Below is an embedded book called Offerings, from the Soil. It is published by the Brehm Center at Fuller. They have included my story “Planting Seeds” that I wrote about my grandmother, Lucy Brimer. Click the middle of the book to open it full size in a new window. (Disable pop-ups)
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In some ways, my recent trip to Assisi was a passage into a new realm… a new reality for me. A realm that allowed me to be far away from all of the things that collect my attention. Passages are like thresholds in that it is what you pass over or go through to get past where you have been. Another way to look at it is like being on the edge of the ocean. While standing on the shoreline, you can see the land where you are, yet look out to the distant horizon and visualize all the potential that is unseen… all of the possibilities. We are often too busy doing the things of life that we never go to the shore, or take the time to open the door that is right in front of us. We get distracted by all of the things that one author calls the “Tyranny of the Urgent” which pulls at you from all directions… like Saint Anthony being tormented by Demons we give attention to the thing that is pulling at your attention the hardest at the moment. While having my own demons to wrestle with during my trip away, I was able to take the time needed to rest, and meditate and ponder my existence and wrestle with these angels and demons. I hope that I have returned with a clearer view of who I am and the life God has layed before me. There is still a lot of work to be done ahead, but moving forward, I plan to take more of these retreats to reflect on the goodness of God and take long walks along the seashore to meditate on the wonderful life I DO have, not be distracted by what is “missing” in my life. We all have so much! So going with the “passage” theme, Here are some images of doors that I took while in Rome and Assisi. If anyone knows a good “passage” themed poem, feel free to post it in the comments section below. For now I insert a portion of a “Blessing for the Traveler” by John O’Donohue… When you travel May you travel in an awakened way, May you travel safely, arrive refreshed, From the time she was born — and throughout her century long life — Lucy Brimer knew quite a bit about planting seeds. Her parents immigrated from Germany at the very end of the 1800’s to Chicago where their first two children were born. From there they moved to what is now Wilmington Avenue, in Carson. There, they began a life of being “dry-farmers”. It takes a particular type of person to be a Dry Farmer — a patient and caring person. Dry farming is done by using rain water for watering the crops where there is no other irrigation available. First, the ground must be plowed deep in order to catch all of the rain-fall and soak up the water as fast as it falls — avoiding run-off. After plowing the ground deep, 8, 10 or even 12 inches, they take the seed and bury it into the ground — and wait. There is nothing to do after this but be patient — and watch — and wait. Whether it was lima beans, wheat or hay grass, they plowed, buried seed and waited for the rains to come. Sometimes months would pass before the rain came — then more waiting. The sun would then warm the ground and each seed would germinate and begin to grow long before it was ever seen above the surface of the soil. Only after a time hidden deep in the ground, watered and then warmed, can the seed come to life and live its life to the fullest. Each of her friends and family members have had a “Lucy-seed” planted deep in our soul. Some of our seeds may have been planted deeper than others. In each of us, she waited and watched these seeds break forth and come to a life of their own. Her patience and graceful way of life, watered and allowed each to grow — becoming the life it were intended to be. She taught us to pray at an early age when we gathered around her for Easter dinner. She delighted in giving each of us a blessing with her smile. She did not force growth, but her very warm love always drew us into a safe place — Now she is in her own safe place with the Father and all of the gathered saints that have gone on before us. —————————————————- The Lord says in Isaiah 55:6-13 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush, the pine tree will grow, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed. —————————————————— May the “Lucy-seed” that is buried within, grow and flourish through love, and graceful living — while the Word of the Lord accomplishes and achieves its purpose in our lives. Amen
Last week I went to Templeton Hospital to say goodbye to my grandmother the day after her 101st birthday. She had been in the hospital for over three weeks and her health was failing. Her last breath was yesterday, March 9th – the same day her husband left us in 1981. My good friend Friar Joe writes this… “Your grandmother takes a big part of you with her love for you to the other side and leaves a big part of her in your heart on this side and the space between her heart and your heart forms God’s Rainbow!!” I’m looking forward to rainbows. Rich |
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