Saturday Shadows

Easter time is a family time, and so it was for the Old Fool.  Wilmer and Mary Louise Lehman came from Eastern Mennonite University where he is a math professor emeritus to visit their daughter Jewel who is on the Goshen College faculty as professor of kenisiology. To get his accomplishments from years past click here.

Wilmer is the son of my father’s youngest brother and one of my mother’s older sisters.  So we are first cousins on the Lehman side of my family, and second cousins on the Martin side. He was mere boy when he “pulled weeds” for me on our small farm when my father and I were partners .  He ate at our table when Rachel was sitting on the high chair.

Photo of the house and barn on our small Pennsylvania fruit & vegetable farm

After Rhoda and I were in Florida, Wilmer and his wife Mary Louise reentered my life.  They came to Tampa on their honeymoon at the start of our summer camp program.  We separated the two newlyweds by assigning Mary Louise to be counselor to a cabin of girls, and Wilmer to a cabin of boys.  I learned later that they sneaked kisses behind a big Florida oak tree. For two years they served Sharon School and the Tampa Mennonite Mission.  So Wilmer and I go back a long ways.

The day between the death and resurrection of Jesus is regarded by ancient Christian tradition as a day of shadows. My Joy and I went to the College Mennonite Church for the Tenebrae service. The auditorium was dimmed, lit by candles.   Excerpts were read from Matthew’s gospel, and the reader punctuated each passage by snuffing a candle till all were out. We filed silently from the auditorium, each with our own thoughts and questions.