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Written and Shared by: Chaplain Chris Belfield
When growing up on the east coast, trips to visit relatives in Virginia were always looked forward to. This was referred to as going to the country. After so many times of taking the same trip, familiar landmarks were anticipated to determine how far we had come and how much longer the trip would last. One of those significant landmarks was the bridge from Maryland into Virginia. It seemed to a 10- year-old like the demarcation line between two different worlds. Things in that part of Virginia seemed quieter and less hurried. There was so much more to see with the small farms and historical locations. There was Washington’s actual birthplace, James Monroe’s birthplace, the Lee family mansion where Robert E. Lee was born, and of course the state park where so many memorable family reunions occurred. Through the succeeding decades, to the present time, there have been hundreds of different trips for many reasons. Some were actual vacations and others were military assignment related. There was always a choice to be made – how to get from point A to point B. When I was younger, expediency was the overriding concern. How to get there the quickest with the least number of interruptions or distractions. After all – getting there was the point of the travel, right? If only I had known then what I realize now. As I got older and seemingly wiser, I realized there was so much more to be seen and experienced by taking the less-traveled roads. So it was that when I retired to Minnesota in 1997, I was determined to see as much of the back roads as possible. Being a volunteer chaplain with a county sheriff's department was a great way to do this during ride-along with the deputies. A side benefit was discovering the best fishing and hunting areas. This desire to see the best of the state has only been enhanced since our final retirement to the North Shore. There are so many unique features to this beautiful Arrowhead Region, that I will only state those recently observed in our local area. Feel free to add those you think I should get out and see. Let’s see, there’s the always picturesque drive from Duluth either up the scenic highway along the shore, or Highway 61 itself. Both speak volumes to a wealth of culture and history to be enjoyed. You know things are a little different as you come into Two Harbors and there is a statue of Pierre, the Voyageur. It was a long time until someone pointed out that Pierre is wearing a long shirt and no pants. Watch out or someone will try to cancel Pierre for his lack of clothing decorum. Pierre has been seen with a mask during the pandemic. There is also a car wash that features a pet was as well. First time I have ever seen one of those. Just a little further east there is Lou’s, whose sign advertises world-famous smoked fish cheese ice cream. Yep, a North Shore delight. However, I am a little particular about how many different flavors are combined in my ice cream. Cathy wisely pointed out it's how you read the sign. You read it your way and I'll read it mine. Next up the shore is a well-known resort, right on the lake. Unique is that it is only flying the Canadian flag. Now, I call that real diplomacy to let our northern neighbors know they can feel right at home here. Then there are two tunnels on your way up the shore. The first is the Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel. The other is unnamed. Well, it is named, just not on the tunnel itself. It is the Lafayette Tunnel. Now you know. Finally, the lady using a leaf blower on her lawn when there are no leaves. OK, that was Cathy. Why rake when you have an industrial-strength leaf blower? Not only did the blower take care of dirt and small rocks, but every branch and twig that dared to fall since last Fall. It should be noted that the blower requires a seasoned, trained person to handle it properly. Alas, I am still in training and hope to stretch that situation out for several more seasons. These are some personal observations from the North Shore. No matter where you live there are roadways and people just waiting for you to discover. I use the same thought when referring to our relationship with God. Every day is a new opportunity for discoveries and memories. Don't hesitate to read the Bible, pray, and see where God will take you. Our encouragement verse for this week is: Psalm 118:24 (ESV) “This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” May you be blessed by God's word. Chris Written and Shared by: Chaplain Chris Belfield
Have you noticed the changes occurring around town lately? A sure sign that time signals a multitude of seasonally related events. Let's see, there's the always comforting signal from the local Dairy Queen – it's open again! There must be certain subliminal business psychology that I am only now just becoming aware of. Since the coldest part of the winter, DQ has posted a sign stating when they would open again – a definite harbinger of hope in an otherwise tundra we call home. What is impressive is that they opened again while it was still winter, with several weeks left on the calendar until spring – this Saturday. On behalf of a grateful populace, allow me to say thank you. The strawberry sundae was well worth the wait. Another indication of a new change is the re-purposing of the old Shopko into a new commercial venue courtesy of the Seagren family enterprises. More business is good for business. Then there is the good news out of St. Paul that the governor is relaxing some of the pandemic restrictions which will result in another step back to some form of normalcy. Have you noticed that the parking lot at the local hospital has appeared more occupied as of late? Are more people are ill and needing services? Perhaps, but what is known is that the local area is slowly, but surely, receiving more COVID vaccine. Again, timing is everything as new eligibility criteria have gone into effect, allowing more to be vaccinated. This is not a discourse on the merits or drawbacks of receiving a vaccination - that is entirely a personal choice. I recently became eligible and received my first shot today. First and foremost, let me take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in the process. This includes those seen and those behind the scenes who make sure things flow smoothly. The entire process took a mere 25 minutes, 15 of which were sitting for required monitoring after the actual vaccination. What made it so memorable? The people. From the time I entered the hospital, until completing the five separate stations, I was greeted with friendly smiles and sincere, caring attitudes. I was not only grateful for the opportunity to receive the vaccination; I was even more grateful for the opportunity to meet such dedicated and caring people. Please remember, these Public Health personnel, hospital workers, and especially volunteers are our neighbors and friends. You all are truly awesome! Finally, there is another type of seasonal time passage. Here I refer to the season of life and the passage from it. It is with a heavy heart that I reflect here on another loss from the Greatest Generation. This past Tuesday evening Karl passed away. I had only met him a little over two years ago and he made an immediate impression. A proud Finn, Karl delighted in trying to teach anyone who met him how to count in Finnish. I find English challenging enough, but Karl never gave up trying. His pride was his service in World War II, his beloved wife, Ann, and his family. Karl also delighted in telling me everything possible about growing up in Toimi, Minnesota, and the Toimi Schoolhouse. I have never been there, but I feel like I know it as well as a native son, courtesy of Karl. To be sure, Karl had some challenges in his life – just like so many others, but he humbly admitted how grateful he was to have just lived as long as had. At 95 years young, he certainly had his own opinions and wasn't too shy about sharing those. But what will stay with me is his firm handshake when saying goodbye, and his insightful observation, "There are fewer of us left who remember what it was like." Karl was referring to growing up during the Depression and then going to war. He was right, and now there is one less. I take comfort in knowing that there are community members who are helping to keep us going with new businesses, helping us with vaccinations, and those helping to care for those from the Greatest Generation as well as those who provide the services we need every day. Finally, I am most grateful that God provides what I need, both now and for eternity. Our encouragement verse for this week is: James 1:17 (NIV) “ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” May you be blessed by God's word. Chris Written and Shared by: Chaplain Chris Belfield
The great American dream is to have a successful career, a perfect family, a home in the country with a white picket fence, and a care-free retirement to be enjoyed for many years. Right. Reality says that work can be very gratifying but is also long and arduous, and before you know it, retirement is staring you in the face. Retirement is supposed to be relaxing, a time of contemplation and tranquility where our time is finally our own. However, to be honest, this is actually the reality for many. I am not in that select group. I am in the other group. You know, the group that wants to stay relevant and still believes we have skill sets acquired during a lifetime of experience that can be beneficial. The good news in retirement is that we can now volunteer for noteworthy causes. The challenge is to know when not to over-stretch ourselves in these endeavors. All of the sudden, much of that cherished free time is now taken up with meetings, planning, and events. Don't get me wrong – it's all good. It's just an exercise on how to not only serve but also make time for yourself. Otherwise, you can easily find yourself busier than when working full-time. And so it was that I found myself with some free time last week. That can present a problem itself in deciding what to do to relax. Woodworking? Reading? Organizing workshops for the upcoming season of projects? I decided to walk the dog and consider further my options. And there was where this saga begins. With the recent, unseasonably warm temperatures came the melt and at night the inevitable re-freeze on a large scale. There were large patches of ice around the entrance to the house. As I was coming down the hill to the door. I was gingerly taking my time on the ice to avoid any mishaps – to no avail. The dog pulled on the leash. I tried to maintain control and lost. I went horizontal and splayed out on the ice with my head making a distinctly loud connection with the ice. A caveat is needed here. No ice was damaged in the occurrence of this event. I was laid out for a good five minutes until I could get myself up and into the house. My head was throbbing and my elbow was hurting to the point where I wanted to scream…just a little. Cathy dutifully and lovingly provided for my injuries. But we were not done quite yet. This time of year also the annual exercise in anxiety and trepidation, commonly referred to as tax season. For years we have used a renowned online service for tax submission. What could be easier than just entering data from the comfort of your home and letting the tax experts' computer program do the rest? What planet was I born on? Just to enter the required data was a two-hour exercise in answering more questions than when I joined the military. It seems you need an interpreter who speaks "taxese" to just understand what is being asked. Finally, the evil deed was done and the sun immediately shone through the dark clouds of uncertainty – we were getting a refund! Now, all we had to do was to hit the submit button. Success! Not so fast. Ten minutes later was the dreaded notification that the submission was not accepted due to more “taxese” jargon. Short story – after five more rejections we were able to connect with a real person. Real meaning someone to exchange texts with who was as frustrated with their own system as much as we were. What worked finally? We entered 0 into fields requiring numbers and the computer accepted everything. I could just scream at the futility of having contributed three-hours of our lives that we can never recuperate. Still, we are getting refunds. Ok, the scream was a bit more muted to be classified as a whine. And finally, the last straw to complete the saga. Coming down the shoreline to go into town I rounded the corner where you can see the current gas price at the Holiday station. Now I readily admit that I am peculiar in that I actually have a happy point regarding gas prices when they are under a certain amount. Imagine my reaction to being unprepared for the price to have gone up over 20 cents per gallon – eight percent – in one week. Ostensibly this is to reflect an improving economy. As I was in my truck and the windows were up, I finally gave in and vented for about three seconds. After all – what are you going to do? Yep, I pulled in and gassed up. Sometimes it is difficult to not be able to express frustration about circumstances, particularly those we have no control over. You know, like falling on the ice, tax preparation, and gas prices. But there is comfort in the certainty that God does care about our frustrations and trials and wants to not only hear about them, but he also offers to help. We have to be willing to tell him and then also to let him help. Now I feel better. Our encouragement verse for this week is: Psalm 46:1 (NIV) “ God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” May you be blessed by God's word. Chris Written and Shared by: Chaplain Chris Belfield
I know I have mentioned it before – the pandemic has seemed to have given us a new vernacular within the past year that is now accepted as normal. We have become all too familiar with: isolation, quarantine, face masks, social distancing Skype, and Zoom. In retrospect, these have all ostensibly been to help us get through these perilous and challenging times while still trying to maintain some semblance of new normalcy. I recently read of new medical phenomena – "Zoom fatigue." I was almost set to grin at what must seem like a far-fetched assumption until I reflected that the previous week, I was part of five lengthy Zoom meetings within two days. And to be honest – at the end of the last meeting I was feeling a little bleary-eyed from looking at a computer screen. However, we have to admit – there are some distinct advantages to these meetings over face-to-face meetings. First and foremost is the ability to mute yourself and also opt-out of video-sharing if you forgot to shave, or just want to dress really casually. Regardless of when the pandemic ends – and it will – I believe computer meetings will be embraced and continue on due to accessibility and convenience. Another byproduct of the pandemic has been the increased reliance on social media and mainstream media news outlets for current information. It seems that sometimes ignorance is bliss. By that I mean we are the recipients of the information and seldomly the source. And so it has been that a current trend has been developing over the past year. I will refer to it as the cancel trend. Now, when I was growing up there were two meanings for the term cancel. The first was that school was canceled due to snow days. Yes! Then there was the announcement that a favorite TV show had been canceled. Why? Still, we moved on. It was with some real head-scratching that I read recently that Dr. Seuss's writings are to be canceled as being insensitive. With little time to digest this assault on my childhood, assault round number two announced that Mr. Potato Head would now be gender-neutral to be acceptable to …whom? I am nervous about what the news will next disclose. Will Mr. Green Jeans be determined to be insensitive to the other colors? What about Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, and the Dick and Jane readers? I am of the humble opinion that it is easier to criticize than it is to appreciate when something good is done. Johnny Mercer & the Pied Pipers had a hit song in 1944, “Accentuate the Positive.” The song was nominated for the "Academy Award for Best Original Song" at the 18th Academy Awards in 1945 after being used in the film Here Come the Waves. Let’s take a look at that sentiment today. First, some publications are known for emphasizing positive outcomes. There is Guide Post, Positive News, Reader’s Digest, and dozens more, as well as many positive websites. I’m not advocating ignoring reality, just getting a healthy dose of positive news as well. I would be remiss if I did not also include the Bible. So, let me attempt a Lake County version of accentuating the positive. Feel free to use this in your own communities as well. We could start a nation-wide grassroots effort to be positive. Here we go. A big shout out to the following groups:
THANK YOU and GOD BLESS YOU! Our encouragement verse for this week is: Philippians 4:8 (ESV) “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” May you be blessed by God's word. Chris |
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