Anna-s Story - Part 22

(Anna has settled into a nice routine, but she feels lonely sometimes.  But she's tough and she goes to the toughest -- she asks God for help.)


Part 22

 

Anna was on her way to the car one day after work, and she saw Mr. Collins who parked in the same deck as she did.  They exchanged greetings and Anna asked about the project.

 

“It’s going along very well.  I’m pleased because it is on schedule and under budget.  You know, Anna, we need to talk before long.  I know Aaron Licci and he spoke very highly of you, told me that you helped on the Kentucky trip for the parish with his wife,” Mr. Collins said.

 

“Yes, it was an amazing experience and Mrs. Licci is amazing too.  It was so nice of him to say something,” Anna said.

 

“We’ll be having a grand opening within the year and that will include all sorts of events including some fundraising.  Would you be willing to help us out with it?” Mr. Collins asked.

 

“I would love to,” Anna answered. 

 

“Call my office next week and let’s work out a time for lunch.  I’ll add you to the committee list when I get back in the office tomorrow morning,” Mr. Collins said.

 

Anna realized that God had opened doors for her in so many ways.  Her hope was that perhaps she could be hired by the center as the financial director in charge of everything from receipts to non-profit paperwork to investments through donor endowments.  She would be around doers every day, and also around young people whose lives would be shaped in part by the center and all of its services.

 

On the way home, Anna stopped for some carryout food because she was just not in the mood to cook.  Her mother would chastise her for it, saying something like, “Anna, why did you spend all that money on a beautiful kitchen and then not use it?”  But her mother had never known what it was like to work a full day at an office with chaos raining all around.  And then turn around and do it all again the next day.

 

Anna thought about John and what Mrs. Licci told her.  He said he would be working on the center, but she hadn’t noticed his truck there when she passed by the site.  A block from the hamburger place was the center’s large lot.  She drove by and saw that there were still workmen there although it was already past five.  She glanced up and down the line of parked cars and trucks and she saw it – John’s truck.  She felt her heart skip a beat and felt guilty about it.  She didn’t know why and the whole thing shook her up.  She hurried home and enjoyed the burger while she watched the news and then a corny movie on LMN.  She escaped.

 

What she had told Jeremy when he had said, “All alone?” wasn’t completely true.  There were times when she did feel a wash of loneliness come over her, and this was one of those nights.  She decided to get out her Bible and do some reading in it before she turned in for the night.  The verses she decided to read came from the psalms which encompass all human feelings – loneliness being one of them.  Psalm 142 that came next on her bookmarked page summed up what she felt at that moment, even though she knew she was being irrational:

 

When my spirit grows faint within me,
    it is you who watch over my way.
In the path where I walk
    people have hidden a snare for me.
⁴ Look and see, there is no one at my right hand;
    no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge;
    no one cares for my life.

 

For at that moment, Anna missed her mother as much as the days after her death.  She knew that her aunt in California cared about her, the LIccis cared about her, and some of her friends at work cared about her.  But when it grows dark in the last hour before bedtime, when the wearies of the day sweep over, and when the sound of the clock ticking is almost deafening, this is the moment when the devil offers up only despair while Jesus offers hope.

 

For Anna knew that Jesus watched over her, and she demanded that the feeling leave her – and it did.

 

Lunch with Mr. Collins –

 

Mr. Collins was a no-nonsense man at lunch.  He was portly and enjoyed a good sandwich as well as at least three cups of coffee AND dessert.  Anna smiled at him because he was someone impossible not to like.

 

“Look Anna, this is a tricky balancing act, this center.  Five different churches, five directions of funding, one fundraising arm, and kids who need our attention and help.  Keeping the place going is all about the funding, no matter how good of a job we do in programming or anything else.  The board has decided on a slate of employees that we need to have full-time.  The one best suited for you is the one of Director of Finance.  I’ll have a job description for you by next week.  It is the Board that will approve all hiring, so they will interview you at length.  What do you think?” Mr. Collins said after he’d polished off the apple pie.

 

“This is actually what I was hoping for,” Anna said.  “I have an accounting background, of course, and now the CPA but I also have strong links to investment people who might even be willing to provide the center with free help in that department.  Of course, with the board’s approval.  I don’t mind helping with the fundraising as long as I’d get some help.”

 

“I think that can be arranged.  Of course, the programming staff at the center would work on fundraisers, and we’d get the kids to help too.  I don’t think that would be taking advantage of them, because they would be the direct beneficiaries,” Mr. Collins explained.

 

“I agree completely,” Anna said.  “And that’s where the Kentucky trip experience would likely come into play.”

 

After lunch, Anna was so tired at work that she nodded off in front of her computer monitor a couple of times.  She made a mental note to call the doctor’s office for an appointment.  This was no time to run out of energy.

 

On the way home she struggled with herself to avoid the center site, and she went straight home.  When she pulled into the driveway, she was shocked to see John’s truck there.  He was just getting out of the truck.

 

“Hi Anna!” John called out.  “How are you?”

 

Anna parked alongside of the truck and got out.  “I’m doing well.  So what brings you to this part of town?”

 

John laughed.  “Oh, I got off work a little early today and thought I’d double check on that leak.  Have you been watching under the sink?”

 

“You know, I honestly forgot about it.  I haven’t checked since you were over here,” Anna admitted.

 

“Well, let’s just take a quick look, okay?”

 

John followed Anna into the house and he headed right for the sink.  He looked underneath and seemed pleased.   “Dry as a bone,” he said. 

 

“John, I saw you at church last Sunday,” Anna blurted out.

 

“Oh, you did?  I usually sit near the back so Katie doesn’t bother anyone.  She loves to make mouth noises at her age,” he said smiling.  “I didn’t realize that you attend St. Joseph’s.”

 

“Yes, I started back to church about six months ago.  Katie is adorable,” Anna said.

 

“Well, that was a good decision and yep, Katie’s a cutie.  Melts the heart.  She’s starting to talk pretty well already.  My sister-in-law is really good with kids,” John said.  “Matter of fact, I’d better hit the road because my sister-in-law has to take her own kids somewhere tonight.”

 

“Well, it was awfully kind of you to stop by, John,” Anna said.  “I appreciate it so much.”

 

John headed out the door toward the car and called back, “See you at church.”

Holy Hour

Years ago, SS Philip & James Church had the chapel open 24 hours per day.  Each hour on the hour, parishioners came to the chapel for one hour of prayer.

As time went by, it became more difficult to find enough people and the days/times were cut back considerably.  This past Sunday, the first steps were taken to bring back the 24-hour holy hours. 

Remembering the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus implored His disciples to remain with him and pray, we can relate to these tired and exhausted men who nodded off one by one until not even one remained awake.  And Jesus commented, "Could you not stay and pray with me even for one hour?"

Our natural selves often war with our immortal souls in a battle of control.  If we are tired, hot, hungry, cold, or in pain, we tend to falter.  This path that we follow to Jesus is wrought with all sorts of diversions and side roads that can distract us from the race we run towards Him.

Whether you have a place at church for quiet prayer or not, each and every one of us would be moving farther down that path if we find one hour to pray.  Just the one hour.  Like in the garden.  In memory of Jesus.  If you would like to keep a holy hour at SS Philip & James, just call the Rectory and sign up; you do not have to be a member.

Father Kevin says that keeping that holy hour allows God to work in our lives to a greater extent.  He says that there are many blessings from keeping a holy hour.  We will know that it has made a difference in our lives.  God will show us.

Doesn't it just break your heart for Jesus when he returned from his place of prayer only to find that his loyal disciples had fallen asleep?  He was facing the unthinkable -- not merely death because that would have been much less gruesome and unspeakably horrible.  But no, he was facing the reality of all of our sins that he bore for us!!  Sins that would be forgiven us by his death on the cross, a life that he willingly gave in perfect obedience to God, the Father. 

During the holy hour, perhaps we can imagine ourselves as Veronica who took a cloth and wiped the face of Jesus as he dragged the cross towards Golgatha.  With this vision, we can remain alert and peaceful and listen for the quiet whisper of our Lord.

Anna's Story - Part 21

Part 21

 

A few months had passed.  Anna drove by the construction site a few times and saw that they were getting started.  She’d seen the artist’s rendition in the paper but the place was really huge.

 

Anna called the man who was going to be heading up the new center.  He was a jovial guy with a pleasant phone personality. 

 

“Well, I’m glad you called.  With construction just getting started, we’re about a year away from setting up the whole thing, but let me ask, what is your expertise?” Mr. Collins inquired.

 

“I have been working in Accounting since my college graduation and just recently passed the CPA exam,” Anna said.

 

“OOOh, well, that would be interesting.  The key to making this thing work is going to be the funding.  We have to be able to sustain its operation through donations and fundraisers.  I’d really like to talk to you in person within the next few months or so.  Would that be possible? Mr. Collins asked.

 

“Oh, yes, I’d like that.  I’ll give you a call in about two months and we can figure out a good time and place,” Anna said.

 

“Great, and thanks for calling,” Mr. Collins said.

 

Anna went to church on Sunday as she always did, same Mass, same side of the church.  People are such creatures of habit, she thought.  She was on the aisle seat and after Communion, she was just kneeling there in prayer as others walked past on their way to the altar.  At the very last Anna saw the back of a man carrying a little child about two years old.  He looked very familiar to her.  As he turned after getting Communion, she felt a shock when she recognized that it was John! 

 

She looked all around when she got outside of church, but she didn’t see John anywhere.  John wore a wedding ring; she had noticed that, but she didn’t know that he had a child. 

 

When she got home, curious Anna gave Mrs. Licci a call.  She was just on her way out the door to the grocery store, she said. 

 

“Well, I won’t keep you but I was wondering; do you know John Peters?  I saw him in church this morning,” Anna said.

 

“John, oh sure.  Why?” Mrs. Licci asked.

 

“Well, he’s the contractor who worked on my house,” Anna said.

 

“Oh, I didn’t realize that.  He’s a good worker, that’s for sure.  We were really praying for him, I think it’s been about a year and a half ago now, and it was really sad.  Someone said he’s doing better now though,” Mrs. LIcci said.

 

“What happened?” Anna asked.

 

“Oh, he and his wife had a little girl.  She was only about six months old when his wife was diagnosed with cancer and it had already spread.  She only lived about another two months and that was it.  His brother’s wife watches little Katie for him which is a Godsend for John.  He doesn’t have to worry about her at all,” Mrs. LIcci said.

 

“I feel bad.  All this time he’s been coming to the house and everything, and I had no idea that he’d been through so much.  I left him with the whole mess and went to Kentucky,” Anna said.

 

“Oh, he’d probably rather have it that way than the other,” Mrs. Licci said.  “He’s one of those self-starters.  You don’t have to worry about John finishing something.”

 

I'm an Idiot

Really got into fall this morning.  Took a walk, cleaned out my closet, and did a bunch of other menial tasks -- and FORGOT to write the blog!

Can you believe that?

Well, here it goes for today.  No Anna's Story.  Just some thoughts of current events and other mish-mash pingponging around in my brain.  I'm just not in the mood for Anna's Story today, I guess.

Here's one thing that really has me a little concerned.  Apparently, all of those weapons that went missing in Bengazi were much more technologically advanced that anyone knew, and there were more of them.  And of course, who do you think stole them?  Yep, the bad guys.

So why are we taking weapons of that complexity and importance to a country that is basically lawless and out of control?  Why take anything somewhere that you can't properly guard it?  I might as well drive my car into the heart of Akron's gang land and leave the keys in it, don't you think?  It's a little bit of the same thing here.  If I did leave my keys in the car in a crime ridden area, anyone who found out about it would probably say, "She's nuts."  And I'd have to agree.

Well, who is minding the store then in the military?  Someone made a huge miscalculation and now we have seriously dangerous weapons in the hands of people who hate us and everything about us.
To say I'm disappointed is far too kind.  I'm ticked off.  Apparently, Fox News has just released this story today.  We were given hints that weaponry was stolen over there, and we also got the idea that the reason why the CIA was over in Bengazi was to try and find out where the weapons went.  At least that was my basic understanding of the situation.  When the consulate was attacked, three of the CIA personnel came to the aid of Ambassador Stevens.  And all four of them died.

Somehow we've got to start getting it together.  The Navy Yard killing.  Fort Hood.  Bengazi.  Somehow the word "incompetence" starts sounding about right. 

While we are praying this week, let us remember to pray for our country.  For leaders that care about this nation and will guide us toward better decisions.

See you tomorrow at a more reasonable hour!!  I'll post at about 6:00 a.m.  We are going to do some eye screening in the Fairless School District.

Bye.

Anna's Story - Part 20

(Anna has a very slow leak under her sink and John, the contractor on her home renovation, is coming over to fix it.)


Part 20

 

Anna passed by her favorite pizza shop on the way home from work the next day, and then did a quick lap around the block in order to return.  She decided on the spur of the moment to get a pizza so John would have something to eat.  She knew he would be missing dinner by coming to her house to fix the pipe.

 

With the wonderful smell of the hot pizza in the car, Anna pulled into her garage, went into the house and put out a couple of plates and glasses, napkins and made a little garlic dipping sauce.  She put the pizza in the oven on a low temperature.  It wasn’t but five minutes later that John arrived with a large tool box in hand.

 

“John, I know you’re missing dinner, so I got us some pizza,” Anna said.

 

“You spoiled us with donuts, and now pizza!  Wow.  We don’t get too many clients like you,” John said.

 

They sat down at the kitchen table and enjoyed the pizza.  John had a hearty appetite and loved the sauce.  He again commented on how nice the place looked, and he got up.  They barely had time to get into a conversation.

 

“I’d better move it along, Anna, and get this pipe fixed.  Got to get home,” he said.

 

John took apart the white plastic piping and re-glued the ends, then put them back together and that was that.  It took about ten minutes.

 

“I think that does it.  I ran water for a few minutes and nothing is coming out.  The seal is dry.  But keep an eye on it for the next so many days, okay?  Just in case,” he said.

 

“Okay, I can do that,” Anna said.  “Thanks again for fitting this into your schedule.  How is the other job going?”

 

“Oh, it has its problems.  The homeowner is one of them, very untrusting.  We have to go over and over each little thing and it takes up valuable time, plus after a while it bothers me.  I mean, you have to trust at some point in time, don’t you?  After a couple of weeks, seeing that we are all hard workers and we are doing a good job, you’d think she would give it up but she doesn’t,” John said.

 

“I’ve known people like that at my job.  They concentrate so much on the negative that the positive just gets pushed out.  By the way, did you hear about the new center that they are building?” Anna asked.

 

“Well, as a matter of fact, that’s one of the reasons why we’re trying to get this job done as fast as possible.  We are working on the new center,” he said.

 

“Really?  I thought you just did residential work,” Anna said.

 

“We more or less morphed into doing residential when a lot of the commercial work dried up.  So this is a great opportunity for us and we want to be on time,” John said.

 

“I’ll let you get home, and thanks so much for coming over,” Anna said.

 

John backed his truck out of the driveway and went down the street.  Anna was more and more intrigued with the center and wanted to know more about it.

 

Anna's Story - Part 19

(Anna got the news she had been waiting for -- the CPA exam results.  Read more below in Part 19 of Anna's Story.)


 Part 19

 

It was busy season at work and Anna’s load was increased because one of her co-workers had surgery and was at home recuperating.  Anna had to pick up part of her tasks too.  The house was wonderful!  Each day when she got up to shower and prepare for work, she thanked God for the well-built, strong shelter that she called home.  She had a night light in the kitchen and its glow welcomed her on the dark mornings before the time changed.  Sitting at the counter drinking a cup of coffee before leaving was just great for Anna.

 

The weeks melted away in a flurry.  She had marked on her calendar when she might expect the CPA results, but the time had gone by so fast that she was really surprised when she got the mail one day and there was an envelope that looked a lot like the results.  Anna had been calm getting the mail but when she saw that envelope, her hands started shaking.  She had become quite competitive as she grew older and would not accept anything less than her very best work.

 

She put on her relaxing clothes and set the mail on the counter, then got something cold to drink.  She opened up everything else except the one envelope and just let it sit there for a moment.  She said a prayer – “Thank you, God, for giving me all of these opportunities.  Thank you for being there with me over these last months and for helping me be strong during the test.  I accept whatever results are in this envelope with a grateful heart.”

 

Then with the peace that surpasses all understanding, her hands calmed, and she opened up the envelope.  It had the usual greeting but down farther on the page she saw a table with four columns, one for each section of the test.  She looked at her scores for each of the boxes and she had passed!  All four parts!  She was now a Certified Public Accountant!  Before calling her aunt in California, Anna paused again and thanked God for his help and she asked him to help her know what to do with this new credential.

 

In the newspaper that evening was an article about the new center that was being built.  It gave the name of the person heading it up and she wrote it down on a scrap of paper.  He worked at a nearby office building from Anna’s so she knew she could locate his phone number. 

 

Only a couple of people at work knew that Anna sat for the CPA exam.  She kept it that way because anyone working in her company would know that Anna was thinking about leaving at some point.  She didn’t want to burn a bridge if she still needed it.  Sometimes thin-skinned people take getting a CPA as an indication that an employee is unhappy or disgruntled, and it causes problems for them.  So only those few people who knew she took the test found out she passed it.

 

She wishes so much she could share the news with her mother.  Not knowing what heaven might be like, Anna often thought about where her mother was, what was she doing, who was she seeing, what God was like, and did her mother know what was going on down on earth?  Anna’s faith was still new after an eight year absence. 

 

The day after the CPA results, Anna went to get some more dishwashing detergent from underneath the sink and she noticed a very tiny pool of water.  She got a towel and covered the wet area.  She called John because he was the first person she thought of, even though John was not a plumber per se.

 

Surprisingly, he came right over.

 

“I was just finishing up at a job a few blocks away when I got your call, figured I’d come and check it out.  Sometimes the sealant isn’t perfect, because if it were a big problem, you’d be flooded out.  Must be something small and it might be hard to find,” John said.

 

He got a flashlight from Anna and took a look.  He found a wet pipe so he knew where the water was coming from. 

 

“Would it be okay if I came tomorrow?  It shouldn’t take long.  I can come after work again, and I’ll bring the stuff I need to fix this,” he said.

 

“Sure, that’s fine.  I’m glad I noticed it.  It didn’t do any damage at all,” Anna said.

 

“No, it should be fine.  The place looks great, all of the little woman’s touches you put out.  The kitchen is so nice.  I bet you really enjoy it,” he continued.

 

“You have no idea.  It’s like an oasis for me at night, and I often sit here and read the paper or go over work stuff,” she said.

 

John smiled.  He was a younger man, probably around 33, Anna thought.  He was a hard worker and honest.

 

She walked him to the door and said she’d see him the next day.

 

Anna's Story - Part 18

(It's the day of the CPA Exam.  Anna wants to pass it on the first try, because it will open doors for her.)


Part 18

 

Anna had finished the CPA review course and it was now the day for the four-part test.  Her stomach felt funny and her mouth was dry.  She made herself some toast and coffee because she knew the stimulant was needed.  She put on comfortable, nonbinding clothing, comfortable shoes, and got out a sweater in case the room was chilly.  She had five or six sharpened #2 pencils.  This was it.  Time to find out what she learned and if she studied the right stuff.

 

When Anna walked out of the testing room that evening, 14 hours later, she was absolutely exhausted.  Her jaw hurt because she had been clenching it.  Her hand ached from the writing portions of the test.  She had a mild headache and stopped at a drinking fountain to take a Tylenol before it got any worse.  The review folks had warned the test takers of the toll the test would take, and now she was glad she had taken their advice and didn’t have to go to work the next day.

 

It would be weeks before the test results would come in and so Anna was still in limbo.  You had to pass all four parts, or return to take the part or parts you did not pass.  She wanted to be among the relatively small percentage that passed all four parts the first time.

 

When Anna got home, the phone message light was blinking and it was Mrs. Licci.  She called her back right away.

 

“Anna, just wanted you to know that Erin’s dad is doing really well and he is home now from rehab.  I saw Erin at youth group last night and she was so much happier!  She told me that you helped her a lot with the talks you had,” she said.

 

“Oh, it wasn’t much, honestly.  But that is great news!  I’m so glad for their whole family,” Anna said.

 

“Anna, I don’t know if you had heard about this, but they are putting together plans for a Christian youth building where there would be sports activities, places for study, tutoring, and different clubs for chess, scrabble, and that sort of thing.  Five different churches are going together on this, along with the Y.  The place is going to be huge!” Mrs. Licci said.

 

“And it’s a for-sure thing?” Anna asked.

 

“Oh, yeah, the architectural plans were approved, the financing is already in order and they break ground in about two weeks,” Mrs. Licci said.

 

“That sounds very interesting,” Anna said.

 

“I thought you might think so,” Mrs. Licci said.

 

They concluded their phone call and Anna took a hot bath to soak away all of the stress.  She was falling asleep in the tub after about ten minutes.

 

Anna's Story - Part 17

(In our last episode, Jeremy called and wanted to visit with Anna.  He wanted them to get back together again, but Anna said no and watched him walk out of the front door.  Life had changed for Anna.)


Part 17

The day following Jeremy’s visit was much better.  Anna still had a lot to do at the house, especially in the garage, and she was a little behind on her CPA review work.  Plus, work and finding a second to get a bite to eat. 

In a way, Anna saw herself as a jet airplane in a circling pattern above a major airport in the United States, waiting for a chance to descend down and land.  She was up there with the eagles, feeling unsettled and ungrounded but yet at the same time she had intensely detailed sight. 

She and Jeremy were miles apart now, in just that fairly short amount of time.  He was still moving towards whatever goals he had made up for himself and she was completely uprooted.  And living in a new place, well, it seemed new to her since she hadn’t lived at home in more than eight years.

She lovingly decorated the living room and kitchen with things her mother had always loved, things her mother had dusted a thousand times.  The big wooden bowl where her mother always had fruit for after school was right where it used to sit.  The dishes her mother only used for company were now Anna’s everyday dishes.  What was the point of saving them?  She once heard a story that a priest told about his beloved dad who closeted the many Father’s Day gifts so that he could save them for a special occasion or maybe just save them.  When he died the family found all of the gifts in the closet, unworn.  Anna took that sermon much to heart.  Life wasn’t about what we can save; it’s about living.

Finally, in one splurge, Anna bought a lovely area rug for the kitchen.  She reasoned that she could have it cleaned when the carpet cleaner came and it would give color to the space that was mostly neutrals.  It looked beautiful and picked up her spirits a little that day as she continued guiding her jet around and around.

And yet, since Anna was human, she did reflect for a bit about how good it was to see Jeremy’s face, the person she believed she loved so much she missed church for him. 

Only one more week for the review and evenings would be Anna’s again.

 

 

 

 

 

Here We Go

Report on the vet visit yesterday -- good news.  The vet was very pleasant and helped us get Sassy back into form.  She was not in dire straits this time, so she did well and recovered very fast.  She's back to her old self today, begging for treats.

Did not go to my class reunion meeting as I had planned.  One of the things that comes with age is the awareness of when enough is enough.  Once we found out about Sassy's problem, then the vet visit, and I already knew I was picking Ella up from the bus stop at 3:30, there wasn't going to be much time for washing my hair, changing clothes, getting some gas for the car, and hurrying to Fairview Park by 6:30 p.m.  So I missed it.

Next time, for sure, I am going.  And I'll stay overnight at my sister's house not that far away, so that means no driving at night.  And that, my friends, is a good thing!!  With so many of us retired, I'm thinking that maybe our coordinator can set the meetings a little earlier, like maybe 4:30 and then everyone can go to dinner after if that's what they want.  This reunion is the big one -- 50 years.  So it needs to be really good and well planned.

So I haven't provided another episode of Anna's Story, but she's been thinking a lot.  There's nothing like a visit from an old boyfriend to throw the mind into chaos.  Happens to a lot of people.  In fact, yesterday morning, our cat having constipation threw my mind into chaos!!  Doesn't take much for me. 

But as my sister and I were talking about the other day -- time goes by whether you are having a good time or a bad time.  So it's an equal opportunity clock.  You can't slow it down to cherish a great day but you can't make it go faster when things are going wrong either.  Time is just time, that's all.

Thought you'd like this little snippet from my grandson.  I've been telling him about God lately.  He's five so you have to go a little slow -- like God is in heaven and heaven is way, way up in the sky.  He liked that one.  So he asked me the other day, "What was that name about up in the sky?"  I said, "God," and he said, "Yep, that's it."  Sitting in the front seat of my car, waiting for his bus, he then said very seriously, "I wish I could see Him."

Thank you, readers, for sticking with me.  We are now almost nine months into this blog.  Didn't time go fast?  Bless you today, as you go about your life's journey.

Another Delay -- So Sorry

I went walking this morning, but that was already after we noticed that our cat is having some problems again.  She's backed up.  So we'll be off to the vet's office in a little bit, that is, after we catch her.  She's a hider, you know, one of those cats who senses things and reacts very well.  At times we've had a whole house chase going on, even down into the basement, because we weren't intelligent enough to close the door.

Her problems this time are our fault for not regularly giving her the Laxatone that she needs about twice a week.  She's a sweet little thing, and I hate that she doesn't feel good.  We've got the rugs out of the bathroom and everything is in readiness for her return to the house.  It's never too pretty and definitely not very good smelling.

Thank goodness for air freshener.

So think about me this morning, when the vet chews us out, like he did the last time.  And he's pretty nasty too.  We are in for a change but I can't be doing the changing today when the cat needs help.  Simple as that.

Bye for now.  Talk to you tomorrow.  Pray for America.  I think she needs it.

Anna's Story - Part 16

(Today’s episode is a little longer because I’m going to Marblehead for the weekend with my sister.  So this posting will be for both Friday and Saturday.  Readers, have a wonderful weekend.)

Part 16

 Anna went to bed early Saturday night but slept fitfully because her muscles were very sore from all that she did on moving day.  She woke up and took a couple of aspirins and then finally she drifted off into a restful sleep.  She awoke on Sunday morning and prepared for church. 

She had refused Jeremy’s request to come over the night before and she didn’t regret that.  But she knew he would possibly be calling back later and she had to think about what she wanted to say.  If her mother was alive, she could have asked her opinion.  Maybe she’d call her aunt after church; she might have a suggestion or two.

Mass was peaceful, and Anna was so thankful to be receiving Communion again.  She didn’t feel like the odd one out anymore, and there were a few people she exchanged greetings with when she sat down in the pew.  After Mass, a couple of teens from the Kentucky trip told the parishioners about their experience.  Anna wondered how Erin’s father was doing; she figured no news was good news on that front.  However, she noticed that he was listed among the sick in the bulletin.

Out of habit, Anna started to drive towards the apartment and she laughed at herself.  The day before, moving day, she pulled out of the donut shop parking lot and headed back toward the apartment before she caught herself.  This time, she went around the block and headed home – what a wonderful word that was for Anna – home. 

She made coffee and had some toast, then ran the vacuum cleaner to tidy up after all of the activity the previous day.  She started the new dishwasher after reading the appliance manual and getting some directions; it was very quiet.  The phone rang.  Darn, she thought, if that’s Jeremy she hadn’t checked in with her aunt.

“Anna, it’s Jeremy.  Could we talk today?” he asked politely.

“Well, I guess so.  I moved, so you’ll need to come over to my mother’s house – now my house,” she said.

“Oh, you moved?  Umm … sure, I can come over there.  I’ll be over in about 20 minutes,” he said.

Anna started another pot of coffee and she got out a few cookies.  There was nothing wrong with being a decent hostess, she thought.  She got the morning paper, scanned the headlines, and sat on a stool at her new kitchen island.  In a way, she was a little peeved.  This was the first day in the house and she wanted to really appreciate it.  She was also peeved at herself.  She should have told Jeremy to wait.

The doorbell rang and Anna answered it. 

“Hello, Anna,” Jeremy said.

Anna answered, “Hello.”  She motioned for him to come into the house. 

He made a whistling sound as he saw the transformation.

“Wow, this place looks great.  What did you do?  Hire someone?” he asked.

“Yes, I decided that it would be worthwhile to have all of this done when I wasn’t trying to live here at the same time,” she said.

 “It is absolutely beautiful.  Like a different house,” he said.  “Sorry about your mother.  I saw it in the paper.”

“Thanks.”

Anna handed Jeremy a mug of coffee, and set the cookie plate down on the coffee table.  Jeremy sat on one of Anna’s new couches.  She sat on the other.  He seemed ill-at-ease.  It made Anna feel stronger.

“Look, I won’t beat around the bush.  I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am the way I left and all.  It wasn’t what you deserved,” Jeremy said.

“That’s certainly true,” Anna answered.

“And I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me for it.  It’s just that Julie, she seemed like such a perfect match.  And probably that’s because it was so quick and I didn’t really take the time to get to know her.  At any rate, I just wanted you to know that we’ve split up,” Jeremy said.

“Your idea?” Anna asked.

“Yes, actually it was.  I don’t know what I was thinking.  We had a good thing, Anna, and basically I just took all of that for granted.  And I’ve had time to mull it over a lot, and I really miss you,” Jeremy said.

“Look Jeremy, everything has changed.  Everything, I don’t even know where to start,” Anna said.

“Changed?  How?  Did you meet someone?” he asked.

“No, nothing like that.  I’m just not the same person you left behind,” she said.

“What do you mean?” Jeremy asked.

“For one thing, I’ve gone back to church.  Then I decided to renovate Mom’s house and that was a really neat experience for the most part.  And then I went for a week to Kentucky with the teens of the parish and we fixed up a house down there,” she said.

“Wow.  That doesn’t sound like you,” Jeremy said.  “I thought you were pretty much finished with the church thing.  You always said it was a total waste of time.”

“Turns out it wasn’t,” Anna said. “I do appreciate that you came over here and apologized, but I’m not sure where you are going with this.”

“What I wanted to ask is if maybe you’d want to come back,” Jeremy said, his head down.  “We could start over again, and I promise you that I’ve learned something and I’d never hurt you again.”

“I just can’t see that happening.  My life is like the reset button on a computer game.  I’ve moved in another direction now, and for the first time in a long while, I’m honestly happy,” she said.

“Alone?” he asked.

“I’m hardly alone,” Anna answered.
 
Jeremy got up and shook her hand, and walked towards the door.

“Well, thanks for seeing me anyhow,” he said.

“That’s okay,” she said.

 

Anna's Story - Part 15

(Anna's big day has arrived -- time to move!!  What a feeling that is for her, a fresh start in so many ways.)

Moving day, the date that had been circled and re-circled on Anna’s calendar for weeks.  Outlined in red and orange marker, it dominated the whole month’s listings.  Anna was up early to take it all in, even though she was already starting to miss her morning cup of coffee since the coffee maker was in one of the many boxes.  She made a mental note to stop by the bakery near the house to get a donut and some coffee with cream. 

Anna scanned the apartment one last time to be sure she had packed everything, and in that one moment her life in that place flashed before her in snippets, like tape on a cutting room floor.  The day she moved in, the day that Jeremy moved in, rushing to work in the mornings, quiet evenings at home during winter’s worst, the oppressive tension in the last days before Jeremy abruptly moved out.  She grabbed her purse and closed the door behind her as she saw the moving truck pull up in front. 

At the house, the furniture company’s truck was already waiting for her to arrive.  They were five or ten minutes early which surprised her, so she opened the front door for them and they began the process of bringing in her new things.  Anna had taken large pieces of paper and sketched  the layout of the living room, dining room, and bedrooms which she hung on the wall with that dorm room stuff.  She showed where each piece of furniture would be placed so that the men could go about their business and she didn’t have to hover.  She warned them, though, that after the pieces were in place, she might have to adjust a little bit.  Anna, always the organized one, thought to buy some of those furniture mover pads though, so actually she could move things by herself if she wanted.

By doing a lot of work ahead of time, Anna ordered pizza at around 5:00 p.m. because everything was done.  She had unloaded all of the boxes, made the bed, and made her mother’s house feel like her home.  By around 7:00 p.m., she was already nodding off while trying to review the CPA material when her cell phone rang.  If her purse hadn’t been on the end table near where she was sitting, she would never have heard it.  When she said, “Hello,” the last person she expected to hear on the other end was Jeremy.

“Hi Anna.  How are you?” Jeremy asked.

“Fine, doing well,” Anna answered, trying to hide how flustered she was.

“Uh, it’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” he continued.  “What’s new?”

Anna thought why should she share the details of her life with someone who thought so little of it that he virtually ran out of the apartment and left?  “Nothing much, same old,” she said.

 “You’re not making this too easy for me,” Jeremy said.

 “Easy for what?” Anna asked.

“Well, you know I got married …” he said.

“Yes, I had heard that,” Anna said.

“Do you think that maybe I could come over and we could talk?” he asked suddenly.

“Jeremy …,” Anna said.

“I know, I know, but really, it’s important,” he said.

“Not tonight,” Anna said. 

A 9/11 Remembrance

On September 11, 2001, I was already about an hour and a half into my work day at The University of Akron, a beautiful Tuesday with azure blue skies and perfect temperatures.  Probably wishing I could be outside.  My phone rang and it was Doug, a co-worker, who also liked to get to work early.  His office was like a throw-back, with one of those finger-eating 1940s era fans and an antique radio that hummed and spit.  He said that the radio announcer reported that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. 

My first reaction was to pull up CNN online and see what they were reporting.  At that point Doug walked down the hall to my office and we saw a picture of the tower with smoke billowing out of a wide swath of its metal walls.  "That was no small plane," I told him.

Within a half an hour more people arrived at work and before long we had found one faculty member with a rabbit-eared TV that brought in one station.  We clustered about listening and then the second plane hit.  It was now obvious that it was terrorism and I suggested to no one in particular that it must have been Osama Bin Laden.

Here we are 12 years later and there are two huge pooled fountains where the towers once stood.  One World Trade is being finished up and is either soon to be occupied or is already occupied.  Manhattan's buildings have been repaired, the soot has cleared, and the wreckage was removed.  But it leaves every single one of us scarred by what happened on U.S. soil on a beautiful Tuesday in September.  We all knew that morning that life would never quite be the same for us or our children or our grandchildren.  We felt vulnerability.

It begs us to reflect on the freedoms we hold so dear, the ones given to us by our Creator.  Perhaps it makes us rally against the rants of those who demand freedom when they already have it.  It should cause us to take a moment and mentally list everything that our time grants us the opportunity to do because we are free!!

• Free to love and raise our children well, with respect for others and with a love for God.
• Free to give of our wealth to help others.
• Free to worship, to pray, to gather in the Lord's name.
• Free to take care of our responsibilities, to shoulder them with the help of a loving God.
• Free to listen and to watch and to discern the happenings about us.
• Free to love and care for others.
• Free to observe and enjoy the beauty of the earth that the Lord has made.
• Free to repent of our sins, of those times when our selfishness led us astray.
• Free to thank God for the gift of life.

So on this day, on this anniversary date, let us pray that nothing draws us away from the love of God and from doing his will.  On this day, let us affirm once again that the terrorists may have celebrated their victory, but that it was really no victory at all.  The sleeping giant awoke.

Anna's Story - Part 14

(I thank you for sticking with the blog on the story, but I do think we've lost a few of the faithful.  Don't worry; we don't have much longer to go.  Anna is home and has already made significant changes in her life, with more to come.  Anna has chosen to do one very important thing -- remain open to what God has for her in this life.  She is his vessel.)


Part 14

Walking into work on Monday, Anna was happy to see her co-workers but her whole world and outlook had changed in two weeks.  She wasn’t the same Anna anymore, and there was a frightening side to it.  There was this movie she had seen and the character said, “I hate in-betweens; it scares me.”  Anna was in between for sure.  She was caught somewhere between Kentucky and Ohio.

Although the week went fast, her resolve intensified as she started the CPA review class and then signed up to take the four-part CPA test at its conclusion. 

Someone had gathered up all of the photos taken in Kentucky and put them together.  When Anna saw the teens and the adults she had come to know so well in just a week, she missed what she had been doing.  In the corporate world, work is not rewarded in that way.  It may never be rewarded, and she wasn’t thinking about money either.  She was thinking about the intangibles.

Anna was exhausted each evening after the review, partly because she put everything into it.  She did all of her homework and showed up for class early to go over it.  She found it interesting for the most part, especially when she considered what might be at stake.

The house was just about done.  John was putting on the finishing touches and she would be ready to move in in just a couple of weeks.  She set things up with a moving company to come get all of her boxes because some of them contained books and they were very heavy.  Plus, she didn’t live on the ground floor either.  Anna had been able to squeeze in a little time at the house to start getting the place organized.  She was really excited to see the new furniture delivered to the house. 

Mrs. Licci called her one evening to update her about Erin’s dad.

“Anna, I just wanted to let you know that Erin’s dad is doing all right.  They found a growth in his brain and they are going to use the gamma knife on him.  I guess it appears not to have spread but it is fairly large and they don’t really want to open him up if they can avoid it.  He’s getting some heavy duty meds for the pain, and Erin tells me that it’s almost like having her ‘old’ dad back again,” Mrs. Licci said.

“Good, so glad to hear about it.  I’ve been praying for him and for Erin and her mother.  Erin had seen a change in behavior, but I think a tumor was about the last thing on her mind,” Anna said.

“He’s pretty young too, so the doctors are hopeful.  I’ll give you a buzz if anything else comes up.  How are you doing with the CPA course?” Mrs. Licci asked.

“Not bad.  It’s intense, but it’s been a good many years since I’ve taken any accounting classes too, so that’s part of it.  But thanks for asking.  Call soon, okay? Anna said.

“Will do.”

 

 

The Mess in Syria

Anna is back home after her mission trip to Kentucky and she is pondering some major life choices right now.  So we'll move away from the story today.  For today is a day of prayer and fasting as proclaimed by Pope Francis I.  A day to unleash the power of our prayers so that the will of God is done, not ours.

There have been many despots in the history of the world, and some of them we are more familiar with than others.  Each Christmas season we are reminded of the cruelty of Herod who led the Romans when Jesus was born.  Most of us have heard of Attila the Hun who lived from 409 to 452, I think it is.  Vlad the Impaler is another one that comes to mind, the actual person who inspired the fictitious Dracula and ruled in Transylvania.

Many leaders who chose the dark side have come from the Middle East.  And now we have become acquainted with Mr. Assad who has distinguished himself from some of the others for his use of sarin gas on his own people.  Sarin is odorless and colorless and it attacks the nerves, not allowing the nerves to go into a relaxing phase.  Thus, death is caused by asphyxia because the victim can't control the lungs to breathe.  If atropine is administered shortly after exposure, the power of the gas is neutralized.  However, it is very potent and even in very small concentrations, it can leave permanent nerve damage.  The shelf life of sarin is not long; it degrades fairly rapidly.  The purity of Syria's sarin is still being debated; was it weapons grade or was it something more likely cooked up by amateurs.

The news reporters on TV this week have been divided on what they think the United States should do.  Some of the ones I've come to find most credible have endorsed military action of some kind.  Others have worried about the Pandora's box effect, that being using military action of some limited nature and watching it spawn into something completely out of control. 

Don't you ever wonder at the definition of weakness?  I suppose the Romans looked at Jesus as weak because he was easily captured and put to death.  What registers in the mind of someone like Assad?  What makes his stand and take notice?  What message would hit him hard and make him truly think about his actions?  For this is a civil war, Syrians against Syrians.  Power mongers against power mongers.  Mr. Assad wants to protect his power at all costs and some have paid a very high price for his wants.

As for me, my dear friends, I am weary of war.  Back in 1993 in the first Gulf War, our actions seemed justified to me.  But then came more wars, more conflicts, more battles.  Where does it end?  Who makes it stop? 

Mr. Assad to me is just another scared little boy inside a man's body, afraid of losing his grip on the power he has come to crave so much.  He lives a life filled with hatred and revenge, enough so that allowing children to die of sarin poisoning is a viable solution.  And probably the worst thing, Mr. Assad does not value life, other than his own. 

Today, and why stop then, tomorrow and the day after, let us pray for peace in the world.  Let us pray for leaders to have clarity and strength.  Let us join with all of those called to prayer and fasting by Pope Francis and show the world what real power is. 

Anna's Story - Part 13

(Anna is back in Ohio, and after her second week of vacation from work, she is thinking over everything about her life.)

Part 13

Addleford looked different to Anna; the week had thrown at her so many different views of life, from the very rich Kentucky farms to Mrs. Dunlap’s small house.  Addleford was home but it would never be the same for her.

On Sunday after Mass, Anna went to the house and let herself in.  The week had been productive for John and his crew and Anna was amazed at the changes.  The kitchen sported new colors, a beautiful green on the walls, the wood cabinetry, and the farmhouse sink.  The appliances were not placed yet and the floor wasn’t done yet either.  But the bones of the area were well set and she liked it.  Yet, at that moment she was so happy that she had taken her aunt’s advice and snapped many pictures of the house because she suddenly missed the old place and waves of nostalgia washed over her.  She knew that she missed her mother but the pictures would at least bring back the place she most associated with her mother anytime she needed to return to what was.  And yet, after the week in Kentucky she realized that almost nothing would ever be the same.

During her week on vacation, Anna dug in at her apartment and got the move organized much farther.  She parted with some things that she wouldn’t need, and had Catholic Charities come and get the furniture she gave away.  Anna went to the store and got some new dishes and some new décor items.  At a small furniture store, she found the couch and chairs she wanted and ordered them for delivery once the house was done.  She talked to John about what he was going to be doing that week.  She called her aunt and told her all about Kentucky.  She renewed her cell phone plan and got a new phone.

The longer Anna was away from work, the more she started to see more clearly.  The job that took up so much of her time and drove her to exhaustion had dimmed.  The closer Monday came, the more Anna began to see that something had to change because she had changed.  All the way home in the van while the teens slept, Anna had been thinking already about what choices she might have.  The first thing that came into her head was becoming a CPA.  It would open some doors to her in the private sector and could allow her to bring her “numbers” gift into better use.  So with that thought, she registered for the CPA review at the local university and purchased her packet of books and workbooks.

On the Sunday night before she was due to report to work, she got a call from Mrs. Licci.

“Anna, I wanted you to know that Erin’s dad has been admitted to the hospital,” Mrs. Licci said.

“Oh, my gosh.  What happened?  Erin and I were talking about him on the ride to Kentucky,” Anna said.

“Well, apparently, he has been having terrible headaches and didn’t tell anyone.  It finally got so bad, they called the EMS to come and get him,” Mrs. Licci said.

“Keep me posted, okay?” Anna asked.

“I sure will.  And by the way, thanks for all of your help in Kentucky.  It was such a pleasure to get to know you, Anna,” Mrs. Licci said.

“Likewise, the trip has really changed my life.” Anna answered.

The clock in the apartment had this loud tick, kind of like a grandfather clock sound.  The ticking signaled the end of Anna’s hiatus from work and with each tick made her more reluctant to return.

 

 

 

Anna's Story - Part 12

(In this episode of Anna's Story, the group has completed their week in Kentucky.  The experience for Anna has been cathartic.  She will never forget Kentucky.)

Part 12

Friday was their last work day and they finished at around 4:00 p.m.  Later that evening, Fr. Jim said a special Mass for all of the volunteers and donors who played a part in renovating Mrs. Dunlap’s house.  About an hour before Mass while everyone was packing up and organizing at the church, Anna found Fr. Jim and asked if he could hear her confession.  She had not been to Reconciliation since her return to the church and she had not been going to Communion.

Fr. Jim was happy to oblige and in about 25 minutes, she told him the story of her life since she had last been to the sacrament.  There were way too many offenses to list like a grocery store reminder; she knew she had veered way off the path.  The guilt that she had been carrying on her shoulders was greatly lessened.  Not gone entirely, but Fr. Jim told her that she should return to Reconciliation again soon, that it might take time.  He told her he was rejoicing for her decision to come back.  He told her that someone must have been praying very hard for her.

Mass was beautiful.  The church glowed with the evening sun; as she stood, kneeled or sat down, her sore muscles and back were kind of her stripes of accomplishment from a week’s worth of work.  Anna went to Communion and when she returned to her pew, she felt tears stinging her eyes.  It had been an amazing week.  She felt whole for the first time in so long, it was completely new.

“Anna, are we riding home in Mrs. Licci’s car?” Erin asked.

“Yep, we are going to do exactly what we did on the way down.  Are you packed up?” Anna said.

“I think so.  Will gathered up some scraps of wood from the job and he has one for each of us.  As a memento of our trip, he said.  And I guess we are stopping at Mrs. Dunlap’s house tomorrow morning on our way home,” Erin said.

That night, Anna slept hard and the early morning alarm even though it was set at a reasonable 7:00 a.m. still jarred her.  The smell of sausage and coffee wafted over to the church.  Everyone hurried to get ready.

After breakfast, the group said their goodbyes to Fr. Jim and packed up the cars.  Will asked everyone to wait for a minute, and he and Fr. Jim came out with pieces of wood as Erin had told Anna.  Fr. Jim blessed the scraps of wood and said that they were to be a reminder of a special week and of the blessings of service in life.  He said that whenever we looked at the scrap of wood, whether we carved it, stained it, painted it, or left it be, it would take us right back to Kentucky and that he would welcome any of us back for a visit.

Fr. Jim was a hugger, so everyone got a hug, even the boys who were a little reluctant at first until he boomed, “Get over here.  Men are allowed to hug, you know.”

Then, with beeping horns and open windows with arms coming out of all of them in waves, the group left the parish and headed to Mrs. Dunlap’s house, by this time a very familiar trip.

As they pulled up, Mrs. Dunlap and the grandchildren were outside on the porch, sitting in their chairs and having something to drink.  It was already warm, like August often is.  The children were smiling from ear to ear.  Mrs. Dunlap wanted everyone to see the inside of the house since an army of people from church had come on Friday evening to put all of her furniture back.  She said they even helped her put away silverware and dishes.   A few new rugs here and there made the place really comfortable.  In the light of early day, Mrs. Dunlap’s home was unbelievably better.  Some of the teens had cameras and they took pictures of all of us with Mrs. Dunlap and her grandchildren.

 

Mrs. Dunlap shushed everyone and told them, "Y'all came here and did a wonderful thang.  But y'know, it isn't just how nice it looks.  It's that ya came at all.  I just can't thank ya enough.  Y'all are the best.  What d'ya say, kids?"  The two children echoed their grandmother, "Thank ya."

But it was time to go.  Ohio was a long way up the road.