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A Publication By and for Fellowship Place Members

Issue 39, SUMMER 2014

The Season of Spring

By Desiree B.

Blushing ladybugs giggle, kiss and tease, Attractive male bumblebees, beneath dancing, swaying green oak trees.

Irises, violets, daffodils, carnations, sweetheart roses twirl in the wind, wiggle and pose, Catching the fatal, contagious spring lover’s disease.

Helpless flowers begin to cough and sneeze, With passion, love and romance on their minds they welcome spring

And all of its first signs.

THE BEACON “Books are lighthouses in the great sea of time.” -Edwin P. Whipple

Fellowship Place 441 Elm street New haven, Ct

www.fellowshipplace.or

2

The Poetry Corner

Featuring... Desiree B.

TheEleganceofSpring

AllkindsofprettyfragrantflowersComeoutandadorntheearth,Withbeauty,color,eleganceandvibrantlife.Butterfliesladybugs,squirrels,greengrassandleavesburst.Choirsofcroakingfrogs,hootingowls,Robins,sparrows,cardinalsandbuzzingbeesSingmelodies,beneathswaying,dancinggreenoaktrees,Awakeningfromalongwinternap.Caterpillars,grasshoppers,prayingmantis,bumblebeestakeofftheirspringcaps,Withthemorningdew,ablazingyellowsun,andsilkenrosepetalsgiggle,blushandtwirlAtaspringdance.Everywhereyoulookthereismystery

HappyEasterSaints

Hallelujah!Thehighestpraise!Harvestofrepentingsouls,flocktothealterlikecattleandgraze.Godsanctifyingandtakingoverthemindsofteenagersandimpressionableskeesters,SundaySchool,happyEaster.Fillingourbellieswithchocolatebunniesandjellybeans,Theenemyanddefeatedfoeturninggreen!Victoryoversin,demonicpowers,andspiri‐tualwickednessinhighplaces,WithtenderloveandconcernChristgazesintoourfaces.Forheartdiseases,gallstonesandcancer,IdiscoveredChrististheanswer.Repentingofallmysins,downatthealteronbendedknees,Toheaven,hellandeternallife,Jesushasthekeys.ThewordofGod,says,byhisstripeswearehealed,ClaimGod’spromises,WeserveandfearaGodwhoisreal.TimetothinkofChrist’sloveforme,God’sgraceandbloodslaughteratcavalry,DressedtokillonEasterSunday,inthewholearmorofGod,Praiseandvictorydeepwithinmyheart.

3

The Word. By Ryan D.

Augustine was a venerable college professor. With his new textbook due out soon, he was at the top of his game. That’s why it surprised all of us when we heard he had an affair with a student. Dr. Augustine Rogers was married with two children. Anyone who knew him knew he struggled with money. Outside of being a college professor, Dr. Rogers was a part time clinical supervisor at a non-profit health clinic. The word at the college was that Dr. Rogers had been overwhelmed with responsibility, and he caved under the pressure. He had been suspended the past week when word of the affair reached the administration. Augustine would likely lose his job. This was a warning to all of us at SMU. Unethical behavior would not be tolerated. At the University we heard rumors about those who led less of a discreet life: one professor was behind in his child support; another two professors were having an affair. One would think that college professors always modeled behavior they would like to see in their students, but that was simply untrue. Myself, I led an ordinary life. I was married with two daughters. Money was tight, but who didn’t have financial issues? I went on vacation with my family every summer. Sometimes we went to Cape Cod spending time at the beach and doing touristy things like playing skee ball at the arcade. I was happy. It didn’t take much for me to maintain my positive energy. I drove a new car. My wife had her own career. Cer-tainly I would have liked to spend more time with my family, nevertheless we rented movies on the weekends, and when the weather was warm we went to the park on picnics. Sometimes we rode our bicycles on the Farmington Canal Greenway, or if it was winter we’d all pitch in to shovel snow. I met Augustine in 2007. I had taken a position in the psychology department at SMU where Dr. Rogers was one of the depart-ment heads. My first impression of him was that he was very smart. In the following years Dr. Rogers cut back on his administrative role in order to pursue a life as an author. He had written a cognitive psychology book, and now he was finishing up on its second edition. Many of us in the psychology department admired Augustine's work. No one expected him to collapse under the pressure. Occasionally Dr. Rogers and I went out for lunch. There we discussed juggling clinical careers and family along with our lives as professors. When I first started at the University, I set a goal to work both as a professor and also as a psychologist. Rogers already did that, and a year or so later I followed his path and took on a roll as a psychologist in a private group. Dr. Rogers was smart and jovial. With his square jaw and bushy hair, he was a handsome man who was popular with the stu-dents. I noticed how similar yet how different we were. Although we had nearly identical careers, my home life was a quiet no frills one that I shared with my wife and family while Augustine, whose children were older, maintained an active social life attending and holding parties with his wife. Dr. Rogers liked to drink. He was by no means an alcoholic, but he liked a strong whiskey which he was never shy about order-ing. He once told me that he didn’t feel like a man until the end of the day when he could put his feet up and have a stiff drink. Augustine was a good colleague. He often had suggestions for all of us in the psychology department - a nod to his former life as department head - and he didn't mince words. There was no warning that Rogers' life was unraveling. As my colleagues talked, rumors floated about campus. Rogers had not been getting along with his wife. Supposedly, they ar-gued a lot, and Augustine belittled and even hit her, but this was second-hand knowledge, and who knew how true it was? It must have been nearly nine o’clock when I got home. I worked late looking over research papers and recording midterm grades. My wife left me a plate in the refrigerator and was putting the girls to bed when I got home. She came downstairs and sat with me at the table. “How are the girls?” I asked her. “They’re sleeping,” she said, “They had a long day.” I told my wife about Augustine and the uncertainty of things happening at work. “If this is true, he’ll probably be fired,” I said. A few moments passed, and Elaine told me about our daughter Darlene's diorama she brought to school. With the help of her mother, Darlene set up an elaborate shoe box scene with Pilgrims and Native Americans, and it was showcased today with all of the other stu-dents’ work. Elaine worked in marketing. She took a few years off after the girls were born before she went back to her job. She was a real trooper. She made more money than me, but I worked longer hours. It was never easy, but I tried to spend as much time with my family as I could. I was feeling stressed out at work. I didn’t realize it until I came home for dinner and sat down with Elaine. I had been working so late that I hadn’t seen the girls in a few days. Midterm grades were always stressful, and even though they were about the students' progress, the hardest work was done by us the professors. Having rumors like those of Dr. Rogers floating around made me think of how much work we put into the university. I could not conceive how anyone could blow their whole career after working so hard to get where they were. I wasn’t one to gossip, but I could-n’t help comparing myself to Augustine and feeling like I was in a better place than he was. I used to look up to him. The next afternoon I turned in my midterm grades. In most of my classes we only had one exam so far this semester, and the midterms were not reflective of how all the students were performing, but overall, everyone seemed to be doing well with only one or two students failing. As I walked down the hall I was surprised to see Augustine back on campus. I didn’t say anything when I passed his office. He was busy packing things into a box. Though I expected this to happen, I was shocked when I saw him. I ran into Professor Reynolds in the psychology department office, and he told me that Augustine had been fired. Right then my heart went out to Dr. Rogers and his fam-ily. Luckily he still had his clinical job, but that could get taken away if the licensing board ever heard what happened. When I got back to my office I watched Augustine through my window as he loaded his trunk with boxes. That night I went home and hugged my kids. It was never easy, I thought to myself, but I was happy for all that I had.

4

The Poetry Corner

EverythingSettles

InthewarmthBythefireplaceInthesnow

—birdsscatterTofindshelterAndseed

AndtollingbellsMakeitbearable

Forthoseingreatestneed

We—Beginsorting

ForstellarseasonOfslightingBoldness.

Wintersolsticeshowsus—paltryinpractice—

EmbracingWhiteColdwaters

Women’swork

InWoman’sworthInwritingonthesnow.

AflyinthestewBringsmetoyouAndweseekthe

Briefnessinourselves.

Blightoflight Candlesflicker

Forthesuccorofthesicker

Evenpeltsofsleet

ShatterwhentheymeetThegristofdust.FortheSpringrain

Soaks.

Featuring...

Marian K.

JustMom’sLuck

Isheachildoraman AllgrownupandfreeDoItreathimlikeababyOrtellthetruthasIsee

HetellsmeIhave“extremeanxiety”Icapturethehurtlikeadish‐wornspongeAndanxietyreverberates againSoundinglikeadeathknollToll…...Toll…...Toll...Icrawlawaywithmyheadhunglow

NobodyhereexceptmyselfAbirthdayparty.Whatbirthday?

TheonlymindItrustnowisAyoungone. Hiseyes LightupWithforesightandkindnessHesits,showsmemyseat.

I’musheredin ThewelcomebellsringMyhearthasfounditshome

Homeatlast Mysongrownupandsmall AllinoneI’mintheperfectfamilyInmyplacefinally

Mother’slightwithchildren’sglow ThematterathandinaglanceWeread,wewrite,wedraw,weplayexpressing TheessenceofdelightWithfriendship,playAndlistening

It’shereweshine SingingClementineOldandyoungliketwins

Relivingfairytales BoththewarningandthegleeArehereforusunderthetree

ThegreatspuntaleThestory’smessageWe’llpassiton Intime’sflightSimpleasapoemwhisperedinthenight.

5

My Strength By Don W.S.

I feel peace and comfort when I say my morning prayer, as a baby feels when he is with his mother. And no one can harm me for the Lord is my rock and my shield and ever present when I’m in need, for He is at my side in time of trouble. And if the mountains should crumble and tumble to the sea I have no fear for my God is there to protect me, a very present help in times of need, for this has been so in my life. And so you can see my great comfort and the source of my strength, for He is ever present for me and who can hurt me because I believe? And when God is with me who can be against me? —And I will endure.

The Nanny Fisher Rocky Ridge Paper By Don W.S.

I here put down the circumstance of Nanny Fisher and the paradisiacal Rocky Ridge Drive land of nearly three acres of roll-ing lawn and blossoming fruit tress. But I must reach far back in my childhood memory and also before my birth, to a period in order to evidence this, the making and creating of my bespangled youth. It was Nanny Fisher, the governess of my mother plus myself in my toddler years, who bought the pasture land when there were only three houses on our street before my dad had the nice home built and it would have taken imagination at that early time to think of the park-like property that my dad was to turn it into. It was just about the time of my birth that Dad was to have twelve loads of rich, black topsoil brought in by dump truck and the then young blossoming fruit trees and flowering perennials and the showy, quality trees, all of which I grew up with in this place where you might think angels could tread. And these trees were to become gallant plants, some bearing fruit at a time before the parasites were to become rampant in our country. It was our great luck to seed the rich, black soil which was about six inches thick when spread over the property and this seed was miraculously free of weed seeds, so we had a weed-free, golf course-like property. And so I grew up with the foliage, and during the growing up Nanny Fisher was to teach me how to walk and she toilet trained me and I grew up in a park-like land where the lawn was so cool and soft. And as I remember as a toddler on a loop-like road, before she passed away she would walk near my favorite parts of the woods and call me into t supper and I remember she would wear grandmother-like, comfortable dresses. And I remember the healthy meals she cooked me that gave me a good start to a good preparation to life, a start to a healthy, grown life up to the present day. And so my life got off to a beautiful and healthy start—and I thrive.

6

The Poetry Corner

RemindfulnessByDoW.

Itistimetogetserious;stopplayingaroundwiththisLife.Lifeisserious.But,howdoesonebecomeserious?ShouldIMeditatemorethananhalfanhourperday?Perhapsless?MaybemyenergyintoMeditationispreciselywhatIrequire?HowwouldIknow?CanIreallyknow?Evenanalysislookingbackfromsomefuturemayproveinadequateindecidingwhichdecisionwascorrect;inadequateindecidingwhichwaywasthebestway.Howcanweeverreallyknow?Perhaps,itjustdoesnotmatter.Perhaps,itisimportantjusttotry.Aremindertotryandkeeptrying.Remind,remind,re‐mind:remindfulness;anewwordforanewtime.Remindfulness;anewwordforanewmind.Remindfulnessuntilthereisjustmindfulness.

Testimony By Robert D.

I want to tell a story of how I came to know the most “Holy, Lord God of

Hosts” (B.C.P.). I prayed for nights and days on end: “dear God, may you be the lighthouse for my eyes to see?” I sought understand and hungered for wisdom,

wherefore, the grace of God spared my life. Amen

LIFE

By Kathy K.

Slow or Fast,

Always and Ever,

Never an End or

New Beginning.

All we have is eternity.

Blazing Sunsets followed by shining sunrises.

More than that—low tides pulled to shore

causing inevitable high tides. In and out for-

ever; the water that flows.

This continual cycles repeats itself as if our

lifetime had no beginning or end.

GOSSIP

By Kathy K.

I will not gossip,

I will not tell,

Stories about people I know well.

Thought I no longer like them,

Respect they will get,

And their bad incidents I will forgive and

forget.

7

UntitledbyDavidF.

Ihadonefriendinthefifthandsixthgrade.Wewouldwalkovertohishousetoplay. Onetime,hemadeupalittleone‐personskitabouttheBrightwinninginsteadoflosingtheRevo‐lutionaryWar.Itookexceptiontothisandthrewaratherrigidandpassivetantrum.IwishthatIcouldrememberwhatIdidandsaid,butwhateveritwas,itputourplayingtimeonindefinitehold. Anothertimewweretogetherwasatlunchinginthe8thgrade.Heexpressedhissenseofhumorthere,sometimesatme.OnetimethetwoofusandtheotherswhowereatthetablewithusdiscussedatimewhenIskippedduringabasketballsessioningymclass.Onemorethanoneoccasion,hewouldtalkaboutthebandinstructorthatheworkedwithplayingthetrombone. OnetimeheexpressedhisdispleasurewithmeoversomethingthatIshouldhavedonebutfailedtodo.HesaidthatIwasanidiotwithinmyhearing.Butthenheletmebehisfriendagain.

Jewish Kings of Armenia By Jon S.

Armenia is near the Black Sea. I first heard of Armenia when I was a child living in Ardsley, Westchester, New York and an Armenia family lived across the street. I never looked up Armenian history until around May 8, 2002 when I had learned how to use the internet and found the Search-A-Lot website “Egypt 2 Britain: Queen Hatshepsot to H.M. Queen Elizabeth”. I had in 1989 found that my Scottish cousins were related o the British royal family. “Egypt 2 Britain” had some Armenian kings as ancestors of British royalty! Some time around June 8, 2006 I found K.C. Hanson’s website, “Herodian Political Office and Political Patronage”. There were Jewish kings of Armenia! The first was King Herod’s grandson, T_______ IV who ruled Greater Armenia 15-36 A.D. Next there was Aristobulus IV who ruled Armenia Minor 53-72 A.D. and died in 92 A.D. The third Jewish king of Armenia was Tigranes IV who ruled Greater Armenia 60-62 A.D. He died in 62 A.D. for unknown reasons, the Jewish kings of Armenia were not in M. Chahin’s book, The Kingdom of Armenia, which I bought in 1992. There were not in “Egypt 2 Britain”. However, I found the Jewish Armenian kings on the internet on Wikipedia and in Paul Maier’s translation of Josephus, The Essential Writings which I had found by chance in Bea Dozier-Taylor’s A Walk In Truth bookstore in New Haven! The Jewish kings of Armenia were descended from Herod and Mariamme (sic-elsewhere_____) who was a princess descended from the Hasmonean Maccabee Levite Cohen kings of Israel! My mother’s father was a Levite Cohen priest so I would be related by blood to the Jewish kings of Armenia! By chance, I found that there was a fourth Jewish king of Armenia, Tigranes VI! I found him on the Wikipedia website. Tigranes V was his paternal uncle. Tigranes VI rules Armenia c.25-68 A.D. He married Opgalli of Phrygia. Tigranes and Opgalli had descendents who intermarried with Romans. One of them was Gaius Julius Quadratus Bassus, a Galatian Roman senator from Anatolia (now Turkey). He lived c. 70-117 A.D. He had a daughter, Julia Quadratilla born c. 100 A.D.. Bassus was a Romanized Galatian, the Galatians being Gauls who were Celts settled in central Anatolia! In c. 102 A.D. Basses had become the Legate of Judaea. Then, in 105 A.D. he had become a Jewish Consul of Rome! Wikipedia revealed his further descen-dents, one of whom was Gaius Julius Quadratus (c. 100 A.D.) who was a historian and I’m a historian!