nassau county international cricket stadium

I grew up enjoying Eisenhower Park, near my home town of East Meadow. This park is larger than Central Park in New York City. I have wonderful memories of family picnics, winter sledding (my two brothers on top of my dad zooming down a steep hill), the amazing July 4th fireworks, and so much more. On my recent trip back home I once again headed to the park to enjoy a nice long walk. I was stunned to see this massive stadium being built! It is being built for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The entire work area is fenced off, so this is the best I could do at 5′ 7″! Thanks for stopping by.

a prayer

we used to gather
to remain in the vine
neighbor
sister
brother
mother
father
singing our songs
Kyrie eleison
standing room only
we were searching for
Holy, Holy, Holy
in a time of upheaval
we found comfort
in the cathedral
of our hearts
in the neighborhood sanctuary
candles
prayers
stained glass windows
used to tell our stories
guiding us toward glory
dazzling testimonies
told in fragile colors
we were lost
but we found each other
and we found
our heavenly Father
Kyrie eleison
now just silent songs
unsung melodies
broken monochrome glass
and look
the vines enter in
perhaps searching for souls
maybe a prayer or two
God make all this old
to be new
and begin
in me
please, Lord
tell a story
of your glory
through all
that is shattered in me
as i sing the ancient song
Kyrie eleison
Christe eleison
Kyrie eleison

a walk in the park

I have so enjoyed spending some time on Long Island visiting my parents. Whenever I come back home I always take a walk in Eisenhower Park and visit the Veterans Memorial. This beautiful memorial serves as a tribute to the heroes of Nassau County. I also always go to Jones Beach. That will be the next post.

pause… reflect… remember

 

memories

memories

This image contains lots of ingredients that make up a wonderful part of my life. It was taken a couple of years ago in my home town, East Meadow NY. You can see that it is the corner of FIFTH ST and PROSPECT AVE. If you walk towards the ’57 Chevy and turn right when you pass it, and walk down FIFTH ST, you will arrive at my home in about 4 minutes. Speaking of ’57 Chevy’s, I remember when my dad had one. In fact, I was so young, I can remember sitting in the back seat with my legs sticking straight out. I was too short to bend my knees over the edge of the cavernous seat. All to say, I love my home town memories, my dad’s old ’57 Chevy, and the precious gift of being able to go back and see my parents in the house I grew up in.

in remembrance

in remembrance

home church 1

home church 1

Moving away from the shore and back to my home town for a series  –  if 4 is a series  –  of images of the church I grew up in. This is the old St. Raphael’s Church in East Meadow, NY. The parish has built a beautiful, modern sanctuary and this is all that remains of the St. Raphael’s of my childhood. The structure is in the shape of an “L”,  with the altar right at the lower left corner where the horizontal and vertical lines of an “L” meet. This is taken from the alter looking at the longest part of the sanctuary.

in remembrance

in remembrance

9 11 memorial at eisenhower park

9 11 memorial at eisenhower park

On my recent trip to Long Island I went to Eisenhower Park and had fun remembering being a kid in this beautiful place. The park features a somber memorial to 9/11. On September 9, 2007, Nassau County unveiled the 9/11 Memorial honoring the 344 Nassau County residents who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. The monument is one of the largest completed memorials to the victims of the 9/11 attacks.

winter’s shore

winter's shore

This has been a wonderful week loving on my elderly parents, laughing with my siblings, and walking along the shore during this trip to my home town: East Meadow, NY. So grateful to take home some new memories… grateful for family, friends, and, this beautiful world…