EXTREME MAKEOVER has season debut in Superior, WI- tonight

The show "Extreme Makeover" is making it's season debut tonight on ABC at 6 pm, Central time.

The home that was made over was a family in rural Northwest Wisconsin, just outside of Superior, WI. Superior is just across the bridge from Duluth. The film crew spent a week there and with the help of many, many volunteers, and a local construction company, a home was completely transformed! Check it out tonight, or online at:

Autumn is Coming

Well, where has September gone? It's almost over! My birthday falls on the first day of Autumn, and on that day, all last week, and most of September has not felt like fall here in Minnesota's Northland! But, this weekend all of a sudden it feels like fall! It's been a nice weekend, and I don't mind the 60's temps at all, but the air has the fall crispness to it, and this afternoon, after a rain shower, the breeze blowing was definitely fall in Duluth! The cooler weather is to be here this coming week now. We absolutely cannot complain here in the Northland, because September was the most beautiful weather month we have ever had, it was even warmer than July and August on a lot of the days! It has been a great month!

Family Reunions

I called each of my siblings today in Pennsylvania. They must have all been out having lots of fun on Labor Day, because none of them were home! I am starting to feel homesick, since I haven't been home since last November. I am planning to fly home on Christmas Day, because my niece, Lisa is getting married on the 26th. I wanted to get home this past spring or early summer, but it didn't happen, so now it will have been a long stretch from Nov. '08 to Dec.'09. I've been searching for reasonable airfares, but haven't found any, and since I will be flying over the holidays, I'm thinking I shouldn't wait too long to buy my ticket, although my son-in-law, pilot, says fares will soon be going down.

Recently I received a letter from a second cousin on my Mother's side, that I haven't seen in probably 40 years! It was so so good to hear from him! Every second Sunday in August, my Mother's relatives on her Dad's side, have a reunion picnic in a beautiful park, always same place and always the same Sunday, so that people can always have it on their calendar. When Leon and I were young, there were always a lot of people at this gathering. Two years ago, two of my brothers and my sister, went for the first time in a long while. I'm not sure if they went this year, (I keep forgetting to ask them), but Leon wrote that the attendance was small, and it gets smaller every year. He said they talk each year about whether they should keep it going.This is what I wrote back to him about it today:"Concerning the Reunion... you must encourage those that attend, to keep it going because I

believe that the younger generation that aren't interested now, will some day, when they are

older, be interested. I don't know if any of my brothers or my sister were there this year,

but they were there last year, and they are starting to become more interested in reunions and

keeping connections more than they used to be. Our Mother's family (on her Mother's side) is

going through this, and I notice that once of my second cousins about 10 younger than me has

taken over the secretary position from my Uncle, so there is hope there! They keep plugging away,

and celebrated 50 years of getting together, a few years ago.

On My Dad's side - they used to have a reunion until his Aunts and Uncles all were gone, and none

of his brothers or sisters or cousins would step up to the plate and help, so it eventually fizzled

out...so so sad. So, please keep it going, if only for those that come and enjoy it now.

I am very family oriented, and it has a lot to do with all the reunions that I attended with my

parents each summer! I got to know my great aunts and uncles, my first,second and third cousins,

us kids had so much fun and such great memories.

Just think, most of our children's generation have not grown up with family reunions, like I did, and they

are missing so much. If your family still is one that gets together each year for a big reunion, of more

than your immediate family, please encourage them to keep it going, even if the attendance wanes for a few

years! Those once a year connections are important!

"Claim the Love" of family!

Labor Day, 2009

I celebrated Labor Day by not "laboring". I wrote some notes to people I have been wanting to say hello to, I sent some e mails, and I connected with some on Facebook. Then I felt guilty that I didn't really accomplish any cleaning in the house on my three day weekend, so I spent the last two hours working in the kitchen, got all the kitchen counters cleaned and the stove and refrigerator (not inside of them) cleaned, the type of cleaning that you don't do much of when you are working full time. Now I feel I can go back to work tomorrow, with the knowledge that I did get something done at home.

We sure did have beautiful weather in Duluth this weekend. It couldn't have been better!

Well, back to laboring tomorrow!

Law of Love - No Judgement

Another good message at Hope United Methodist Church this morning. I don't think Pastor Boche would mind if I paraphrased her message. The message was proceeded by the following "Call to Worship" a message all of us at Hope UMC want to convey to everyone:

If your clothes are fine and you have lots of gold rings, you're welcome here.

If your clothes are dirty and you don't have a place to sleep, you're welcome here.

If you're feeling alone and you have no one to call a friend, you're welcome here.

If your soul aches and you need a healing balm, you're welcome here.

If you're filled with anxiety and are seeking peace, you're welcome here.

Come into this place to give thanksgiving, to be renewed and to remember the

One who knows each of us by name.

You are welcome here!

Pastor Boche spoke about the "Law of Love". Jesus told us that the two most important things we should do as Christians is to "Love God" and to "Love your neighbor as yourself". Those two rules are the 10 commandments from the Old Testament, all rolled together. Love God, and love others. Jesus was saying, and James in his letter to the church, was saying that if we are Christians, they will know us by our love. If we love as Christ did, then there will be no judgement of others. We are all part of God's family, on equal footing with God. James says if we have faith, then we will show that faith by action and by the love we show others. (New Testament James 2:1-17.)

They will know we are Christians by our Love. The "Law of Love". Claim the Love.

NEW EYES

This morning's opening prayer at Hope UMC was from a poem that I would like to share:

"New Eyes" by John van de Laar

There is so much we miss as we look through our eyes trained to see only the familiar, the expected, the safe.

Thank you, God that you don't see this way; you look at each of us, woman and man, old and young, rich and poor, and you love what you see.

Even in the shadows of our shame and separation from you, even in the cold valleys of our grief and regret, You see us -- not just as we are, but as we can be -- as you made us to be.

You see the glory and the giftedness, the possibility, the nobility and the divine likeness which you placed there.

Thank you for how you see us, God. Please give us new eyes to see ourselves and others the way you do. Amen.

"Love your neighbor as yourself" (and look at others as God sees them - with love)