I got curious today about a family club we used to frequent in Brazil.
It was called the Clube de Campo Do Castelo, or the Country Club of the Castle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er-a0JkRf0c
The club looks like it's still going strong, changing very little of the landscape, tennis courts, pool, gymnasium, restaurant and meeting areas. I see a new gym and the boats on the lake are up to date.
It was so much fun to go out there on Thursday afternoons. Our mothers shared carpooling, and would come out to get us after school in a big group to take us to the clube. Some of us would play tennis with our fathers, who had been out there most of the day already.
Some of the mothers played tennis as well. The other mothers in our mission group hung out under the canopy of trees. There was always conversation, some women crafted and others relaxed!
We kids could rent hammocks, ride paddle boats, play on the play sets, run around the large acreage playing all kinds of games, swim, play clay court tennis, or play on the tennis backboard to get some practice.
The clube was a place of respite, where we could catch our breath and look forward to the weekend.
I recall my Uncle Allen and Aunt Lucia joining us. They were always in the pool with us kids, and Allen taught me how to do the side crawl, on both sides! We loved throwing coins into the pool and racing to grab them! We would race as well, among so many other aquatic games; many of which were made up.
There was also a walkway over the pool, dividing the shallow end of the pool from the deep end. There was something magical about that bridge. It could be anything we wanted it to be, from a bridge over a mote, to water washing under a cave.
During American Holidays, we'd have cookouts on the grills and our mothers would spread a feast on the picnic tables! We'd sing the US National Anthem, America the Beautiful, and other folk songs. If it was World Cup season, we might throw in a song to celebrate our beloved Brazil!
I am imagining all the fun the country club is still having with a newer
generation of families! May you be around a long time dear clube!
"The ground of liberty is to be gained by inches, that we must be
contented to secure what we can get from time to time, and eternally
press forward for what is yet to get."
Like Yakov Smirnoff used to say, "America, what a country"! It is an amazing country, for in it's ideal state, opposing opinions should enrich one another. Left and Right can meet with a kiss of peace, educating and bringing the extreme views into a more balanced state.
Two thanksgivings come to mind on this day.
The first is that I am blessed with friends in so many sectors and philosophies of Americana, and am the richer for it. There is something beautiful in everyone. Celebrating the good is the only way to give birth to more good.
Secondly, I have been fortunate enough to celebrate the 4th of July in many places, including overseas.
Growing up in Brazil, my parents and other Americans living abroad remembered our roots together. We celebrated with our friends, who were our overseas family, with the traditional cookout of hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, apple pie, and usually brigadeiros were thrown in. They're known as chocolate Brazilian truffles, and in my opinion, the national dessert!
We sang the traditional songs, the American National Anthem, America The Beautiful, My Country 'Tis of Thee, and then might throw some camp songs in, both in English and Portuguese.
I recall also celebrating in Japan while there during one summer in college. One of my college mates Melanie and I spent the fourth with an American family, the Rays. We had a cookout, of course. I looked out the window and spied a large car below, that though parallel parked, seemed to take up one lane of the road. At this point, I had been in Japan so long I was used to the diminutive size of everything. When we left, we walked by the car and realized it was a Trans Am! Straight from America to Japan!
And finally, in honor of the World Cup...24 years ago we married in the Boston area, and honeymooned in Florida. That was the year the World Cup was being held in America! Both of us being soccer fans - you could say soccer even brought us together - we so wanted to see one of the games. But the closest we got were the stadiums in Boston and Orlando, but no dice! TV was our salvation! We spent the 4th with some friends, Boston "ex-pats," and watched...wait for it...USA V. Brazil! Brazil won 1-0.
This country is a gift not only to its citizens, but to the world. When we are humble, thank God and put our minds and hearts to work, the world becomes a better place. I believe in American diplomacy, not only via diplomats, but the everyday citizen. My parents taught me diplomacy, and it has come in handy when entering new cultures and sub-cultures. Today I am learning to live in the 21st century culture, and its a new breed of nearly everything. But I am hopeful. I love the next generation, particularly since our daughter is a part of this culture of force for good.
I believe that the USA will not decline, as other great nations have, after 200-250 years. Based upon our roots, I see it flourishing as a great tree shading not only its citizens, but those of other countries through polite diplomacy, citizen cooperation and a constant curiosity for learning and passing along the important to the next generation. We may be in a slump, but not for long! We are resilient, loving, strong and kind. I see new generations being more grateful for their ancestors; we all stand on the shoulders of giants!
So America, Happy Birthday, and may these beautiful colors never flag, may they stand strong with the deepest love for country and all humanity, and may we all know how loved and blessed we are each day God gives us life!
1812 Overture FlashMob!
Written by a Russian, Tchaikovsky, and played at the Placa del Mercat, Algemeci, Valencia, Spain!
And claimed by Americans as one of our Patriotic pieces of music!
Enjoy!
This post is dedicated to all of those who have served in our armed forces, missionaries, public servants, entrepreneurs, employees, artists, entertainers, believers, non-believers, families, the childless, singles, the dreamers, successful, non-successful, the in-progress, the "don't-give'uppers," liberals, conservatives, hippies, baby boomers, gen-Xers, gen-futures, professors, students, the marginalized; all who call themselves Americans, and those who have given the ultimate gift of their lives. To those who have been wounded or are going through difficulty and are hurting, may your healing come quickly, for we honor your life as well.
Listening to one of my favorite groups as I write this piece. I was introduced to Bread by the Norton family while living in Brazil during my Jr. High years...Enjoy a little background music while reading...
They are comfy, still have a lot of life, but a bit smelly...even when I wear socks! I hate replacing them, but the scent of feet in unbreathable shoes is getting to me, not to mention my husband and daughter. They've been kind and laugh when I remove my shoes and run to the bathroom to wash my feet.
My Monika and Me
But these sturdy shoes need to bless someone else's feet with the rest of the life they have ahead. I spent yesterday shopping with Monika looking for a replacement, but no dice yet. I must endure the ripe olfactory wisps until then.
But I will miss them. They have a story to tell...
I got them around February of 2006, right before my Bammel church women's retreat. I was asked to lead the singing that year and nervous as a cat on its way to getting a bath.
But Mom taught me years ago if I am asked to help out at church, and can do it, just do it. It will bless me and others.
How right you were mom!
My amazing Mother!
I sang my heart out...maybe too much...but what a great retreat that was! I recall traveling to the retreat with my good friend then Dollwyn, and hearing wonderful lessons about how being in the family of God is akin to royalty, and to never ever forget it as long as I live!
I have not. It's guided me when the externals threaten otherwise.
What I remember when I look at my shoes is the role Bammel played in my life. John and I had been married 10 years when we began attending church there. He was a New-Englander come Texan four years prior. Bammel had a profound impact on my early spiritual formation and I wanted him to know this group of people too, and hoped they had not changed. But they had...they had only gotten better!
Boston
I first heard of Bammel when my youth group went for a youth retreat from our then temporary home of four months in Corpus Christi to Houston for a weekend. We had so much fun that weekend while growing our personal faith in God. I made new friends as a newly transplanted MK from Brazil to the US, and was made to feel so at home because of the love I saw radiated at Bammel.
When we began attending Bammel in 2004, John and I were welcomed with open arms and enfolded by Michael Montalvo, a wonderful minister that reached out to John and made him feel as if time and space had never separated them as brothers.
Houston
Gail Matthews was my mentor, allowing me to stretch a newly found gift; writing. She put me right to work editing a quarterly women's newsletter. I so enjoyed each newsletter we published with the help of a dedicated staff. I learned so much from the other contributors, namely Holly Lewis whose writings on motherhood watered my dreams of being a mother one day. I also enjoyed researching and writing my own pieces; it got me out of my head and focused on the good things God was laying on my heart to share.
I will always have great memories of Bammel because of these shoes. Though we are back in Houston, and not at Bammel, I still have great respect and admiration for the theology and work Bammel does, and look forward to events we can share together as lovers of Jesus!
There are so many other reasons Bammel has a piece of my heart...too many to go into, but know it's all good!!!
Catfishing with my awesome Father!
Since we left Bammel in 2007 a lot of life happened. One of the best lessons I learned during that time was what my father taught me long ago; appreciate those you love while you can, because you never know when you won't have them anymore.
So during some years we were away from Houston, I sought to appreciate my family and current friends more while reaching out to new friends. I learned a lot of lessons; mostly that it's easier said than done, but not impossible, for in the end, reaching out is always worth the attempt no matter the outcome! Thanks Dad!
Glad to be back in Houston by my folks! They're super grandparents to seven grands already, and will be getting their eighth grand in Monika!
With my sweetie hanging out at our San Antonio home!
You see, John and I are first-time parents! A quick note about us and our marriage of 21 years: If either of us had a seven-year itch, it was not evident. We so enjoy each other's company. Now at mid-life, we are chosing parenthood over crisis and loving it!
John is an amazing carpenter, landscaper, business-owner when he ran an irrigation company, faithful employee, focused worker, Financial Peace University facilitator with a teacher's heart, runner, soccer-lover, beloved friend! I could go on, but you get the picture. He's near perfect and only getting better. We are each other's mutual admiration society and have never doubted for an instant that God formed our lives in such a way as to "bump into each other" when we did. For the day we started dating, we never looked back and there were never any others...just so grateful!
First family selfie
And now, back to our story...
We just gave life to a bouncing beautiful teenager named Monika and are living the dream!
I was wondering how I'd introduce this piece of news onto Coffee...but timing and story are everything...and this is the point in the story of our lives when I can reveal our latest happiness!
So as I go shopping for new shoes, I am reminded of all the good "new's" I have had in my life... new loyal friends when moving to the US at 14 years of age, new experiences when I went off to an inspirational college-OC, new first adult job in Boston with the incomparable Ketchen-Lipson family, new husband, new start in Houston 6 years into our married life, new dreams of children and finally a new daughter to love and share our wisdom, wit and wonder with!
I can't find a period, so I'll end as my mother does, "let's put a comma here..."
***
This piece is dedicated to my husband, family and non-blood kin, particularly Harry Lipson who has encouraged me lately to keep writing my Coffee At My Table blog after a lot of time away! Harry, you're a wonderful friend, great husband to a super-woman in Bev, father to two of the kindest human beings I know-Sarah & Andy-my beloved charges of days long past, a big-brother persona, great mentor and former employer, and the most knowledgeable person on Texas music sending me the latest and greatest from your computer in Arlington, MA with the most breath-taking view of Boston!!!
Interested in encouraging women no matter what age and stage in life. Member Writers On The Storm and American Christian Fiction Writers. Wrote/Edited for Sisters In Service quarterly newsletter/Bammel church of Christ 2005-2007; Member of Words for the Journey Writer's Guild/The Woodlands, TX 2004-2007; Copy edited various publications. Member of Writers On The Storm. Continue blogging on GodReflection and Facebook Coffee At My Table & 1-2-Motherhood.
We kids could rent hammocks, ride paddle boats, play on the play sets, run around the large acreage playing all kinds of games, swim, play clay court tennis, or play on the tennis backboard to get some practice.
