WITTICISMS

Living and laughing with a disability - cerebral palsy; ordinary life, extraordinary circumstances.

Sunday, February 07, 2010

Hallowed ground

Eric had a game at Holy Cross Catholic church last night.

Holy Cross has a special place in my heart. It was my Grandma Wittren's church. I liked spending time with Grandma and Grandpa W as a kid. My brother and sister had a lot of friends and were pretty busy. I didn't really have the friends. I had Grandma and Grandpa.

I remember many Sunday mornings with Grandma. Grandpa did not go with us, but I remember Grandma and I getting into the car, the smell of her perfume, seeing her put on her lipstick, hearing country music, as we drove the mile to Holy Cross.

I remember going into the church with Grandma. Holy water by the door, the sign of the cross, kneeling to pray in the pew, the Latin chanting.

Grandma would get the whole family to come to Easter breakfast in the rectory.

As I got older, I did not go to Grandma's and her church as often. Grandma never did stop sharing with me the love of God.

When I was in high school, I heard the gospel of God's love in a different way from friends and family. I was 'born again'.

I remember with sadness the day I questioned Grandma about her faith. It was not the same as my faith, and from what I was being taught, she was wrong.

I was last at Holy Cross in 1985 at Grandma and Grandpa's 50th wedding anniversary. Grandma passed away in 1995. We were able to let her know that Jodie was pregnant just before she passed.

Last night we parked by the gym. Eric and his buddy ran inside. I was running our lift, getting my scooter and Jodie's power chair out of the van.

I looked across the huge parking lot to the door where Grandma and I use to go into worship.

It was so quiet and peaceful. I felt Grandma was with us. I felt God with us. I felt like we were on hallowed ground.

I told Jodie that I felt so stupid ever questioning Grandma's faith. Jodie said not to worry; Grandma understood.

I live my life by faith. I'll never be perfect; my faith is not perfect.

Part of the faith in me came from Grandma's love.

And last night I was on hallowed ground.

Friday, February 05, 2010

A 13 year old QB commits to USC?

For real?

David Sills and family react to USC commitment - ESPN

I don't know...

...Every now and then I would refute this statement:

STUMPTOWNBLOGGER: TODAY'S CHUCKLE

...Not too often, Pastor...

;)

Thursday, February 04, 2010

FB is 6!

Happy 6th Birthday, Facebook!

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Check out these models

Pretty amazing:

The J-Walk Blog: Model Photos

Putting food on the table...

Interesting development in a land where women are not seen as equal:

'GI Janes' train to protect Iraq - CNN.com: "Most of the trainees said the risks don't concern them, as long as their paychecks put food on the table."

Sounds like my job...

Had to tell a worker yesterday no COBRA medical coverage on a 19 yr old...not the answer they were looking for...

Neil Barofsky: 'My Job Is To Be A Pain In The Ass'

Dumb question...

...what's it sound like when you eat?

Jeb for Prez?

Let's see...Jeb or Sarah...?:

Jeb Bush for President in 2012? - Jeb Bush - Gawker

I want to see this...

HBO's 'Temple Grandin' Offers Inside Look At Autism - Disability Scoop

6 more weeks of winter...cool!

Home - Groundhog Day

Monday, February 01, 2010

Hmm...

Male Breast Reductions Fastest Growing Sector of Cosmetic Surgery - Plastic surgery - Gawker

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Remembering #44

Nephew Vance and the Portland Christian gang had a game at Corbett last night.

Corbett is a small town in the Cascade foothills a half hour east of us. We go to their 4th of July parade. Eric's baseball team plays them...we befriended a family of one of the Corbett players a couple years ago.

Corbett is a arch rival. Corbett fans were seen with shirts a few years ago that said "Friends don't let friends go to PC!" Eric goes to PC. He never lets this memory go.

We went to pay for admission to the game in Corbett last night. The lady collecting was none other than Pat Lucas, a friend of my uncle's, and a friend of our family.

Pat's son, Jeff Lucas, was a Navy Seal. He died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in 2005.

As I watched the high school boys play, I could see future leaders. So much potential...so much hope.

I looked across the gym and I saw jersey #44 enshrined in a glass case. His mother came over to say goodbye.


Remember the heroes.

Remember their families.


Friday, January 29, 2010

Congratulations Jim!

Jodie had the hots for this fresh out of college high school teacher nearly 30 years ago. Jim and his family attend our church.

Awesome person for the job:

Schlachter will become superintendent of Gresham-Barlow schools

Hey Winneshiek...that was funny!

I was going down 122nd yesterday to pick Eric up from school.

At a red light, I was behind a tall, green pick up. Iowa plates, "Winneshiek" on the bottom. It's a county in NE Iowa...like, who doesn't know that?

A young gal was driving. She was smoking, and dangling the cigarette outside. She looked cool. Made me want to light up.

The cigarette dropped to the street.

The truck door opened. She jumped the four feet down the street and grabbed the cigarette. She hopped back into the truck.

She looked at me through her side mirror. She had that OMG look on her face as she saw me laughing. She started to laugh.

Don't worry Winneshiek, I won't tell anyone.

Cigs are expensive!

What's on the other side?


IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING: Explaining death: "'You don't know? You're a Christian man, and don't know what's on the other side?'"

Thanks Googling God...