Tuesday, July 23, 2013

We take so much for granted...

"Oh, what a happy soul am I,
Although I cannot see;
I am resolved that in this world,
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy,
That other people don't.
Weep and sigh because I'm blind?
I cannot, and I won't."
-Fanny Crosby

That poem was written by one of our great hymn writers when she was eight years old! Not only did this young girl become a great hymn writer, but she was also blind. Maybe her grateful spirit had something to do with how the Lord used her through her hymns. It was a grateful spirit that allowed her to take what God had given her, without grumbling, and ask God to use what He had given her. For where we are weak, God can become strong...

 
Flowers are such beautiful reminders God's blessings!
"Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits..." (Psalm 103:2)


 
This week, let's remember to thank God for the things He brings across our paths. Thanking God for the things that we perceive being good and what we preceive as bad is a wonderful (yet challenging) exercise. "Good and evil run on parallel tracks, and they usually arrive at about the same time" (David Gibbs). God is able to use the "bad" in our lives to bring forth good!! If there is no Red Sea, how is God supposed to get the glory?
So...
...forget not His benefits, live today with thankfulness!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Our first week of harvesting!!

This week we made Wineberry jelly, canned beets and green beans.  I really enjoy doing that kind of stuff.  If you place your "mouse" over each picture, I have said a little about each one. 








We love to can things.  It gives us a lot of family time too. 

Mary Ellen Gleason Normoyle Eulogy

Mary Ellen Gleason Normoyle Eulogy


As I was thinking about how to write my Mom’s eulogy the song “Maria” from the Sound of Music was swirling through my mind. The words “How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you take a cloud and pin it down?”, though the words in my mind were ““How do you describe a mom like Mary Ellen? How do you take a cloud and pin it down?”  In a short eulogy it is difficult to describe mom’s  life, to “pen it down” in a few words.  Contrasting Mom with Maria’s characteristics is appropriate. She was like Maria in her love for music, her confidence, her trust in God, and her unusual way to make people smile and laugh. She was also like Maria in that she always had a plan to do something. She got the ball rolling, she was active and she did not settle for what did not seem right to her.

 

Scripture says that we are stones and that our works are as precious stones. Mom was a diamond. And as a diamond, the light of Christ shown through her in so many different ways that each of us have a testimony of the brilliance of Christ’s light through her. Thus I recognize that my testimony, this eulogy, is incomplete in itself, and I invite others to share their glimpses of her light also with us.

 

In 1Corinthians 13:13, the chapter on the characteristics of love, it ends with:

 “And now faith, hope, love, these three remain; but the greatest of these is love.”

My brothers and I read this verse the morning of my mom’s death, the phrase “these three remain” stuck out as a symbol of mom’s legacy. It describes her well and the lasting memories we all have of her. Though Mary Ellen left her earthly body, her faith, her hope and her love still has a lasting impression on me and, I am sure, on many of you that will remain throughout our lives. I would like to provide a glimpse of how I knew her with respect to her faith, her hope and her love.

 

Anyone who knew Mary Ellen, through any time of her life, knew that she was a deeply religious woman. She was raised in the Catholic Church, went to Catholic schools, was married in a Catholic church, had six children (a Catholic characteristic in the ‘60s) and did her best to raise her children in the Catholic way of life.  As her children grew older, going through their teenage and early adult lives in  the ‘60s and ‘70s, you could say we “encouraged her” to dig even deeper into her faith. She worried about all of us.  At times, this resulted in tensions that seemed unresolvable, though in the end it worked for good to build her faith. It motivated her to seek God in a deeper way. She went to church more often, she went to prayer meetings, she became involved in the charismatic movement in the Catholic Church, she became involved in the Cursio and  Marriage Encounter retreats. As a result of her more intense seeking of God with all her heart, her faith became more of a personal relationship with God. She would refer to herself as born-again.  She looked to Jesus for answers and guidance, which resulted in a new peace within her and confidence in the future for herself and for her family.

 

Her faith had given birth to a quiet hope.  I saw her handling difficult situations with a new spirit, instead of being frustrated, disappointed, upset and controling, she would pray and state that God was in control.  Her favorite verse became Rom 8:28:

 

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

 

I saw a sweet change in her. She was learning to let go of her “worry” and to trust God more for the future of her children. Her act of faith and the change I saw in her, inspired me to realize that God is alive and also to be drawn closer to our Creator. Don’t get me wrong. She never let go of trying to influence her loved ones for the best. She would encourage us in our faith by giving us articles, books and by suggesting we attend different activities. As a youth, I would both hate having this invasion of my private life, but also be deeply challenged by it. She would not tell me what to do, but just ask me to consider reading something or ask me to pray about something. She hoped for the best.  At times, I also heard the Holy Spirit knocking on my door in unity with Mom, and I humbled myself to read the material, attend meetings and honestly pray about the items on her heart. I am glad I did, since it led me in a direction of life that led me to a deeper relationship with God. All she desired of us was to seek God with all of our hearts. One of the most challenging requests she made of me was to pray about becoming a Catholic priest. I did not want to even entertain this in prayer. So, it took a little time to accept the challenge, but I finally did humble myself in prayer. I think you all know the answer I received. 

 

Mom’s hope contributed to her very positive personality. This made her very attractive and likable by all that came into contact with her. I never remember her being discouraged or in despair for any lengthy period of time. People were always pleased and  entertained to be around her.

 

 For example, she taught typing at McLean High School where I went to school. When someone learned I was Mrs. Normoyle’s son, they would immediately say with enthusiasm that she was a great teacher. Then they would invariably hesitate for a moment, and add with a smile, that she was also very funny.  Anyone who knows my mom knows she has a certain way about her that is just naturally funny - unlike anyone else. She didn’t try to be funny, she just was. When she realized how silly she acted she would also laugh at herself. She was in no way self-conscious or shy, though at times this embarrassed the children.  For example, she would bravely initiate conversations with complete strangers who did not speak her language, or she would yell “yoo-hoo” and wave her arms in a busy public place to get a stranger’s attention. The children would shrink in their clothing to try to hide.

 

 As you may know, Mary Ellen  worked in Hollywood with directors, actors and film-writers for several years. It should be noted that this was well before the popular sit-com “I Love Lucy” came out. It would not surprise us if somehow her antics in Hollywood inspired a script writer.  When I first watched the “I Love Lucy” show, I marveled at how the behavior of Lucy in many ways was similar to my mom. A common trait between Lucy and Mary Ellen was their drive and passion for life and to get things done the way they thought it should be done. I am sure we can all tell hilarious stories of her drive.  I can still hear my Dad’s exclamation “For Pete’s sakes Mary Ellen…”. This unique characteristic of Mom remained with Mary Ellen to the end.  Even here at St. Joseph’s Nursing Home the staff says there are many stories about her cute antics. For instance, it seemed like every time she was given her medicine, there was this routine she had to politely give it back to the nurse and tell them to drink it. When that did not work, she would then try to give it to those who were visiting.  On one occasion, this “dance” with the medicine went back and forth several times, and then when the nurse left the room, she suggested to me that we water the plants with the medicine.

 

Mom’s love was reflected in many ways to all of us. Several characteristics of her love that come to mind are faithfulness, giving, serving, diligence, hospitality and patience. She expressed her love whenever someone came to her home in Ocean Pines or to see her here at St. Joseph’s. She would always greet them with great joy to see them.  She also expressed her love in her diligence to serve people. She was diligent in her prayers for people, rising early every morning to say her devotions and to pray for her family and for others. In her retirement at Ocean Pines, she was faithful in serving the church and community. She played the organ at church, she helped the sisters at St Joseph’s bookstore in Ocean City, she visited the sick in hospitals, she visited nursing homes and she supported my Dad in his function as a deacon in the church, she marched for the lives of the unborn every year till she was nearly 80 years old.

 

Mom loved us in many ways that are too innumerable for me to recount. When I was a child and was first introduced to I Cor. 13, I personalized the characteristics of love to the personality of God, replacing the word “love” with God. He has perfected my Mom into His image, so it is also appropriate to substitute her name for the word love. Let me read this passage to you. As I read the word love, in your mind replace it with Mary Ellen.

 

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous;

love does not brag and is not arrogant,

does not act unbecomingly;

it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account

a wrong suffered,

does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails;”

--1 Cor. 13: 4-8

The love that Mary Ellen showed us through her life had its roots in her desire to “Learn Christ’s Love” and to share her hope in Christ with others. She had this prayer on the inside of her bathroom mirror. It is a true reflection of the inward person of mom. It starts out with the phrase

 

            Teach me, my Lord to be sweet and gentle in all events of life…”

And it ends:

            May my life be lived in the supernatural, Full of power for good and strong in its purpose of sanctity”

 

(Complete prayer at the end of the eulogy.)

 

From my perspective, the Lord fulfilled this prayer.  I am grateful to God that he chose me to be a child of Mary Ellen. Though she is absent in the body, what she left behind -- that which remains with us forever -- is her example of faith, hope and love.

 

I am finished with my perspective of my Mom and praise for her life. If there is something on your heart that you would like to share please contact us and give us your “glimpse” of her life.

 

Robert Normoyle


18415 Comus Rd

Dickerson, Md 20842


Learning Christ

 

Teach me, my Lord to be sweet and gentle

In all the events of life.

In disappointments,

In the thoughtlessness of others,

In the insincerity of those I trusted,

In the unfaithfulness of those

On whom I relied.

Let me put myself aside,

To think of the happiness of others,

To hide my little pains and heartaches,

So that I may be the only one to suffer from them.

Teach me to profit by the suffering

That comes across my path.

Let me so use it that it may mellow me,

Not harden nor embitter me;

That it may make me patient,

Not irritable,

That it may make me broad in my

Forgiveness, not narrow,

Haughty and overbearing.

May no one be less good for having come within

My influence.  No one less pure, less true, less kind,

Less noble for having been a fellow-traveler in our

Journey toward eternal  life.

 

As I go my rounds from one distraction to another,

Let me whisper from time to time,  a word of love to

Thee.  May my life be lived in the supernatural, full

Of power for good, and strong in its purpose of

Sanctity.

 

 



Our sweet Grandma

Our dear grandmother had stroke on Wednesday, June 26th.  We knew a couple days before that her body wasn't making her enough blood, but it was still a bit of a surprise for us.  She held onto life for another week and 2 days after her stroke, then went to meet her Savior.  She rose to see Jesus  July 5th around 4:45 a.m. 


Mother had come into the girls room to tell us about Grandma's death.  Patience and I got up, but Tali I guess we could say was a sound sleeper.  We woke her up about 10 minutes later. 


 Mother had the job of finding flowers for the funeral.  Grandma wanted Hawaiian flowers for her funeral, so Mama needed to be out visiting flower shops. Since mother was leaving for the day already and I was scheduled to go play harp at another nursing home, we asked Mrs.Wilkes to drive me there and back! When we came back home the boys got to swim with Charlie and Jeremiah, while they were swimming Mrs. Wilkes showed us how to make a "Down Country Boil".  :)


 
The next day we went through a bunch of pictures, because we were responsible for the slide show.  Here are some of the pictures from the slideshow.

This picture shows Grandma in a resturant with her two eldest daughters, Nancy and Patsy. They are all wearing kakui nut leis, a popular item in Hawaii.

 
You may be wandering why Hawaii seems to be so important to our Grandmother. Well, it was in Hawaii that she first met the wonderful love of her life, married, and had most of her children. Though originally from Idaho, her love for Hawaii seemed to never die.
 

This is Grandma during a tour in the Holy Lands...that is the Dead Sea behind her!

Young Grandma in Hawaii with a flowery lei.

Grandmother and grandchild...

 
It's so funny!! This is at Mama and Papa's wedding ceremony. Grandma is laughing at Daddy after he said that he married Mama because she was crazy like his Mom. :)

 
Mother and son on Daddy's big day.
 
Daddy was responsible to write an eulogy for the funeral. Before he read it for us, Dad mentioned that many people may be veiwed as precious gems, but Grandma was like a diamond.  

The Eulogy is on the next post. 
I encourage you all to read it.
Dad did a really good job.








Monday, July 8th was grandma's funeral.

Grandma always enjoyed hearing Rick, her son, play piano. He played for her funeral ceremony.


The chapel for the funeral was connected to the nursing home grandma was at. This made it possible for many of the nuns serving there to attend her funeral with us.

No, she is not dead...she is ALIVE, with Jesus!!!!

 
 

 
These are some of her funeral flowers. Notice the orange flowers. They are called birds of paradise. The Bible doesn't have much to say about there being birds in heaven, but they are a very real reminder to me of where Grandma has gone and will stay.


 
It was hard not to cry while singing at her funeral. Letting go of a loved one isn't easy, but as the leaves of a tree are most beautiful when they are dying, when we die to ourselves, God's glory can be seen in the most glorious array of colors.

 














 
 
 
Her life remembrance brochure said "With God there are no endings, only endless beginnings."
Grandma lived her life to the full. As you have already read, she traveled constantly, even in her wheelchair with dimensa she would talk about going back to Hawaii or going to Ireland with Patsy. As her outward body was no doubt passing away, the things that were most important to her heart became more clear. She was very selfless. No one cookie was her own. To our endless dismay, whenever another person was in the room, she would offer them bits and peices of her cookies and other food items! She always wanted to help. She never said anything bad about anyone, she had a very positive personality. She always smiled and never griped. There are so many other good things I could mention about her character, but they are too many to list here.
Those who knew her will never forget all the funny things she would do and say. One time Daddy took her to a doctors appointment and as they were sitting in the waiting room, Dad noticed that Grandma had forgotten her hearing aids. "Mom." He said, rather loudly. "You forgot to put in your hearing aids again this morning." Grandma replied. "I don't really need them." Daddy reminded her that sometimes she had a hard time hearing people talk to her. Grandma's reply was, "That's ok, I have a good imagination."
The number of those stories are also too many to record. Grandma was a priceless treasure of greatest worth. If anyone was blessed with a good Grandma, it was us.

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Jesus Says "Abide"

John 15:4

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."
 
 

Jesus says "abide"
We ask "why? Why risk having circumstances out of my hands, why give them to you, Lord?"
"Child, before I can give you My best, you must give me your all."
"My all?" We think. "Lord, do you mean all that we hold dear, all our plans, our future, our hopes and ambitions? But God, these are precious to me!?!?"
"Darling one, I ask you to give me your all becuase that is necessary for a strong relationship. I do not wish to harm you, all I desire is to bless you."

The art of abiding in Christ is a precious secret the Lord reveal to those who love Him and wish to desire to know Him in an intimate way. From Strong's Hebrew and Greek concordance, the word "abide" is drawn in many different lights.
Abide: to tarry; to make to be a habitation; inhabit; to sit down in quiet; to settle; to marry; to stay near; to dwell

Marrige is a beautiful illustration of abiding! God often parallels a christian's realtionship with Him to a marriage. A marriage is a commitment to another person. God wants us to be commited to serving Him. In a strong, healthy marriage, the husband and wife wish to linger with each other, to tarry in the other's presence becuase they find delight in it. It may be quiet, or it may be full of joyous converstation. Each spouse knows and trusts the other, so they find rest in the other and are able to have a quiet heart.

When we abide in Christ, we find ultimate joy, love, fulfillment, and capacity to serve others.


 
In abiding in the beauty of His holiness, He can allow us to shine His beauty to all those around!



Friday, July 12, 2013

The Forth of July

I guess I can start this post saying that our grandmother wasn't doing well she had a stroke.  So, on the morning of the forth of July we went to visit her.  We also were able to see some of our Aunts and Uncles.
 
On our way back from the visit we witnessed a motorcycle accident. The boy pulled to hard on the accelerator when the light turned green, which caused his front wheel to lift of the  ground. Then his body weight pulled the accelerator even more. The motorcycle most likely landed on his foot, but bounced off.  



 
After the accident we took the back roads home and then went off to see fireworks about five hours later. 
 



 
The next morning, we were called about Grandma.  In a following post we will tell you what happened.