Chromatic Ginger Haiku

Red Ginger flower
My Garden, Atenas, Costa Rica

Count it a coincidence that my ex-wife’s nickname was “Ginger.” She died last summer of cancer in Gatesville, Texas. And that she too was chromatically colorful in her own way.  🙂

Photo Gallery of My Home Garden
Link to post About Ginger & Jason just before she died.  
And the announcement of her death: Ginger Is Gone
Some may call it poetic justice that my garden has many of two kinds of flowers called “Ginger,” this Red Ginger and a yellow Shampoo Ginger flower. Only fellow divorcees can understand all the many mixed feelings when something reminds you of your ex, especially after her death. Then life goes on!

Ginger is Gone

ANOTHER PERSONAL-TYPE MESSAGE FOR THOSE WHO KNOW MY FAMILY

Got this email message from Jason/Athena today:

I got the call this morning. Moms gone. I wanted to let you know.

Need some time, but we can talk soon.

My simple reply back to my “lost” son:

Athena, 

Hope you are doing okay. 

You say when and I will call you on my phone bill. Talking is good. I’m still processing it myself. 

Love you, Dad.

We were married for 20 years, so it is still a loss with some deep emotions, even though we divorced 26 years ago and she was quite mean to me. She was the mother of my two precious children, Jason and Juli. The loss of Juli in 1997 was the greatest loss of my life, though the emotional loss of my son has been pretty great too. But who knows? This could be the beginning of a new adventure with Jason/Athena! Our relationship is still fragile but hopeful now. 

And whatever happens, God is good and I am happy with my life in Costa Rica! Pura Vida! Thanks for the encouragement several of you have given already! I choose not to share these personal feeling on Facebook. So thanks to those who read the blog!  🙂

AN INTERESTING ASIDE (Coincident?)
I read and loved the Harry Potter series of 7 books and of course saw all the movies! I think they are the best books written for teens and pre-teens since C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien! I think J.K. Rowling is right up there with them in writing ability! (And she made more money!) BUT ANYWAY:

She said she would not continue the Harry Potter books further, but just came out with a play (in book form of course) that can now be seen in West End London and I expect in the states soon. So the play becomes the 8th book in the series as a continuation of the story (regardless what she said). I just finished it, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a very moving story of how the adult Harry feels he has failed one of his three children, a “different” son named Albus (with a tiny hint of possible gayness coming in future stories). The very exciting and dangerous adventure they participate in together brings the father and son together of course! Yet the play ends with their relationship still up to the two of them with the message that it is still fragile but hopeful now! Just a coincidence that I read it this week, but a nice coincidence in light of the possible new relationship with my son. AND MY LIFE CONTINUES TO BE A SURREAL ADVENTURE!

¡Pura Vida!
¡Dios es Bueno!

 

Ginger & Jason

This post is really only for family and close friends who knew me back when married and younger. Ginger and I divorced in 1990 and Jason tried several things before, in over simplification, ran away and had nothing to do with me since the mid-nineties except for a few times wanting money. I tried connecting with him several times but we lived in totally different worlds and could never connect.

Sometime in the last 5 years he decided to become a transsexual and except for a few close friends, I told no one. How do you? With several gay friends I had come to understand or accept homosexuals, but as I told Jason, I have no experiences with trans and no understanding of it. We remained apart, still not understanding each other. He chose not to stay in communication and I had no addresses or phone number.

A couple of weeks ago I received my first contact from Jason in nearly 5 years. He has legally changed his name to Athena and wrote to tell me that his mother (my wife of 20 years) was dying of cancer and might not last through the week. He needed to see her and close out her business and other affairs. Of course, I paid to fly him from Asheville, NC to Gatesville, TX and other related expenses. He spent a week with her in a Gatesville nursing home. He emptied and closed out her apartment, shipping himself 16 boxes. And all arrangements are made for her to stay in the nursing home until she dies by signing over her Social Security check. Her will and the deposition of her ashes are also arranged. So my little boy has grown up and handled one of the toughest times of life, though she still has not died yet.

We have corresponded several times by email and I am again trying again to “connect” with Jason/Athena, though still not sure how or if possible. He is about to turn 43 and showing some interest in family history for the first time, so that is certainly part of my language. 🙂 We will see what happens. Your prayers are appreciated! And maybe my post of last night makes a little more sense now. God is my rock and my salvation!

As most of you know, I don’t like to keep secrets and not good at it, so again I’m being very open and honest and simply trusting God to be in charge. Thank you for allowing that in me. It is good to have friends!

MY LIFE VERSES

  Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own understanding;
  think about Him in all your ways,
and He will guide you on the right paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Dios es bueno 

Trust in God Alone

Not a beautiful building
like the Catholics, but
The most loving people
found anywhere!
Today’s sermon at Iglesia Biblica was very well presented and in two languages! After the Lord’s Supper (communion) we heard an exposition of Psalm 27 with the closing challenge to memorize the last verse (14): 

Wait for the Lord;
be strong and courageous.
Wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:14 HCSB



And last night’s devotional in Open Windows was sort of my answer to Psalm 27 & today’s sermon with the first two verses in Psalm 62:

Psalm 62
Trust in God Alone

1 I am at rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from Him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my stronghold; I will never be shaken.

My faith is as strong or stronger than it was in the states with a lot less church activity but just as much or more dependence on God. And I am at peace. Tomorrow I will tell you about the latest development with what is left of my family, my son and ex-wife, though I have hesitated to share publicly, I’m feeling led to do so. And regardless what happens next, I live by the above verses and “I will never be shaken.”

And one of the neat things from church today is that the translator between English and Spanish (Both directions, depending on who is preaching each 1st Sunday) is named Zaray, a local school teacher and one of my two Spanish teachers who this week started a new “Intermediate Spanish” class that I’m in with 3 other students. I am a very slow language learner, but it is beginning to “click” and be more fun and I have hope of improving, “poco a poco.”   🙂