To all the sweet folks who have emailed or called -- John is fine, he's not dead. Sorry to get everyone concerned. Yesterday, it was all I could do to get the pictures up. Today, I've added some commentary and now, the fuller story. My hope in sharing it is not to impinge on anyone's dignity, but to share with the people who love our family -- all of it -- and seek their prayers and support.
Ever since our move, just one year ago, John has been slowly sliding downhill. We've struggled as a household over issues of rent, medication, family connectedness, and other things. By April, we all knew that a change was coming. It's been a difficult decision, and as a wise friend surmised, even more difficult thing to carry out. Yesterday was so depressing in so many ways, as we packed up the things which we'd accumulated during our 6 years of common life -- his NBA and UK posters, his pictures of JFK and Jesus, his Ghanaian shadowbox (which my family compiled for him), his clothes. I cried several times, especially when I came across his Christmas stocking, which I made for him for him in 2002, our first Christmas together.
John has many decisions to make now, some of which will be difficult. It's hard to know how to feel. Could we have been more faithful? How do we avoid vilifying ourselves, or him, in an attempt to ease the grief we feel? How do we trust God to care for us in this time?
Sigh.
Showing posts with label John. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John. Show all posts
Jul 2, 2008
Jul 1, 2008
Go well, dear brother
August 2007: I love this picture -- affection and trust (or was it just the 3 of us being squashed in the truck??)
June 2008: Paint paint paint!
March 2008: John always made sure that Miranda wouldn't fall. He took very good care of her.
March 2008: John always made sure that Miranda wouldn't fall. He took very good care of her.
Sept 2006: All the neighborhood kids liked John.
July 2006: The Trifecta Trio (Billy, Mike & John) and their mascot, the Wunchinator.
December 2006: Munchie shares her scarf with her buddy.
December 2007: The beautiful shadowbox of Ghanaian items, which my family collaborated to create for him.
February 2007: Reading with Munchie. She always liked that.
December 2006: Santa brings some of John's favorites in his stocking.
January 2006: Miranda's first trip to a beer garden, where she hangs out with the only non-drinker!
Summer 2004: Billy & Troy are good pals.
October 2005: John and the Munchie.
August 2006: Eating at "Country Cookin', by George!" with Maria & Miranda, on the 4th anniversary of his moving in with us.
December 2006: Decorating committee, chair and co-chair.
March 2007: We celebrate John's 40th birthday.
December 2006: John helps Miranda take a spin on her new tricycle.
This is how I always think of John -- smiling. We're so glad you're our friend, and we trust God to keep us so for a long time.
December 2006: Munchie shares her scarf with her buddy.
December 2007: The beautiful shadowbox of Ghanaian items, which my family collaborated to create for him.
February 2007: Reading with Munchie. She always liked that.
December 2006: Santa brings some of John's favorites in his stocking.
January 2006: Miranda's first trip to a beer garden, where she hangs out with the only non-drinker!
Summer 2004: Billy & Troy are good pals.
October 2005: John and the Munchie.
August 2006: Eating at "Country Cookin', by George!" with Maria & Miranda, on the 4th anniversary of his moving in with us.
December 2006: Decorating committee, chair and co-chair.
March 2007: We celebrate John's 40th birthday.
December 2006: John helps Miranda take a spin on her new tricycle.
This is how I always think of John -- smiling. We're so glad you're our friend, and we trust God to keep us so for a long time.
Mar 3, 2007
John's birthday party
We had a good time Thursday night as we celebrated John's 40th birthday. Buffalo Wild Wings (where else?) was a great place to join and say congrats to our friend. Good food, good people. #
Happy birthday, friend!!!
Happy birthday, friend!!!
Jan 22, 2007
Where everybody knows your name
[I also posted this over at the ashram. Shameless!]
Last Friday John, Miranda and I joined our mailman for lunch at the nearby Buffalo Wild Wings. He was being transferred to another route, and since we've become something of friends over the last seven years, we treated him to a going-away burger and fries. It was yummy; Miranda even had a few finger-licks of the Medium wing sauce. She's a trooper.
This restaurant has become important to John. It was just about 4 years ago, when John was still new to our home, that he decided one night to go out and watch the Kentucky basketball game. This surprised Billy and me, as he was not in the habit of frequenting large, noisy places. But go he did, and he kept going back. For the first year, he sat on a stool next to the register, watching sports and accepting the occasional gift of free fries and Sprite. When he started getting an income, he moved to a table near the bar and increased his orders to "wings and wedges" and the occasional cheesecake (or two). He's watched more NBA, NCAA, MLB, and other stuff than I can imagine. He loves going there; it's his place.
The best thing about the story is twofold. First, the staff has always extended the most gracious of welcomes to John. They never (as far as I know) questioned his nightly seat by the bar, never said "order or get out of here." They seemed to sense his need for a space of his own, a place to come and relax (and get away from his nagging housemate -- I'm just saying). He's become one of the regulars, and that's due entirely to their hospitality.
Second -- and this struck me during our good-bye lunch last week, although I've noticed it before -- the people there really like John. They are glad to see him come in, and seem to offer an extra level of friendliness. During our brief lunch, they (mostly the pretty coed waitresses) called him "hon", "buddy", "sweetie", and simply his name, John. They know what he orders, where he likes to sit, what he likes to watch. He is known to them, and they like him. And when I asked the manager and staff about possibly hosting a surprise party for John's 40th birthday this March, they all said, virtually without exception, "For John, we'll make it happen."
I'm not especially surprised. John is friendly and easy to like. But not everyone goes out of their way to make people feel welcome, and the fact that they do makes me happy. John's dealt with some serious stuff in his life; he deserves a place where he knows they'll be happy to see him. And don't we all? So here's to you, Buffalo Wild Wings, for showing us how to turn strangers into friends.
Last Friday John, Miranda and I joined our mailman for lunch at the nearby Buffalo Wild Wings. He was being transferred to another route, and since we've become something of friends over the last seven years, we treated him to a going-away burger and fries. It was yummy; Miranda even had a few finger-licks of the Medium wing sauce. She's a trooper.
This restaurant has become important to John. It was just about 4 years ago, when John was still new to our home, that he decided one night to go out and watch the Kentucky basketball game. This surprised Billy and me, as he was not in the habit of frequenting large, noisy places. But go he did, and he kept going back. For the first year, he sat on a stool next to the register, watching sports and accepting the occasional gift of free fries and Sprite. When he started getting an income, he moved to a table near the bar and increased his orders to "wings and wedges" and the occasional cheesecake (or two). He's watched more NBA, NCAA, MLB, and other stuff than I can imagine. He loves going there; it's his place.
The best thing about the story is twofold. First, the staff has always extended the most gracious of welcomes to John. They never (as far as I know) questioned his nightly seat by the bar, never said "order or get out of here." They seemed to sense his need for a space of his own, a place to come and relax (and get away from his nagging housemate -- I'm just saying). He's become one of the regulars, and that's due entirely to their hospitality.
Second -- and this struck me during our good-bye lunch last week, although I've noticed it before -- the people there really like John. They are glad to see him come in, and seem to offer an extra level of friendliness. During our brief lunch, they (mostly the pretty coed waitresses) called him "hon", "buddy", "sweetie", and simply his name, John. They know what he orders, where he likes to sit, what he likes to watch. He is known to them, and they like him. And when I asked the manager and staff about possibly hosting a surprise party for John's 40th birthday this March, they all said, virtually without exception, "For John, we'll make it happen."
I'm not especially surprised. John is friendly and easy to like. But not everyone goes out of their way to make people feel welcome, and the fact that they do makes me happy. John's dealt with some serious stuff in his life; he deserves a place where he knows they'll be happy to see him. And don't we all? So here's to you, Buffalo Wild Wings, for showing us how to turn strangers into friends.
Aug 17, 2006
Celebrating Four Years as Family
[Disclaimer: I also posted this over at the ashram; such blatant reproduction is frowned upon in grad school but may still be permitted in the blogosphere.]
Well, yesterday was August 16th, 2006, which marks 4 years since the Spirit brought John Fitzgerald Kennedy Bruce-Papafio to 701 Golfview Drive. That's more C-SPAN, NBA, local Christian access, World Cup soccer, Buffalo Wild Wings, O Brother Where Art Thou, rice, Twix, and Sprite than I would ever have imagined! Through fun times and hard times, God has taken good care of us all and led us into deeper meanings of grace and faith. We are happy that we've had these four years; here's hoping for more.
John enjoying a celebratory lunch yesterday at "Country Cook'n, by George!" Excellent green beans.
John holding the Crunchie last autumn.
Well, yesterday was August 16th, 2006, which marks 4 years since the Spirit brought John Fitzgerald Kennedy Bruce-Papafio to 701 Golfview Drive. That's more C-SPAN, NBA, local Christian access, World Cup soccer, Buffalo Wild Wings, O Brother Where Art Thou, rice, Twix, and Sprite than I would ever have imagined! Through fun times and hard times, God has taken good care of us all and led us into deeper meanings of grace and faith. We are happy that we've had these four years; here's hoping for more.
John enjoying a celebratory lunch yesterday at "Country Cook'n, by George!" Excellent green beans.
John holding the Crunchie last autumn.
Golfview pals Troy and John.
Trifecta trio John, Mike, and Billy. (The Crunchie served in an advisory capacity only.)
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid." (Jn 14:27)
We love you, brother.
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