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In memory, but doing something now…….

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Tonight, after a very busy and brutal day for me, Amanda, Scotty, Ben and I met my dad, his wife Debby, and my sister Anna at Victory Field for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society’s Walk. It was a big crowd, which is hard for me from the start, but it was a great cause. We walked in memory of my sisters Steph and Sarah.

It made for a great night. Though my sisters lost their battles with cancer, there were many survivors there carrying white balloons. I rejoiced for them! Congratulations! They are indeed blessed. And there were many there like us, people who have walked with those who have fought the good fight. I promise you, it is not a fraternity you would want to be in, yet there is a real bond and understanding between those who have lost loved ones to such horrific disease. And of course there were also the brave souls there within the battle, and their families and friends too. They need our prayers and our support. Cancer is such a terrible thing. I know we wish a cure could be found.

For now however, that is not the case, so we are called to join hands and support one another. I am glad we do too. As a priest I am so used to helping others, yet I will never forget those who stepped forward for our family, and with all that we can, we intend to return that blessing.

Pray for those dealing with cancer and pray for their healing. They all appreciate and deserve our prayers!

Good night and God Bless.

Tom+

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Making it to the day’s end awake….but barely!

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With a full day, a lacrosse game to coach and then wine and cheese party at our house for the members of St. Patrick’s, I had little to no time at all today! It was however an enjoyable day. The house was clean, we won our game, and I got to spend time socializing with some great people at our house. I would consider this day a big victory!

But with that, I have overextended myself. I still am searching for that energy and pep I had six months ago. I am extraordinarily tired and am worried about my stamina for tomorrow already.

So with that, I will not push, but instead call it a day….and a good day at that!

God bless you my friends….I will check in again tomorrow!

Night!

Tom+

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The Great Escape………….

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I got a little side-tracked last night, in that my as I went out on the porch to write this, I found that someone had left our back porch door open and my writing partner, a little 6 pound grey and white indoor cat, without claws, had escaped to no doubt go out and hunt big game. Needless to say I was a bit worried. We live by a some woods with coyotes, foxes, owls, and hawks. And despite how stealth she thinks she is, she seems to show up in the dark pretty well.

The good news is that a couple of rounds of spraying the garden hose at all the bushes flushed her out. And she was angry all the way up to the point I gave her some cat treats. But her behavior reminded me of a danger I often see in life…..the allure and peril of risky behavior. It rarely leads to good, and in the end does nothing to serve us at all.

The cat spent a short bit of time stalking whatever she was stalking, but could have ended up prey herself. And people often do the same. Just a little wandering into something we shouldn’t……an inappropriate conversation with a co-worker, one drink too much, a peek too far on the Internet, there are MANY examples, but all put us at risk. The problem is when there is no garden hose to bring us back, often these things go unchecked, and they often grow. The allure for the cat to escape is now addictive. She sees no harm in it. The problem is that the feeling grows…and the same is true with us. Risky behavior can often lead to our need for more.

We however are not left desolate, in that God is always with us, not to guilt us or to strong arm us, but to get our attention (like with that garden hose) and bring us to our senses and bring us back. In truth, life is pretty good for the cat sleeping 23 hours a day, and without thumbs she needs me for those treats. And it is pretty good for us as well. In fact, it can be better without the risky behavior too. We just need to keep it in perspective, and listen as the Lord keeps calling us back!

Okay, enough for now. I am just glad to be in the house with the cat, knowing we will get to write together yet another day. God is good, and though we often cannot tell it (especially the cat) a garden hose can be an instrument of love!

Goodnight my friends, and God bless.

Tom+

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Of illness, of rain, and of future hopes and dreams…..

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Today was still rainy and wet, but we held practice just the same. I had a Men’s Bible Study scheduled to start tonight, but postponed it one week because some of the guys could not make it, plus Amanda was home sick today. She has not felt good all week, but right after making the calls and telling the people who could make it not to come tonight, suddenly she appears up and smiling, seemingly feeling better. I guess even at 47 I can confess that I do not understand the fairer sex. All I know is that my heart was in the right place, and with the information I had at the time, I made the right decision. But, I am disappointed about the delay. We are going to meet next week instead.

Beyond that, I am working hard to find a permanent facility for St. Patrick’s here in Noblesville. We are having a “Wine and Cheese Party” here at the house on Friday night for all its parishioners and some others, and I had hoped to have the location locked in by then. It is not looking like that will happen….BUT, IT WILL HAPPEN! The goal is to be in a new facility by Thanksgiving! Keep us in your prayers!

Anyway, I am glad Amanda is doing better, and even thankful for the rain. Time will tell about this facility search, but I have faith that I will be thankful for that too! So keep the faith my friends, it is worth it! I hope you have had a blessed day!

Goodnight and God Bless!

Fr. Tom+

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A day gone by too quickly…….

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I really cannot remember all that has gone on today, other than I spent the last part of it at Noblesville high school watching my daughter and most of our lacrosse team play in the annual powder puff football game. It was raining and the girls were ROUGH! I saw two or three of our players get clocked hard! Thank God they were all okay. I spent my post-game walk to the gate finding them all and thanking them for not getting hurt!!

It reminded me of when I was in high school. We were total idiots at that age, and this just reflected that nothing has changed. The same overly competitive powder puff game. The same young male athletes dressings up (poorly) as cheerleaders to cheer them on. And, the same outcome…….a fun night and some great pictures for the school yearbook. I was glad to be there.

Not a lot of substance on this tonight….only a report that I am home and drying out. I hope you had a blessed day today and a dry one too. And may tomorrow be filled with God’s many blessings for you and yours!

God bless.

Tom+

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Faith and study for a meaningful Monday and beyond…….

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On Monday nights Amanda leads a women’s Bible study in our home. It is a study that is really about the Bible….it began at the beginning of the Gospels and is making its way through.

It got me thinking that maybe the men of the Church might like something, so beginning Wednesday at 6:30 we will start a 7 week Bible Study here using Tony Dungy’s Bible Study “Quiet Strength.” After we finish that, hopefully something else will continue for the men of St. Patrick’s while I go over to Anderson and lead the Tony Dungy book for the men of St. Anne’s. From there I will head to both Nashville and Greenfield.

Church and faith are really much more than just gathering for worship on a Sunday, or on Christmas and Easter if you are really stretching it! The idea is that faith permeates all of life, including all the time we are away from worship. Worship and study inform life, and how we live should reflect both. I am always amazed, and almost always disappointed, at how people often compartmentalize their faith into a time slot rather than to weave it into the whole of their lives. We are better than that……I just wish we could realize it!

Anyway, the study is now done, Ben is in bed, this blog is written and I am about at the end myself. My prayer for us all however is that we “get it.” Life is too important not to. And living by faith, every moment and every day, is what give life its purpose and meaning. My friends I want that for you.

Goodnight and God Bless! May your tomorrow be filled with God’s abundant blessings!

Fr. Tom+

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Ramblings on fatherhood and family…….

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Though Deacon Morgan and I worked the Diabetes Walk this morning, most of my day was spent being the chief jungle gym and entertainer of my son Ben. We had quite a day too. After an intense playtime and a nap, which he apparently felt was sufficient but I felt was far too short, we went to the Tractor Supply (my idea), the Scrapbook Store (Amanda’s idea), and then Panera Bread (Ben’s idea). It was a great “dad day.” Steph and Scott are so independent, and at 16 and 15 are so embarrassed when I try to carry them! Each of them has a different relationship with me, but I love them all the same! And it was nice today to have a fun-filled toddler day.

Spending time with my family is important. I know so many clergy that serve the Lord, but who do so at the expense of their family. Why would you ever want to care for other’s families at the expense of your own? The Lord calls us to care for own own house as well as those of others. And that doesn’t just apply if you are clergy either. Our families are important, and we are called to be leaders within them first…..more than in our jobs, or even in our churches.

As for me, I think I would feel funny (okay guilty) for talking about family values if I didn’t indeed live them. I believe we should all be that way too. But it’s more than that. For if we live faithfully, we will also see the Lord’s blessings in our lives. This is to say that I see my chasing Ben around the Scrapbook Store as a real gift to me. I see hanging with all my family as God’s blessing upon me.

Anyway, it has been a great day and I am so very thankful for it! So it is off to bed for me. Thanks for checking in and God bless!

Tom+

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Walking for an important cause……..

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Tomorrow morning Deacon Morgan and I will travel down to Indianapolis to lead a worship service for walkers at the American Diabetes Association walk. The ADA’s walk raises money to help fight the battle against diabetes, and it raises awareness as well. We are both honored to be able to be a part.

Diabetes, of course, is a big deal in my family. My mom is in a nursing home here in town, primarily because of issues stemming from her diabetes. And my grandfather, who I miss terribly, also was put into a nursing home when his body just shut down from battling it. All these walkers, whether they come to the worship service or not, are very important to me. I appreciate their hard work and dedication. I know all those with diabetes and their families do as well.

I so enjoy being around people who go give of themselves in order to support other people and (good) causes. It will be a wonderful and inspirational day, I am sure!

If you want to join in by making a donation go to www.diabetes.org/stepout

Goodnight my friends, and God Bless.

Fr. Tom+

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Inclimate weather to some becomes abundant blessings and peace to others…….

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Well it’s Friday night, it’s a wonderful 55 degrees, and Puddy and I are out here in blogging-mode, and we would be at it if my wife wouldn’t keep remembering things she needs to tell me. I hate to break it to her, but it is futile…..my mind is all fogged up and I probably will not be remembering much! But I really consider it her fault anyway…..she KNOWS I have memory problems yet chooses to tell me stuff in spite of them. Go figure. I just nod my head and act like I am taking it all in. Sure, many husbands do that……I just have a good excuse!

But now we (Puddy and I) are out here alone and can write all we want! We are back from the first women’s lacrosse game of the indoor season, and I am happy to say we did very well. These girls are a lot of fun to coach, and it was great to get out on the field with them again. We will play through February indoors and then the regular high school season starts in March…..next break is JUNE!!

So tonight I just intend to relax. I have a sermon yet to write and a lot of work to do before Sunday, but I know when I have had enough……tonight will be all rest. I have, in addition to the cat, a glass of wine and the hopes of seeing my bed early. Sure it’s Friday night, but if you can’t live into your teenage kid’s stereotypes about old people, then you just risk disappointing them! We are all created in the image of God, but I am sure even the Good Lord knows the value of an early evening…..even on a Friday!

It’s funny, I remember when I thought that life was all about the social parts. I used to think if I wasn’t doing something on a Friday or Saturday night that there was something wrong with me. I see that now in young people, and even in some adults. But there is so much more to life than what we do.

As I type, I can feel and hear the wind blowing the corn in the field behind my house. It keeps my life in perspective and grounded. It’s a beautiful sound. It’s very powerful and moving to me too, more so than any nightclub of my youth or a football game. It reminds me that the All-powerful and loving God who created me, is still there, causing the wind to blow, the sun to rise and fall, and all the other things that make this life possible. How great is that???

Anyway, I suppose we will stop for now and just enjoy the night (actually Puddy, pronounced like “pudding” does not type) for it is quite a gift for us both!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless. I hope you have enjoyed a day full of God’s blessings…..only to be surpassed by the day I pray He gives you tomorrow!

Fr. Tom+

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The Good Stuff…….

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It’s been a busy 24 hours. Last night I had my second sleep study in 10 months and I was happy to get it behind me. The doctors are collecting a lot of different pieces of information about me in order to set what we need to do from this point. So far no news….but stay tuned!

And tonight, after a busy day, Amanda and I went to see Scott play in his very first lacrosse game! Scott plays right now for one of the high school’s indoor teams, getting ready for the regular lacrosse season in the Spring. It was a great time, even though we lost. Scott got a real education, in that he was no longer out in the yard with a long retired hockey player knocking him around, he was out with some pretty large high school athletes with sticks, pads, and attitudes! He did score, which was awesome, but even as a good-sized athlete, I know he was surprised by the opponents size, speed, and aggression. It was so much fun to see him so excited about continuing to play! Steph plays tomorrow night, and as the women’s coach, we are excited about that too!

Anyway, not a lot of religion tonight, but the ramblings of a proud dad. All the busy-ness was well worth the wait. It is great to be dad….I always can see God’s blessings when I spend time with my kids!

Good night my friends and God Bless!

Tom+