June 30th

https://unsplash.com/photos/9EoF0vRwvp0

Birthday Shout-Out: June 30 🎂

Ellie James Murphy is 3 years old! She is the daughter of Stephen and Terris; Dan and Jan's granddaughter. She is so precious!

Ellie's Birthday Party was held last Saturday in Chicago

Happy Anniversary: June 30th

Maya and Nik Top have been married 2 years! Congratulations!💕

Maya is Erin's daughter and Chris and John's granddaughter.

They are such a beautiful couple!

Prayer Requests:

John Joyce (Imelda's husband) is having surgery today, June 30th. He has been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Please keep him in your prayers for a successful surgery, and in his recovery during the days ahead.

I spoke with John last evening, and Imelda is being released from the re-hab center on July 2. She will be going back home. So both John and Imelda will be at home recovering, and their children and grandchildren will be helping them. 

If you want to send them a card, their home address is:

927 Sunset Terrace

Willows CA 95988-2036

home phone: (530) 934-8478

Melda's cell: (530) 966-4495

Megan Beckwith is currently recovering from Covid-19. Prayers for her return to good health!
Megan is Chris Beckwith's daughter; Michelle's granddaughter. She lives in Washington, near her Dad and sister, Melia

Since we must remain separated, as this Coronavirus spikes again, we will continue with this blog.

It was always our intention to keep us connected with family news, celebrations and prayer requests. 

If there are any upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, etc, in the month of July, please email me or Dan.

maureenrenden@gmail.com

chiefmurphy@gmail.com

Sean and I appreciated all the good wishes on our anniversary!

LYM
Reenie

40 years!

https://www.printeryhouse.org/ProdPage.asp?prod=CL60600

Anniversary Shout-out!💒
It is our 40th Anniversary! Sean and I were married at St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Pacific Beach on June 28, 1980. Fr. Bill Diamond and Fr. Ginty were the guest priests who officiated at our wedding Mass. Mr. and Mrs. May (our La Mesa next door neighbors) commented that "they had seen marriages that didn't last as long as our ceremony!"

A good seque...40 years later! 

If you will bear with me...I wrote a little poem in honor of this milestone anniversary!

Forty years have come and gone

Since I married a man named Sean.

It has been quite a ride

Living life side by side.

Through all the trials and joys

We've been blessed with two boys.

We've watched them grow through the years

With joy and laughter and ... a few tears.

For our family of four

There's still more in store.

Our faith remains in God above

He strengthens us in our daily love.

My little pun

Is almost done.

Here's a toast to many more years...

A time to be grateful....Cheers!

Wedding Reception at Tom Ham's Lighthouse 6/28/80

Trip to the British Virgin Islands in November 2019

LYM
Reenie

June 24th

My first Little League team was Police & Fire. They had cool white uniforms with red caps. I was fortunate to learn from two wonderful coaches, outstanding role-models for a little 8-year-old. My future brother-in-law was also an assistant coach. Little did I know that I'd one day be writing about his own son turning fifty.

Yes, Jason Taub turns 50 tomorrow. God-mother Reenie was so blown away by it that she had to take some R&R with Sean at Santa Catalina to recoup.

We enlisted the help of Jase's mother Chris (amazingly not getting any older):

Wishing Jason Taub a very happy 50th birthday! He’s a great:

 

Son to John & Chris,

Husband to Dayna,

Father to Camryn, Hailey and Kyndra,

"You raised an amazing, honorable son. He is so very loved by all of us!!"

Grandfather -- Papa JT -- to Madi Rose and Jaxson (Kyndra’s children).

Please continue to pray for Kyndra, who seems to be successfully transitioning to right-handedness. What a trooper! Love and prayers to her whole family.

Blue Lives Matter too, and Jason, a lieutenant in the El Cajon police department, is one of the best. Here is a prayer I found while looking for something MurphyFamilyLYM-blog-appropriate to say:

Lord, I ask for courage,

Courage to face and conquer my own fears,

Courage to take me where others will not go.

I ask for strength,

Strength of body to protect others,

Strength of spirit to lead others.

I ask for dedication,

Dedication to my job to do it well,

Dedication to my community to keep it safe.

Give me Lord, concern,

For all those who trust me,

And compassion for those who need me.

And please, Lord, through it all,

be at my side.

Amen

Amen

Taub Christmas 2017

LYM,

Dan

(c) LA Times

26 Miles by the Four Preps -- click to go to YouTube, turn up volume.

Happy Father's Day!

                                                         https://parade.com/1035521/lindsaylowe/fathers-day-2020/

Good Morning,
Just wanted to wish all the Dads in our family a very Happy Father's Day!
Safe travels to Dan and Jan as they are flying to Chicago to visit Stephen, Terris, Ellie and Talia!
Sending lots of love to all,
Reenie

Let Love Be Your Greatest Goal

                                                                https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Carson

Melda sent me a link to Dr. Ben Carson's Reflections on the Death of George Floyd. It was written on June 9, 2020 by Tony Perkins, who is president of the Family Research Council. Dr. Carson's words gave me hope!

"Honestly, I don't want to sound like a preacher, but that's the real solution--- a change of heart of people. No one wanted another senseless tragedy, but we have a unique chance," he said, "to learn from it...This is a golden opportunity to do something about some of the relationships that have broken down in our society."

"The reality is, it's our country. We all have to take responsibility for what's happening here. America is a nation of the people, for the people, and by the people. But if that's going to work, then the people need to be involved."

There is something, he urges, that we can all do. "Maybe you feel hopeless in all of this pain and brokenness. All of us can help model a way forward. Ask yourself," Carson said, "what is my sphere of influence?"

"Start by being Christlike with those people -- your friends, co-workers, all the people you associate with. It builds out. It makes a huge difference in the way that they treat you and the ways they begin to treat other people."

"It's a big mistake to think that we can't change the world in our own homes. As far as I'm concerned that's the most important place to try... It's love that will impact society."

https://www.crossmap.com/backgrounds/let-love-be-your-greatest-aim.html

Go Make a Difference!
LYM
Reenie

Heartfelt Prayers

Flag Day: June 14

When our quarantining started back in March, I had hoped this family blog would keep us connected in our hearts and thoughts. This quote from Julian of Norwich resonates:

The love of God creates in us such a oneing that when it is truly seen, no person can separate themselves from another person.

Prayer request:
This message came in an email
"From:  John Joyce
I hope I am in the loop for this family bit of news:

I am Imelda (Kelly) Joyce's husband.  Imelda fell on Memorial Day and broke both pelvic bones and a hip bone.  She is in an assisted living and re-habilitation hospital in Chico Ca.  Because of the Covid 19 virus she is quarantined, and no one can enter the building in which she is located.  We have managed to visit her through a back patio door and phone hook-up.  I expect this will go on into the month of July, and then more re-hab after that time.  The name of the place is California Park and Rehabilitation Center.  Her cell phone # is 530 966 4495.  Imelda's spirit is high, and she will probably have that place shaped up before she is out of it.  You would make her day if you could give her a call and chat for a few minutes."

I googled the place; if you want to send a card directly to the center where Melda Joyce is currently staying:
California Park and Rehabilitation Center
2850 Sierra Sunrise Terrace
Chico CA 95928

Her home address:
927 Sunset Terrace
Willows CA 95988-2036

On May 4, (What's in a Name) we had a tribute to the four Imeldas in our family.
Imelda Joyce is our Dad's first cousin. She and Walt are Uncle Walt's children.
(He was the brother of Grandma Aggie & Rene)
Imelda became a chiropractor after raising her own family. She has the family gift of healing and clairvoyance. Quite an amazing relative!

Birthday Shout-out: June 14 🎂
Steve Hauser shares a birthday with our country's flag day!
Happy Birthday, Steve! Looking forward to the time when we can re-visit you to celebrate in person!

PRAYERS FOR OUR COUNTRY ON THIS FLAG DAY!

LYM
Reenie

Lead Kindly Light

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piUDbCtgymw

Good morning!

I don't know about you, but my "Murphy brain" has been struggling with everything that is being thrown our way! Trying to figure out why, how, and get some direction and control over my way forward right now. Ha! That codependency struggle of trying to fix stuff! It is a family trait!

But when  I got still this morning... some beautiful Spirit resources were presented: 

This was the reading for today:

Trust Me and don't be afraid, for I am your Strength and Song. Do not let fear dissipate your energy. Instead invest your energy in trusting Me and singing My Song. The battle for control of your mind is fierce, and years of worry have made you vulnerable to the enemy.

And I found this most beautiful song: Lead Kindly Light. It is a hymn written in 1833 by John Henry Newman as a poem titled "the Pillar and the Cloud".

Audrey Assad (a contemporary Christian musician) released her version of Lead Kindly Light
Just to give you a taste...here are the lyrics for the first verse:

Lead kindly Light, amidst the grey and gloom

The night is long and I am far from home

Here in the dark, I do not ask to see

The path ahead, one step enough for me

Lead on, lead on, kindly Light

Listening to this song was like healing salve for me.
If you need a beautiful song to help you get centered... I invite you to click on the link above!

LYM
Reenie

The Power of Music!

sea glass sign from Marea By The Sea

Good afternoon!
I just received two youtube videos from David Martin, Michelle's husband; Marty's son-in-law.
They were taken at Marty's 80th birthday celebration.
He thought you all might like to see them, since we all could not be there in person!

The first one is Marty singing My Way
Click on the link above to hear and see Marty singing this anthem from Frank Sinatra.
The reaction of family members is so touching!

The second one is Mark and Murphy family members singing American Pie 
Click on the link above to be at the party!
It's fun!

Here in So Cal... We're having a heat wave... reminds me of a song!

Hope you are all finding ways to stay cool!
LYM
Reenie

A Clean Heart

http://rochellefoster.com/rochelle-frazier-loveyourlife/2017/1/becoming-whole-week-20-purify-us-like-silver

A Wonderful Gift!

On Saturday morning, Frank Firmat gave a Zoom presentation for the participants of the St. Ignatius Prayer Process at our Church.  Frank typically meets with the participants twice a year; the first as an introduction of this spiritual study, and at the end, to pose this question: "Where do you go from here?... the next steps". That is how my CLC (Christian Life Community) Group was formed... as a way of continuing our spiritual journey with faith-based love and support of others!

The "nugget" came right at the start!  Frank began {as he always does} with a mindfulness exercise to quiet down. As he brought us out of prayer, he asked us to notice the changed feelings inside.
He spoke of the trying times that we are in, and all of  the anxiety or "disquiet" it may have caused in our hearts and souls. He encouraged us to take time each day to be still. If we get into this practice, we make a space in our heart to "protect the quality of our presence". We need to cleanse our hearts of anger, fear, bitterness and unforgiveness. An anxious heart is not open or peaceful. A PEACEFUL HEART IS ABLE TO DO GOD'S WORK!

What Does God's Work Look Like in Your Life?

On April 22, I shared Frank's story of his wife Laura's post-it note: CHOOSE.  He spoke again about the impact of that single word. The last part of her explanation jumped out at me once more:

It’s a reminder to live a life that is not reactive and burdened by the cynicism, conflict, and strife life may send my way. Instead, I want whatever good there is in me to affect my world."

This artist made a difference in La Mesa!

Monita posted pictures on Facebook of the artwork that is popping up in La Mesa, covering the plywood boards and destruction from the protests last weekend.

Love you all,

Reenie

"God has been gracious"

Perfect Name!

Birthday Shout-Out: June 6 🎂

Today is Jan's birthday! (Dan's wife)

Janice Kay Radich Murphy is one of the most amazing women I know! And we are so blessed that she is our sister-in-law!  I was trying to think of a way to describe her many qualities: beautiful, intelligent, gracious, hospitable, kind, gentle, fiercely loyal, hard-working... the list could go on and on! Then I found this image, and think that her parents were spot-on, in choosing Jan's name at birth!

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday, Jan! And look forward to gathering all the clan to celebrate all this year's family happiness...we love you! 

This is Dan's tribute:

How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways.

Mother

Daughter

Grandmother

Janimal

Professional

Wife

That's my girl! Love ya, Babe.

Blessed Indeed!

LYM!

True Beauty

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/615233999066219119/

This quote is perfect for today's blog! From one Maya to another!

Birthday Shout-Out: June 4🎂

Happy Birthday to Maya Top (Chris and John's grand-daughter, Erin's daughter, Nik's wife)

They now live in Oregon

Chris wrote this wonderful tribute:

Maya Top is 25 today! She is such a wonderful, spiritual woman that has overcome challenges in her life and has chosen to work to inspire others to improve their mental health! She is honest, working her beliefs - in her health, her faith, her fitness (and boy is she fit!!) and her mentoring posts on Instagram: @mayaa_top (just a little plug). Erin would be so proud of her today, as she was everyday of her life!

She’s the best wife, daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, auntie, friend, and nature / animal lover (the list is endless)!

So sweet!
Maya was only 3 months old in this 1995 photo taken at Mom's birthday party in La Jolla

Soul-mates: Maya and Nik

Feb. 2019:  Famous Exercise Warriors!
This picture of Maya and Nik was enlarged and featured on the store window of LuluLemon in Fashion Valley

Maya (given name) - Wikipedia

Maya is a female name with multiple meanings: In Hindu philosophy, Māyā means "illusion", and in Hindu mythology it is also an alternate name of the Hindu goddess Durga. ... The name "Maya" in Amharic means "a lens that helps to see further". In the Nepali language, Maya means "love".

Maya definitely means love to all of us! Wishing you a very Happy Birthday! 💟

LYM,

All your family!

LOVE TRIUMPHS

https://www.idlehearts.com/1332353/love-triumphs-at-least-in-this-life-not-by-eliminating-evil-once

Good morning!

In all of the melee going on around us, I did not receive an email from Mark. I cannot figure out why, but his sister Michelle forwarded this on to me...It is Mark's tribute to his wife Joelene on her birthday, June 1st! Please accept our belated birthday wishes via this family blog.

Belated Birthday Shout-Out: June 1st

Joelene's birthday (Mark's wife)

Mark wrote:

 In honor of Joelene's birthday, I would like to say the following.
Today, the love of my life marks another trip around the sun. Having known each other since we were 10 years old, we have seen a lot of trips around the sun together, apart and together again. The three pictures here represent our friendship that started so young and our love that has lasted through so much and so many years. Joelene is a beautiful person both inside and out. She is my person and I am hers.

And he included these darling pictures:

I remember this going to this play: Music Man

             Who could forget Mark's mullet hairstyle?

                                 LOVE TRIUMPHS!💓

In my meditation book, All Will Be Well... this reading jumped out at me today; a God-shot!

For our community is shaken by grief, anguish, and woe, as you would shake a rag in the wind....There are many acts committed that to us seem so evil and so harmful that we despair of any good resulting from them. While we are in sorrow and mourning concerning these, we cannot relax in God's exalted and wondrous wisdom. For our reason is now so blinded, weak, and ignorant that we cannot see the Trinity's strength and goodness. So God tells us: You will yourself behold that all will be well.

Dear Lord, help me to trust in your wisdom that nothing is forgotten. Give me the strength to meet the events of my life, believing that in you all will be revealed and everything will be made well. Help me surrender my anxiety so that my spirit may have ease and be at peace in love.

AMEN!
LYM,
Reenie

PS: Two more family birthdays this week! See you tomorrow!

No Words

https://quotefancy.com/quote/1585201/David-Seltzer-For-some-moments-in-life-there-are-no-words

Birthday Shout-Out: June 2 🎂

Happy Birthday, Matthew Arick (Melda and Tom's son)

Melda made a fantastic home-made red velvet birthday cake, and was planning on having her family gather safely out on the grass in her front yard, for a picnic style birthday dinner... safe distancing!
Matthew called and had to cancel because there was a curfew ordered "to shelter in place" in Long Beach.

No words!

Prayers for our families, our communities and our nation,
Reenie