Just for fun, thought decided to present this:

"Thought you might enjoy hearing about Jeff's cross country results.   He has had a good season and is running as #2 runner on Myers Park HS varsity team.   Nice to have the health and asthma issues stay away this year.

He has run three fast races recently at McAlpine Greenway in Charlotte (a well-known course regionally due to Foot Locker races.)  He ran 16:43 at Wendy's Invitational a few weeks back. A little over a week ago, he was All-Conference (5th) with a 16:34.   And today he was All-Region (8th) with a 16:28.   All races are 5k. 

Today's  results are at these links:
nc.milesplit.us/meets/55220
nc.milesplit.us/meets/55220/results/1076...

MPHS was 2nd in the region, so the whole team will compete at the state meet next Saturday.   Jeff also placed well enough today to make state as an individual (if team had not qualified.)

Nana-  I know you are excited!

Love,
Chip"

For me this as important as a Marian Garden or home shriine. Our Jeff has had serious problems with allergies and asthma forever. In addition to his scholar abilities he has also done this.

i give thanks for the blessing of this grandson  and pray for him as I do for my children and all of my grandchildren

I don't expect accolades for Jeff here. Neither he nor I need them. This is just my garden of thankfulness.

Nov 2, 2009 -- 1:28AM, jane2 wrote:

 

For me this as important as a Marian Garden or home shriine. Our Jeff has had serious problems with allergies and asthma forever. In addition to his scholar abilities he has also done this.

i give thanks for the blessing of this grandson  and pray for him as I do for my children and all of my grandchildren

I don't expect accolades for Jeff here. Neither he nor I need them. This is just my garden of thankfulness.

 

Now that you mention it, that indeed is a garden of thankfulness.

My kids and grandkids do make a garden of thanifulness, though one of these "flowers" is something of a thorn and though I wish I could prune some of the attributes that concern me, I do love this thorny child more than the most perfect flower in the garden.

Jane, I like your "garden of thankfulness".  I too can relate to beautiful offspring who have a few thorns.  A mother's job is to tend the garden.  I hope I am a worthy gardener.

Kudos to your grandson on his accomplishments.  My son played lacrosse in HS and had asthma.  He was already a winner on the field in my eyes knowing his struggles with asthma.  He never complained.  By his senior year he was captain of the team. 

Nov 9, 2009 -- 8:40PM, jane2 wrote:

Wavering

Thank you for your oh-so-kind words. We have been virtual friends for a long time. Ireally believe in "let go and let God". Something that strikes me is that knowing how much we love our children, even in the thorny times, and later our grandchildren, how much must the Heavenly Father love us. You know well I'm not doing a nambi-pambi here. Do I understand all--hardly. Those of us who are old enough put much in the virtue of Hope, I think. You also know my thoughts about the Creator knowing we are imperfect beings each called to Him uniquely--no cookie cutters.

I cherish our virtual friendship. A young pastor of mine might call it a Divine Appointment. I sense this has not been an easy time for you even though you've said little. Our Church is a mess and becoming messier and our nation is in perilous times. Of course I wish you peace and I like your wisdom.

Cove

Thank you for your post, too. And kudos to your son, Capt. of his team. Part of being a parent is rejoicing when our children do well and in recognizing the cost at times. We hurt when our children hurt and find joy when things go well.

Pensive

Thank you, too.

News Flash..........

Jeff placed 36th in the NC state xc meet. He attends one of the largest high schools. My son called last nite to tell me. Happy poppa. Happy Nana. And my son's GA TECH is # 7 in the national rankings in college football!!  (My son ran xc and track on full scholarship for GT.)

Peace and joy

Jane

I think he should let Cal Tech know about this too!  It never hurts.

Is your grandson applying early decision to Cal Tech?  Do they permit him to receive their decision and still apply elsewhere if he wants to?  Keep us posted, as most of the early decision applications are due in November and kids hear in December. 

I am on Joan Chittester's email list.  This one that came a day or so ago made me think especially of you and your philosophy.

"Life is not meant to be a burden. Life is not a problem to be solved. It is a  blessing to be celebrated.

Every dimension of life, its gains and its  losses, are reason for celebration because each of them brings us closer to  wisdom and fullness of understanding.

From each and every moment of life  we learn something that makes us more alive because we are now more knowing than  we were before. Loss and loneliness, darkness and depression all sear the soul  and cleanse it of its sense of self-sufficiency. Suffering directs it to the God  of life.

But so does bounty and beauty and abundance. These give us a  foretaste of wholeness. These are the palpable manifestations of the goodness of  God in our lives. Both of these things come unbidden. They are not signs of  either our sin or our sinlessness. They are simply signs that the God of life is  a living, loving God.

Learning to celebrate joy is one of the great  practices of the spiritual life. It confirms our trust in God. It affirms the  greatness of creation. It seals our dependence on God. It attests to the beauty  of the present and asserts our confidence in the beauty of the future. It  recognized the mercy and love of God.

Every year in celebrating our  birthdays and the birthdays of those we love we are called to remember the gift  of life itself. We take time out to ask ourselves what we have done with our  lives. We see again the potential of every single life in the world.

When  we celebrate the good things in life, we trace them to the Creator who gives  without merit, openhandedly, out of the very goodness of community,  love, and support that are by nature at the base of the human  condition.

Joy gives us strength for the unknown. It leads us into the  emptiness of life with hope in the God of surprise with a smile on our  faces."

–from The Breath of the Soul: Reflections on Prayer (Twenty-Third Publications)