So in an earlier post, I discussed what I appreciate and value about living in Oak Park, IL. Yet I realize I am not just a resident of this village, but of an entire metropolitan area. It is a quilt composed of a patchwork of varied textiles. I don't think of it as just a homogeneous blob. It's amazing to think of the variety of communities that comprise Chicagoland; even the city of Chicago itself has a variety of neighbors. I can still remember a couple of times when I went from ValpU to my Grandma's house on the north side of Chicago. I traveled over 20 miles, from Forest Glen all the way to Hegewisch, and even with all the neighborhoods in between, I was still in one city.
I enjoy marveling at this variety when looking at a map of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. I marvel even more at those times I have when I can drive around in the physical places.
And that's just what I got to do on a few occasions during this month of September.
When I went to the ValpU event at the Chicago Botanic Garden, I recognized I would be heading enroute to the garden during rush hour. So when planning a route, I opted to use streets to get there, rather than the expressways. I rode up Naragansett and Nagle all the way to Devon, and then wound my way through Niles on Milwaukee, and then got onto Waukegan Road. I passed through Glenview, and then into Northbrook. In following part of the directions Google Maps gave me, I eventually ended up on this street called Sunset Ridge Road, which I took to Skokie Boulevard. It was a lovely two-lane road that passed large homes, accessible only by private drives.
A couple days later, on a Saturday morning, I took my Grandma and Great Aunt to Midway Airport. I started out heading south on the Edens/I-94 freeway, which merged with I-90 and fed onto the Kennedy Expressway. But soon enough, we hit a traffic slowdown, and so I exited, winding my way around a residential neighborhood, and then onto eastbound Irving Park Road. I took that all the way east to Lake Shore Drive, and headed south. The sun was at such an angle in the sky so that Lake Michigan gleamed brilliantly as we passed by high rises and other notable city landmarks. At McCormick Place, I turned onto I-55 (at its terminus) and headed southwestward, through the Southwest Side of Chicago, White Sox territory, along the canal corridor that built up the city. (There were certain points where I could see the CTA Orange Line as well.)
Later that day, I went to the NWS Chicago office open house in Romeoville. After my time there, I went down into Joliet to see a Lincoln Highway mural there and the Route 66 Park. (Joliet has some lovely residential areas that I found myself driving around in.)
While the most expedient route back to Oak Park would have been north on IL 53 and then I-55, I wanted to take a different route. So I went north on IL 53 to Renwick Road and then headed east on a bridge over the Sanitary and Ship Canal and the Des Plaines River into Lockport. I got giddy with excitement as I crossed over the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Heritage Corridor route/Canadian National railroad tracks. I then went up a small hill and turned north on IL 171/State Road, which a short distance north of Lockport became Archer Road. I drove that northeast. I passed through many of the southwest suburbs and their commercial areas. Around 111th Street, I drove onto a two-lane road embedded in a wooded area that is part of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, and at times speed limits were at 50 mph. That was an especially delightful part of the drive. Further along, I passed by Resurrection Cemetery, though I didn't catch any glimpse of Resurrection Mary. I finally ended up in Summit, which is a really fascinating suburb, with its location and housing stock.
What amazing experiences these drives gave me. I was able to pass through so many suburbs and city neighborhoods. It was amazing to see where I was in relation to the grid grounded in Chicago's address system, especially passing north through numbered streets along Archer. This address system extends well beyond Chicago's city limits into the suburbs, and it's cool to see how that plays out as I drive along.
So yes, it's great to have my home in Oak Park, but it's just as wonderful to see that I am in this piece of the large patchwork of Chicagoland.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Confirmation Retreat Take 2
On Saturday, September 24, 2005, three weeks before one of the most important days of my life, my Confirmation, I attended a retreat with all the other Confirmation students in my class as part of our preparation process. During that retreat, I wrote a letter to myself that was mailed to me a year later.
On September 24, 2013, I pulled out that letter again and read it as a reminder to me of what it means to be Confirmed, so that I keep living out my Confirmation.
The next day, I checked my e-mail inbox, and it had a message from Kathleen, Ascension's Director of Religious Education, who, among other duties, oversees the confirmation process. She was looking for volunteers to help facilitate group activities for the upcoming Confirmation retreat, and was extending the offer to all the catechists, of whom I am one. I saw this as a great opportunity to be present to the Confirmands-to-be, and so I e-mailed Kathleen back and said I could help out. While I had other ideas for how to use my time on that Saturday, I had this sense of the Holy Spirit confirming my decision as the right one in the hours after I made it.
So about 8:45 on Saturday morning, I was over at Ascension. I had donned a red shirt for the occasion of interacting with Confirmation students, upon whom soon will be imparted the gift of the Holy Spirit; Kathleen had the same idea. Before 9 AM, I had gotten together with a group of 11 Confirmation students to begin a day full of activities.
The retreat started at the Ascension Parish campus. We went to four different places to learn about different ways of prayer and then go through prayer exercises in that style. David Anderson presented Taize prayer. Kathleen showed the students various website, social media, and other technological resources that can help them engage in prayer. David Phillipart, the Pastoral Associate, gave a presentation on the newly-built walking prayer labrynith out on the Parish Green and walking meditations, in which we took part. And Father Larry talked about Eucharistic benediction.
By 11 AM, according to the tolling of the bells, the participants were on two school buses, headed southwest to the Carmelite Retreat Center in Darien, IL. I had gone to my Confirmation retreat at this place 8 years ago, though at that time, no bus transportation was arranged for us. Upon arriving, there was an icebreaker activity, which led into lunch.
By 1 PM, we gathered in our designated space to begin our first group activity. Kathleen gave each of the 8 groups the story of a saint, most of whom passed away before turning 18. We were to read about the saint, and then the students had to create a poster and then present their saint to the rest of the larger group. My group had Saint Dominic Savio, a precocious young person who showed such devotion to living a holy life and participating in the sacraments, even at a young age, especially in how he exhorted fellow students at his boarding school to live piously. In fact, his story was echoed in all of the saint stories, as they faced struggles in their lives, yet displayed such courage and devotion to God and living holy lives.
Kathleen then gave a presentation. She showed a video from a project called Soul Pancake, which tells the stories of people with terminal illnesses in their last days of life. The video she showed was about a teen named Zach, and how he sought to live life to the fullest, even though he didn't have many months more to live, as he had been diagnosed with cancer that was in his lungs and bones. The students then reflected on what they would want to do when faced with little time left to live. Kathleen then told them some details about his spiritual life, which weren't covered in the video. She said that participating in Confirmation was so important to him, and he prayed earnestly that his blood cell count would be at the right level so that he could attend his Confirmation retreat. He participated in the sacraments earnestly in his time of illness. And near his death, he was so intent on being present as a sponsor for his confirmand that a private ceremony was arranged so he could be present. Kathleen said that the sacraments mean that much to certain people, even those who are near death.
The final group activity involved the students creating a skit to show how a sacrament is lived out in daily life; mine was given baptism.
With that, our time was over at the retreat center. We got back on the buses, and headed back to Ascension, where we participated in Mass as a group.
I was so encouraged and enlivened by doing my part to help out in this retreat. I even learned some things, like the power of the sacraments, in the lives of the saints, and even in our own lives, and ways of prayer, like the labrynith, which again, is something very new, and how I can use it in my own life.
My participation also demonstrated to me my own personal growth. I mean, I was regarded as an adult leader, facilitating activities. It even really meant something to me when the students in my group asked me, "May I go to the washroom?", as it showed that I was looked to as an authority figure by people, most of whom were just 9 years younger than me.
And it was certainly something interesting to be present in the midst of 88 young teens together, to observe how they take all of this in, and watch them interact with each other in doing group acitvities and making presentations. At first, I was a little hesistant in how I would reach out to them. But throughout the time, I kept rising to what my role was all about. I was there to be present as a model of faith. I once came across a resource that said a catechist is one who abides in the way of faith, and shows others to do the same. By the end of the retreat, I felt I had been a good presence in this regard. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that sometimes, we don't fully see the impact of what we do right away, so I may yet have to wait for the fruit to be born. And these young people are on the verge of bearing the fruit of faith.
As I sat at Mass, I often turned and looked around at the whole group of Confirmands, as we were seated in one section in the transept of Church. I couldn't help but keep thinking that these young people represent the future of the Church. They are the ones who are about to complete their formal faith education and initiation into the Church. They are the ones whom God will continually call to take up the work of the Church, namely, the mission He gave us, to love and serve Him and others. How exciting it was to be present to them in the midst of the process by which they come to embrace faith for themselves. How humbling to be a witness of this. And how great it was to join them in prayer on this day.
Veni Sancte Spiritus.
On September 24, 2013, I pulled out that letter again and read it as a reminder to me of what it means to be Confirmed, so that I keep living out my Confirmation.
The next day, I checked my e-mail inbox, and it had a message from Kathleen, Ascension's Director of Religious Education, who, among other duties, oversees the confirmation process. She was looking for volunteers to help facilitate group activities for the upcoming Confirmation retreat, and was extending the offer to all the catechists, of whom I am one. I saw this as a great opportunity to be present to the Confirmands-to-be, and so I e-mailed Kathleen back and said I could help out. While I had other ideas for how to use my time on that Saturday, I had this sense of the Holy Spirit confirming my decision as the right one in the hours after I made it.
So about 8:45 on Saturday morning, I was over at Ascension. I had donned a red shirt for the occasion of interacting with Confirmation students, upon whom soon will be imparted the gift of the Holy Spirit; Kathleen had the same idea. Before 9 AM, I had gotten together with a group of 11 Confirmation students to begin a day full of activities.
The retreat started at the Ascension Parish campus. We went to four different places to learn about different ways of prayer and then go through prayer exercises in that style. David Anderson presented Taize prayer. Kathleen showed the students various website, social media, and other technological resources that can help them engage in prayer. David Phillipart, the Pastoral Associate, gave a presentation on the newly-built walking prayer labrynith out on the Parish Green and walking meditations, in which we took part. And Father Larry talked about Eucharistic benediction.
By 11 AM, according to the tolling of the bells, the participants were on two school buses, headed southwest to the Carmelite Retreat Center in Darien, IL. I had gone to my Confirmation retreat at this place 8 years ago, though at that time, no bus transportation was arranged for us. Upon arriving, there was an icebreaker activity, which led into lunch.
By 1 PM, we gathered in our designated space to begin our first group activity. Kathleen gave each of the 8 groups the story of a saint, most of whom passed away before turning 18. We were to read about the saint, and then the students had to create a poster and then present their saint to the rest of the larger group. My group had Saint Dominic Savio, a precocious young person who showed such devotion to living a holy life and participating in the sacraments, even at a young age, especially in how he exhorted fellow students at his boarding school to live piously. In fact, his story was echoed in all of the saint stories, as they faced struggles in their lives, yet displayed such courage and devotion to God and living holy lives.
Kathleen then gave a presentation. She showed a video from a project called Soul Pancake, which tells the stories of people with terminal illnesses in their last days of life. The video she showed was about a teen named Zach, and how he sought to live life to the fullest, even though he didn't have many months more to live, as he had been diagnosed with cancer that was in his lungs and bones. The students then reflected on what they would want to do when faced with little time left to live. Kathleen then told them some details about his spiritual life, which weren't covered in the video. She said that participating in Confirmation was so important to him, and he prayed earnestly that his blood cell count would be at the right level so that he could attend his Confirmation retreat. He participated in the sacraments earnestly in his time of illness. And near his death, he was so intent on being present as a sponsor for his confirmand that a private ceremony was arranged so he could be present. Kathleen said that the sacraments mean that much to certain people, even those who are near death.
The final group activity involved the students creating a skit to show how a sacrament is lived out in daily life; mine was given baptism.
With that, our time was over at the retreat center. We got back on the buses, and headed back to Ascension, where we participated in Mass as a group.
I was so encouraged and enlivened by doing my part to help out in this retreat. I even learned some things, like the power of the sacraments, in the lives of the saints, and even in our own lives, and ways of prayer, like the labrynith, which again, is something very new, and how I can use it in my own life.
My participation also demonstrated to me my own personal growth. I mean, I was regarded as an adult leader, facilitating activities. It even really meant something to me when the students in my group asked me, "May I go to the washroom?", as it showed that I was looked to as an authority figure by people, most of whom were just 9 years younger than me.
And it was certainly something interesting to be present in the midst of 88 young teens together, to observe how they take all of this in, and watch them interact with each other in doing group acitvities and making presentations. At first, I was a little hesistant in how I would reach out to them. But throughout the time, I kept rising to what my role was all about. I was there to be present as a model of faith. I once came across a resource that said a catechist is one who abides in the way of faith, and shows others to do the same. By the end of the retreat, I felt I had been a good presence in this regard. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that sometimes, we don't fully see the impact of what we do right away, so I may yet have to wait for the fruit to be born. And these young people are on the verge of bearing the fruit of faith.
As I sat at Mass, I often turned and looked around at the whole group of Confirmands, as we were seated in one section in the transept of Church. I couldn't help but keep thinking that these young people represent the future of the Church. They are the ones who are about to complete their formal faith education and initiation into the Church. They are the ones whom God will continually call to take up the work of the Church, namely, the mission He gave us, to love and serve Him and others. How exciting it was to be present to them in the midst of the process by which they come to embrace faith for themselves. How humbling to be a witness of this. And how great it was to join them in prayer on this day.
Veni Sancte Spiritus.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Strengths
I recently participated in a workshop at my home parish called Living Your Strengths. This is a program that started up at Ascension in the past couple of years, as way to engage parishioners in knowing their strengths, with a mind to being able to build up a stronger parish body as a result, based on a curriculum developed by a company.
My Dad participated summer 2012, and he invited me to sign up for it this year. At first, my response was, "I don't have enough excuses to say 'no', but not enough incentive to say 'yes'". But I thought it might be something worth doing as I start a new phase of life.
I initially thought this program was going to be like any other self-improvement program. Yet as soon as I started delving into the materials as part of the tasks to do before the first of two sessions, it was very clear to me that this program was different, and it stuck out to me for one big reason: So often, we seek to make ourselves better as people by overcoming our weaknesses, which can be a major source of guilt, at least in my life. This program was about understanding our strengths, and engaging them as a means of self-improvement, to become the people God created us to be. Indeed, this was no ordinary secular self-improvement program. It was so steeped in spirituality, though in many ways, in can be applied to secular matters.
As part of the program, I completed an online Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment of numerous questions that assessed my personality. While I don't remember any of the questions specifically, I do remember that they were structured in an odd way, like "You enjoy watching television, or You enjoy eating jelly beans", things that didn't seem related, and I had to mark which one more closely aligned with me.
At the end, the StrengthsFinder gave me my top 5 signature themes out of 34 different themes, based on my strengths as determined by the assessment. My five were input, context, connectedness, learner and w.o.o., an acronym for "winning over others". I was struck by how the program recognized qualities in me that other people have pointed out, like my eagerness to interact with strangers. I was equally struck by how it pointed at my personal tendencies, like looking back to the past to understand the present, having a sense of being part of something larger, and my tendency to collect things and information, and not feeling comfortable with throwing things out. In regards to that latter one, I had always thought collecting things was a bad habit, and so I was astounded to actually be affirmed that such a habit is a reflection of one of my strengths, that I am curious about many things that fill the world.
Through my own study of my strengths, and the discussions I had at the two workshops, I was able to garner a new sense of myself. And it provides fresh insight for my relationships. Instead of seeing a disagreement as just that, I see it as a clash that results because two different people are expressing what are naturally their strengths.
It was good to be part of this program, and to understand my strengths, and have them be affirmed, especially at this stage of life. One of the people facilitating the workshops told me that out of well over 100 people at Ascension who have participated so far, only a handful are in their 20s. I can certainly imagine myself 20 years later participating in a workshop like this, and thinking, "I wish I had known this earlier." Fortunately, I am finding out about all this early on, at the tail beginning of my adulthood, and being aware of my strengths I'm sure will have a positive impact in the years ahead, not only on me, but on my relationships, and even the company I work for and the parish I attend. For me, it all comes down to giving me a positive drive.
My Dad participated summer 2012, and he invited me to sign up for it this year. At first, my response was, "I don't have enough excuses to say 'no', but not enough incentive to say 'yes'". But I thought it might be something worth doing as I start a new phase of life.
I initially thought this program was going to be like any other self-improvement program. Yet as soon as I started delving into the materials as part of the tasks to do before the first of two sessions, it was very clear to me that this program was different, and it stuck out to me for one big reason: So often, we seek to make ourselves better as people by overcoming our weaknesses, which can be a major source of guilt, at least in my life. This program was about understanding our strengths, and engaging them as a means of self-improvement, to become the people God created us to be. Indeed, this was no ordinary secular self-improvement program. It was so steeped in spirituality, though in many ways, in can be applied to secular matters.
As part of the program, I completed an online Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment of numerous questions that assessed my personality. While I don't remember any of the questions specifically, I do remember that they were structured in an odd way, like "You enjoy watching television, or You enjoy eating jelly beans", things that didn't seem related, and I had to mark which one more closely aligned with me.
At the end, the StrengthsFinder gave me my top 5 signature themes out of 34 different themes, based on my strengths as determined by the assessment. My five were input, context, connectedness, learner and w.o.o., an acronym for "winning over others". I was struck by how the program recognized qualities in me that other people have pointed out, like my eagerness to interact with strangers. I was equally struck by how it pointed at my personal tendencies, like looking back to the past to understand the present, having a sense of being part of something larger, and my tendency to collect things and information, and not feeling comfortable with throwing things out. In regards to that latter one, I had always thought collecting things was a bad habit, and so I was astounded to actually be affirmed that such a habit is a reflection of one of my strengths, that I am curious about many things that fill the world.
Through my own study of my strengths, and the discussions I had at the two workshops, I was able to garner a new sense of myself. And it provides fresh insight for my relationships. Instead of seeing a disagreement as just that, I see it as a clash that results because two different people are expressing what are naturally their strengths.
It was good to be part of this program, and to understand my strengths, and have them be affirmed, especially at this stage of life. One of the people facilitating the workshops told me that out of well over 100 people at Ascension who have participated so far, only a handful are in their 20s. I can certainly imagine myself 20 years later participating in a workshop like this, and thinking, "I wish I had known this earlier." Fortunately, I am finding out about all this early on, at the tail beginning of my adulthood, and being aware of my strengths I'm sure will have a positive impact in the years ahead, not only on me, but on my relationships, and even the company I work for and the parish I attend. For me, it all comes down to giving me a positive drive.
Friday, September 27, 2013
In my Role as an Alumnus...
So I carry around in my pocket a card that denotes me as an official Lifetime Member of the Valparaiso University Alumni Association, which I received with other information at the Grad Finale event about a month and a half before graduation. It's a nice feeling to have this sense of connection with my dear alma mater.
It gets even better when I have the opportunity to engage with the community in my status as an alumnus. And that's just what I did on two different occasions earlier this month, both of them about a week and a half apart.
Being a fresh graduate, I retain many connections to Valparaiso University in the many people I knew during my time there who are still current students and professors. I was looking for an opportunity to go back and visit, to see many of these people, hoping to do so sometime early in the new semester.
Within a short amount of time, I decided to pay Valparaiso University my first official visit as an alumnus. This would be my second time back in Valparaiso since graduating, the other time having been back at the beginning of August, when I went to the St. Teresa's picnic and then spent some time with the Ruggabers. And while I was within a very short distance of campus, I never actually set foot on it during that visit.
So on a Sunday evening, September 8, I caught the South Shore Line to northwest Indiana--sharing the company of the many Bears fans leaving the first home game--and then made my way down to Valparaiso via the V-Line. (I was really delighted when the train pulled into the Dune Park station, and I walked right off, rather than having to walk down the stairs at one end of the car, since a new raised platform is partially complete.)
At approximately 6:54 PM CDT, I walked off the V-Line, crossed over the landscaped divide at the southern edge of LaPorte Avenue and stepped onto campus. My first stop was my longtime home base at Wehrenberg Hall. My great friend Zach is a resident assistant there, so I was headed to his accommodations to drop off my bags, as I would be spending the night there, spread out on a sleeping bag on his floor.
I spent the next hour visiting with other friends, like Richard. When I stepped to his place, he was on the phone with another great friend of mine, Matthew, and we talked for a bit.
Zach then took me over to Kallay-Christopher Hall, housing the meteorology department, which was my first visit back in there as an alumnus. He went to show me this really cool gadget the department recently acquired: the VisBox, which is a large device with four sizable monitors that can be used to display maps. (I found out later the department acquired this and some other electronics with grant money.)
By the time we finished up looking at the VisBox, it was past 8:30, and the biggest celebration to happen on campus at that time on a Sunday night was about to start. And so I went over to St. Teresa's for the usual 9 PM Mass. While I told some people, like Zach, Richard, and my professors that I was coming for a visit, I didn't tell anyone at St. Teresa's, so they were all in for a surprise. The greetings I received from many had an extra twinge of delight in them. (Indeed, it was interesting to watch the various reactions to my presence.) While there, I had the opportunity to see Father Jerry, of whom I have a very fond memory going back to my freshman year. John Dewyze also asked if I would be the cross bearer, and I took him up on it. (Taking on this role, even in a liturgically ceremonial way, had a unique meaning, as the readings for Mass that weekend spoke of taking up our Crosses in following Christ. In fact, these readings were the same ones proclaimed at the Mass on the Grass my sophomore year.)
The 9 PM Mass, while perhaps an oddity to outsiders, is a unique opportunity as a college student to join in the celebration of faith with those with whom one passes the time in classes and around campus. It was a true joy to be back at St. Teresa's to join in this celebration, with many other students who truly care about their faith and express it in the celebration of Mass, and to carry the fellowship forth into the dinner and social afterwards.
As late as it was by the time I left St. Teresa's, around 11 PM, I was still engaged in the fellowship of catching up with people, even with Zach as we headed off into sleep. It was like old times being in the same room with Zach.
The next day I put myself back into the throngs of students heading around to classes. While I didn't have to rush around to stick to the new 10-minute passing period, I still kept myself on the move, going all over campus, seeing the buildings I had spent much time in, and visiting with professors in their offices, as well as other students. And I managed to cover a lot of ground, seeing nearly all of my former professors.
It was great sitting with professors in their offices, as I shared updates on my life and they shared updates on the current happenings at the university, as well as their musings on life, like what it was like to be done with undergraduate studies. I also made it my business to be back at the Chapel, a place that also served as a center of spiritual life for me as a student, for the weekday morning Chapel service, held at its new time, 10 AM.
I am glad to see the positive change that has come for Chapel services with the new schedule. It has been moved to a different time, and campus organizations are now respecting that time as dedicated to being at the Chapel, for those who wish to choose to attend the service, keeping it free of any meetings or other activities. I got abreast of these and other happenings while I was on campus, through talking with people, and even reading the Torch newspaper. (I was glad to be reminded that while I am off campus, I can still keep up with the Torch online.) I even got to see the inside of the swanky new Welcome Center.
I headed back home in the early afternoon, having finished a wonderful visit at ValpU, with many opportunities to reconnect with all the friendly faces there. I was able to experience what I heard many people say, that even after being away from college friends and colleagues for extended periods of time, the reconnections that take place make it seem like hardly a beat has been missed. I certainly found that to be very true. In some ways, it seemed like I blended right back in to campus. As Ms. Weil, one of the assistants in the Christ College Dean's office, saw me walking down a hallway in Mueller Hall, she said I still had the air of a college student, and it was as if I had never left.
About a week and a half later, on the evening of September 18, I got myself suited up and drove north from Oak Park to the Chicago Botanic Garden, embedded in the resplendent northern suburbs. I had accepted an invitation to attend an event held as part of the President's Tour, in which President Heckler is going around the country over the course of several months to various cities to meet with alumni and friends of the university to talk about what's happening on campus.
I hadn't been to the Botanic Garden in a while, so this seemed like a good opportunity to go up there, as well as to connect with the people there. It was indeed so therapeutic being there, which I sensed as soon as I turned into the Garden off Lake Cook Road, after a somewhat hectic drive. As part of our evening, the attendees had a private tram tour of the various garden spaces there. President Heckler and his wife Veronica came and sat next to me as we boarded, which was my first opportunity to see President Heckler since having shaken his hand and taken my diploma from him while walking across the stage at graduation. We got some good views of the garden, as well as some amazing sky scenes, with severe storms flashing lightning off to the south, and the sun shining through the breaking clouds toward the west.
After the tram ride, we went back into the rented space for appetizers and such. I got talking with the other attendees, including alumni, parents of current students, and the staff at the Office of Institutional Advancement.
Then there were some remarks by President Heckler, preceded by a video flashing current university statistics, including the record numbers of the total student population, incoming first-year class, graduate student, and international students.
During his remarks, he made some astounding statements that spoke about character. He said that what sets ValpU apart is that it fosters strong moral character in its students, so that they can make a true impact out in the world beyond the campus. He spoke about a conversation he had with another university president, who wanted his institution to be all about prestige. But President Heckler desired not prestige, but quality, of the institution and its students.
He then encouraged those gathered to do their part to help the university and its students. When it came to donating financial resources, he spoke not necessarily about giving large sums, but having a drive to support an institution that means so much. He then brought attention to me, saying that two days before graduating, I had made a donation to the university, not knowing what was ahead of me, but having a strong sense of what I had been given. I had indeed made a small gift as one of many errands I was taking care of in the days leading up to graduation. The senior class gift was contributions to the Valpo Fund, and I thought it was worth giving a little something, as a way of giving back to a place that had given me an extraordinary experience. I didn't realize my small gift could mean that much, and I was humbled to be so recognized by President Heckler.
I had a great time at this gathering, in the scenic setting and making connections. It was definitely designed as an event for alumni and supporters, and it was my first opportunity to engage in my new role in the university community.
Indeed, the experiences I had at ValpU keep me connected with that place in an almost mystical way. While I am not physically present on campus all the time, I am somehow still connected to it by the profundity of what I went through there. And I think of it in terms of the Last Supper Discourse of Jesus in the Gospel of John.
Two weeks before graduation, I was talking with a dear friend of mine at St. Teresa's. She told me how much she was going to miss me. I then spoke of the glorious words Christ spoke to His disciples at the Last Supper. He told them, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live" (John 14:18-19 ESV). There's a sense here that while Christ would not be present physically with His disciples for much longer, they would still know His presence because He would still be with them, albeit in a different way, which Jesus names as the Holy Spirit, God's presence dwelling within them. The day I had this conversation was in the midst of the Easter liturgical season, progressing from the celebration of Christ's life to the imparting of the Spirit at Pentecost, after Christ's departure. Some of the Gospel readings on the Sundays of the Easter/Christlife season were from this Last Supper Discourse in John, so I had the words on my mind to bring out in such apt timing, as I marked physically leaving ValpU campus.
I am still connected to Valparaiso University. I sense that connection so powerfully when it comes to the relationships I forged on the Plains of Valparaiso. I say that the human factor makes all the difference in our lives, and that was definitely the case in the relationships I built with students and professors, in and out of classes. I don't think too much about all the work I had to do while there, but I think about the people all the time.
As an alumnus, I engage with the community in a different way, by carrying forth the skills and formation I received in my maturation as a person there as I go forth. And I support the mission of the university even as I do so, in addition to whatever I give back to the university. I delight in this new role I have, because there's so much I can do, so much I have to offer my alma mater, and others, even in my hometown. I do so because this university did much not just to educate me and equip me with skills, but to shape my character to be grounded in moral principles as espoused by a Christian institution.
I can't wait to see what more I can do as a Valparaiso University alumnus. For now, dear ValpU, you remain in my prayers as I commend you and all on your campus to God's grace. And Happy Founders' Day!
It gets even better when I have the opportunity to engage with the community in my status as an alumnus. And that's just what I did on two different occasions earlier this month, both of them about a week and a half apart.
Being a fresh graduate, I retain many connections to Valparaiso University in the many people I knew during my time there who are still current students and professors. I was looking for an opportunity to go back and visit, to see many of these people, hoping to do so sometime early in the new semester.
Within a short amount of time, I decided to pay Valparaiso University my first official visit as an alumnus. This would be my second time back in Valparaiso since graduating, the other time having been back at the beginning of August, when I went to the St. Teresa's picnic and then spent some time with the Ruggabers. And while I was within a very short distance of campus, I never actually set foot on it during that visit.
So on a Sunday evening, September 8, I caught the South Shore Line to northwest Indiana--sharing the company of the many Bears fans leaving the first home game--and then made my way down to Valparaiso via the V-Line. (I was really delighted when the train pulled into the Dune Park station, and I walked right off, rather than having to walk down the stairs at one end of the car, since a new raised platform is partially complete.)
At approximately 6:54 PM CDT, I walked off the V-Line, crossed over the landscaped divide at the southern edge of LaPorte Avenue and stepped onto campus. My first stop was my longtime home base at Wehrenberg Hall. My great friend Zach is a resident assistant there, so I was headed to his accommodations to drop off my bags, as I would be spending the night there, spread out on a sleeping bag on his floor.
I spent the next hour visiting with other friends, like Richard. When I stepped to his place, he was on the phone with another great friend of mine, Matthew, and we talked for a bit.
Zach then took me over to Kallay-Christopher Hall, housing the meteorology department, which was my first visit back in there as an alumnus. He went to show me this really cool gadget the department recently acquired: the VisBox, which is a large device with four sizable monitors that can be used to display maps. (I found out later the department acquired this and some other electronics with grant money.)
By the time we finished up looking at the VisBox, it was past 8:30, and the biggest celebration to happen on campus at that time on a Sunday night was about to start. And so I went over to St. Teresa's for the usual 9 PM Mass. While I told some people, like Zach, Richard, and my professors that I was coming for a visit, I didn't tell anyone at St. Teresa's, so they were all in for a surprise. The greetings I received from many had an extra twinge of delight in them. (Indeed, it was interesting to watch the various reactions to my presence.) While there, I had the opportunity to see Father Jerry, of whom I have a very fond memory going back to my freshman year. John Dewyze also asked if I would be the cross bearer, and I took him up on it. (Taking on this role, even in a liturgically ceremonial way, had a unique meaning, as the readings for Mass that weekend spoke of taking up our Crosses in following Christ. In fact, these readings were the same ones proclaimed at the Mass on the Grass my sophomore year.)
The 9 PM Mass, while perhaps an oddity to outsiders, is a unique opportunity as a college student to join in the celebration of faith with those with whom one passes the time in classes and around campus. It was a true joy to be back at St. Teresa's to join in this celebration, with many other students who truly care about their faith and express it in the celebration of Mass, and to carry the fellowship forth into the dinner and social afterwards.
As late as it was by the time I left St. Teresa's, around 11 PM, I was still engaged in the fellowship of catching up with people, even with Zach as we headed off into sleep. It was like old times being in the same room with Zach.
The next day I put myself back into the throngs of students heading around to classes. While I didn't have to rush around to stick to the new 10-minute passing period, I still kept myself on the move, going all over campus, seeing the buildings I had spent much time in, and visiting with professors in their offices, as well as other students. And I managed to cover a lot of ground, seeing nearly all of my former professors.
It was great sitting with professors in their offices, as I shared updates on my life and they shared updates on the current happenings at the university, as well as their musings on life, like what it was like to be done with undergraduate studies. I also made it my business to be back at the Chapel, a place that also served as a center of spiritual life for me as a student, for the weekday morning Chapel service, held at its new time, 10 AM.
I am glad to see the positive change that has come for Chapel services with the new schedule. It has been moved to a different time, and campus organizations are now respecting that time as dedicated to being at the Chapel, for those who wish to choose to attend the service, keeping it free of any meetings or other activities. I got abreast of these and other happenings while I was on campus, through talking with people, and even reading the Torch newspaper. (I was glad to be reminded that while I am off campus, I can still keep up with the Torch online.) I even got to see the inside of the swanky new Welcome Center.
I headed back home in the early afternoon, having finished a wonderful visit at ValpU, with many opportunities to reconnect with all the friendly faces there. I was able to experience what I heard many people say, that even after being away from college friends and colleagues for extended periods of time, the reconnections that take place make it seem like hardly a beat has been missed. I certainly found that to be very true. In some ways, it seemed like I blended right back in to campus. As Ms. Weil, one of the assistants in the Christ College Dean's office, saw me walking down a hallway in Mueller Hall, she said I still had the air of a college student, and it was as if I had never left.
About a week and a half later, on the evening of September 18, I got myself suited up and drove north from Oak Park to the Chicago Botanic Garden, embedded in the resplendent northern suburbs. I had accepted an invitation to attend an event held as part of the President's Tour, in which President Heckler is going around the country over the course of several months to various cities to meet with alumni and friends of the university to talk about what's happening on campus.
I hadn't been to the Botanic Garden in a while, so this seemed like a good opportunity to go up there, as well as to connect with the people there. It was indeed so therapeutic being there, which I sensed as soon as I turned into the Garden off Lake Cook Road, after a somewhat hectic drive. As part of our evening, the attendees had a private tram tour of the various garden spaces there. President Heckler and his wife Veronica came and sat next to me as we boarded, which was my first opportunity to see President Heckler since having shaken his hand and taken my diploma from him while walking across the stage at graduation. We got some good views of the garden, as well as some amazing sky scenes, with severe storms flashing lightning off to the south, and the sun shining through the breaking clouds toward the west.
After the tram ride, we went back into the rented space for appetizers and such. I got talking with the other attendees, including alumni, parents of current students, and the staff at the Office of Institutional Advancement.
Then there were some remarks by President Heckler, preceded by a video flashing current university statistics, including the record numbers of the total student population, incoming first-year class, graduate student, and international students.
During his remarks, he made some astounding statements that spoke about character. He said that what sets ValpU apart is that it fosters strong moral character in its students, so that they can make a true impact out in the world beyond the campus. He spoke about a conversation he had with another university president, who wanted his institution to be all about prestige. But President Heckler desired not prestige, but quality, of the institution and its students.
He then encouraged those gathered to do their part to help the university and its students. When it came to donating financial resources, he spoke not necessarily about giving large sums, but having a drive to support an institution that means so much. He then brought attention to me, saying that two days before graduating, I had made a donation to the university, not knowing what was ahead of me, but having a strong sense of what I had been given. I had indeed made a small gift as one of many errands I was taking care of in the days leading up to graduation. The senior class gift was contributions to the Valpo Fund, and I thought it was worth giving a little something, as a way of giving back to a place that had given me an extraordinary experience. I didn't realize my small gift could mean that much, and I was humbled to be so recognized by President Heckler.
I had a great time at this gathering, in the scenic setting and making connections. It was definitely designed as an event for alumni and supporters, and it was my first opportunity to engage in my new role in the university community.
Indeed, the experiences I had at ValpU keep me connected with that place in an almost mystical way. While I am not physically present on campus all the time, I am somehow still connected to it by the profundity of what I went through there. And I think of it in terms of the Last Supper Discourse of Jesus in the Gospel of John.
Two weeks before graduation, I was talking with a dear friend of mine at St. Teresa's. She told me how much she was going to miss me. I then spoke of the glorious words Christ spoke to His disciples at the Last Supper. He told them, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you also will live" (John 14:18-19 ESV). There's a sense here that while Christ would not be present physically with His disciples for much longer, they would still know His presence because He would still be with them, albeit in a different way, which Jesus names as the Holy Spirit, God's presence dwelling within them. The day I had this conversation was in the midst of the Easter liturgical season, progressing from the celebration of Christ's life to the imparting of the Spirit at Pentecost, after Christ's departure. Some of the Gospel readings on the Sundays of the Easter/Christlife season were from this Last Supper Discourse in John, so I had the words on my mind to bring out in such apt timing, as I marked physically leaving ValpU campus.
I am still connected to Valparaiso University. I sense that connection so powerfully when it comes to the relationships I forged on the Plains of Valparaiso. I say that the human factor makes all the difference in our lives, and that was definitely the case in the relationships I built with students and professors, in and out of classes. I don't think too much about all the work I had to do while there, but I think about the people all the time.
As an alumnus, I engage with the community in a different way, by carrying forth the skills and formation I received in my maturation as a person there as I go forth. And I support the mission of the university even as I do so, in addition to whatever I give back to the university. I delight in this new role I have, because there's so much I can do, so much I have to offer my alma mater, and others, even in my hometown. I do so because this university did much not just to educate me and equip me with skills, but to shape my character to be grounded in moral principles as espoused by a Christian institution.
I can't wait to see what more I can do as a Valparaiso University alumnus. For now, dear ValpU, you remain in my prayers as I commend you and all on your campus to God's grace. And Happy Founders' Day!
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Where the Weather Works
This past weekend, I had the exciting opportunity to get the inside look at the National Weather Service Chicago Forecast Office in Romeoville, IL, as they held an open house on Saturday, September 21.
This office is one of approximately 120 local weather forecast offices scattered all throughout the country, which provide weather forecast and warning products for a designated collection of counties. The Chicago office serves 23 counties in northeastern Illinois and northwest Indiana.
The office is a relatively small building, out in the midst of wide open fields, neighboring Lewis University and its airport. But there's a lot that goes on inside it.
During my time visiting the open house, I got a tour of the inside, with explanations about the products the office issues and how they do their work. The main area of focus in the office is the operations center, staffed 24/7. There are several desks in the operations area, where the staff on duty sit in front of computers (with multiple monitors), looking over weather data and using the information for forecasts and alerts.
Outside the office, various organizations had booths set up with information. I was particularly fascinated by the USGS booth that showed equipment used to monitor river water levels. And I was especially delighted to see a few meteorology students from Valparaiso University there as well, fellow colleagues I know well from my time as a student there. (They even brought the incredible tornado machine.) There were also emergency response vehicles on display, including a couple of fire trucks and a mobile command center.
The National Weather Service indeed plays an important role in protecting lives and property, and aiding the nation's economy forward by providing essential information about the weather, which affects all aspects of life. It was great for the NWS Chicago office to have this open house, so the public could see it and garner a sense of the important work that takes place there.
This was actually the fourth time I've been to this office. I have appreciated being able to go there when I have, because each time I have been able to get the insider's look at the physical setting that produces meteorological forecast and alert products I refer to all the time.
With that said, I'd like to offer a shout-out to the hard-working meteorologists on staff there and all throughout the nation who provide essential information on the weather.
To access these products, visit the NWS webpage at www.weather.gov
The Chicago office's page can be found at www.weather.gov/chicago
This office is one of approximately 120 local weather forecast offices scattered all throughout the country, which provide weather forecast and warning products for a designated collection of counties. The Chicago office serves 23 counties in northeastern Illinois and northwest Indiana.
The office is a relatively small building, out in the midst of wide open fields, neighboring Lewis University and its airport. But there's a lot that goes on inside it.
During my time visiting the open house, I got a tour of the inside, with explanations about the products the office issues and how they do their work. The main area of focus in the office is the operations center, staffed 24/7. There are several desks in the operations area, where the staff on duty sit in front of computers (with multiple monitors), looking over weather data and using the information for forecasts and alerts.
Outside the office, various organizations had booths set up with information. I was particularly fascinated by the USGS booth that showed equipment used to monitor river water levels. And I was especially delighted to see a few meteorology students from Valparaiso University there as well, fellow colleagues I know well from my time as a student there. (They even brought the incredible tornado machine.) There were also emergency response vehicles on display, including a couple of fire trucks and a mobile command center.
The National Weather Service indeed plays an important role in protecting lives and property, and aiding the nation's economy forward by providing essential information about the weather, which affects all aspects of life. It was great for the NWS Chicago office to have this open house, so the public could see it and garner a sense of the important work that takes place there.
This was actually the fourth time I've been to this office. I have appreciated being able to go there when I have, because each time I have been able to get the insider's look at the physical setting that produces meteorological forecast and alert products I refer to all the time.
With that said, I'd like to offer a shout-out to the hard-working meteorologists on staff there and all throughout the nation who provide essential information on the weather.
To access these products, visit the NWS webpage at www.weather.gov
The Chicago office's page can be found at www.weather.gov/chicago
Sunday, September 8, 2013
In the Heart of Illinois's Heritage
So my parents and I took a little road trip on the last Saturday of that August month to check out a neat city in north central Illinois called Ottawa, in LaSalle County, just over 80 miles from Chicago.
My family has usually done one vacation every year in the summer, going a distance of hundreds of miles away from home. But recently, the idea of taking a short road trip, that is, two hours, give or take, to explore the smaller cities in Illinois away from Chicagoland started to appeal to me. Last summer, my parents and I visited Pontiac, which I had first been to at the tail end of the storm chase trip back in May 2011. I enjoyed the opportunity to go on a mini-vacation like this, so I thought it would be nice to do it again. And that's how we ended up in Ottawa this day.
We departed Oak Park in the midst of a heavy rainstorm, and didn't get out of it until reaching DuPage County. The cloud forms continued to prove picturesque as we headed on I-55. It got pretty clear by the time we reached LaSalle County.
After driving along I-80, cut through mostly farm fields, we reached the exit for Illinois Route 71, and headed southwestward for about a mile or so before reaching a commercial area. Then we headed south into the historic downtown area.
We first went to the visitors' center, which had a great wealth of resources, not only on Ottawa, but other Illinois tourism information. The center was on the grounds of the Reddick Mansion (see picture directly below), the home of a prominent Ottawa citizen, and we went there next for a tour. (We later found out the visitors' center used to be the smokehouse.)
William Reddick came to Ottawa in the 19th Century, right around the time the Illinois and Michigan Canal was being built. He built the large Italiante style house that he lived for many years. The house was right across the street from Washington Park, which served as the site for the first Lincoln-Douglas Debate on August 21, 1858, and Mr. Reddick was instrumental in getting the debate held in Ottawa. The tour guide told us that these details about Mr. Reddick, the large house and getting the debate in Ottawa, indicated his big-time aspirations, such as becoming Governor.
The house had furnishings original to the period, though some were not original to the house, like a piece of furniture that Abraham Lincoln had once sat on (see picture directly below). Being in the Italianate style, the house has long hallways running the length from the front to the back, with three rooms on each side. However, this arrangement of the rooms was altered when the house was re-fitted to become the Ottawa Public Library, as Mr. Reddick stipulated in his will. As we went on the tour, it felt very deja vu owing to my recent visit to the Dawes House. The Reddick Mansion was a fine looking place, and touring it helped solidify my interest in historic homes.
At the conclusion of our tour, I noticed a room off to the side of the entry area that was apparently a gift shop. And I found a really cool item there, and you will see a picture of me with it at the end of this post.
For lunch, upon the recommendation of the person in the visitors' center, we went to Odee's, which was downtown Ottawa's local spin on Subway and Jimmy John's. It was a pretty good lunch.
After we finished, we walked south along LaSalle Street to the the riverside. Ottawa is where the Fox River empties into the Illinois River, which adds to the scenic views there. We ambled along the short riverwalk along the Fox River by its mouth, to the spot right under the bridge for Illinois 71/23 over the Illinois River.
Then, we walked back north along Columbus Street. We passed by the site of a home where Abraham Lincoln stayed when he came to town for the debate. At the time it was the mayor's home. After that, it was all way to the I&M Canal. The canal channel is now dry, and a bike path runs through it. Right by Columbus Street, there is a toll house from the canal's heyday.
Then it was time to look at some of the murals. Like Pontiac, IL, there are a number of murals in scattered about Ottawa, most of them in the downtown area. They depict famous people from Ottawa, the development of communication technology, life in the 1950's, the famous debate, and then some. (Two murals are in the two pictures directly below. On the top is General W.H.L. Wallace, who served in the American Civil War. Right below it shows the Illinois River.)
We then looked around in Washington Park for a few minutes (see picture directly above). In the middle of this park is a statue of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, both on a pedestal in the middle of a fountain. Subsequently, we took some time to drive around all parts of Ottawa, even those areas across both rivers, looking at historic homes.
Among them were the John Hassock Home (see directly above), which served as a refuge for fugitive slaves during the Underground Railroad days. We also passed by the site of Fort Johnson, where Abraham Lincoln brought his company of soldiers during the Blackhawk War back in 1832, when it was called Fort Ottawa. Only a plaque remains there. Both of these sites were south of the Illinois River, where the land slopes upward, so there were some very scenic views of Ottawa from this higher ground (see picture directly below).
We also drove by the railroad depot, where Mr. Lincoln disembarked a train when he came to town for the debate. Another really interesting feature we saw was the I&M Canal aqueduct, which carried the canal across the Fox River.
And that was a wrap on our visit to Ottawa, for from the eastern part of the city, it was back onto I-80, and then on home. I have to say, we stumbled upon another nice city in Illinois beyond Chicagoland. Certainly you can't really beat any place that has an Abraham Lincoln connection. And it also is connected to the canal corridor that helped fuel Illinois's growth in commerce. The sites in Ottawa really speak to the heritage of Illinois. The canal, the Lincoln sites, the rivers, and the other historic sites speak to what Illinois was all about in its early days: the transportaiton corridors and sites where famous people walked in momentous times, which made Illinois the great state it is.
(Here's me in Washington Park. Photo credit to my Dad. Can you see the stovepipe hat I have on?)
(All other photos were taken by me.)
My family has usually done one vacation every year in the summer, going a distance of hundreds of miles away from home. But recently, the idea of taking a short road trip, that is, two hours, give or take, to explore the smaller cities in Illinois away from Chicagoland started to appeal to me. Last summer, my parents and I visited Pontiac, which I had first been to at the tail end of the storm chase trip back in May 2011. I enjoyed the opportunity to go on a mini-vacation like this, so I thought it would be nice to do it again. And that's how we ended up in Ottawa this day.
We departed Oak Park in the midst of a heavy rainstorm, and didn't get out of it until reaching DuPage County. The cloud forms continued to prove picturesque as we headed on I-55. It got pretty clear by the time we reached LaSalle County.
After driving along I-80, cut through mostly farm fields, we reached the exit for Illinois Route 71, and headed southwestward for about a mile or so before reaching a commercial area. Then we headed south into the historic downtown area.
We first went to the visitors' center, which had a great wealth of resources, not only on Ottawa, but other Illinois tourism information. The center was on the grounds of the Reddick Mansion (see picture directly below), the home of a prominent Ottawa citizen, and we went there next for a tour. (We later found out the visitors' center used to be the smokehouse.)
The house had furnishings original to the period, though some were not original to the house, like a piece of furniture that Abraham Lincoln had once sat on (see picture directly below). Being in the Italianate style, the house has long hallways running the length from the front to the back, with three rooms on each side. However, this arrangement of the rooms was altered when the house was re-fitted to become the Ottawa Public Library, as Mr. Reddick stipulated in his will. As we went on the tour, it felt very deja vu owing to my recent visit to the Dawes House. The Reddick Mansion was a fine looking place, and touring it helped solidify my interest in historic homes.
For lunch, upon the recommendation of the person in the visitors' center, we went to Odee's, which was downtown Ottawa's local spin on Subway and Jimmy John's. It was a pretty good lunch.
After we finished, we walked south along LaSalle Street to the the riverside. Ottawa is where the Fox River empties into the Illinois River, which adds to the scenic views there. We ambled along the short riverwalk along the Fox River by its mouth, to the spot right under the bridge for Illinois 71/23 over the Illinois River.
We then looked around in Washington Park for a few minutes (see picture directly above). In the middle of this park is a statue of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, both on a pedestal in the middle of a fountain. Subsequently, we took some time to drive around all parts of Ottawa, even those areas across both rivers, looking at historic homes.
And that was a wrap on our visit to Ottawa, for from the eastern part of the city, it was back onto I-80, and then on home. I have to say, we stumbled upon another nice city in Illinois beyond Chicagoland. Certainly you can't really beat any place that has an Abraham Lincoln connection. And it also is connected to the canal corridor that helped fuel Illinois's growth in commerce. The sites in Ottawa really speak to the heritage of Illinois. The canal, the Lincoln sites, the rivers, and the other historic sites speak to what Illinois was all about in its early days: the transportaiton corridors and sites where famous people walked in momentous times, which made Illinois the great state it is.
(All other photos were taken by me.)
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
In the Spirit of 1783...
On September 3, 1783, delegates from the United States and Great Britain finalized a treaty in Paris in which Britain officially recognized the independence of the United States, bringing an end to the Revolution. You can learn more about the Treaty of Paris 1783, and see the document, at this website: http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=6
This is a day of importance equaling that of July 2 and 4, when Congress voted on independence and approved the Declaration of Independence. It's a day to ponder freedom anew, and what it means to us as people of the United States.
On this day, I offer this prayer for my country:
O God, You have granted the United States the great gift of freedom as a country, born out of immense struggle. We recognize the high cost exacted to win this freedom, and that it must continue to be exacted as we carry on the legacy of the American Revolution. The people who started this country established it in a basis of liberty and freedom for all people. We confess our wrongdoing as people in not carrying forth those principles to the fullest. In pleading upon Your mercy, may You restore us to Your Righteousness so that we go forth in the work to make freedom a reality for all people in this land. We know that as recipients of this divine gift of freedom, we have the duty to make it available to everyone. Spur us on, knowing that we find freedom in You alone through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, who has freed us for Your glory. Amen.
This is a day of importance equaling that of July 2 and 4, when Congress voted on independence and approved the Declaration of Independence. It's a day to ponder freedom anew, and what it means to us as people of the United States.
On this day, I offer this prayer for my country:
O God, You have granted the United States the great gift of freedom as a country, born out of immense struggle. We recognize the high cost exacted to win this freedom, and that it must continue to be exacted as we carry on the legacy of the American Revolution. The people who started this country established it in a basis of liberty and freedom for all people. We confess our wrongdoing as people in not carrying forth those principles to the fullest. In pleading upon Your mercy, may You restore us to Your Righteousness so that we go forth in the work to make freedom a reality for all people in this land. We know that as recipients of this divine gift of freedom, we have the duty to make it available to everyone. Spur us on, knowing that we find freedom in You alone through the merits of Jesus Christ our Savior, who has freed us for Your glory. Amen.
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