After a walk with a friend on a Fort Eby trail,
I was reminded of a little book by Thich Nhat Hanh
on how to walk, practicing awareness of Love’s energy that is present in each and every step
Today economic concerns, especially for the most vulnerable, weigh heavily on my heart. I pray the simplicity of a walking meditation will give me hope and help me daily do my part for the common good
While never a stunt horse rider
like Liberty Cunningham as a teen,
I did ride a train to Seattle just out of high school
And for this boy from a small town in Iowa
that proved to be the ride to significance
that would forever change my life
Countless choices made when I was young are now thankfully forgotten, some still teach a lesson, but
that choice to rise up, throw my future to the wind-
Priceless!
“The Child’s Toys and the Old Man’s Reasons
Are the fruits of Two seasons”
-William Blake
I visited Egil at Maple Ridge Senior Living today. Born in Norway 92 years ago, he came to America to fish. And while his mind may be on its way out, a flood tide of memories graced us still.
I lead Wednesday morning devotions there each week and offer a song service on the first Sunday of each month. What a fellowship, what a joy divine, alive in the wisdom of our older years!
Forty-five years ago on Sunday, July 20th
I was ordained at St John’s Lutheran, Preston, Iowa
for work as a pastor in the Church
If asked today what I have learned
from over four decades of parish ministry,
two things come to mind:
Day by day practice listening deeply
for the voice of the Good Shepherd
and don’t leave Him behind striving to get ahead
In 1970 and for the past ten years
we harmonized with waves of ocean song
on the Pacific North Oregon Coast
Gib (my Gibson guitar) and I
have been companions making music
since graduation from high school in 1969
Now life flows on in endless song together on Whidbey Island where Gib’s warm & crisp sound continues to evoke an echo in my soul
And in the words of Robert Lowry’s hymn written
100 years before Gib and I met, with such music resonantly ringing, how can I keep from singing?
I put a ring of gold with an amber stone
on my aging hand, a sign to help align
with Life’s rhythm for my ripening
On walks in Brenden Woods
near our home on Whidbey Island
I place my hand gently on an old cedar tree
And in the balance of my years
with the timing of nature and Life’s heartbeat
I am emboldened to bear fruits of maturity
In biblical terms
I’ve lived a full life
while my grandson Kàllan is just getting started
Blessed with more days for conscious eldering
I find myself asking, what will I be, what will I do
that’s of lasting good for him and others?
Crossed the generation divide this spring
and met a new friend, Andrew
through an online program called Sages&Seekers
What good energy, wisdom, and fun
bridging the gap
between old and young!
To learn more
click this link:
https://sagesandseekers.org
Dogs have shown me how simple
mirroring the goodness
in other beings can be
DOG is GOD when viewed in a mirror
Turns out, like the poem below suggests,
God can be seen in every living being
The Gift of Mirroring
I could not lie anymore,
so I started to call my dog “God.”
First he looked confused, then he started smiling,
then he even danced!
I kept at it: now he doesn’t even bite.
I am wondering if this might work on people?
