In this part of the world, October 31 is Hallowe'en, an evening during which children go from door to door collecting candy after entreating "Trick or Treat". Because much of this activity occurs during the dark and annually the news reports strange and dangerous findings in the occasional loot bag, Hallowe'en is also a time for special safety precautions.
The lesson of our Children's Liturgy this morning was 'obedience'. We talked about who we should obey: parents, teachers, God. When the lesson was complete I reminded our children to be particularly obedient to their parent's rules for safety on Hallowe'en.
Later this day, I was teaching backward skating. This is again an activity with safety precautions "always watch behind you". Once again, I took the opportunity to add Hallowe'en safety tips to the lesson.
Lessons of safety passed on. I wish all of our children a happy and safe Hallowe'en.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Thanks God for Society's Helpers
Today, during our Prayers of the Faithful, a little one asked for prayers for firemen. I expanded that to all helpers: Police, paramedics, doctors, nurses....
Another of our little ones stood up very excitedly - " I had to go to the hospital when I had a bead in my nose and they had to take it out."
Good reason to thank our society's helpers - but too funny not to pause for a giggle - before we pulled it together again to thank God for those helpers.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
On Sadness
October 26 marked one year from the end of my mother's earthy journey and the beginning of her new life.
It was a sad day for me. I allowed myself to feel the depth of missing her, while trying to keep in mind the love and joy that she brought to my life and to be grateful for these.
Mom, I miss you. I miss your hugs, your smiles, your wisdom, but I know you are in a better place.
Peace
It was a sad day for me. I allowed myself to feel the depth of missing her, while trying to keep in mind the love and joy that she brought to my life and to be grateful for these.
Mom, I miss you. I miss your hugs, your smiles, your wisdom, but I know you are in a better place.
Peace
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Character
"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 Ewing
Former Major League Baseball Player
We all have these people in our lives. The friend who is always willing to lend a hand, the ones who pick and chose how they will help and what they will do, and the ones who although they agree to help, do not show up at all. What kind of friend do you prefer? What kind of friend are you?
I think my God would be best served if I become the servant and turn up my sleeves...won't you join me?
Language Barrier
At a recent skating competition knowing that arenas are usually cold I donned my jacket before I sat with fellow skating parents, but in my usual style I was wearing flip flops. Seating in this arena however, was atypically warm.
As I sat I noted one parent who had rolled her pant legs up past her knees. As I sat, she said, " Oh it is so hot here, but I see that you are prepared, you are wearing your thong."
The other parents all looked quickly and quizzically at me and at her.
"Oh my goodness," she apologized, " I am so used to calling them thongs in Australia, here you call them flip flops."
As I sat I noted one parent who had rolled her pant legs up past her knees. As I sat, she said, " Oh it is so hot here, but I see that you are prepared, you are wearing your thong."
The other parents all looked quickly and quizzically at me and at her.
"Oh my goodness," she apologized, " I am so used to calling them thongs in Australia, here you call them flip flops."
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Mother's Pride
In this household we love Hallowe'en. My middle daughter is also a fan of this day, so one afternoon I strategically tucked a variety of fake but realistic looking body parts into nooks and crannies in her bedroom. An arm dangling on the side of the bed, a leg emerging from a dresser drawer, well place brains...
That supper she commented that she loved what I did in her room.
When my younger daughter, in an Eeyore style gloom, responded, "Nobody loves me," a flash crossed the eyes of my other children at the table. The moment my youngest left the house, the remaining children dashed to the boxes of decorations to assemble a treat for their sister.
I was out when my youngest discovered the horrors that awaited her, but when I returned she was quick to tell me that she hates Hallowe'en and that she had run screaming from her room. Delighted, this caring parent responded, "But did you feel loved?"
That supper she commented that she loved what I did in her room.
When my younger daughter, in an Eeyore style gloom, responded, "Nobody loves me," a flash crossed the eyes of my other children at the table. The moment my youngest left the house, the remaining children dashed to the boxes of decorations to assemble a treat for their sister.
I was out when my youngest discovered the horrors that awaited her, but when I returned she was quick to tell me that she hates Hallowe'en and that she had run screaming from her room. Delighted, this caring parent responded, "But did you feel loved?"
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Lessons Live On
The world lost Steve Jobs earlier this month. Luck for us, his lessons live on...
Steve Jobs gave this as his second story of his Commencement Address at Stanford University on June 12, 2005.
Love and Loss
I was lucky. I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started?
Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.
I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT.
I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple.It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.
Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
Steve Jobs gave this as his second story of his Commencement Address at Stanford University on June 12, 2005.
Love and Loss
I was lucky. I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started?
Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.
I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.
I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT.
I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple.It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers.
Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.
Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
Steve Jobs, 1955-2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Michaelmas
The mighty oak shows its delicate side in the bright autumn light. The gentle colouring contrasted by the harsh shadow and strong red veins caught my attention. That such attention be paid to the leaf of an oak tree, that will soon fall; imagine the attention to detail that our loving God gives to each of us.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Heavenly Instruction
Yesterday I taught skating to one of our little ones from Church. She recognized me immediately - I recognized her skill and suggested she move to novice (a session for little ones who want to learn the art of figure skating), which she did today (and loved it!)
Her father had brought her to skating yesterday. Today both parents came. As we left the ice the mom pulled me aside.
"I have to tell you, " she began, "Grace is so excited to be skating with you. Yesterday she told me that her skating teacher was the priest from Church."
Sunday, October 2, 2011
So Sweet
And it was so good!
A Theme Continued
Interesting that the previous post was about forgiveness.
Today the children and I spoke about what God calls us to do. We coloured and tied notes to socks intended for our community's homeless. We considered ways that we could do what God asks us to do.
Just before we say our final prayer, it is our custom to review the 'action' that our Lord is requesting of us. When asked, "So what does our God want us to do?
A usually quiet, three year old replied, "Forgive".
Wonder what my God is trying to say?
Today the children and I spoke about what God calls us to do. We coloured and tied notes to socks intended for our community's homeless. We considered ways that we could do what God asks us to do.
Just before we say our final prayer, it is our custom to review the 'action' that our Lord is requesting of us. When asked, "So what does our God want us to do?
A usually quiet, three year old replied, "Forgive".
Wonder what my God is trying to say?
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