Light

 Long is our winter.

Dark is out night.

Oh, come set us free,

Thou Saving Light.

winter sunset

 

During the darkest part of the year, I give thanks for the sunset, even if it comes early.  This is the view from our deck of the high school from which I graduated here in Mason City in 1956.

Candlelight Concert

 The "Candlelight" Concert at North Iowa Area Community College where Joel and Rachel are now teaching. What a wonderful choral music program they have put together at NIACC in just the few months Joel has been there.

Thanksgiving family

 We celebrated Thanksgiving at the home of Joel and Rachel.  Mark and Aimee joined the gathering by phone from Phoenix.  We here in Mason City play "Fictionary" with a set of 1890's dictionaries. Kirk joined in the game from Texas.  Burton laughed so hard he was crying.

No. 9, 10, 11

 November 9, l0, ll.   

Kristallnacht 1938. Martin Luther's birthday, 1483. Armistice Day, 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month 1918 (Now Veteran's Day).

Reflection, Reformation, Remembrance!

Sitting in the sunshine

 Nov. 6 usually means frost and even snow. However, on my birthday yesterday, Nov. 6, the grass was still green and the temperature high enough for me to sit on our deck.  I give thanks for the sun, for my sons, and for my husband.  Joel even brought over a small cake and mini-pie with birthday candles that don't go out. I laughed and laughed and laughed and they kept relighting themselves.  And I received in the mail my "little red book," date book for 2024.  Good sign I may live another year.

All Saints Day

 Today we commemorate All Saints Day.

"For all the saints who from their labors rest

Who thee by faith before the world confessed.

Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest.

Alleluia! Alleluia!"

Reformation

 This morning we celebrated Reformation Day at our Church, Trinity Lutheran in Mason City (Iowa). Every fifth Sunday of a month, we also have a Service of Healing.  Everyone came forward. Much need for caring, for courage, for healing. 

 At the beginning of the season the odds were 125 to 1 that Arizona would not make it to the World Series.  However, last night, in the second game of the World Series, the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Texas Rangers 9-1. Series tied. Now on to Arizona for the next games.  Be careful about believing odds and ratings!

A thousand Voices

Almost 500 junior and senior high school students gathered at the North Iowa Area Community College last night for the "Honor Choir Festival" concert. Five choirs sang. Son Joel, who now teaches and directs choirs at NIACC directed the Festival Honor Choir, accompanied by his wife Rachel. It was wonderful.

All the choirs and the 1000 people in the audience sang the grand finale together. Music surrounded us all. 

Prayers for Restraint

 Mason City (Iowa) citizens will gather in Central Park this Saturday, Oct. 28, at noon for "Prayers of Restraint" in the Middle East war.  One Jew, one Muslim and one Christian will each offer a brief prayer. In between will be moments of silence for reflection. 

VOTE this November

 Today's vote today in Congress is one more reason why we need to vote in Nov. 7 elections.  Here in our city, it's school board and city government issues.  Extremely important!  We can vote now at our precinct right across the street.  VOTE

The Music Man

 Our Grandson, Jackson Everist, did a wonderful job playing Professor Harold Hill in "The Music Man" at Stebens theater here the past two weeks.  I had him sign my childhood autograph book and then showed him that his autograph was right next to that of Meredith Willson.  Willson was a childhood friend of my father's.  Willson signed my book in 1950 at our home in Des Moines.  I gave Jackson my autograph book.  It seemed appropriate.

Indigenous Peoples Day

 The "discovery" of a land where 550 tribes already lived means invasion. Were indigenous people "invisible"? Thought of as non-people? The "discovers" viewed them ambiguously, as "innocent," just part of the landscape of the "new land," or as "horrid savage: to be conquered. The latter view prevailed which meant they had to be "exterminated" It is fitting therefore that "Columbus Day" in some states and cities is now "Indigenous Peoples Day."  

Ancestors

 All of my grandparents died before I was born. However I do know some history about them.

My mother is German. The Kloock family emmigrated to the United States in the 1890's.  Here is a picture from about 1910 of them on the board sidewalk in front of the house my grandfather built in Garner, Iowa. My mother was about 10. Here is a picture of the house today, still standing.  My father's Cook family came on the Good Ship "Fortune" from Britain in 1621, landing on Cape Cod.

Dianne Feinstein

 We will miss her persistent voice!  Senator Dianne Feinstein died in her sleep Friday night, just a few hours after casting her vote on the Senate floor to prevent a government shutdown. She was a woman of great intelligence and integrity. She was a "first" in so many ways. She worked, always collaboratively, across part lines to ban assault weapons, was the first woman to chair the Senate Intelligence Committee and served on the Judicial Committee. What a fierce leader. What a kind colleague.  We will miss you, Dianne!

A Dangerous Man

 The former president on Jan 6, 2021, supported the chants from the insurrection crowd: "Hang Mike Pence" saying his vice president deserved it.  Over the last weekend the former president continued his death comments by insinuating that outgoing head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, should be executed. This is politics of violence

Anyone who opposes this dangerous man is living in fear if they speak out. Trump refuses to participate in the debate of Republican candidates for the presidency. The candidates are told they need to say they will vote for Trump if he is the 2024 candidate. Calls for security guards are way up. It is time for us to work to reverse this violent environment in order to save our democracy.

Ministry in Daily Life

 Ministry in Daily Life!  Burton and I had our hair cut last week. The woman who cut our hair remembered how she had cut it last time. Not only did she know our hair, but she knew us.  She knew our names and asked about our families. That would be "standard" hair-cutting conversation.  But she also remembered that our granddaughter had serious health problems and asked how the treatment had gone  this summer. She knew our occupations, but she also inquired about how our vocations were going. She knew details, was genuinely interested and had even looked up some information on the internet to understand us more deeply. This woman was skilled in her job, but was also truly a minister in her daily life. 

President Biden in Hanoi

 What an astounding image of our U.S. President Biden holding a news conference in Hanoi, 
Vietnam.  That was a long war which ended 50 years ago. President Biden spoke as he ended his important 5-day trip to the G-20 and other countries.  He is so knowledgable and knows how to engage other world leaders. In Hanoi he spoke of stabilization, healthy communication among nations, and working together on the Climate Crisis. 

Today is the 22nd anniversary of 9/11. What image does that bring to mind?  How do we remember and learn from these images?

Age and Competency are Not the Same Thing

 Recent news reports of health issues among older Americans serving in government have raised issues of people being too old to serve. However, age does not directly relate to incompetency. People can and do have health problems at any age. The issue is not gerontocracy, but capacity to do one's job. We need to ask what skills does one have? What wisdom? What gifts, what knowledge, what integrity? I contracted a complex chronic disease/disability at the age of 44. I continued to teach graduate school students for 34 more years and still teach, write, speak and mentor. I give thanks for the intellectually challenged person who is a greeter at a large store. 

Here is a picture of three generations in my family. Jackson is now 17, Joel 56 and Burton 86. All are so capable in their occupations. 

Blue Super Moon

 

• Years ago when I was very small...before we even thought about traveling to the moon, I asked my daddy if he could bring me the moon from the sky so I could play ball with it.  He could not, but his wanting so much to bring me the moon made me know how much he loved me. Many years ago when I was very small. . . 

Sixty Years and Still the Fierce Urgency of Now

 Sixty years ago August 28, 250,000 people participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Burton and I worked and marched in the Civil Rights Movement in St. Louis, Valparaiso, IN, and Detroit in our twenties. The non-violent protests and organization led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, followed by the Voting Right Act of 1965.

So, where are we now, 60 years later? Ongoing police brutality, racism, economic inequality, homelessness, Christian nationalism, white supremacy, a lack of affordable healthcare and quality education for all. We can't just remember "the dream." The "fierce urgency of now" is upon us. What are you called to do? What are we called to do together?

Burton and I worked with Linda Ridgeway and her family in Detroit during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960's.  Now, all in our 80's, Linda visited us recently here in Mason City. The beloved community!

FIFA

 We in the United State had been watching the Women's Soccer World Cup. Great games.  Many simply assumed that the U.S. would win the title. However, when Sweden beat the U.S., suddenly the U.S. coverage stopped.  Why?  Because the U.S. could not, would not win?  Sad.  The U.S. should not always win. And we in the U.S. should be interested in all teams from around the world are doing.  There were quite a few teams from small, poorer nations, including Haiti. They matter too!

 August 6 is Hiroshima Day. People are taking note this year because of the movie Oppenheimer.  I remember August 6, 1945. I was baptized August 6, 1939. I was seven years old the day the U.S. dropped the bomb on Japan. Little did we know then what devastation a nuclear bomb would bring.  Coincidentally our third son, Kirk, was baptized on August 6, 1969. Now 54, he and I do fully realize the devastation of war in a nuclear age. We work for peace, living out our baptisms of life in Jesus Christ.

Des Moines Concert

 

Norma Cook Everist

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Shared with Public

While Washington D.C. and New York City may have had their July 4th shows, tonight we watched a replay of the wonderful music of the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra on the grounds of the Iowa State Capitol (including fireworks). The Orchestra played Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture in its entirety.

Disability Pride Month

 Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July and is an opportunity to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and struggles of the disability community. Why July? It marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation that broke down barriers to inclusion in society. Those of us who live with a disability do not need pity. We all need respect, accessibility, and opportunity to participate in society, using our gifts.

Supreme Court Decision

It's not just about wedding cakes. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects Freedom of Speech. However, this is preceded by "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" In a pluralistic nation, people who do business in the public world must serve all people regardless of their personal beliefs. This also applies to public accommodations.  

Supreme Court Decision on Affirmative Action

 Excerpts from the President of Yale University where I did my graduate work and taught at the Divinity School:

Dear Members of the Yale Community,

This morning, the Supreme Court issued decisions in two cases that examine the consideration of race in admissions. . . . I write today to reaffirm Yale’s unwavering commitment to creating and sustaining a diverse and inclusive community. . . . We will continue to foster diversity in its many dimensions and will use all lawful means to achieve it.

As I consider today’s rulings, I am deeply troubled, but I also have hope when I reflect on the words of the Reverend Pauli Murray, eminent Yale graduate, “True community is based upon equality, mutuality, and reciprocity. It affirms the richness of individual diversity as well as the common human ties that bind us together.”

Roll-back on child-labor protections

 IOWA CHILD LABOR (FROM THE NEW YORKER, JUNE 12, P. 13)

In the past two years, according to a recent report from the Economic Policy Institute, at least fourteen states have enacted or proposed laws rolling back child-labor protections. Typically, the new laws extend work hours for minors, lift restrictions on hazardous work, lower the age at which kids can bus tables where alcohol is served, or introduce new sub-minimum wages. In Iowa, a new law allows children as young as fourteen to work in industrial laundries, and, with approval from a state agency, allows sixteen-year-olds to work in roofing, excavation, demolition, the operation of power-driven machinery, and other dangerous occupations. Jennifer Sherer, a co-author of the E.P.I. report, said, “Iowa’s new law contains multiple provisions that conflict with federal prohibitions on ‘oppressive child labor.’ ” It also limits employer liability for the injury, illness, or death of a child on the job. Adolescents are almost twice as likely as adults to be injured at work.

Mass Killing Epidemic

 As I am writing this, will we hear of a 200th mass killing in the United States this year? The 199th was at an outdoor shopping mall in Allen Texas. That is just a few miles from where one of our sons lives. And he has a person practicing with his rifle next door to him. No, it is not safe anywhere. Blaming people with mental illness is not the answer, particularly when mental health care is so hard to find. The slogan, "The only thing to stop a bad person with a gun is a good person with a gun" won't do. More gun violence compounds fear that causes a continuous rise in purchase of guns. The gun industry benefits and we all lose. 

The Days of May

 May 4:  May the 4th be with you.

Mary 5: Cinco de Mayo

May 6: Coronation of King Charles III

May 6: My half birthday (Born Nov. 6, 1938)

Of the three, I'll choose May 6 to celebrate

MLK's words.

 It’s been 60 years (1963) since the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous “Letter from Birmingham Jail” on scraps of paper, but faith leaders say his response to white clergy critics endures as a “road map” for those working on justice and equal rights.

Recent events and exhibitions tied to its anniversary have revealed the ongoing interest in and relevance of King’s letter, in which the civil rights leader proclaimed: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Easter Monday shootings

 Easter Monday: In yet another mass shooting, Louisville, KY, suffered the loss of four people who died and 9 who were injured.  And almost unbelievably, but what has come to be believable, just 3 hours later another shooting at a Community college in Louisville. Christ was risen to bring life, not murder.  Do we believe that? The Easter flowers are still surrounding us. But guns, way too many guns, surround us, too. Christ is Risen. Christ is Risen Indeed.

Jesus Suffered

 On this Good Friday, we focus on the verbs from the Gospels: Jesus was deserted, grieved, betrayed, approached with swords and clubs, lied about, struck and slapped, denied, bound, led away, suffered, flogged, mocked, spat upon, taunted, crucified, forsaken. The earth shook. Simon of Cyrene carried his Jesus' cross. Joseph of Arimathea offered his tomb. The women watched and prepared spices and ointments. We watch and wait.

Whom do you follow during Holy Week?

 Today, the Tuesday of Holy Week, I won't be watching as the media covers every step of the way of the former U.S. President into the courtroom to be indicted for (some of) the crimes he has committed during the past years. What else could the media be covering? The current VP, Pamela Harris' visit to African nations last week?  Not a glimpse of her, except on PBS.  Britain's King Charles last week visited Germany to re-enforce reconciliation and speak for future common work together. What else should we be watching?

During this Holy Week, we follow Jesus, the Christ, from his entry into Jerusalem to the cross.  Watch! Tell others to watch! Every step of the way! Only through this Savior will we be able to repent and receive new life.

Carnegie Hall

 The Mason City High School received a standing ovation  for being a solo choir at Carnegie Hall in New York City.  Our son Joel directed, his wife Rachel play piano and grandson Jackson had a solo.  Carnegie Hall was sold out.  The concert brings together outstanding choirs from across the country. 

International Women's Day

 Today, March 8, is International Women's Day. So much progress and still so much gender discrimination. I think of the women and girts in Iran and in Nigeria.  I think of the sex tourism in Asia.  I give thanks for so much progress here and around the world in women's opportunities in professions.  We need to know the herstories and continue to work for women's rights. 

Bloody Sunday

March 7, 1965, John Lewis led hundreds of people across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma Alabama to oppose voting restriction of African Americans in the South. As we know he was beaten within an inch of his life. The day became known as Bloody Sunday. Today, this Sunday, as every year, people will once again march across that bridge in commemoration. Fifty-eight years since that galvanizing event during the Civil Rights movement, we need to continue and increase our march towards freedom, advocating for all to be able to vote.  This Sunday may we pledge ourselves to that goal.  

Super Bowl and the Earthquake

 Super Bowl 57 is over. I admire the skill of the players, the excitement of the game. I watched the teams tackle one another and players emerge from the under the pile. As I watched another image came to mind: the people buried beneath the rubble in the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. "Where's the ball?" we asked in the football game. "Where are the bodies?" rescue workers asked as they labored in the horrific devastation. And still there was hope as a l0-year-old was pulled alive after 147 hours. The game is over; fans go home. Five million are homeless in Turkey and Syria. The tragedy is not over. How can we help?

Martin Lutheran King Jr. Day 2023

 Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children. . .It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. . . The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. (MLK Aug. 28, 1963, 60 years ago)

Epiphany and Insurrection

 Today, Jan. 6th is Epiphany and the 2nd anniversary of the Insurrection. What do you see in Matthew 2:1-18? Wise men seeking someone to whom to pay homage. Fear: Herod's fear that his rule and power might be challenged. Herod secretly scheming: "Bring me word so I too can pay homage." Joseph, Mary and Jesus fleeing by night to Egypt: refugees. Herod killing ALL the children two years old or younger. Weeping and wailing. We, too, follow the Epiphany star.