Start anew

I'm sitting in a beautiful conference center in New Hampshire, thinking about wellness - spiritual, physical, vocational, financial.  I've had a week of sessions where the 20 clergy in the gathering have had lots of information on all of these topics. 

I've been in a small group of three others from North Carolina, Cincinnati, and Oregon. We've shared life stories, dreamed about how to live our authentic lives, and helped each other craft a 'rule of life'.  Am I living the life God wants me to lie? 

We've talked about sabbath, about planning for the future, about what God is calling me to be. We've heard from other great voices, like the following poem from Judy Brown. 

Fire

What makes a fire burn

is space between the logs,

a breathing space.

Too much of a good thing,

too many logs

packed in too tight

can douse the flames

almost as surely

as a pail of water would.

So building fires

requires attention

to the spaces in between,

as much as to the wood.

When we are able to build

open spaces

in the same way

we have learned

to pile on the logs,

then we can come to see how

it is fuel, and absence of the fuel

together, that make fire possible.

We only need to lay a log

lightly from time to time.

A fire grows

simply because the space is there,

with openings

in which the flame

that knows just how it wants to burn

can find its way.

Now, I'm thinking about what to do when I return to my 'normal' life. How can I bring this sense of space and priority to my days. 

One thing I need to return to is my regular practice of sitting with scripture and writing about it. After completing 365 days through the Bible, and writing each morning, I needed a break. Now I need to spend time with scripture once again. 

To that end, I did a typically nerdy Carter thing. I made my own devotional.  I used some online tools and searched the Bible for all instances of some pretty meaningful words to me - poverty, homeless, demoniac, hungry, family servant. I have a list of over 500 passages. I'll randomly select one, read it and the surrounding passages and write. 

Join me on my journey.  

2022 - What a Year!

We’ve had a spectacular year, our first full year in Homestead, PA – just outside of Pittsburgh.  We continued to make improvements to our home, a 1900 three story brick beauty, that served as a rental for 80 years and of that, some of the time it served as a brothel.  If these walls could talk!!  John and Carter have nearly completed work on the first floor where they live. All that remains is their bedroom which is currently under construction.  Jessie lives on the second floor, and her kitchen has been nearly completed. All that remains in her space is her bathroom, which unfortunately leaked water onto our newly renovated bathroom on the first floor.  Ugh.  Add that project to the queue. The good news is that our house came with a Mary Shrine that we've adorned with flowers, except when it's snowy.

The project house

Because we own so much repair and remodel equipment (over 188 purchases at Lowes alone), we decided to purchase a second under-loved-but-rock-solid house 7 blocks away. It was in really rough shape inside. Our plan is to restore it to its 1900 splendor and then rent it at below-market, so people who live in this community have somewhere to live affordably. 

Find the cat in the bean bed!

John has kept himself very busy with repairs to both homes, and being primary chauffer for Jessie. He also made an agreement with the property owner of a vacant lot across the street and he built an amazing garden with 10 beds, complete with beans, eggplant, corn, strawberries, blueberries, peppers, melon, tomatoes, raspberries and flowers. He’s enjoying some free time to catch up on news, and exercise, and enjoying strolls through the neighborhood.  Carter helped with the rehab, until she was hired as the part time executive director of the Association for Episcopal Deacons, a national professional and advocacy organization for deacon. Carter also filled her time by enrolling at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, to get a Graduate Certificate in Urban Ministry. She hasn’t been assigned to
a local church yet, but continues to work with the Episcopal Diocese and expects to be assigned in 2023.  Her support of the housing projects has waned, but she’ll be back to wearing her Carhart overalls once her schooling is over in June.

Max, Carter, Jessie Mary, John & Lamar

Jessie is doing really well.  She’s been stable since August 2021, and she’s been a pleasure to have around. She has a friend, Lamar, who lives upstairs with her.  He’s very kind and supportive of her, and does much of the cooking and cleaning. He has friends in the community, which means she has friends in the community. Although sometimes they’re loud, it’s a joy to have her happy and engaged.

We were able to go on a few trips this year.  We went to Cleveland to visit childhood friends of Carter’s, and joined them for a weekend at one-room cabins in the woods. There might have been some rain, but it was a fun time anyway! We also were able to travel to West Palm Beach and join six others to celebrate a birthday, all expenses paid by the birthday-girl’s wife.  It was an amazing time away. It was a little touch-and-go, because we travelled the day a hurricane made land in Florida. It was a little bumpy to get in, but sunny skies the rest of the time. 

Our big travel this year was a driving adventure to Manhattan, where Max Hawley married Uwala Mary Nosa, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church. It was a lovely service, and we’re grateful to have Mary in our family.  

We're really enjoying the Pittsburgh area. As much as we enjoyed our 30 years in the Pacific Northwest, we are feeling at home back in the midwest.  And the area is so steeped in deep and complex history that I missed in the Northwest. Trinity Church, which eventually became the Diocesan Cathedral was originally built in 1805, decades before the State of Oregon existed. 

Suffice it to say, we're very happy with our move, our life and our location. We have a spare bedroom, and there are hotels within walking distance, so come on out!  We wish you a happy and healthy 2023.