Australia

Happy New Year!

  

My Epiphany

     It seems fitting that I would return to Nebraska from Australia on The Epiphany.  As I sat my mopey, jet-lagged self down, and I listened to the readings and Derrick's sermon this morning, I had an EPIPHANY of my own.  I have heard the story of the Magi every year for my entire life and even fancied myself like the fourth Magi... the uncoordinated, unwise, but well-meaning one, of course.  Like the Three Kings, I have spent my whole life seeking Him too while trying to love all and serve all those around me, interpreting the signs as I go.  This year the story of the wise men took on a new form to me, I realized, as I transformed my metaphorical faith journey into a pilgrimage to Australia to be with my Cousin Asa and his family as he recovers from a stroke.  

     This was a trip born out of great love and longing;  the star is my cousin Asa.  His love and his courage, to overcome what must be darkness at times, inspire me daily.  In some ways, maybe the star is also the obsession I have to reconciling all that is family to me.  I always felt that this came from my Faith in an indescribably seamless way, but maybe it was some unfinished business I felt I had WITH or had to do FOR my Dad.  My Father's love was always a guiding light in my life, and it still is.  So I went to Australia on my mission to BRING healing.  I left home on Christmas Day, was stuck in the San Francisco Airport for three days, slept in the same clothes, missed Sydney and my cousin Rebecca completely as I cried, prayed and petitioned.  My friend Cathy visited me each day, and like a hip and incredibly beautiful muse, helped me to see the LIGHT.  I felt much darkness because I had come so far, and sacrificed so much.  I couldn't reconcile that I was powerless to overcome the dark obstacles that blocked my journey.  Graciously, Cathy lent me her light as she led me back to my own, and eventually I escaped the desert that was for me, the San Francisco International Airport.  

     When I finally got to Australia, I longed to be the LIGHT and LOVE ambassador to my cousins.  Instead I received it at every turn.  The warmth and gracious hospitality that I felt in the homes where we stayed lulled me to sleep each night.  The support of my loving family back home spurred me to seize each moment I had there, so I basked in the warm and brilliant Australian landscapes.  The scrumptious food nourished my soul, and the laughter we shared filled me with absolute JOY and contentment.  

     This ironic epiphany rushed over me at Church this morning...I brought presents (and my entire heart and soul with me) to Australia, and even though it wasn't gold, frankincense or myrrh, I was given the greatest gift by Asa and my family-  I was the one who has been inspired, healed and sent forth to be Christ's light and love in the world again...

You shall see and be radiant. (Isaiah 60:5)

What's in a Name? A Rose by Any Other Name...

     When we named the Black Bear Bungalow seven years ago, it was quite a process.  We wanted the cabin to choose its own name, and it did, in effect, when a little black bear came tumbling out of the woods by the garage one day. 
     What shall the new addition to the family compound be named?  Anyone?  Anyone?

...at the Grocery Store- Jim's Food Center

    


     I am reminded why I feel so blessed to live in a small town where there is one grocery store.  Today, as I am in the check-out line, the mother of one of my son's friends is checking out in the other.  Our carts are filled with treats for each other's son...

On the Scouting Path...

On the Scouting Path…

     Our family had always been involved in Scouting as we were moved to different places around the country, but I knew the older our sons became, the harder it would be to keep them involved.  There were other priorities, distractions from so much that we loved about Scouting.  As parents in the modern world, we believe in the ideals of Scouting:  duty to God, self and others.  Our sons are not perfect, but we wanted to affirm the positive as we sought to help them eliminate the negative from all of the societal and peer pressures around them.  We believe that Scouting helped us to actively support our sons in building good character that promotes active and confident leadership in their Faith lives, respectful citizenship to help make our society and world a better place by doing a good turn daily and understanding and appreciating God’s beauty in nature.  The merit badges that they earned were examples of the skills and knowledge we felt they needed to know and be able to do before they left us to go out into the world.  As parents, we couldn’t do that on our own.

     Scouting gave us more than we can ever repay, and that is why I try to stay involved even now after both our sons have achieved Eagle Scout and have moved away to college.  As a family who moved to a new community in 2006-  1,500 miles away from friends and family, we didn’t know anyone or anything except that we wanted our boys to be involved in Scouting.  God blessed us with an active Troop 208, and it gave us an identity, a sense of purpose and a strong network of support.  Colin and Ian now have a dozen sets of parents watching out for them instead of just one set.  These amazing people are like family to us and to our sons even now as they are away at college.  In their college experiences and in their lives, Scouting has given them the credentials and skills for success.  Both of our sons were accepted into elite programs at an excellent University and their part-time jobs flourish, I believe, because of their Scouting habits.  They see themselves as citizens of the world and seek to travel and serve others as they learn and earn their degrees.  More importantly, we pray that their Scouting experiences will empower them to continue to be successful, independent men, who will someday be proactive fathers and leaders.   As we try to be blessings to others around us, we too have truly been blessed by Scouting in our lives.

In Room 115

How to Build Community

The Human Pass

When my former high school classmate Holly posted this collage about Community, I thought of Adam.   I took this picture of my colleague Adam when he bopped into Room 115 on Friday and said that he was a human pass (for one of the students who came late).  It just hit me!  A human pass… wouldn’t that be nice if we could be that for one other.    

As a teacher in a high school, it would be easy to go into my classroom and close the door... close the door on the outside world and community as a whole.  Even then I could create a classroom community with my students or I could live in my own little kingdom.  The higher calling, I think, is to create a classroom community that transcends any walls or barriers of space or time.  Where I am weak, Adam is strong.  

The ancient African proverb is true... it really does take a village to raise a child.

In an eclassroom...

 

St. Johnsbury, Vermont and Randolph, Nebraska

Sign for St. Johnsbury's Farmer's Market

So many people eating the right things!

 Sometimes, I feel like there are these forces that are converging on me.  Let me explain.

Force #1:  My Swedish Family:  When my healthy and vibrant Swedish family came this summer, I listened to many discussions and debates about how to eat right as we shared so many meals together over the three weeks that there were here in the United States.  We all want to be healthy and live well, but we have a better chance of doing that if we are fueling our engines in the right way.  My cousin Katherina was concerned about how much sugar and bread we consumed as a part of our everyday diet.  I vowed to eat better and get back into my exercise regimen. 

Force #2:  My Summer Eating habits on the road:  Well, 18 pounds later into the summer, Derrick and Colin had arrived from Nebraska.  As we were making our way into the latest Batman movie, we took an interesting aside into the back parking lot of the Star Theater in downtown St. Johnsbury.  The old Grandpa's Cigar parking lot was now host  (okay maybe it's been there for years and I just didn't know) to a Farmer's Market with tents as far as the eye could see.  I was mesmerized...  Check out of the youtube video  (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcIZzoYnj9I&feature=em-share_video_user) about this little piece of heaven.  Here there were farm fresh veggies and crafts, and it gave me hope.  Not only did I know that I had to start eating better, I had in front of me the proof that I could access this healthier food, if I really wanted to make a difference in my eating habits. 

Force #3:  Meanwhile back in Randolph even in horrific drought conditions, our friends the Pfanstiels were kicking off the pilot year of their foray into starting a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Pfanny's Farm- Abundant Life CSA.  You can read more about it at http://www.localharvest.org/pfannys-farmabundant-life-csa-M39163.  Community Members can buy shares in their farm and get a heaping bin of farm fresh goodies throughout the summer.  I didn't buy a share because with Colin and Ian in Omaha for most of the time now, Derrick holding down the fort in Randolph and me off in Vermont, we couldn't use a whole bin either.  As soon as we returned from Vermont, there was Julie offering a sample of their farm goods online, and I jumped at the opportunity.  When I started delving deeply into this bucket, I found vegetables that I hadn't even heard about since my grandmother was alive.  Swiss chard really?  Beets... why didn't I like those again?  Those fresh vegetables brought back memories of food my Grammie Catherine used to make... priceless. The hours we spent talking in her kitchen as she canned are the foundation of any wisdom I ever had...

      Force #4 Friends:  My College pals eat right and they know why they do it.  As I am serving up the hamburgers and hot dogs at the cabin this summer, they were sneaking off to the barbeque to grill up some ... eggplant.  Excuse me?  As a matter of fact, once I came into the kitchen and found my girlfriend's son, Nathan staring at all of the donuts, muffins, and cookies.  When I asked him if he wanted something, he confess that he wanted to try it all because they get to eat stuff that's "bad for you" at his house.  OUCH!  Hey, I am glad I could give him a little life experience in the kitchen of a sugar junky who is about to go through rehabilitation!

... And last night Pfanny's Farm- Abundant Life- CSA offered a workshop about preserving food.  What a gift!  Not only now, can we eat better, but we can eat better year round.  And have fun while learning...

Anthony Shearer stirring up some trouble in the back!

We have a winner!  Tyler Harder shows off Stephanie's potatoes.

Julie Pfanstiel teaches as she inspires!