Always Expect the Unexpected

Wow, what a week this has been!  We got one of those calls that absolutely fills you with dread....from one of our church members,  "I've been trying to call Mrs. ZZZZ all morning and can't reach her.  I told her I would drop something by first thing this morning but I can't reach her.  I've been to her house and there's no answer at the door."  This same Mrs.ZZZZ is a widow who is fiercely independent, lives alone and has had a number of falls.  She is VERY predictable and punctual and so it was unlike her not to be home if she was expecting someone to be at her house.  The Preacher and I headed to her house to check on her.  


We couldn't tell if her car was home but the house was locked up tight.  We contacted the Sheriff's office and they sent someone right over.  Then a parishoner came by, then another 3 deputies... then a neighbor who had Mrs. ZZZZ's daughters' name and phone number and also had Mrs. ZZZZ's house key.  The daughter said her mother wasn't with her and so the deputies decided to check in the house to see if maybe she'd had a fall and couldn't answer the door or phone.  We were all silently praying that the car would be gone and she would be out shopping or something like that.  They got into the house and opened the garage door from there.  As the door went up, my heart sank.... there was the car.  I then waited for the deputies to come out of the house, fearing the worst.  


The deputies  finally came out and said she was NOT in there.  They had searched everywhere.  Apparently Mrs. ZZZZ was away with someone and had forgotten that someone was coming by that morning.  We let the daughter know what we had found and to let us know if she heard anything.  An hour or so later the phone at the parsonage rang and it was Mrs. ZZZZ saying that she was back at home and safe.  She had been called away early that morning to assist a friend and thought it was too early to make any phone calls to let people know she would be away.  She apologized for worrying everyone but was very pleased to know that she was so much loved.  


Love one another.  Sounds like a good thing to do.  


"A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another."     John 13:34-35

The Perils of the Pauline

Living in a church parsonage has been a totally new experience for me.  The house we live in sits right across from the view you see at the top of my home page here.  We have a beautiful view at all times of the year.  Sunrises are spectacular and moon rises reflected on the water are always mesmerizing.  Our church holds sunrise services at Easter right on this spot where the photo was taken.  Tropical storms, hurricanes and Nor'easters also like to make appearances from time to time and we're on front line for receiving their fury.  Sometimes schools have to close because of the weather and believe it or not, the Nor'easters are often worse than the tropical storms.  They have a tendency to hang around for days while they trap you inside and blow the rain horizontally at you.  It's quite an experience.  We've learned some of the basics for storm preparation and have actually evacuated once.  


We have a lovely, lush lawn and plants that grow like nobody's business.  The man who built this house grew camellias and all around the yard are camellias of every color and type.  They are gorgeous!  There is also a gardenia by the back gate.  Every time I pass by it I'm reminded of my mother who always wore gardenia perfume.  This is a swamp area so if you put a toothpick into the dirt, it's going to take root and spread like an army of invaders, covering every surface, vertical or horizontal, with leaves growing from stems as big as your fist.   

The first summer we were here we (The Preacher) killed 3 snakes.  One was a pygmy rattlesnake that had found a resting place over the front door jamb.  When the door was opened, he fell to the ground and immediately became a mean, aggressive little fellow, coiling up to strike.  The Preacher grabbed a broom and kept him at a safe distance until I could get there with a shovel.  Luckily for us, the woodlands have plenty of animals, including a family of feral cats that seem to be keeping the snakes at bay.  At the edge of the woods and in the yard we have seen opossums, gray foxes, and rabbits.  Nearby we have seen eagles, hawks, bobcats, wild boar, black bears, deer, ospreys, herons... the wildlife list goes on and on.

The beauty and wonder God's creation are abundant here but you always have to be on the lookout for danger and not let your guard down.   "The wise are cautious and avoid danger, fools plunge ahead with great confidence." (Proverbs 14:16)

Allegiance

We've only been married  3 years and I was almost 52 when we got married so this whole Preacher's Wife thing really is a different thing for me.  I grew up in the Baptist Church and felt so out of place there.  As an adult, I joined the Episcopal Church and felt that I had found my home.  I still feel that way and for that same reason, I resist leaving the church and joining the Methodist Church.   I have my own ideas about God and Christ and my relationship with them and theirs with the world.  I really feel that at its core, my allegiance is to God and not to the governance of His body on earth.  


While I attend church with my husband every week, it still gives me a thrill when we are able to attend an Episcopal service.  Just a few weeks ago we were in Williamsburg and went to the Bruton Parish for Evensong.  I think it's the reverence and majesty of it all that touches me.  The focus is entirely on God, not me or you or the person across the aisle.  I alway leave feeling as if my soul has been soothed by the hand of God.  Sometimes I almost ache for it.

"O my God that I had understanding and learning and a new language in order to magnify Thy works... Everything fails me, O my Lord, but if Thou will not abandon me, I will never fail Thee."             St. Teresa of Avila,  1515-1582

A Little Time Away is Good for the Soul

Last week was annual conference in Raleigh.  The Preacher always dreads it but he has been attending it most of his life.  To be honest, I'm just glad to get a few days away from home and work.  I spent time finding local art galleries and book stores and just resting and overeating.  I had a great time.

The Front of Flanders Gallery on Martin St. - Yarn Bombed

http://www.flandersartgallery.com/

After conference, we went north to Richmond.  Now, I'm a Southern Girl through and through, so on the way to Richmond, we stopped in Petersburg and saw the battlefields.  Wow... interesting and amazing stuff for sure.  


I had never been to Richmond other than driving through on my way to somewhere else.  What a beautiful city !  We stayed downtown by the convention center.  It was really nice.  We drove around and saw some of the Confederate monuments out near VCU.  They really were impressive.  You can tell that the South really reveres its history. 


On Sunday morning (6/ 17), after we checked out, we went to the Museum of the Confederacy and the Confederate White house.  Again, I was impressed and was somewhat amused at the humble folk who were there to see both.  I'm sure they are proud of their heritage, as am I.  Maybe in different ways, though.

I don't consider myself one of those closet racists.  I don't believe for a minute that slavery was right, then or now.  The Confederacy was a part of my heritage and there's nothing I can do to change that.  My ancestors fought for the South - can't change that either.  They believed they were doing the right thing and were willing to die for it.  Not many people today are willing to die for anything.  They aren't willing to sacrifice anything, heck, they can't even deny themselves a piece of pie.  Why shouldn't I be proud of my heritage?


The fellow who led our tour through the Confederate Whitehouse was a wonderful guide (african-american). He was very enthusiastic and so knowledgeable about the house, grounds and Jefferson.  If he doesn't love working there, he has me fooled.


What really was amazing about the place is that the UVA Medical center absolutely SURROUNDS both buildings.  We almost couldn't find the place for all of the medical center buildings!


Anyway, after that we went to have lunch down near the James River.  We ate at a cute little place called Arcadia.  We parked near a building that had a mural painted on its side.

Then I remembered that my friend Coppertide lives in Richmond and she had posted the same building!

Went to the Edgar Allen Poe museum - learned that he had lived in Richmond with an Aunt after his mother died.  It was a very cute little place that was spread out over 4 little buildings.  There was a lot to see and the gift shop was a HOOT!

One thing that  I found most impressive with the city was how clean it was.  I told the preacher that it was as if they knew we were coming so they cleaned up.  I appreciate that!  The other thing was how they seem to hang on to buildings and not bulldoze them to put up some shiny monstrosity.  There are still many quaint little storefronts and I picked out several that I could easily live with.  They remind me of the Arts District where I used to work.  

What a nice weekend!

Back to the Basics

The Preacher suggested that I go and paint with one of the parishoners who is homebound as "my ministry".   I did it although I'm not really sure how that qualifies as a ministry since we don't pray or do bible study while I'm there.  The whole ministry concept is sort of foreign to me because I have sort of viewed ministry as trying to persuade someone to come around to your way of believing.  If it is simply being kind to someone and spending time with them, I've been doing that all my life.  

This one is simply a confabulation of flowers outside my "studio" window.

This one is a real place.... guess where/what it is...

The Plunge

I used to think I would like to be a writer.  I spent hours writing and would occasionally share my work.  Then circumstances forced me to abandon writing for pleasure and instead I went back to college and began writing for grades.  I still enjoyed it.    Periodically I've tried to write again and again but the busyness of life and my overall lack of discipline has kept me from coming up with anything of substance.  


I'm going to try again again.... starting tomorrow.