Sailor Bob at the helm 

From Poet, Sailor Bob

I've talked about Robert Larkin, aka Sailor Bob in the "Change of Heart" post and how besides being my sailing mentor, he is also a dear friend and poet.
On the morning of October 12, 2004 before we went sailing, he shared his most recent poem with me. I share it with you because I recognize this as talking to me as well as I'm sure you might recognize it talking to you.

In God's time
On the beach,
Watching the waveletts
Roll pebbles and shells
Back and forth;
I feel the shoulder chips,
Of resentment, fall off
And into the grinding
mill at my feet.

In God's time
these sharp chips
Will become dull,
thru time and tide,
Smooth enough to
pick up and throw
Away forever.

-- Larkin 12 October 2004

At The Washington National Cathedral

Washington National Cathedral 

This picture was taken at the Chapel of the Resurrection, underneath the Washington National Cathedral. Margaret and I were blessed to be with acolytes from St Mark at the 25th Annual National Acolyte Festival. With over 2500 acolytes in an incredible service and event the Rev. John Chane, Bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Washington blessed all the acolytes in "their high calling and responsibility; to pray that God will bless and direct them in their ministry; and to celebrate the witness of their service before the altar of God".
WHEW ! Service before the altar of God ! Awesome indeed !

St Mark Lutheran Sanctuary 

Ashby Update October First

“The preparation of the heart in man and the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.”
--Proverbs 16:1

It seems like years since I posted our last update on August 8th but that’s because so much has gone on in the last 60 days. Despite multiple passes from the remnants of several hurricanes and all that’s listed below we are here and in gear!

Let’s start with the reason for being in Yorktown and that’s Margaret’s internship as Vicar Margaret Ashby at St Mark Lutheran. Margaret has been working 6/7 days a week, preaching every third week and serving in a number of other assisting capacities. Our prayers for being shown a whole different set of needs and solutions has indeed been abundantly realized. From Church Council, to planning for a new website, to assisting at funerals, to assisting at the St Francis Blessing of the Animals; there has been a whole new level of learning that we’ve been exposed to. Upcoming events include our participation in the yearly Acolyte Training held at the National Cathedral in Washington DC, city wide Reformation Sunday services with the retired Catholic Bishop of the area preaching and of course the Advent season.
In the midst of all of this Margaret’s sister Maria, who has had cancer for a number of years passed away in Switzerland. A sad occasion but I was able to get James out of Colorado, Tracy out of North Carolina and Margaret and myself all the same plane going over to Switzerland and back again. Really the first time that all four of us as a family, have been together in over 2 years. Margaret’s brother Stephen was also there from South Carolina and along with the Swiss family we cried, remembered and celebrated the Maria’s vital full life. Ironically we had just finished helping Maria’s oldest son Stephen Humair, move out of his house in Findlay Ohio just before we moved to Virginia and he moved back to Switzerland with his wife and two children. Maria became a grandmother of four during the years she was diagnosed with cancer and the Lord blessed those years indeed.

Gerald of course is in the choir at St Mark and in addition to attending Adult Sunday School is getting ready to start teaching an adult SS session on the Parables in November. It would be easy to be involved the same 6/7 days a week at St Mark that Margaret is but my new job and of course my new sailboat are keeping that in check.
Regarding the job: Gerald has just finished 2 weeks of training and qualifying as a Museum Program Assistant at the Jamestown Virginia Settlement. Jamestown is the first permanent English settlement in North America and hosts 200,000 school aged children a year with emphasis on what is called the Virginia Standards of Learning which the Jamestown Foundation (a part of the Virginia Department of Education) is an integral part. I serve as a guide for the 2-hour tours through the interpretive areas of a Powhatan Indian Village, three reproduction ships, a Riverfront area and a reproduction Fort James. The Jamestown settlement is a lovely 30-minute drive on the Colonial Parkway that starts on the York River, winds across the peninsula past Colonial Williamsburg and then over to the James River.
Starting this week I am training to do the same work here at the Colonial era Yorktown Visitors Center that includes a Revolutionary War encampment and a Colonial farm site.
In addition, Gerald is now serving his seventh year as a Discussion Group Leader with Bible Study Fellowship International. This year’s study is The Acts of the Apostles and the Newport News evening men’s class is some 300 men strong ( plus about 35 children also taught by the men).
Last, but by no means least is the fact that Gerald has bought and is learning to sail a 24’ sailboat. This is a long and blessed story in itself and it’s origins can be read on my website under the title “ Finding Your Dream or the Origin of the sailboat “Change of Heart”.

Soon to be 29 year old son James has completed work on the trail atop Mt. Massive ( 14, 250’) in Colorado and is getting ready to leave on his birthday, October 11th, for Nepal for a number of months. He will assist in various geological projects and in general be in an area of the world that he has been longing to go to for several years. As parents our deepest prayers for his happiness and safety will continue. You can see details of his Nepal adventures and the current political status of the country on James’ website:
http://whatyoumakeofit.blogspot.com/

Daughter Tracy Otis and husband Nick are busy working away on their ‘new to them’ 1928 brick bungalow in Asheville NC. Oddly enough all the hurricanes have brought much more destructive rain to the Asheville area than to us here on the coast. Lots of painting and scraping, house rewiring and raising the garage/workshop and pouring a new foundation under it –are some of their recent activities.

I recently heard the following phrase again that I think is so apt and that is: “A season of preparation for a lifetime of service”. The challenge continues to be finding the silent moments of thought and prayer to allow the processing of all that we are blessed with in preparation here and exhibiting a spirit of grace and wisdom along the way.
Stay tuned for additional updates regarding the whole Ashby clan and many more sailboat adventures at:
http://changedheart.blogspot.com/

Gerald and Margaret Ashby 10/01/04