A Tribute to Uncle Don.

I often describe the atmosphere I grew up as idyllic.  We lived on the eastside of Detroit (East Warren and Outer Drive).  It was a relatively safe, blue collar neighbor.  One of the things that make it secure for me was I was surrounded by relatives.  My grandparents and my aunt and uncle lived within blocks of us.  Neither of my mom’s siblings, Aunt Phyllis and Uncle Don, married. It was like having another set of parents.  We not only celebrated holidays together but spent every Sunday night in their living room watching the Ed Sullivan Show and playing games, usually pinochle. During breaks from school I would often spend several days staying at their house keeping my grandfather company.  They would vacation every summer at a cottage on Lake Huron.  I was always invited along. 

My Aunt Phyllis died in the mid 80’s and Grandpa Ulbrich died in 1989.  My grandmother died in 2002 at the age 102.  Until last summer my uncle maintained the house of Haverhill by himself.   Uncle Don died yesterday afternoon at the age of 97; a victim of the coronavirus.  My mom, Lord willing, will turn 99 later this month.  She is in a nursing home.  Her health is declining.  It puts things into perspective when I realized I could one day soon be the oldest surviving member of the family.

Uncle Don was part of the “Greatest Generation” that saved the world during World War II.  Uncle Don was smart, he graduated from Eastern High with honors, but instead of going off to college he went off to fight in a war.  He was part of a Combat Engineering Battalion that served northern Europe. 

Uncle Don never talked much about the war.  It was only in the last ten years that he started to open up about it with me.  It helped that I learned to play cribbage.  Our favorite place to play was on Belle Isle, enjoying the fresh air and watching the boats sail past.  It was during that time that he talked.  He shared about the long trip across the Atlantic and how confining it was.  He talked of the unknowns once they arrived in Europe.  He ended up serving most of his time in Belgium and Holland.  He talked about the three winter months he spent in a foxhole with his battalion waiting for the orders to move.  He finally finished his tour of duty and returned to the states in March of 1946.  I was born on March 6^th of that year and he made it home in time to join my aunt as sponsors at my baptism.

After the war Uncle Don went back to work for the J. L. Hudson’s Company in Detroit.  At that time Hudson’s was the second largest department store in the World; over twenty stories high and occupying a full city block in downtown Detroit.   Uncle Don spent his entire career at Hudson’s working mostly in the men’s department. Hudson’s decided to close their downtown store in 1983 and they merged with Dayton’s in Minneapolis.  Uncle Don worked in the payroll department and they wanted him to move to the Twin Cities.  He said no and took an early retirement.  He was one of the last employees in the building.   There were no hard feelings.  Dayton’s became Target and Uncle Don continued to be a faithful Target customer and shareholder.

Our family was members of St. James Lutheran Church in Grosse Pointe.  Like the rest of us, he was very involved in St. James.  He taught Sunday school and even served a term as superintendent.   He was a proud member of bass section in the senior.  I had the pleasure of singing along-side him for two years.  For years he was one of the faithful counters who met every Monday afternoon to record the offerings from the previous day.  He also played right field on what was a pretty darn good church softball team.  Probably his biggest legacy is that for years he organized the church blood drive.  Having had hepatitis, he was ineligible to give but he dedicated his life to making sure those who could did.

Uncle Don took me to my first Tiger game, they lost to Cleveland 12-11 in ten innings.  When I ran in my first heat in the Soap Box Derby he was there to greet me at the finish line.  He was a heck of a partner at pinochle and taught me the intricacies of cribbage.  I cherish the memories and feel so blessed to have had him part of my life.  Now my desire is to live the legacy.

“Well done faithful servant.”  Rest in peace Uncle Don.

Survivors Guide to the New Normal

Prior to this coronavirus Pandemic, I had a pretty balanced rhythm to my life.  I tried to be in asleep by 10:30 PM and awake by 7::00 AM. I always began each day with my devotional time.  As a writer my mornings were always spent on my laptop in the family room.  My afternoon routine varied by the day.  Monday afternoon I would spend time with our grandson, Daniel, who was always with us for the day.  Tuesdays and Thursdays were set aside for hospital visitations for the chaplaincy service.  Wednesday afternoon was when I spent time at DFW Airport serving as an ambassador (Terminal C-Gate 12).  Friday afternoon was when I spent time at the library reading periodicals and doing research.  Saturdays were set aside for chores and Sundays were set aside for worship and reading the Dallas Morning News.  Yes, I watched sports, but usually I had it on more for background noise. 

The shelter at home order as changed all that.  I cannot visit the hospitals and the ambassador program has been suspended.  The library is closed and I cannot even spend time writing at my local Starbucks.  Instead of Sunday morning fellowship, I am watching worship online.  Even our time with Daniel is on hold until this virus thing goes away.  I have had to make some major adjustments but overall, I am doing okay. 

If you are struggling, I do have three suggestions.

Stay spiritually focused: I am spending more time in The Word each morning.  I am also enjoying the morning online devotions with my pastor.  At this point my main connection with my brothers and sisters in Christ is via chatbox.  I have made it a practice to select an appropriate scripture verse each day and commit it to memory.  I try to use that verse as a touch-point throughout the day.

Have an agenda:  I have always functioned better when I have a list.  When I head to Ace Hardware I have a list of the items I need, so I do not get distracted by the tempting displays throughout the store.  On Saturdays I always have a list of the chores so I stay on task.  Now I am writing down the things I plan or need to accomplish each at the end of my devotional time.  I even list the menial tasks like, doing the wash and taking out the trash.  I find a sense of satisfaction when I reach the end of the day and look at my list and see all the check marks.

Stay Connected: Communication is definitely different in the world of “social distancing” and “shelter in place” orders.  I have to remind myself that we are blessed to be going through this experience at such a time as this.  I have learned the value of Facetime and Zoom conferencing   But even talking to friends on the phone is not a substitute for the face-to-face conversations I so long for.  I am a walker, but I have changed my routine.  Instead using the walking path by my house, I am walking the neighborhood.  I try to walk in late afternoon and early evening.  I do find people working in their yards and playing with their kids.  I am developing some new relationships with the folks in my community. 

I am confident that this current situation will pass.  Until, then I accept that it is what it is.  I am still God’s child, just living in a land that is very foreign.  Carry on, my friends.

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Rocking through the New Normal

This is day fourteen of our self-isolation.  Other than my daily afternoon walk, I have only left the house on two occasions; to pick up family at the airport and to go to Ace Hardware for a couple of household items (don’t worry they delivered them to my car).  I am getting a lot of writing done and have spent the evenings doing lots of reading.  Other than the 5:30 national news, I have watched very little TV.  Oh, and I have added so new terms to my vocabulary; self-distancing, pre-existing conditions, self-isolation and Zoom Conferencing. 

I am also spending more than my usual time in God’s Word.  One Psalm in particular has brought me hope.

Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.

From the ends of the earth I call to you,

I call as my heart grows faint:

Lead me to a rock that is higher than I.

For you have been my refuge; a strong tower against the foe.

I long to dwell in your tent forever and

take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

Psalm 61: 1-4

While this is a new experience for me, as it is for all of us, God’s track record with plagues and pestilence is pretty good.  He has always delivered his people and kept them safe.  Jesus sacrifice on the cross provides victory over death, so what’s a little Coronavirus.  
His Resurrection victory provides me with the hope I need to live courageously even when I am confined to the house.  I am standing on “a rock” that is stronger that any virus. 

Cuddling with Jesus

God put those words in my heart this morning.  They seem to be appropriate for this time.  Like the rest of the country, I am limiting my contact with other people and taking all the recommended precautions.  I guess Barb and I fall into the “high risk” group.  We are both over seventy and both have “underlying physical conditions.”  While my overall health is good, I am a diabetic.  So I am hunkered down at home.  That means doing a lot of reading and working on latest book.  Who knows, if this goes on for a couple of weeks I might even get the manuscript done ahead of my schedule.

I still am amazed at how different my life is from that a week ago.  My hospital visits are on hold, and we will go to church online tomorrow, instead of gathering with a couple hundred of our closest friends.  With no sports on TV I am enjoying many of my old CD’s I had stashed away in the closet.  I have stopped listening to the news because it is pretty much the “same song, next verse.”  When I need an update, I can find it online and focus on what I need to know, not more doom and gloom.  I am wondering if God just decided we all needed an extended “time out.”

Paul’s words above help me keep things in perspective.  He has things under control.  If he has already defeated sin, death and the devil, why should I be afraid of some “stinking virus?”  I just need to continue to love those around me from a distance and use good judgment.  I sense Jesus wants me to draw close and cuddle with Him.  I pray you might do the same. 

Reflections on another Birthday

I celebrated my 74^th Birthday last week.  I got a lot of greetings on Facebook and more than a few humorous cards.  I was blessed to be surrounded by family for dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Babe’s Chicken.  I even wowed the crowd with my “chicken dance” as the wait staff sang in my honor.  (Rumor is there is a video of that somewhere).  I came away feeling blessed.  My health is good; I have a loving family and am Awesome God.

My celebration was put into perspective on Sunday evening.  Barb and I were invited to a surprise birthday party for our good friend Dr. Gary Schaper.  Gary’s wife and daughter had planned the event to celebrate his 80^th Birthday.  As we sat around visiting prior to dinner we discovered that two of the other men present were also celebrating their 80^th Birthdays this month as well. 

The encouraging thing for me was that even though Barb and I were the youngest couple present by at least five years, we were surrounded by youth, energy and vitality.  I am beginning to think that eighty is the new sixty-five.  Turning 65 and moving toward retirement can be energizing, but so can turning eighty and beginning a new decade. 

Granted, as I age there are some things that I can no longer do.  Staying awake past 10 PM is one of them.  I have also learned the value of a “power nap.”  But there are also a lot of things that I still can do.  And at seventy-four I can still not only stay active and involved but make plans for the future.  There are still projects that I want to take on and things I want to share through this blog.  There are also a lot of folks around me who do not know Jesus.  I can move forward knowing every day is a blessing and another gift from God.

A View from St. Arbucks

I am the proud owner of a Starbucks Gold card.  I was reminded of the benefits today.  For the second time this month, when I ordered my Grande Pike I was told it was free.  Okay, I will admit under usual circumstances spending almost three dollars for a cup of joe might seem like a little bit extravagant but for me it is a dose of reality.  You see, a lot of young folks hang out during the day at Starbucks, and it leads to some pretty great conversation.  There is no better place to observe current culture than at a Starbucks. .So, at least one day I week I do my writing at the Starbucks close to our house. 

My routine is always the same.  I order my coffee and find an open spot.  I open up my laptop and set my Bible down next to it.  I also usually have a couple of other books that I have brought along for reference.  I have discovered that having my Bible open next to me is a great door-opener.  I also try to position myself so that I can occasionally make eye contact with those around me.  It can lead to some interesting conversation.

Today was a good example.  The battery on my computer was running low and I was searching for a place to plug it is.  A young man noticed my dilemma and offered to move some of us stuff so I had access to an outlet.  Turns out  he is a pharmaceutical representative who was using the space to make out his weekly report.  He inquired about what I was doing and so became a conversation.

I was working on my new book, Tear down the Silos and Pitch a Tent, on the future of the church in America. It turns out my new friend was a fellow believer who also serves as worship leader at the small church he attends.  As we chatted he began to share his frustration with his generation and his inability to connect with them on matters of faith.   Like me, he is concerned about the future of the church as we struggle to equip young leaders.   He noted that the worship community he is part of has a fair number of young families and that there were a number of young children.  There was a void, however, when it came to single young adults his age. 

We ended up discussing some way to make that happen and we ended up our conversation with a prayer.  I got back to working on my manuscript and he got back to his weekly report.  Hopefully, he was as encouraged as I was. It was just another St. Arbucks encounter. 

We Don't Have to Lie to Our Kids

I know faith in Jesus Christ makes a difference in people’s lives.  I have worked for a hospital chaplaincy service for over twelve years.  One of the first things I discovered is people who know Jesus handle crisis differently.  Even in the face of death, Christians are people of hope.  That is especially comforting for me as an “older adult” who does think end of life issues.  Yes. death can get personal sometimes.

I recently read an article from the Wall Street Journal that caused me to look at the relationship between faith and hope from a whole new perspective.  The article was written by a Jewish therapist named Erica Komisar. Dr. Komisar was speaking religion and spiritual practices in a general way, but her most direct application was to the lives of Children and teens.  She noted that when asked by parents, “How do I talk to my child about death if I don’t believe in God or heaven?”  Her reply is always the same: “Lie.”  Therapist Komisar further notes, “In an age of broken families, distracted parents, school violence and imagination plays a big part in children’s ability to cope.”  In other words, kids need something to believe in.  Faith is that rock.

If we know Jesus, we possess the only “real” hope.  And what is the consequence?  The article noted a 2018 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology that examined how being raised in a family with religious or spiritual beliefs affects mental health.  The result? Children and teens who reported attending a religious service as least once a week scored higher on psychological well-being measurements and had a lower risk of mental illness. 

What a blessings we have in the good news of Jesus.  It is not only a reason to face death with a spirit of hope but it is a confidence we can live with every day.  It is also a faith we can pass on to our children.  That happens not just in the way we verbalize it, but in fact is best taught by them observing the way we handle crisis.  And thank goodness we don’t have to lie when they ask us about heaven.  We can just point them to Jesus and the cross and empty tomb.