Enjoying Milwaukee

I got to Milwaukee safe and sound. The flights here were completely uneventful-just how I like them. When I talked to my sister tonight and confirmed I am here, she exclaimed, “Yay!” That meant so much to me.

I spent the flight getting overdue thank you notes written, journaling, and reading two books I brought along. From the Milwaukee airport, I worked my way through the public transit system, finding my way to the Harris’ house where I am staying the night. Ian and Sara have been wonderful hosts. While Sara made home made pizza for dinner, Ian took me down to the Milwaukee River which runs behind their house through the woods. You would NEVER know you’re in the middle of the city down there, it looks so peaceful. Ian has worked down there in the wildlife preserve a lot, cleaning things up, working on encouraging the forest growth. It’s actually been a project for their whole meeting as their meeting house is also next to the reserve. (I got a tour of that too.) It was the most beautifully placed meeting house I’ve seen. One curved wall is lined with floor to ceiling windows that look out over the forest, so pretty.

After dinner, (which was incredible), Ian and I drove to another part of town for custard, like ice cream but with a lot more egg, it’s much smother. He recommended the butter pecan cone which I loved. While we were at it, he took me all over the city and gave me a tour. We looked at the architecture, he pointed out buildings, told me stories, and took me by the lake where we stopped and listened to the water lap on the shore. (And yes, you really can’t see the other side.) I got to see the downtown skyline from both the north and south sides and we talked about how much snow they get every year.

Tomorrow Megan is picking me up at 10 and we’ll hang out until 2. I may play around downtown after that, not entirely sure about that part actually. In the evening, I’m going to the pub where she works and will go home with her. Maybe I’ll go to the art museum. Ian says I should at least go inside and see the building but I’d like the art too.

On an entirely different note, I’ve been dealing with some of what I call “life” this week. The particulars are not important, suffice it to say I was quite upset with what happened and with myself. Then today, I learned some important lessons from it. First, I need to forgive myself. I find forgiving others is easy, it’s myself that’s hard. I’m on my knees before Jesus, waiting for judgement like the woman caught in adultery. One by one, I hear the rocks fall around me and I hear him ask, “Has so no one condemned you?” In wonderment I answer, “No one my Lord.” “Then neither do I condemn you. Now go and sin no more.” At no other time in my life have these words been so felt, so powerful to my heart, or gone more deeply than tonight. Though there is still difficulties to be dealt with, the interesting thing is, I was asked to say the same thing. I was asked to turn around to my fellow soul who is in the same position of angst and say, “Neither do I condemn you.” What happened still hurts, but it hurts a lot less when condemnation is no longer there.

365-09 #1148

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