Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor makes a statement

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

Our CEO Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor and a team of people at the YMCA of Columbia-Willamette have come together and written a statement regarding the events of the near past.

I am so glad they did!

Here is the statement:

The YMCA of Columbia-Willamette stands in unity with all who are protesting the killing of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and countless other black men and women across our nation. We support the drive to equity and justice and believe that Black Lives Matter.
We are listening, curious, and devoted to taking responsibility in benefitting from racial injustice in our community, and will no longer stand idle in the face of these inequities. We proclaim through our core values of love, respect, honesty, responsibility and service that our Y is truly FOR ALL, and commit to the following:
· We will listen more closely to those whose voices haven’t been heard.
· We will stand up and speak out against injustices.
· We are dedicated to removing any institutional systems or barriers that result in discrimination.
· We will create a passionate culture of diversity and inclusion for our staff, our members, and our volunteers.

Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor also said:

Regarding the statement, I've heard some of you say it's too late. I've heard some of you feel it isn't strong enough. I've heard some feel it doesn't say enough. I truly appreciate your comments and please continue to share with me.

I offer though this quote for you to ponder;
"The real difference between the United States and other nations lies not in the words of the preamble to the Constitution, but in the fact that the substantive clauses are enforced by individuals independent of and not beholden to the elected branches."

His recognition that there are many in the room with a variety of feelings, shows not only his emotional intelligence but also his willingness to not only listen but that those speaking have been heard.

I am proud to be part of such a committed team that is focused on loving their community.

Blessings,
Roger

How to make an introvert happy

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

"There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded."
Mark Twain

"The longer I live the more I realize I do not know."
Regor Nottub

When I read that quote by Mark Twain I thought, "I am not really sure that I have accomplished anything."
I am an introvert and for that reason alone I would have liked to be in "the first group" as it has less people in it, But alas, I seem to be relegated to the larger group of those that have not.

I also agree with Regor Nottub. The longer I live and the more that I learn, the more I realize I do not know. When I listen to people who claim to know things I smile and say to myself, "They just haven't lived long enough yet."

When I was younger my teaching style was different. I thought I actually knew something about the subject matter that I was teaching, after all I was hired to teach that stuff so it stood to reason I must have knowledge in that particular subject.

But alas I was wrong.

How many times have we heard, "Don't try this at home, He/she is professional."

Do you know what the difference is between a professional and an amature is? A professional gets paid.

No, the longer I taught and the more I studied, the more I realized I did not know.

So my teaching style changed. I spent less time pontificating or professing, something professors are really good at, and more time coming alongside my students and engaging in the learning experience with them.

As the "Y" confronts our latest challenge, the challenge of community, I will continue to listen to the needs of my family (remember there are no "others" in my world) knowing all the while that I really do not know anything but am willing to come along side and learn with those that I am with.

Maybe if I get really good at that I will finally accomplish something and become part of that small group that Mark Twain was talking about.

Maybe then this introvert will be happy.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,
Roger

A little Simon and Garfunkel

Good Morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

When you're weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all, all
I'm on your side, oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

People often ask, "What is chaplaincy?"

I tell them, "Have you ever heard that Simon and Garfunkel song, Bridge over troubled water?"

This song is the essence of chaplaincy, at least it is for me.

Chaplaincy, at least to me, is the embodiment of Jesus. It is literally being His hands and feet.

Chaplaincy, at least to me, is not conforming to a set of denominational rules.

When you're down and out
When you're on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I'll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Chaplaincy, at least to me, is coming along side those that need the coming along side of.

Chaplaincy, at least to me, is more than simply praying for someone. I can talk with God as I give a helping hand or a voice for the voiceless.

Sail on silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

Chaplaincy, at least for me, has a bit of spiritual direction and emotional support in it. I get to help people see how God is working in their lives and that, what ever this is, it is only temporary.

But if they need a friend I am right there.

Chaplaincy, at least for me, is not a 7-Eleven type of experience. One does not just go in buy a big gulp and leave. No, chaplaincy is more of a long term type of thing.

Why am I a chaplain in the YMCA?

In the "Y" we like to say we are from cradle to grave. Another way of saying, "We walk with you through a life lived."

Chaplaincy, at least for me, Walks with people through a life lived, and there isn't a better place to do that than in the "Y".

There will be many "troubles waters" in our lifetime. I will do my best to be that bridge over them.

I know Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor is singing right now (it is what he does).

Blessings,
Roger

Something I learned from Toy Story

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You got troubles and I got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together, we can see it through
'Cause you've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me.

For some reason I woke up this morning with "Toy Story" running around in my head.

For so long Woody (there is a snake in my boot) was the head sheriff of the toys in the room. He had a nice gal (Little boo-peep) and life was good. Then a new toy came to town, Buzz lightyear!

Woody and Buzz didn't see eye to eye right off the bat but after truly getting to know one another they became fast friends, and the song was born.

You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
You got troubles and I got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
We stick together, we can see it through
'Cause you've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me.

I like to say to people, "You may know my name, but you don't really know me." When we take the time to really get to know one another, all our faults, all our foibles, when we understand the why's behind the what's, Grace can come in and we have the opportunity to become friends.

There are troubles out in the world today; there always has been and there always will be.

But you've got a friend in me.

If we stick together we can see them through, cause you've got a friend in me.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,
Roger

Sometimes I just fall out of a canoe.

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

Yesterday after my day on the Dairy Farm I wasn't feeling so good, so I went canoeing.

I got home grabbed the canoe, my wife, my dog and all the sundry stuff that goes along with canoeing: paddles are important, life jackets, special blanky for the dog, water to drink (something the Native Americans didn't have to worry about because their lake water was fine to drink.), and some snacks.

We headed to the lake for a nice relaxing canoe on a nice evening.

My Chemo had run a bit long as the vein in my left arm gave out and we had to switch to my right arm to finish the treatment, or should I say poisoning.

The evening was nice and the water was calm. It is easy to social distance from others in a canoe. You can even social distance from your wife with a 17' canoe.

Everything was great until...

Until we had come back to shore and were disembarking; you get out of a car but you disembark from a boat, something I learned in the Navy.

We did something that only happens once in a while.

As I got out of the canoe my foot slipped and I tipped over the canoe. We were only in 6" of water, canoes float in very shallow water. It was still a quick rollover and quite unexpected. Ben, our dog was launched to shore, he didn't even get wet. Laurie and I fell out and got drenched. all of our sundries fell out too.

Of course there is nothing better during a clumsy disaster than witnesses. We had a good ten people to witness this unchoreographed event.

Laurie was not happy. I could only laugh.

Dancing with God isn't always pretty, in fact sometimes I step on His toes.

Sometimes I just fall out of a canoe.

As I go through my life, and I twirl in my dance, sometimes it is pretty and neat. Sometimes it is clumsy and messy.

It is still my dance with God.

How is your dance with Him.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,
Roger

There comes a time when we need a certain call When the world must come together as one

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

I am headed to the Dairy Farm again today. Today is a shorter day only a couple of hours of Chemo. I will have more time for "Y" stuff. I have a couple of good meetings today, both are centered around helping others.

Helping others is the main focus of the "Y", the hard part now is figuring out what the new way of helping others will look like.

Maybe the biggest change in our thinking will be that we no longer think in terms of "others.

There are no "others". There is only us. We are all in this together.

I had written once about not having in-laws because if I have in-laws than I must have out-laws and there are no out-laws in my family so it goes to reason that I also do not have in-laws. I just have brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers and children of various ages...

So if there are now no "others" to help, who are we helping.

We must be helping us; but wait, if there is an us then there must be a them. If there is a them then we have an us and them mentality. Ugggg this is getting difficult.

As I have said before, "These are not easy times to be a shrubbier."

Maybe the answer is in the word "We".

Lionel Richey and Micheal Jackson once wrote a song, "We are the World" (1985). It was a good song, good enough to become a "Coke-A-Cola commercial

Here are the words:

There comes a time when we need a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
Oh, and it's time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all

We can't go on pretending day by day
That someone, somehow will soon make a change
We're all a part of God's great big family
And the truth - you know love is all we need

( CHORUS )
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Well, send'em your heart
So they know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us
By turning stone to bread
And so we all must lend a helping hand

( REPEAT CHORUS )

When you're down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe
There's no way we can fall
Well, well, well, let's realize
That one change can only come
When we stand together as one

I wonder if we can do this, I sure hope so.

Something to ponder.

Blessings,
Roger

My job seems to be that of the listener

Good morning,
I pray the day finds you well.

I am on a field trip to the Dairy Farm today (Chemo).

I have my friends here with me, the usual suspects; they are attached just like me to the poles with the hoses and wires. Bags hanging from the hooks is the norm around here.

We are all here in the various stages of our little fight. We support and love on each other as it can get difficult and tiresome. We love on and support our nurses and doctors as well.

The Dairy Farm is a microcosm of our larger society.

The Dairy Farm society is based on love, respect, honesty, responsibility and service. Hmmm...I have heard this said somewhere else.

At the Dairy Farm we are all too far along in life to worry about pretending. We know that people in our little society are hurting. We know there is sadness. We also know there is hope.

Those that are stronger help those that are weaker.

Those that are feeling better sit with those that aren't

My job seems to be that of the listener. I have the opportunity to be that person who sits and lets people offload their anxiety and concerns.

It is good to have a job at the Dairy Farm.

As I listen to my fellow Dairy Farm peeps I hear a lot of I wishes.

I wish people would love on each other.

I wish society could figure this living together thing out.

I wish people would spend less time fighting and more time talking.

The "I wishes" go on and on.

My "I wish" is that people would see how people on the Farm treat one another.

I am wearing one of my "Y" shirts today, It is our "Transformation Team" shirt. On the back of the shirt it reads, "Teaching a community to truly love its neighbor".

My little Dairy Farm community loves this shirt, it causes a lot of conversation .

Late last night Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor (our CEO) asked how we (the "Y") could support our community during this time of hurt and confusion.

Loving our neighbor in the verb form might help. I know the problems are so big that it will take a lot of loving our neighbor to help but we can do it.

Someday I will tell you about my wife's dad. He was the Executive Director of the YMCA in Mankato, Minnesota. He reconciled the Sioux Nation to Blue Earth County, the city of Mankato and the state of Minnesota.

If he can do that we can love on our neighbor.

If he can reconcile an entire Native American nation we can come alongside a hurting group of people during a terrible time.

I know that this is a big deal, so was that pain in Mankato 60 years ago.


Trevvvvvvvvvvvvvvvor I know we can do this.

Have you heard of the "Truth and Reconciliation Commision? If not look it up.

Here is the link
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Truth-and-Reconciliation-Commission-South-Africa

We can do this. It has been done before.

27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

Blessings,
Roger