shokufeh is…home

Last night, and even through much of today, we had the lofty goal of driving from Chicago to New Orleans in one day.  But, despite MrMan’s cooperativeness in sitting in the car for hours on end, we just couldn’t do it.  Weather conditions were abysmal, with rain the whole day.  At times, it was so hard that we could hardly see out the windshield.  And the wind was so strong that the steering wheel had to be tighly gripped.  There were definitely moments I wasn’t sure we were going to make it through.  There was even a brief moment when Sam and I panicked about what appeared to be a tornado in front of us.  Only to realize that it was low lying rain clouds, with their appearance made more ominous by the terrain.

Oh, the irony.  Going up to Chicago, we were concerned about the weather conditions.  But they were fine, with the only glitch being difficulty in making it up a driveway because it was iced over.  From the warmth of our car, the landscape was beautiful, with fields of snow, and most grass and trees being encased in ice. Everything sparkled in the sunlight.  But a warm front came through last night, so the fields are now brown and flooded. We were startled last night by the sound of chunks of ice and snow falling off of the roof.  And the rain moved in this morning.

Today, everyone was driving with their hazards on and going very slowly.  It was very comforting that we all. as a group, were being cautious.  Some people were even pulling over to the side of the road.  A practice I don’t generally approve of, but in this case it was pretty awesome, because clusters of cars were doing it.  So you could see them easily.  And I do so love group actions.  I felt like I was observing humans falling on our instinct and need for intereliance.  I often marvel at a society’s instinct to create order.  Today was no different.

But, regardless of my awe, I’m beat.  As are Sam and MrMan.  So, in Sikeston we will stay.  With dreams of clear conditions tomorrow.

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I have so many things to share from this weekend’s Baha’i Regional Conference in Dallas (not to mention all the things that preceded it). But time is tight, so it will have to come in pieces. The important thing is that I’m writing something about it today.

In addition to being blessed with the presence of members of the International Teaching Center, Counsellors Joan Lincoln and Uransaikhan Baatar, we had several members of the Continental Board of the Americas. Counsellor Gene Andrews shared a poem, written by Hand of the Cause of God Adelbert Mühlschlegel:

But Not Today

I was out late to a party last night; I went with a good friend
And I know there is a Feast tonight, I really should attend:
But I am tired and have a headache that just won’t go away,
I intended to go to the Feast next time, but not today.

I know we’re told to pray to God, Morning, noon and night,
To help us deepen in the faith, Help show us wrong from right,
But there are some many other things, which seem to get in the way.
I intended to pray to God, but not to day.

We are asked to teach the Faith of God to offer it lovingly,
Help truly to set them free;
But there is dancing and bowling and hockey, and on TV a spectacular play,
I intended telling someone about the Faith, but not today.

We are asked to support the Baha’i Fund, The life-blood of the Cause,
So we can carry out God’s will, to bring mankind to his laws;
But there is a cute dress in the window in my favorite shade of gray.
I intended to donate something to the Fund, but not today.

I had a dream the other night, I had left this earthly planet,
But a gate barred my way to the heavenly realm,
I pounded on it in vain;
And as I pleased to be in, a voice was heard to say.
I intended to open the gate, but not today.

*Thanks to this list for the full text.

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