A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2006 The First Step In A Long Journey - Completed!

Merme - your plans for your trip are so well organized and complete. I'm sorry you don't have someone for Maxi though - is it possible for him to stay with one of his friends in your complex? I know you haven't been there all that long, but surely the kids have been in and out of your house enough to know them pretty well by now?

I agree with Nana - the dress sounds great - just be cool, think cool, and stay cool!!! I've been in that situation, and the best thing is try not to notice the weather!

Enjoy yourself - I am also very proud of you for taking all this on by yourself!

Merme,
I'm so sorry I missed this thread when you first posted!
I live in Bangor and would be more than happy to have you overnight!
If you need anything while you're here give me a call. Heck call me anyway and we can hang together when you're not in class!
I'll pm you my phone number.

Oh how fun! I sure hope you two can connect.

Becky ~ I will be at Ledbetter's sandwich/soup shop on Odlin Road (not far from the Ground Round) on Friday sometime between 12:00 and 12:30. Why not join me for lunch or coffee? I will hang out there for a while. After that, I really must focus on the purpose of the trip.

Merme

Hi everyone ~ This is the update concerning the purpose of my trip to Bangor...

I was able to get to the meeting on time, at 8:30 AM. After all the torrential rain we'd had the day before, Saturday turned out to be splendid. It was hard to go inside, but everyone snuck back out whenever there was opportunity throughout the day. We even adjorned slightly earlier than originally planned to allow people to enjoy the remainder of the sunshine and mild temperature.

The meeting itself was AWESOME!

Because the Episcopalian facility in Bangor is too small to host this event, the local Lutheran church made us welcome there and every single person involved did much to have things go smoothly and make us feel at home.

First, we spent some time together having hot drinks, muffins and platter of fresh fruit salad. It was a nice time to read name tags and do introductions and "where are you froms?"

Then, we went into the large sanctuary and were introduced to the elderly priest -- a very esteemed man -- who is the Chairman of The Committee On Holy Orders. He was a lovely fellow too. His remarks were at times humorous, at times enlightening, and still at other times soothing. He was clearly in charge of the day and kept things organized and moving right along as they should. I was seated near enough to him that I got to hear him sing and oh, he has a beautiful, beautiful singing voice and it was just swell to hear him enjoying himself so completely with the music.

The Lutheran organist who lent us his massive talents was unbelievably good. Using two different hymnals, he sat listening to each speaker very carefully. Based on the content of each person's speach, he would announce the number for the next hymn. And every single choice he made, from either book, was perfect for the moment. It was marvelous!

Each speaker in the morning was awesome. Every time one of them was up there, I'd think "Oh, so THIS is what I came to Bangor to hear!" and then the next one would get up and I'd be impressed and delighted all over again thinking "Oh, THIS is why!"

The priest in charge of that Lutheran church did the most magnificent 10 minute talk I have ever heard, using her violin and a gift for poetic statement to demonstrate her thoughts. She had us eating right out of her hand and I did not want her to stop talking and hope someday to go back there and hear her at it again.

Then we had a short break and went off to our classes. Tired as I was, I was able to focus very well and take good notes; interact with the class. And, at one point, the priest in charge of that class and his panel asked us a tough question to answer immediately. I surprised myself by giving the correct answer on a topic I didn't even know I knew! The panel seemed as surprised by my answer as I was and quipped "Give her a Gold Star for that one!"

Then they fed us a yummy cold lunch that had been catered by the same company that had done the greeting snacks. For lunch it was platters of wraps in about five different varieties, chips, cold and hot drinks and piles of more fresh fruit. It was yummy and another fun chance to sit with total strangers and chat up a storm.

By then, your Merme was done in but there was the afternoon yet to face. Don't know exactly where the strength came from, but I went to my next class which was taught by the Bishop. Her panel consisted of members of the Committee on Holy Orders and oh man, it was a bit daunting to listen to the details of the very high bar that is placed before anyone seeking ordination. It was also thrilling to hear such learned people speaking with ease on complicated topics and allowing us to ask pointed, difficult questions.

After that class was ended we were all given a writing assignment to complete. I went outside for a bit to clear my head because I was aching with fatigue by then. I did finish the writing assignment although I am not now certain of what I wrote about!!

Lastly, there was the closing gathering and we were given detailed instructions about whom we were to contact in the coming weeks to continue the process, etc. The Bishop announced that I needed a ride to the Greyhound station and several people volunteered to drive me, which was super because the taxi's in Bangor are priced outta sight!

Throughout the day I had several opportunities for lovely exchanges with our Bishop who is truly one very fine woman; a marvelous example to anyone. She is a very short lady with the richest, most vibrant speaking voice that is so pleasing to the ears and her speaking style is terrific. She also has a down-to-earth very vivid sense of humor and a keen compassion toward people that is breathtaking.

She surprised me after the meeting ended by telling me she wants to have our first formal interview on October 29th, the day she will be visiting my church late in the afternoon.

The 29th? So soon? I thought that step was months away yet!!

She also commented that she was delighted I had made it to the meeting and knew I was exhausted by the magnitude of the trip.

Well, considering I haven't left my apt without assistance in FOUR YEARS, it was sorta miraculous for me to have traveled to Bangor all by myself!

And yes, I was (and still am) exhausted, but still, I wouldn't have missed that event for anything in the world. There was such a treasure trove of information -- far more than what my wee brain could hold -- I will be processing it all for ages!

In the next few weeks, as I pull my thoughts together, I will write a presentation of handouts for the ruling body of my church and for my priest, to share with them some of the things I learned.

AND I will try my best to prepare myself for the interview on the 29th.

whew. what a Journey this truly is!

Merme

I am so proud of you , Merme!

I'm sure you will do just fine on the 29th!

Merme,
I am with Mel ... I know where that strength came from- your hard work in PT and God helping you along- you are doing so very well!
Nana

I forgot to say that I wore the pretty necklace Angelblossom gave me for my birthday. So it seemed as though my Forum Family was right with me all the day long. Thanks, guys. You all mean so much to me.

Merme

Merme, It is as wonderful to read about your trip as it was to hear it from you first hand. What a wonderful weekend you had and now having done this, you know that the sky is the limit. You CAN do anything!

...Merme -
you continue to be an outstanding inspiration to us all!

I'm so glad that despite all the difficulties, you had a good trip with many important lessons learned, and wonderful experiences that you are not soon to forget. You have proven to yourself, as well as to all of us, that you are a go getter, and can accomplish anything you set your mind to.

Hi everyone ~

Wednesday night, the 25th, I took a class to learn how to take Communion out to people who are shut-in for one reason or another or hospitalized. It was a great class and I think Lisa, my teammate, and I will have a marvelous time doing this important service together.

This class was another important step on my Journey and I sat through it all "Little Miss Happy" as Maxi likes to call me, pen and notebook in hand, shorthanding all the terrific things Fr. David explained.

But oh my goodness, how I wish y'all could meet this new priest of ours. He is just a Sweetheart, a true Sweetheart.

He is from NY, so of course we are all loving his accent and his speech mannerisms. He is tall and very thin, in his early 50's. Both his wife and his mom are RN's and though I do not know them as well yet, they seem like a fine family.

But Fr. David has a way of explaining things that just soothes my brain which tends to overwork itself trying to understand. He speaks easily, using simple, ordinary language and yet puts the whole package together in such a way that you "get it" right off! No struggling, no woe, no fretting about how you are gonna remember it all. He makes it easy to LEARN from him; not just hear the facts from him.

I've told people "he is an affectionate soul and he can't help himself" and he is. Just plainly loving people, enjoying people, from deep down inside. That laid-back kind of pleasure in the company of others is charming.

It makes you feel glad to be around, glad to be a part of what makes being together so fun and special.

So for today, I am packing and heading up north to Bangor around 3:30. This is an important Convention as we are in the process of getting a new Bishop. Although I've studied all the paperwork concerning all the resolutions before us, I did not have a chance to attend any of the pre-convention hearings. So this evening, once I am settled in, I will go over the information again. I am glad I am going with other more experienced Delegates.

I'm still undecided about what I will be wearing and I still have to polish my nails.

Maxi has Half Day today for Parent/Teacher conferences.

Merme

OH! I forgot to mention that THIS SUNDAY, after I get back from Bangor, I will have my first formal interview with the Bishop.

It may be a good thing that I will be this busy from now until then so I won't worry myself too much about that!

Merme

Merme - have a wonderful, successful trip!
I hope everything goes very smoothly for you this time!
It certainly sounds like your head is in the right place, and ready to go take on whatever is next in this important journey.

Good luck, my friend!

Just outta curiosity Merme, do they do anything
or team up with Meals~On~Wheels recipients that are shut in??
(Do they have Meals~On~Wheels in your area?????)

Yes, Weezie, Meals-On-Wheels is available in Maine, too.

My church has been a big participant in that program for many years, serving people in the two small towns that are nearby. The people who are involved with it cook and deliver the meals and are very faithful in this.

When I came home from the hospital at Christmas of 03 after the amputation, they signed me up for the meals. Because I'm not 65, there was a fee involved, so my church paid for that as well. I received meals for about seven months.

And Weezie, I can assure you that the Meals were a wonderful help to me. Oh, not just for the simple food they brought that I could manage on most days to eat or save until the next day, but also for the visit! It was nice to have them stopping by and chatting for a bit, cheerful and kind.

And in those days, I couldn't have cooked for myself at all. There were days I couldn't even make a cup of tea in the microwave. So you know those meals were important to me. And when I started to get better, and Maxi began coming home on weekends, they would bring an extra meal for him, too, just in case I couldn't manage to feed him adequately, either.

From a personal point of view I am very glad my church does the Meals program and I'm proud of them whenever I think of all the other shut-ins living in our area.

Merme

Hi everyone ~

Tonight the Bishop gave me a huge writing assignment and I am flipping out about it!

I have no idea even where to begin, what to say, or how to say it.

Oh I could have bitten off more than I can ever chew by undertaking this journey, it seems.



Merme

Merme,
You begin at the beginning of course... sit down have a cuppa and just think a little - it will come to you just how and what to write..... deep breath and calm down.
Nana

THANKS, Nana!

Oh my goodness, I so love it that you ALWAYS know what to say!

Ok, off to make a cuppa and to think. And breathe. Gotta remember the breathing part. Funny how breathing helps!

Merme

Maybe give us the "gist of it" and maybe,
AND I DO MEAN MAYBBBBBBBBE,
We can give you a line or two, or a tip
or pointer or some tid~bit of something..

Or maybe not, but we could try???
Whooooooo knows???

Or does it have to be entirely you and no
help from anyone??????

I am so proud of you, Merme! Hang in there. You will succeed!

Dianna

You will do just fine, Merme dear! You have a wonderful way with words and a very descriptive way of writing. Not only that, but you have all of us here praying for God to guide your hand while writing and we know you will do fine!

Just keep remembering to breathe and everything willl be just fine!!

I agree with Tonya, Merme, you speak so well and the words will flow, keep us posted ok.

Thanks, everyone, for the kindness of your support. It means all the world to me.

Weezie, no one else can help with the actual writing, although a priest can make suggestions as to things I may wish to include and other ordinary people can proofread the final draft for clarity and accuracy.

My biggest difficulty with this particular assignment is the fact that I am a writer. I have years of experience in the craft and work at it with great diligence every day. In any given week I can put on a thousand different faces and write in many voices.

But she has asked me to write in a way that reveals the woman behind the pen. It is an intimate writing style that is required, that takes me out of my "comfort zone". I can't just BE anybody for this project; I have to be ME.

It is a way of inviting her in to take a close look at my heart and where I am in my spiritual journey, sort of like allowing her to listen to my whispered prayers and to see my aspirations and inspirations and real struggles.

She doesn't care at this point whether or not I am a good scholar. She is trying to see my character; what moves me the most; where my strengths and weaknesses are as a person. Part of what she does as my Bishop will be to help me, to give me direction. She has to know my strengths so they are not wasted or overlooked and that I might use them. She has to know where I struggle so that she can help empower me.

She explained quite specifically in September that having troubles or having a difficult past doesn't disqualify a person from continuing in the process, but trying to HIDE the troubles or the secrets and refusing help would.

Sometimes it is hard enough for me to explain my feelings to myself. It can be harder still to explain these delicate matters to my Loved One who knows me so well. Right just now it is feeling impossible to explain these fragile notions about my spirituality to a stranger. And yet, I do trust this dynamic, godly woman to "hear" me once I can find the courage to be as candid as is required.

I'll let you know how it goes. The first draft I spent hours on this morning ended up being totally off topic. At the end, it seemed as though I had invited her in to read a whacky thread from Banter Hall that went miles all over the world and didn't have anything to do with the first post!

I'm going to have to remember Maxi's favorite line to quote from Star Wars: "Stay on target! Stay on target!"

Thanks again for your encouragement.

Merme

Sorry for the double post. I'm really NOT trying to beef up my post count; I just hit the wrong button!

Merme

Last night, I just gave up working on my paper and instead I wrote a wonderful humor piece for my Loved One that he will so enjoy.

I'm hoping that some diversion will help me clarify my thoughts by letting them simmer on the back burner for a while before serving them up nice and hot off the presses.

I'll let you know how that theory goes.

Merme