Dreams and Dominos

I slept well last night and woke up after a pleasant but strange dream about someone I knew very well in the past.  

I had a dream of Brad that was real enough that I want to record it. I was entering a large and beautiful building and stairs were leading up on the right and leading down on the left.  At least the people seemed to know in which direction to move.   Someone was with me.  I had a feeling that it was my parents and that we were on the right going up.  Brad had been released from jail and wanted to see me.  It took me some time to reach him because there were many rooms in this building.  We finally came to a room and I entered and met Brad.  He did not greet me with a kiss and he was taller than I remember him but he was waiting for me.   It was like a movie theater.  People were sitting in seats watching something on a screen.  I wanted to leave to go look at something and when I tried to return to Brad I couldn’t find him.  I searched for him and I began to wake up, never finding him.  That is the general gist of the dream.  It was unusual because of its length and clarity and detail.  The dream is significant but I don’t know how or why.  The intensity of the dream disturbs me.  But, as with most dreams, it is fading fast. 

I got up, dressed, and came downstairs to check my email and FaceBook.   And decided to take my walk although I was hesitant because it was cloudy and on the verge of sprinkling.  It was cool and I decided to take the second half of my walk first.  Towards the river.

 

The Merrimack River by Merrimack Meadows 

My Domino’s Group met yesterday and I had just completed printing all my photographs from walking and putting them in an album.  They (5) all looked at it and thought they were very good and all suggested I show them to Joe Silva who oversees Merrimack Meadows.  They thought I should go professional.  Sue remarked that I had an “eye” for seeing the beauty around me.  I was very flattered!  Sue liked the car fenders and noted that I had not included hers so I went there this morning to photograph the rear of her car!  When I  completed the second half I still had energy and walked a bit further but it began to sprinkle so I turned around and headed for home.

I came in and wanted to download the photos I took yesterday as well as the few I took this morning but I was unable to do so.  I was having the same troubles as I had before.  I tried everything I could think of to do but gave up and waited until the time change indicated that Cheryl would be up.  She was and she suggested I turn the camera on!  Which is what I had failed to do before!  These kind of quirks drive me nuts!!!  Not remembering to do something so basic and so simple! 

The pictures that I took at the Domino’s Group were good and the few I took this morning were good.  I do so enjoy my camera!            

"Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty."

"Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty" is my newest fortune cookie.  I'm not off to a very good start!  

I do not handle frustration very well!  I am not patient and quickly become irritated with myself and that further exacerbates whatever the problem is!  This morning I had difficulty with my printer working and it cost me a lot of expensive photo paper and a lot of very expensive ink!  I wanted to complete my project of filling a photo album with the pictures I have taken while walking.  It seemed urgent to complete it because the Dominoes Group is meeting this Friday and I want to show them what I am doing.

I considered the possibility of buying a new printer but that wasn't a good option because 1. I couldn't really afford it and 2. I wouldn't know how to set the printer up!   

I got caught in the urgency of my wishes and finally gave up struggling (a wise thing to do) and went for my walk later than usual. It was dark and dreary outside but it wasn't raining.  I decided to walk the back half of my two mile walk for a change and finish the front half later in the day.  It was delightfully cool and I began to calm down.  I crossed paths with the woman from Persia and CoCo, her dog.  I told her I had a photo of him and would bring it next time for her.  She seemed very pleased and was so lovely.  I really hope to know her better.

By the time that I returned I was able to fix the printing problem and
complete what I wanted to do.  My mind seems to shut down when
confronted with a problem.  I don't know why.  It didn't before.  It is one of the reasons I am walking.  It is supposed to be good for your brain!  Now I have a lot of cutting to do.

I was very pleased to receive an email this morning from Bill and Arlene Browning the Junior and Senior Warden at St. John's asking me to be a part of the Discernment process to make a recommendation to the Vestry whether to call the Priest-in-Charge as Rector.  I agreed to do it and hope that I can make at least some contribution.  I also need to get started on the Newsletter I volunteered to do.

"What Do We Mean When We Say GOD?"

I awoke at 4:30 this morning, having awakened only once during the night.  Then I realized that I had slept for 8 hours!  I reached for my prayer book.....during the very slow process of restoring order after falling down the stairs and subsequently being hospitalized for leukemia I attempted to rearrange some of my books.  I collected my Books of Common Prayer and stacked them together and placed them on my desk and later moved them to the headboard in my bedroom.  I do not now know where they all came from but I know that I never found a red leather bound copy that was mine--easily identified by the scribbles on the first page made by one of my children when they were very young!  Being very fond of books I was adamant about the proper way of caring for them!  It was placed in my new end table that was a display case for treasured
items.  

I have searched and searched and all of my adult children who have visited me have also searched but the Book of Common Prayer that was mine during my marriage has never shown up.   Strange, that scribbles which disturbed me mightily when they occurred could become so precious in later years!

I have decided to rearrange my collection of prayer books.  My small red leather book was published by the Oxford University Press in 1952 and is certified that "this edition of the Book of Common Prayer conforms to the Standard book of 1928, as amended by subsequent actions of General Conventions.  A Morning Resolve and For Today is pasted on the cover and first page of the book so I know that I was using it in 1980.  It is small and is written in out dated language and different categories.  I read from it this morning and decided to carry it in my purse.  

I have a larger version which is black and all of the services are separated by tabs and favorite prayers are marked with red ink underlining!  I am keeping it here at my computer along with my dictionaries and a Book of Common Prayer that is book size with a normal hard back covering published by Oxford University Press
in February 1990.

I went for my walk at 7 o'clock.  It was very pleasant and cool and the Lemillin workers greeted me along the way.  They are making good progress.  I saw the other greyhound who lives in the complex! He is tan and beautiful.  Greyhounds are so elegant.  

Among the books I found a small book that I had read several years ago called "WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY GOD?" compiled by Deidre Sullivan, published in 1990.  It is 125 pages of
a random sample of people from all walks of life who answered the question.  I think that it would make a good format for St. John's Newsletter which I have agreed to write this month.  "I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining.  I believe in love even when I am alone.  I believe in God even when He is silent."  Writen by a Jewish refugee, World War II, Poland.

The Days Dwindle Down...

To a precious few...
And the days grow short
When you reach September...


Two thirds of the year is gone.  Four months are left and then
another year will have passed.  In terms of human life, very few persons live to be 100.  My father died at age 89.  My mother died at age 85.  Maybe I will live until I am 90.  That means that I have 10 1/2 years left.  The days have grown short!  

Elli is the name of the Norse Goddess of Old Age.  I have been an Episcopalian for 61 years and a Baptist and Methodist before that but emulating a Norse Goddess of Old Age appeals to my fantasy! In Norse Mythology the God Thor is challenged to wrestle with Elli and he is brought to his knees in the struggle.  Not even the God Thor is immune to the effects of aging!  

As I struggle with the effects of aging

Life Stages

Let's assume arbitrarily that our life span is 100 years or 5 twenty year stages.  Childhood from Birth to Adulthood 20 years, Young Adults from age 20 to 40, Middle Aged Adults from 40 to 60, Mature Adults from age 60 to 80, and Older Adults from age 80 to death.  

The needs and desires of each stage of development are different. As unique individuals, born with certain talents and propensities, our abilities will vary throughout the stages of life.

I am about to enter my last stage of life, being 79 going on 80, so my faculty's may have begun to fail me on occasion but I feel competent to express my opinion on a matter of great concern to
me.

The church that I have attended for 25 years has slowly declined to having a quarter time priest.  Two other priests and a Deacon voluntarily offer their services so we are able to have communion every Sunday.  

Which group is the most important to reach if you want to influence all the groups?  Which group is the most likely to reach mature decisions?  Which group is at the top of their game, so to speak?
My vote would be cast on the Middle Aged Adults 40 to 60 years of age.  Why? The Young Adults, ages 20 to 40 are busily engaged in establishing their working lives, raising their children, and possibly caring for ageing parents.  Children are busy growing up.  They can be influenced at a young age if their busy parents are so inclined.  If not, the seed of religion is not planted.  If you want to increase your influence look to those who are wondering what their life will be like when their children are grown.  

So many people seem to think that we can revive our churches by providing programs that appeal to children.  Instead of placing our focus on the young why don't we place our focus on an older group of people?  Instead of ignoring the needs of those who are growing older why not provide meaningful programs for the faithful?

Are we so enamored of youth that we ignore four stages of growth?

Chinese Fortune Cookies

Yesterday was a very nice day for me.  And this morning has been a good morning.  After my morning walk yesterday I drove to New Hampshire to see my friend Julie.  I met Julie 39 years ago at Fitchburg State College where we both had returned to school to complete our education that was interrupted when we were married. We were both Army wives living at Fort Devens, MA.  Julie's husband was a dentist and mine was an artilleryman.  I had four children and she had four children.  We became friends and have remained friends.  We have gone through many major changes in our lives and have always been sounding boards for each other.

This morning was a good morning because it was the once monthly meeting of the Gen-Ex Bible Study Group.  I have been a member since Fr. Gordon White invited me to attend many years ago!  This morning I learned that Fr. Don Lozier can properly be called The Reverend Doctor Don Lozier!  He has a doctorate as well as being ordained as a priest.  I have always known that he is well above average in smartness!  I am truly impressed!  Jean Pinard, also a member of the group, has a doctorate.  I have always known that I was very blessed to be in good company!   

I was dressed and ready to go for a walk before Bible Study but I had only gone a short distance when it began to rain.  Remembering my last walk in the rain I decided to not risk it and returned home!  According to the weather report, it will be sunny this week-end.

Julie and I decided to go to a Japanese Restaurant we both like and enjoyed the Fried Rice,  I received another Fortune Cookie which read "Struggle as hard as you can for whatever you believe in."  If I were to go back to school now, I would major in religion.  Or perhaps I would have pursued the possibility of ordination much sooner in my life.  Having been approved for ordination to the diaconate and then told that I could not be ordained, because I had turned 72, was very disappointing.

The Gen-Ex Bible Study Group

The Reverend Doctor Lozier!

Odds and Ends

I slept later than usual this morning.  By the time I had bathed and dressed and spent some time checking my email and FaceBook it was time to go for my walk at 7:15.  My walking friend Linda was walking her dog, Scooter, and very kindly agreed to take a picture of me!

                                          This is Linda!

This is me!

I am beginning to be aware that I am sleeping better.  I still awaken but I am not having lengthy bouts of insomnia falling back to sleep.
We ran into some children that Linda knew who were walking to the entrance to wait for the school bus.  I photographed a young girls back pack because she had adorned it with so many things!

I continued my walk and nothing else caught my attention!  

I mentioned the Delicious Fried Rice that I had for lunch yesterday but forgot to mention my Fortune Teller Cookie!  It read "You will travel to exotic places on your next trip."  A very nice fortune!  It reminded me of the movie I like so well "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" which is about a group of British "elderly" retirees who move to Jaipur, India to take up residence.  Judi Dench (my favorite actress), Bill Nighy, and Maggie Smith and four other well know actors play roles in the movie.  I recommend it highly!

I thought that Thanksgiving would be my next trip but maybe not!  I like the sound of "exotic!"

A not well known fact of the Civil War:  In 1861 Sally Louisa Tompkins was commissioned a cavalry captain.  She was the only woman to be commissioned in the confederate army.  There were however female soldiers disguised as men who fought.  Capt. Tompkins was a nurse and established a hospital in Richmond, Virginia.  

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The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 

"Evelyn:  Nothing here has worked out quite as I expected.

Muriel:  Most things don't, but sometimes what happens instead is the good stuff!"