TWELVE

V A L U E

V I L L A G E

It was perfect. No, too strong. It was as good as I had hoped. That's it!

Stood by and got on. Offered more, accepted less.

With Georgia on our minds,

we were enchanted with the manner in which we were hosted.

Night time guesses made the daylight walk easy.

But first ...

WElcoming HOspitable PRESence

(www.wehopres.org)

A new church away from church.

A long windy walk on the beach led to Grace.

And then ...

Why we came!

Start with the Ending through A Microscopic Journey.

I could watch and listen to David Wilcox every night!

AS GOOD AS I HAD HOPED

THIRTEEN

O P E N

H A N D S

A broken knuckle forces me to open my hand

and to watch where it goes and what it does

Good timing I suppose

the ax is being sharpened

In anticipation of next week

the songs of Open Hand have been in my ear

And then this morning I'm invited to hear the Twin's tale

as an opportunity for the open hands of peace

Soon I'll be needing to open my heart and mind and future

to where my hands have been and should be

All I know for sure is that things will be better

if they stay open

Progress

You may know that I have been struggling with a chronic cough for 15 months now. It seems to particularly flare up when I was lying down (like trying to sleep) or when I am speaking for any length of time (like preaching, or conducting weddings/funerals). In the past year I have been poked and prodded, tested and examined from head to toe. My regular medications have been scrutinized a dozen times. In the past couple of months, my doctor had only one or two things left to try - a new med here; a change in pattern there. Voilà. I'm not sure what worked in the end, but I am sleeping better and coughing less. I'm tempted to thank God for this change, but I know God is with me whether I cough or not; whether I am healthy or ill. So, I will simply thank God: not for healing, not for this change, but for simply being present with me, now as always!