ELEVEN

R E S T F U L

W E E K

Sabbath

Without a schedule, things just happen

I rested, reflected, rejuvinated

Now and again, these opportunities arise

Every once and a while, time comes to us; not the other way around

For the next couple of weeks, it should be like this

Leading the puppy; following the puppy

Under it all is an excitement for things to come, and yet, today ...

Handshakes were optional, as was the bread and cup

One more news story reminds us of the drawbacks of togetherness

No relationship can escape vuleranility; this time is no different

One way or another we will get through this,

Eh?

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!

We are men of action ...

... lies do not become us.

Anybody? Yes, the Princess Bride. Wesley to the six-fingered man, who had promised Buttercup that Wesley would be released and returned to his ship. "Well spoken, Sir" and Wesley's hands were tied and he was taken into the Pit of Despair.

Translation: "let's just cut through the BS and just be honest."

Jesus had a blessing for pretty much everyone: the meek, the poor, the oppressed. But he did speak many-a word of woe to the hypocrite.

Why is it so hard to be authentic in this world?
Can we ever set aside the "desire to impress" long enough to be honest with ourselves about who we truly are?

I do it. We all do it to some degree. We keep silent, when we know people have read us wrong. We fall prey to the notion that there is this ideal to live up to, or at least we think others expect us to live up to. We all do, but some do it to the extreme.

Imagine a person who has been cheated by their spouse saying: I really don't blame [the other woman/man]. She/he was at living within their own purported morals. My spouse is portraying him/herself one way and acting another. Hypocrisy! Painful to hear, but true!

Even the most vicious person garners some respect, when they openly admit who they are.

How hard it is for some outwardly staunch Christians, who get "found out".
We see them cry, "Forgive me lord, for I have sinned".
We listen to more lies, "I simply have a drinking problem".
And the most annoying theology out there, "the devil made me do it".

We all have two people within us: the one, who our mind tells us we would like to be, and the one who our actions demonstrate we really are. Hypocrites are those whose two people are strangers.

Yes, this is not just a theoretical blog. This past week has found me immersed into trying to help a friend introduce the strangers within. This friend will be challenged to pick one or the other and be authentic. I am hopeful that the "right" choice will be made, but I could live with the other as long as it was honest. At least, then you know what you're getting.

As you wish!

The 44th US President

Today's inaugration of Barack Obama can't escape the reality that he is the first African American president of the United States. That moment is history and needs to be savoured and reflected upon. I hope that is not the end.

I am excited about this day for more than the colour of the President's skin.

When Obama said, that America wouldn't sacrifice its ideals for safety's sake; that ideals would not be set aside to allow for expediency, I heard that the US Military will no longer have permission to commit torture (or more accurately, have the definition of torture restored).

When he said, that America will be a friend to other nations, I heard that the era of carte-blanche labeling of some as evil was over.

When he said that change had come, I heard that for some, the change they were seeking was becoming real; and I heard that for others a change in attitude would be needed for them to be part of this new world.

"All [people] are created equal": I am hopeful that this is truly believed and that the fear-based ideal that "some are more equal than others" has been thrust back to 1984.

"There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female", rich or poor, religious or secular, straight or gay, etc., etc., etc., and etc.

I know that there will be the resisters of change. But their voice is waning and even many of them are being changed. Alleluia.

Reflective Opportunity

Wow, this blogging is hard. I have been hard pressed to think of something worthy to say. And I've been busy with other things. Updating my facebook status most days has been the limit of my blogging.

Yesterday the top news story was the US Airways A320 that made an emergency landing in New York's Hudson River after flying through a flock of birds just after take off. The pilot is hailed a hero, for finding the solution he did which resulted in saving all aboard.

This story hit me in a way that it wouldn't a year ago. My spouse now works for an airline and as such, our family can get pretty good deals on standby tickets. With taking the family to Anaheim in just over three weeks and with my sabbatical coming up in a few months, I will be flying more than a half a dozen times before the middle of the year.

I have found myself asking: how would I react? Would I be calm on the outside? Would I reach for the cellphone and say my goodbyes; would I grab the video camera and record the inside story (I'd end up on Larry King for sure). Would I be a help to others, or would I be focused only on me?

I don't know. But I'm glad for the reflective opportunity.

(PS: I did laugh at the fact that W's final farewell was all but ignored. If only the world could say that for the last eight years!)