2020

October was a busy month, filled with new adventures! I took on two part-time jobs, starting on the same day! One of those positions came with the title, “Wilmington Yearly Meeting Coordinator”. Coordinator does describe some of what I do – coordinating meetings for the Quakers in Ohio and Tennessee. But “informer” and “encourager” feel like more important roles as I get started. Like most U.S. denominations, the Quakers have experienced a series of splits in the church over our position on gay marriage. Some Friends (as Quakers are affectionately called) believe we must declare a position one way or another. Other Friends believe that each congregation should be able to decide for themselves whether or not to perform a marriage in their church. Regardless of the denomination, regardless of whether they side “for” or “against”, churches have been filled with pain and loss and distrust. And we’ve realized we don’t really know one another. Which is where I come in!  My ...

On March 1, while I was driving home from a church meeting, a black cat crossed my path. I wouldn't call myself superstituous, but I noticed the cat. I noted the color. And I wondered if, on some plane, it could be a bad omen. An hour later my dog got run over by a car. While driving to the veterinary hospital I told Randy: "I'm not saying it means anything, but a black cat ran in front of me while I was driving home earlier." Later I told a woman about the cat. "It's only bad luck if he is running from the right to the left." "He was," I said. "Oh," she replied, suddenly serious. We made more trips to the hospital -- both to the veterinary hospital and the human hospital -- in March of 2019 than we have in the entirety of our 5 years together. Cinnamon spent a week in the hospital, undergoing hernia surgery because her insides had more or less been torn in two. The week after she was released we were back at the h...

We spent our first week of this RV adventure in New Mexico, doing more preparation for travel than actual traveling. Mom last used the motor home in September/October of last year, as she moved from California to her home in New Mexico where she wanted to spend her final days.  Since the RV had been sitting for the better part of 6 months, we weren’t sure what we were getting into. But after initial inspection (plus removing the dryer sheets and ivory soap that were placed in every corner to prevent mice from chewing up any wires) everything seemed to be on the up and up. The front windshield was cracked and we had to jumpstart the battery every time we wanted to drive, but these seemed like issues we could deal with down the road The next agenda was to figure out licensing and registration. We plan to end up in Ohio eventually, so New Mexico gave us a “transit permit” to get us from here to there. (Of course we are taking much longer than the suggested 10 days to get...

Flying from Ohio to California is like flying from home to home. Ohio was relaxed and quiet. Ohio was dandelions. Ohio was walks down the lane with the dog and coffee in the morning with the parents. Ohio was home. California is busy and loud. California is traffic and warm skies and orange poppies. California is coffee in the morning with the kids and then running off to meet up with friends. California is home too. It’s funny, to feel so at home in such different worlds. But it reveals a truth that I spent my entire 20s searching for: home is not a place. (I was sitting at an outdoor Starbucks in Albuquerque, New Mexico, when I wrote that last paragraph. A small group of people were chatting, waiting for their drinks, and as they said goodbye I overheard the woman say: “I’m not seeking any more. I’ve found it.” I don’t know to what she was referring to—a job, a spouse, a home, a higher power—but I understood immediately that deep sense of contentment.) ...

Last night, my 9-year-old niece Kenzi made Randy and I a card that said "I hope you have a awesome trip around the world." How sweet! And we feel a bit like world travelers today, heading east to Baltimore in order to head west to Sacramento. (Do you sense a trend in our travels? Always heading in the opposite direction of where we want to end up...) Randy's niece is getting married on Friday, and a month later our granddaughter graduates from high school, all in California. In between we'll be on the road again.... Colorado, Arizona, Utah... still decompressing from our Mexico adventure and praying about what God has in store for us next.

We finally arrived in New Vienna, Ohio, on Tuesday, April 17. 17 days after leaving Mexico. It was a quiet homecoming. Dad was in town, bringing home his combine which had been in the shop. And Mom was napping. But Jovi's joyous face held all of Randy's and my attention. She was dumped off by a stranger here 12 years ago, and she's delighted to call it home ever since. It was obvious by her galloping across the lawn that she remembered, from her paws to her soul, that this was her happy place. We unloaded a few things, started a load of laundry, took a walk down the lane and soon were greeted by my parents. Later that evening my older brother and his family joined us. And just like when we spent time with my younger brother in Texas, we were delighted to have children around (though we are still adjusting to the fact that they can understand us when we speak!). Even though it has been busy, the week has been relaxing. And I see why Randy has so longed to move h...

We're nearing the end of Lent and while I'm sad that I've gotten too busy to devote more energy to learning about and sharing these organizations with you, I remember that God called me to GIVE and as long as I am doing that I am being faithful. So here's another digest for you, days 31, 32, and 33. I'm so close to getting my 40 donations of $40 to 40 organizations in before Easter Sunday! If you have last minute suggestions for my final 7 donations, PLEASE send them my way! 40-40-40 ... Day 31: Sugartree Ministries Sugartree Ministries is located in Wilmington, Ohio. Their vision is to reach the poor, broken, lonely & addicted. Their ministries include "Your Father's Kitchen", a soup kitchen and food bank, and "Joe's Java", a coffee shop that brings in live music to raise funds and generate a sense of community. You might remember when Rachel Ray visited Sugartree Ministries in 2009. DHL had just shut down in Wilmington, ...