Significant Talk

Eleven years ago Betty (wife) and I had a meeting with a Lawyer and established an Estate Plan. We didn't have a lot, but we did own a house and had some investments, including IRA's. It seemed appropriate to lay out some plans about what to do when we were gone. We determined to name our oldest and youngest sons as co-trustees to manage things when both of us had died. Both live in Montana and both were unmarried at that time. They are still single. I was in my mid-70's, already much older than my father and older brothers at their deaths. The assumption was that I would die before Betty. Didn't happen. She died nearly 4 years ago at age 80. I will be 85 in a couple of weeks.

Today I had that talk with the successor trustees that many elders are reluctant to have with their children. Ken was inn town for a meeting so I picked up up and with Pete we talked about the Estate and my suggestions about what should be done when I am dead. (I've had by-pass surgery twice - the last time in October 1980; a stent placed in a coronary artery in 2006; have a CT scan showing a closing of my aortic valve with a lot of stuff around it which could very well go to my brain if surgery was done. There is also a minimal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. As I told the sons. the talk today was "just in case". I feel pretty good a this time and am taking things easy. I fully understand the nature of my health and have signed up for "Comfort One". This, in Montana at least, means: "Make him comfortable and do not resuscitate". Again, I have no anticipation that this might happen soon. I simply felt that the TALK should be done and that the 'trustees' should be acquainted with my computer programs.

Lost Symbol II

I've finished. A gripping read and I fell for all of the false leads. After the "mystery" is pretty much solved there is still the question of Robert Langdon's lack of faith. The story point out that many members of the Masonic Order are not men of traditional religions, but that they are men who believe in some "higher power". I was reminded of on of the most faithful attenders of my Student Pastorate who was a Mason. He would not become a member of the Baptist Church because he did not accept Christian faith. He told me once that he did believe in God and he wanted people to know that about him at least.

One phrase toward the end struck me as particularly pertinent these days. Katherine Solomon, Noetic Scientist, says: "Small minds have always lashed out at what they don't understand." It made me think of such persons as Rush LImbaugh, Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, and the T-Party crowd shouting out there disrespect of President Obama and the current Health Insurance discussion. One can only hope that the House and Senate will find a realistic outcome to this major problem.

The Lost Symbol

I got this one last week from Amazon for my Kimble. It is a fascinating and compelling read, but at this point I'm only about 60% through. The first chapter talks about a secret ceremony inducting a man as a 33rd degree Mason. There was a mention of the Masonic leather apron which made me recall a part of my father's last rites. There was the traditional Christian service, but he did have on his leather apron. Dad was very much involved in Masonry as Secretary of his Lodge. Such societies have never had any appeal to me.

Dan Brown's tale goes on about a sacred pyramid which presumably contains the way to holy mysteries. I find the story fascinating because much of the action so far centers in the U.S. Capitol and the National Cathedral. I have had he privilege of exploring each. Many years ago, before our Nation became paranoid, I was able to explore the lower levels of the Capitol unescorted. There was the original Supreme Court chambers, and many other historic places. I certainly was aware of any deeper recesses which Brown speaks of. I also went up the hill to visit the National Cathedral and explored the various "chapels" unescorted. Some were being used for services at that time. It is a magnificent building.

I guess one of the joys of reading nowadays is that my age and travels give me some deeper understanding of the literature. For example, most the John Jakes' Kent Family Chronicles were set in places I've lived or visited or in a history which was a part of my own family history.

I have no problem in recommending The Lost Symbol for you reading pleasure.

Monday??

Well, Pete and I usually take stuff to the local Food Bank which people at the Church have contributed on the first Sunday of the month. We did it today (Tuesday) since yesterday was Labor Day and few there were who were working. At Church this past Sunday we had a combined service with both we traditionalists and those who consider themselves to be "contemporary". The choruses, guitars and drums don't do it for me so I go to the 9 o'clock service. Actually IT doesn't do much for me either since the Pastor's sermons would fit well into a Sunday School setting - 4 points and 30-35 minutes. No choir, and I believe that he prefers it that way. Anthems take up his time.

So the combined service was designed in order to have "dinner on the grounds" for lunch. It was worth the change. The only problem seemed to be that people who brought dishes for the Luncheon did not bring cans, etc, for the Food Bank. There was just one bag of stuff plus what we took ourselves. The Congregations typically does better than that. Billings is constructing a very large building to house the local Food Bank. This outfit provides a very important and much needed service to the community.

Generation rumination

I woke up this morning thinking of my own history. That is, the number of generations in the family I have been a part of. I have strong memories of my Dad’s parents: Alfred Burman Taylor and Ora Arminta Chapman. He was born in 1857 and she was born in 1861. I have memories of the Civil War through their contacts as youth. Grandfather Taylor’s father, Moses, was born in 1814. My father, Clarence, was born in 1884. He was married to Lulu Belle Petit in 1907. To this union 9 children were born with 7 surviving to maturity. I have on file a copy of Dad’s draft registration for WW I although with a family he did not serve in the military. My memory is that he sold War Bonds as a part of his war effort. A part of these ruminations dealt with the fact that I served as a pall bearer for Grandfather Taylor's funeral at the age of 15, and was notified of my father’s death while serving in the U.S. Air Corps at the age of 18. At some point I wrote a brief poem: “Six stalwart sons, they bore their father’s bier, and from each eye there fell a silent tear.” Something more about “two had hoped to see him once again” but I don’t recall the closing line. That would be twin brother, John, and myself. I thought of this three years ago when his brothers plus a first cousin were pall bearers at Jimmy’s funeral.

So there are three generations: Grandfather, Father, and self. Not long after marriage to Harriet Elizabeth Clarkson I heard these excited words from her: “We’re going to have a baby.” That would be the first of 9. We raised 7 of them to full adulthood. Twins ( a boy and a girl) were premature and did not survive more than 24 hours. Those 9 would be the 4th generation. 5 of 7 married and we have a dozen grandchildren - generation 5. Two of them are currently married and have daughters. Arianna Elisabeth was born Oct. 8, 2008 and Sophie Harriet Elizabeth was born 12/16/2008. Voila! Generation 6 covering at this date (9/4/2009) 152 years. And with the Great Granddaughters carrying their Great Gramma’s name there is evidence of how important she was to her grand children. 1At the age of 84 (6 weeks shy of 85) I believe that this historical background gave me a deeper appreciation of John Jakes’ series of novels - The Kent Family Chronicles which dealt with early American History.