A Personal Psalm

This summer the pastors at our church are preaching a series on the Psalms. Each Sunday a church member has been asked to write and read an original psalm that before the sermon. Today's psalm was Psalm 138 and I was asked to participate. It is a psalm of praise, so that is the theme I took for my personal psalm and although I haven't been posting much lately, thought I would share in on the blog:

It is so easy to praise you, Lord
As the sun sets in blazing glory behind the clouds
As majestic waves of the ocean break on rocky cliffs
As spring breaks out in riotous colors along the highways

It is harder to praise you, Lord
In the waiting room with the devastated family
In the silent home bereft of the beloved voice
In the midst of life’s doubt and trials

It is hardest to praise you, Lord
When chaos overcomes calm
When hateful speech divides brothers and sisters in faith
When Your peace that passes understanding is not present

Teach me, Lord, to see you and to praise you in all things
Even when frustrated with the tedium of everyday life
Even when frustrated with other people
Even when frustrated with myself most of all

Remind me, Lord, to be aware of your presence
To seek you every day in prayer
To seek you every day in your word
To seek you every day in the people you place in my path

Bless me, Lord, to be a blessing to others
With the gifts of your spirit
With the words of your choosing
With the acts of your grace

I praise you, Lord, for guiding me in the important things and in the small things
I praise you, Lord, for drawing near to me when I draw near to you
I praise you, Lord, for nudging my unwitting self in the ways you would have me go

In all times, in all places, with all people, let me be full of praise for you, O Lord!

AMEN

Heat Wave Haiku

Shuttered windows
Warm dark and gloomy rooms
Saving electricity

Dogs napping all day
One hundred six degrees outside
Too hot to play

Grass crisp and brown
Sun hot and bright
Tree branches breaking
No one walking

Alligators, deer, feral hogs
Looking for water
In the suburbs

Tomorrow is promised
Cloud like a man's hand
Will bring relief to us

The Layman's Gone to Meddlin'

Several people asked me if I'd seen the Layman's ad in the Wall Street Journal at Monday's session meeting. Well, no, I hadn't because I read the WSJ on my IPad and don't see the ads, just the text. 

Then during the meeting the Moderator, Dave Peterson, told us that the same ad was going to run in Wednesday's Houston Chronicle and that he had already contacted the Layman with his objections. An FAQ sheet was distributed to the elders and to the staff in anticipation of questions from the congregation that might be prompted by the Houston area ad. 

The session then passed a motion that MDPC "continue to hold to and abide by the standards for ordination in the 2010 edition of the Book of Order, Form of Government G-6.106b for its elders and pastors." We also passed a motion stating that the first priority of the church continues to be the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I've been taking a blogging break because I have nothing constructive or original to add to the commentary about the adoption of Amendment 10A. I've been thinking about writing a response to these Layman ads because--as we say down here in Texas--they've stopped preaching and gone to meddlin'.

But then I saw that the perfect response has already been written by Steve Oglesbee, pastor at Clear Lake Presbyterian Church, Houston. Thank you, Steve! I couldn't agree with you more.

And now QG is going on hiatus until mid-June while El Jefe and I are on tour in Israel with our church group. We should return physically tired and spiritually refreshed.

Catching Up

Life has been getting in the way of blogging for the last week or so it seems. Or maybe I'm getting away from blogging altogether.

The biggest reason now weighs about 14 lbs. Averill will be home on maternity leave for the rest of this month and returns to work in June. That means I get to see Graham almost every day and keep him several times a week so she can get out to run errands, make appointments and occasionally socialize. 

She has a nanny lined up and I get to meet her next week. Averill is having her come a few days on a part-time basis so she can get comfortable with the house and baby and the cast of characters: me, Beatrice, Tilda and Clio the cat. Once Averill goes back to work I won't get called on as often during the week. But I do plan to pop in.

We've also done a bit of traveling and I'm busy with unbloggable church-related stuff.

I'm still reading as much as ever but it's mostly escapist stuff that I'm not inclined to review. I need to start reading in preparation for our trip to Israel with a group from church later this month. We're really looking forward to that!

Spring Glorious in Sugar Land

This has been the been one of the nicest springs ever here. It didn't get hot too fast and it hasn't been humid. The downside is that its been very very dry. However our spring flowers are the prettiest I can remember, so I just had to share them with you.

 This is a view of the flowerbeds on the left side of the front yard and house.

This is a close-up of the same flower beds so you can see the pretty tiny pink flowers on the edge. This plant survived the freezes and once cut back came back like a champ!

 

This is part of the back yard. We had to replace the bouganvilla that died in the winter freezes, but the roses and the Mexican firecracker came back good as new!

We've probably got a couple more weeks--at the most--for our glorious spring flowers before the summer heat sets in and the annuals have to be pulled up. So I had to have the pictures to remember them by.

Baby Blogging

Baby Graham had his 1 month birthday this week, so Averill took some more pictures. Here are two of my favorites!

 

Baby G is gaining weight fast and is already sleeping 6 to 7 hours through the night. What a model baby! He goes to sleep well on his own and amuses himself in his crib or a car seat when he is awake by trying to focus on his surroundings and cooing. His parents are doing a great job and we're very proud of them.

Tonight we get to babysit so they can go out together to dinner for the first time since his arrival

All is well in Baby and Grandparent Land....

I HATE Spring Break

Really I do. 

Here's why. March is always a very busy time at El Jefe's law practice. Every year before spring break he sends out a memo to the attorneys in his section begging them not to take vacation time during spring break week unless they have children in school. Every year he is overworked and frustrated because someone he needs on a deal went out of town during spring break without letting him know in advance and now he can't find them. And of course that person doesn't have children in school.

When our girls were in school we went out of town on spring break exactly once. Why? Because El Jefe was too conscientious to leave his section short-handed.

As one of his partners remarked to me recently, " We were born at the wrong time. When we were young lawyers, the partners left the office at 3 pm for the golf course after telling us what needed to be done the rest of the day. Now that we are senior lawyers, the young lawyers leave the office at 3 pm for the golf course after telling us what needs to be done the rest of the day!"  

As God is my witness, we are leaving town during spring break 2012!!

On Prayerful Waiting

A reminder to all the friends and family of our dear friend now in hospice care--and to me-- as we engage in watchful, prayerful waiting:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

--Romans 8:38

 Come, Lord Jesus.

Prayer Needed Again

This weekend our good friends and neighbors St. Betty and The Old Marine had to make the difficult decision to move their oldest daughter to hospice care. She suffered complications following a routine surgery and has been in ICU for more than a month to no avail.

Prayers for her, their family and friends are appreciated. It's been tough to go through this again so soon.

More Blackberry Blues

The Wall Street Journal, whose readers have GOT to be the most technology addicted in the world, ran an article this morning for every spouse, child or friend who has been dissed by a Blackberry: Your Blackberry Or Your Wife.

El Jefe has heard me sing the Blackberry Blues on many occasions, accompanied by the backup duo of Portia and Babs. We even have a picture of our late nephew Patrick commandeering El Jefe's Blackberry just before Portia's wedding ceremony!

This past Christmas Eve El Jefe deliberately left the BB at home while we went to church. Along comes a driving thunderstorm during the service so he ran out to fetch the car with one of the church's umbrellas only to realize he couldn't call us to let us know where to come to meet him for pickup. No good deed goes unpunished.

 

A technology fast sounds very appealing. But my chances of getting you-know-who to participate are slim. and. none.

 

Looking Ahead....

It's almost like the good old days when Portia and Babs were in college and home for Christmas break: they both took off the week between Christmas and New Year's! So we have had fun doing some Mom-Daughter things.

Today I'm off to the spice store in the Heights and lunch with Babs at a trendy restaurant. This evening El Jefe and I take Portia, DK and the in-laws out to dinner at our favorite wine bar/bistro in Sugar Land. We are all eagerly anticipating the birth of our grandson in early March!

In between, I'm starting to look ahead to the New Year and decided it was time to clean up my sidebar. So down comes the link to Presbyterians Today, since I won't be writing Best of the Blogs next year. And up goes a link to the books I am planning to review--hopefully in order that the reviews will appear! 

I am hosting book tours for The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson on February 8 and for Unprotected Texts sometime in February to be determined. (A book tour means that I have accepted a copy of the book for review from the publisher and agreed to post a review on a given date.)

So far I haven't had much luck driving readership to the book blog, but I do think it is useful to have my reviews collected in one place. I would like to do more book reviewing since general blogging is really falling off everywhere.

In the new year I also take on a new position at church: Clerk of Session. It's a long story, but to make it short, after reviewing the officer roles some changes were made this month that put me in that position rather than the one I was originally assigned. 

The main charge, other than the administrative Book of Order role, is to educate the session about denominational issues and upcoming votes at presbytery. Since we vote on the NFOG in February and the Belhar Confession in May that should keep me busy!

Christmas Eve 2010

Up early this morning, made breakfast tacos and clementines for breakfast washed down with lots of good coffee.

Next on the schedule is listening to Lessons and Carols from Cambridge University via KUHF in Houston. It always reminds El Jefe of the year he spent there and his part in the service reading one of the lessons: "the Lord told the faithful Abraham that in his seed would all the world be blessed."

Then off with El Jefe to see about trading in his car during the end of year sales. We'll see.

Back home for an afternoon with Portia, DK, Babs and P-Dubya getting ready for Christmas Day dinner Chez Portia (woo-hoo!) for the extended family and friends. Hope its chilly enough for DK to fire up his new firepit in the backyard!

Christmas Eve candlelight service at 5:30 at Portia and DK's new church home in Sugar Land, Christ United Methodist Church. Then off to St. Betty and the Old Marine's home for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord.

A Blessed Christmas to all!

Children's Moment in Memorial Service

Patrick's memorial service Saturday was a wonderful affirming celebration of his life and faith, attended by a very large gathering of friends and family.

I'd like to share with my Gentle Readers the special Children's Moment that was included in the service. My RevGal/Pal friends may want to make a note of this for future reference.

Annie and her cousins and young friends of the family were called forward to the front of the sanctuary to join Father Bob, the Episcopal priest at the church school she attends.

He lit a candle and explained to the children that the flame represented Patrick's life. Then he blew out the candle and pointed out the smoke that wafted overhead from it, saying that represented his spirit that lived on. After distributing candles to each of the children, he lit his candle once again saying that Patrick's spirit now shone before his Lord in heaven. 

Father Bob then lit the candle of each child gathered in front of him and told them the burning candles represented their lives. Then he led them in a procession down the center aisle as they all sang "This Little Light of Mine/I'm gonna let it shine." After they sang the song, he dismissed them to go back and sit with their families.

Truly this was the most meaningful way I have ever seen of including young children in a memorial service.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in their heavenly Father's realm. Rev. 21: 4

Patrick Is Home

 

This is how I will always remember Patrick: the devoted father and avid outdoorsman. He passed away this afternoon from the injuries he sustained in the auto accident October 11. It's comforting to remember him as he was just a few short weeks ago.

I remember when Patrick was engaged to our niece Carol and first met her grandfather (El Jefe's father "Dutch"). Dutch quickly took a liking to this gentle young man, declaring that he took good care of his car and "any man who takes good care of his care will take good care of his wife!" So Patrick had Dutch's full approval. And he proved to be a loving husband to our precious niece.

And Patrick was wonderful with Dutch in his declining years--always patient and gentle, he treated him with respect and spent time with him. Patrick was in his element hunting and fishing and spending time outdoors. He passed this great love of God's world to his daughter Annie, as you can see.

Godspeed, Patrick! You are home safe now, moored in God's loving arms.

Note: For those friends and family in Houston, Patrick's memorial service will be this Saturday at 3 pm at Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church.

(see also Averill's tribute to Patrick on her blog Odi et Amo)

Blogging Hiatus

QG will be on hiatus for a few days while we join the family in watching, waiting and praying for our nephew Patrick, now in hospice care.

Bless Friday

Our church has been encouraging the congregation to turn Black Friday into Bless Friday by engaging in community service rather than going shopping. Today's Houston Chronicle has a nice story describing the initiative, here.

The church website had several different opportunities for service that ranged from serving meals at a homeless shelter to bagging beans and rice for the church's Hispanic ministry food pantry. Or you could create your own project.

Last Sunday the Outreach Ministry  also distributed $20,000 during the worship services in envelopes ranging from $1 to $1,000. The idea was to pass the money along as a blessing to others and then report back. The idea was that each family took one envelope and then decided what to do with it.

Babs and I went forward and I was given an envelope with $200 in it. Babs got $10 in $2 bills so she gave hers to me and told me to use it together. 

El Jefe and I weren't sure at first how to use the money. Then last night it came to me--we will pass the money along to the Caring Bridge website in honor of our nephew, Patrick. 

That website is truly a blessing for families coping with extended illnesses or traumatic accidents such as Patrick's. I've followed a couple of other people on Caring Bridge in the past and often thought how helpful it would have been for my brother and his family during the years they coped with his daughter's cancer treatments.

Thankfulness With a Heavy Heart

Last night my sister-in-law called to let us know that her daughter's husband, Patrick, will be transferred from the ICU to hospice care when an appropriate placement can be arranged. That will probably be the first of next week.

Traumatic brain injury from the Columbus Day car accident coupled with subsequent strokes and other complications combined to make the doctors' recommendation that it is time to say goodbye to him.

We'll have Thanksgiving with a heavy heart, but with gratefulness nonetheless for the grace that abounds when family, friends and acquaintances support our precious niece Carol and her five year old daughter Annie and our family as well as Patrick's family.

The picture here is one drawn by my niece, M.E., in her preschool class the Thanksgiving after she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. The kids were asked to draw what they were grateful for and M.E.'s teacher wrote the message for her on the picture.

My brother (her father) emailed this to me last week as a reminder about what we should be truly thankful for. What a timely reminder! M.E. passed away in 1999 at the age of 9 after battling cancer for 4 years. Yet she had a mature faith that continues to inspire us and comforts me today as we have another Thanksgiving anticipating loss.

Paul tells in his first letter to the Thessalonians:

"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him." 1Thess.4:13-15

This Thanksgiving, like M.E., we are thankful for Jesus and the promise of eternal life.

Thanksgiving Bake-a-Thon Chez QG

 Portia, Babs and I conducted a Sunday afternoon Thanksgiving Bake-a-Thon at our house yesterday. 

The stated purpose was to get pies ready for Turkey Day when we expect 16 guests--both family and friends--to join us for dinner and the UT-A&M game.

 The QG family are UT fans but will be vastly outnumbered by the Aggies in the group and this looks like the Aggies' year, too. Oh, well!

We baked pumpkin and Heath pecan pies (that's pecan pies with Heath toffee bits and chocolate chips), shown above. Photo from my IPhone is not so good, but you get the idea. I still have two pie crusts in the refrigerator for 2 plain pecan pies which I can easily do tomorrow or Wednesday. Some people just have to go with tradition!

We also got a head start on Christmas baking by trying out a couple of new recipes--just to see if they are worthy. That's our story and we're sticking to it.

Here are the scrumptious cookies Portia baked--a shortbread type cookie layered with apricot jam and topped with chocolate ganache, from the latest Martha Stewart Holiday cookie magazine. We agreed it was fiddly, but tasty and worthy or special occasions like Christmas.

 I had a recipe from Ina Garten for a cranberry-apple cake that I wanted to try. We thought it would be more cobblerish than cakey, but were wrong. Babs whipped up some orange-flavored whipped cream to top it with and it was a huge hit! So expect to see this one repeated Christmas.

What's cooking at your house? Are you planning to try something new for Thanksgiving Day or stick to the tried-at-true favorites?

My Fantasy Book Tour

So everyone and his sister are out on book tours, haven't you noticed? They're hawking their books, but denying they are running for President. Hah! Of course they are.

QG reads lots of books and writes lots of reviews. I don't think I have a book in me, but I think I would love to go on a book tour--especially if I got to be interviewed around the country by the networks and cable TV shows. And I'm not running for President, either!

Here's my Fantasy Book Tour schedule: First the interviews on the morning shows in NYC on Fox, ABC, CBS, and NBC. Then radio interviews with NPR and Michael Medved (who does frequent and very interesting interviews of authors). No MSNBC because that would be like entering the Witness Protection Program. No one would be listening.

Then its on to the primo local TV and radio stations around the country: QG goes to Washington DC, Nashville, Savannah, Charleston, New Orleans, Natchez, Dallas, Amarillo, San Antonio, Austin, Marfa, Santa Fe, San Diego, Santa Clara and Seattle. Following the tour (cities chosen by me because that's where I want to go), I make a triumphant appearance around all the Houston area media outlets and bookstores. Okay, so I don't have a book for people to sign, but I'll shake hands and chat.

Who wants to be my agent?

Brava Catherine!!!

Last night we had (literally) front row seats for the Houston Grand Opera production of Madame Butterfly. The QG family was in the house to cheer on our very own amazing Diva Catherine who was singing the part of Butterfly's maid, Suzuki.

Our beautiful six foot blonde blue-eyed girl was well disguised as a Japanese woman, and I WAS wondering how that was going to turn out.  She sang superbly and I hope some critics and agents were there to take note! She also displayed some talent I didn't know she had: moving the large shoji screen back and forth throughout the performance. We joked that she would now have to join the stagehands' union or be mocked as a scab.

This production was so well received that HGO added this performance which gave Catherine the chance to sing on the big stage with Ana Maria Martinez, the soprano star, who had an incredible voice and acting skills.

Staging was beautiful and really enhanced the music and the singing. Even DK and El Jefe (not the biggest opera fans, you might say) rated the evening a success. Since many of the singers booked for the original performances were not available for this additional one, we also got to see many of Catherine's friends from the HGO studio in important roles. You could see how well they all work together and, needless to say, their singing was fabulous. Bravo Michael and Nathan!

Now I'm off to the hospital this morning to see my other niece and check on Patrick, whose condition remains unchanged in the ICU. We're swinging from one emotion to another these days!