the intersection of life and grace

According to the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, 42 is the ultimate answer to everything. There are lots of other interesting facts about 42.

Numerology isn’t my thing at all, but if you know me, you’ll know why I’m thinking about this number.

image from wikipedia

* Parents’ Weekend

** Homecoming

There aren’t many games on TV though… what’s a fan to do?

He walked through the exit of the gate area straight toward me, nuzzled his face in my shoulder and neck and said, “sleep.” I’ll count that as a hug from my no PDA guy, because I got to put my arms around him.

When he stood up, I could see he’d grown up some more on this trip. Not so much in stature, though he’s dropped enough weight that he had to make a new hole in his belt for the trip home, but in challenges conquered. Eleven days in the wilderness hiking, trying some really tough climbs, building relationships with people and God.

As we rode the escalator toward the baggage claim, Tim casually said, “Lightening struck about 100 feet from me Saturday. It was really cool, I was on my ground mat all crouched down in the thunderstorm and saw it hit a rock. It was awesome.” After I got over the lightening part (and quickly looked him over in a head-to-toe glance), I agreed that it was cool indeed to see Creation at work.

I know he’s been thinking about spiritual things. As we waited for the team to sort out their gear in baggage claim, Tim turned to me and blurted his urgent question, “Mom, tell me what’s been going on with Israel while we’ve been away.” He asked a few pointed questions that were clearly related to the end times. Of course, he’s read Revelation; he also knows that we just need to be ready and not waste time trying to predict what God will do or when he might do it. It was interesting to hear him make that connection, though. He’s so aware of the connections in this life… as aware as he is that this life isn’t all there is to it.

The really smelly pack currently sitting in my kitchen aside, I’m glad to have him back. I’m thankful that he’s conquered something… I can feel it. I’m disheartened that his arm is still shaking and it kept him from climbing as much as he’d have liked, but when I heard about the last climb he did that involved swinging on belay around an outcropping above a mountain lake, I’m amazed.

The stories will be told over days and weeks to come, and I relish them. But for now, our boy is sleeping in his own bed. This mother’s heart is glad.

According to Tim, who called a couple of hours ago from California, he is. After 2 weeks in the Emigrant Wilderness with Shiloh’s Edge, Tim has had a shower, is tired and said the trip was great and very challenging. And, he reports that his right arm is still tremoring.

So, his right forearm has been moving constantly since June 23. CAT scan, MRI, neurological evaluation, electrolytes, Lyme’s disease, blood work for infections and heavy metal poisoning, and thyroid function. All are fine and show nothing that could cause tremoring. Nothing. Yet, there it is.

One of the doctors was convinced it was stress. I didn’t think so then, and after an amazing getaway these last 2 weeks, I believe it less now. More specialist appointments on tap for August.

Stay tuned.

PS – please pray for the whole group as they travel from Sacramento-San Fransciso-Chicago-Albany between 9:09 pm PT tonight and 9:14 am ET tomorrow.

It’s Sunday night, and every day I think, “I’m going to write today” and it doesn’t happen. The little while it takes to put coherent thoughts together escapes, and I’m left with only scraps of thoughts. Not quite as satisfying.

I have a friend and fellow youth minister who is an incredible sports fan. He’s from Malaysia, which is a part of the whole rest of the world that stops for a month (or at least slows to a crawl) every 4 years as national pride is put on the line in the World Cup. The Beautiful Game, known as football everywhere but America – where we call it soccer for some as yet unknown by me reason – has always been something of a mystery to me. I had a general idea of the way it should go – 11 players on a side, black-and-white ball, net – but the beauty of the game had, as yet, escaped me.

Enter Derek’s passion for the game, which is obvious on his blog, Live on Two Legs, where he presently features the World Cup Hymn and a really great montage of video from the game. He got me to turn on an early round game and answered my (many) questions. The budding realization that ‘there was more to this’ caught me, and, I need to confess, I was hooked on the World Cup. Over the course of the past few weeks, I’ve caught at least a couple of games a week, a lot of the quarterfinal games, and the third place and final games this weekend. It was a fantastic distraction, and I learned a lot too. Derek said so! It is definitely more than 22 guys chasing a ball.

Why did I need a distraction?

Ministry life is busy, and quiet is hard to come by with Beaver Cross in full swing. Working from home a bit helps, but with my kids home from school, that’s not ideal either. I’m planning events for the later summer/fall and winter (more simply, the rest of 2006).

Tim is still shaking. We’ve decided that we’re going to let him go on his hiking, backpacking and climbing trip in Yosemite next week. If the doctors are right, making him stay home will only make it worse. If not, he’ll still be shaking when he comes home and we’ll carry on with the diagnosis hunt.

Cathie came home from her mission trip (which she had an amazing experience on) and started her summer babysitting job. She’s happy having her own money, and is trying every moment to get me to take her to the mall.

Tom was away for the reserves again. He just got home a couple of hours ago.

I spent much of my free time this past week praying about and collaborating on this statement. Serious days spent discerning the way God would have us go through the storm we’re in. In the process, I’ve come to some conclusions about another item that’s been on my prayer list. More on that as I have time to form those aforementioned coherent thoughts.