Friday Recap - Part 2

I'm continuing on with my recap of my big tourist day on Friday. After crossing the Ohio River on the Augusta Ferry, we were in the downtown historic area in Augusta, Kentucky and ready for our next tourist stop.

Rosemary Clooney Museum - The Rosemary Clooney House is owned by Dr. Steve Henry, former KY Lt. Gov., and his wife, Heather French Henry, former Miss America (who was born in Augusta). The museum was established to preserve Rosemary Clooney's house, to open it to the public and to house memorabilia from her life and career.

Starting in 1980 Rosemary began calling Augusta's 106 Riverside Drive home. Located on the banks of the Ohio River in historical Augusta, KY, this was her retreat from the demands of her career and a haven for rest between performances all over the world.
The house is a beautiful Federal style home. I think I was most surprised by how small it was. Knowing that Rosemary Clooney owned a huge mansion in Beverly Hills, her house in Augusta was tiny in comparison. The house has just two bedrooms that are not very big. In fact, they have Rosemary's big brass bed in her former bedroom and it took up half the room.

• The house is filled with all kinds of memorabilia from Rosemary Clooney's life including:
• childhood photos from her years in Maysville, KY
• the largest collection of White Christmas memorabilia anywhere in the world
• costumes worn by Bing, Bob, Vera, and Rosemary, as well as sketches by Edith Head and Bob Mackie for designs worn by Rosemary including the iconic red dress with white fur muff that Rosemary wore in White Christmas
• building materials from the demolition of her mansion at 1019 Roxbury Drive in Beverly Hills

  Our tour guide was a hoot. She talked almost non-stop. She has lived in Augusta for over fifty years and seemed to know all about Rosemary, her family, and career. She shared some behind the scenes stories about Rosemary's personal life and relationships.

The museum also includes a bunch of memorabilia from movies that George Clooney has stared in or directed. His costumes from Up in the Air and Leatherheads are on display as well as a bunch of his movie posters.

You can check out the Rosemary Clooney Museum at http://www.rosemaryclooney.org/index.html

The Parkview Country Inn - After spending time at Rosemary's place, we were hungry and ready for lunch. My friend Roslyn recommended that we try the lunch buffet at the Parkview Country Inn. The Parkview Country Inn was constructed in the early 1800's. The Inn originally included a tavern. The tavern area is now the main lobby and sitting area. The Inn is operated as a bed and breakfast.
The lunch buffet was quite tasty. We even splurged and ordered dessert. I had black raspberry cobbler with ice cream. It was delicious! Over lunch we laughed and visited and Mari and Roslyn got to know one another better.
When we came out of the Inn, we had a little excitement in trying to get out of town to our next destination. They were getting ready for Augusta's Heritage Days Festival and they had the road blocked off by vehicles in one direction and by barricades in the other. We narrowly escaped being trapped in Augusta forever by sneaking down an alley and cutting through a parking lot and then we were on our way.
You can check out the Parkview Country Inn at http://parkviewcountryinn.com/

Maysville, Kentucky - We moved on down the road next to Maysville, Kentucky. Maysville is another beautiful historic river town along the Ohio. The architecture is amazing. I am in awe of how many of the historic buildings had been and are being restored. The downtown area is like stepping back in time. I could hardly take it all in.
According to Wikipedia frontiersman Simon Kenton made the first settlement in the area in 1775 but was forced out by the western battles of the American Revolution. Returning in 1784, Kenton built a blockhouse at the site of Maysville and founded Kenton's Station (frontier fort) at a site three miles (5 km) inland. Kenton met new settlers at Limestone, as the landing place was called, and escorted them inland to his station. In 1786 the village which grew up near Kenton's Station was established by act of the Virginia General Assembly as the town of Washington. By this time John May had acquired the land at Limestone and Daniel Boone established a trading post and tavern there. In 1787 the little settlement was incorporated as Maysville, though the name Limestone persisted well into the 19th century.

Maysville was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. The abolitionist author Harriet Beecher Stowe visited the area in 1833 and witnessed a slave auction in front of the county court house in Washington, Kentucky. Stowe included the scene in her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, published in 1852.

I wish we would have been able to spend more time in Maysville walking around the historic district. It's definitely some place that I want to visit again. You can learn more about Maysville at http://www.cityofmaysville.com/

Ripley, Ohio - We crossed the Ohio River again on the William H. Harsha Bridge which is a huge suspension bridge that is quite impressive. Once we crossed the river, we headed west again along the river towards Ripley, Ohio.
Colonel James Poage, a veteran of the American Revolution, arrived in the free state of Ohio from Staunton, Virginia in 1804 to claim the 1000 acres he had been granted in what was then the Virginia Military District. Poage was among a large group of veterans who received land grants beyond the Ohio for their service and freed their slaves when they settled there. Poage and his family laid out the town of Staunton in 1812; it was renamed in 1816 to honor General Eleazar Wheelock Ripley, an American officer of the War of 1812.

The proximity of the river and of the slave state of Kentucky on the opposite shore led to Ripley's role as an early stop on the Underground Railroad, a network of citizens helping slaves escape north to freedom. A number of prominent abolitionists lived in the town in the 1800s, mainly on Front Street near the river, including John Rankin, former slave John Parker, Thomas McCague, Thomas Collins and Dr. Alexander Campbell.
You can learn more about the history of Ripley at http://www.ripleyohio.net/

Rankin House - When we arrived in Ripley, we drove up the steep hill overlooking the town and Ohio River and arrived at the Rankin House. A National Historic Landmark, this was the home of Presbyterian minister John Rankin who is reputed to have been one of Ohio's first and most active "conductors" on the Underground Railroad. In addition, he wrote Letters on American Slavery, first published in book form in 1826, and among the first clearly articulated antislavery views printed west of the Appalachians. Letters on American Slavery became standard reading for abolitionists all over the United States by the 1830s. From 1822 to 1865, Rankin, along with his wife and children, assisted hundreds of escaped slaves in their trek to freedom. Located on the Ohio River, John Rankin's home (and Ripley, Ohio in general) were considered one of the first stations on this route of the Underground Railroad. It was here that Harriet Beecher Stowe heard the escaping slave's story which became the basis for part of her famous work, Uncle Tom's Cabin. John Parker, a Ripley abolitionist and former slave who was active in the Underground Railroad, wrote of Rankin, "At times attacked on all sides by masters seeking their slaves, [John Rankin and his sons] beat back their assailant, and held its threshold unsullied. A lighted candle stood as a beacon which could be seen from across the river, and like the north star was the guide to the fleeing slave." (see photo above)
Visiting the Rankin House was like standing on holy ground for me. I kept thinking about all of those who climbed that steep hill in their quest for freedom from oppression. I thought about the Rankin family and all those who risked their lives to help escaped slaves. Slavery is certainly the most vial institution ever conceived and we need to have landmarks like the Rankin House to remind us how far we have come as a nation and that there are still people today longing for freedom in our world.
You can learn more about the Rankin House at http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/sw14/index.shtml

Parker House - John Parker (1827-1900), a former slave, lived in this house, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark, from about 1853 until his death, and from this location planned many rescue attempts of slaves held captive in the "borderlands" of Kentucky. Born a slave in Norfolk, Virginia, Parker was sold at the age of eight to a doctor in Mobile, Alabama. The doctor's family taught Parker to read and write and allowed him to apprentice in an iron foundry where he was compensated and permitted to keep some of his earnings. Persuading an elderly female patient of the doctor's to purchase him, Parker, at the age of 18, bought his freedom from the woman with money earned from his apprenticeship. Parker moved to southern Ohio and around 1853 established a successful foundry behind his home in Ripley. Patenting a number of inventions from his foundry, Parker was one of only a few African Americans to obtain a U.S. patent in the 19th century. Though busy with his business, Parker was also active in the Underground Railroad and is believed to have assisted many slaves to escape from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River. Parker, who was well-known by regional slave-catchers, risked his own life when he secreted himself back into slave territory to lead fugitive slaves to safety in Ripley. Once the slaves were in Ripley, Parker would deliver them to Underground Railroad conductors in the town, such as John Rankin, who would harbor the fugitive slaves and help them to the next depot on the network. In the 1880s, Parker recounted his life as an Underground Railroad conductor in a series of interviews with journalist Frank M. Gregg. These interviews have recently been edited by Stuart Seely Sprague and published as His Promised Land: The Autobiography of John P. Parker Former Slave and Conductor on the Underground Railroad.
We had a great docent at the Parker House. He really knew all of the history and gave us a complete account of Parker's life. You can learn more about the Parker House at http://johnparkerhouse.org/

After our visit to the Parker House, we headed home. It was a long but really good day full of laughter, good friends, good food, and great American history. I am so grateful to Roslyn for doing all of the research before our trip and for driving us around. It was truly a day of blessings.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Friday Recap

After getting a good night's sleep last night, I am ready to go for another day. I don't know what we plan to do yet. We may just be lazy, watch movies, and try to stay cool.
Here's a recap of our activities yesterday along with some color commentary:

Maple Creek Artisan School - My friend Roslyn said that she had seen a sign for an artisan school and always wanted to check it out. So, on our way to our other stops, when she saw the sign, we turned down the road. We drove down a winding country road through a rather dense forest. I wondered as we drove along what in the world and who in the world could be living back in this woods. I told Roslyn and Mari and I was not really interested in joining some secret cult back in the woods. Who knows how many ticks I might get? After about a mile or so we came to a sign that identified Maple Creek Artisan School. It was a large log structure poised on the side of a hill in a beautiful wooded setting. It looked deserted to me so I just figured we would turn around and get the heck out of there before the cult members woke from their slumber and tried to get us to sample their Kool-Aid. But then we saw the sign that said "gallery". So, we decided to get out and see if anyone was around. The sign said they were open but I didn't see any lights on. We got out of the car and moved up the steep sloping walk to the log building. The whole time I was glancing around wondering if the Blair Witch was going to jump out and try to steal my soul. We walked up on the long porch and still no signs of life. There were some pottery pieces on display on rough hewn tables. They were really pretty and I was now feeling disappointed that we couldn't look at the gallery. I looked in the windows and didn't see any lights on. I moved down the porch to the main door and then saw a light on inside. I didn't think the door would be unlocked. Obviously everyone was tired from the night before when the cult members were out in some forest clearing sacrificing animals to some pagan god they worshipped. I thought it would be better if we got in the car and headed back to civilization. However, when I tried the door handle, it turned. I pushed the door in and it swung open and there was a woman holding a broom moving through the large building turning on lights. I wasn't sure at first if the broom was simply a cleaning device or her mode of transportation. She smiled and greeted us and welcomed us to the gallery.
What a treat the gallery was. They had all kinds of stuff on display. Much of it was from their students and other local artists. There was a lot of beautiful pottery. There were wooden bowls and carved figurines. There were some absolutely amazing pieces of furniture. They had rugs and wall hangings and blankets and quilts. There were paintings and photographs. They had some metalwork and handmade walking sticks. It was a huge display and I had a hard time taking it all in.
We also discovered that they offer classes there. Students are able to sell their works in the gallery. They have a regular pottery class in which students can have their works fired in a regular kiln, a gas powered kiln, and once a year they fire pieces in a wood fired kiln. We got to go down into the pottery studio and see some of the things that the students are currently working on.
The main building was constructed from the wood from two dismantled old barns in St. Leon, Indiana. They had photos of the two barns on display. I could see the wonderful care that had been taken to make these old materials useful again in a whole new way. I was most impressed by this.
The mission of the Maple Creek Artisan School is to provide and maintain a traditional arts education community with a focus on nature, fostering new artists and furthering the heritage of Appalachia. If you would like to check them out on the web and or plan a visit there go to http://maplecreekart.com/index.html

Augusta Ferry - We left the artisan school and were back on the road. Roslyn had shared that we were going to cross the Ohio River via ferry. I was excited about this because I've only ever been on a ferry twice in my life and I just think it is so cook that you can park your car on a boat and sail off across the water. Roslyn said we were going to get on the Augusta Ferry which takes you across river to the town of Augusta Kentucky. Just as we pulled into the dock area for the Augusta Ferry, we saw the ferry pulling away. The ferry was about twenty feet off shore and I suggested to Roslyn that she could still make it if she got up enough speed. She evidently didn't think this was a good idea. Of course we were all disappointed but knew that we could probably keep ourselves entertained for the time that the ferry made a round trip back to the dock. Then, we noticed that the ferry seemed to be moving back to the shoreline. Sure enough, the ferry captain was chugging back to get us. He glided back to the dock, dropped the safety cable, and Roslyn drove her car forward and parked on the ferry. We then were able to get out and stand on the deck of the ferry. The Ohio River is beautiful in this stretch. It's wide and as we pulled away from the shore, I looked back to see the rolling hills and ridge line that runs parallel to the river on the Ohio side. We could also see the town of Augusta as we headed across the river. While it was pretty hot yesterday, there was a nice breeze on the river. The ferry docked on the Kentucky shore and we drove off into the historic downtown area of Augusta.

Augusta, Kentucky - The area was part of a Revolutionary War grant by Virginia to Capt. Phillip Buckner, who first visited here in 1781. Buckner returned in 1796 with 40 Virginia families. The Legislature of Kentucky issued its charter on October 2, 1797. At the request of Capt. Buckner, the town trustees were chosen and Buckner deeded them 600 acres of land on which the city is located.
The city was named after Augusta County, Virginia. The city grew quickly and in 1796 became county seat of the Extensive Bracken County Area. The location was moved to Oxford then back to Augusta then finally to Brooksville in 1839 as county seat. The city was home to five separate schools, one private four public. The most famous built was the Augusta College, which served the entire Bracken area until 1887. The college continued to serve the city until October 31, 1896.
The downtown historic district is beautiful. There are homes (some dating back to the 1790's) that line the street along the Ohio River. There are many Federal style buildings as well as Victorian and Antebellum styled homes.
In the last quarter century, Augusta has been best known as the site of three major films: Michner’s Centennial, PBS’ Huckleberry Finn, and Neil Simon’s Lost in Yonkers. Augusta is also the home of the Nick and Nina Clooney family, former home of Rosemary Clooney and Miss America 2000, Heather Renee French Henry. Noted Playwright Stuart Armstrong Walker was raised on Riverside Drive and later patented the portable stage and introduced the individual spotlight system used in theatres today.
As we drove off the ferry and along the river front street and looked at the amazingly well preserved historic architecture, it felt like we were being transported back in time. You can learn more about Augusta at their website: http://www.augustaky.com/

To be continued tomorrow. . . . Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Vacation Activities

My friend Mari made it into town this morning. We had a nice day. We went to the public library in Hamilton and checked out a couple of movies to watch over the weekend. After lunch we then spent the afternoon at Ikea and a local used bookstore. After eating supper, we took a short walk to burn off a few calories and then settled in to watch a movie.
Tomorrow we are off to be tourists. We are going to meet up with my friend Roslyn. The three of us are going to visit historic sites in the area related to the Underground Railroad including some old mansions where fugitive slaves found refuge after crossing the Ohio River. We also plan to cross the river on a ferry and visit the town of Augusta, Kentucky. From the research I've done, it looks like Augusta is a small river town and has some shops that we will probably wander through. I also discovered that Augusta has a museum dedicated to the life and career of Rosemary Clooney. Also, this is the town in which George Clooney grew up. Who knows, maybe we will catch a glimpse of George wandering the town as he takes a break from his busy film career. I don't think I will hold my breath on this but I guess anything is possible.
It looks like it's going to be a fun day. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

HONK

I went to Northern Kentucky this morning for a meeting with some staff of an organization called Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky or HONK. HONK has a similar mission to Habitat for Humanity in that they work with low income families to help them to become home ownership. The model and means are a bit different that Habitat but the goal is essentially the same.

HONK is a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing solutions through rent-to-own programs, offering faith, education, and support to low-income members of the Northern Kentucky community.
HONK rehabilitates properties in the Northern Kentucky region, though economic factors have led the organization to heavily invest in Campbell, Kenton & Boone counties, with special emphasis on the urban core.
With the support of our volunteers and partners, Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky builds and rehabilitates homes in the community, preparing them for participants of our home ownership program.
Once accepted to the program, HONK begins to work with applicants to determine their housing needs, at which time a lease agreement is made between the two parties. The lease phase lasts for 2-3 years, and includes credit counseling, education, and support, with a portion of the monthly rent going toward the future homeowner’s down payment on the home.
Upon successful completion of the program, HONK agrees to sell and the participant agrees to purchase the property.
We are hoping that TriState Habitat for Humanity and HONK can somehow work together in the future since we both have similar goals and work with a similar population.
I am grateful for the meeting we had today. I always enjoy hearing about what God is already doing in the communities in which TriState Habitat for Humanity serves. I am also always very excited when I discover people with a similar purpose and vision who feel called to serve those living in poverty in our world.
If you'd like to learn more about HONK, you can check out their website at: http://www.honkhomes.org
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

A Wonderful Day

Today was a wonderful day! I wasn't sure how it was going to go when I woke up this morning. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night and I had a hard time prying myself from beneath the covers when my alarm clock went off. However, I got moving and thanked God for the sunny cool morning as I headed to Northern Kentucky for the wall raising service for one of our Habitat Partner Families.
The wall raising service was great. We had a lot of people including groups from a local Firestone plant and a Catholic high school. This week is also National WomenBuild Week for Habitat for Humanity International. It's the week when women are encouraged to volunteer with Habitat and participate in our mission of ending poverty housing in the world.
The Partner Family was so excited as we raised the walls. The mother especially got a bit choked up when she was thanking everyone. She offered gratitude to God, to her church, to her family, and to everyone gathered there for helping to make her dream of home ownership a reality. I must admit that I got a bit teary-eyed when she began to speak. I have the humbling honor of knowing a lot more of the details of families' stories and this family, like many of our families, has had a rough road. So, today was a huge milestone and a great day of celebration.
This afternoon I attended a workshop in Springboro, Ohio that focused on how to get published. It was a good class. I think I come away from the workshop feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole idea of publishing my writing. I don't know if I have what it takes to really do it. I enjoy writing but one of the points that the presenter really drove home was that publishing is a business and to get published you have to think like a business person. That is hard for me to do when it comes to my writing. It is very personal and hard to think about like a commodity to be bought and sold. I know that's what the reality is. I just don't know if I have the energy and entrepreneurial spirit to take the next step. I guess this is something I need to really pray about.
I'm really looking forward to attending my church tomorrow. I also am looking forward to spending some time with my family for Mother's Day and my nephew Cameron's birthday.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Busy Weekend Ahead

I am hoping that sometime soon I am going to have a nice quiet weekend with absolutely nothing to do. This will not be one of those weekends. Instead, my weekend is full of activity.
Tomorrow I'm attending a wall raising service for one of our Habitat Partner Families in Northern Kentucky. It looks like the weather is going to cooperate and the rain will hold off in the morning. I am looking forward to this day. This is the first family that I worked with through the entire process since I've been with TriState Habitat for Humanity. We had other families approved or who were already in process when I started with THFH but this family is the first family that I did the initial application review, worked with them to get their application complete, and then finally saw their application approved by the Board of Directors. So, this will be a very special day for me.
In the afternoon I am planning to attend a writing workshop in Springboro, Ohio. The workshop is led by an author who is supposed to take class participants through the steps of getting a book published. I am looking forward to being a part of this. I think some of my writing class participants are going to attend the workshop.
On Sunday, my family has a two big celebrations. Of course, it's Mother's Day and I will get to spend some time with my Mom. Also, Sunday is my nephew Cameron's eighth birthday. It's hard to believe he's eight-years-old. It will be fun to celebrate with him and my family.
I am also really excited to be able to get back to my church. I have not been able to attend for the past three weeks and I really miss it. I am looking forward to the worship service.
I know there are probably a lot of people who have busier schedules than I do, but for me this will be a lot. This is especially true since I would like to just nap and watch Netflix. Oh well. Let the weekend begin! Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Busy Day

Today was busy day for me. It started out very quiet at work. In fact, I was the only one in the office for about the first hour. There were only three of us in the office today. I went to Northern Kentucky for a meeting with a family in Newport, Kentucky. They got to choose their carpeting, siding, shingles, etc. On the drive back, I saw a lot of people drinking and wearing green for St. Patrick's Day at an Irish Pub in Newport. I then came back to the office and worked on preparing a report for our Family Services Committee to review. I am hoping to be able to get another family approved for our home ownership program in the next few weeks.
Tomorrow looks to be a busy day as well. I'm heading out of town on Monday and so I need to wrap up a bunch of stuff before I leave. I am really excited because next week I will be in Atlanta for the national Habitat for Humanity Conference. I've been to state conferences before but never the national conference. I am looking forward to attending the many workshops and learning from leaders from around the country.
I've also got a busy weekend ahead of me. I'm going with my family to a Christian concert tomorrow night. On Saturday, Karen and I plan to walk eleven miles. After that, I've got to do laundry and pack for the trip to Atlanta.
It's going to be a busy few days. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

8.2

Today has been a good day. I started off the day walking with my friend Karen in training for the half-marathon. According to the schedule, we were supposed to walk 7 miles. However, due to a glitch with Karen's pedometer, we ended up walking 8.2 miles. I didn't know if I could do it but I am proud to say I did it and lived to tell about it.
It was a beautiful morning to walk. The sun was shining. It was a bit chilly first thing this morning but warmed up very nicely. Karen and I decided to walk on a local bike/walking trail. I think it on the route of an old train track. It was really nice. We walked through open woods, near an industrial park, along a farm field, and over some creeks. It helped to have so much variety and to have my faithful walking partner with me.
This next week we walk four miles on Tuesday and Thursday and eight miles next Saturday. I keep thinking I'm going to reach a limit and not be able to go on any further, but so far that hasn't happened.
This evening, Karen and I met up with scrap booking gang. My brother-in-law Rob and my nephews Michael and Cameron also joined us. We went to a really good Mexican restaurant in Northern Kentucky. We laughed a lot. It was so good to catch up with everyone. I am grateful for the time we had together.
It's only 10:00 PM as I'm typing this, but I think I am not far from bed. It's been a great day but I didn't get to take a nap this afternoon. I was trying to keep up with my laundry. I am looking forward to church tomorrow and then having Monday off from work.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

The Big Scrap Booking Weekend

What do you talk about when you have a thirteen boy riding in your car? Not much. Especially when he has his iPod blasting in his ears.
This was my experience tonight as I drove my nephew Michael from Northern Kentucky to my brother-in-law Rob and sister Stacey's house. Michael is going to spend the weekend with his Uncle Rob and cousin Cameron while my sisters are participating in a scrap booking weekend. Michael seemed excited to get to Uncle Rob's house. Uncle Kevin is not nearly as exciting as Uncle Rob. Uncle Rob has cable television and an X-Box. Uncle Kevin has neither of these things.
I tried to start a conversation with Michael by asking him if he had seen any good movies lately. He told me he had seen the Green Hornet. He asked me what movie I had seen most recently. I told him The King's Speech. He asked me if this was in black and white. I said "no". Michael then turned up his iPod volume and I turned on the radio.
It was good to see my sisters and the other women who are scrap booking this weekend. They do this every year over the President's Day weekend. I must say, these people are pretty hard-core about their scrap booking. I took Shelly's scrapbook stuff down in the basement of the house where they are staying and I was a bit overwhelmed. Everyone has a table and all kinds of stuff laying out on their tables. There was a lot of colored paper and whatever else they use to scrapbook. They also all have matching cups which adds to the cult-like atmosphere of the weekend. It sounds like everyone is having a good time so far.
My friend Karen and I are meeting the group for dinner tomorrow night. At least I'm hoping we make it to dinner. Tomorrow we walk seven miles as a part of our half-marathon training. I hope that I make it through that and will not need to make a trip to the hospital. Karen and I plan to walk outside. It's supposed to be a bit chilly in the morning but not too bad. I definitely think a nap will be a part of my afternoon tomorrow.
I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Road Trip to Northern Kentucky

I went on a road trip to Northern Kentucky today. I had a meeting with one of our Habitat Partner Families. We hope to be starting construction on this family's house this spring. The purpose of the meeting was so that the future home owner could choose a siding color, carpet color, kitchen counter top, and vinyl flooring. This is always a neat meeting for me. It's an opportunity to touch base with the family before things get really busy with the construction process. It's also wonderful to witness a family who has never been able to make such choices about their home do so for the first time. It can be a bit overwhelming for many families. Often times they bring friends or family members with them to help them in their decision making. I usually just sit back and try to take it all in. Sometimes the family knows exactly what they want and the meeting is really brief. Other times it takes a very long time. The longest meeting like this I attended lasted about two hours. I was glad when that one was over.I've got another meeting like this with a family next week and I am in the process of scheduling a few more before we get into the construction season.
This is a fun time of the year for me. While it means some extra work and takes me out of the office quite a bit, it is really fun for me. I always love any time I get to spend with our Habitat Partner Families. They always seem to inspire me and remind me of why I'm doing what I do. It's another step closer for each family to move from poverty housing to a safe, decent, affordable home of their own.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

The Blessings of New Homes

I participated in two house dedication services today for Habitat Partner Families. One was in Lebanon, Ohio and the other in Florence, Kentucky. Both had similar elements and structures and yet each service also had some very distinct differences. As I drove home from Florence, Kentucky after the second service, I began to reflect on these two services and how thankful I was for the diversity of human spiritual expressions and experiences.
At the first house dedication service in Lebanon, Ohio, an Episcopal priest was on had to bless the house. When I walked in one of the bedrooms before the service, he was just putting on his liturgical robes over his long black cassock. At first I thought he was a Catholic priest until I saw the program.
During the service, the priest did a multi-part blessing of the house. He opened with a prayer of blessing. Then he invited us all to follow him outside where we all gathered on the driveway. He had incense burning and he swung it around as he began to lead us in a procession down the driveway and then up the sidewalk back inside the house. Before the procession he invited everyone to touch the doorpost of the home as they re-entered the house and at the same time say a prayer of blessing for the house and for the family who will reside there.
For me, this was a different and wonderful experience. I have never experienced a house blessing with incense or a procession. Usually most house blessings are an informal or printed prayer. However, this simple liturgical act had great meaning for me. I found myself experiencing blessing as I sought to pray for blessing upon the home and the Partner Family.
As I touched the doorpost, I remembered other doorposts that I have touched and passed through. I thought about the house on Linden Avenue in Mishawaka, Indiana in which I grew up and how many times I must have touched those doorposts. My guess is that there would be a way to still lift some of my DNA from the walls or doorposts of that home. I also thought of the various places that I have lived since I left my boyhood home. From my first dorm room at Ball State to the parsonages that I lived in during my ministry. All were places where I lived and grew in my knowledge of God. All were places that offered me shelter and blessed me even when I didn't feel very blessed. All were places in which I found rest and renewal in life. These were places in which I slept and stayed up talking late into the night with friends.
So, while both house dedications services were great in their own way. I really am grateful for the first one this morning. It renewed me and caused me to reflect. In this simple act of passing through a doorway, I found myself being blessed by the God Who walks with me and continues to prepare a home for me for all eternity.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Another Family Recruitment Event

Today I attended another family recruitment event in Middletown, Ohio. It was sponsored by the Butler County Head Start program. The usual suspects were there representing several of the area social service agencies. In fact, I recognized some of the people from yesterday's event with the 300 pregnant women.
Today's event caused new anxieties for me. I never got the memo but this health fair had a Hawaiian theme. The tables were decorated with bright green plastic table cloths and they had helium Mylar balloons that looked like palm trees and Hawaiian shirts. In addition to this, a man was there who tried to engage the children in music. He had a box of rhythm instruments that he allowed the children to play. For about fifteen minutes the man led the children around the room with the instruments in a kind of conga line. It was very loud and looked somewhat sticky from where I sat.
The guy who brought the instruments also brought a stereo that was loud enough to fill the gym in which the event was held. He kept playing the same three songs over and over again: a Calypso song, Bang the Drum All Day, and One Love by Bob Marley. These three songs were on a continuous loop of play for over two hours. I can honestly say that I don't want to hear any of those songs again for quite some time.
This event was not nearly as fruitful for Habitat. We only had one request for an application compared to 48 requests yesterday. I'm not sure what the difference is. There were definitely not as many people at this event. However, I was glad that at least one family showed an interest in our program.
Tomorrow is a big day for TriState Habitat for Humanity. We have two house dedications. One in the morning in Lebanon, Ohio and one in Florence, Kentucky in the afternoon. I am looking forward to participating in both events. These are always times of great celebration in the life of our affiliate.
On Sunday, I will be recognized at one of the morning worship services in my new church home. While I can't take membership vows in a local church, I will be introduced to my new church family. I am looking forward to this morning.
I also am looking forward to the coming week. I'm taking some vacation time and will be headed to St. Louis, Missouri to visit with my friends Ian and Sheri for the week of Thanksgiving. I am ready for a break from work and looking forward to spending time with my friends.
I hope you have a great weekend. Thanks for being a part of my journey!

House Dedication

Today I participated in a house dedication for one of our TriState Habitat for Humanity Partner Families in Florence, Kentucky. It was a wonderful experience. The house was sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans who provided many of the volunteers as well as financial support.
No matter how many times I participate in house dedications, I still get goose bumps whenever I see families receive the keys to their new home. For me, this is payday. This is a transformational moment of hope and grace. It's the moment when the dreams of a family living in poverty housing meet the reality of love in action made possible through the mission and ministry of Habitat for Humanity.
There are prayers and blessings and the presentation of a Bible to every family. There are thank yous and well wishes and often times food. It's a time to pause and recognize what God has accomplished through the time, gifts, and talents of the people of God.
I absolutely love this work. I feel that all that has come before was preparation for what I do now. This for me is life-changing ministry. Working with the poor fills me up and challenges me to reflect God's heart for the least of these in our world. I thank God every day that God has led me to this place for such a time as this.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Writer's Date Night

After a really crazy and busy week at work, I decided to treat myself to my writer's date night tonight. I came home and didn't want to think or do anything too taxing. I simply wanted to have a very relaxing evening watching one of my Netflix movies. The latest movie I received on DVD was Lawrence of Arabia.
I have been putting off watching this epic film because it's so long - nearly four hours long. I knew little about the film except that it was supposed to be visually beautiful to watch. I concur with this. I almost wish I had a chance to watch it on the big screen in the movie theater. I bet it would be stunning.
The story is an interesting one. Lawrence is an odd-ball and seems to finally find a niche in the deserts of Arabia. He helps unite tribes of Arabs against the Turks as the world is at war with itself. Lawrence, a British officer, bucks the lines of authority and begins dressing and acting like an Arab. He rallies a divided people and becomes a heroic figure to them. Yet, throughout the movie he is just a very strange person.
I liked the movie for the cinematography. I don't know that I really cared about the story. It was okay but some of it seemed over the top. Peter O'Toole sometimes seems to be trying way to hard.
Probably one of my favorite parts of the film were it's long periods of hardly any dialogue. This is a movie in which the director was not afraid to let the picture tell the story. And while it's a military movie it's not really an action movie so much as it is an artistic expression of Lawrence's life and times. I don't know how much of the movie accurately represents Lawrence's life, but what it does do is try to show Lawrence with all of his gifts and weaknesses.
I think one of the underlying themes of the movie was that no matter where one goes in the world, his or her home still has a strong attraction. Whatever people consider their home becomes a point of reference. For Lawrence this was England. As much as he said he loved the desert and the Arab people, he still was an Englishman who eventually wound up back in his home country.
I know this same thing is true for me. When people ask me where I am from, I will almost always say Mishawaka, Indiana. It's my hometown but more than that, I feel like it's my home. I don't own property there. I have no family there except for some cousins. Most of my friends no longer live there but it still is a place that I call home. No matter where I go, I still see Mishawaka as home.
Well, I'd better get to bed. It's late and I have a big day tomorrow. We have a house dedication service in the morning in Florence, Kentucky. It's going to be a wonderful celebration and a great day for the family and for TriState Habitat for Humanity.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Wonderful Story

Here's a cool story that went out in TriState Habitat for Humanity's e-newsletter. It's a wonderful story of one of our home owners who paid off her mortgage. I'm in awe of this woman's story and journey and I thought I would share it with you.

On September 10, 2010, TriState Habitat for Humanity homeowner Ernestine Givens made her last payment on a 20 year mortgage after only 15 years. “I felt so happy! I said: ‘Thank God!’ Hard work, prayer, and focusing on what was really important paid off”.

What is important to Ernestine is obvious when you look around her home and talk to her - family. Family is the reason why she first became a Habitat homeowner and family is why she made the sacrifices and choices she did.
High Street Baptist Church, Pastor Ron Stuart, Cindy and Bernie Showman, Diane McClain, Craig Ledford, and Pat Wilkerson were just a few of the people who encouraged Ernestine, a former Sunday School teacher at High Street Baptist Church to apply for a Habitat home. They witnessed first hand the servant in her when she gained custody of her two nephews and changed her life to suit theirs and all the other children and family members that followed.
In July of 1994 on a lot where Monroe Elementary School once stood, a groundbreaking ceremony was held. Through her own sweat equity, dedicated volunteers, former Mayor Chuck Furman, and fellow church members, 1248 Lane Street was built. Hers was the first house on the block. Now, 16 years later, a mortgage has been paid off in advance. When we asked Ernestine how she was able to accomplish this when foreclosures are at an all-time high, she said “I would pay a little more each time.” Her philosophy was “why spend money on something you don’t need when something so much more important is at stake? Owning my own home and having a place to share with family and friends is a blessing. I did what I had to do to fight through the challenges, and here I am!”
A scrapbook Ernestine has kept over the years tells the story of her Habitat journey and serves as a precious reminder of the many people who have crossed her path and whose lives she has touched. It is a symbol of pride of ownership, hard work and determination. There will undoubtedly be a few more pages, pictures, cards, and letters added to that book, along with that final mortgage payment receipt.
This Thanksgiving the home she shares with granddaughters Deontara, Daja, and nephew Cedrick will be filled with family from Virginia, friends, and neighbors celebrating and giving thanks. “Dinner will be the usual, unless someone asks for something special; if they do, I’ll make it”. Family and Faith is everything to Ernestine, and doing for others is what she does best.
 
It's stories like this that inspire me move me forward in the service of our Partner Families. Knowing that tonight families will go to sleep in substandard housing all across the TriState region, I am compelled to give my best to these families as they seek to move from poverty housing to safe, decent, affordable housing. This is some of the most gratifying work that I have ever done.
Well, I'd better be off to bed. It's been a long day and tomorrow will also be long. Things are moving at lightening speed at TriState Habitat for Humanity. We are getting ready to dedicate three houses over the next three weekends - two in Florence, Kentucky and one in Lebanon, Ohio. It's an exciting and bit overwhelming time as I prepare everything for the house dedications and the closings for these three families.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Another Interesting Day at the Office

This is turning out to be a roller coaster week for me and my work with TriState Habitat for Humanity. I must admit that it is never dull work. This morning we found out that our receptionist had to have emergency surgery. She is doing okay but will be out of the office for the rest of the week. When I found this out, I called my friend Karen and she graciously volunteered her time to come and answer the phones for us. She'll also be volunteering tomorrow. This is a huge blessing just to have someone field our incoming calls.
I also am trying to get prepared for our first session of a class for our Partner Families. The class starts tomorrow night and I still need to get some stuff ready for tomorrow. I hope that this will go well. We have a good group signed up for the class. We have a wonderful volunteer who will be leading the class.
I also was blessed to have one of our wonderful Habitat volunteers help me in the office today with a project that seemed a bit overwhelming to me. I had been failing to file some forms that needed to be filed for the past ten months. I had no idea that I needed to file these forms and when I found out, I felt a bit overwhelmed. Well, this wonderful volunteer came in and got a lot of it done this afternoon. That was a big load off of my shoulders.
I continue to find deep meaning in this work and ministry. It is an honor and privilege to work with and on behalf of the poor. I feel that God has led me to this place for such a time as this. Exciting things are happening with our Habitat affiliate. New applications for our home ownership program keep coming in. We are getting ready for another public application meeting in a few weeks. We have more applications in process at this time that at any time since I've been working with TriState Habitat for Humanity. We are very close to finishing two houses in Northern Kentucky. We have three more houses under construction and three more houses that we are getting ready to start. It is truly an amazing and exciting time. Each day families are taking steps to move from living in sub-standard housing to safe decent affordable homes built with love. I continue to thank God for the ministry of TriState Habitat for Humanity.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!

Fun Day with Friends on the Town

I had a fun day today seeing some new sights the Cincinnati area with my friends Karen and Scott. Here's a rundown of our day:

• We first went to Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum in Cincinnati. The cemetery, dating back to 1844, was started by a group of people who were inspired by rural cemeteries outside of Paris, France and Boston, Massachusetts. The group hired Adolph Strauch, a renowned landscape architect of the day, to design the 400 acre cemetery. There are some beautiful Gothic style chapels, ponds, and exotic trees on the grounds of the cemetery. The list of people buried in the cemetery reads like a who's who of Cincinnati. Names like Proctor, Gamble, Taft, and Kroger are engraved into some huge amazing tombstones. There are heads of industry, church leaders, Supreme Court Justices, abolitionists, Civil War generals, politicians, and sports figures all buried in this amazing cemetery. It was a beautiful sight to see. Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum has been listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and designated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark District.
• After the cemetery, we headed over to the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. The building was originally built as a passenger train station. The building is designed in the Art Deco style and was built in 1933. The rotunda of the building features the largest semi-dome in the western hemisphere measuring 180 feet wide and 106 feet high. The rotunda is decorated with huge mosaics depicting local industry. The building is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and has been designated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark. While you can still catch the Amtrak train there, most of the building has been repurposed and houses the Cincinnati History Museum, the Museum of Natural History and Science, an Omnimax Theater, the Cincinnati Historical Society Library, Duke Energy Children's Museum, and the Cincinnati Railroad Club. I also discovered through a little research on Wikipedia that the design of the building inspired the look of the Hall of Justice, the iconic headquarters on the animated series of the 1970s and 1980s, the Superfriends.
• We then drove to the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati. Over-the-Rhine is the largest, most intact urban historic district in the United States. It is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and designated as a U.S. Historic District. It contains the largest collection of Italianate architecture in the United States is an example of an intact 19th century urban neighborhood. The neighborhood was built in the 19th century during a period of extensive German immigration to the Cincinnati area. There is a huge resurgence of development in the area. Many housing developers are coming into the neighborhood and turning many of the old buildings into upscale lofts.
• The reason we went to Over-the-Rhine was to go to Findlay Market in Cincinnati. Findlay Market is the oldest continuously operated public market in the state of Ohio. The Market is also on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It was started in 1852 and built with newest iron framework technology of the day. Findlay Market is open Wednesday through Sunday but the big day for the Market is Saturday when area farmers set up booths to sell their produce. It was a really neat thing to see. I don't know that I have ever been any place quite like it before.
• After the Findlay Market, we headed for lunch at Newport on the Levee which is an urban mall just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati in Newport, Kentucky. We had lunch at Claddah Irish Pub which has become one of my new favorite restaurants in the area. We also checked out an art gallery and a bookstore after lunch.

After all of this activity, we headed back to Scott and Karen's house and Karen and I watched a Netflix movie before I headed home for the evening. It was a full, fun day. I enjoyed getting to know my new home region a little better and seeing some of the great sights of Cincinnati. I'm grateful for time with Karen and Scott. We had a lot of fun together laughing and enjoying one another's company.
Thanks for being a part of my journey!