Nashville

I returned yesterday from a week long road trip to Nashville, Tennessee with friend Karl. We arrived in the city on Monday afternoon and immediately hit South Broadway where the Honky Tonks host live music all day and night and all the musicians work for tips. Had a grilled cheese sandwich and a beer at Robert's Western World where they sell beer and boots and are known as the "home of traditional country music". Dave Cox played "only songs that were written before I was born" or original material. Notice the "tip jar" to the left of the stage. All of the musicians who entertain on South Broadway work for "tips" only. This is called "starting on the ground floor" of the country music business.During the week we also stopped in at Tootsie's World Famous Orchid Lounge, The Stage, and The Wildhorse Saloon but kept coming back to Robert's for the best time. Best original song I heard was a song about an ex girl friend titled "I Thought You Were My Girl But It Was Just My Turn". On Thursday afternoon we toured the Country Music Hall of Fame and on Friday attended The Grand Old Opry.
We were in Nashville to attend a "Transformational Preaching" conference that presented 17 powerful speakers including Barbara Brown Taylor, Fred Craddock, Thomas Long, James Forbes, and Will Campbell. We were also entertained and inspired by Sweet Honey in the Rock. It was a great week of learning, fun, and seeing old friends.

Road Trip

Yesterday afternoon I departed from home to drive to Quakertown, Pa. to begin a road trip with friend and colleague, Karl. This first leg of the trip was 4 1/2 hours of gray skies, intermittent rain, listening to a cd of Greg Brown singing about love, slow food, and "I want my country back".
After church this morning, Karl and I climbed into my little red Nissan Versa to drive to Nashville where we will participate in a week long conference (more about that later). This afternoons' trip covered 442 miles through the green hills of Pennsylvania, Maryland,West Virginia, and Virginia. Karl and I talked about family, work, retirement, politics, music, and life as we moved along in our conversational nook at 70 mph. My experience is that road trips create the right conditions for honest and lively dialogue. There is something about the hum of the tires, the passing landscape, and a minimum of distractions (this depends on the other drivers) that enhances conversation. We arrived in Wytheville, VA. at 8pm and shared a fine dinner at the local Ruby Tuesday. A good beginning to a new adventure.

The Smothers Brothers

Last Saturday evening, Mary and I, had the pleasure of spending the evening at the beautiful Proctors Theatre in Schenectady with the Smothers Brothers. It felt like we were with old friends who had invited us into their home. Tommy and Dickie demonstrated the same quick wit, humor, and musical ability that made their 70's television program such a hit. This clip from a concert with the Boston Pops will give you a taste of what we experienced. Click here.
They also demonstrated some of the satire and political commentary that got them kicked off television three decades ago. In a long "bit" about lying, Tommy finally admitted that he lied because it is "national policy". It was a fun and entertaining evening.

The Best Laid Plans

90% of Greensburg, Kansas was destroyed in just a few moments last week by a tornado. Like most small cities in the Mid-West, Greensburg was a carefully planned town. As you can see in the above photo, the streets were laid out in a careful grid. The planning was deliberate, organized, structured, and well thought out. The purpose was to help the residents feel comfortable and safe as they traveled to and fro throughout their town. It is these streets alone that are familiar now. Most residents would find it very difficult if not impossible to identify their property now if this grid work hadn't survived.

Chaos breaks into our lives unexpected and unwelcome. the familiar landmarks of our carefully constructed lives are destroyed and we feel adrift, without moorings. Then we become aware that something, something familiar, something trustworthy remains and we begin to find our way once again. That something has many names; hope, love, courage, community, faith. The residents of Greensburg speak of those things now. They talk of gratitude that their lives were spared, they speak of hope as they plan to rebuild.

Click here for some more incredible aerial photos of the devastation. As you look at these photos, think of all the lives that have been affected. Pray that they would have courage and hope and faith and know that those prayers have already been answered. The rebuilding, the planning, and the dreaming has already begun.

It is truly spring!

It has been thirty days since my last post. I have been missing, absent, truant, gone, from the blogosphere. Thank you to those who have noticed and have urged me to get back on the keyboard. It has been a month of adapting to an exciting and flexible retirement schedule filled with activities and challenges. Someone wrote that retirement was the appetizer part of life because you get to pick and choose what you like. My experience so far is that it is more like an all you can eat buffet with a vast variety of dishes. Each dish is filling and nutritious. In these past four weeks I have spent quality time with each grandchild visiting museums and libraries, playing in the park, and listening to their laughter. I am taking three classes through the Academy for Learning in Retirement and have traveled by train to Niagara Falls, Canada with John, my son's adult transition group. We have also attended a Billy Joel Concert and a Wierd Al Yankovich performance and the musical, The Putnam County Spelling Bee. There has also been the smaller but no less sweeter joys of cleaning house, cooking dinner, paying bills, having dinner with friends and planting the garden. All new activities to me in this post-work world I am experiencing. Similar to the all you can eat buffet, I am tempted to over indulge and consume more then is healthy. I am learning to pick and choose activities and opportunities with more care.

The icing on the cake has been the arrival of Spring. The sign we look for in our household is the blooming of our flowering crab apple tree. This morning it greeted us with a magnificent display of pink flowers. My thoughts turned to this prayer by Ted Loder titled; Be With Me in My Unfolding.

It is spring, Lord, and the land is coming up green again,

unfolding outside my well-drawn boundaries and urgent schedules.

And there is the mystery and the smile of it.

The willows are dripping honey color into the rivers,

and the mother birds are busy in manger nests,

and I am learning again that

"for everything there is a season

and a time for every matter under heaven."

O Lord, you have sketched the lines of spring.

Be with me in my unfolding.

Keep Moving!

In a letter to his son, the genius wrote; Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you have to keep moving.
Life is about movement and growth, adventure and anticipation, faithfully moving forward. Einstein belived in a Deity that created a world guided by rhythyms and patterns. To stand still is to resist that creative force. Einstein's image is a reminder to yes, move; but move at the pace of a bicycle. Look around, breathe, enjoy the sights, feel the breeze on your skin, propel yourself forward using your God given power, strength, and creativity. Look at the picture again and notice how happy this brilliant man looks as he enjoys one of the simple pleasures of life.

Monday Morning!

On a Monday morning in April we hopefully anticipate a spring day. The reality is cold and gray with no warmth or sunshine in the foreseeable forecast. It is a morning made for a black and white video of the Mamas and the Papas singing "Monday. Monday". Click here.

Holy Fools!

Sarah Dylan Breuer begins her Easter weekend blog entry with the following;

There's a Franciscan fourfold blessing that I have long loved, the fourth blessing of which is this:
May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you really can make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God's grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

Her words got me thinking about the Holy Fools who first stumbled upon that empty tomb. I am grateful for the fool hardiness of those throughout history since that first century who have courageously proclaimed that Christ's life and death has made a profound difference in their lives. I am grateful for the foolish proclamation of Easter; "He is Risen!" Risen, Alive, Making a Difference, Today, Right Now, Right Here, in the chaos of the world and in the messiness of my life and yours. Happy Easter! May we all be blessed to be foolish enough to make a difference.

Maundy Thursday

I just returned from attending Maundy Thursday service. It was the first time in 24 years that I was not the one officiating, speaking, inviting, distributing, and blessing. It was the first time in 24 years that I did not celebrate this night with others sitting around candlelit tables. It was the first time in over two decades that I did not spend this night surrounded by those I know well. I sat in a pew amongst strangers; the person up front did things differently. Yet, when I took the bread in my hands, when I sipped from the cup, I felt connected. Connected to the Divine, connected to Christ, connected to the strangers in that room, and connected to those whom I have served with in the past. It is a mystery how that happens. I am grateful for that mystery.

The Hurt of Holy Week

On this cold and gray Maundy Thursday, I have been listening to and watching Johnny Cash's music video of "Hurt". His voice echoes with the same loneliness and longing that I hear in Jesus' words at the Garden of Gethsemane. In both cases, the words come from men not afraid to ask themselves and God the hard questions. "Has my life been worthwhile?" "Have I done what was expected of me?" You can watch this powerful video by clicking this link. here.

Put on a Happy Face!

Here's two of the happiest faces I know. Oldest granddaughter, Kaylyn, 14, with youngest grandchild, Jena, 4 months. The photo reminds me of the old saying; "Smile and the whole world will smile with you". The joy reflected in these faces sure make me smile.

Wilkepedia identifies the following two kinds of smiles.
The "Duchenne smile", after the researcher Guillaume Duchenne, is the most studied, and involves the movement of both the zygomaticus major muscle near the mouth and the orbicularis oculi muscle near the eyes. It is believed that the Duchenne smile is only produced as an involuntary response to genuine emotion, and is therefore what one could call the "genuine" smile. Due to the involvement of the muscle near the eyes, it is sometimes said that one can tell whether or not a smile is "real" by whether or not it "reaches the eyes". (Notice Kaylyn and Jenna's eyes.)

The "Pan American smile", on the other hand, is the voluntary smile involving only the zygomaticus major muscle to show politeness; for example, by a flight attendant on the former airline of the same name. Considered "insincere", this type of smile has also been called the "Professional Smile" by David Foster Wallace in his comedic short story A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again".

Judas, Jesus, and Holy Week

The following is a response I wrote to a post on "Westcoast Chuck's Blog" regarding an article by Elaine Pagel in Salon.

I’ve always appreciated Elaine Pagel’s work because she raises important questions that are challenging and thought provoking. Author and Pastor Frederick Buechner has written that “doubts are the ants in the pants of faith, they keep it alive and moving”. I believe the same can be said of questions about Jesus and the Gospels. What I have always found appealing about the Christian faith is that the story of Jesus is not neat, simple, and without contradictions. The four Gospels differ quite significantly in their telling of the events leading up to Jesus’ death and the aftermath. Each gospel was written by a different author, at a different time in history, to a unique audience in unique circumstances. Therefore the focus and approach to the telling of the story varies. What is convincing, for me, is the common theme and conclusions that the writers share. Biblical scholars and creative minds alike have pondered Judas’ motives and relationship with Jesus. The telling of the events leave plenty of room for this kind of supposition. Did Judas do it for the money? Was he a member of the Zealot party, committed to overthrowing the Romans, and was he impatient with Jesus’ methods and message? Was he Jesus' closest friend and simply following Jesus’ instructions? Look at how the relationship between Jesus and Judas is portrayed in “Jesus Christ, Superstar”. Human relationships and events are complicated and messy. Jesus, fully human and fully divine, carried out his mission in the midst of that same messiness. The message of Holy Week and Easter that resonates in the four Gospels is that Jesus represents a God who cares, who is willing to suffer in the same ways that we suffer, who forgives, and who promises something beyond this earthly life. For over 2000 years this message has been studied, critiqued, attacked, and laughed at but continues to bring hope to those of us who choose to believe.

At the end of the Rainbow!

Follow the rainbow to the pot of gold. April Fools, it turns out to be beer.

On Aging!

I turned 62 today. Some observations.

I can begin receiving social security benefits if I so choose.
Waitresses and store clerks frequently greet me as "darl'n" and "honey" and "sweetie".
I now qualify for senior discounts at almost all restaurants and movie theatres.

The hair in my ears, nose, and eyebrows seem to be growing three times as fast as the hair on my head.
I have to tilt my head at an extreme angle in order to read the basketball score on the TV.
"Deal or No Deal" has become "my program" that I watch with regularity.
I can remember when my grandmother had to get home in time to see "her program".

The first task of each day is to take my medications.
Kaylyn, my teenage granddaughter, has taken to calling me "Pops".
My heart leaps for joy whenever any of the five grandchildren look at me.

When I enter a restaurant, entertainment venue, or church for the first time; my first thought is: "Where is the bathroom located?"
I announce in the evening that I am "getting ready to go to bed".
Mary, my spouse of 40 years, and I spend entirely to much time discussing the temperature in the house.

I no longer like "driving at night".
Having a cup of tea in the evening gives me great pleasure.
We are excited about buying a new coffee pot.

The grandchildren helped me blow out the candles on my birthday cake.
Many small things make me truly happy; my wife's smile, spring sunshine, reading the Sunday comics, holding a grandchild, lactose free vanilla ice cream on my birthday cake, sleeping under a quilt made by my spouse, etc.
I get great joy in anticipating future activities; fishing with a friend, a family meal, etc.
I remember the past with gratitude.

Sunshine and Music

Sunshine and music are the themes of this Florida vacation. Check out the above photo taken at Rainbow Springs State Park on a typical early March day.www.floridastateoarks.org/rainbowsprings We also visited Silver Springs this past Saturday where we enjoyed a Beach boys concert. Last week we experienced the music of New Odyssey, a group of 3 guys playing 30 instruments. The drummer was a musical chameleon as he morphed into Elvis, The Blues Brothers, and Tina Turner. What an entertaining and fun show. Almost every evening we have attended a concert or free music and dancing at Spanish Springs or Lake Sumter downtown squares. It is going to be difficult to leave these 80 degree days and head back north this weekend. However, we have missed our family and friends and look forward to seeing everyone again.

Snow and Stock Cars

Our 3 day drive to florida turned into a 5 day adventure due to the great Valentine's day blizzard. We left Monday afternoon and drove to Binghampton in an endeavor to avoid the worst of the storm on I88. We awoke to about a foot of snow on the ground and fairly heavy snow falling. We only made it as far as Wilkes-Barre, Pa. when the conditions deteriotated to the point that I could not see the road. We followed a white truck to a Hilton Garden Inn. All but one restaurant was closed and we were able to obtain the last meal they served before closing. The next morning, after cheking TV, Internet, Hotel Desk, and the Department of Transportation; all of whom assurred me that I81 was moving, we headed south. We were able to travel 2 miles before the traffic cam to a stop. There we sat for the next two hours. That day we traveled about 160 miles in 12 hours. Jack-knifed trucks and rough ice covered road all the way. We departed from Winchester, Virginia on Friday morning and drove to Savannah where we spent the night. On Saturday we were able to conclude our trip, arriving around 4pm. Our Florida Villa is everything we expected. It is very secluded sitting on over 6 wooded acres.
Sunday morning at 3:30 am, John and I got up and headed for the Daytona 500. We were the 35th car in the parking lot on the Superstretch. It was a very windy and cold day but we witnessed a terrific race. While waiting for the race to begin we took the tram to the front side of the track where we went to Daytona USA and experienced the new movie, Dale, about Dale Earnhardt. It was a terrific film and kept us warm for a couple of hours.
On Shrove Tuesday we attended the Mardi Gras celebration at the Villages. It was great fun with music, food, costumed folks, and even clowns. Last night we attended Ash Wednesday services at St. John's Lutheran Church in Sunset Harbor. Tonight we will be attending the Orange Blossom Opry.

Retirement: day 1

I was showered this weekend with well wishes, gifts, affection, and prayers as this new adventure begins. My thoughts keep returning to the quote I shared at the party on friday evening. These words are spoken by the title character, Jayber Crow, in the book by Wendell Berry. Jayber is reflecting on his life as a barber in a small Kentucky town.

I am a man who has hoped, in time, that his life, when poured out at the end would say,

"Good-good-good-good" like a gallon jug of the prime local spirit.

I am a man of losses, regrets, and griefs.

I am an old man full of love,

I am a man of faith.

Mr. Deity

If your religious sensibilities are easily offended, don't check out Mr. Deity. However, if your sense of humor includes your understanding of God and how God works in the world, Mr. Deity is for you. This is a creative and funny mini comedy series that challenges the way we think about God. Check it out by clicking here. Columnist Mark McGuire cautions; "This is comedy, not theology, so don't take it seriously". I would suggest that it is both comedy and theology as theology is any attempt to understand who God is and how the Divine interacts with the world. This is one funny perspective.

Art Buchwald

I am about half way through reading Art Buchwald's latest book, Too Soon to Say Goodbye, when I discover that he indeed did say goodbye, while surrounded by family at his home, on Wednesday. The creative humorist and satirist experienced kidney failure in late 2005. After twelve dialysis treatments he decided to stop the treatments. Doctors told him he had about three weeks to live, so on February 7, 2006 he moved into the Washington Home and Hospice. In March he wrote, "The big question we still have to ask is not where we're going, but what were we doing here in the first place". Death didn't come as scheduled and 5 months later Art moved to his beloved summer home in Martha's Vineyard where he completed the forementioned book and wrote his column. He wrote that the time in the hospice was the best time of his life. In June he filmed his own obituary for the New York Times. You can see this amazing interview on the New York Times by clicking here and typing "The Last Word" in the search space. What an example of what it means to "live in the midst of dying". Art's humor and quick wit has made the world a more tolerable place to live.

A Prayer for the 15th Day of a New year!

Patient God, this day teeters on the edge of waiting

and things seem to slip away from me,

as though everything was only memory and memory is capricious.

Help me not to let my life slip away from me.

O God, I hold my life up to you now,

as much as I can, as high as I can,

in this mysterious reach called prayer.

It is not days or years I seek from you,

not infinity and enormity,

but small things and moments and awareness,

awareness that you are in what I am

and in what I have been indifferent to.

It is not new time, but new eyes, new heart I seek,

and you.

from "I Hold My Life Up to You Now" in

"Guerrillas of Grace" by Ted Loder.