Life...to the max!

Hey! Yup!! We are unplugging for the next 22 days...!!!

        In this grand "experiment" called life, we are instructed to take time out, from time to time.  Thanks to the caring gifts of two nieces, some useful frequent flyer miles, and the rapid coordination of some schedules, we are unplugged until July 5.  What a gift of current grace.

        This is my prayer for all of us in these next three weeks...where you are...where we will be.  Indeed, grace and peace to you, too:

            Give Me Ears to Hear...

            Lord,
            I believe
                my life is touched by you,
                    that you want something for me,
                        and of me.

            Give me ears to hear you,
                eyes to see the tracing of your finger,
                    and a heart
                            quickened by the motions
                    of your Spirit

                    ...from Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder, p. 35

Willing to live fully? Careful now... Really.......?!!

Three weeks flies by fast for most of us...when we release ourselves into the life we are daily being given to live.  This is where I love the continuing daily challenge of the question from one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver:

...then let us begin again, and maybe even again.......

 

        Every once in awhile a book catches the eye of my soul, of which I need to read just a little, put it down and ponder awhile before picking it up again.  Such is the meaningful tome from which I get the thoughts that follow.  Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle by Ted Loder (pgs. 104-105) is one such book:

Turning 70: ...it was a VERY good day!

If changing decades requires a "perfect" day...yesterday was just about right.  The day was peaceful.  Hope-filled.  Encouraging.  Healing.  Laced with honest awe.  Reflective.  Some people were missing.  Engaging.  Steady.  Challenging...because of the potential power changing the world with those at breakfast.  Humorous.  Restful.  See some of the pics below.......

...exceptional offer...truly...a free book!!!

        Our good and valued friend, Michael Cusick, is coming out with one of the most needed books of our time.  Between he and his publisher, Thomas Nelson, copies are being offered for free...IF you go here...as in now.

Surfing For God:

Discovering the Divine Desire

Beneath Sexual Struggle

 

       ...and just in case you miss the free offer (but if you act now here you won't) you can find this timely book here on Amazon.  I had the deep privilege of reading an advance copy...and it is one of the most important books for our day.

        As I will continue to say about this exceptional read from Michael...we all need to read it...and pass it on.  Healing and wholeness waits for those who do.

Thank you, Michael, for finally getting this into our world...!!!

 

 

...so what's with the scrambled eggs, anyway?

.......continued from previous post.......

        This picture was taken of Rich Buhler and me on Wednesday, January 11, this year.  As good as he looks there, it is hard to imagine that 119 days later he would slip through the "thin veil" into heaven via the vehicle of pancreatic cancer.  His almost two year fight was a valient one...to his last breath.

 

        Some how, this good man, and very good friend of over 47 years had mustered the strength to attend one more Desert Fathers experience in the high desert of California.  This, a group of us had been doing for almost 30 years.

        Because it was a Wednesday (a day we most often had some form of communication between us...text, Skype, phone call...) and because we knew, deep down, this could be a last time together, in person, until we both got to heaven, we decided to get up a little early that morning for some time together before the rest of the men awakened.

        This is a picture I will long cherish.  Continue reading to learn what happened next...