Grandpa

Lawrence Virgil Varner, my grandfather, died yesterday unexpectedly at the age of seventy-nine. Born in 1926 he has lived to see many changes in our nation including a world war, the rise and fall of Communism, the Great Depression, as well as the technological evolution. He loved farming. My mother often said that he was the most happy when he was out on his land with a tractor and wind in his hair. He was a big man and would tower over me and had such a long stride that I literally had to run in order to keep up with him on walks or when doing chores around the farm. My little legs would always be so relieved to rest when he would stop to feed and pet the dogs.

Once at a family wedding reception Grandpa was whisking my Grandma around the floor to a lively polka, a dance lost on my generation. At the end of the song he noticed me watching from the edge of my chair and came over and asked me if I wanted to try. Being fairly young I was unsure and I asked him if it was hard. He told me no because I'd have a good partner. When I asked him why he thought he was so good, he told me that dancing is how he got Grandma to love him. We started slow and then kicked us off into a break neck pace. As he sang along with the band I remember holding on tight and trying my best to keep up whlie guided by his strong frame.

My Grandfather had strong faith. When we would join them at their church, I liked to sit next to him. I can still hear him belt out the lyrics to "How Great Thou Art" with such conviction that the phrase "then sings my soul" really applies to him in that moment. For him the hymns were an extension of his belief in God. He also enjoyed music. He couldn't play an instrument but would be the first to jump up and hand out song books at my Aunt Joan and Uncle Greg's Christmas Party every year.

He had a quiet dignity about him. At family get-togethers it wasn't unusal to find him in a corner with his camera taking shots or perched up on his chair looking around the crowded room thoughtfully. He loved being around his family and friends. Up until his death he was doing the things he loved and enjoyed his life.

I am missing you Grandpa but am comforted that you are probably up in heaven right now striking up the band.

A Religious Enigma

How many Lutherans does it take to change a light bulb?...

What do you mean change!

Every religion has their own joke but in my church this is a reality. My church is failing. The average age there is well beyond 65 and there approximately 40 people who still attend regularly in a sactuary that fits well over 500. I joined a few years ago in hopes to help it improve but now I am torn between my stubborness to stay with my original goal and help make this place into what it could be or to leave and find a place where it won't be so hard to belong and find spiritual fufillment. My pastor called me in for a meeting a few weeks ago and was pleading with me to stick it out. I couldn't tell him I would. My problem is that I've been sticking it out for three years and all of my attempts to bring people in have failed. I'm tired of being a cheerleader and frusterated with the guilt that I could have done more.

This brings me to a question, are churches a thing of the past? Many churches are having simliar issues. They don't serve the purpose they once did (i.e. being the social center of an area for news and whatnot). Most of the ones built today resemble stadiums and event centers. I cannot disagree with the mentality that churches are a place to go on Sunday to put your time in, if there is some entertainment, all the better. There is a shortage out there of charismatic pastors and church leaders - people you want to hear talk, there is the unwillingness of people to change with the times, and there are plenty of judgement by most regardless of what you do. For me, I have had more "spiritual expiriences" outside of the church walls than inside. Is this just my age talking here or do other people agree?

New Poem

A few people have asked if I have written anything lately, and so here is something I've been tinkering with. I don't like to interpret things for others, it takes the fun away from the reader, but for those of you who see this as dark, you can blaim it on the cloudy Michigan weather. I also have a few people in my life that are terminally ill so emotions that involve goodbyes and death come to mind a lot quicker for me lately than anything else when I sit down and write.

Putting to Sea


Away I’ll sail from this shore
And leave my peaceful home
For this life of mine has been lived
And I crave the wavy unknown

I’ll miss those who watch along the docks
They blow kisses and cry for me
Understand not why I climbed aboard
On a boat putting out to sea

The wind fills the sail and the boat is carried off
Far from the shore with haste
I contently smile back to those I love
Before parting in time and space.

I will meet my fate upon these waters
Or perish on foreign shore
I obediently follow the first mate’s lead
My destiny is mine no more

At the edge of earth and heaven I’ll stand
On steady sea-worthy feet
When I finally reach that bold horizon
And there my Captain I’ll meet.

Back in Training

Just six more weeks until I head southward to the Aruba surf. Here are some pics from last year's windsurfing trip. I am missing the sun. Michigan winters are rough!

After feeling a little sore from bowling on Saturday night I decided I got to quit slacking and get moving or else I am going to be in pretty rough shape for this year's excursion. It is a long trip to just beat yourself up on the first day. We do a lot of the other stuff down there but windsurfing takes the most out of your body and you atleast have to have some kind of muscle to keep up.

So for hopeful encouragement to fellow trainees here is a little inspiration:

1. "The first wealth is health" - Ralph Waldo Emerson
2. "Pain is weakness leaving the body."
3. "Every human being is the author of his own health or disease." - Buddha
4. "There are always people who are fatter and skinner than you. The question to ask yourself is what side of that scale do you want to be on."
5. "Training gives us an outlet for surpressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exersice conditions the body." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

And now for the couch potatos:

1. "Hard work pays off in the future; laziness pays off now."
2. "On the tredmill of life there are the walkers and there are the joggers...and then there is the guye that owns the tredmill that the walkers and joggers pay."
3. "No pain, no pain."
4. "This is not fat on my bones it's potential (stored) energy."
5. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step or you can just hop on a plane and be there in a couple hours."

The Funniest Thing

Go to this website. Trust me. I was at a party last night and a friend pulled me and my buddy Aaron into the back room to show us this. We were on the floor crying because we were laughing so hard. My stomach muscles still hurt!

4q.cc

"Should all acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind"

What way better to begin the year than to sing this confusing if not contradicting lyric? Should we remember or forget them? Perhaps this is a case by case basis. It is kind of phrased like a question so maybe we should remember what is worth remembering and don't waste time on those you care to forget.

Also, we sing this every year but everyone gives me a puzzled look when I ask them what the phrase "Auld Lang Syne" means. I looked it up and found it is a very old Scottish song from the 1700s that loosely translated mean "for times gone by".

Below are the complete lyrics by Robert Burns 1700 translation from a much older poem in an older Scott dialect with translation:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days of auld lang syne?

(Should old acquaintances be forgotten)

(and never remembered)

(Should old acquaintance be forgotten)

(For old long ago)

Chorus:

For auld lang syne, my dear For auld Lang syne,

We'll tak a cup o kindness yet,For auld lang syne!

(For old long ago, my dear)( For old long ago)

(We will take a cup of kindness yet)(For old long ago)

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,

And gie's a hand o thine

And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,

For auld lang sine

(And there is a hand my trust friend)

(And give me a hand of yours)

(And we will take of a good drink/toast)

(For old long ago)

We twa hae run aboot the braes

And pu'd the gowans fine.

We've wandered mony a weary foot,

Sin' auld lang syne.

(we two have run about the hills)

(and pulled the daisies fine)

(but we've wandered many a weary foot)

(since old long ago)

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn

Frae morning sun till dine

But seas between us braid hae roar'd

Sin auld lang syne

(we two have paddled in the stream)

(from morning sun (noon) until dinner-time)

( but seas between us broad have roared)

(since old long ago)