This ain’t working

Well, I started this blog with the idea of posting everyday, as if anyone actually cared, but it just didn’t work that way. I don’t have the discipline to do it, I guess. So I am officially ending this blog, although I do reserve the right to take it up again later. Bye!

Chicago Time

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It was something of a whirlwind tour, but last Thursday and Friday the Payne ‘men’ spent two days in Chacago. The Illinois part of the family (Lewis, Kevin and Jared) took the Amtrak train into the city. The Wisconsin contingent (Matthew and Nicholas) drove down from the north.

After the WI folk picked-up the IL folk at the Train Station, the circuitous journey began to the Museum of Science and Industry. We wandered and explored, the older gentlemen remembering previous trips and the younger ones creating new memories. Matthew, Nicholas and Jared really enjoyed the submarien tour. Kevin, of course, liked the trains. Lewis just liked being with all of us.

A trip to check-in to the hotel, a slight rest and then dinner. We walked a block and a half and had the best meal we’ve all had in a long time!

The next day brought the Adler Planetarium, where Nicholas and Jared really enjoyed the interactive exhibts (crater making!). Then a short walk to the Shedd Aquarium. All in all, a full day. Then it was back to the train station where everyone, except Matthew, boarded for the ride to Quincy.

It’s always amazing how much and how little can happen in a twenty-four hour period. Maybe that’s why that show was so successful and then fizzed out. If all 24-hours were like this time in Chicago, we’d burn up from the energy!

Family Time

I recently have been reminded about the importance of spending time with family. Nothing monumental, but a simple reminder that even when you think you are taking enough time, you prbably are not. With the amount of time one spends doing everything else, being intentional about spending time with your family isn’t easy.

And of course there are all the distractions that also come form living in a modern world that one didn’t have to contend with in the past, such as receiving a text message. Of course, these can be ignored, but what is it that compels us to answer the phone in the middle of the conversation?

I just returned from a week at camp with Andy, my step-son who is a US Marine, Nicholas, who is quickly moving from his pre-teen years to his teen years, and Gillian, who is at that stage where she completely adores me. Maggie stayed home and enjoyed a relatively easy week of doing what she wanted, when she wanted. She did a lot of work around the house since she is a do-er, but also enjoyed reading a book on the couch without interruptions.

It was a joy spending the weeks with the kids. I was so proud of Andy being a counselor. He was excellent, one of the best I have seen in my many years of working at camps and a blessing. Nicholas and Gillian both had a great time, wanted more free time to do camp activities (and should probably have had more…something for the evaluation form) and invited me to sit with them at meals, and even sat on my lap at times.

We came home and hung out, went together to get fireworks, and Gillian and I went bowling which was a lot of fun! Enjoying the simple pleasure of spending time with family is something I am re-learning. I hope and pray that I can learn quickly!

Aren’t weekends for relaxing?

Now that I am a whopping 42 years old, I’m starting to realize some of those things that I missed in life so far. One of them is weekends. I very rarely have a weekend, it seems that the week just keeps running on and on and on. Of course, I have mostly myself to blame. Let me expand.

Since I can remember, it seems that my weekends have been filled with stuff. Now some of it has been relaxing, but still taking up time anyway. In high school I had debate, forensics or church stuff. In college I had debate, forensics or church stuff (but got paid for the first two as a coach). And those weekends I didn’t have any of those three, I was usually studying, working or dating. Now that last one, dating, was as much stressful as it was relaxing. I didn’t do a lot of partying, or sitting around, or just hanging out. I probably should have.

Now as an adult, husband and parent, the weekends are fuller than ever. There are church events (most of which I get paid for as part of my job) and the travel with it, soccer, church meetings, girls choir, potlucks, and lots of other kids events. It is the rare time I can just sit around and read a book, or watch TV. We have a DVR, so I can relax with my favorite TV show at anytime (currently NCIS), but doing that at 10pm at night is not the same as just kicking back…I have to schedule the TV time.

Don’t get me wrong. These things aren’t bad or anything, and we have tried to simplify life quite a bit at the Payne household, but there’s always this compulsion to be doing something, anything. There is rarely the sense of doing nothing, except when exhaustion kicks in.

Maybe I need to make time to do nothing. Isn’t that a bit ironic?

Vehicle update

A few weeks back I told you about our van needing a new transmission. Well it got one, and then another because the first one was broken too (thank goodness for warranties).

Well yesterday I was in a minor fender bender with my Jeep. Well it was minor on my end, but the hooks on the front caused some damage on the other car. Everyone is okay but we’ll wait and see what my insurance premiums do.

I’ve used these hooks, usually to do landscaping of some sort to pull our bushes, etc… but never thought about what they would do if they hit another vehicle. Two clear reverese dimples in the front quarter panel and door on the passenger’s side of a Grand Marquis.

As with all accidents, no matter how much I say I am okay, I am a little shaken up, spending time thinking about ‘What did I do’ or ‘What didn’t I do’ or ‘Did I do something wrong’ or ‘Was it it just an accident’ to ‘If only I’d gone 5 seconds earlier or waited 5 seconds longer’. well it is over and all is well. God is good.

Grisham’s Appeal

I have always enjoyed lawyer books, both the real thing (you know, legal journals and the like) and fiction. One of my most read author is John Grisham. May family and I went out last Thursday night and ended up at Barnes & Noble where I gave myself a treat. I bought the book (saving 40% since my wife is a B&N member…I used her card, it is a community property state, you know).

 Well, as usual, I devoured it in pretty short order. It was a typical Grisham novel. Compelling, moving, just enough reality to make you go ‘hmmm’. Anyway, without revealing the end, the plot twist and ending were not what I expected. Now this is usually a good thing, but this time I was mad.

I don’t know why I was mad. Was it because it didn’t go my way? Was it because I thought it should have ended differently, or was it because at the end it seemed Grisham wanted to make his ‘message’ of the novel clear. And yes, there is a clear message. He even writes it in the afterward so you don’t miss it.

 Well, for whatever the reason, I’ve got another Grisham novel on my shelf. If anyone wants to take it and read it, they can contact me. Just make sure you pass it along to someone else when you are done.

Faith and Practice

In January, I  enrolled in the Diocese of Fond du Lac’s Deacons’ School. I lasted two months, not because I couldn’t hack it, but because it seemed to not be the time for me to continue towards ordination. One of the great gifts of my brief time, besides the awesome students and instructors, were the books. Its always interesting to think about or consider what are the ‘basic texts’ in any subject. The choices made can tell a lot about where a person is coming from.

One of the choices for Theology, taught by the Rev. Dean Einerson, Rector of St. Augustine’s, Rhinelander, is ‘Faith and Practice‘ by the Rt. Rev. Frank E. Wilson, who was the first Bishop of the Diocese of Eau Claire.

 I find its insights on the most basic of Christian doctirne and understanding to be pretty much epiphanal, snf I have continued my reading in this book.

 I thought I would share some of the better quotes I have discovered.

“Christianity does not say that all other religions are wrong. It simply says they are inadequate.”

“Christ did not come to give religion to a world which had no religion. He came to fulfill the spiritual aspirations of all of them-more especially those of the Hebrews because they had already outstripped the others.”

 ”The important consideration is not how far we have gone, but whether we are going in the right direction.”

“Somewheere G.K. Chesterton has written-’It is the saint who tries to get his head in the heavens; it is the atheist who tries to get the heavens into his head; and it is his head that splits.’”

I love my van

We depend on a lot of things to work our way through life. Transportation is an important element in modern life. We find ways to get about either individually or communally. We don’t make use of public transportation like we should, but we also are a bit more spread out than places like Europe.

 When I was 18 years old, I bought a Honda Civic Hatchback. This vehicle was already 10 years old when I bought it, but it was the most dependable vehicle I have over owned. I gave it gas and oil changes (and a pretty good audio system) and that was it. In the four years I owned the car, I never had to do anything to it.

 I did buy new tires for it, but more out of desire than need. It wasn’t like my tires were bald or anything. Maybe that was the mistake, because just a few weeks later, coming home from an out of town trip, I was hit in the middle of an intersection, spun around and smashed into a pole. Who knows, I might still have had that car. Of course considering the rust it was developing, it might not have a body anymore.

Jump forward a couple of decades. Every car I have had since then has had to have something major done to fix it after I had it. I don’t think I am overly abusive on vehicles, so what’s the deal.

 I got home this morning from taking our van in and finding out it needed a new transmission. We bought it last October. Paid cash, in full. First time ever. It was used, but in great shape according to our trusted mechanic. But then the sound started, and the engine light came on. We really like the van, and it is paid off, so we are fixing it. We also know the funding will come out of our tax rebate. Oh well, nothing lost, nothing gained.

Preserve Camp Webb

So yesterday I said I’ll tell you more about Preserve Camp Webb. There’s a lot of detail, but if you want to know that then e-mail pcw2008@aol.com and get on the update list.

Simple story…Diocese of Milwaukee ran a camp program at a sit in Wautoma for over 40 years. Recently, it wasn’t working out. Diocese ceases operations. Group of alumni organizing to preserve the property. Sounds easy, but it really takes a lot of time and commitment. I am Chairing the Steering Committee. Nuff said. Email if you want more.

Snow, snow and more snow

We moved to Appleton, WI on December 15th. Been here almost two months and we’ve received more snow in those two months than I can even begin to remember in my life. I remember a great snowstorm in 1978. I was at a friends’ house in Kenosha for New Years’ Eve. It was at least a foot, maybe more.

 It also seems the snow may be an analogy for life right now (is that the right term). It seems that something significant comes up, I committ to it, and then have to shovel myself out. Take for example, Deacons’ School.

In December I made the decision to pursue a calling to ordained ministry as a Deacon in the Episcopal Church. I started the process, and even started the monthly classes for Deacons’ School. Traveled to Wausau for a Friday/Saturday section. Bought the books, started the reading.

 Then in mid-January, found out that the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee had decided to cease operations at Camp Webb in Wautoma, Wisconsin. I always said I’d mobilize if that ever happened, so I did (more on that later). Anyway, I have had to withdraw from Deacons’ School because there’s not enought time in the day. I do have a family, dog and cats.

 So we’ll see how much snow there might be again.