Remembered



There is a spot of land at some corner of the world that may remember me. I’m hopeful. Oh it’s compressed and rearranged and slightly congealed with old engine oil or lizard dust, I don’t know, but I think I could find a few grains of sand or a fingernail of loam from that day.  Well, there were many days. It used to fill my fingernails, that soil under the grape vine next to the young deodar cedar that Dad planted I don’t know when.  But I think the grains of sand will remember; they would tell, if I could just stop and listen, with my finger tips.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Retirement and Lung Disease - The New Journey

Retirement is a wonderful achievement.  Of course, people in ministry "never" retire, but I am retiring from the itinerant ministry.  I’ve worked hard and had a lot of amazing experiences, so I figured I’ve earned my golden egg. But retirement is itself a new journey, and mine has begun with splendid send-offs, as well as a rather anticlimactic downsizing, and enough medical challenges to last more than one retirement. Let me explain. The ramp-up to my July 1 retirement began with a full house at Sage Granada Park UMC’s Hawaiian themed lunch on May 20, with tributes from just about everyone including the Language School Taiko drummers and Mission area friends.  Even the District Superintendent was there.  What a joy! I was so grateful for the outpouring of love. I also had my last chapel with the Nursery School kids, and they gave me a wonderful tribute.  In June, I attended the Conference Celebration of Ministry dinner and then Chin Cheak’s retirement dinner.  The celebrat
Read more

Acts of giving thanks (Guest Writer: Walt Martzen)

Image
I've asked my son Walter to write a short thank you to everyone as well as further share my meal train link. Please enjoy, and happy holidays! My parents and I have felt your love, thank you! 💓 Something I observe is that in our modern world, simple acts can get overlooked in their ability to convey the most intimate and life-sustaining messages. Acts like these can seem simplistic or cliché or mushy or redundant, but they aren’t. They are the building blocks of connection, relationships, family, and community. It’s why my dad’s persimmon cookies don’t taste the same when someone else makes them, or why my mom’s soups really do seem to have magical elixir properties. When the spirit of God is with us, so is the spirit with the presence, gifts, and service that we make.  This might be new information for some, but my dad began at-home hospice recently to match his increasing medical needs. It's been a difficult new adventure for him and all of us, with many challenges yet oppor
Read more

The seige of Gondor and my health condition

Possibly the darkest part point in the Lord of the Rings trilogy occurs in chapter 4 of third volume, The Return of the King .  The great city of Gondor is under siege. From the standpoint of Pippin, one of four Hobbits who were part of the expedition of the Ring, it must have appeared hopeless.  Sworn to serve the Steward of of City since his arrival with Gandalf, he has been able to observe the siege. Led by the chief of the Nazgul, the enemy has swarmed and burned the fields around the city and breached the first wall. The Riders of the Rohan, who were supposed to come to Gondor's aid, have not yet shown up.  Aragorn, who was expected to come and claim his rightful authority, has disappeared into the fateful paths of the dead.  Frodo is rumored to be wandering in dangerous territory on the edge of Mordor. Pippin has also watched with alarm the Lord Denethor's shift from pessimism to despairing fatalism when his remaining son, Faramir, is brought to him unconscious after fal
Read more