Sorry, I thought I was back but then..... well, life happens.
Actually the election happened and It has been so great to see the new future take shape. It'll be a future of hope, a future of change and perhaps, dare we even try to believe, a return to sanity for us?????????
Also, Hebrew happened. Yes, I tried to take Hebrew classes and flamed out so bad that a volcano looked tame. Hebrew is one hard language to get, but it will be learned. I want to, I need to and ..... in a strange way, even though it's kicking me at the moment, I love the language. I just need to study more and perhaps even get tested to see if there is a language learning disability going on. The professor seems to think so.
Oh well, nothing much else to report for now. Getting ready for Thanksgiving at friends tomorrow and cleaning the fireplace for the season's first real cold spell with bad weather....
Sitting by a warm fire seems real good right now. See ya!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
I'm Back!
Well, Hello there world!
Been away from this for awhile, because of being busy, busy, busy... In the time I've been gone, Big Brother 10 has started (YEAH!!!!!!!!!!), Burn Notice and Saving Grace are back with new episodes (USA Network), my daughter moved back into town and is now rather close by.(Another YEAH!!!!!!)-
I spent a week with the kids from church camp (51 junior high kids) and all of us came back in one piece and all of us were tired but happy. I'm going to write more about camp in future posts, so ya'll just have to wait for that...hey, something to look forward to later, right???????????? SOoooooo...... things have been really hectic in these parts...Summer monsoons have started, but so far they have been a dud. One day we had some moderate rain, but the lightning and heavenly fireworks are surely missing.
On the downside, our main computer, the good one, is toast.... darn thing wouldn't boot up, sytstem recovery didn't work and we took it in and the video card and motherboard are toast..........services will be held on the weekend...only trouble is, until we can afford to fix it, we have no Skype.....AAAggggghhhhhh! Oh well. This good ol' 1999 model that's makes molasses looks fast while flowing is still going (knock on wood) and we're still connected to the world. One thing I've started doing recently with my Sweety is a daily morning reflection/meditation and I tell ya, that's been the best thing. It has given grounding to my day and has been a mark of sanity in our otherwise hectic and insane world.
Be back again soon
Been away from this for awhile, because of being busy, busy, busy... In the time I've been gone, Big Brother 10 has started (YEAH!!!!!!!!!!), Burn Notice and Saving Grace are back with new episodes (USA Network), my daughter moved back into town and is now rather close by.(Another YEAH!!!!!!)-
I spent a week with the kids from church camp (51 junior high kids) and all of us came back in one piece and all of us were tired but happy. I'm going to write more about camp in future posts, so ya'll just have to wait for that...hey, something to look forward to later, right???????????? SOoooooo...... things have been really hectic in these parts...Summer monsoons have started, but so far they have been a dud. One day we had some moderate rain, but the lightning and heavenly fireworks are surely missing.
On the downside, our main computer, the good one, is toast.... darn thing wouldn't boot up, sytstem recovery didn't work and we took it in and the video card and motherboard are toast..........services will be held on the weekend...only trouble is, until we can afford to fix it, we have no Skype.....AAAggggghhhhhh! Oh well. This good ol' 1999 model that's makes molasses looks fast while flowing is still going (knock on wood) and we're still connected to the world. One thing I've started doing recently with my Sweety is a daily morning reflection/meditation and I tell ya, that's been the best thing. It has given grounding to my day and has been a mark of sanity in our otherwise hectic and insane world.
Be back again soon
Friday, May 23, 2008
Where to go from here...
Haven't added to this blog for awhile, partly because I'm still wondering which direction to take in my writings. Which also is the story of my life's journey in many ways: which directions do I take?
I'm a progressive minister, serving a small church in Tucson,Arizona; a church struggling to find its identity. In recent years there's some emerging clarity on where my identity may be hiding, but I'm still, in some respects, dealing with that question. Recently the realization has come that there's a need to lighten up considerably. This goes along with the realization that there's a God to trust and a direction to follow, not so much a need of trying so hard to hang on and control everything.
The story about the mountain climber comes to mind: A guy is mountain climbing and he comes to the edge of a small cliff. Suddenly the ground gives way and he starts falling, stopping himself only with the luck of a small tree growing out of the side of cliff. Hanging on for dear life he hears the word of God calling and telling him, "It is OK to let go, I have you." Whereupon he thinks for a moment and says, "Is anybody else up there?"
I've also been there, but arriving to the point where I could now say, given the same circumstance, "O.K., here I go," and then let go of the tree. Now that I've said that, there's still lingering fear, but also a sense of relief and acceptance. Hopefully no cliffs will give way in the near future to test this newly declared sentiment.......
So, as I try and figure where I'm going and where this blog is going, guess we'll just explore ahead together and see where we end up. It'll be an interesting journey...
I'm a progressive minister, serving a small church in Tucson,Arizona; a church struggling to find its identity. In recent years there's some emerging clarity on where my identity may be hiding, but I'm still, in some respects, dealing with that question. Recently the realization has come that there's a need to lighten up considerably. This goes along with the realization that there's a God to trust and a direction to follow, not so much a need of trying so hard to hang on and control everything.
The story about the mountain climber comes to mind: A guy is mountain climbing and he comes to the edge of a small cliff. Suddenly the ground gives way and he starts falling, stopping himself only with the luck of a small tree growing out of the side of cliff. Hanging on for dear life he hears the word of God calling and telling him, "It is OK to let go, I have you." Whereupon he thinks for a moment and says, "Is anybody else up there?"
I've also been there, but arriving to the point where I could now say, given the same circumstance, "O.K., here I go," and then let go of the tree. Now that I've said that, there's still lingering fear, but also a sense of relief and acceptance. Hopefully no cliffs will give way in the near future to test this newly declared sentiment.......
So, as I try and figure where I'm going and where this blog is going, guess we'll just explore ahead together and see where we end up. It'll be an interesting journey...
Friday, May 2, 2008
Time to rest
Too often people fail to take time to rest and recharge, I'm guilty of that too...
However, earlier this week we set aside time to rest and regroup our thoughts. (Working over 50 straight weeks can test even the hardiest of soul's patience and sanity). There's something special about sitting on a porch at a cabin in the mountains looking down upon the ducks in the river and the hawks in the sky. Listening to the rythmic sounds of the water from the river coursing its way over the road and around the rocks, lulls you into a sense of calmness. Two days and three nights of no schedules, no demands, just you, your partner and time. Time to watch a hummingbird feed the young in her nest, to hear the sounds of dogs barking at the who knows what in the houses on the other side of the river.
At night you experience the sounds of the evening without traffic noise, airplanes or sirens-just you and the wind through the trees, lulling you into a tiredness that is natural, not born from exhaustion and fatigue. Taking a walk along the riverside without anything else on your mind opens you up to seeing seashells in the rocks by the river. That alone is not exceptional, until you realize the river is 5,000 feet up in the mountains of northern Arizona, thousands of miles from any current seas where such things are usually found.
When you come back into civilization, the trick is how to keep the feelings fresh and new, without getting sucked back into the routine of life too fast or too strong. Yes, there are things to do and take care of, but you try to do them maybe a little bit slower, maybe a little more serenely. Perhaps it will work, perhaps not; but the committment is made to never again wait so long to recharge the batteries and take time to rest.
However, earlier this week we set aside time to rest and regroup our thoughts. (Working over 50 straight weeks can test even the hardiest of soul's patience and sanity). There's something special about sitting on a porch at a cabin in the mountains looking down upon the ducks in the river and the hawks in the sky. Listening to the rythmic sounds of the water from the river coursing its way over the road and around the rocks, lulls you into a sense of calmness. Two days and three nights of no schedules, no demands, just you, your partner and time. Time to watch a hummingbird feed the young in her nest, to hear the sounds of dogs barking at the who knows what in the houses on the other side of the river.
At night you experience the sounds of the evening without traffic noise, airplanes or sirens-just you and the wind through the trees, lulling you into a tiredness that is natural, not born from exhaustion and fatigue. Taking a walk along the riverside without anything else on your mind opens you up to seeing seashells in the rocks by the river. That alone is not exceptional, until you realize the river is 5,000 feet up in the mountains of northern Arizona, thousands of miles from any current seas where such things are usually found.
When you come back into civilization, the trick is how to keep the feelings fresh and new, without getting sucked back into the routine of life too fast or too strong. Yes, there are things to do and take care of, but you try to do them maybe a little bit slower, maybe a little more serenely. Perhaps it will work, perhaps not; but the committment is made to never again wait so long to recharge the batteries and take time to rest.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
The world of hi-tech
We've rapidly been thrust upon the stage of being hi-tech. Guess having kids move halfway around the globe has something to do with that. In the last week, we've activated a webcam, gotten a computer microphone and installed the appropriate software. This morning we gave it the first really official tryout and made a real-time call to Turkey. We saw our son-in-law, daughter, grandkids and the even the dog.
It is the wierdest thing to be here at 8:30 in the morning and have them be finishing their day (almost) at 6:30 at night. While we waited for Kim to get back from buying dinner at the store, we even played live online checkers with Rick. (I was losing pretty bad- perhaps there are drawbacks to hi-tech) I also added Carol's and their blogs to my site, check them out.
Someday I will get used to this...or not. We'll see how it goes. But it does make family seem like they are right next door. Now I'm on a mission to get all computer-connected family (hear that, Justin?) to get wired and online! Every journey has to have tasks to accomplish along the way.
It is the wierdest thing to be here at 8:30 in the morning and have them be finishing their day (almost) at 6:30 at night. While we waited for Kim to get back from buying dinner at the store, we even played live online checkers with Rick. (I was losing pretty bad- perhaps there are drawbacks to hi-tech) I also added Carol's and their blogs to my site, check them out.
Someday I will get used to this...or not. We'll see how it goes. But it does make family seem like they are right next door. Now I'm on a mission to get all computer-connected family (hear that, Justin?) to get wired and online! Every journey has to have tasks to accomplish along the way.
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Gift
On a particularly down day last week, a gift came through that was very needed and very timely. Sometimes, gifts like that are meant to be given away after they are received. In that light, I give the gift to you:
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going, I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton - From: Thoughts in Solitude
Interesting to see how sometimes, what we need to hear is what we do hear if our ears are open to the sounds. May we meet one day upon the road...
My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going, I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
Thomas Merton - From: Thoughts in Solitude
Interesting to see how sometimes, what we need to hear is what we do hear if our ears are open to the sounds. May we meet one day upon the road...
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Let the wandering begin
Journeys begin with a beginning and an end. My current journey began fifteen years ago and the destination has yet to be written. The path has been at times easy to travel, at times hard to travel and at times almost impossible to travel, but I have kept on course and maybe, just maybe I'll one day see the destination which I seek. (once I figure out what that is)
I have taken the name of a well-known folk ballad as my title, since the words of the tune describe the road I am on so very well. If you wish to, come along on the journey with me, we'll explore this life togther.
I have taken the name of a well-known folk ballad as my title, since the words of the tune describe the road I am on so very well. If you wish to, come along on the journey with me, we'll explore this life togther.
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