Of hawk moths and heart's a-bustin'...

I stand on my front porch watching the butterfly hawk moths. Shaped like little hummingbirds, their relentless activity creates a whirling dervish flowerbed. The sound of all those wings, the to-ing and fro-ing from blossom to blossom, hold me in place as I let my mind free fall into remembrance of the past weekend.
My work camp family...and I do mean family... came for a visit this past weekend. Officially we were celebrating Walt and Mary Lynn’s fiftieth wedding anniversary. Unofficially we were once again taking time to remember how we came to be a family and give thanks for all that has been as well as all that is yet to be.
It is rare these days in our well traveled lives to live where we grew up surrounded by those who knew us when we were young. That kind of continuous relationship can be a touchstone, a gift of “remember when” and “look how well you have turned out”. For a little while this weekend we were once again “the chillun” with Walt and Mary Lynn as our fearless leader friends.
Our family, like most families, runs the gamut of every measure you might have. From the theologically conservative to the way out there liberal to the non-Christian, our faiths remain central to our lives. And yet these major differences in the context of loving family, are cause for conversation and self-revelation not judgement and scorn. We are very different in how and what and who we are and yet we are more alike than different in our desire to love one another.
Our family meeting Saturday afternoon was full of raucous laughter and good humored repartee. You get as good as you give in these free for all family meetings. We spent time thanking Walt and Mary Lynn for the friendship that started us off in our lives as adults, their steadfastness and continued connection to us for forty four years. We named the gifts they had given us and with them, named some ways we could honor who they are and have been all their lives. As a fiftieth anniversary present, we are investigating translating classic children’s books into Cherokee for the language immersion program on the reservation. This is a way to honor Mary Lynn’s life long work with and for children. One of the Woolf clan leads this program and has told us of the difficulty in locating books for children in their mother tongue. Walt and Mary Lynn have also been strong supporters of the Southern Poverty and Law Center, a non-profit organization that fights hate and discrimination through education and litigation. We will also be looking for a way to contribute to this group who are near to their hearts.
Discussion of our next gathering, the forty fifth anniversary of our building Bethabara Baptist Church in Cherokee, led to the decision to gather there next year and work on a project to help that congregation. Claudie asked for a less strenuous project than in the past and we agreed. We have more B team members now than A team... B team members are limited by body strength, knowledge and skill. Our A team members are wearing out so we will limit ourselves to a one day project. As usual, we muddle through the discussion process and much to our surprise are able to come up with a workable plan. Walt sits and watches, making occasional comments, just as he did long years ago while Mary Lynn leans in to the conversation.
Gathered around the table for our celebration meal, I listen to the rise and fall of the sounds of family. Pop (Walt) had prayed our grace for us and now our table was full not only with wonderful food but cups full and overflowing with love and gratitude. Like the hawk moths, the whirring of the wings of the Spirit can be heard above the laughter and conversation. We have re-read the old letters and articles saved from our past. We have given thanks for all we were given and all we have been. In anticipation of life and work yet to come, we have planned and assigned tasks to our doers and our be-ers knowing that the God who loves us all is present in each of us. Our bodies are temples for the Spirit and communion happens with ham and potato salad and sweet tea. Thanks be to God for my family where I am known and loved just because. My heart's a-bustin' with love and joy. I am blessed.