Quilt of Life

Each senior, at my daughter’s High School was required to do a capstone project. The students are given a lot of latitude regarding the focus of their projects. Some students chose to base their project on the field they want to study in college, the career option they’ve chosen, or to develop or improve on a skill that they can use throughout their life. My daughter chose to learn how to sew a quilt (picture to left). Some the patches are photos printed on cloth and sewn into the quilt pattern to form a memory quilt. These pictures range from when she is two, wearing mom’s high heels, four with her then brand new puppy, grade school and her soccer team, to photos of her with her high school friends. Family photos are interspersed throughout the pattern as well. She took this quilt with her during the first semester of college. This quilt really provided her with more of an emotional warmth rather than a physical warmth as she dealt with homesickness and understanding the higher expectations of college life. She brought this quilt home with her during the semester break and seeing it reminded me of how blessed we are to have to have a loving family and good friends. Family and friends are the true treasures of our lives. I thank my God every time I remember you. Philippians 1:3 NIV

1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Ps 121:1-2 KJV

Yesterday, I was reminded of these words as I was looking out the window of the one of the office buildings on the campus where I work. I snapped the view with my camera phone, but the resulting picture really didn’t do it justice. The first time that these words were really impressed on my heart was while I was waiting to hear what had happened to my brother. Earlier, I’d received a phone call telling me that the helicopter, in which my brother was flying, was missing. I’d probably read these words several times before, but for the first time they held a deep supporting meaning for me. I clung to them even more so when I learned that my brother’s helicopter had crashed and he had been killed. These comforting words have come back to me throughout the years, as storms have rolled in and out of life, and in particular were a welcomed reminder yesterday as I ran the paces through one of my more stressful days at work. I’m thankful that the God of the universe is interested in, loves, and supports his people of this earth... My help cometh from the Lord.

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Over the weekend, I took the opportunity to hit the web and read the inspiring words of Dr. Martin Luther King http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/38.htm . The words are as inspiring today as they were in 1963. In the summary of Dr. King’s message are the words “….when all of God's children - black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics - will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” These words are reminiscent of the words of Saint Paul, who was describing the spiritual freedom we have in the salvation that Christ offers to each one of regardless of ethnicity, sex or social status. To the Galatians he writes:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 NIV . Christ set the example for us when he offered salvation for all men & women. Work still needs to be done, to ensure all people of our society are treated equally and we each own a part in making it happen.

Happy New Year 2006

A time of reflection and looking towards the future......

2005 started out slowly, but quickly picked up speed with my daughter graduating from High School. The months leading up to May became a whirlwind of prom dresses (my job was to carry the bags & do my best to suppress making comments such as “My vote is for the little floor length number with the high neck and long selves” :-) ) giving advice on colleges, and slowly realizing that a chapter of my life was closing and new one was about to begin (I'm still dealing with this one). On the heels of graduation came Royal Family Kids' Camp (RFKC) http://www.rfkcboise.org and this year a new role. In years past, I've participated as a camp counselor, but this year I was asked to be one of the music leaders - officially known a Music Man Doug. Thanks to the help of Jenn, Sue and Carolyn http://www.carpenters-cross.org , and most importantly the fact that the Lord continues on where my very limited, shall we say non-existent talent leaves off, I found the whole experience to be a very positive one. We had the extra bonus of meeting & making new friends, Mel & Pete, who came all the way from Australia to participate as a counselor and a staff member. Summer also brought a brief camping trip which included canoeing on the Meanders, a clear mountain river that connects upper and lower Payette lakes. September meant it was time for our daughter to go off to college. We traveled with her to her campus, helped her set up in her new dorm room and marveled at the beauty of grounds (this place used to be a resort). It's always hard letting go of our children, and yet we must do so, although I will admit to wondering how mad she would be if I enrolled and stayed. After Thanksgiving We found that we had additional things for which to be thankful. My father-in-law survived a heart attack and the subsequent surgery. Christmas was peaceful and uneventful and time to enjoy friends and family.

2006 holds a lot of excitement. Our friends John & DeAnn, Sue &Carolyn, Graeme & Angela (from Australia) and we are going to rent abeach house, the week before RFKC. We're praying for an exceptional camp the following week, and then it's off to England to take my daughter to school. I'll keep you posted.