com-mem-o-rate

2. to honor the memory of by some observance: to commemorate the dead by a moment of silence...

Well, I've decided to commemorate a bit here...I began and will continue to read the many posts of late 2005 and 2006...we'll see how it goes.

This week I read my 2nd post of 11/23/05 and it went 'okay'...interesting to see who, at the time, commented on my post...I think they were/are blog readers from Roger's biking blog...I must have posted a comment at his blog (yep--found that I did) about Christine...and today Roger is a friend. :)

Day 15 (plus 3-years) w/o You

Now, after 3-years, I say the same thing I did on 11.14.05... Christine, as you've seen from heaven, we've missed you very much and we are so sad to lose you.

...but in that time, so many family & friends have joined you... Great-Uncle Bill, Aunt Teresa, Alyssa, Don, just to name a few.

Dad

... between carrots ...

Sooooooooooo...what do you call it when you've completed 'something' and the next 'something' is a ways off?

I doubt that many readers will understand my point...but a quick explanation goes like this:

This summer, as like last summer, I planned a little 'something' called Weiss-Up Wednesday...and then when it passed in September, we look to the Oktoberfest season...and then the anniversary.

Once October has come and gone, the next carrot is the holiday season...as well as the Christkindlmarket in the Loop...but it does not start until Thanksgiving Day, but it does run until Christmas.

My point being, the time between major events in our lives are dry/mundane at times and so we look to the next carrot to get us through the day...well, at least I do. And a friend coined the phrase 'in between carrots' ... that is where I'm at now. Work load is absolutely crazy crazy and so I need to look forward...to that next carrot.
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Post-post update: at 6:09 tonight, just before dinner, Lauren decides to go to her kitchen, which she has not played with in months...and gets some plastic carrots for her Teddy to eat at dinner...so he could eat carrots just like Lauren...who has not done well with them until tonight...funny. It was a moment to hear here say ... 'this is the last carrot'... hmmm, what is the last carrot in life? that's deep question ... and I think I know the answer...it's not so much the last carrot as it is the ultimate carrot.

planning signs...

As I sit here, alone, in the office on a Sunday morning, I'm struck by the very timely signs given to me last night and this a.m. as I drove in...I'm here because a client has unreasonable expectaion from me and my firm and so the next 6 weeks will certainly be hell at the office...and so I'm here trying to Plan for the hell.

Last night I received the Daily Thought from Fr. Don for Monday:
Hard work spotlights the character of people:
some turn up their sleeves,
some turn up their noses,
and some don't turn up at all.
- Sam Ewig
Yes, I will expreience this...

Then on the drive in today, I hear this on KLOVE:
Proverbs Chapter 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the decision of the LORD that endures... or something similar...

F H & L

This morning I witnessed Faith, Hope and Love in one simple act ... the act of proclaiming the Good Word.

As today is all Souls Day (it is also the day we buried Christine 3 years ago), the readings are especially meaningful to those who have lost a loved one. At MAC yesterday, Deacon John noted, with a tear in his eye, that 9 year old Jeremy (who just lost his twin sister Alyssa 4 months ago) would be reading the Romans letter from Paul at the 9:30 family mass. Even thought I knew I would be going to 5:15 mass on Saturday, I knew I needed to hear him read...so I biked over to church thinking I would time it so I could just walk in to hear him and leave...well, things were running late at mass, so I was there to witness Jeremy and his parents preparing to walk down the aisle with the Bible...witnessing Fr. Bernie talking to them, most likely giving them support... I saw that Dan/dad was wiping away a tear. As mass began, I again heard the well sung litnany of saints...those who've passed this past year...including my sister Teresa and Alyssa as well as Kevin, Bill, Gina, Al's dad and so many others.

Jeremy placed the Bible on the alter and then waited to read. His parents at his side, he read these words...'we too might live in newness of life' and 'death no longer has power over him' ~very powerful words to hear from a 9 year old...he was so strong in Faith, that the Hope and Love of that strong family was shining bright for all to see...but who saw. I'm assuming a very small percent of those present even knew the sadness this family has carried for the last 4 months...none knew the real strength of Faith it took to do what they had just done...wow. But I was there to witness their Faith, to see the Hope and share in their Love.

After the Gospel, 'For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him on the last day.' Fr. Bernie had all the kids and their mothers come to the alter... in his typical family mass style, he asked the kids to remember a time in their young life when they felt so loved and happy... playing with their brother, baking with Mom, making a pizza with mom. Then a question for the mothers. What is a word or two to describe child birth/labor?...joyous pain, miracle of life ... He notes that with life comes pain and struggles, but with death comes eternal Love of God much greater than you can imagine... He said that we are born twice...once into this earthly life and then at death into eternal life...ah the whole point of All Souls Day...remembering that our loved ones are there...in eternal life, waiting for us.

And so this day of remebarnace serves to reinforce that their is joy after pain and we will all see it.