Last week of February/First Week of March

Unusually so for me, I have been gone the last three weekends from home.  The first two I have written about--Jubilee conference in Pittsburgh and our wonderful but all-too-short hours in Central California.  The third weekend I went to our women's church retreat in Annapolis, Maryland with about 170 other women from our church.

However, the week leading up to the retreat was also eventful, mainly for the continuing winter weather and the resignation of my part-time clerical assistant at school.  The continuation of winter was inconvenient at points but not so bad.  Losing my assistant is more difficult, simply because it means taking time to hire and train someone new and in the meantime, to scramble more each day at school to get things done.  I have a small host of pretty faithful parent volunteers who come in daily to shelve books.  So that helps a great deal.  Many of them can also handle circulation for the hour or hour and a half that they are in the library.  I'm very grateful for that.  I already have two interviews scheduled for this coming week.  I would have hired a mom who has kids in the school last week, but in the end she said, "No, I'm not ready yet to leave home even part-time."  Of course, I support that decision for moms who can!

View from the French Doors at the back of the house

Mary, my assistant, on her last day.  I provided refreshments in our office for staff to drop in, say good-bye, and have coffee and snacks.

Our retreat speaker was the author of these books, Carolyn Custis James.  The theme was "When Life and Beliefs Collide."  I especially went to be with good friend Judi Deatherage, neighbor and also member of one of our small groups.  She's 15 years younger than me, but despite the gap, we have a lot of fun together and can encourage one another.  She's in the busiest time of her life with a daughter in college, two teenage boys at home and a daughter on the cusp of adolescence.  

I liked Carolyn's presentations.  Her thesis was that at times of testing (when beliefs and life collide), whatever we have as a theology (whatever we believe) is all we'll have to deal with the situation.  So, she encourages us each to deepen our beliefs (again, encouraging us to realize that's our theology), to know Jesus better.  She especially used the story of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in some interesting ways.  One insight on the story of Mary pouring expensive perfume on Jesus' feet and body was that she was ministering to him as one of the few people who understood and believed that he would have to die.  Jesus tells the others at dinner not to rebuke her because she is the only one who has understood and believed him when he said he must die, and she is preparing his body for burial.  I look forward to reading the book....  There is so much to read and so little time (as we've heard somewhere).

One of the workshops I went to was by a young woman (I guess she is Eden's contemporary or perhaps a little older) who wrote the books below on "The Faith of Jane Austin."  She has spent a life-time researching Jane Austin's life and books and letters and is convinced that Jane had a true and vital faith.  Sadly, Lori, the author has struggled with pretty severe Lyme disease for the past 10 years which has really colored her life, of course.  So she wove into her presentation autobiographical material too and her own life's journey, making some comparisons with that of Jane Austin.  I bought these two books and am happy to pass them on after I read them.  Maybe they'll even become birthday or Christmas gifts :).

Sunday night the predictions for another "major" snow brought on a host of cancellations including school for Monday, Steve's class for Monday and the much anticipated book launch.  So there was disappointment about the launch, which has now been rescheduled for March 31.  The snow did come, and we also had Tuesday off, our 10th snow day of the school year.  On Wednesday we had a two-hour delay as well.  But now the delays and days off are probably over.  Though we've had to make up days, it's always fun hoping for and getting some unanticipated snow days.

Out the front window

Steve left on Wednesday morning for Phoenix and a new cohort of pastors and market place parishioners through something called the Acton Institute.  They will meet throughout the year in various locations across the country to encourage one another to take up the ministry of encouraging congregations the that "vocation is integral, not incidental, to the work of God in the world."

Jessica came home late Wednesday afternoon in preparation for leaving Thursday night for Italy and a week with Elliott and Becca and the Green family in Florence.  Happy times!  So Eden and Charlie came for dinner that night to say hello to Jessica.  Thursday night Jessica and I met David and Jonathan in Arlington for dinner before she had to head to the airport.

Evening meal together: Eden, Charlie, Jessica

Garber ladies: Mia, Jessica, Eden, and me

                                 

Shafter Weekend--February 21-23

It was very special for Steve and I to get to travel together to his home town of Shafter (and Bakersfield), California where his newly published book was being featured at the local Colours Arts Festival.  The festival is organized and run by an old friend of Steve's, Larry Starrh, and an former student of Steve's and also Shafter native, David Franz.  Of course, there are lots of others involved in its inspiration and organization.  This year's was the Fourth Annual, I think.

It was to be a very quick trip, leaving early Friday morning and coming home on Sunday night.  But it ended up to be very special and totally worth it--to see the continuity of relationships over years and the blessing of affirmation for Steve's work through those long-standing and solid relationships.  We flew through Denver going and were delayed there a couple of hours due to wind.  But flying west from there was beautiful, with the broad expanse of the Rockies below us, decked out in an abundance of winter snow.

                               

                               

The further west we got though the browner it got.  California is in a drought that means the mountains are bare of snow and the farmers, including many of the friends we saw, are bemoaning the state of agriculture in the coming season.  There is a constant battle over water from Northern California where the snows provide water for the summer ahead.  Farmers in Shafter are being given a 0% allotment this year, and presumably whatever water is flowing past in the California aquaduct is heading to the urban areas and swimming pools of Southern California. It's more complex than that, but we could hear the frustration of friends and farmers as they feared for the crops this year.  It was interesting to hear the talk going to that so much, including what wells folks had and whether they were deep enough to withstand the drought of 2014.

Since we could not have our lunch date with John and Sandy Penrose due to delay of plane, we instead went in the mid-afternoon to Dewar's, a favorite local ice cream parlor in Bakersfield.  As soon as we were seated with our shared milk shake, an "older" couple walked in, and Steve thought he'd gone to high school with the fellow.  After a tap on the shoulder and a cordial conversation, this was confirmed.  Meryl was two years ahead of Steve in school and Susan, his wife, had known Steve's parents through church circles, exclaiming, "I loved your parents!"  They also were just visiting from Florida where they now live!

Dewar's mint chocolate milkshake

From there, Steve was meeting his brother Jim and someone else at 4:00, so I had arranged to go and see Lisa Walton and Sophie, Sam, and Max.  Chris and Grant had gone earlier in the day to a youth group weekend at Hume Lake Conference Center, where Steve also used to go as a youth.  I came bearing a bag of Dewar's taffy and enjoyed visiting with them for about an hour--a rare treat.  They don't really know me, and I hardly know them, but given the chance, I think we could all enjoy one another.  They have a beautiful home with lovely back yard and pool--very California style.

Sophie, Sam, Lisa, and Max

Sophie, Sam, & Max

From there I went over to Jim and Jill's place where we were staying and to meet Steve again.  We were headed then to Shafter to see the evening's production, directed and performed in by Larry and his wife Shawna, as well as the whole extended Starrh family.  I couldn't resist taking this picture below of Jim and Jill's dog Buster, who loves to hang out in their pool.  It looked so funny!

Buster hangin' in the pool

       Life is pretty casual there, so we dropped our stuff and headed to Shafter without changing our clothes to attend "Always, Patsy Cline," the production.  The Starrh family has bought the old Ford dealership in Shafter and is renovating it into a theater for plays and other productions as well as a venue for weddings and events.  It isn't complete yet, but the theater space was amazing, even unfinished.  The play is about Patsy Cline's relationship with a fan who became a dear friend.  It is chocked full of Patsy singing, accompanied by local musicians and back up singers, including Larry on electric guitar.  These people are SO TALENTED and really have taken to heart the mandate to create and use culture for the common good.  The two main actresses were Amy Adams of American Idol fame, as Patsy, and one of the local pastor's wives as Louise, her friend.  The production was sold out and the performances were extremely good.            

                                     

The almond trees were blossoming, the skies were blue, and the temperatures were mild--high 60s and low 70s.  There was a lot of talk among the Californians that they'd had an atypical winter with no fog or moisture and too much warmth.  But we loved feeling the warm sun on our faces and seeing the clear blue skies--well, sort of clear blue, until you look towards the mountains and don't see them but only a sort of brown haze.  Then you realize that there is a lot of smog in the valley.  That was also mentioned by residents there like Lisa, who is concerned about the bad air, and Tod and Nicki who hope to retire sometime to Northern California and clean air because of the asthma Nicki has developed due to the smoggy conditions in the Central Valley.

Almond trees with bee hives to insure fertilization of blossoms

The beautiful Shafter High School!

On Saturday, after breakfast and lunch with old friends, we headed to Steve's event featuring his book.  We had no idea who might be there--after all, it was a nice Saturday afternoon featuring a long gone Shafter kid, now grown much more mature.  The event was scheduled from 1:00-3:00 pm in the new theater, but due to fire marshall grumpiness, it was moved across the street to a church building.  Larry stayed at "Ford's Theater" to redirect folks.  This is what we went for, and we weren't disappointed.  In fact, it was really a heart-warming event.  About 60 folks ended up coming, most of them old friends of Steve's, one at least had come from as far away as 100 miles.  There were several generations represented, including a retired Kern County superintendent who had been Steve's 10th grade history teacher and became a good friend, who was there with his wife and grandson.  Very special also was having Steve's brother Doug and his wife Tracy there, as well as sister-in-law Jill, and many other friends.  The continuity of relationships and their interest and affirmation of Steve and his work through the book was amazing to see and experience.  He gave an excellent presentation of what the book is about and then took questions which lasted another half hour to 45 minutes.  Afterwards, there was much book selling and signing and exclaiming over seeing friends who he hadn't seen in many years.  This made the quick trip well worth the effort!

All members of the class of 1970 at Shafter High School.  From left Tricia, Johnnie Stockton (whose Dad worked with Steve's at the cotton research station before his untimely death on a boy scout hike), Mary, a girl from a very poor and broken family who is now the top real estate agent in Bakersfield; Lucy, Dad's first date in 10th grade to a church banquet (in lieu of the spring dance at school); Tod Moquist, dear friend from first grade onward who surprisingly married a Cypriot girl who Aunt Kathy had taught at the American Academy in Larnica; and Randy Penner, also friend from first grade on who farms in Shafter area.

We were delighted to learn that our niece, Elizabeth (Ellie), was starring in a play opening in a Bakersfield community theater that weekend.  It worked out for us to go with Steve's brothers Doug and Jim with Tracy and Jill.  It was really special to have such a rare chance for us to see her perform.  She's been loving theater and acting for a long time.  She and her husband are very involved in this theater, often he is the director of plays she is in.

                                     

Ellie's write-up in the program

Ellie in Picnic

Garber men and wives:  Steve, Jim, Jill, Doug, and Tracy

Our day and a half in Bakersfield and Shafter ended all too soon.  Sunday morning we boarded an actual airplane (not a jet) to Los Angeles to get our flight home.  Good-bye sunshine, warmth, and blue skies!

We think this was flying over the Grand Canyon.  Lots of beautiful Western scenery until it got too dark.

                                       

February 17 -- Week of Jubilee

There isn't going to be a lot of commentary on this update simply because I want to do another one of our time in Bakersfield and Shafter too.  We've had a couple of rather busy weeks and weekends.  The week started on February 10 but got exciting on February 12 when the forecast seemed to be calling for a lot of snow.  Wednesday at school was like the day before Christmas vacation.  The kids were jumpy and excited and so were many teachers.  Everyone felt sure we would miss the next two days of school.  Eden and Charlie, who had been visiting in Puerto Rico with Aunt Nancy and Uncle Frank flew home Wednesday night, glad to get in before the airports shut down.  It was beginning to snow by the time they got home.  Just for the fun of it, they decided to "continue their relaxation" by getting snowed in with us.  So they came right from the airport on the metro and a cab.  I think this picture was from Thursday evening supper which looks like green soup, of course!   Everyone looks cold, don't they in their fleeces over sweatshirts!

It ended up that there was a foot of snow and we did have Thursday and Friday off from school.  I was going to drive up to Jubilee after school on Friday and Steve was going to fly there on Thursday night.  But his flight was cancelled, so we went together early Friday morning in order to get there in time for an 11:30 lunch for him.  The roads had been well cleared, so we didn't really experience any problems in driving.  I had not driven that route since Grammy died--strange, since what had been so familiar to me, I hadn't seen in almost two years.

Breezewood

                                

Isn't this barn beautiful?  Steve always stops to take a picture of it in its various moods and seasons.  It is between Breezewood and Pittsburgh.

We had a nice room on the 19th floor of the Westin at the Convention Center.

Our room at the Convention Center Westin.  

It was a room with a view indeed.  This captures the golden bridge (with others in the background and down river...or is it up river), the hills and water as well as the cityscape.

                               

I stopped at Jubilee Pro as it was getting ready to start.  Steve's book was on every table.  It was being given to everyone at the conference for professionals.  As I stopped in, I saw Bob and Joanne Willson and Chris and Ian Welsh as well as other friends and acquaintances.  There were about 360 people present at it.  Steve was speaking with friend, Jay Jakub, near the end of it about the economic paradigm the Mars Corporation is bringing into being inspired by the concept of Biblical Jubilee.

                

The book table sponsored by Hearts & Minds Bookstore has turned into a book store now with lots and lots of tables and displays of all kinds.  That Byron Borger is amazing, along with Beth and a handful of others to help.  The picture below shows the table with Steve's book displayed--the pretty yellow of Van Gogh's reaper standing out.  Of course, this, as well as the handouts at the Professional Jubilee, were the very first public exposure of the book.  Pretty exciting stuff!

                             

On Saturday morning, Steve and Jay again had a large workshop during which Steve introduced the theme, "What if you decided that the Biblical economic principle of Jubilee was true?"  He fleshed that out a bit and then introduced Jay to elaborate on the Mars Project of the Economics of Mutuality, only the second time the project had been publicly introduced.  There was a great deal of interest in it by many who stayed afterwards to talk with Jay and Steve for quite some time.

                         

I had visits with some old friends while there.  A nice afternoon visit with Carol Wilson Gonzalez at her house on Pennsylvania Avenue.  The feel of it is much the same as it has been for the years you remember in our homeschooling days.  On Saturday at lunch time I went over the the Home to have lunch with Rachel, Jean Hemphill, and John Mark, who is the brother of Grammy's best friend from high school.  He is 94!  That was a very pleasant time.  I also saw Aunt Maureen Wright, though only briefly as that was when Eden called to say the furnace at home was not working (We'd run out of oil AGAIN!).  So we went to work on resolving that.

Rachel is pictured here with a photograph that Steve gave to the home of the Point at sunset.

On Sunday morning we were able to have breakfast with these dear folks!  Of course, they were having a very busy Jubilee with students and daughters and their boyfriends, but we had a good visit together.  The continuity of relationships is one of the precious things about going to Jubilee.

On Monday I had a call from the office saying I had a delivery of flowers.  Naturally, I was surprised and not sure what or who.  But here they are.  They were to have been delivered on Friday for Valentine's Day, but since that was a snow day, there could be no delivery.

                                

And here was the note accompanying them.  So sweet!  I'm sure she meant to say, "...one of your favorite daughters!"  In any case, it made my day!

Then, surprisingly, I had a call the next day--Tuesday--from the office again saying that they didn't know what was going on, but I had another delivery of flowers.  Lo and behold, it was the very same bouquet with the very same note.  Evidently, the florist folks were not sure I had gotten the original bouquet.   So, as I told Jessica, "One for school and one for home!"  They are both still beautiful!

                           

Sabbath--February 9, 2014

Bless the Lord, O my soul

O my soul

Worship His holy name

Sing like never before

O my soul

I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes.

(http://youtu.be/DXDGE_lRI0E)

We sang this song at the beginning of worship today. You probably know it.  There are a couple more verses to it.  It struck me as not being unlike the John Baillie prayer for this morning, praying,

 "For there is practically nothing that I have the power to make happen.

 I'm not even here by my own will, and it won't be by my own will when my days are done.

 Of all that comes to me this day, very little will be what I have chosen for myself.... 

 It is you who keeps in your hand the threads of today's life and who alone knows

 what lies before me to do or to suffer.  But because you are my father, I am not afraid.

 Because it is your Spirit that moves in my heart, I know that all is well."

What so resonated with me was waking to the new day to "sing Your song again." Yes, that is so true, in whatever way we do sing that song.  Then "Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me/Let me be singing when the evening comes."  Of course, most days blessedly pass without great personal or world tragedies, and it is not so hard to still be singing the Lord's song.  But even exhaustion, impatience, and frustration can silence the song.  Then there are the rare days when tragedy really is part of it.

I think it's pretty challenging to say, as Baillie does in the above prayer, "But because you are my father, I am not afraid. . . . I know that all is well.  I once wondered how it must be for believers who have died are are waiting to perhaps be aware, as a great cloud of witnesses, of the difficulties and horrors or just everyday trials that are happening to their loved ones on earth.  The thought occurred to me then, whether prompted by the Lord or not, that they did not fret and feel anguished because they now trusted completely in God's acting in history for His purposes.  How I wish I could have that perfect faith now, and truly believe and live on the reality that, "I am not afraid.... I know that all is well."  I do pray for that kind of faith and hope for it as I try to live in to the kind of belief that trusts  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him...." (Romans 8:28)

NO, we did not have any snow day last week even after their prediction of 4-5 inches of snow, none of which materialized.  But on Wednesday we had a two-hour delay due to some icy rain.  The picture below is the little courtyard outside my library windows with an icy tree and some icy grass, which are probably really hard to see anyway.  However, delays are always welcome since they make a more leisurely morning.  

                                    

Otherwise, it was a busy week at school with much to do.  Here is a picture of my news team and Woody the Owl, our mascot.  Last week was a big week for our Positive Behavioral emphasis program being touted and reinforced, so Woody came on the news (a 6th grade girl) to drum up enthusiasm.  It gives you a little idea of what our studio is like.

However, Saturday morning did come, and that is mostly the one day a week when we have a leisurely morning, loafing in bed later and wearing pjs for half the day.  I treated Steve to breakfast in bed.  He is often the one who gets it for me!

                          

Later in the day we took a walk into the park.  You can't see it from  my picture, but the sun was really pretty behind the trees as it set with golden and rose tones. 

We ended the day with a trip to Tysons Mall to update my phone. Of course, I would never have done it on my own, having mall-phobia, but with the support of Steve, I was able to accomplish the task, which nevertheless took a couple of hours.  I warned him before we went that it would take a long time.  Sigh.

                                  

And now a new week has started, and we pray for it to be blessed.  Jubilee will happen this coming weekend.  The plan is for us to both go, but I'll be driving up and following Steve who needs to go a bit earlier on Friday.  Visions of Vocation will be making its first appearance in a public setting there, and that will be exciting and satisfying.  We are waiting any day to receive our box with the finished book in it.

                                                              

Last week January 2014

It is hard to remember what our school week was like this week.  Were we in school the entire week?  Yes, I think we were with one day being a two-hour delay.  I enjoy those because they make the morning time so much more leisurely.    We've had snow on the ground for about two weeks now--really unusual for Virginia.  But today a lot of it is gone since it was in the 50s yesterday and today.

Steve was in a recovery mode much of the week, trying to catch up with his body from the jet lag and frenzy of travel to Nairobi, Nashville twice, and a day in New York City thrown in.  His fellows class for The Falls Church began on Monday, but much of the rest of the week had flexibility to not drive quite as hard each day.  He thinks he may be getting back to East Coast time about now.  That's good.  Though I often wake in the middle of the night to the light of his cell phone screen as he reads or uses it to light other reading, I like it better when he sleeps through (and I do too).

Sunset at The Holly and the Ivy

A highlight of the week was dinner at Eden and Charlie's on Friday night.  It was the first time we'd been there as a couple, though I had been there once or twice before since it had been settled.  They live on the 11th floor of The Onyx.  David lives on the 7th floor.

The Onyx

Lobby Desk

   Eden and Charlie both had prepared dinner--a curry over rice.  Charlie's dad was also there since he had just arrived to spend some time with them for the weekend. The vegan dinner was in his honor and was delicious.  What happiness it is to see Eden and Charlie settled in their home and navigating the new waters of "family."                             

View of the length of the apartment--living area

Eden exhibiting some of her newly finished handiwork for a special someone.

With the beginning of the new month, the John Baillie prayers start over, and as some of you know, I love the prayer for the first day. With thankfulness one is led in being grateful for a range of things, but the one that always grips me is, "For the great and mysterious opportunity of my life;"  It is a wonder to begin with that there IS any great and mysterious opportunity that is especially mine. . . and yet, I know that there is.  Whether that opportunity seems great and mysterious to anyone else is completely beside the point. It is defined so by my Maker and given to me as a gift. This alone gives me great pause and many moments of self-reflection, repentance, and inspiration--in that order.

The prayer ends with this:

O God, who has been the refuge of my fathers through many generations, be 

my refuge today in every time and circumstance of need. Be my guide through 

all that is dark and doubtful. Be my guard against all that threatens my spirit’s 

welfare. Be my strength in time of testing. Gladden my heart with your peace; 

through Jesus Christ my Lord. . . Amen.

As I prayed that again, I realized anew that this is the experience of everyone pretty much everyday: We encounter the dark and are doubtful; things threaten our spirit's welfare; we are tested on fronts great and small.  In response, I am called on to remember that God is and has been the refuge/hiding place/dwelling place for his people throughout many generations, and to ask him to be my guide, and to gladden my heart with peace.

There is no winter storm watch or warning, but this is the forecast for tomorrow.  It is unlikely to be cold enough (after today's warmth) to really accumulate much snow, but the big question is always what decision the schools will make, if any.  If we did get a snow day, it would be our seventh of the winter season.  We'll have to see!