Just Follow the Light
This tunnel we’re in right now is long and dark. Thankfully there is light even in the darkness we can follow.
-ehw
(This is an access ladder on a grain silo at my son’s workplace.)
Lovettsville Virginia Honors Those Who Gave All
Today my family took time to really remember those who gave all for us to live our lives in freedom. We attended mass at St.Francis De Sales. We came back home to attend what I thought would be a small ceremony in our little neighboring town of Lovettsville (We live just outside of town). Little did I know this town of 3,000 people would muster up a very honorable and well thought out ceremony which did remind us why this is a Federal HOLY-DAY.
Today I saw too many names of West Point friends and fellow servicemen I served with over my nine years who fell in the line of duty pass in notes between us remaining friends. This ceremony presented a loving tribute to those who served and gave all. It also allowed my children to appreciate the gift of life they have today.
Around or dinner table we talked of millions in re-education camps in China, the brutality exposed by escapees from North Korea, and the technical threats which come from unknown sources stalking our livelihoods around the world. It was a good way to remind my children once again freedom will never be free in this fallen world.
Business customer service fails when we think of pure profit over caring for the customer’s needs. Families fail when we assume our personal wants are more important than the success of the whole unit. National security missions fail when one person assumes their needs are greater than the needs of the many.
For my family discussion tonight this allowed us to come back full circle to how we started our day. We went to Mass, and participated in the sacrifice of our Lord for our salvation. No one more just or powerful ever died for others salvation in all of history. We must strive to remember freedom does not mean the ability to do anything. Freedom means we have the ability to choose the right thing, or accept the consequences of not doing so.
These men and women we honored today gave their lives and never came home. It does not matter how..they gave all for us. They gave of their freedoms so we may have a moment with freedom ourselves. So let us use these moments wisely, and defend our children’s ability to pick up the mission themselves.
-ehw
Finding His Will on the Backstreet
Lovettsville, Virginia….the Backstreets
Here we are just finishing our third month in our new home of Lovettsville, and we’re starting to venture out a bit here and there. This adventure took a Dad and five kiddos on a walk down the backstreet where my mind went right into our Lenten lessons….
If you told my wife and I we’d be moving eleven times, escorting six kids through life, work our way through five miscarriages, enduring some long term illnesses, and I’d have an overall mediocre professional life twenty years ago we’d be surprised and overwhelmed. We had our plans, and we were going to follow them!
This Lent we listen and read lessons from our Good Catholic series created by the Catholic Company. The main focus is to help us understand God’s will, live in his will, find happiness in his will, and then endure the hardships of a fallen reality on the way to our final judgment. One key lesson they harp on again and again is our main sources of stress come from our personal choices to deviate from God’s will in our actions.
Outside of the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, God’s will for my life is pretty hard to discern. I have no outstanding talents. I have far too much pride. I will never rise to the top of my daily profession. I have no idea how I will work my next profession….and all this leads to stress over “what is the right course of next actions.”
Thankfully Father had a reminding us (paraphrasing a bit): “ The past cannot be changed, the present is where we are now, and the future is not here yet. God gives us enough grace to survive the present, so stay in the present. Make each present decision in accordance with his instructions, and it will all work out in accordance with his will.”
So as I walked one of the little backstreets of our little remote Loudon County town, I just enjoyed the moment. My pains disappeared, the sky seemed a little nicer, the cold winds didn’t cause me to shiver, and I enjoyed the laughs of my children a little more. Somewhere out here, in what the world would call a backstreet, God’s will called and I listened to it.
I have to walk the backstreet a little more with an even better attuned ear.
ehw
The 35 Yard Steel Target
Joyful Fatherly Moment on the Range
Time is in very short around here. It is a constant race against time to get up, feed, cloth, clean, teach, maintain, and then get back to bed before it starts all over again. It seems at least half of the eight of us are always out of sync with the others....Too often our weekends are merely Groundhog Days.
Well in the midst of all this I was able to take advantage of a wonderful opportunity provided by the Cherokee Gun Club. I was able to spend over four hours with the two big boys on the range learning safety, good habits, and showing them what a fun lifetime hobby looks like under the guidance of an incredibly patient guide and trainer from the club. Look them up, and if you have kids who want to learn the same...contact them. You will not regret it, in fact you'll be trying to schedule another visit! The boys will not let me forget to...and Momma liked the confidence the boys came home with.
The key to the day was the tutelage of Mr. Richard. You will not find a calmer and nicer man to enforce safety while displaying the joys of shooting. He listens, coaches, and keeps the focus of boys in a way I wish I could emulate. He made my job of being an extra safety and assistant coach a joyous one. In fact he made it easy for me to come home and say I helped my boys grow up a bit today. So I got as much a gift from today as they did.
One message I always find myself returning to in this blog is why my photography is important to me...and it so much relates to life. You have to find the good moments and appreciate them. Today was one of those good moments to be a Dad. Thanks God and the Cherokee Gun Club.
-ehw
Missing Pride for our Flag
As a child I'd never believe one day Americans would have to live in fear about flying the flag of the United States from the own property. I'd never think there could be a moment of doubt who'd you'd root for in an international sports match. I'd never believe if someone raised here would tell told me this flag was a symbol of oppression while they spouted socialist tyranny as the way I must live. In too many ways the world is upside down, mostly from a lack of education rooted in natural law.
Yes I am missing pride in our flag and the ideals of valor, unity, balancing self interests, and reach for the goal of being one with God it clearly enshrines.
=ehw
My Son as the Wonderboy Lieutenant Colonel
Faces from Today in the Past and Freedom
As a college student I really enjoyed my history assignments. Being a photo guy, I of course dug deeply into my pictures, maps and diagrams. In my senior year at West Point I watched my company pass in review on parade on my first personally acquired camera. When I printed the photos I found myself looking at a present day image, which could be from the relatively distant past if were not for some modern building in the background.
I was soon looking at every historical image differently. Every image of a battle, congressional debate, city street, factory or farm had me replacing the face of yesteryear with one of ours. We could be those past people, if it was not for an accident of historical timing. This made me appreciate photography even more, and my own place in history.
The event also made me remember a quote I heard from President Ronald Reagan a few years earlier:
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
(From the Quotations Page)
While our DNA will allow us to recreate moments as actors from the past with ease, certain important lessons such as the American concept of freedom only will be passed on and lived with through deliberate efforts. Putting myself into the shoes of soldiers, statesmen, explorers, industrialists, farmers and my forefathers getting off the boat only made this lesson easier to understand.
-ehw
Hum Hum? How did this happen?
How Did I Ever Mess up my Hair?
Then my daughter Kellie says, "My hair is messy!" The Daddy replies, "Well you were having fun twirling your dress!" Kellie then screaches with a belly laugh happy as can be because this is what she remembered:
The Twirl in a dress!
Thank you Aunt Jane for all your work! A dress for my doll and I and purse to boot! Some really nice other outfits as well! Annalise (the doll) is now in her pajamas enjoying a short summers nap with Kellie. These are some great moments to remember. It is what being a family photographer is all about.
Generation to Generation Toys
If you ever get a chance to look at a list of the top ten toys history ever created...you will not find last year's Christmas craze on them. You will instead find toy cars, soldiers, trains and digging supplies for boys. For girls I am sure you will find dolls, stuffies and all their accessories. I know there are exceptions out there, but the reality is you will not find many! This is what kids play with!
So here we have Uncle Micheal's trucks out back one more time. At home we have the matchbox and airplane toys from both myself and my brother...and even my uncle (or my kids Great Uncle). These toy trucks and planes are universal hits. When built American tough, like a child, they will last generations.
It got me to wondering...if toys go from generation to generation why don't we look closer at lessons from the past. I'm sure what God said 5,000 years ago or 2000 years ago really still has some staying power. It might help us in our present circumstances!
-ehw
Ah a good desert book...
Happiness is a Good Book
Well we were not in Lake Havasu for more than a day when Grandma loaded up the two big kids and took them to someplace they find better than Disney World...a Library. Out they went, and back they came with one and three books respectfully. When not engaged with board games and outdoor fun their noses are buried deep in their books.
Simple things we need to remember are all part of Capturing His Glory in our daily lives. I'm glad I get to see it!
-ehw
The First Cookie
I bet you don't remember your first cookie...it must be a magical moment though. Normally Momma does not let the kiddos get a cookie or serious sweet until they have their first birthday...but there is something to be said about being child number five! Momma gives in to the magic of the moment a little more than with the first four!
Oh he loved it! What a joy to see! Uncle Micheal thought he'd have these all to himself....not anymore!
Earned not Given: Lesson for the 4th
This year the capstone challenge of my boys Blue Knight year was the annual board of review at Regina Caeli Academy. (The full story of the event itself is here BOARD OF REVIEW) For the weeks leading up to the board I reinforced to the boys and their parents their awards were earned not given by saying:"When your friends ask about your awards you will be able to tell them in Blue Knights everything is earned not given."
This is a hard task we all must learn, and one fathers must teach repeatedly. In my case I had one boy who was able to discuss each question for five minutes each in great detail. The other son took a pretest in the kitchen as we cleaned up from dinner, and smugly thought his 80% was enough to stop studying....ah not in my house. After a very serious discussion on how the name Wojtkun was the only thing I would ever give him, and how he was not going to drag it into the gutter he go serious. So he was on cloud nine when he scored a 100% at the review, and earned the rank of Sergeant for next year the next week.
So what does this have to do with the 4th of July? Well everything.
In 1776 our Continental Army was in the field for over a year, dying for American Independence. The men in Philadelphia used the words of Thomas Jefferson to define what we stood for as a nation, knowing by doing so they signed their own death warrant. After years of fighting (remember the war went on past Yorktown in 1781) the Founders created a document forming a government which used checks and balances to keep the worst human failings in check.
Despite all the Founders did did generations ago, Benjamin Franklin responded prophetically to the question: "Well, Doctor, what have we got-a Republic or a Monarchy?" with "A Republic if you can keep it." Dr. Franklin knew human nature, and knew the lessons in his generation could not be passed on through our DNA. A republic could only be passed on through teaching each generation the cold hard facts of our history, human nature, and the balancing grace of applying natural law. Even with lessons learned, each generation must still earn a republic through application of those lessons to the events of their times.
In today's world we have a tendency to throw away the ideas of the past, thinking modern science can solve all problems. The news reports today show the natural tendency for people to crave the warm security blanket of authoritarian rulers (if they agree with us). These trends are disturbing, for they show people discarding the philosophical lessons (probably never learned and many times purposefully corrupted) of the founders.
So today we must again decide if we want to continue earning our Republic, or throw it away and again come under authoritarian rule...from inside or outside our nation. The threat is real, and only the willfully ignorant can't see it.
Time to go pray for our nation and its people...that the light of freedom ignite in our souls once more.
-ehw
The evening food adventure
Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse
We went on a nice food adventure this evening to Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse this evening. This is the Inwood Road location in Dallas, Texas. The manager even helped me to get a few behind the scenes shots in real quick. Food was good, and the company nice. Nice Americana feel to the restaurant, and the warm dry evening made it a wonderful night to sit and eat in the open air. Again the people of Texas keep being pretty nice to me! That is a huge blessing in today's day and age where meeting people can be a business full of bruises.
The Knife selection....
The Tea Selection
Old School Seating section...
Open and fun....nice combo for an evening with friends.
-ehw
Ash Wendseday a lifetime ago....
Praying for Divine Mercy
Today Lord you make the perfect sacrifice for me a sinner. I know you offer grace freely if I but ask. I know I must accept justice for my sins against my fellow man and your creation. I know my sacrifices here can never be as perfect as your was in antonement for my sins. So I humbly beg for your Devine Mercy, to which I am not entitled but can only receive through your devine will.
I also ask you provide this final gift to the all souls in purgatory...so they can participate in glory of the eternal mass in heaven today.
St. Faustina pray for us!
-ehw
And so it begins...the Triduum
The commisioning of priests and institution of the Eucharist...two great gifts
The beauty of Holy Thursday never escapes me Last night as even more beautiful because of the lessons taught to me by so many God seeking people over the last year. Lessons from people who past over 1800 years ago, and lessons from those living amongst us now filled my mind, heart and warmed my soul as we heard the liturgy of the word and celebrated the liturgy of the Eucharist
Father Tri, of St Brigid Catholic Church, reminded us the story of each life is what makes the church breathe the world. The story each life brings to the church helps pass on its's lessons and beauty from generation to generation These stories allow the priesthood of the family to connect with the priesthood of the Church. To make this occur we all must listen, observe and react to the wisdom of God as it works its way into our lives throug everyone around us.
The Holy Eurcharist is the foretaste of heaven, the perfect mana, needed to nourish our souls with the grace to navigate e challenges of a fallen world. When taken in concert with reconciliation it enables us to stay on the path to heaven. It keeps Christ within our very blood...commingling a bit of heaven with our life here on earth..as we go about our day. So when we say take Christ with you wherever you go, if we partake of this holy nurishment we can do exactly that. No other God before or since offered such a gift to mortals. In fact no other God offered to make lowly man part of himself, and join in perfect communion in heaven, for all eternity if we choose to do so.
Pray for our priests that they may lead all souls to heaven. Pray for our priesthood in the family, that each man will be willing to lead their family to the best of their ability to the altar of God. Pray each mother makes their home a place where the stories of old, new and the future will enable The word of God to reach fertile ears and move those souls to Christ. Pray for the religious, that by their concerted life they make offerings the rest of us cannot for the salvation of the world.
So let us begin our Triduum journey, and honor the sacrifices made to bring us all the way to heaven.
-ehw
Kalen helping bring the gifts forward with our Decon in formation Randy Ortiz
My Mom gets her hands on her youngest grandchild
My Childhood Pillar of Faith
Teach us to count up the days that are ours, and we shall come to the heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 from Catholic Online
While reading a great book called The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic, the author postulates a necessary part of raising families of strong faith is a pillar of prayer inside the extended family. This person's prayer can sustain their children, draw grace towards them and be a beacon home to the Lord's wisdom. I closed my eyes, and without any thought saw my mother as my childhood pillar of faith.
I saw my mother with her rosary in hand praying through her asthma attacks when no medicine existed to calm it. I remember her praying when her children encountered challenges to our faith and souls. I always remember her humility when she knew a complex problem exceeded her immediate knowledge, asking the Lord to show her the way through the maze ahead one step at a time through prayer and hard work.
I know she received this the path of prayer from her parents. My Nana told us to pray for the soul needing the ambulance when it raced past her house in Easton, Pennsylvania. My Nana and Pappap said the rosary together every night when I lived with them for their family. So it was generational...and a great gift.
Now the challenge is to be the pillar for my children to remember, and know the way home always starts with humility before the Lord in prayer. Until I get it all right I will know my Mom has me covered...
-ehw
A Lesson in Forgiveness for Thanksgiving
A few weeks ago a most incredible person told me a story, a story of forgiveness which humbled me. The story goes something like this...
Years ago this person suffered a great injustice at the hands of another. Bonds of trust broke, and a relationship broke into pieces. The breakup effected more than the two inside the relationship. The shattered relationship hurt many others, and still does to this day. Defenses went up to prevent additional pain, but the grace of forgiveness remained open to the offender. Not only does forgiveness flow, the offender gets prayers and encouragement to return to the church and obtain salvation from the victim!
I suffered a few injustices in my life, and I will admit my pride gets the best of me from time to time when the wound resurfaces. When I asked the person, their response was "To hold on to the anger and hate is to condemn your own soul to Hell. We can only move forward to Christ when we release the hate and let it fade away. We can only achieve heaven when we wish for those who harmed to repent and join us again on the path to heaven."
I prayed about this on a few nights since I heard this sermon of word and deed. I realized how much more I need to grow as a person to reach this type of holiness...and I hope I can imitate their example with a few more years of practice. Until then, I'll also pray this incredible person continues to show people like me the true path of Christ in this fallen world.
-ehw
P.S. The photo is of Kellie at the Antiedam Battlefield Museum. It was a wonderful moment to watch her enjoy flowers, amidst the stories of war. It reminded me of the decades it took to heal the wounds from the Civil War, and the lesson above being the path towards reconciliation.
Going Home And Memories of Foreign Friends
Chapel at the Might Eighth Air Force in Savannah Georgia.
Read MoreSo Others May Live
So others may live
Read MoreFall and Hope
Each fall I get very reflective on my mortality. I see my passing life like the leaves. I hope and pray my colors will be strong and bold for the Lord when my time comes to pass to the next phase of life.
God does things mysteriously to us mere mortals. This week I witnessed a testimony of faith from men and women of amazing power as we lifted up others in prayer. I felt the sting of arrows of despair when evil crossed my path. I heard the wisdom of the Lord written down over a period of three thousand years from his disciples across the ages, and found hope to deflect the disparaging arrows in the Divine Office. I also received a gift to help my discernment on future missions to advance the Lord's intentions with the gifts he entrusted to me.
The week still has time to go, but it is giving me much to ponder and wonder about in the awe of his Grace. God is good all the time. I hope my ability to see his works, and those of evil trying to tear us apart, will help my colors shine brightly for him all my days here and the hereafter.
-ehw
Where is the blog?
A few people asked me why the blog posts slowed down. So I thought I would address that this morning since I've blogged more than ever the last few months! I support two important activities for my children (outside of paying the bills and homeschooling): Blue Knights and First Lego League.
Blue Knights is a boys evangelization effort I run with some willing and faith filled Dads. I am the head coordinator this year for both our year groups, and my friend Les (John Paul's Godfather) runs the first years. I am very happy to report three other friends are very excited and participating as well...one runs the before meeting games and the two new dads are digging into the program very quickly. This effort is time consuming though. We have one template meeting a month, and the second I have to brainstorm inside the program objectives. Between the meetings my sons and I work on the evangelization questions, daily prayer, and a few craft projects. The work is worth it when you see all the boys light up hearing about the great lives of our saints and teaching of our church.
The second major activity is the Darebot First Lego League team. Les runs this group, and I am one of two dedicated assistant coaches. During the fall and winter we can meet two to three times a week for several hours to prepare for the competition. I am helping build out the project and team building aspects of the competition. Thankfully Les is a great coach for the kids, and I just have to keep up.
For both activities I run separate Wordpress blogs. You can view them and see all the fun events and activities yourself. It is where life is on display, and some pretty fun street & documentary photography! Here are the sights! Darebots and St Michael's Blue Knights
So the next time you wonder where are the pretty pictures trees, flowers, Americana, and grace you've come to expect regularly...just know they go on in two different venues. I'll keep pushing on here the best I can as well!