship's based on more than agreeing on everything, like a healthy marriage. We are followers of Christ more than proponents…
One day last week I sat studying the program from Jud's memorial service, stunned it's been two years. January 17, 2015 On the front cover's Jud's smiling face, last official photo at Gordon College 2011. Back page shows our family, most smiling, supported by the…
That's what I needed, a thrill of hope, and probably why I got a heavenly push to get up and head to church. The biggest obstacle? Shoveling out the car. That's when I encountered my first thrill . Some neighbor'd done most of the work…
Maggie and Kate scooted into church, armed and ready for one of their favorite Sundays: The Blessing of the Backpacks. It happens yearly, when school starts. A couple of weeks beforehand, Patrick Gray, our Rector, reminds: "Students, bring your backpacks. Everyone else, bring your briefcase,…
Growing up on the lower end of middle class, anything store bought felt rich. Mama made curtains, dresses and aprons out of feed sacks. Coming from Owenby's Mill in Georgia they were "purty thangs." Feed stored in printed fabric sacks. Useable, once washed. Early recycling.…
I love my neighbor. While I enjoyed time with family and friends in North Carolina, my neighbor, Beth, watched over the Perch, watered plants and kept an eye out for stray packages and newspapers. She does it without fuss and bother, leaving me feeling obligation…
Apparently, a lot, judging from the response to my recent blog. Thanks for responding on and off-line. The challenge is leaving the label behind without losing the love for those who remain attached to the name and other matters where we disagree. If I/we fail…
Years ago, we produced a variety show at Gordon College called the Black and Blue Review. The faculty and staff came together to do a spoof of the student's popular Blue and White( school colors) show. One year we worked off of songs from Sesame…
Today is National Donut Day. We must be thin on days worth celebrating. Don't get me wrong, I live in the area that birthed Dunkin' Donuts, though I prefer Jim's in Glosta. Well, Gordon College is celebrating the day today with free coffee and donuts…
To be sunburned in Stavanger's almost like saying, "If you want a really good suntan, go to Seattle." This morning when our ship docked in Stavanger, the sun poked holes in any notion that Norway's a bleak, humorless place. In a recent poll Norwegians were…
For those of you who know geography, you must've puzzled how a cruise ship planned to dock in Berlin. We didn't. Our port was Warnemunde, part of the city of Rostock. After days of exploring towns and cities by bus and foot, we were to…
Awoke to brilliant sunshine in Helsinki, Finland this morning. No, I wasn't dreaming. I'm on a cruise with Stan and Judy Gaede. This was a dream trip that Jud and I were to take with our friends. And then there were three... For the past…
Saturday, Gordon College held a Remembrance Celebration, a service to remember Gordon connected folks who've died in the past couple of years and to "give thanks for the lives and work of those who have shaped our Gordon community." When I first walked into the…
Interesting morning. Strangers chatting over brunch, while eggs and coffee cooled. I liked her. After forking scrambled eggs into my mouth, she asked,"If you could have one do-over in life, what would it be?" Usually, scrambled eggs slide down effortlessly. Her startling question kept me…
Today's front page of the Boston Globe read, "A Life that Nourished Flocks, Friendships," by Eric Moskowitz. He wrote of Dorothy, neither homeless, nameless nor purposeless. She fed the birds, inching through Cambridge in her wheelchair, doling out breadcrumbs or birdseed year 'round. "She saw…
Plans cancelled. Schools closed. Blizzard swirling outside the perch, whitewashing the horizon, mocking the groundhog who announced an early loosening of winter's grip. Not so fast, furry one. Today's a hunker down day to read, write and maybe work on taxes. On second thought, why…
Welcome. Hope you didn't have as much trouble finding this site as I did posting my first blog entry. (I never wanted to be a blogger. I thought it was something I should apologize for. "I'm sorry I blogged.") Those of you who've followed on…
Last night the Red Sox inched out of last place, bringing a smidgen of joy back to “Mudville.” Some days that’s as good as it gets, that feeling that I may not be first but at least I’m not last. As a team, they’ve been…