|
Beacon Bits for March 27, 2008 |
|
|
|
|
Tuesday, 25 March 2008 |
The weather was really strange for the Easter holiday. On Friday night I stopped at the "Prayer Experience" at the Nazarene Church on West Fourth Street. The streets were dry and clear when I went in and totally snow covered when I came out about an hour later. In fact, it took extra time to get home because the snow continued to fall and it piled up on the roads quickly. I was glad to be getting inside the house with no further activities that evening.
On Saturday morning I went to work for two or three hours, then left the courthouse at about 11:30 a.m. to drive to Elliston. Westbound lanes were thick with snow all the way there. In mid-afternoon, during a late lunch at the Country Keg at Graytown, I saw lots of snow-mobilers. They were using their sleds for what some of them thought might be the last opportunity to ride this year. Public roads were a bit better when I returned home a little later.
Our area wasn't the only place with bad roads. Some personal friends had to drive to Detroit early on Saturday morning to pick up their daughter at the airport. She was coming home from California for the holiday. The family had a very difficult drive to get to the airport and back. I'm sure many other people also had a tough time when traveling on Saturday for holiday gatherings.
The Prayer Experience I mentioned earlier in the column was sponsored by the Nazarene Church and held on both Good Friday and Holy Saturday. When I went in, my expectation was that it would be a prayer vigil - one in which people sat quietly in the pews and spent time in silent Easter prayer and meditation. The experience was very different and very meaningful.
In a large open space where the pews had been removed, several (perhaps nine) meditation stations had been arranged. Lights were dim with illumination coming primarily from a very large number of candles gathered at the various worship settings. At each place were posted notes upon which to meditate and items to consider. For example, at one spot there were three pairs of work gloves and a crystal cross.
At each place there was a straight chair, cushions and a mat arranged on the floor for sitting or kneeling. Pens, notebooks, and a box of tissues were also at each location. Attendees could take as little or as long as they liked at each location. Near the altar chairs were placed. Communion elements were on the altar. At the base of the altar were pitchers of water and glass basins. I wasn't sure whether or not these items were to be used, so I just sat and reflected upon them for a time. Religious music played softly throughout my visit. Other people were in the room, and yet we did not get in each other's way. In reality, we paid very little attention to each other, lost in our own thoughts.
This was a very private experience. I hope the Nazarene Church will sponsor this event again, and that more members of the community will take the opportunity to attend. It was a good experience, one that thoughtful Christians would value and enjoy. If "Prayer Experience" is held again, remember that it is a wonderful way to spend a little time to get in touch with one's own Christian values.
It's less than a month now to April 15 - the deadline for filing your tax return with the Internal Revenue Service. I'm nearly ready to send my records to the accountant. But there's a little more work yet to be done. If you have to get your records for 2007 organized, now is a good time to do that. When April 15 rolls around you won't need to worry about meeting the deadline.
Last week I went shopping for some Easter goodies for a one-year old little girl who is a special friend. It was fun. I bought a basket and it was plastic rather than wood and was made in China. The Easter "grass" to put in the basket wasn't green cellophane. Instead it was a papery substance, shredded, and came in a rainbow hue of various pastel colors. It was made in China.
The Easter eggs didn't look like eggs that had come from a chicken, nor did they look hard-cooked and dyed. Nope. They were plastic, joined together from two pieces into a center seam, and with shiny iridescent colors on the surface. They were made in China. A couple of gifts - an ultra soft Easter bunny with floppy ears and a bunny molded figurine rounded out the items for the basket. Both were made in China. The jelly beans looked like they always do but were slightly different colors than the old-fashioned ones. I don't know how they tasted. I don't know if they were made in China. I was afraid to look.
Recently I heard a program about Ottawa County Transitional Housing. This provides assistance to women and children who are victims of abuse or domestic violence. "Ruth Ann's House" is a large home where homeless women (and women with children) may go for shelter. They may stay there for up to two years while the women develop plans to become self-sufficient and find independent housing. The staff provides classes and mentoring to achieve those goals.
Assistance for rent and housing security deposit is provided to women who are homeless. Again staff provides counseling and mentoring help so that the women may become independent.
Other support services are available. Workshops, support groups, emergency financial assistance (one-time) and case management are provided.
Donations of money are always welcome. Donations of consumable supplies and products such as toilet tissue, other paper products, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste and household cleaning products help the women at the shelter. If you can assist with any facet of these programs call 419-734-9718 for information.
Don't forget that members of St. John Lutheran Church at Rocky Ridge host their annual chicken and biscuit dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. this Sunday, March 30. A free-will donation will be taken. You can "eat out" twice on that same day if you want to avoid all cooking chores. The Carroll Township Fire Department and Emergency Squads are holding their pancake and sausage breakfast at the Carroll Township Hall. Serving is 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Carry-out meals are also available.
The annual Lakeside Daisy Day will be held in Danbury Township on May 10. A vendor fair in James Park at Marblehead will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you want to sell wares there, cost of display space is ten or twenty dollars, depending on the amount of space you need. Non-profit organizations may participate at no charge. Contact Reba Bishoff at 419-798-8120 for information.
As I write this on Sunday night, I've just heard on the evening news that temperatures were about ten degrees cooler than normal today, and there is a forecast for more snow early in the week. Most people who mention the weather comment that they are ready for spring. Well, we've had the first day of spring and many trees are definitely in bud. It won't be long now before some nice warmth leads us into the summer season. Meantime let's all be grateful that we haven't had the awful floods prevalent in many parts of the nation. Until next week.
 |
Columns 
Show/Hide comment form
