Monday, August 11, 2025
Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin
(click here to listen to or read today’s scriptures)
New year at four of our favorite schools
Glorify the Lord and praise your God, for he has strengthened the bars of your gates and he has blessed the children within you.
Four of our five grandkids are starting school in the next two weeks. And several of our friends in Illinois are starting their college classes as well. Margaret and I, on the other hand, are resting comfortably on our laurels.
The Tomitas have been back from a trip to Japan (including 5 month old Finn) for a week. Andi has been getting her classroom ready. Miles and Jasper (age 8 and 6) spent two hours on Friday, meeting their teachers and classmates. For Jasper it will be his first grade year. Miles is across the atrium in a separate hallway, a third grader this year, and he is joining the fencing team.
I hope they fell asleep at their normal 8 pm last night, but I’ll bet they didn’t. They share a bunk bed, and I imagine they are talking up a storm. Jasper has questions, and Miles has answers. They can be great friends.
Jack, Aly and family also went to Japan, and Hawaii on the way back. They returned a few days ago. Their classes start in a week, Aly into eighth grade, Jack into his third year of high school, and his third year of high school Scholastic Bowl. Everybody is growing, maturing, learning to pray and study, write, read and draw … Jack’s on the golf team, Aly is a proficient basketball player. She and her mom Melissa practiced awhile most of their summer evenings.
Jesus said to Simon, Go to the sea and drop in a hook. Take the first fish that comes up and open its mouth. There you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax. Give that to the tax collectors for me and for you.
For the fifth summer Jack spent significant hours mowing lawns, and he gradually is becoming a magnate in his own right. That’s an exaggeration, I suppose, although I’m not sure. He is very careful with the money he earns.
About the only thing going wrong in their life is the record of their favorite baseball St. Louis Cardinals this year. Which is painful for them, but not so much for me as I watch the Cubs win a bunch of games since the All-Star break. I do feel a little bad for those I love, them who wear the red shirts and hats and have for years.
He has granted peace in your borders; with the best of wheat he fills you. Praise the Lord!
I feel so happy just thinking of those kids and their families. Our friend Clarence Heller wrote a poem, apropos of another event, but so appropriate today:
Easy
Today I am fully peaceful
gentle
life is flowing easy and so am I
no hurries
no worries
not really sure why
perhaps because yesterday’s anxious
situation has resolved
(probably)
yet the peace feels more than absence
more than what always underlies
deep within, deep below,
today feels like consolation and love
and gratitude colors all
 on a day like today
it is only easy to feel grateful
 (Deuteronomy 10, Psalm 147, 2 Thessalonians 2, Matthew 17)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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