The World of Grandpa Don  

Stop! Did you read the Thought and the Prayer for this week?  If not, may I suggest that you scroll back up and take a look? OK, now that you have done that, lets go on ...

I should have gone shopping on Saturday. I hadn't gone on Friday because I just didn't have it in me to do it. I guess that carried over to Saturday. As I ate my breakfast, Mikey sounded his polite single bark that translated to, "Come into the living room to help me get up in my favorite chair". So I dutifully got up from the table and when I entered the living room, Mikey who had been sitting about two feet from the steps got up and put his front paws on the first step and looked back at me to come and assist him. I stopped short and said, "Go up Mikey, you can do it yourself." Just knowing I was standing by was enough and with a little further verbal encouragement and several false starts he bounded up the steps to his perch in front of the window. That was followed by much praise from me. One of these days he will not even call me. That will be a happy day because he will have gained an independence from me. But will it also be a sad day for me because I will no longer be needed?  It may be the same as if we stop praying to God, thinking we don't need Him. Life is complicated.

After breakfast I was thinking that maybe I would go shopping. I had much to tell God and Anne as I sipped my coffee. Of course they already knew what I had to say but they like me to take the time to talk things over and give it that personal touch. It keeps us close and as I relate things they become more clear in my mind along with thoughts that come from out of nowhere, or somewhere, that tend to guide me through the day ... if I listen carefully. Listening is sometimes, ... no, often  ..., more important than talking and much more educational. By the time the coffee was gone, I decided that the store would wait until Monday. I didn't have everything I wanted but I had everything I needed in the house. We should take the time to separate our wants from our needs. It simplifies life tremendously and a simple life is a happy life. Having many wants when we have everything we need complicates life and breeds dissatisfaction. I, for one, have no need for dissatisfaction and so I try not to look for it by dreaming up superfluous wants. I say "I try" but human nature makes it tough to not want more all the time. We sometimes equate having more than what we need as being successful. It is, indeed, a complicated life.

It was sunny and in the high 60's Saturday. The shrub that had been transplanted looked like it needed water so it was given some with a little Miracle Grow mixed in. I have an electrical outlet sticking up out of the ground near the spot that once was home to a small fountain. It is rather ugly. I also had an empty rectangular planter that I had not thrown out and decided to cut off one end of it, transforming it into a hood for the electrical outlet. That looks better now. After lunch I had a cup of coffee in the gazebo, not the usual scenario for a November day but it was delightful and peaceful. When my neighbor started trimming his bushes I decided it was a good time for my annual Nov 7th shower. When something disturbs you, like the screams of a hedge trimmer, you can chose to get upset, or you can chose to do something else. By the time I was finished with my shower and a couple other things, all was quiet and serene again. It was a great day to be outside.

Mary Moskal sent a link to a web page that contains one of my favorite prayers. I invite you to "Another Day". This meaningful prayer is the "Prayer for Thursday" in the little prayer booklet left for me by Anne. In that little booklet is a prayer for every day of the week and it is used every day of the week during my morning time of reflection when I visit with God and Anne. The web page at this link identifies it as written by Grace E. Easley. Her poems are also often found in the many inspirational booklets also left for me by Anne. This particular prayer holds deep meaning for me as it is one that I need ... every word is meaningful ... every word expresses what I need. It was some time after Anne's death that I got enough gumption to clean out some of her things. One drawer in her night stand was full of small booklets of prayers and inspirational poems. I hadn't known she had them. My first reaction was to throw them away ... I didn't go for that stuff. But I started reading and realized that I did need them. It was as if Anne knew that and left them for me. The prayer book was among them. It was worn when I found it and now it is falling apart in spite of being taped together and re-taped several times. Thank you Mary for sharing this link with us. You have, again, touched my heart. I also use the inspirational booklets  every day, rotating through them and each day reading one or two poems from the current one. I have also subscribed to them and receive a new one every other month. You see, I need a reminder every day of how good God is to me and how I should live. The reminders are as necessary as a daily shower. One every month or even every week doesn't do the job, they must be renewed every day in order to provide lasting benefit.

And ... look what I found ...

And then I found ...

 

God is not threatened by differences. It’s we who are. ~ Richard Rohr  .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Birthday wishes this week go to my sister Irene. You probably have not had the experience of trying to find a birthday card for a sister whom, just a short time ago, you didn't know you had. Hallmark doesn't have words for that situation. So, I missed having been kids together or teens together, or being a big brother to her but I wish I did. And, I can still wish her many more birthdays and a happy life, blessed by God. Happy Birthday Irene.

As I often do I had a visit before mass with Bella and her parents and then again as we left church. She discovered the air  vents in the floor next to the wall of the church and enjoyed doing an imitation of Marilyn Monroe with her skirt blowing up around her. I didn't know she even knew of Marilyn Monroe (Although they are distant cousins.) After mass I enjoyed some time in the gazebo again with my coffee. We have had enough below normal temperatures so that when above normal temps arrive, even only in the mid 60's, they seem warm. It is all relative. It did reach 70 later in the day for the second day in a row, a rarity for November.

I went early to the wake for Doug Berg. That's when the "seniors" are there to pay their respects. That is what it is all about ... respect for the person and his family. It is mostly for the family to know that they are not alone and that the one they cherished is also cherished by others. As I said last week, Doug will be missed. Many of the survivors of the old Drake Ave gang were there to attest to that, even some that I didn't expect to see, ... some who had moved away many years ago, even long before we did. It was a sad time with joyful memories, renewed acquaintances with updates on their lives and families. The wakes also serve those who attend, reuniting them with lost friends, at least for a short time and to reawaken in them the things that united them years ago.

Dan and Karen picked me up Monday morning and we stopped for Mary Gieselman on our way to the funeral. Ray had gone first to work and would meet us there. Dan and Ray were pall bearers. The Lutheran service was held at the funeral home attended by many and there was a long procession to the cemetery. It was a graveside service including the internment. The family wanted that. Afterward we all went to Papa Joe's, a chance to further comfort family members an , yes, celebrate Doug's life and the effect it had on ours. As I said, last week, he will be remembered as one of those who touched my life and left me the better for the touch. His son and mine as well as several other children of the "Drake Ave Gang" are best of friends today. There was a bond there that can never be broken by neither time nor distance. Thank you God.

 

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. ~ John Quincy Adams .

Mikey has come down with a repeat of the ear infection he had last spring. If it hadn't been for the funeral I would have taken him to the vet Monday. But when I came home I discovered that I still had a supply of the medication from his last bout. I gave him a treatment Monday evening, first a "flush" and then the antibiotic drops a half hour later. I slept through the night without hearing him troubled by it until just before it was time to get up. Hi licks his paw and tries to scratch the inside of his ear, causing him to yelp in pain. I got up and he got his second treatment which always soothes the pain for him (and me). We will continue this for two weeks but it has already had a good effect.

When Maria came to clean she brought 3 small dinner roles. Dobry. After she went to get started in the bed rooms I went up and showed her the proper way to tilt the windows in for cleaning. She was very happy that I showed her. Later I had some soup and those rolls for lunch. Surprise! They weren't dinner rolls although that's what they seemed to be until you took a bite. Hidden and baked inside was a delightful slice of apple. So I don't know what the Polish call them but I call them good. I ate all three, more than I needed but, they were that good. And ... they were small.

Continuing our search for information about the Palinchik family. Marilyn had an astounding find. There is a web page "The Geneology of Eastern Slovakia, Tourist Guide, Archive Researcher"  by Juraj (pronounced like Your-eye) ČISÁRIK He has searched the Slovakian archives and published a list of marriages. Included, Marilyn found :
"1893 Palencsik Andras groom 25 y.old single Chromi Maria bride 18 y.old single county: Trebisov"
It is her grandparents with still another spelling of their names, this time, assumingly, the correct spelling in the original Slovak language. Her grandfather's name was actually Andras, not Andrus, and the family name was Palencsik. The "cs" is pronounced "ch" and so it has become Americanized to Palinchik. Her grandmother's maiden name Chromi has been Americanized to Kromi or Cromi. She was single and 18 when married as opposed to widowed as some were in the list and they were married in Trebisov. Unless someone wants to take a trip to Slovakia this is about the most we will learn of the family.

During the homily at Doug's funeral, the Rev. Louis Vician made some remarks that lead me to believe that he thinks we Catholics still don't have it right. I can see why he would think that and maybe I have been putting too much emphasis on Mathew 25: 31- 36. The reverend referred to Reformation Day and the fact that Martin Luther's statement about "Justification" was still very important and indeed it is. There was much need for reformation in the church and the Catholic church has gradually through the years admitted to that fact. We have a difficult time admitting to being wrong, a human failing. One major error was the belief that we could gain salvation and heaven through doing good works. Sounds logical but the fact is that Salvation and Heaven are gifts of God far beyond our ability to earn them. We (Catholics) are supposed to know that now. But we still see too much emphasis in "earning" heaven and even worse, buying into heaven by using ill gotten gains through crime and immorality to support charities and, yes, even the church itself. Shame! As Luther contended, we gain Heaven through Faith in God. Luther said, "Good works do not make a good man." However, he added, "...but a good man does good works." and therein lies the answer and the melding of the two theologies. If one really has faith and really wants to be a follower of Christ he follows His teachings and does good works. The good works are not the way to earn God's love but rather, they are the evidence of the person's love of God. The two are therefore, inseparable. Therefore, as told in Mathew 25: 31- 36, at the last judgment, God looks at the evidence of our faith in him and by that we are judged. But we must know and keep in mind that it is only  the evidence of our beliefs and good works are never a means to an end. That is (now) the belief and teaching of the Catholic Church as it was in its inception. We do good things because we believe in God and want to be one with God. Faith comes first. The evidence of that faith follows.

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. ~ Chinese proverb  .

The 3 Minute Retreat for Wednesday struck a chord in me for several reasons.  It is on the subject of Connections. It makes the connection between Jesus and ourselves and reinforces, I think, the thoughts on "justification" discussed above. Our faith begins in Jesus. Secondly, I have used the theme of the Vine and branches on the parish web site. Included in the section "About This Web Site we find:

"I am the vine, YOU are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing." John 15 . In this Gospel, Jesus uses the metaphor of the vine and branches to describe our inter-connectedness and interdependence. We share in the life of God as one body composed of many parts. The point is clear .... WE ALL NEED EACH OTHER.

And finally, it struck a chord in my life because at one time I thought I did it all by myself. That illusion is a great ego booster but as we all know (I hope) the ego can be our worst enemy. It is great when things are going well but when things turn bad the weight of being completely responsible for everything can be, and for me, was ... very depressing. I finally realized that God was there, assisting me even when I doubted Him the most. It is like the dead branch hanging in my tree. Without a solid connection to the rest of the tree it is lifeless and useless, indeed a detraction for the rest of the tree and itself. And the image of the vine and branches extends to us all and includes family and friends. We are not only all connected but also dependant on each other. We look to God for help and that help comes more often than not through other humans, often unrecognized at the time.

I was baaad Wednesday. Mikey woke me up at 6:30 and I was not ready to be awake. So, I let him out and when he came back in I went back to bed. Oooo it was sooo gooood! The next thing I knew I heard a polite whimper from my friend. It was 9 Am! I must have needed that. Needless to say, my morning was compressed to fit the remaining time. All the usual rituals were there, but in miniature. The time at my computer was reduced with the rest but certain tasks, important ones were not neglected, such as sending out the "Include-Me" newsletter announcing that the parish web site had been updated. This is a regular Wednesday task in response to Bob Lewis' usual email announcing that he has uploaded next weekend's parish bulletin. The lazy day attitude spilled over to the afternoon when, after feeding Mikey ... don't call him Mickey, that's a mouse ... I went up and soaked in the tub for almost an hour. Delicious! I don't do that often enough because it is a task for me to get out. Every time I do it I think more about getting one of those "walk-in" tubs but that would entail major remodeling and big bucks. And ... would that be pampering myself too much?

While having a light lunch (I had just finished breakfast) I was admiring my Bradford Pear tree. I selected it for its spring display of white blossoms and in late fall it usually turns from dark green to dark brown, holding on to its leaves until well into late fall or even winter. One year it didn't loose its leaves until February. But this fall is different. Not as brilliant as the adjacent maple trees were, but it now has leaves of diverse hues from green to russet and yellow. Some have begun to fall. It was glowing in the bright sun of this cool but beautiful day. Nature, like life, is full of surprises. That's what makes it so interesting and such an adventure.

Speaking of interesting ... Bible study Thursday was just that. Of course I usually find it so. We continue to base our study on the readings for the coming weekend and this week of course, they involve the end of times. People keep trying to predict when that will be and many books and movies have been devoted to the subject. About to make its debut is the movie "2012". Why this obsession with the end of the world? To some it is a terror story. To others it is one of hope and relief. For my part, the end of my world will be when I am born to Eternal Life. Nothing else is of much consequence. The fact is that we are told, by the Word of God Himself, that no one knows when the world will end. It is not a riddle to be solved and God has given no clues. Oh yes, We have been told that before it happens there will be great tribulation, wars and pestilence. When has there never been these things?  If we knew the date, we could party 'till then and then reform. As it is, in not knowing, we are to be ready for the end at any moment. Reform now ... tomorrow may be too late.

 

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.  ~ Mother Teresa of Calcutta .

I invested some time this week in creating a "Palinchik" page. I did a little research in the process so we would know a little more of the history of Sue's family and the place and conditions of their early lives both here and in their home land. There is a bit of history there and more. The page evolved into the story of "The Great American Dream". I couldn't help but to include some suppositions but I think they are reasonable considering the known facts. Besides, they "spice up" the story a bit. Please visit The Palinchik Story . I have no doubt that there are more details to be added to this page but I needed to get the story there for everyone to see. We can always add to it and that that is the beauty of the internet, It is not like a book that, in order to change it it must be re-published. The internet publications can be revised easily, mistakes corrected, or deleted, and new information added.

Mikey's ear is still bothering him but the discomfort is less frequent and more mild. .He gets his eardrops twice a day and of course puts up some resistance but I can deal with it. He still needs me to encourage him to go up his doggy steps but he does it.

 

Do you want to speak the praise of God? Then be yourselves what you speak. If you lead good lives you are God’s praises. ~ St. Augustine  .

My yard guys came as usual this morning. After cutting the lawn and picking up the leaves in the process, they did the fall aeration and followed that with the fall fertilizer. I am now set for the winter. Constant maintenance and being prepared for what is to come is the secrete of a successful life whether it be your lawn, your health, your finances, or your soul. With that as a base you can meet any challenge. When I reflect on the life of those who left their home lands to make a new life, starting with nothing but hope, determination and love, I wonder if I could have been that strong. Thank God I didn't need to do that. What I had to do to raise my family and provide for them, and myself, was a walk in the park compared to the need to go to a strange land where I couldn't speak the language and they couldn't understand me, then work in a job that no one else would do. I can only say that ...

I Am blest I Am  anointed I Am overjoyed .