Last Monday June and Andy attended a meeting of Building a United Interfaith Lexington through Direct Action (BUILD) at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington. Quite an event! For a full report, see "Putting heat on the city for affordable housing." Over 160 members of Faith Lutheran Church attended the crowded sanctuary of nearly 1300 people. To find out more about the event, visit our sister-site at http://www.prayingdaily.blogspot.com/.

Image Sources: The Assembly, photograph submitted by Arnon Lundborg [alundborg@insightbb.com]; Andy and June at the BUILD Meeting, photograph submitted by Larry Van Dyne llvandyne@washingtonian.com]. Thank you very much, Arnon and Larry, for sending in the photographs.

Chelsea drives to Valley View and back

This morning Chelsea passed the test for her driver's permit, and this afternoon she took her first extended drive, some twenty-five down to Valley View and back to her home in Richmond. It was a drive in the country; the road was curvy, the shoulders not quite up-to-snuff, and the middle yellow line often missing, but Chelsea navigated everything wonderfully. She's going to be a quite wonderful driver: careful, courteous, and considerate of both car and passenger. It was a real joy to ride along with her, her smile lovely as she took another big step toward independence.

Dad's January Trip to Haiti

In January Andy served as team coordinator for a group of thirteen Lutherans and Methodists who went to Haiti. Dr. Joe King on the University of Kentucky medical faculty worked as our photographer, and he's invited you to see his "Haiti Slideshow." Travel to

http://photoking.zenfolio.com/p290900660, use the password mesi (that's Creole for "Thank you,"

be our companion as we fly down to Port au Prince, stay a while at the Village of Hope, and then take off for the mountain village of Ranquitte, where we built a small home for a Haitian family in desperate need of shelter. You'll enjoy the trip.

Chelsea takes numerous first-place medals at the Mason Dixon Track Meet

This morning Chelsea led her team time and again to victory as she crossed the finished line in first place, not once, not twice, but three times. When the official times are finally posted sometime this weekend, they will appear here as an update. Congratulations, Chel! You are one speedy, fast, energetic young woman. You run like a beautiful deer, bounding over those hurdles, speeding down the track. You are a champion's champion!

Andy becomes at oblate at Mt. Tabor Benedictine Monastery

On Sunday, March 1, during Morning Prayer with the Benedictine sisters of Mt. Tabor Monastery, Andy was received into the community as an oblate. Having studied the Rule of St. Benedict intensely for more than a year, Andy promised to support the Benedictine community with his prayers and way of life that would give glory to God, especially as that glory is manifest by a life of hospitality, the special mission of Mt. Tabor Monastery. With June, Harry Smiley, and Danielle and Stan Brown, and all the sisters supporting him with their prayers, Andy is looking forward to his renewed prayer life and the rededication of his life to obedience to the Gospel.

Ash Wedneday, the First Day of Lent

At the Ash Wednesday Eucharist, Pastor Luckey at Faith Lutheran Church marked our foreheads with ashed signs of the cross. Those ashes were made by burning the strands of palms blessed last year on Palm Sunday; the ashes were then mixed with oil. As our Pastor marked our foreheads he looked straight at us and said, "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return." With those words he forcefully reminded us of our mortality, the real truth that we shall die, and our bodies will return to the earth, "dust to dust." Later during the service, Pastor also preached a sermon hard to forget, telling us that on Ash Wednesday the Church intervenes dramatically to tell us that we are in deep need to God's grace. We are addicts to sin. For this reason the Church comes to us, sits down with us, and tells us the truth: as addicts to self-centered behaviors, we are hooked on sin, "junkies" to selfishness, and abusers of one another. We are in deperate need to help. On Ash Wednesday the Church pleads with us to repent and make a determination to change the direction of our lives. Like drug addicts and alcoholists who know they have hit rock bottom, we too must come clean and actually see what's wrong with us, how we have damaged our own and other people's lives. We need God's intervention. Knowing who we are with renewed clarity, we confessed our hurtful lives, received absolution in the proclamation of the Gospel, and in the Holy Communion came to Jesus to receive God's healing from the disease of sin, stubborness of heart, and addiction to egoistic behaviors. We opened our lives up fully to Christ's healing and therapy. Made whole and healthy by God's incarnate Presence in Christ, June and I drove home, determined to drop ourselves like seeds and die in the ground--just like seeds!--so that we might burst forth with Christ in resurrected lives.

The Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Gracious God, out of your love and mercy you breathed into dust the breath of life, creating us to serve you and our neighbors. Call forth our prayers and acts of kindness, and strengthen us to face our mortality with confidence in the mercy of your Son, Jesus Christ and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Brunch at the Galt House with Art and Liz on February 8

About every three months Art and Liz Harnack and we Richmond Harnacks get together at the world-famous Galt House in Louisville to have one of the universe's finest brunches. As our favorite server--Manny, who's been hosting us for sixteen years greets us--we enjoy a wonderful spread of out-of-this-world dishes, all the while being rotated around and around on the top floor so that we see the Ohio River and the city of Louisville in all its splendor. We look forward to this get-together with great anticipation, glad to see one another, happy to swap stories, and wish one another God's blessing and good health three or four times a year. Let's do it again soon!

Memories, Christmas in Georgia, 2008

Several days later the Georgia clan met first at Becky and Wayne's home for a gosh-awful good supper and games--Apples to Apples!--and then again everyone got together at the lakehouse for Christmas cheer, more great family food, stories, and lots of very expensive gifts for everyone. Isn't that Merry Anna something!

Memories: December 21, 2008, Christmas at Lora and Kirk's Home

On December 21, the day after
Audrey and Josh's wedding, we had some a wonderful, festive, and delightful family Christmas celebration. The food was--oh, so good!--delicious, the gift-giving lots and lots of fun, and--best of all--the kids had gobs of fun. Thank you so very much, Lora and Kirk (and you too, Madalyn!) for being such wonderful hosts! We all love you dearly.