what i did and didn't do

I decided to walk around the lake this morning...no, I didn't see the sun rise, which happened at 6:17 am. I was close though - my walk happened around 6:45 am. It's amazing how many people are jogging, biking, walking, and kayaking at that time of day. I enjoyed my people watch, but mostly I drank in the beautiful flowers that grace the homes around the lake: the cone flowers, black-eyed susans, larkspur, joe pie weed and hydrangea to name a few.

I was a greeter for the morning worship (along with the other Lutheran House residents) which means we got to hand out the worship books.

Dr. Warnok was fabulous - he preached on Psalm 46. My favorite part was his ending story about Cedar Creek, Virginia a tiny creek which over the years created a huge chasm in the Blue Ridge mountains through the power of its persistence. But when asked how it created such a rift, it said it got its power from a bigger place - from old man river, the James River. But when the James River was asked from where came it's power, it said it got it's power from a way bigger place - from the Chesapeake Bay. And of course, when asked where it's power came from, the Chesapeake Bay said it came from a much greater power - it's power came from the Atlantic Ocean. And of course, when the Atlantic Ocean was asked, it said it got it's power from the moon, who got it's power from God. We may feel small & insignificant like little Cedar Creek - but our real power comes from an awesome source. And with that source and our persistence, we make a difference like little Cedar Creek, forging chasms through the mountains.

Amazingly enough, Jennifer Alvarez responded to my blog yesterday by saying she knew Raphael Warnok - she received an award with him last summer! So I stayed after worship to say hi from Jennifer. She thought he might not remember her - but he did. How could anyone not remember Jennifer!

To catch up from yesterday and what I did and did not do....

I went to worship. I listened to Stephen Lewis, co-director of AIDS free world and former United Nations special envoy for AIDS/HIV in Africa talk about this pandemic disease being a global crisis. I went to a lecture by Dr. William Foege, chair of the Board of Directors of the Global Health Council who talked about Global Health Initiatives. Today I heard Dr. Abdallah Daar examine the social architecture of global health. All 3 lectures were frightening - at least what I could understand of them. With so much to be done to eliminate the huge disparities and inequities between the poor and the rich all the G8 nations can do is make lots of empty promises.

On a positive note - I was amazed by the huge amounts of money that Bill and Melinda Gates are pouring into global health and the huge amount of per capita money that the little country of Norway is giving.

Oh yes, I went to a really weird concert last night. Ensemble Galilei was 6 incredible musicians who performed about 30 Celtic and Irish pieces which they had written while National Geographic pictures were projected on the screen and portions of letters from various explorers were read. I enjoyed the first hour...but left at the intermission.

what I didn't do - a big long list: I didn't go to the Audubon Quarter, or the brown bag luncheon to discuss "Three Cups of Tea", or the Chautauqua women's tea, or the investment discussion group or the piano recital with cookies from St. James Lutheran Church or the Dan Butterworth and his Marionettes or Taking the Abrahamic Program Home to your community or the labyrinth. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.

I had 2 lovely days - with more still to go in this one. I will go to the symphony tonight. and I'll take my knitting.