The Unlikely Passage of Hal and Kate

 

The Unlikely Passage of Harold and Kate

      In the midst of reading the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry it came to me that our yearly journey’s around the world in search of hiking trails that seek to satiate our wildest dreams, albeit always grand, need something different this year, and thus begins our journey to satisfy God’s wishes instead of ours. Daily time with God will ensure his will is being done. Thus July 4^th is the first day of our migration into the unknown.

      Summer brings a myriad of literature into our eyes realm, and as my eyes feast on “The Trouble with Goats and Sheep,” another message is clearly pressed into my heart, that I am to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, invite the needy into our home, and look after the sick and visit those in prison, all of which has been and continues to be presented to us this season.

      When our minds our open to his command miracles abound daily. Each day I asked my students to smile at those they don’t know in the hallway, sheep do as they are told, and come back with mysteries unexplained, goats simply disobey and never see the wonders of his world, for I tell them daily, it has nothing to do with me, you will not remember me tomorrow, yet I pray your journey with Christ is forever.

            C.S. Lewis – The Chronicles of Narnia is also on my list again, and timely as always he too will lead us into temptation to see the world through his eyes and not our own. Come along with us, as we begin with a brimming strong cup of coffee out on the back deck just prior to making our final packing preparations. Hal is scattered with one sprig of hair resembling Alfalfa, as sleep lures him back into fantasies that can’t be answered right now, for there are bills to pay, and dancing of the fairies prior to this ship embarking of its maiden voyage.

           

The Agenda

 

 

“When are you going to stand up for yourself? I would have stopped her in her tracks, gave her the eye, and put an end to it.”

“You have the capacity to not be a victim.”

“I just realized it had been going on for some time this week.”

Tangled in a web of deceit, what does God ask of us? I held it out to him, time and again in the last 24 hours and I realized, I’d been away from worship too long and that I have the ability to stop it. I stopped it once before, and she understood the consequences and now with just a few weeks left in our term I would have to do it again.

Sabotage, the willful act of destroying or damaging something with intent to hurt or injure. That says it all, my question time and again is why me? Why not look internally at what your issues are, I keep to myself, don’t gossip, and question my morals and work ethic daily.

My husband said it best, “When someone doesn’t feel good about themselves, they attack others, regardless that they have no clue to what crosses others are carrying.

Luke 6 27-36 Calls us to command out thoughts and take action. Love thy enemy. Wow!, alright find ways to reach out to those that have issues with us, without understanding why, simply do good.

“God help me find a path that is righteous to do this work in my mind and in body. Let it be genuine and help me comprehend not their agenda, simply how to build a bond in the grand canyon, for me to be humble in my approach and not look for immediate responses.”

 

 

Life Changes

Sons are the greatest invention for men, husbands, brothers, uncles, and grandfather to comprehend their lineage, their heritage, their pride, joy, and very being. This had been a new calling to me for a decade coming into a family of testosterone. Being brought up in the lofty air of estrogen, it was new encapsulating, invigorating, enchanting, and sublime all at once. I failed so often at comprehending how to interact, soft voice, strong emotions and actions, I hope they view it humorously now, after years of praying, I believe they know my element was in nature, not in a home, and this is where we communed with nature and one another.

They are men now, and like their father are venturing into new frontiers in the wilderness of love, careers, self-awareness, life and the tremendous blessings God has bestowed upon them. Observance has been my greatest gift watching men interact, listening to their hearts, souls, and desires, pour onto the dinner table with a craft beer in hand vulnerably accepted.

What is the definition of a man- physically, metaphorically, psychologically, and literally, in the complexities of life, this household is profound for truths. Rawness aches at the superficial level as it seeps to unveil the layers of societal norms from reality. As each child comes to terms with their capacity, their boundaries, their expansiveness and influence. Who they truly are to themselves and the world.

Just today we saw a young 30 year old musician in his element unbound, unplugged, singing solo on in an empty café completely encapsulated by his talent. It was clear he needed no one to entertain his ego his eyes closed moving within his melody pressing viscerally inward making love to his music. I always wonder if every human could reach this level of connection with the self, would we need conflict, disconnection, war. It gave me permission to grieve the times I haven't been honest with myself.

We only have one life one short chance at befalling, let not a second evaporate without purpose.

Bless the sons of the world to be honest to themselves first, to truly grasp who they are, their joys, their fear, their vulnerabilities, their values and beliefs. May they always be good to themselves, listen to their hearts, know what they want on a daily basis and see that true peace comes from relationships not earthly gifts. Recall the memories of friendship existing in simple places. Remember our humble beginning return to them often assist those less fortunate for this is where the heart opens fills and refills plentiful again and again.

 

Sanctity

The Church brings many different bodies into one with Christ, is the same body that strives to continuously teach us the gravity of family. As death comes into our family we stretch our memories to recall the blessings that the Father has bestowed upon us. I can't claim to comprehend what it's like to have someone tell me I have a year yet probably only a few months left to live, yet having lived through this experience too often within my family this week has brought the focus of family and the sanctify of Christ into our hearts. Our differences, although many and difficult at times, melts into vapour as we linger over what comes next.
The pause abruptly stopping our routine commands out attention. Those willing, stop, taking heed of the persons life, their vulnerability to themselves, society and their dignity. Our culture hasn't mastered death, in fact we've placed it so far from our immediate existence we fear the act and pray the Father entrance. When reading daily prayer with my students I remind them that since we don't know when the Father is going to call us back, it is imperative we are ready at any time. Beginning each session with our sins, forgiveness, acknowledgement of his reverence, the founding rock to which we humbly come joyously into each day.

Health

Most of us take it our health for granted, me included. We exercise to stay healthy, try and eat right and maintain our sanity at work and try to attend church, that refocuses to look outside of ourselves, even if just for a few moments. Then something happens, seconds lapse into moments and those to hours and then are gone. Test, more tests, internet for consultation, (not the best) back to the doctor and then home again. When all fails after days of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea , and head-aches, we finally relinquish our human powers and let the experts take over.
I called a friend to take me to hospital since all family members were out of town. Humiliated by not being able to drive myself due to the Vertigo I had been diagnosed with, I gingerly removed myself from the bathroom floor, heaved over la toilet, and stealthily moved into the front seat of her car. Being Italian I hung on for dear life. I focused my eyes on the bottom of a R & W bag which almost worked till the last round about when I lost it. Fluid started coming out and not even the willpower of a rock could stop it. A young man at the hospital flopped me into a wheelchair like a sack of potatoes and kindly removed the bag and gave me a nice pink bucket. I held on while Sue, my friend parked the car and was even kind enough to hang on for the nurse to take my vitals. And, then in front of 14 other patrons in the weighting room, my body lashed out 5 times, before Sue could swivel me around obstacles and into washroom they all knew who I was. Hanging onto the guardrails for dear life, wafts of fluid escaped me. At first sounds of rushing mountain streams or gushing brooks could have simulated the chant. Yet the haunting dry heaves that escaped my vocals, not even I could comprehend. From deep within vast convulsions escaped, no horror movie could duplicate. My body rocked back and forth shoulders heaving as air sucked into my lungs crying as only horses can as it exhaled.
I hadn't looked up yet, as the vertigo would rush down into my innards and send another wave. My eyes cast downward for 2 hours I begged for time to past or my name to be called. And, once finally inside I thought my body would have the decency to grace doctors and nurses with some sort of decorum. But no, yellow mustard bile escaped me in rockets bringing humiliation to a halt. There was nothing more.  I passed out, like any decent human should have done hours ago.
Thus today, days later I am not recovered no where close, yet I bless the Lord for the health I have too often taken for granted, for my body that has up until now given me few, very few ailments. How is it that this has to occur for me to stop in my tracks and take note.
For those that have endured far more my heart is with you, especially those with dizziness, and nausea, I humbly bow at the feasts you must be going through and pray for your recovery. Let us take a moment and vow when we say grace to remember our bodies...one and all, for the glory they are.

How to become a Saint, marry one

Sadly God didn't grace all of us with sainthood, for those of us who do aspire to it we won't reach it, yet that doesn't deter us from being in complete and utter awe of those that are canonized. For they have devoted every morsel of their being to God, now that in itself brings a humble hear, a bended knee, an eyes facing skyward to our Father that has never seize to bless us again and again.

Today in church we had a guest priest walking towards the pulpit, all 6'5 feet of his being, with purposeful conviction. Hands out stretched towards the walls God's being took over him, and with fire in his voice raced through the gospel on overdrive. Our eyes widened with each cry for us to look internally at our "morals people". Had we truly given thought to our offering, as Catholics are not as fervent demanding 10% of their congregations as many evangelical denominations are, it is simply implied. "Are you looking at the blessings God has given and returning your 10% of your income, for only those that give will be given opportunities to work in larger portions of God's grace ." Motion was felt in the pews, side chatter, raised eyebrows, then with waving arms flung from one side to the other, he bellowed, Well have you?" Silenced reigned the cathedral....momentarily then he told...

An endearing story about a boy who was at church with his mother and she was revealing all the saints in each of the stained glass windows. One day in school a teacher asked the students how saints were created, and the boy energetically raised his hands and said, "Light goes through them." This metaphor blew us away. The literal meaning for this little boy was obvious, he only saw the saints in the  stained glass windows with light coming through, yet for us the possibilities were endless.  The Light of Christ, Christ light within all of us, and we are the beacon to guide one another, are just a few. Over supper and evening chatter this little story resonated so much into our lives, and those of our students in the coming days.

Hal had been discussing Salt and Light with his students asking them to come up with a saying and one of the most troubled students in the class drew a picture of one person assisting another who had dropped their books. The caption read" If I could help everyone I would, but for now, I'll start here."
Why is it so often those suffering the most teach us how to be in Christ.

I have never been so blessed as the day I met my husband. Our union revolutionized my theory of why God allows us to marry. Many a person has asked us how we have a strong marriage, and without a flint, an inch or a nudge, I say God. By bringing ourselves closer to him, we begin to comprehend the deep complexities of our spouses, and at the same time, it dawns that regardless if they espouse to use all their darkest emotions, we are far from ever understanding who they truly are. Another reason to rely heavily on Christ. We humans are multifaceted, a labyrinths of hard and soft wiring.