Uncategorized

Of my kids and I doing piratety things……..

Leave a comment

We finally got the movie we have been waiting for, Veggietales “The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything,” and quite honestly, it did not disappoint us! It was hilarious and a great movie for adults and kids alike. Ben did not last through the movie, but his concentration skills are so very poor unless he is trying to break something or take something you have. Amanda had Lilly work to do. But Steph, Scotty and I watched the whole thing and laughed our brains out. It is so refreshing to get a laugh out of a “G-rated” movie, and to find one you would want to see again!

It is such a pleasure, yet I know my time is running thin. Steph will go to college in less than two years and Scotty in three. Plus, they have friends and Steph a boyfriend, and their time hanging with me probably seems a whole lot less appealing than it does to me! I really do enjoy every minute of it. Yet, I know they grow up and move into their own lives. They are great kids and I am proud of them. I am sure lots of kids would pass on seeing Christian vegetables in a pirate movie with their dad….go figure.

So tomorrow will be filled with pirate quotes and a lot of laughing I am sure. My life is good and I am truly blessed. I know special times like tonight are getting to be fewer with time, but I appreciate having the opportunity to share this one with you!

Goodnight my friends, and God Bless you!

Tom+

Uncategorized

Oh Monday Monday!!!

Leave a comment

I know some people hate Mondays, but for me it is actually my lightest day. Though my wife leads a Bible Study at our home on Monday nights, generally it is a day for me to catch up.

Deacon Morgan and I met to look at a couple of facilities for St. Patrick’s in Noblesville, but beyond that I have just worked from home. Tomorrow steps it up a bit with lacrosse practice and even a guitar concert Tuesday night that both Steph and Scott are in. The rest of the week is packed until Sunday afternoon! Hopefully as I get off my feet and relax on Sunday much of our work will have paid off and we will have found a permanent facility for St. Patrick’s.

But my thoughts go to my beloved daughter who came tonight from her part time job at CVS complaining how busy she was and how overwhelming it was. Amanda and I were only chuckling under our breath. Of course in looking at any week, I would love to trade it for as busy I was in high school. The kids have a lot yet to pile on, but we as a people learn by experience. She will, like we all do, find her easier days, and hopefully get rest. We need to remember how important rest is for the soul…..for even the Lord Himself rested.

Okay, off to bed! I need to get up early to put my feet in those starting blocks. The week’s race is set before me……and it looks to be a long distance run!

Goodnight my friends, and God Bless.

Fr. Tom+

Uncategorized

A milestone birthday for a dear friend……….

Leave a comment

Today was Father Chuck’s 80th birthday. I didn’t get to see him until I was able to arrive at a “surprise party” at his house that started at 2pm. Since I was on the schedule in Nashville and Greenfield, there was just no way to get there in time….but I was able to get there. It was funny too. Chuck is such an easy going guy, and I was told that he had even mentioned at St. Anne’s this morning a little about his birthday, and even how he really doesn’t like being the center of attention……little did he know!!!!!! He was totally fooled. Bonnie his wife even said he wanted to stop at an ATM and a gas station on the way home from church. He fell right into her trap!

Chuck’s house was filled with well-wishers, even as late as I was able to get there. He has lots of people who love him, and it was a great blessing to be there among many of them. I am glad to be one of them!

Happy Birthday Chuck. We love you and are all blessed to be a part of your life!

Tom+

Uncategorized

In memory, but doing something now…….

Leave a comment

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+

Uncategorized

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

Leave a comment

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+

Uncategorized

The Great Escape………….

Leave a comment

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+

Uncategorized

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

Leave a comment

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+

Uncategorized

A day gone by too quickly…….

Leave a comment

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+

Uncategorized

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

Leave a comment

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+

Uncategorized

Ramblings on fatherhood and family…….

Leave a comment

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+