Blog
Please Don’t Try to Understand
“Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.” - Claude Monet I really like this quote. I do not pretend to be Claude Monet, because I am not. But I am me, and I have my own art....
Stepping Into the Mystery (a sermon)
I have stepped out of retirement (temporarily) to serve as the Interim Pastor for Veradale United Church of Christ in Spokane Valley, Washington for three months while their pastor is on sabbatical. I served this congregation as their Transitional Pastor for about...
Exploring Spokane
I'm back in Spokane for three months, and today I spent some time reacquainting myself with two of my favorite spots - Riverfront Park (former site of Expo '74) and the Japanese Garden in Manito Park. Here are some photos of those two lovely places: Riverfront Park...
Learning To Be Me
On Meditating, Sort Of by Mary Oliver Meditation, so I’ve heard, is best accomplished if you entertain a certain strict posture. Frankly, I prefer just to lounge under a tree. So why should I think I could ever be successful? Some days I fall asleep, or land in...
Polishing My Heart
A couple of nights ago I went to a potluck where several old friends were gathered. I haven’t seen them in several years, and most of them didn’t know I would be there. Every one of them was surprised and delighted to see me. And I was startled by their response. I...
A Sense of Stillness
I’m enjoying a few days of quiet downtime before my life picks up speed on Monday. That’s the day I officially step out of retirement and take up the mantle of being a pastor again (for the next three months). I’m actually excited for the challenge, but just for...
The Unfolding Adventure
17 days ago I drove away from my home in Colorado and headed west. I was embarking on a new adventure. Beginning on August 15th I will be stepping out of retirement and back into the pulpit for three months. The destination was Spokane, but I decided to take the...
Singing Sacred Phrases & Shining
In the Dances of Universal Peace we sing and dance sacred phrases from the faith traditions of the world. And because the original inspiration for the Dances was the Sufi tradition, many of those sacred phrases are in Arabic. One of my favorites is “La Ilaha...
Reflecting on a Teenage Crush
In college I had a crush on Olivia Newton John. (I’m pretty sure I was not alone in that regard.) Having a crush is an odd sort of phenomenon. You don’t actually have to know someone to have a crush on them. In fact, it probably helps if you don’t know them. And...
Dancing My Way Home
I recently spent a week at a Dances of Universal Peace camp with friends old and new. We sing and dance sacred songs from all of the world’s major faith traditions. It is a profoundly powerful experience. Because of Covid, it had been two and a half years since the...