839AFC092608
Love is Vigilant
Aloha Friday!!
Last week I wrote about love, and this week I want to share a little news about love, and especially about news in our family. It’s been a while.
I’ll start with Crucita, who is now fully tenured in Hawaii, is in the classroom teaching math again this year and it sounds like she’s going to be adding Sociology during the second half of the school year. She’s really got her hands full this year. There are a few students who are working, learning, and making progress; however, this year the majority of students do not feel that way about being educated There is a widespread apathy about learning and life. Many of them seem to have no aspirations, no future plans, no “I-gotta-have-it” goals — unless you count “just cruisin’.” The apathy is pervasive, and is exceeded only by the hostility they show toward learning. The school system here makes meeting with the kids’ parents difficult by limiting the times for meetings to three afternoons a week — no morning meetings allowed — and despite that it is often unlikely that an administrator will be able to attend an IEP. I can see that it is frustrating for her — though not at all for these kids — but she goes back into the classroom every day to teach, to touch lives, to push, pull, exhort, challenge, lead, even plead to help them learn that the decisions they are making now will affect the rest of their lives and that those decisions must be toward growth, not entropy. That is love. I am proud of her for working so diligently to help these children.
Tim is still in Portland Oregon. He’s working on more composing, and playing fewer gigs as he devotes his time to his girlfriend, his music, and his job at Higher Balance. He is happy, and successful, and making a difference in other people’s lives. He calls, sends e-mails, stays in touch, plans visits to Hawaii (of course it helps a little that Chanson is from O`ahu). His faith is strong and growing stronger. We recently; did one of those Q & A e-mails where you put your response into a table of questions and then forward it to your friends. I was actually surprised at how many of the responses I had entered returned unchanged, and that of those which were changed the answers were the kind of answers all parents hope for. It was a good experience for us, a breakthrough moment of new perspectives for parents and child. Although we stopped the active role of parenting years ago, it was good to see that the parenting we had done is producing good fruit. We are proud of him, and he is proud of us. That is love, the gift that literally gives everything and expects nothing in return.
Maria Cereza quite unexpectedly moved to Tennessee. We were alarmed at first because her last sojourn there was a disaster. She ended up virtually imprisoned in rural Tennessee and needed financial and emotional assistance to get back to Phoenix. That was while she was carrying Miranda. Miranda was born October 1, 2006. She has some developmental challenges, but she’s a charming and beautiful child with lots of energy and determination. Her brothers, William and Charles, dote on her but the also help her with her physical challenges, too. William is excited about getting back to school again. He loves school and is doing well. Charles is still wondering what school is all about, but he’s catching the excitement William has. When they were settled enough to be able to make a call, Maria told us she is happy, feels safe, things are stable, and they feel at home. That was wonderful news because for the first half of this year they tottered on the edge of disaster and finally ended up with no apartment, no income, no jobs, and not much hope for change. Then Tommy’s sister Melissa drove across the country from Tennessee to Arizona, picked up the whole family, and took them to live with her. Melissa has recently has a big change in her life, and genuine born-again experience, and immediately put that new-found love into action. That is love
For this old man, life jumped up a couple of ticks when JCAHO finally made it to our little office in Lihu`e. The surveyor who came out what the polar-opposite of the previous surveyor — kind, quiet, consultative, interested in what we do. Whereas the 2007 visit was the worst-ever accreditation experience I’ve had since my first solo JCAHO survey in 1975, this on was among the best. I still sit in my little office and bang away on the keys all day writing policies and procedures — and other, more pleasant diversions — and I still have a job I love working with people I love in a place I love with a house I love with a wife I love and a church I love. Although no one really knows what my job is (count me in on that, too), it’s a great job. I have friends all over the country who read these little missives – and that of course means you. When I toll out of bed in the morning one of the first things I do is thank God for another day of all this great life He has given me simply because it pleases Him to do so. That is love.
For our kittens – Mimi, Hercules, Frankie, and Zoë – life is sitting near a window watching the doves and chickens and mynahs, and cardinals. They have their own room, their own food bowls, and their on way of getting attention. Mimi likes to sit with me. Hercules loves to be wherever Crucita is. Frankie is “Me To” for everything that happens, and Zoë – the Princess – has her special places to curl up and be adored. They know they can depend on us, and we know they don’t want to change that arrangement – letting us live in their house. That is love.
And all of this “love-stuff” is summed up in one little sentence in the Prayer I send out to all MBN members on their certificate. See if you can spot it:
Father, I take a moment to remember everyone in the Moon Beam Network. Watch over them all. Bless them. Protect them. Guide them. Direct them. Keep them all safe from any harm or danger in body, mind and spirit. See to their temporal needs and continue to call them all to a deeper spiritual awareness of and commitment to you. Give them your Light. Bless them all for the love we share among all of the members of the Moon Beam Network. Likewise bless everyone I have ever loved and everyone who has ever loved me and anyone who has ever loved them, for the love we have comes from You through your Son Jesus the Christ by the ministry of The Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Make it a wonderful day, Beloved. See you in the moon.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service.
Chick
PS: The picture is titled “LOVE” and the caption is “Love is vigilant.” At least, that’s how I see it. I think it was originally Boy With Cat.
839AFC092608
Love is Vigilant
Aloha Friday!!
Last week I wrote about love, and this week I want to share a little news about love, and especially about news in our family. It’s been a while.
I’ll start with Crucita, who is now fully tenured in Hawaii, is in the classroom teaching math again this year and it sounds like she’s going to be adding Sociology during the second half of the school year. She’s really got her hands full this year. There are a few students who are working, learning, and making progress; however, this year the majority of students do not feel that way about being educated There is a widespread apathy about learning and life. Many of them seem to have no aspirations, no future plans, no “I-gotta-have-it” goals — unless you count “just cruisin’.” The apathy is pervasive, and is exceeded only by the hostility they show toward learning. The school system here makes meeting with the kids’ parents difficult by limiting the times for meetings to three afternoons a week — no morning meetings allowed — and despite that it is often unlikely that an administrator will be able to attend an IEP. I can see that it is frustrating for her — though not at all for these kids — but she goes back into the classroom every day to teach, to touch lives, to push, pull, exhort, challenge, lead, even plead to help them learn that the decisions they are making now will affect the rest of their lives and that those decisions must be toward growth, not entropy. That is love. I am proud of her for working so diligently to help these children.
Tim is still in Portland Oregon. He’s working on more composing, and playing fewer gigs as he devotes his time to his girlfriend, his music, and his job at Higher Balance. He is happy, and successful, and making a difference in other people’s lives. He calls, sends e-mails, stays in touch, plans visits to Hawaii (of course it helps a little that Chanson is from O`ahu). His faith is strong and growing stronger. We recently; did one of those Q & A e-mails where you put your response into a table of questions and then forward it to your friends. I was actually surprised at how many of the responses I had entered returned unchanged, and that of those which were changed the answers were the kind of answers all parents hope for. It was a good experience for us, a breakthrough moment of new perspectives for parents and child. Although we stopped the active role of parenting years ago, it was good to see that the parenting we had done is producing good fruit. We are proud of him, and he is proud of us. That is love, the gift that literally gives everything and expects nothing in return.
Maria Cereza quite unexpectedly moved to Tennessee. We were alarmed at first because her last sojourn there was a disaster. She ended up virtually imprisoned in rural Tennessee and needed financial and emotional assistance to get back to Phoenix. That was while she was carrying Miranda. Miranda was born October 1, 2006. She has some developmental challenges, but she’s a charming and beautiful child with lots of energy and determination. Her brothers, William and Charles, dote on her but the also help her with her physical challenges, too. William is excited about getting back to school again. He loves school and is doing well. Charles is still wondering what school is all about, but he’s catching the excitement William has. When they were settled enough to be able to make a call, Maria told us she is happy, feels safe, things are stable, and they feel at home. That was wonderful news because for the first half of this year they tottered on the edge of disaster and finally ended up with no apartment, no income, no jobs, and not much hope for change. Then Tommy’s sister Melissa drove across the country from Tennessee to Arizona, picked up the whole family, and took them to live with her. Melissa has recently has a big change in her life, and genuine born-again experience, and immediately put that new-found love into action. That is love
For this old man, life jumped up a couple of ticks when JCAHO finally made it to our little office in Lihu`e. The surveyor who came out what the polar-opposite of the previous surveyor — kind, quiet, consultative, interested in what we do. Whereas the 2007 visit was the worst-ever accreditation experience I’ve had since my first solo JCAHO survey in 1975, this on was among the best. I still sit in my little office and bang away on the keys all day writing policies and procedures — and other, more pleasant diversions — and I still have a job I love working with people I love in a place I love with a house I love with a wife I love and a church I love. Although no one really knows what my job is (count me in on that, too), it’s a great job. I have friends all over the country who read these little missives – and that of course means you. When I toll out of bed in the morning one of the first things I do is thank God for another day of all this great life He has given me simply because it pleases Him to do so. That is love.
For our kittens – Mimi, Hercules, Frankie, and Zoë – life is sitting near a window watching the doves and chickens and mynahs, and cardinals. They have their own room, their own food bowls, and their on way of getting attention. Mimi likes to sit with me. Hercules loves to be wherever Crucita is. Frankie is “Me To” for everything that happens, and Zoë – the Princess – has her special places to curl up and be adored. They know they can depend on us, and we know they don’t want to change that arrangement – letting us live in their house. That is love.
And all of this “love-stuff” is summed up in one little sentence in the Prayer I send out to all MBN members on their certificate. See if you can spot it:
Father, I take a moment to remember everyone in the Moon Beam Network. Watch over them all. Bless them. Protect them. Guide them. Direct them. Keep them all safe from any harm or danger in body, mind and spirit. See to their temporal needs and continue to call them all to a deeper spiritual awareness of and commitment to you. Give them your Light. Bless them all for the love we share among all of the members of the Moon Beam Network. Likewise bless everyone I have ever loved and everyone who has ever loved me and anyone who has ever loved them, for the love we have comes from You through your Son Jesus the Christ by the ministry of The Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Make it a wonderful day, Beloved. See you in the moon.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service.
Chick
PS: The picture is titled “LOVE” and the caption is “Love is vigilant.” At least, that’s how I see it. I think it was originally Boy With Cat.
About Chick Todd
American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.
