Today’s blog
Lynn Murphy Mark
What will this year bring?
Welcome to 2023! When the New Year arrives I always wonder how a new calendar will unfold for the world and its people. Last year brought war, catastrophic weather events, an endless campaign cycle, the January 6th committee, Ketanji Brown Jackson’s appointment to SCOTUS, Albert Pujols’ 703 home runs, and countless other memorable joys and sorrows.
In a few days Jan and I will meet with a new cardiologist. Our hope is that he will offer a solution to her heart rate problem and this will allow her to re-join what she would like her life to be. It’s been a rough year for her health-wise, so we are anxious to see this new doctor and hear his plan. On that same day, my buddy Rose will have a new knee installed, so she has some recuperation ahead of her. I’m praying for good news for her and for Jan.
Last year brought me a new opportunity to work more hours at Legal Services of Eastern Missouri and to become a salaried employee. I do not regret having been a volunteer there for four years, but I am enjoying a new source of a travel fund! In the process I have acquired a bigger case load, many of whom are immigrants from the Middle East, from Iraq and Jordan and Afghanistan and Turkey. This has opened a whole new interest in learning about and understanding the culture and the challenges my clients faced in order to immigrate to this country.
Our Racial Justice Learning Group continues to meet the third Thursday of each month on Zoom. A couple of new people have joined, so that will be an interesting dynamic. We have been meeting since July of 2020, reading a book over the year’s time and gathering to discuss what we have learned. It’s basically a book club where we read hard stuff and then have the courage to openly discuss the material. As for myself, I have had to confront my “white privilege”. I’ve gained a better understanding of systemic racism, and what my part is in that twisted system. I am better prepared to speak up and speak out in the face of racist encounters.
My church is embarking on an initiative to replenish our reserve funds. Like many other churches, the pandemic cut way into our attendance and donations and tithes are down. I’m on the Board, and am more or less in charge of the fund raiser. I think the way that I will speak to the congregation about it will include a thought about how our mission must be supported by our margin. If that sounds too business-like, I hope it gets the message across about maintaining a building and paying salaries and keeping the lights on and the water flowing. We have a simple building that is aging and will soon need to replace the furnace and air conditioning system. The amount of money it takes to do that is staggering. Given the economy and the effects of inflation, raising money is tricky. People in the congregation have bills to pay as well. So I recognize the challenge in front of us.
This year I hope to see my grandsons more than once or twice in a year. They are growing up so fast that each time a set of pictures comes in I am amazed at the changes. Their parents are busy with careers and with building a lake house a couple of hours drive away from home. The boys are in school now, so Summer time, holiday and Spring break time are prime visiting time – if they don’t have plans to travel and take the boys to some exotic place. When Cameron was barely one or two he traveled with them to Portugal and Morocco. Both boys are seasoned travelers now and I hope it has set an intention with them to see as much of the world as they can.
This blog reminds me of the missives that come with Christmas cards with descriptions of the year that was as well as future plans. I suppose that’s exactly what this is – an exercise in capturing time with letters and words. Happy New Year!!