Commun ty Matters Salina Presbyterian Manor
June 2015
Mary’s Musings June is the month in which we celebrate Flag Day and the first day of summer. It is also a month when families gather to celebrate graduations, weddings and Father’s Day. I believe that “family” is more than just our biological family or our birth family. Often people who work together consider themselves a work family. I often talk about our “Manor family,” which encompasses our residents and our staff. I think of myself as a child of God, and God’s family encompasses people of all races, religions and ages. People of differing physical and mental abilities. The rich and the poor of every socioeconomic status. As humans, I believe, we have more things in common than differences. In her poem published in 1985, Anita Robertson describes “family.” We are a family We were born in the mind of God eons before our physical existence became a reality. He carefully planned every detail of our being — the color of our eyes and hair, a dimple here, a freckle there — making us unique individuals who would fit perfectly into His plan for our family. MUSINGS, continued on page 5
Expert woodworker John Miller built this crane and scissor lift in honor of his son’s construction firm, Miller Construction Co. in Wichita.
Wooden wonder
Working crane made of wood is tribute to resident’s son To look at the wooden crane John Miller designed and built, you might assume he was some kind of engineer. The 4-foot boom is expertly balanced by the cab and engine and rotates 360 degrees. The crane can lift and lower a modest load, and the machine can crawl on its caterpillar tracks. But Miller’s astounding creation – and its companion, a wooden scissor lift – are the products of a master woodworker’s skilled hands and a mind for planning. “It was a shoot from hip sort of thing,” said Miller, a resident of Salina Presbyterian Manor. “I started building that crane and it just kind of grew. I didn’t have any plans or diagrams.” Miller created the pieces in honor of his son and daughter-in-law, who own Trinity Sales, a construction equipment firm in Wichita. The models WONDER, continued on page 2