First the invite.

Saturday is the Great American Cleanup, a national day of spring cleaning.  For the 3rd year a group of us from Holy Cross Lutheran are going to be working for a few hours in the Frances Slocum neighborhood of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

You are welcome to join us.  8:45 at Klug Park, then we will form a couple of teams to clean up  and return to the park by noon for a hot dog lunch.

There are actually two groups meeting at the park.  The Holy Cross team will be at the Southeast corner, at the top of the hill.  Contact me for info.

The other reflections have to do with an unexpected family event that occurred this month.

On Wednesday May 6th, my wife and I got word that her 1st husband  had died.  Dwight Troue was his name and he was in decent health everyone thought.  He lived in nearby Huntington, Indiana and went for a bike ride and crashed into some mailboxes.  It is believed that his heart gave out and he lost control of his bicycle.

That night, my stepdaughter Abby and her husband and two little boys came to town to be with us from Iowa.  We gathered with my stepson Ian and oldest grandson Jake, told stories and started preparing for a funeral.  I actually had very little except a small supporting role to play.

Other family pitched in, as my daughter Rachael and family drove up to babysit at our home.

Dwight was just 66 and besides being the dad to my step-kids, he was also a friend, despite the potential awkward relationship due to us both having been married to the same woman.  Dwight and I attended kids events together and both my wife and I have strived to have decent relationships with our ex’s.  It works better for all involved including the kids.

 

Abby & her Dad at her wedding doing the Father/Daughter dance

Abby & her Dad at her wedding doing the Father/Daughter dance

It seems like just a few years ago that my own parents passed away and it puts a different perspective on your life.

Make the most of it.  Connect with others.  Help others.  And like I said at the beginning, you can join us Saturday and do just that.