LESSONS LEARNED FROM AUNT MARY

Actually, the title might be Lessons BEING Learned from Aunt Mary.

We drove over to Springfield for my annual visit (Jacq gets there twice a year or more.). Aunt Manry was prepared. She had her latest paintings on display in the living room. Last year she won first prize for this painting -- Girl with Umbrella.

There were two more paintings that she has done since then. She has discovered a new medium -- watercolor that paints like her tried and true oil. This is a better medium for her now that she is reaching her 101st birthday. It isn't quite like oil. Very similar. She is still learning about it. She is wanting to do more experimenting with it but she has two commissions to be done before she can allow herself that extravagance of time.

One hundred and one and experimenting with a new medium. Now that's a lesson to learn -- we are NEVER too old for the new 'stuff' that is constantly appearing.

Mary said she was turning over a corner of her living room to her artwork done AFTER one hundred. She would take down the portrait she had done of my uncle and a couple of other wonderful paintings and put up this prize winner and two other paintings done this summer with the new medium. (Really sorry I didn't take pictures of them while we were there -- next time.)

Soon after our arrival Mary's granddaughter and husband arrived with pizza and salad for lunch. Mary had 'a bite' of salad but certainly enjoyed the pizza. We caught up on news. Laughed. And soon it was time to move to the kitchen for haircutting -- Mary is particular about convenience of maintenance and because her hair was getting in the way she had been at it with sewing scissors. I had the privilege of giving her a nice shingled haircut that would make for ease of maintenance, for a while anyway. She pulled some strands onto her forehead to create some wisps for what she feels is an expansive forehead. Lesson: always care about your appearance.

It was Saturday and the kitchen radio was broadcasting an opera. "I'm trying to learn to like opera," she informed me. Not "appreciate" but 'like." Another area of learning -- stretch from what is familiar and comfortable and challenge yourself. Amazing!

From the kitchen window we could see snow coming down in great whorls and so we decided that we must be on our way back to Indiana before we were caught. It was a bit of a sad parting. We were just past the getting comfortable stage and ready to share our important feelings and insights. Another year. Way too long.

Will there be another visit? God willing.

ANNUAL VISIT TO INDIANA....

...to stay with my sister, Jacq. To relax. To laugh, reminisce, cry if needs be. Sisters are something pretty special. At least mine is. She just accepts me. The whole me. Whatever size or shape or attitude or weird phase I happen to currently espouse. She just loves me. It is the most wonderful gift of the whole world.

SOooo, I have pretty much wrapped up my current responsibilities at church. Today we hosted an Open House so that we might come face to face with others that share our space. We have a Haitian Baptist group that has been worshiping at our church for over twenty years, The Temple of Deliverance who has been worshiping at our church for three years. We worship at different times and this was an opportunity to get to talk with one another and share some of our story. As Episcopalians we are blessed to be able to share our space with such diverse worshipers. There are also three AA groups, a Mental Health Support group, Literacy Volunteers, and other community groups.

Our church is also in the process of assisting one of the local Methodist churches in their annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. This is their tenth year and as with many congregations their numbers have dwindled over the years and so we decided to be a part of that with them. It is coming to the place where many churches cannot do alone what they did in the past. And how simple to join forces. I hope that we can do more of this community work.

Packing, of course. I sent a box of clothes ahead as I will be in IN for two weeks. And getting the house ready for Thanksgiving. I return the day before the PA family comes up for the holiday. The dining room table and chairs are arranged and the table linens and decorations placed. I even had the inspiration to make and freeze a scrumptious Sunday Italian Gravy for our Friday or Saturday meal. It is going to be great fun and I am going to be refreshed and renewed from my visit.

Two more days. I am so excited. Our Vestry meeting is Monday evening and I fly out on Tuesday. I am the Parish Clerk and as part of the Vestry I really want to be at every possible meeting. We are at a critical stage. The make or break stage. The, when are we going to have to close the doors stage, so I want very much to be part of the decision making.

Two more days.

PRAYER

Sometime during the wee smalls of Sunday night/Monday morning, I was awakened. "Pray for Dodie," I was instructed. And so I did. I prayed for Dodie whose heart is severely damaged and who has suffered repeated heart attacks. He refuses to have the five by-pass surgery that his cardiologists suggest would help. He's ready, he tells his lovely wife,Tomi. He's ready to die. He is ready to be with God. Whenever.

Tomi works in the accounting department in the doctor's office where I share the responsibilities for the front desk service operations. Tomi is a year older than I and I am seventy one. Dodie is up there too. And he has made his decision -- no by-pass surgery. She will honor his decision.

I prayed for Dodie.

When I went in to work today and talked with Tomi, she told me that Dodie was doing better today but that yesterday was NOT a good day for him and that during that night he had a really hard time.

Comparing times, we concluded that the message that came to me probably corresponded to Dodie's distress during the wee smalls. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe you would think that. I don't. I KNOW that I was called upon to be in contact with God as Dodie was having his difficult time.

God needs help. When God calls, I respond. I do prayer. Prayer is what I do.