harry and betty
as i was looking through old photos of my paternal grandparents, i found this pattern in them, where my grandfather is always kind of tilting his head toward my grandmother... somehow i never really remembered him being so much taller than her.and really, there are so many things i don't remember about them, never knew about them. i knew that they were amazing people, world travelers (to all 50 states, many times, all the Canadian provinces, and 77 
foreign countries, as shown on the map in their basement) and that they overcame some pretty incredible challenges to do amazing things - my grandfather was blind, yet published a book and made great advancements for those with limited eyesight in the early days of computers.
but there were (and still are) so many things i didn't know about them. i never understood their desire for peace and justice... my grandfather's spirituality and longing to be a part of change in society, my grandmother's interest in micro-finance and great desire to see peace throughout the world, both of their involvement in their church, especially around issues of peace... and what i have really learned most about since their passing, what i most longed to believe in but had begun to give up on in the past few weeks, is that it is possible to love a person back to health... and not only is it possible, but it is necessary for all of us to have someone there to listen and take us in when times get hard and help us figure things out and love us unconditionally, even when we aren't making sense. and this is my longing, and this is my calling, and this is how together our lives are still unfolding.
foreign countries, as shown on the map in their basement) and that they overcame some pretty incredible challenges to do amazing things - my grandfather was blind, yet published a book and made great advancements for those with limited eyesight in the early days of computers.but there were (and still are) so many things i didn't know about them. i never understood their desire for peace and justice... my grandfather's spirituality and longing to be a part of change in society, my grandmother's interest in micro-finance and great desire to see peace throughout the world, both of their involvement in their church, especially around issues of peace... and what i have really learned most about since their passing, what i most longed to believe in but had begun to give up on in the past few weeks, is that it is possible to love a person back to health... and not only is it possible, but it is necessary for all of us to have someone there to listen and take us in when times get hard and help us figure things out and love us unconditionally, even when we aren't making sense. and this is my longing, and this is my calling, and this is how together our lives are still unfolding.
in closing, the passage chosen for my grandmother's memorial service, that rings so true to my heart, and so i hear, so true to hers:
In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Isaiah 2:2-4
