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The Year Without a Summer

Sun, February 3, 2019 Published by

This week, the weather has been hitting the headlines. As the quote from the Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us, “there is nothing new under the sun”, except for the headlines being written in 1816, when the new occurrence was that there seemingly was no sun.

“I had a dream, which was not all a dream. The bright sun was extinguish’d, and the stars did wander darkling in the eternal space.” Written in July 1816, these words from Byron’s poem Darkness are inspired by the strange events of The Year Without a Summer. It followed the eruption of Mount Tambora (the largest recorded volcanic eruption in history) located in modern day Indonesia, which in turn sparked months of unusual weather and climate disruption around the globe as its large dust cloud of volcanic ash entered the atmosphere. During this period, the sun frequently disappeared behind that thick acrid cloud. Instead of summer, the winter temperatures continued. Some thought the strange climate signaled the imminent destruction of the sun and the end of the world. We know of course now that though the dark uncertainty might have felt never-ending in 1816, the world did not in fact end. The world kept on spinning, and eventually the cloud dissipated and the sun reemerged. One of the most notable things about The Year Without a Summer is the number of seminal works of art, music and literature that it produced. It was around this time that Beethoven began his celebrated late period of composition, Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, and Byron his epic poem Prometheus, as well as many other successful endeavors.

Just as it did that fateful summer 200 years ago, beauty continues to emerge from uncertainty. We have our own metaphorical clouds of darkness and uncertainty brooding around the world today, and yet gimmers of sunlight shine forth brightly amidst that darkness. The light of hope continues to shine as we engage with others and when we choose respect rather than incivility; unity rather than division; love over hate. The hope spoken of in the teachings of Jesus – while not denying fear and uncertainty – requires the believer to look beyond present circumstances and instead to choose to have faith in a better future. As 14th century Christian mystic, Julian of Norwich, put it: “All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” But hope is not a lottery ticket. Nor is it blind or passive optimism. It is the firm belief that we can each dispel the clouds of darkness by working together in love.

God is Still Speaking

Sun, January 20, 2019 Published by

During the past few weeks I have been reading various economic, political, environmental and sporting predictions for the coming year. Happily (and especially if you are a D-Backs fan), people are notoriously poor at predicting the future. Time has shown that we tend to construct predictions from our wishes or fears rather than actual data. Those who are paid to make such forecasts are often way off the mark, such as the banker who famously told Henry Ford that the horse was here to stay, or the British weatherman who famously on the eve of the country’s worst ever recorded storm, announced that “it might be a little windy tomorrow.”

There are dangers in putting too much store in what might happen, however prophecy and prediction are not the same thing. When the prophets – like Jeremiah and Isaiah – pointed to events in the future, they were not predictions of what would happen; but rather descriptions of what could happen if the people didn’t change their ways. Their focus was on making things right in the present, rather than being right about the future. They called out uncomfortable truths – sometimes at great personal risk – about the injustices of society, the people’s indifference to poverty, or the environment – urging people to change now in order to avoid future catastrophe. The Jeremiahs are perhaps long gone, but if we listen carefully we can hear the prophets of our day. They could be journalists, or musicians, or perhaps even children. There are no special qualifications required, and the message, doesn’t have to be conventionally religious. The inspiration of their message if it is for the good, can be seen ultimately to have its origin in the divine, but the action is earthly, urgent and rooted in the now. Some believe that part of the supernatural outworking of creation is that God has placed the future inside the present. Are we ready to discern and listen to those speaking the truth about what is necessary this year in order to win a hopeful future for ourselves and the generation to come? May it be, that our hearts and minds may be open to those voices, and to God speaking through them. *

Thinking God’s Thoughts

Sun, January 6, 2019 Published by

It is an exciting time for space exploration. Not only has China successfully landed an exploratory craft on the far side of the Moon, but humanity has been boldly going where we haven’t gone before. NASA’s New Horizons probe, launched in January 2006, has successfully flown by a small snowman shaped object (see the picture included, taken from the probe’s telemetry) named Ultima Thule, meaning ‘beyond the farthest frontiers’. That object is a billion miles further out from Pluto. It is quite incredible to think of how far, both literally and metaphorically, we have come since the advent of space exploration. In 1961, during the first manned spaceflight, Yuri Gagarin, according to some sources, remarked ‘I see no God up here’, although those words were not in the official transcripts.  Those words seem to firmly put the exploration of the cosmos and faith at odds with each other. However, in reality, the historical interaction between theology and outer space has been more subtle and much more fruitful than a simple conflict. Some historians point to the positive influence of belief on the very growth of science. Four hundred years ago, Galileo and other scientists of his generation understood by their faith that God was free to create in whatever way God wanted. Therefore, the only way to understand creation was to observe it, and thus was the real origin of empirical science. A similar argument led to theologians being foremost in the speculation about life on other planets. If God is free to create  not just human life, the only way you would know whether other life was there would be to actively search for it. Rather than religious belief and scientific exploration being at odds with each other, this understanding, in fact, adds a sacred dimension  to that exploration. At times, this exploration will no doubt be puzzling and surprising, but ultimately always awe-inspiring. Fifty years ago, as Apollo 8 orbited the Moon on Christmas Eve, the astronauts took turns reading from the Book of Genesis. The sense that the world is created and good continues to inspire many to look beyond the farthest frontiers, and to see science, as the sixteenth century astronomer, Johannes Kepler, described it as “thinking God’s thoughts after him”. *

 

Happy Kwanzaa

Sun, December 30, 2018 Published by

As we live into our commitment to be diverse and inclusive here at the campus, we aim to be intentional in the ways that we grow in our understanding and celebration of who WE are. There are friends and family who celebrate Kwanzaa and there is much to learn about this celebration which honors African heritage in African-American culture and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. Kwanzaa has seven core principles (Nguzo Saba). It was created by Maulana Karenga and was first celebrated in 1966–67. Maulana Karenga, a black nationalist who later became a college professor, created Kwanzaa as a way of uniting and empowering the African-African community in the aftermath of the deadly Watts riots. Having modeled his holiday on traditional African harvest festivals, he took the name “Kwanzaa” from the Swahili phrase, “matunda ya kwanza,” which means “first fruits.”

Many people celebrate both Kwanzaa and Christmas. Though often thought of as an alternative to Christmas, many people actually celebrate both. “Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, but a cultural one with an inherent spiritual quality,” Karenga writes. “Thus, Africans of all faiths can and do celebrate Kwanzaa, i.e. Muslims, Christians, Black Hebrews, Jews, Buddhists, Baha’i and Hindus, as well as those who follow the ancient traditions of Maat, Yoruba, Ashanti, Dogon, etc.” According to Karenga, non-blacks can also enjoy Kwanzaa, just as non-Mexicans commemorate Cinco de Mayo and non-Native Americans participate in powwows. Kwanzaa centers around seven principles which are umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity) and imani (faith). Kwanzaa also has seven symbols–mazao (crops), mkeka (mat), kinara (candleholder), muhindi (corn), kikombe cha umoja (unity cup), zawadi (gifts) and mishumaa saba (seven candles)–that are traditionally arranged on a table. Three of the seven candles are red, representing the struggle; three of the candles are green, representing the land and hope for the future; and one of the candles is black, representing people of African descent. Some families who celebrate Kwanzaa dress up or decorate their homes in those colors. Homemade and educational gifts are encouraged. U.S. presidents habitually wish the nation a happy Kwanzaa.The holiday also has made inroads with the U.S. Postal Service, which has issued four separate Kwanzaa stamps since 1997. The latest, from 2011, features a family dressed in traditional African garb lighting the kinara.

When he envisioned the celebration of Kwanzaa, Karenga recognized that on the whole, African Americans do not live in an agricultural setting. Nonetheless, he sought to emphasize that the basic principles found in producing the harvest are vital to building and maintaining strong and wholesome communities. Kwanzaa is that time when we reflect on our use of the basic principles, share and enjoy the fruits of our labor, and recommit ourselves to the collective achievement of a better life for our family, our community, and our people. We celebrate family, community, and culture, and wish our friends, Happy Kwanzaa! *

Becoming Midwives of Hope

Sun, December 23, 2018 Published by

One of the most memorable Christmas sermons that I have heard was preached by the songwriter, activist and pastor, John Bell. He began by asking; “I wonder who among us was once a shepherd?” A quick glance around me didn’t see any hands being raised. We were, after all, sitting in the middle of a large urban area not exactly renowned for its shepherds. Then he asked; “I wonder who among us was once a wise man?”. People began looking slightly uncomfortable, as it didn’t appear by the lack of hands being raised that wisdom was in any more plentiful supply than shepherding skills. He went on with other questions, before there began to be a gradual sense of where these questions were leading. My thoughts were confirmed when he asked; “I wonder who among us had once been the hind legs of the donkey”. So, which nativity characters have you played?

For many people, their introduction to the Christmas story will have been while taking part as a child in a school or church nativity play. For me this annual event was always a highlight of the year, if only for the opportunity to create headscarves out of tea towels, and to challenge each other off stage to duels with our shepherds crooks. The artistic standard wasn’t particularly high in my elementary school. One year, the memory taken away by the audience wasn’t of a fine retelling of the greatest story ever told, but instead of the little girl playing Mary declaring at the top of her voice “this baby isn’t even real” as she looked at the doll in the manger.

The irony of the school nativity play however is that besides the Christ child, there are no children with leading roles in the Christmas story. Many of the characters in the nativity narratives are seniors – Elizabeth, Zechariah, Simeon and Anna have their elderly status clearly underscored often during the account. The Shepherds were certainly not toddlers; and the Magi certainly would not have been considered wise unless they too were old. In these days wisdom did not come through attaining a Ph.D in your mid-twenties. The story of the birth and early years of Jesus’ life center around God expecting and trusting older people to enable new and surprising things to happen. So, if you were once a shepherd or an angel or even the hind legs of the donkey, don’t let Christmas simply be a time for regression therapy…..particularly when now as always, God is looking for older adults to be the midwives for the new ways that love, hope, joy and faith can be born into our world. *

TOWN HALL Recap for December 5, 2018

Sun, December 16, 2018 Published by

Rev. David Ragan, Sr. VP of Resident Services, called the meeting to order at 2:15PM, wishing all a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Joyous Holiday Season. David also asked residents to be sensitive to those who may have lost a loved one recently or have other reasons to be sad over the holidays. A kind word or deed can make a big difference. He shared the spirit of the holidays by showing some pictures of staff, both now and in previous years. Staff Christmas photo cards from years past of Michelle Just, Joe Kane, Mike Smallwood, Peggy Roberts, Jon Schilling, Barbara Wood and many others brought gales of laughter from residents. How we do change over the years!! David called attention to the Welcome Coffee held the fourth Wednesday of each month, but taking a break in December, with the next Coffee on Wednesday, January 23rd.

Michelle Just, President and CEO, also wished residents happy holidays and provided updates on several items. She thanked residents for their participation in the Holleran Survey and said the findings will be used by Senior Staff, the Board of Directors and others in planning for the future. Michelle also thanked residents for their generosity in raising over $165,000 for the Employee Appreciation Fund. The staff party with be on Friday, December 7th, and employees are very grateful for the money they receive from the Fund. It will definitely make a difference for Christmas. As for the redevelopment, residents have no doubt noticed that the homes along 17th Drive and Myrtle Avenue have been demolished. Abatement will be started tomorrow in regard to the old patio homes. They will not be demolished until sometime in January and residents will be duly notified of the date so that they may party on their balconies. A new name has been given to the Courtyard buildings. It is to be called the Promenade Residences. In response to letters received and rumors, Michelle assured residents that the Mall would not be closing down for this phase of the redevelopment. That will not occur until the Promenade Residences are built 2 ½ years down the road. She has also received word that residents are very happy with the Holiday decorations and she assured us that the Poinsettia tree in the Life Center will remain lovely without watering as the flowers are silk! Michelle asked a favor of residents—that some residents (in their Beatitudes T-shirts) would attend the Alhambra Village Planning meeting on December 18th at the Washington Adult Center. More information will be available in the Roadrunner.

As Barbara Carpenter came forward to report on the Residents Council, David noted that there had been a Barbara Luncheon. Barbara said that 18 Barbaras attended and had a lovely time.

Barbara reported on the November Residents Council Meeting, noting that David Ragan welcomed the Representatives, Committee Chairs, Staff and Residents. He had updates on the demolishing of the new patio home and garden apartment sites, the Community Channel and a new loop system for the Life Center. Bylaws and Elections Chairman, Herb Komnick, reported that the elections went smoothly, each building has elected representatives, and over 60% of independent living residents voted. Dining Services Chair, Pat Dellisanti, shared the mostly positive comments that the committee had received on our dining venues. Bette Henriques, Employee Appreciation Chair, announced that the 2018 fund had broken the previous record and she, too, thanked all who participated so generously. Enviroment Chairmen, Gerald Roseberry, said that servers in Buckwald’s and Elaine’s will be offering water on request as part of our conservation effort. It was approved for the Recycling Sub-Committee to move to the Facilities Committee. Facilities Committee Chairman, Roger Benson, and his committee are working with our Director of Plant Operations on the serviceability and appearance of the campus facilities. Committees reporting in December include Communications, Community Relations, Health and Wellness, Life Enrichment, Spiritual Life and Welcome. Representative, Nils Larson, of Plaza View welcomed new representative, Dick Tucker and reported on happenings there. Kathleen Hall of Plaza South and Hollister Newlin of Central Park South each reported about good things in their buildings and all independent living areas will be celebrating the season with holiday events starting next week. Donna Ellis reported for the newly formed Diversity and Inclusion Action Council, which will be working to promote these values, a part of the Beatitudes Promise. The Residents Council will be appreciating all our 2018 volunteers, electing new officers and seating our new representatives next week so join us for an exciting glimpse into 2019 on Wednesday, December 12th at 2:00PM. Cake and coffee will be served. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN 2018!

Jessica Meyer, Director of Success Matters, announced a Courtney Cookie Send-off to be held on Thursday, December 20th from 10 to 11AM. Courtney Ramos has completed her internship at the Beatitudes and we thank her for her work on Campus and wish her well in her upcoming career as an occupational therapist. Courtney, who has now completed her Master’s Degree, thanked the residents for being so welcoming and expressed her feeling that this is a wonderful community.

Didi Cruz and Monica De La Rosa, Life Enrichment Specialists, combined forces to remind residents of several upcoming opportunities such as the Holiday Light Tour Off Campus on Monday, December 17th and Wednesday, December 19th at 6PM. Call x12905 to reserve your seat. There will be a trip to Organ Stop Pizza on Tuesday, December 18th at 3PM. Organ Stop Pizza accepts CASH ONLY and to join this trip, call 12905 by Friday, December 14th. If you plan on decorating your balcony, and don’t mind having folks stop by around 6PM on weekdays, call Didi at 18473 by Thursday, December 13th. Those who participate will be entered in a raffle to win a $25 gift card. Free gift wrapping is available on Saturday, December 15th from 9AM to 5PM. Volunteers will be available to help wrap your gifts. All supplies are provided and please schedule a time by calling Monica at x18526. If you would like to be a Town Crier, and be available from 8 to 8:20AM to announce the events/classes going on for the day and the following day, and answer questions regarding the events/classes, contact Korry Nelson, Communications and Media Design Specialist at x18493 or talk with a Communications Committee member. You can volunteer for one day a week, or two days a week or whatever you might be able to do.

Michael Smallwood, Fitness Specialist, provided riddles and jokes along with good news about keeping fit. It seems that as Americans continue to live longer, we also are aging better and thriving more in later life. Seniors are more satisfied with their standard of living, worry less about finances, have a significantly higher sense of well-being and have reduced amounts of stress in their lives than their younger counterparts. Hawaii ranks as the #1 state for older Americans well-being, followed by ARIZONA, New Hampshire, North Dakota and Colorado. The least happy states were Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia. So stay here at the Beatitudes and join a workout and wellness class! The B-Fit winner for December is Norma Dieffenbach.

Tena Alonzo, Comfort Matters Director of Education and Research, introduced John Czaplewski, a Doctoral student, whose dissertation project involves the cognitive examination of people at least 90 years old. John said that participating in the project will require 20 to 30 minutes of activities such as puzzles, identifying pictures, remembering a short list of words, drawing pictures and connecting the dots. If residents participate, they will be a part of something that will benefit the care of others, create something new, represent individuals 90 years-old and over and impact the field of Neuropsychology. There is no other research like this in the country. If you are interested in participating in this important study, contact Tena at x16182.

David said that the DirecTV installation is complete and Cox is terminated throughout the campus. If Cox is trying to bill you for the white boxes that were in your apartment, tell them to cease doing so as they are part of the bulk account between Beatitudes Campus and Cox and this does not involve you. Always put in a work order should you have any issues involving your television or internet from now on.

The Arizona Republic is for sale in the Bistro for $2.00 a copy, including Sunday. Remember the Hootenanny takes place each and every Wednesday night in the Life Center. Bring your friends and enjoy the music. Wednesday Sundaes with Dave will take place on December 19th from 2 to 4PM in the Bistro. Enjoy a free yogurt sundae and share your thoughts with David. A big Thank You to Gregory’s Fresh Market for the bags of fruits and vegetables given to residents as they came to Town Hall on Wednesday.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL. The next Town Hall will be at 2:00PM in the Life Center on January 2nd, 2019.

A Christmas Classic

Sun, December 16, 2018 Published by

At Christmas-time I love watching the timeless and treasured classics like Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Charlie Brown Christmas. This year celebrates the 53rd anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas and I learned some of the history of how the classic came to be. The special–a collaboration between Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, producer Lee Mendelson, and director Bill Melendez–first aired on December 9, 1965 and was loved from the start. One of the most moving moments in the show is when Linus explains the meaning of Christmas by reciting the story of the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke. Schulz did not have the support from the other executives who wondered if an animated special was the right place for the religious text. Director Bill Melendez told Schulz (whose nickname was Sparky), “Sparky, this is religion. It just doesn’t go in a cartoon.” But Schulz had a simple response: “Bill, if we don’t do it, who will? We can do it.” The passage stayed in — and we are glad it did.
Another unique part of the production was that Schultz insisted on using real kid’s voices in a time when it was standard practice to have children’s roles performed by adults. Fortunately, they were able to find the right children to voice all of the characters even though a few were so young they couldn’t read or understand the script! Jazz musician and composer Vince Guaraldi wrote the original music for the show, which was the first animated network special to feature jazz. The score includes “Linus and Lucy,” otherwise known as the Peanuts theme. Guaraldi also wrote the music for “Christmas Time Is Here” (the song’s lyrics were penned on the back of an envelope by Mendelson in just 15 minutes). Schulz didn’t even like jazz but fortunately for us he didn’t let his dislike stand in the way of an iconic score.
Then there is the small, struggling tree that Charlie Brown picks out with its uneven, almost bare branches. In 1964, Mendelson read the Hans Christian Andersen story The Fir Tree — about a tree desperate to grow to match its taller brethren — to his children. When work started on A Charlie Brown Christmas, Mendelson mentioned the Andersen tale to Schulz, which prompted the cartoonist to dream up Charlie Brown’s tree. And though it was mocked, things turned out okay for that tree in the end. As Linus says, “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.” Executives at CBS didn’t think the show would be a hit. The expectation was that it would make its debut, then disappear forever — and if there had been a programming alternative the special might not have made it on the air at all. Fortunately, it was shown — and about half the country watched Charlie Brown and the rest of the gang celebrate Christmas. Now, 53 years later, it remains as popular and beloved as ever. *

Watching, Waiting, Hoping

Sat, December 8, 2018 Published by

Advent, which we now find ourselves in the middle of, is without doubt my favorite season of the year. Described by the poet Malcolm Guite as “a season for stillness, for quiet, for discernment … for active waiting, straining forward and listening”, Advent brings into sharp focus the advantages of learning to wait well and to exhibit patience whenever we can. We open the doors of our Advent calendars or light the candles of our Advent wreaths, with each being another step on a challenging journey of waiting. The whole idea is, according to the Prophet Isaiah, that by waiting well our inner strength is renewed by the time the Christmas festivities begin.
Learning to wait effectively is never easy no matter where we are on life’s journey. In our increasingly digital age, being patient and learning to wait is made more difficult each day. We don’t have time anymore to wait. Waiting is seen almost exclusively as a bad thing. Perhaps as a reaction to this, a British restaurant chain is currently trialing an initiative encouraging families to hand in their cell phones before being shown to their seats. The idea is to encourage people to view the time spent waiting for their food as an opportunity to talk to one another, to engage with one another, to listen to each other. The need to provide and receive an instantaneous reply to our wants and needs seems to be encroaching on all aspects of our lives, as is our need for speed in all things and our impatience when we are left waiting. It would appear as though waiting time is now wasting time.
Yet this season of Advent, when our eyes and ears are surrounded by all the glitz and glitter, with all the pressure and sales-hype and the stresses on our schedules and the wallets, it is good to pause. To be still. To wait. Of course, the partying and celebrations are wonderful things, and there is great joy to be had in the real meetings of faith and friendship in these days, but whilst Advent is still Advent, it’s good to keep a quiet space, a sacred time, a sanctuary away from the pressures, to be still and to listen to how God is speaking to each of us. That is the Advent challenge. *

Holidays and Empty Chairs

Sun, December 2, 2018 Published by

‘Tis the season to surround ourselves with friends and family, count our blessings and enjoy the excuse to overindulge in food.  It is a time to take inventory and acknowledge all that is good and sweet and right.  It is about celebrating presence but sometimes what this season is marked by more than anything else—is absence. Pastor John Pavlovitz writes: “Surrounded by noise and activity and life, your eyes and your heart can’t help but drift to that quiet space that now remains unoccupied: the cruel vacancy of the empty chair.  The empty chair is different for everyone, though it is equally intrusive. For some it is a place of a vigil; the persistent hope of a prodigal returning, of a severed tie to soon be repaired, of a long overdue reunion to come. It is a place of painful but patient waiting for what is unlikely, yet still possible.  For some, the chair is a memorial; the stark reminder of what was and no longer is, of that which never will be again. It is a household headstone where we eulogize and grieve and remember; a face we squint to see, a hand we stretch to hold, a voice we strain to hear. This may be the first time the chair has been empty for you, or you may have grown quite accustomed to the subtraction. Either way it hurts.”

I know that hurt as do you.  My father died twenty-one years ago on November 25th, so when my family gathers around the Thanksgiving table every year we are acutely aware of the empty chair which he filled.  The holidays are supposed to be filled with celebration, joy and peace but often they have a way of magnifying loss; reminding us of our incompleteness, our lack, our mourning.  The lessons that the empty chair teaches us are about living in the moment and being thankful for what we have, and about growing through our struggles.  Sometimes we acquire that wisdom and find that healing in our own way and in our own time and sometimes we don’t.  Life is unpredictable and messy that way.  In some way during the holidays, we all sit together gathered around this same incomplete table and one thing we can offer one another is our compassionate presence in the face of the terrible absence.  Pavlovitz suggests that “in this season each of us learns to have fellowship with sadness, to celebrate accompanied by sorrow. This is the paradox of loving and being wounded simultaneously.”  May we each make peace with the holidays and the empty chairs.*

Finding Healing in Our Scars

Sun, November 25, 2018 Published by

This past week the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, celebrated his 70th birthday. I was reading an interview with The Prince which quoted him as saying that his birthday had brought him to the realization that he had reached a Biblical threshold, referring to the 90th Psalm: “The days of our age are threescore years and ten”. In reflecting on his own aging, Prince Charles described himself as having being prompted to examine “the scars’ of life which in different ways we all bear”. Those scars are perhaps the memories of things we wish we hadn’t done but can’t now do much about. Perhaps they are thoughts of things which we now wish we had done, apologies that we wish we had made, things left unsaid.

Many of Charles’ scars have been born under public scrutiny, and although the same cannot be said for most of us, none of us are impervious to picking up a few scars and scrapes along the way.

Reflecting on a similar theme, columnist Alexandra Heather Foss, wrote recently “I struggle because huge chunks of my life have not been beautiful. They have been ugly, marred by trauma, with pain, and anger… however I see beauty in the grace point between what hurts and what heals, between the shadow of tragedy and the light of joy. That way I find beauty and healing in my scars. We all have scars, inside and out. We have freckles from sun exposure, emotional trigger points, broken bones, and broken hearts. We have lived, and have the marks to prove it.”

Prince Charles was clearly mindful of a similar sentiment as he celebrated his threescore years and ten, but the ninetieth psalm which he quoted goes on to include a prayer following that reflection; ‘So teach us to number our days: that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom’.

As we all continue on our journey of life and take our own next steps in the pilgrimage of aging, let us all join in that prayer. As we number our days may we be mindful of our scars and discern in them opportunities for healing and growth as we reflect on how to apply our hearts unto wisdom.*

The Quiet Place

Sun, November 18, 2018 Published by

The Spiritual Life Department invites you to come and discover our new room that is dedicated to meditation and reflection.  As resident Irene Cool shares, “It is for those who need a few minutes to be alone with whomever they believe to be their Supreme Being…..or to just be alone for that matter.  It is for the ones who take care of others until sometimes they feel tired and overwhelmed.  It is for you and me to simply have a placebo reflect on the presence of the Holy Spirit with quiet concentration. It is for those who ask for divine inspiration and guidance on how to provide for others in their different stages of need and only have a few minutes to do that.  It is a praying place.”  It is a place which will engage your senses or allow you time to enjoy the silence. It is a place to escape from or escape to.

You ask, “Where is this place?”  It may take a little intention to find it but once you find the Life Center you are very close.  You can get to it from within the Life Center and there is also an outside entrance. Once you are in the Life Center you will see double doors up front on the left and the Quiet Place is through those doors.  For now it will be open 8:30AM to 2:30PM but we are working on making it available for more hours.  Come find Chaplain Andrew, me, or our Admin.Assistant, Kimberly, whose office is across from The Quiet Place and we will be happy to help you find it.  Resident shave been asking for this kind of space for quiet and reflection for a longtime and we are happy to have it available now. *

Dream Lofty Dreams

Sun, November 11, 2018 Published by

There was a prophetic ring to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s final article, written before his murder and published two weeks later.

His death has sparked global condemnation and a conversation over the importance of a free press and the right to free speech, and so it was particularly apt that his final comments referred to another journalist, currently imprisoned for making comments which displeased his nation’s government.

“Such actions,” Khashoggi wrote, “no longer carry the consequence of a backlash from the international community. Instead, they may trigger condemnation quickly followed by silence.” There has certainly been justifiable condemnation over Khashoggi’s death, but how quickly that condemnation is indeed followed by silence as the news media moves on to the next story.

Prophetic voices, those people who are called to draw into sharp focus the injustices and wrongs of their times are rarely welcomed. “They tell the prophets to keep quiet. They say, ‘Tell us what we want to hear. Let us keep our illusions’”, wrote Isaiah in the Old Testament.

Martin Luther King’s observation can continue to haunt us with its poignancy: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends.” Dr King leads us to ask of ourselves; what value is our initial indignation at a wrong if our concern wains as the wind?

In our defense, we may often feel that the concerns of the world and the desire for us to keep a focus on those in need is simply overwhelming. Perhaps we would do well then to also keep in mind the thoughts of Methodist preacher and broadcaster Colin Morris; “being finite and fitfully loving humans, we can only really feel for a few…Only God can love them all. The most we can do is to take hold of the near edge of one of these great issues and seek to act at some cost to ourselves.”

May we be prophetic voices for the great issues and causes of our hearts, calling others to hear words of truth and to advance the causes of justice and joy. May we all yearn to advance the dreams of hope and peace as the philosopher James Allen once remarked;

“dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil”.*

Prayers for Pittsburgh

Sun, November 4, 2018 Published by

Last Sunday, as the afternoon sun shone through the Tree of Life stained glass window in the Life Center, we who had gathered for worship remembered those who had also gathered for worship at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and we mourned for the eleven who were gunned down in their holy house. Our hearts reach out to our Jewish brothers and sisters and all of those who are grieving, who are scared, or angry, and we are called to rise up and resist evil with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  We are called to confront the hate within and without that is overtaking our land.  We pray for an outpouring of compassion and love to overwhelm the violence and hate which festers, destroys, and kills. There were many remembrances and vigils which took place locally as wells around the world.  Nancy Splain, our Interfaith Outreach Ambassador, who attended the vigil at Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center Tuesday night shared that there were several hundred in attendance and over thirty clergy as well. It was a powerful call to civility, respect and speaking up whenever any are marginalized whether Jew, Sikh, migrant, immigrant, refugee, Black, LGBTQ,regardless of religious faith or ethnicity. An attack on one faith community is an attack on all faith communities.We stand together.  We are stronger than hate.  Here at the campus we recommitted to live out Our Promise: to welcome all people including outreach to Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and others faiths, as well as those with no connection to a faith community.  We value the diversity of all regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin,disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.  Recognizing that we have work to do we have formed a Diversity and Inclusion Action Council made of residents and staff committed to this work and we welcome your thoughts, your prayers, and your participation.  This community will continue to be a voice of love and inclusion and our deeply divided and troubled world needs that now more than ever until the day when there are no more Pittsburgh’s, or Orlando’s, or Ferguson’s, Las Vegas’s, or Sandy Hook’s.*Last Sunday, as the afternoon sun shone through the Tree of Life stained glass window in the Life Center, we who had gathered for worship remembered those who had also gathered for worship at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and we mourned for the eleven who were gunned down in their holy house. Our hearts reach out to our Jewish brothers and sisters and all of those who are grieving, who are scared, or angry, and we are called to rise up and resist evil with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are called to confront the hate within and without that is overtaking our land. We pray for an outpouring of compassion and love to overwhelm the violence and hate which festers, destroys, and kills. There were many remembrances and vigils which took place locally as well as around the world. Nancy Splain, our Interfaith Outreach Ambassador, who attended the vigil at Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center Tuesday nite shared that there were several hundred in attendance and over thirty clergy as well. It was a powerful call to civility, respect and speaking up whenever any are marginalized whether Jew, Sikh, migrant, immigrant, refugee, Black, LGBTQ, regardless of religious faith or ethnicity. An attack on one faith community is an attack on all faith communities. We stand together. We are stronger than hate. Here at the campus we are committed to live out Our Promise: to welcome all people including outreach to Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and others faiths, as well as those with no connection to a faith community. We value the diversity of all regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation. Recognizing that we have work to do we have formed a Diversity and Inclusion Action Council made of residents and staff committed to this work and we welcome your thoughts, your prayers, and your participation. This community will continue to be a voice of love and inclusion and our deeply divided and troubled world needs that now more than ever until the day when there are no more Pittsburgh’s, or Orlando’s, or Ferguson’s, Las Vegas’s, or Sandy Hook’s.*

Moving Offices

Sun, October 28, 2018 Published by

In a letter written in 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote that “Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Franklin popularized that idiom, which has oft been used ever since, but recently I have been aware of another inescapable aspect of life – moving house. Some of us have moved internationally. Perhaps others have been deployed at a moments notice to a place hitherto unknown. Some will have lived in places for many years, others have moved around more frequently. Whatever our individual experiences, we all know something of the experience of packing up, sorting out, moving boxes filled with our treasures; and then doing it all again in reverse. In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes… and moving. All of the moves that I have made have been times of excitement amidst change, and that is certainly true of this latest one, which has been taking place this week.

The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed that there have been some changes in where you can now find the members of the Spiritual Life Department.

Chaplain Peggy has moved into her new office on the ground floor of Plaza View (Assisted Living), Chaplain Andrew will be moving from his current office (next to the Life Center) into Peggy’s old office (just East of the Boardrooms), and Kimberly (our Spiritual Life Department Administrative Assistant) will be moving into Andrew’s old office. Following the feedback which we have heard from residents, desiring a space for quiet contemplation and prayer, Kimberly’s office will become our new Meditation Space. Our telephone numbers and extensions will be remaining the same. We are all excited about these moves, and particularly about having a more permanent presence among our Assisted Living residents and staff.

We look forward to continuing to serve you in whatever ways we can from our new locations, as well as seeing familiar and new faces at our doors. Come and visit us!*

Naps of the Bible

Sun, October 21, 2018 Published by

Recently I found myself saying to Chaplain Andrew that “I would sleep on it and give him the decision in the morning.” Something was still unsettled in my mind and I knew that I needed time and the renewal of sleep to make the best decision.  It is amazing and often disconcerting how the mind keeps working when it is supposed to be resting.  Sometimes my most creative sermon writing comes when I’m napping or sleeping.  It’s taken awhile for me to learn the advantages of napping.  Taking a power nap is tricky though, it can’t be too long because then I feel groggy for the rest of the day, an hour or so usually seems about right.  I remember times when I laid down to take a quick cat nap and woke up hours later.  Studies have shown that power naps can boost your memory, cognitive skills, creativity, mood and energy level!

Rev. Maren Tirabassi is a U.C.C. pastor in New Hampshire and she has written a delightful piece on naps in the Bible. She says, “Jacob ran, scared to death of his brother Esau who was … huge. Exhausted in the wilderness, he put his head on a rock and dreamed a legislature of angels. Jacob woke knowing God was in every scary place or runaway journey, but only because sleep gave the dreaming a chance. Joseph of Nazareth planned to send away his beloved Mary, because that’s how being hurt and angry works. Then he decided to sleep on it, and the rest was … well, Christmas! Jesus was taking a power nap in the boat between healings and teachings when a storm blew up. They had to shake him awake before he could say “peace, be still.” Only later he complained, “O you of little naps …”  And that’s not mentioning Nebuchadnezzar’s nightmare of conscience, Jonah’s snooze below decks before taking responsibility for his actions, the warning to the magi that there is always another way home, or the raising of Eutychus, the teenager who fell out the window reminding us that long sermons can be a form of melatonin.

Long ago and this week, the chance to actually experience a dream of hope, the pause that shifts an emotion-driven decision, the renewal of strength and faith to face any storm—they all come from sleep. Sleep gives energy, focus, creativity. Sleep weaves the frayed memory, improves the unreliable temper, and always makes working with the ragtag, clueless, practically disciple-esque folks in our resistance possible.”

When all else fails sometimes it’s best to just take a nap.*

Blessed are the Peacemakers

Sun, October 14, 2018 Published by

Each year a team of people working for Webster’s Dictionary meet to decide which new words to add to their latest edition. They apparently make their selections based partly upon these questions: is the word in widespread use? Does it have staying power, or is it a passing fad?

Recent new inclusions include the words hangry (becoming bad tempered as a result of being hungry), newsjacking (the practice of aligning a brand with a current event in an attempt to generate media attention and boost the brand’s exposure) and Kompromat (compromising information collected for use in blackmailing, usually for a political purpose).

The words which we choose to use matter. The usage and creation of new words often reflects the preoccupations and values of a culture. I wonder then what these words say about our culture?

This year a group of people involved in peacebuilding have proposed that the word peacebuilding be given a dictionary definition. It seems reasonable they argue, that the activities of the many people around the world who are committed to the prevention of conflict and the promotion of a lasting peace be included in the dictionary alongside warmongers, firebrands and rabble-rousers. In 1992, the UN defined peacebuilding, alongside peacekeeping and peacemaking (both already in the dictionary), as a distinct and essential means to helping war-torn societies transition from violence to peace.

Peacebuilding is, by its nature, an unheralded and hidden activity. It is a word which describes something which is difficult, something that requires stamina and patience, and there are particular dispositions found in those called to that work, whom the prophet Isaiah called “repairers of the breach”.

One such peacebuilder, Martin Luther King, once said that “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice.” Others today endorse that hopeful trajectory with statistics suggesting that a less violent humanity is evolving. I pray for that to be true. If it is, then we are going to need even more peacemakers to keep us on track.

We live in a time of great verbal as well as physical violence. And verbal aggression is often a precursor to physical. Our words do matter. Jesus said “blessed are the peacemakers.” And I believe that, and ask your prayers for all involved in that effort, but we must also remember that the inheritors of peace are also blessed. We may not live our lives in that awareness, but we are blessed in this country by an inheritance of a peace built upon the efforts of others who have tried to weave together the fabric of a diverse and free society to create something whole.

Perhaps we need a new word which more fully acknowledges that, and perhaps we also need to acknowledge that we are all called to be peacemakers, peacebuilders and peacekeepers today so that those who follow us can inherit the same.*

Entertaining Angels

Sun, October 7, 2018 Published by

Would you think your Chaplain a bit looney if I tell you I believe in angels? I believe that God is an active presence in the world and I am persuaded that angels are not just a figment of an overactive imagination.  Rather than it being an ever-shrinking area, the bounds of spiritual experience continue to expand for me as I get older. I have listened to an increasing number of people who hesitantly shared an other-worldly experience with me so I know those mystical experiences are real. Studies have found that 77% of people believe in angels. It seems like there has always been a fascination with the subject of angels. We have seen countless books, movies, television shows, songs, paintings and a host of other things that emphasize the existence and presence of heavenly beings. The collectibles industry in particular has gotten in on this big time, and there are all kinds of pictures,  statues, ornaments and other likenesses of angels to be found.

Angels are part of almost every religion and generally seem to have the role of messenger. Many traditions believe in guardian angels who serve to protect whichever person God assigns them to and present prayer to God on that person’s behalf. In the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” an angel helps a compassionate but despairingly frustrated businessman by showing what life would have been like if he never existed. Remember Clarence? Every time a bell rings, an angel gets it’s wings. There are four visitations of angels associated with the birth of Jesus. The great musicians of the world have used angels in their compositions. Most familiar is probably from Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, When at Night I Go to Sleep, fourteen angels watch do keep.  Handel includes an aria with these words: “Angels, ever bright and fair, take, oh take me to your care.” And children love the spiritual, All Night, All Day, angels watching over me my Lord.

The book of Hebrews says, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” The angels around us may not look like what we expect. We never know to whom we are talking, whom we are welcoming or turning away, to whom we are offering a much needed embrace or a cold shoulder, for the strangers who come into our lives come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and conditions.*

On Children

Sun, August 12, 2018 Published by

On August 22nd my husband and I will be taking our daughter Maddie up to Northern Arizona University to begin college.  There have been many plans and preparations throughout her senior year as she diligently applied to various colleges and scholarships and took all the required preparatory exams.  Then came the BIG decision—which college will it be?  When she decided on NAU there was momentary relief that the decision was made and then the next stage of preparations began as we learned about all that she needs to bring with her, who will be her roommate and in which dorm she will live.  During these days attention is mostly showered on Maddie as people ask with excitement where she will be going to college?!  However, I’m finding that those same people turn to me to ask, “And how are you doing mom?  You’re going to be an empty nester!”  When the kid flies from the nest everyone wonders what the parents are going to do with all their newly found time!  My heart is not breaking as my child leaves home. She is excited to test her wings and learn about life as an independent adult.  I, of course, will miss her and I’m sure I will worry more than I need to at times but I am excited that her life will be filled with fresh and new experiences.  It’s helpful to remind myself that life is a balance of holding on and letting go.  The prophet Khalil Gibran’s poem On Children says it all:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,

which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them,

but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children

as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,

and He bends you with His might

that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies,

so He loves also the bow that is stable.