The Capitol Idea of the USA, 10 Years Ago

I often speak about how inspiring it is to visit Washington, D.C.  I have gone on multiple trips there and had numerous layovers there, too, with each experience unique and giving me the opportunity to build on what I've experienced already.

It was 10 years ago this week that my family foursome went there on a trip for a few days, from July 22-28.

We rode the tollways east.  We stopped in Annapolis to visit the Maryland State Capitol.  The Continental Congress met there back in the 1780's, and during one of these meetings, George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.  It was an amazing experience to visit the place where something so momentous happened that set the tone for the United States at its founding.

Our lodgings for our stay were in National Harbor, a commercial area just south of the southernmost tip of Washington, D.C.

I was glad that on Sunday, we had the chance to visit the Washington National Cathedral during this trip, as I had been interested in going there for some time.  It is an incredible sacred space, filled with religious imagery and also so much symbolism of the USA.  Earlier that day, I went to Mass at a historic church, St. Ignatius, in nearby Oxon Hill, MD.

On Monday, we walked around in Old Town Alexandria, since our previous stay there in December 2004 piqued my interest.  Then, we spent a chunk of time at the National Museum of American History, chock full of great exhibits.  We attended a free evening concert at the Kennedy Center.  After having dinner there, we took in some great views from the roof of the Kennedy Center.

Our tour of the US Capitol on Tuesday, July 26, was a true highlight.  I booked a tour through the office of Representative Danny Davis, who still serves the 7th Illinois Congressional District.  As we waited in his office for the staff to take us on our tour, I couldn't help but feel at home with all the decor evoking a sense of Chicagoland, including an item on loan from the Field Museum  We visited the Crypt, the Rotunda, and the Old Senate and House Chambers. We sat in the House gallery for a few minutes to observe a session of Congress.  Interestingly, there were more people in the gallery than on the House floor, where someone was talking about something related to oil drilling.  We then had the thrill of riding the tram system back to the Rayburn House Office Building.  We finished our capitol visit with a brief visit with Danny Davis.  He remarked about notable people from Oak Park.  I remarked how inspiring it is to be in Washington, D.C.  He remarked how inspiring the process is to see legislation become law.

Earlier during our stay, we visited with one of my brother Eric's college friends, Paul, who, at the time, worked in the DC office of Senator Chuck Grassley.  It was fascinating to get his perspective.  On our way back to Oak Park, we stopped in the Columbus Metro Area, and visited with another one of Eric's friends, Jeff.

As I reflect on this trip 10 years later, I am inspired by how my experiences during those days gave me a new sense of who we are as the people of the United States.  It is such that it is truly our government and our common heritage that we get to see in that city.  We see exhibits in museums and even the displays in the National Archives, which connect us with who we are.  And it was fabulous to converse with Danny Davis, which was an opportunity to connect closely with those who serve in the government.

We share a great common heritage as people of the United States, much of which is stewarded by those who serve and work in Washington, D.C., so that we can continue to connect with what our country is.

It was a great time sharing a truly USA experience with my family.

Above is the Old Senate Chamber of the Maryland State Capitol, where George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army at a meeting of the COntinental Congress on December 23, 1783.

In the above photo, you can see the Illinois flag in the nave of the Washington National Cathedral.

Mom and I are posing in the National Museum of American History.  The area with the gold tiles is at the entrance to an exhibit on the US flag that waved at the Battle of Fort McHenry in September 1814.  Eric or Dad might have gotten this photo.

Someone got this photo of my pose on the rooftop of the Kennedy Center, with the Washington Monument to the left of me and the Lincoln Memorial to the right.

Above, I am riding the tram system from the US capitol to the Rayburn House Office Building, taken by Lucas, an intern in Representative Davis's office, who appear to the left of me in the photo below, with Congressman Davis appearing to the right, in the inner office of Representative Davis.

Here's a family photo with Danny Davis, probably taken by Lucas.

George W. Bush at 75

George W. Bush was born 75 years ago today, July 6, 1946, in New Haven, CT.

Nearly 55 years later, on January 20, 2001, he was inaugurated the 43rd President of the United States.  I was in 4th grade.  I wasn't at school that day, since it was a Saturday, and I remember being at home watching the inauguration ceremony, the first time I can recall watching a presidential inauguration.

Over the course of the next 8 years, my sociopolitical awareness increased.  George W. Bush stands out most in my mind because he was President during noteworthy years of my coming of age, and my perspectives on the world around me were shaped in significant ways by the events of his presidency.

While I was observing the unfolding of the 2000 presidential election campaign, for some reason, I had a better feeling when I considered George W. Bush, versus Al Gore, although I can't really explain why.

One admirable quality of George W. Bush is that he is a gracious person.  I feel that is reflected in his leadership style.  It was rooted in a commitment to faith, and throughout his time in public office, he sought to engage faith-based initiatives.  His deep sense of faith resonated deeply with me as I came to embrace faith more deeply during the years he was president.  In fact, my Confirmation happened in 2005 at the midpoint of his administration.  I felt his leadership qualities were something to emulate as I sought to live out my Confirmed faith, and that was the motivation behind my choice of the Confirmation name George.

I enjoyed reading his memoir, Decision Points.  I was intrigued by his approach, to address significant decisions he faced.  Even though he focused on select areas of his life and presidency, he still covered a significant amount of ground.  Having lived through the events of his presidency while coming of age, it was intriguing to read about his thought process in situations like September 11, the War on Terror, embryonic stem cell research, and the 2008 financial crisis.  Indeed, reading the book helped me see him as someone thoughtful.

One other George W. Bush-related memory I have is visiting the White House just days before Nativity Day 2004, and seeing all the decorations.  They reflected their personal touch, especially as they involved their pets, Barney and India.

Happy 75-year Birthday, George W. Bush!  Thank you for the gracious ways you have served and edified the United States of America.

Patriotic Greetings 2021: The Culture of the USA

Patriotic Greetings!

Huzzah for the Spirit of '76 as we once again mark and celebrate those momentous days in 1776.

Following the conclusion of conflict between Britain and France in 1763, tensions increased between Britain and its 13 North American colonies as the British government steadily increased control over colonial affairs.  As the colonists resisted, the British government reacted more intensely, until the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, launched war, increasing momentum for the colonies' independence.

On June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee presented the following resolution before the Continental Congress: "Resolved. That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved."

After some initial discussion, the Congress decided to schedule a vote on the resolution for July 1 as the colonies used the interval to consider their stance on the resolution.  Meanwhile, Congress appointed a committee to draft a document explaining the move for independence should it be needed, and Virginia delegate Thomas Jefferson was its primary author.

On July 1, Congress discussed the resolution.  The following day, Tuesday, July 2, 1776, Congress adopted the independence resolution by a unanimous vote.  After discussing Thomas Jefferson's draft, they adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4.

Following several more years of war, the American colonists won a decisive victory at Yorktown against the British in October 1781.  On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris 1783 formally concluded the war, and the United States of America became fully independent.

I consider these days in July so special because they speak to who we are as they tell about how we came into existence.  This story took on whole new dimensions for me 5 years ago last month when I visited Philadelphia and my long-awaited dream of touring Independence Hall became reality, as shown in the photo below taken by a fellow tourist when I was in the assembly room there.

It was one instance of traveling as an experience by which I came to more deeply behold what the United States is.

The United States has become so much over the course of the succeeding years, and has encompassed so much over this vast land, as I've come to see through many experience.  Especially throughout the past year, I've had so many experiences that have given me new insights into the all the richness of this country, especially its culture.

One encounters a very distinct sense of US culture driving along Route 66, and last summer, I drove most of the Illinois portion, from the edge of Berwyn and Cicero all the way to the Chain of Rocks Bridge at the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis.  I've heard stories about people from Europe specifically coming to the United States to visit Route 66 locations.  Once while in Springfield, IL, I even met a couple from Britain who said they were driving the whole length of the historic route.  There's something so down-to-earth driving through small towns, where local businesses sprang up as part of the infrastructure and services for Route 66 travelers.

Later that same week, I marveled at some great natural beauty in and around the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois, which is kind of like a hidden natural treasure.  It may not have the prominence of places like Yellowstone National Park, but there's so much beauty there nonetheless.

Another way I really soak in a sense of US culture is riding Amtrak.  While traveling from city to city, I see the land that is the United States while riding along, particularly on long-distance rides.  And there's a certain lifestyle connected with the geography of each region.  Crossing major rivers like the Mississippi, the Colorado, or the Potomac, often marks a passage from one state to another, and from one sense of culture to another.  From my seat, I see flat plains filled with farmlands as well as mountainous terrain, and the sky conditions add a special touch, too, like when I gaze upon an amazing sunrise or sunset.  And as I pass through small towns like Denmark, SC, and big cities like Kansas City, I can take note of how each place is unique and contributes something valuable to making the USA what it is.  Amtrak has truly helped me connect with my country, and so with great delight I marked its 50th anniversary back on May 1.

From the end of last September into October, I went to visit my friend Roy out in southern California, journeying there onboard the Amtrak Southwest Chief line, a route that hearkens back to the storied days of the Super Chief train and the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad in the height of rail travel's golden days.

On my way there, I stopped in Flagstaff to take a day trip to visit the Grand Canyon.  It's challenging for pictures or words to convey the experience of gazing out at the vastness of the canyon.  Indeed, it's something that you feel inside of you when you stand at the rim.  It's a great natural wonder of the world, and a true national treasure, and it makes sense why Theodore Roosevelt said everyone should visit it.

Sheldon the guide or someone in my tour group got this photo of me, posing at the Grand Canyon, while sporting a patriotic bolo tie--the bolo tie is the official state neckwear of Arizona.

It was indeed a great first visit to the amazing state of Arizona.

Indeed, even in the desert, there is so much beauty to stir something inside a person, which I felt traveling through New Mexico and Arizona, especially watching the sunrise in eastern Arizona by Petrified Forest National Park.  Even in the dark of night, there was something amazing about the southern California desert under a moonlit sky.

My trip to visit Roy was my first time in Southern California, and being in such a warm place had a certain laidback vibe to it.  It was a culture of warmth matching the pleasant, sunny climate.

Months later, I was on a trip to southern Florida, with just as strong of a laidback, pleasant culture as its persistently warm climate.  

Here I am posing in Florida with a slice of key lime pie, the official Florida state pie--courtesy of Mom or Dad.

I also noticed how Florida draws upon its proximity to Cuba, geographically and demographically with all those who fled from there to southern Florida.  And few things could match the soothing sounds of ocean waves, especially at night.  I was so pleased that even in an area that caters so heavily to drawing tourists, I could still appreciate natural beauty, not only at the Atlantic Ocean, but also in the Everglades.

On my way back from Florida, I had a short visit to Washington, D.C.  There's so much in that city that speaks to the heart of who we are as a nation, and our culture.  Our values are reflected in the government institutions there that strive, even if imperfectly, to raise up and empower the people to run the government, which was how this country got started, and how it functions to this day.

That sense of our foundation was the inspiration I felt each time I served as an election judge worker, most recently on November 3, 2020, and then again on April 6, 2021.  We are called upon as the American people to contribute something to our government, manifested by going to the polls on Election Day, even as it compels us to keep up our involvement in government affairs in between elections.  But what's more, serving as an election judge gives me a strong sense of the community where I live as I served residents, neighbors, and even fellow Ascension parishioners.  One of the most exciting and inspiring parts of Election Day is seeing first-time voters.

The events of 1776 live on because they became so much more.  I even think about how the events of 1818 when Illinois became a state became so much more, especially as July 1, 2021, marks 50 years since the 4th Illinois State Constitution took effect.  These events have caused so much to happen as we act upon them in the democratic process of the Republic of the United States, at the ballot box and beyond.  

We're a people of action.  We're a people who can appreciate beauty, and pleasant climates, drawing from them in a way distinctly reflected in our culture.  And in such a vast land, we can be bound together by the reality that we, in all our variety, compose a single country, in all our richness.

So from actions taken on those pivotal days in the summer of 1776, to our vast culture today, we have so much to celebrate.

May our Patroness Saint, Blessed Mary of the Immaculate Conception, intercede for this land.

And may God bless the United States of America, and may He continue to prosper it.

Paul

At the heart of the United States: Here is the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge crossing the Mississippi River just north of downtown St. Louis, MO.  On this bridge, I walked over the Mississippi River for the first time in my life during my downstate Illinois vacation last summer.

P.S. This is my annual Patriotic Greetings note that I first wrote in 2008, and which has appeared annually on my blog since 2013.

Here are links to view the versions of these notes that appear on my blog for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

If you'd like a print copy, please feel free to contact me and let me know where I should send it.  A contact form is available on the sidebar of this blog page.

Small Seeds and Great Growth

Recent events have inspired me to put a post from my Scripture Readings Reflection blog onto my Paul Ponders blog.

On Sunday, June 13, 2021, the Oak Park middle schools held their 8th grade graduation ceremonies.  That same Sunday, the readings at Mass focused on seeds and their growth.

Jesus presents some marvelous imagery in the parables in the Gospel reading.

The farmer plants seeds and does his part tending to them, but then the process of the seeds becoming plants in full bloom unfolds in ways beyond his control or understanding.  Then there's the incredible reality of how the tiny mustard seed becomes such a large bush.

It is truly marvelous to think of how God is similarly at work in our lives.  While we can't see God, He reveals Himself to us, so that we walk by faith, not by sight, as St. Paul writes, striving to please God in this life as we journey toward the judgment.

As we devote our lives to putting faith into action through righteous deeds, God is at work in ways that we can't fully understand or control, though we know His work is really happening because of the fruits that come to bear.  Ultimately, God mightily declares Who He is through these deeds, doing what He alone can do.

Yet we marvel at how God invites us to be transformed so that even our small deeds of righteousness, kindness, and compassion can be part of His plan to advance the Kingdom of God on Earth, which is not a place, but a way of life.  By faith, we open ourselves up to how our deeds can be part of God's plan to advance the Kingdom by making God known.  So we constantly strive to do good works, ready for God's action through them.

At the June 13 ceremonies, 27 of the students I taught in RE class this past year graduated from both Brooks and Julian Middle Schools.

As a Religious Education teacher, part of my role is to plant seeds, and then open up to how God does His part to bring them forth to fruition.  By faith, I recognize that the seeds planted during their time in RE class will come to fruition, though I know not how it happens, and even if I'm not there to see the fruition.

Furthermore, I recognize in my experience that so many seeds were planted during my middle school years, especially in becoming a person of deep faith, which have born great fruit over the past 16 years, and I marvel to think of how God has been at work in wondrous ways that He alone can do.

I also recall how I was part of the first group of students to start middle school in 6th grade and then attend 7th and 8th grade in middle school.  I planted seeds that became part of the middle school experience in Oak Park today.

It's been great to teach RE for middle schoolers so I can connect with today's middle schoolers and see how the schools have turned out from the foundation I helped lay, even as I help to continue building on the foundation by accompanying my students in their faith journey at a time when I experience significant growth in my life.  And now I get to be part of the work of handing on the faith, which is something truly wondrous.

At Julian and Beyond

Once again, the Circle of Life has brought me back to June 8, the anniversary of the day in 2005 when I had my last day as a student at Percy Julian Middle School and graduated.

I was well aware that something special had happened during my time as a Julian student, and as I mark the 16th anniversary of my 8th grade graduation, I marvel at what has become of it.

I had been shaped in so many significant ways during my years at Julian in those characteristics that are so important in describing fundamentally who I am as a person.  The years since, especially since graduating from ValpU, have had abundant opportunities to put to use those characteristics in giving of myself to others.

One great example happened 9 weeks ago, on April 6, when I served as an election judge for the municipal elections in Oak Park.  As with the previous four times I've worked at a polling place, I was assigned to serve the 16th precinct at the Maze Branch Library.  For me, there is a distinctly spiritual aspect to serving as an election judge at that location, because my home parish of Ascension is located in precinct 16.  And there are many parishioners who live in that precinct and who I see on Election Day.

I saw a few fellow Knights of Columbus come to vote, along with the parents of my former Religious Education students, and even some parents of students who I was currently teaching at the time in grade 8 class.  It was great to have that opportunity to connect with them, and made all the effort I put into the long day worthwhile, especially when meeting one mom who I had never had the chance to meet.

One couple came by about half an hour before the polls closed, three of whose children have been my students in RE class. Their oldest had just turned 18 earlier in 2021, making this day the first election she was eligible to vote.  As I talked with the mom, she told me her daughter had missed the deadline to register.  When I informed her that she could register right then and there on election day, she was clearly unaware of this possibility, and she immediately contacted her daughter about coming to register and vote.

After the parents left, their daughter walked in a few minutes later.  I made sure to offer some pomp and circumstance to her arrival into the room before I sat down at the e-pollbook to register her.

The excitement of the moment was not lost on me one bit, that after having taught her in RE class years before, and even being present for her Confirmation, I could be a witness to another important moment in her life, and be part of that process by registering her.  That moment really stands out among all the memorable interactions of that day.

As I reflect on Election Day, April 6, I see so many of the most important aspects of my life converging.  I served at the Maze Branch Library, which was the place I first came to appreciate the role of libraries and the impact they have on my life, ever since my Kindergarten class took a field trip there.  I then opened myself up to the opportunity to serve my community by volunteering there during the summers in my teen years.

And then I was back at Maze to serve the community by working as an election judge, exercising my civic duty, contributing to the democratic process of the republic of the United States.  It was in middle school that I came to first appreciate the story of the USA, and how I could take my part in upholding it.  With that sense of patriotism, I was so excited to vote for the first time almost 12 years prior to this year's election day, and just about a half-mile away, when I walked into the Oak Park Conservatory to vote for the first time on Tuesday, April 7, 2009, which was also a municipal election day.

Furthermore, it was also in middle school that I came to first appreciate my faith in a deep way.  It seemed fitting that after becoming even more zealous for faith while at ValpU, I would go back to middle school by teaching RE to current middle schoolers.

I have realized my middle school experience in a profound new way by being part of handing on the great gift of faith to others, especially my students.  And it was so exciting in the case of this one former student, after having taught her, to hand on a sense of civic duty and patriotism by registering her to vote, and be there for her first time voting.

Indeed, it's experiences like Election Day and each week of RE class that give me so much reason to celebrate my 8th graduation 16 years later, because of what I've made of it.

10 Years as a Deacon

I had an early start on the morning of Saturday, June 4, 2011, for a very important day.

Bob Marben, a beloved and active member of the St. Teresa's community in Valparaiso, had discerned the next step for his life was to answer the call to serve as a deacon, which culminated in his ordination to the diaconate on that day 10 years ago, along with several other men.

When I found out not too long before that day about the Mass, I decided, almost on a whim, to attend.

I rode the South Shore Line from downtown Chicago to downtown Gary, which meant catching the early morning departure from the Millenium Station at 8:40 so I could be in time for the Mass.

Once I arrived in Gary about an hour later, I waited for Dan and Ann Ruggaber to pick me up at the station and take me the rest of the way to the Cathedral of the Holy Angels.  While waiting, a car pulled over on the street by me, and a window rolled down.  My initial thought was that someone was going to ask me for directions.  Instead, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted to hear the greeting of Father Kevin from inside the vehicle, who was on his way to the ordination Mass.

A few minutes later, Dan and Ann arrived, and we made our way there.

It was a hot summer day, and the sanctuary was the one part of the Cathedral's facilities that wasn't air-conditioned, which made it feel like my home parish at Ascension during the summer months.

Notably, I had just been at this Cathderal exactly 6 months prior for the ordination Mass of Father Ted.  Much of the music was the same, with prayerful lyrics speaking to God's calling in our lives.  Father Ted was also there, and during the communion procession, he helped direct the flow of attendees toward the Eucharistic minister stations.

One part of the rite of ordination for deacons includes the line: "Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach."

Father Matthew Spencer discussed this line on his program St. Joseph's Workshop on Relevant Radio.  One major idea of his discussion was that these words apply to all the baptized:  We are called to read the Word and come to a life-giving belief in it, and then to hand it on to others while also putting into practice the very Words of God.  God has brought life by speaking His very Word to us, and we're called to be transformed by that Word to be a blessing in the world.

I heard another deacon, Lendell, once remark that a deacon's role is to be an icon of Christ, which manifests itself in how the deacon assists at Mass in proclaiming the Gospel reading and during the Eucharistic prayer, along with other acts of service in the community.

The St. Teresa's community is so blessed to have Bob Marben.  And so it was an even greater joy that he discerned this next step to serve the community in a more involved way.

Thinking of Deacon Bob brings me a sense of joy.  Whenever I go back to St. Teresa's, when he sees me, his face lights up as he greets me with words like, "Paul, the beloved apostle!"

It was just like during my time as a ValpU student.  Often, he would commend me for the way I offered my services to the community, especially as a lector.

I'm glad I was there to be part of this important moment in his life of faith, as yet another example of how meaningful it has been to be part of the St. Teresa's community, whose people have truly revealed God and His kindness to me in profound ways.  I'm thankful to God the church has Bob as one of many faithful servants functioning as deacons.

How Jim Beautified the Church on Earth

Over the past few weeks, Ascension Church has had extra decorations in place to celebrate Easter Season, which a group of volunteers helped place on Holy Saturday morning as part of an annual custom.

Similar efforts happen annually each year right before Advent starts and in the days leading to the Feast of the Nativity.

For many years, these decorating efforts were spearheaded by Jim Wojcik, a dedicated member of the Ascension Parish community.  I think of him not only because of the recent decorations in Church, but also because today, June 4, is his birthday.

Jim volunteered in many ways at Ascension, including as the head of the Art and Environment Committee.  Then, in 2014, he started working on staff in the parish office while retaining his duties with liturgy and decorations.

A few months ago, he took leave of this life to enter into the fullness of the Church in Heaven.  Yet as I look at the decorations in Chruch, I still think of him and how he had such a special touch for making our beautiful church look so splendid in celebration of the special liturgical seasons.

He would spend a good deal of time arranging the poinsettias for Christmas Season and the Easter lilies for Easter Season so they looked just right.

The liturgical seasons are one major reason I love being Roman Catholic. So I find great meaning in assisting with the decoration efforts, so that I can enter more fully into the liturgical life of the Chruch as we cycle through the seasons, and set the tone to help others do the same.

And so I gladly went up to Jim many years ago when I was a teen and asked Jim about helping with the Art and Environment Committee/

Father Hurlbert, recent pastor of Ascension, remarked in eulogizing Jim that he was a rather private person, not even disclosing many details about the cancer that took him to the end of his life.  But because I worked so closely with Jim for decorating efforts and other liturgical functions, I was blessed that I got to know him so well. 

I could see that Jim was such a dedicated member of the parish community, and he really loved being at Church.  He once remarked something to the effect of how he felt like he had gotten his dream job when he was hired to work at Ascension, which came after many years of employment at the University of Chicago.

He spent several hours at church each weekend, especially on Sunday mornings, arriving early to help get set up for the 7:30 Mass and staying until after the 11 AM Mass.  When it came to special liturgies, like important religious holidays and also Confirmation Masses, he was there to oversee the many extra details involved and to ensure everything ran smoothly.  At one point, he trained me and some other parishioners to serve as a thurifer during Masses at particular times of the year.

He also had a deep grasp of theology, and embraced the deeper meaning behind the days throughout the liturgical calendar, so we saw eye to eye as such.

I also recall his bravery the one time I went up with him and some others into the dome to hang up a large green banner at the conclusion of Easter Season.  In subsequent years, he stayed down below and sent others up, including me--I liked the thrill of it anyway.

It's clear that even those who never had the chance to interact with Jim benefitted from the fruits of his labors.

Jim was so kind to recognize my efforts, offering me a card and a small gift when I came to help with decorating efforts.  He also affirmed me in other ways, like offering compliments to how I served as a lector or in other roles.

I'm sure that when Jim left this life, he went into the very presence of God, who told him, "Well done, good and faithful servant.  Come, share your Master's happiness".  Indeed, he gave so much to edify the church on earth, and I'm sure he is fully enjoying participation in the Church in Heaven right now.

I'm sure he's experiencing the reality of the famous Rublev Trinity icon, taking his place at the table with the Three Persons of the Godhead--one of several icons put out throughout the course of the year for Masses, and also for Taize prayer services.

Happy Birthday Jim! Thank you for all you did for Ascension.

Thanks be to God.