Tuesday, January 20
I awoke this morning with a shiver. I had gone to bed very late and did not know where the extra quilts were kept. Needless to say I slept with extra layers of clothing as exhaustion swept over me. We watched the inauguration of President Obama on a tv that had faded color. Only shades of red and blue appeared with any clarity. This made every screen shot to the American flag quite striking as all other images were ironically black and white. Following the inauguration we served sandwiches to those who knocked on the door and took a trip to the building site where we will provide some volunteer labor to build another retreat center. This activity was a bit of a surprise, but so be it. Then it was children's hour, an after-school program for providing a safe place for kids from 4-5pm. I played a lot of pool. Who knows maybe I will become a pool player.
The evening ended with a guest speaker. Some of what he said I'd heard or read before. Something that caught me up in thought was his referral to his "other side of me" instead of saying "wife". He said "wife" isn't enough to explain what a relationship is all about. She was his other side. As ya'll know I hate Jerry McGuire "you complete me" kind of language about relationships, so I began to wonder why this felt different. Not my "other half" but my "other side". Who are the other sides of our life? I've observed I may behave differently with people based on the kind of relationship I have with them, from formal, professional to casual and yes even romantic. So how does being with your "other side" look like? Respectful, honorable, passionate, comfortable, strangely familiar... I'm still brewing this tea of thought tonight like a good herbal - best to let it steep.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Windblown Mysteries on the Rez
January 19, 2009 The beginning of a two-week immersion in Pine Ridge, SD.
My day began at 5am, loading a 15 passenger van and setting off for Pine Ridge, SD. It was a quiet trip in a van of strangers. As we drove across the prairie the wind became stronger and stronger creating a physical effort to keep the van on the road. In Mitchel, SD I switched drivers and let my arms have a rest. As we drove I read articles about Pine Ridge and wondered where this little adventure would take us. I also began to pray as each gust swept us across the freeway that we would survive to see the mystery unfold.
Have you ever taken a journey without a plan, itinerary, or any expectation? It's a rare gift to give yourself. I plan to practice being present, listening, and allowing mystery to lead me on. Tomorrow our nation will observe a historic event. I may not be around technology to observe the inauguration live, but I can always go online later. I listened to MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech as I drove out to the rez and wondered about the mystery unfolding in the world's journey of life. So many people traveled east while I traveled west, each to engage an American story unfolding, dreaming, and dying. The path of dismantling racism is far from over, the journey of forgiveness is fraught with the blows of hard winds. Yet, we carry on. And that is a mystery I am thankful for.
My day began at 5am, loading a 15 passenger van and setting off for Pine Ridge, SD. It was a quiet trip in a van of strangers. As we drove across the prairie the wind became stronger and stronger creating a physical effort to keep the van on the road. In Mitchel, SD I switched drivers and let my arms have a rest. As we drove I read articles about Pine Ridge and wondered where this little adventure would take us. I also began to pray as each gust swept us across the freeway that we would survive to see the mystery unfold.
Have you ever taken a journey without a plan, itinerary, or any expectation? It's a rare gift to give yourself. I plan to practice being present, listening, and allowing mystery to lead me on. Tomorrow our nation will observe a historic event. I may not be around technology to observe the inauguration live, but I can always go online later. I listened to MLK's "I Have A Dream" speech as I drove out to the rez and wondered about the mystery unfolding in the world's journey of life. So many people traveled east while I traveled west, each to engage an American story unfolding, dreaming, and dying. The path of dismantling racism is far from over, the journey of forgiveness is fraught with the blows of hard winds. Yet, we carry on. And that is a mystery I am thankful for.
Monday, August 4, 2008
It's the end of the world...
Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend some quality time carpooling an 11-year-old boy to camp. He was a talker. I learned a great deal about the latest video games and various tips on tactics. Occasionally I would hear him hum or sing the REM song "It's the end of the world as we know it."
After about an hour and half of driving he asked, "So what do you think will become of the world?" Honestly, I didn't know what to say so I asked him the question back. "I don't know. What do you think?"
He said he thought it was going to come to an end soon. I shared that I thought there was a little more hope for life to which he responded, "Yes I supposed single-cell organisms might have a chance."
I tried not to laugh, but I giggled inside.
Outside storm clouds formed all around us. It looked ugly. Yet no matter where we drove the rain and storm never came. The boy shared how it reminded him of a time he was hiking and all the hills were covered in rain and storms except one - a little hill with a single silver maple tree. He said he thought it must be a sign, but he wasn't sure what it meant. He said, "Maybe it meant that even when life is looking dreary and stormy there is still a chance for hope."
Amen, brother.
I truly believe God has a very creative, somewhat silly sense of humor. Out of a crazy set of circumstances I ended up enjoying a little food for the soul from the backseat of my car on a crazy afternoon drive. I don't know what will become of our world and all the chaos we've evoked. But I agree with my 11-year-old guru, there is still a chance for hope.
It's the end of the world as we know it...and I feel fine. :)
After about an hour and half of driving he asked, "So what do you think will become of the world?" Honestly, I didn't know what to say so I asked him the question back. "I don't know. What do you think?"
He said he thought it was going to come to an end soon. I shared that I thought there was a little more hope for life to which he responded, "Yes I supposed single-cell organisms might have a chance."
I tried not to laugh, but I giggled inside.
Outside storm clouds formed all around us. It looked ugly. Yet no matter where we drove the rain and storm never came. The boy shared how it reminded him of a time he was hiking and all the hills were covered in rain and storms except one - a little hill with a single silver maple tree. He said he thought it must be a sign, but he wasn't sure what it meant. He said, "Maybe it meant that even when life is looking dreary and stormy there is still a chance for hope."
Amen, brother.
I truly believe God has a very creative, somewhat silly sense of humor. Out of a crazy set of circumstances I ended up enjoying a little food for the soul from the backseat of my car on a crazy afternoon drive. I don't know what will become of our world and all the chaos we've evoked. But I agree with my 11-year-old guru, there is still a chance for hope.
It's the end of the world as we know it...and I feel fine. :)
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Summer Vacation
Lately I've been super busy with work and happy to catch up on movies or TV reruns when I have gotten home. I haven't wanted to get "too serious" while the sun was shining and the days had finally warmed up.
Yet life won't take a vacation. I have family and friends dealing with health concerns, money runs short each month, and questions loom overhead about the future.
I once heard a comparison between life and a guitar. The strings of a guitar need a balanced tension to play in tune. Strung too tight they'll break, strung too loose they won't play. Kept tense, yet in-tune, the musician can play a beautiful song. I strive to stay in tune so the Great Musician can play a beautiful song with my life, or at least have fun rocking out. I've decided to be thankful for the tensions in my life, yet I'm not taking it too seriously.
Rock on my friends.
Yet life won't take a vacation. I have family and friends dealing with health concerns, money runs short each month, and questions loom overhead about the future.
I once heard a comparison between life and a guitar. The strings of a guitar need a balanced tension to play in tune. Strung too tight they'll break, strung too loose they won't play. Kept tense, yet in-tune, the musician can play a beautiful song. I strive to stay in tune so the Great Musician can play a beautiful song with my life, or at least have fun rocking out. I've decided to be thankful for the tensions in my life, yet I'm not taking it too seriously.
Rock on my friends.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Worry Not
Lately I've been hit with a case of worries. In the Bible, Matthew 6:24-34, Jesus says, "Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?"
I know that 97% of the things we worry about never happen. I know that one can only do what they can and the rest is out of our control. But I want to be in control and stop the stuff that worries me from messing up my life. Awe what a fool I am.
Life is messy. Things happen, plans change, the unexpected decimates all our expectations and we are lost. We disappoint ourselves and make mistakes we don't understand. We can be so wrong when we think we are so right. We have ideals that are disregarded and abandoned by those we trusted. People, things, institutions we always thought would hold strong and carry us through crumble, die, or change into something we don't recognize. It's true we've got plenty to worry about and the command "Don't worry" sounds perplexing. Yet the command isn't about guilting us for worrying or being concerned about the future. It is a reminder to consider where and what we place our focus upon and set as priorities.
If you are finding the connection with God, trusting God, is a bit leary right now, try keeping things simple. Maybe a prayer like this:
Jesus, I'm hurting, Nothing is working the way I expected. I don't know who or what to trust anymore. I'm not even sure about you. But I hear you're sure about me. I open my heart to the change you promise. I'm taking my hands off the wheel now. Amen
I know that 97% of the things we worry about never happen. I know that one can only do what they can and the rest is out of our control. But I want to be in control and stop the stuff that worries me from messing up my life. Awe what a fool I am.
Life is messy. Things happen, plans change, the unexpected decimates all our expectations and we are lost. We disappoint ourselves and make mistakes we don't understand. We can be so wrong when we think we are so right. We have ideals that are disregarded and abandoned by those we trusted. People, things, institutions we always thought would hold strong and carry us through crumble, die, or change into something we don't recognize. It's true we've got plenty to worry about and the command "Don't worry" sounds perplexing. Yet the command isn't about guilting us for worrying or being concerned about the future. It is a reminder to consider where and what we place our focus upon and set as priorities.
If you are finding the connection with God, trusting God, is a bit leary right now, try keeping things simple. Maybe a prayer like this:
Jesus, I'm hurting, Nothing is working the way I expected. I don't know who or what to trust anymore. I'm not even sure about you. But I hear you're sure about me. I open my heart to the change you promise. I'm taking my hands off the wheel now. Amen
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Mal's Song
Here it is - my favorite version of the Firefly song: Click here for Michelle Dockery's lyrics
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