Cave Boys

You've got to hear the one about Mammoth Cave. Once again, I volunteered to help with a church outing for the 4th to 8th graders. This time, I recruited one of my own former students, George, to go along. We had to meet at 7 a.m. to get everyone out the door on time. We took a back road -- Phil drove, I had "shotgun" for the van full of little boys -- and lost a little time, but ended up in the right place at the right time. The ranger led us on a two mile hike below ground, providing lots of historical details about the place. Very interesting. Thank goodness we didn't see any bats or anything very scary. After two hours and passing through "fat man's misery" as well as "tall man's misery", over the bottomless pit, and up 150 stairs, we finally saw the light again! Whew! Lunch (even a squashed peanut butter sandwich) was a welcome break, followed by a great devo of songs and Bible thought on David and Saul in a cave. Next stop was the gift shop, where Justin and Matt talked me out of a few dollars for some souvenirs. Driving back with a bunch of tired, silly boys -- they are so cute! George got to know some of my regular buddies and he took lots of pictures. He was a great sidekick. I just love field trips so much, I take them even when school is out!

Small Miracles

From frustrating leaks that soaked some of their packed boxes to ruined plans to attend a reunion, my folks' departure has been fraught with misery of one kind and another. Through it all, we've tried to make plans and adapt to changes. Today a providential miracle manifested itself in the arrangement for them to fly here while my nephew and sister drive their car! It has all happened so smoothly. I hope the actual day, this Friday, can go as well. Thank you, Lord, and thanks to all who have made this possible. It will save Dad from sitting more than 12 hours in a car, and give everyone peace of mind. Hopefully, our dear landlord will have all things done and in order before the arrival. He's been very patient with us, and will probably exact his fees as is his due. Now for final preparations: mowing, wiping counters, lining drawers, etc.
The only OTHER thing on my agenda is traveling eight hours round trip to be with my son (I'm in the Middle, you know) for a procedure tomorrow. We desperately need a small miracle there, too, dear Lord! Keep us all calm and the doctors and technicians steady and sure. May the test yield a positive result, and may we all grow from the stress of this time of dealing with his disability. We know that we must walk through valleys and go through trials. We'd never grow unless we do. It's hard to watch one's grown son suffer. I want his ease and happiness, but ultimately his spiritual development.
Like the miracle releasing my Dad from the long road journey, I seek a miracle to release my son from his oppression and pain. Each has his sterling qualities and sparkling personality, each his endearing nature, and each his special needs at this time. Grant each a "small" (when it's your family, is anything "small"?!?) miracle, Father.

The answer, my friend

is blowing in the wind. The question is who did this? I'll have to say, we DO have a good yard for rolling. And since I've done my fair share of this activity, I feel somehow honored that we were selected to be decorated thusly. I think it was someone with a good arm, because they reached a good height with some of those layers. I will be looking for those with a smirk on their faces next time we all meet...Todd declares that he can't be certain which teens it could be. We shall see...

Moving on up

Two weeks from today, Mom and Dad will load up their earthly belongings and send them on a truck to this new address on Hilltop Drive, just seven miles from us. I'm very excited. I hope we can all work together to benefit the health and emotional state of both of them. We know the landlord and the area. It should be a positive experience, even though I know it's hard to start over in a new place. Once they get settled, we hope to have the family over to visit.
It never ceases to amaze me how things change and how quickly prayers can be answered. Once we start seeking something, doors start to open! We're praying for that to happen in our son's life as well. Careers, housing, vehicles, all those things that make up our day-to-day existence on this planet -- it's nice to know we don't have to find them all alone. To paraphrase a song, "I've got a mansion just over on Hilltop...in that bright land where we'll never grow old."

Did I tell you about...?

Our trip to Indianapolis? The four of us went on a mini-vacation of three wonderful days away from home. The goal was to attend a drum corps show in the RCA dome (where the Colts play) last Saturday night. The serendipity was that we discovered a new place together. It reminded me of a European city with fountains, monuments, a canal/walkway/bike path, museums, a huge shopping center connected by walkways to hotels and the dome, and a very metropolitan ambience. We had fun at a wild southern Italian place called Boca di Beppo (Italian for "Joe's Basement") where all the food is to be shared among your party. It was delicious, and we were too full to try the dessert! I really wanted some tiramisu. We watched an Imax movie and would have visited the zoo, but for a "wild goose chase" seeking our favorite drum corps practice site. We exemplified our Burka vacation motto:

“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, ‘Wow! What a ride!’”

Yeah, that was our sweaty Dad who took his shirt off while standing in the middle of the circle downtown. That was us marching 330 steps to the top of the Civil War monument, exploring the shrine of the World War Memorial, cruising City Centre, and loving every minute of fifteen rowsing drum corps performances plus the encore! Exhilirating and exhausting. We did it!

Amusing Moments

Today I was a chaperone for 40 4th to 8th graders from church. We went to Beech Bend Amusement Park in Kentucky. There were actually 16 of us adults, so there was not much to do except sit around and visit. First, though, I had to ride several of the rides with Kristy, our intern, and the six girls we were watching. We rode Frosty Bob's, Bumble Bee Bop, Haunted House, Wild Mouse, Moby Dick, Antique Cars, Tornado, and the Kentucky Rumbler (a genuine wooden roller coaster), and they rode several more. We were there from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. We also spent some time in Splash Lagoon, the water park. Dustin, our other intern, was our trusty driver. The girls sang most of the way there and back in the van. Enjoyed being with my old buddies Lisa and Judy, while getting to know Stephanie and Suzette and several others. The only one who got hurt was Elizabeth, the trip director's daughter, who ended up with a huge goose-egg bump on her forehead. Otherwise, just a couple of upset tummies and headaches from too much amusement. Ahhh, it's good to be home and get a hot shower.

Four on the Fourth

Now I have four rental houses to consider for my parents to move into. One very old but charming house nearby, one brand new, one five years old, and one ten or fifteen years old. Each with different landlords, different arrangements. A lot to think about...
We had a fabulous celebration yesterday of our minister's twenty-five years of preaching. We all drove two hours to the old church building where he gave his first sermon at the age of fourteen. His extended family had all conspired to surprise him with this party, and he was really surprised! His mother had a cousin cater a barbeque lunch, we all made ice cream and cookies, and we had a grand feast sitting out under the trees. Then, we all went inside and his father read some things and reminisced about David's early days. The elders led a chain prayer asking blessings on him and his family, and then the floor was opened up for a gentle "roasting" (as Phil says, there isn't much bad to tell about him). It was a real blessing to be among those folks. We stood and sang "God Bless America" in a big circle at the end. Drove home, napped while the Tour de France was on, caught a few minutes of the World Cup, and then it was time for major fireworks.
I cried to think a year ago I was standing in an orphanage near a field in Ukraine watching a small handful of firecrackers for about ten minutes. Last night they were going off for nearly two hours in all directions around our house. Nashville, the nearest city, hosts the third largest celebration in the country. We watched some of it on TV (what a finale!), as well as the performance in the nation's capital -- both of which I missed last year. It's mind-boggling the differences between our country and most others. Let us never take it for granted.