In previous posts, including my recent battle with weight loss, you have come to know me as an open book. In that one post I shared the whole truth, my addiction to food and the resulting poor health and I even openly declared my all time high weight of 338. Today I weigh 268 so I am making progress. I've used this blog to opine freely on things relative to my ministry, my own personal Catholicity and even politics. If you follow my blog you know that I am passionate about my sports team, especially LSU and the Saints, and that I can get irrational in my critique when things are bad and overly euphoric in those great times. I am also very passionate about my family and sometimes I try and share that however I do believe that you don't always need to put all your personal business out there in the world-wide blogosphere.
Who knows what will happen this morning with this post because as I sit here before sunrise on a Saturday morning I already know that I an very reflective, even a touch emotional! There are a couple of "life" events working as bookends this morning for my very reflective state. As all of you know, today would be my first full day home since leaving my North Carolina family behind after another amazing visit. The other bookend is realizing that tomorrow, December 13th, is my 7th anniversary since I was ordained a Permanent Deacon for the Catholic Church of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. Between these bookends is the ongoing reality of my own health battle, focused on that weight loss, and the realization that my wife continues to battle her own physical demons and the added pressure of her very unexpected unemployment.
Since Wendy became unemployed, we have managed 3 trips to North Carolina. Now some may say, and indeed they have, that seems like an expensive activity in light of the change in family financial dynamic. Yet we have found a way and would have probably suffered much emotional trauma if these trips would not have happened. I suspect all my fellow grandparents will understand. In July, our #1 granddaughter was born. We did not get to go and meet our Katelyn until she was about 3 weeks old but that was the reason for our July trip. And of course, while her momma was taking care of Katelyn, we were happy to run all around town with our #1 grandson Calvin. Fast forward to September and it was Calvin's 3rd birthday. Wendy and I have never missed Calvin's birthday celebrations so we used the Labor Day holiday to make another trip north. Now three years old, we enjoyed watching him grow up that birthday week before our very eyes. Of course Katelyn grew so much in just those six weeks between visits. As December drew closer and Wendy's health and work challenges continued I expressed serious, and I mean serious, concerns about another visit. Wendy found a way to make this happen and I for one applaud her problem-solving skills. But then there would be that other issue; she would be having more stents inserted into blocked arteries just 12 days before our scheduled departure. Wendy is tough, if not hard-headed and I knew this too would not stop her from her appointed rounds with Calvin and Katelyn. Last Sunday we arrived and set eyes on our grandkids for the first time in 3 months. Calvin just gets more and more grown up every time we see him and we were both blown away by the changes in Katelyn as she is now 5 months old. The first family event was a Christmas tree farm visit which was such a reminder that this is our family. Since my son moved to North Carolina he has been all in. He has built a great professional life there and then met the love of his life right there as well. He and Sara have been married over 5 years now and have given us that gift of our #1 grandchildren! We just had a great week. Wendy arrived bearing gift after gift after gift, many of which she painstakingly made by hand. Not only a labor of love but quite the cost savings compared to our normal Christmas present routine. Wendy and I got to take Calvin to school and pick him up all week and we also brought him to our favorite place, a Children's Museum right in the heart of town. We took Calvin to his favorite restaurant and I even got to see him play some basketball. As for Katelyn we got to play with her at home as she begins to talk and demonstrate her developing personalities. But that dreaded last day arrives and by this time yesterday Wendy and I had already been on the road 2 hours. We drive home all in one day since we get that hour back traveling from the east to the central time zone. It was a long hard drive but we were home by 6:30 pm.
While one always wants to look back and reflect on these precious memories, and indeed I do, my approach to coming home is to do so with purpose. You know on my own I am a very busy person. So I focus on what is coming up even though I want to go back and relive last week. As early as today I am back to full time ministry. I'll be assisting at Mass tonight and tomorrow morning and will also spend part of my Sunday visiting with my side of the family for a holiday gathering. Next week I will be returning to my prison ministry, arranging baptisms and RCIA. And of course with each passing day we are drawing closer to Christmas. I mentioned earlier that as a Deacon another anniversary dawns tomorrow. On December 13, 2008, I stood in St. Louis Cathedral in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans and had hands laid on me by Archbishop Hughes and became clergy. I, from that moment forward, would be a Permanent Deacon in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and assigned to prison ministry. I've said this before and will do so again, little did I know then how much prison ministry would mean to me personally as well as a Permanent Deacon. Sadly I have missed almost a month of visiting due to Wendy's last medical procedure and our family visit last week. I will get a chance to be with the men twice between now and Christmas, both this coming Wednesday night and December 23rd, always a joy because we take the time to read and review all the readings and prayers of Christmas Day. You know I remember both December 13th and the 14th of 2008 vividly. I can remember details of that ordination day and the beautiful gathering of family and friends afterwards to celebrate that awesome day. The following day, I vested as a Deacon for the first time and stood in the ambo of St. Jane de Chantal Church and delivered my 1st homily. I would do this again at the evening mass that same day. Between masses the parish threw me a wonderful celebration that was attended by over 100 folks. I will never forget that incredible weekend. And I am reflective of this event today as my anniversary approaches tomorrow. I will be at the 8 am Mass assisting. I will probably remember 7 years ago as I stand and proclaim tomorrow's Gospel and offer a personal prayer of thanksgiving. And I will remember that ministry is not a function or a task, this is who I am, and I pray that I remain constantly enthusiastic and serve with fervor for the rest of my life as a Permanent Deacon.
And as this time marches on I remember with love, care and concern, that my family remain close to me in both mind and heart and pray for Wendy's ongoing challenges from a position of faith and hope. Oh yes, by the way, I also must maintain my professional career as a banker and be present to both my staff and all my clients.
My reflection leads me here: it's a good life, full of many blessings and a reminder to express my thanksgiving more freely and frequently to God above! I love my family, including that unique indescribable love for Calvin and Katelyn and I ask God to forever guide me according to His will in ministry as a Permanent Deacon. And I thank Him especially today for these cogent moments of reflection and memory and for the gift of moving forward, always forward.
Peace be with you all!
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