I gave my “When’s God Gonna Show Up?” workshop last week in Sleepy Eye, Minn. This time, my audience was [...]

You may recall in the Feb. 13 edition I wrote how music has changed over the years.

As a follow-up, I wondered: What goes with music?

The answer is obvious – dancing.

As we are aware that everything has a beginning, I had suggested that music had its origin in the Bible … and … so does dancing.

Spring in Wisconsin seems doubly welcome after the drab days of February and March. We celebrate renewal on many levels. We have Mother’s and Father’s Day to bond with our families. We also have occasions to applaud a star performance or cheer awards being presented to grandchildren. We renew our faith in the celebration of the Resurrection, the Ascension and Pentecost. Often we wrap Bibles and rosaries to give to those receiving the sacraments of Eucharist, penance and confirmation.

Many of us have learned our caring, involved grandparent role from our parents and grandparents. We listen to stories of role models from the Old and New Testament.

The Gospels are silent on the grandparents of Jesus. What we know of them is through “tradition” dating to early Christian times. Ss. Joachim and Anne, who was probably called Hannah in that time, became the parents of Mary when they were older. What a joy it must have been to them when their grandchild Jesus was born. I sometimes wonder what Jewish lullabies Anne sang to baby Jesus as she cared for him while Mary went to the well for their daily supply of water. Did she tell her friends how wonderful this blessed babe was and the pictures he could draw in the sand with one of the many stones that cover the Mideastern landscape?  

Some decisions do not come easy. To stay in the family home or downsize may create disagreement among family members. [...]