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A busy, but finished day………

The house is sure quiet without Stephanie and Scott. They did call, and they are at my Uncle Mickey’s house on Long Island. It was apparently already dark as they passed New York City to see anything other than the lights, but they seemed excited to be there. I was happy to know they made it as well.

As for Amanda, Ben, and I, we spent the day running errands and then going to visit my mom in the nursing home. My mom, though still young (just 69), has Alzheimer’s and you really never know what you will get when you visit her…..you can just be certain it is going to be nothing like you remember.

Tonight was no exception. She always knows me, and can talk pretty sharp, but often doesn’t know what day it is (like Christmas or her birthday). Tonight she asked if I was taking her to her sister’s for Christmas when we haven’t done that for years. And she cried as she does through many visits about things not connected to the topic we are on. She looks like my mom, but she is far from the woman I grew up with. My mom, though often funny, was a pretty tough bird most days….far from the woman I now see in the wheelchair in front of me.

The truly ironic part in all of this is that through most of my life my mom and I locked horns…..and a LOT. My sisters Steph and Sarah got along with her better, particularly Sarah, but both Steph and Sarah died of cancer. I always remember the Lord’s Command to honor your parents, and believe me I do. But I marvel at how sometimes the biggest lessons I learn in life often come in the hardest ways. I certainly spent a lot of time on my mom’s “list” in life, but now I have set that aside. She has a tough road to travel and I am her son, her only surviving child, and I do, and will do, what is right for her.

Anyway, tonight she enjoyed the candy and cashews as well as Ben, her youngest grandson. We saw her new room, and I promised to bring her some books in a couple of days. I know I have mentioned this before, but I am certain my sisters are getting a big kick out of me in this role as they watch from heaven.

But now the day has ended and I am ready for bed. I hope to have a good dream tonight too…….perhaps me in heaven chasing my sisters around with those books and sticking candy in their halos. Oh for such a wonderful dream!!

I hope you have had a great day! Goodnight and God Bless!

Tom+

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Heading east in my heart…………….

Just a few minutes ago Stephanie and Scott bid us farewell and left for New York City with their grandfather. My dad was born and raised in Brooklyn, and the kids have never been. He is excited to take them there for their first visit, and they are excited too. My dad’s wife Debby, and my sister Anna are also along. It should be a great time.

As for me, it was hard to see them go. New York City is a big place and not Indiana! I am sure they will do fine, I always have, but I will worry about them nonetheless. I will keep myself busy with Ben, and await their return.

Other than that, today has been a day to catch up on my rest as I have been able. I am still pretty wiped out, but hopefully can recharge within the next few days.

So anyway, no big news! I am from Indiana and I like it that way!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless.

Tom+

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Merry Christmas!

Well all the services have taken place and we are home. The day has been long but fruitful, and as I reflect upon it I can easily admit how very blessed I am. I love what I do, and love the people I am called to do it among. Celebrating Christmas with them is a blessing to me that I am so very thankful for.

I am writing this entry in bed, next to Ben, who is out like a light. Amanda is still downstairs wrapping the last gift. I got Ben because she has had him all day and he was grouchy…..and, I am the world’s worst wrapper. It frustrates me and then it just gets worse. I am so meticulous about so many things, but wrapping is not one of them! Yep, another blessing…..Ben is out and grouchy no more. This has turned out to be a pretty sweet deal.

Anyway my friends, I want to wish Christmas Blessings to you this Christmas Eve. Have a blessed day tomorrow as well!

Merry Christmas and God Bless!

Fr. Tom+

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Deeper and deeper…….

The damage to our house is more extensive than first thought. Though we got the water shut off, and a plumber to the house finally about 7pm (thanks Scott’s Plumbing), today the discovered water had seeped under the hardwood floors on the first floor. This led to the tearing out of the laundry room, first floor bathroom, and the floor in our hallway and most of our family room. I was able to wrestle the washer and dryer back into the torn-up house, but it is really all a mess. Steph and Scotty leave for New York City with my dad late Christmas day so getting laundry done is pretty important. Hopefully we will make some headway.

And if things were not bad enough, on my way to get the Pointsettas for Christmas services today our Volkswagen lost all traction (even at an extremely slow speed) and crashed into the curb while turning into the store. It is still there in the lot, undrivable. Now there will be yet another deductible….yuck. I had driven it all morning to Indianapolis and back. It was just icy as I came into Carmel. Sadly it was the only place I slid. Fortunately no one else was involved.

Anyway, I will not say “it cannot get any worse,” because I am too smart for that! Instead I will sign off for now and look at my sermon for tomorrow. It is suppose to warm up a bit. It doesn’t really matter though. I am just praying for a better day!

Keep the faith!!

Fr. Tom+

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Under the water……again!!

Today I ventured out with Deacon PT to move a refrigerator (thanks Jo!) to St. Patrick’s and to get a few other things done. Amanda picked me up at the church and when we got home we discovered a pipe had burst in our wall and our basement was flooded ONCE AGAIN! Our main floor was flooded in parts as well.

Fortunately for us, the good people at Indiana Restoration were out in no time. Sadly I know many of them on a first-name basis, but they are pretty great guys. Our water is still not repaired, but they were able to shut it off at the street. I am still waiting on a call back from a plumber. It is amazing to me how many 24 hour, 7 days a week, emergency service told me they could get here tomorrow….despite hearing the water running into my basement. An ad is an ad I guess. I just want someone with integrity who can come and fix my pipes. If I do not hear from someone soon I will do it myself.

Anyway, there is no goodnight at this point. It is just 4:30 in the afternoon. Our pipes will be fixed and Indiana Restoration will repair our basement, and our insurance agent will wonder why her ever got involved with us in the first place. But in the whole scheme of things these are relatively small problems. I am just glad we are on our way to resolving them.

I will keep you posted. Keep us in your prayers! Christmas is going to be a bit different this year!!

God Bless!

Tom+

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Under the weather………

I have not felt well all day, and of course it is not the right time of year for me to be getting sick. I came right home after services and went to bed, and though it is just 8:00 pm here, I am up only to type this…..then back to bed. Everyone else will be finishing up decorating the house for Christmas, but as for me, they will just have to Photoshop me into the pictures! I clearly am not going to make it.

I do have a few days left until Christmas. They will be helpful for me in terms of getting some rest and getting better. Sure, I still have Christmas shopping to do (after all, though I am a priest, I still am a guy too). But there are no real pressing issues that will “require” my time. I hope to be good to go on Christmas Eve.

I don’t really have too many tough days, so though I feel bad I still know how very blessed I am. But for now, me and my blessed yet worn out body will lay down yet again. Tomorrow will be another day and hopefully a better one.

An early goodnight to you all, and God Bless!

Fr. Tom+

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Of the Lord’s Work in many places…….

I was wondering tonight, why I was so tired and then I remembered that yesterday I became just a year and a half away from eligibility for my AARP card! We left St. Patrick’s tonight at around 11pm, and it is all set to go but for one bathroom which will be completed about 2 weeks from now.

It felt different working there at St. Patrick’s since it is just a couple of miles from where we currently live. Since I am the priest of currently four churches, I thought WOW, this is so close to my house, but then I thought I am in lots of places and A LOT! As a matter of fact, I am only there at St. Patrick’s tomorrow because Deacons PT and Dan thought I should be at the first service when it was mostly done. Otherwise I would have been in both Nashville and Greenfield. It is funny to me……we are all so committed to all of our Missions, and to us it really doesn’t matter where we are. It is about serving God’s people and being among them. All of us, including Deacon Tony and Father Chuck, are just thankful for the opportunities we have to serve. I am blessed to work with such a wonderful gaggle (the proper term I believe for a group of clergy) of people.

Anyway, I am exhausted and going to bed. I hope and pray you and I all have a blessed and productive day tomorrow!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Fr. Tom+

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Everybody’s working for the weekend……….

With a lot of prayers and a lot of work, I am happy to report that the work on St. Patrick’s should be finished sometime tonight before midnight! I am SO HAPPY. The people have been so patient and it will be such a blessing to have a completed and permanent home.

Often things like this get completed and it feels like a finish line when in fact it is just a beginning. We have a new church, new chairs, room to do things, yet we are called not to put our feet up and enjoy it, but rather to use it! We will use this to teach classes, to worship, to spread the Good News, and to grow God’s Kingdom. And just as the goal of the early Church was to expand, so too from St. Patrick’s do we hope to plant other churches!

I will not kid you, I am exhausted! We have been working non-stop for weeks and now Christmas is upon us! It is going to get a bit more intense before it gets easier! But thank God for the opportunities and the blessings He has bestowed upon us and our ministry! There is no greater privilege and no better place that I could imagine to be!

Come visit or join us at ANY of our missions!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Fr. Tom+

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Breaking Free…….

Not a long post tonight other than to report that I went to the Neurologist today for a stroke follow-up and not only got a good report, but my next appointment has been scheduled 6 months down the line. The longer between appointments the less concerned they are for you! Praise God!

Anyway, I will post more tomorrow. I just wanted to share the good news! Off to bed for me!

Goodnight and God Bless.

Tom+

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Of giving and offering over anything else……..

Just a week from now we will gather together and celebrate the birth of Our Lord on Christmas Eve. All four of our missions will hold services that evening and it will be a joyous occasion.

As I look around this world, I see so much that Our Lord speaks to, yet there seems so much resistance to Him. I saw a news program today where a town was arguing over whether they were “holiday lights” or “Christmas lights,” and there was quite a bit of anger on both sides. We have the manger vs menorah thing still going on, and now Kwanzaa has entered the debate as well. There is a lot of Santa, but very little Jesus. And as I ponder it all I wonder why anyone is surprised at the tension.

Being a Christian is not always easy, but it is important……particularly in the world we live in today. Jesus is not about the tension, He is about saving souls, and we would all do well to be able to tell the difference……not by ramrodding things down each others’ throats or fighting to the death over lights, but by sharing the Good News with others of what Jesus has done for us.

Keep on the path my friends and share what you know. The Greatest Gift ever given is never forced, but joyously offered and willingly received. And we can count on Him to do His part as well. The world needs Him and what He has to offer. Step up in faith, and help offer Him all the more!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Fr. Tom+