My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8
We left early yesterday morning for the airport and had smooth flights all the way to Tucson, Arizona, where my parents were waiting with big grins and open arms at baggage claim. It was sunny and hot as we walked to the car, just like I love it, and I was pinching myself. Mom and I started yakking from the moment we hugged and hadn’t stopped yet. Continue reading
This morning (Sunday) we woke to a crystal clear blue sky and sun, got dressed, had some cereal and went to church. What a great time of celebration and refreshing! There have been times lately when I pondered on the value of the weekly worship service, is it really serving a purpose? Does it help fulfill Christ’s commission to us? Is it worth all the time and preparation? Well, today I realized that although we can’t base our faith on emotion, emotion is a part of our faith and relationship with God and helps us reconnect to Him. I was so encouraged and uplifted by the songs we sang, seeing other people worship alongside my family, the freedom to sing out and raise my hands, and hearing God’s Word spoken boldly and passionately. The lesson we heard was right on and was such a great reminder: God is for us. When we are hurting we sometimes feel abandoned or when things don’t turn out the way we planned we feel hurt, or that God’s not listening. His wisdom appears as foolishness to us oftentimes but we have to remember that God’s foolishness is wiser than any man’s best wisdom. Great truth! The speaker was engaging and funny, which I also thanked God for, because our girls were clearly connected throughout and seemed to soak it in.
We experienced something new in the worship time: the speaking of tongues and the interpretation of it. I have never experienced that. I’ve been in services at pentecostal churches where everyone seemed to be speaking in tongues but no one explained anything or interpreted so all it seemed to be was a frenzied chaotic mess…not something God used to bless or instruct anyone. This was much different. Following one of the worship songs, one woman began speaking in what sounded like a different language. When she did the band got quiet, all the people quieted and we just listened. It lasted about half a minute. Right after she finished another lady in a different part of the room “interpreted” and shared a word from God with us about having faith and hope in spite of disappointments or unrealized dreams, very impassioned and strong. After her another woman shared briefly that when we don’t understand what God is doing, it doesn’t mean God isn’t working on our behalf – the our future and hope is in His hands. How cool that these two words from God were exactly what the preacher was going to speak about! Instead of feeling uncomfortable or weird, I felt like it was a special holy moment, like God was truly speaking through those ladies to each of us.
The girls were handed some money from their great-grandmother last night so of course we needed to make a trip to the mall. Now we’re home and getting ready to have some pizza. It’s our last night on vacation and I hope it goes by slowly. We head home tomorrow – back to routine, back to “normal” life. At least we’ve had this long weekend getaway with each other, John’s family, and God.
Saturday morning I woke to a sunny sky with big clouds and was optimistic about the rest of the day since it was the day for the big 50th anniversary party. The house was quiet with sleepyheads sleeping in, so John’s dad and I went to the lake path again. We walked and talked, then I jogged for a while, then we walked back to the car. It was nice. A breeze had started to blow and the sky was getting a little grayer.
There was a little time to sit and read, watch a TV with the girls, and just relax before getting ready for the party. We got dressed and “snazzy” and headed out to the Elks lodge to celebrate John’s parents’ marriage for 50 years! Many friends and relatives joined us, in spite of a torrential downpour on the way there. It was fun to watch them all reconnect, talk and laugh together. Some of those Polish peeps can get really loud! I know some of them, as well, so got to catch up a little. We took lots of pictures and video, had some 
yummy food for dinner including tortellini, meatballs and homemade kielbasa (polish sausage), enjoyed watching John lead his parents through the renewing of their wedding vows, and had some delicious wedding cake before cleaning up and going home. What a beautiful thing to see two people who have not had a perfect marriage (there is none, I believe) but decided they were committed to staying together through it all – good and bad. There love is so obvious. It was wonderful for John to get to be part of their recommitment to one another. His mom’s parents are both living so her dad got to walk her “down the aisle” as we all hummed the wedding march. So special and fun.
We were all pretty tired when we got home but had enough energy to watch the movie “Willow” and flake out on the couches in our jammies. I was playing a game on the Nintendo DS we brought along when Kristine chastised me, “Mom, you’re not being present with your family. That’s just as bad as texting.” I scowled at her playfully, but then realized she was right, so I turned it off. I’ll take that from her. I need to be reminded as much as anyone else. Special people, special reason to celebrate, special day.
We woke to a beautiful, sunny day and once everyone got dressed and had some of Grandma’s eggs and sausage, we headed to the nearby lake to take a walk/jog. I’m coveting this lake and the walking path right along the edge for several miles. It was so pleasant to walk and jog along the twisting path underneath big shade trees, with the lake breeze blowing. Ahhhh.
The girls and I went to Chili’s for lunch then Target and Barnes & Noble, before coming back to the house. We all had yummy grilled chicken and pasta salad for dinner and then watched “The Knowing” with Nicholas Cage. It’s a very interesting, albeit weird, movie. I liked it – very thought provoking in parts. Is our existence something that was planned or just a result of a string of amazingly coincidental cosmic accidents? What would I do if I knew the end of my life was supposed to happen on a certain day in the near future? Would that change the way I live? Most definitely. The truth is, we are all on the path to death (in our human bodies) and none of us know when. The cliche of always living as if it were your last day kept coming to mind while we watched. That’s actually not a bad idea! The movie didn’t meet the “Mimi’s happy ending” preference, but I think it was worth watching.
It was fun to have a day when we could just do as we pleased. That’s true vacation in my book – not a lot of plans, just time to “be”. It’s actually been freeing to not have our phones or facebook. I feel like we’re all present more in the time together and conversation here. It’s peaceful. It was a little crazy when the girls and I were out and we had no cell phone. I thought, “What if we get turned around or lost?” But then I realized I could go old school and use a pay phone or ask someone for directions. You know, I existed happily before I had my cell phone, I just forgot what it was like.
I think it’s time to go sit somewhere and read. Ahhhhh….
We made it to Syracuse in one piece. Our pets, who we had to bring along, seem sane at the moment. The girls – not so much. Just kidding! There was a lot of napping going on in the van so we’re feeling rested and ready to have fun. It’s a beautiful sunny evening – maybe a walk is in order after grilled out hamburgers and NY hot dogs, aka “coonies”.
We let Kimmi drive the last two hours of the trip. It’s great to have someone else to help – especially with an 11-hour trip. Oddest moment in my day: an older, skinny, shirtless guy with a few teeth missing telling me how to save money travelling with pets. Obviously you can request a “service dog” vest and paper from the govt. and then fly free with your dog, stay in any hotel with it, etc., fooling the masses. Best $65 he spent. How about that? I kicked myself once back in our van for not at least saying, “But that’s not really honest…” He was quite the rest area socialite, chatting up lots of folks before hopping into his old RV with blue dolphins painted on the sides. I love people – never a dull moment!
I better go for now – we’re trying to be as unplugged as possible. I just thought it would be fun to document our trip.
Time away with my sister and her family, in sunny Arizona, was like the wonderful rush of “ahhhh” after a strenuous workout, when the endorphins kick in.
There was much conversation and diet coke (of course!), much laughter, watching movies, sitting in the sun, walking through beautifully manicured, landscaped southwestern neighborhoods with cactus and brilliant fuchsia bougainvillea vines growing everywhere, shopping at 
Ikea for the first time, tutoring my sis on facebook, driving around town in the little pick-up truck with my nephew Curtis, playing with their two sweet doggies, singing at the piano and visiting with my older nephew TJ, playing guitar hero, holding the snake, Vinnie (!) and just plain ol’ heart-warming love.
I always come away from time with my sister a little more enlightened and at peace. We have a special relationship of openness and trust.
One of her sons, my nephew, yielded to temptations last year and made some choices that led him to time in probation, juvenile detention and now a rehab group home facility where he lives and is working his way through a program of healing and help. He’s hoping to graduate this year, move out and back home with the rest of his family soon – maybe this summer! He and his brother got to see each other for the first time in 9 months the Thursday night I was there. Getting to spend time with both of them was precious to me.
I sat down at the piano to play a little the afternoon he was home with us and he came into the room. He started singing a praise song I was playing, so I sang, too. Continue reading
Along the Narrow Path 