Tuesday, May 26, 2009

A Weekend in Review

This weekend may have been the official start of the summer, but today it is rainy, windy, and cool. It feels like a soft day, to be sure, especially since Fiver is home sick. Really sick. The pukey kind of sick.

Ugh.

He seemed "off" all weekend, just whiny and crabby, but I should have known something was really wrong when he turned down a hot dog after mini-golf yesterday. And ice cream. And popcorn. And a train ride, for crying out loud!

If there are two things that Fiver always does with enthusiasm, they are eating and train-related activities. For him to not be excited about the prospect of eating and train riding at the same time -- well, that should have been like a neon sign over his head, flashing SICK KID! TAKE COVER!

He woke up coughing in the wee small hours, the coughing quickly dissolved into vomiting, and once you get there, well there's not much to do but take evasive action and wait it out.

Even before Fiver's illness, we were playing it low-key this weekend. Our neighbors all had tons of cars in front of their houses, many of them were opening their pools for the season, but we kept it simple this year with some yard work, some grilling, and a little visiting with my sister.

On Sunday, we watched the annual National Memorial Day Concert, and, as I do every year, I cried when they played Taps. It doesn't matter if I hear Taps on Memorial Day, Veteran's Day, or some random Wednesday in February, I cry every time.

Do you know the story behind Taps? It was born during the Civil War as a revision to an earlier bugle call. Encamped armies had bugle calls to denote different parts of the day, and in the evening it was the Lights Out call.

General Dan Butterfield was not partial to the call his camp used for Lights Out, he thought it was too formal. He changed the notes around and got his bugler to play them. His version caught on, and soon it was being played for Lights Out in many other camps, and then at military funerals.

There are no official words for Taps, but there are many popular verses. These two are my favorite:

Day is done,
gone the sun,
From the hills,
from the lake,
From the skies.
All is well,
safely rest,
God is nigh.

Go to sleep,
peaceful sleep,
May the soldier
or sailor,
God keep.
On the land
or the deep,
Safe in sleep.



On Sunday, we also learned that both our pastor and our resident priest have been reassigned. And although I pray for their new assignments, and for the men who are coming to replace them, I am seriously bummed about the news.

I know it is not personal, but in the five years we've been members of this parish, this coming pastor will be our third. The new resident priest will also be our third. Did I mention that I'm not great with change?

We are not a huge parish, but we are faithful and we love our priests. Our resident has only been with us for five months, so to be honest, we hardly got a chance to know him. Our pastor is beloved, and when he announced that he had been reassigned, there was audible gasping throughout the church. We were surprised, to say the least.

It's funny, but Rob and I had just been talking a few weeks ago about what a positive impact Monsignor has had on our parish. I know that I was hoping he'd be with us for longer than two years, and I think there are other people who feel the same.

I hope and pray that we'll give our new pastor and resident our support and prayers, since I'm sure that it is just as hard to come into a new parish as it is to leave one you love.

A friend of mine said to me that God's timing is perfect, and no doubt this is the pastor we are meant to have right now, but that doesn't make it easier to say goodbye to one of whom I think so highly and fondly.

5 comments:

  1. Oh no! Fiver sick!!

    ...does this mean I need to be concerned since he licked all over my water bottle cap and mouth?

    hmmm. Juju

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  2. Hope Fiver is feeling better!

    I'm right there with you on Taps; in fact my eyes are full of tears and all I did was READ THE LYRICS that you provided.

    And I will pray for your parish and your priests. Do be sure to thank Monsignor for what he has done at your parish. Even in a letter....and I know the change is hard. I pray that you will have a wonderful incoming pastor and priest.

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  3. I hope Fiver is feeling better soon!

    I love Taps, too. We used to sing the "Day is done..." version after all of our Girl Scout meetings.

    I'm sorry about the turnover of priests at your parish. Maybe it's a sign that your bishop thinks your parish is really solid so it can withstand that kind of personnel turnover. But it might be good to write a letter to the director of priest personnel of your diocese to express your concern. Or just take it right to your bishop. And Barb's comment about writing Monsignor a thank you note is a really good one. Too often, pastors get to hear about complaints and not often enough good news and thanks.

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  4. Oh, well, it looks like you're getting a new bishop. Maybe hold onto that letter. http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2009/05/history-in-lehigh-valley-non.html

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  5. Yes, the Memorial Day concert was beautiful -- very moving. Sorry your little guy was sick! It's tough when there's change in a parish. We've had our new young priest for two years now and LOVE him. What an impact he's made on our parish. So faithful and in love w/ the Blessed Mother. It's been a huge blessing. I pray the same for your new priest(s).

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