17 June :: Writing Life – Everyday Life

How has my writing life enriched my everyday life in the last three months?

Mental Health pastor Barry Pearman – Turning the Page told me he blogs every week "even if it's like shoveling fog." Although it has been close to as hard as shoveling fog, every single week I've written about one of the Sunday lectionary texts on Urban Wilderness and played Friday Five here (most weeks). As desert spirit's fire inches up on twenty years, I'm disappointed to have only seven subscribers, yet scrolling through months and years of blogging impresses me a whole lot. I especially love revisiting my monthly illustrated activity logs!

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Five Minute Friday :: Stir

• Five Minute Friday :: Stir Linkup

Therefore [because of the faithfulness of Timothy's mother Eunice and grandmother Lois] I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of apprehension, but of power and of love and of clear understanding.

2 Timothy 1:6-7

Word study this time!

Stir up God's gift(s) that are inside us. Exactly like when we stir dying embers and the entire fire reignites, getting our talents and abilities out where people can notice and know them, where we can use them, literally stirs them up and helps them blossom and bloom. Like the wind and the fire of Pentecost, "stirred up" gifts spread far to benefit the world. I'll take stir further! Stirring cooking or baking ingredients together combines them to create yummy results no one ever could get from only a single ingredient. Using our gifts and talents together…

I love that the Greek words for grace and joy are very similar – probably from the same root. Charisma, the word for gift in this scripture literally comes from "charis" or grace. Doesn't using our gifts of grace result in joy all around for everyone?

The apostle Paul counsels his ministry sidekick Timothy to build on the testimony in words and action of his grandmother and his mother. You probably know scripture constantly tells us "do not fear." Although some translations of these verses read "God has not given us a spirit of fear;" rather than phobos that gives us the too familiar English phobia and phobic, the Greek here is closer to apprehension, uneasiness, or "timidity" several translations offer.

In Romans 8:16 Paul announces the Holy Spirit resonates with our human spirit to let us know we are God's offspring. Given the reality of God's own Spirit indwelling us, is it any surprise that our power is the dynamite word scripture often uses for God's own power?

One more! Our spirit of love is God's world-embracing unconditional agape! Do we believe it, can we rock it? Maybe so, with clarity, understanding and self-possession.

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08 June :: Summer Evening

A favorite memory of a summer evening

In his prologue to A Death in the Family that Samuel Barber musically interpreted as Knoxville: Summer of 1915, James Agee asked, "And who shall ever tell the sorrow of being on this earth … in a summer evening … among the sounds of the night?" I wouldn't describe summer evenings on earth as full of sorrow, but they're sometimes so glorious that looking back at them fills me with sadness because they're no longer here.

Running through Faneuil Hall very late on a summer night after loving an al fresco dinner. BBQ at La Jolla Cove with waves breaking on the shore. Back stoop urban paradise with steaks on the grill, salad ingredients from the community garden, and endless conversation that's mostly about hope for the future that happens to be upcoming fall and winter activities. These people know me, appreciate me, and assume we'll belong to each other for a long time to come.

Looking back at these makes me sad they're no longer happening. Is there anything I can do to create updated versions?

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07 June :: Writing Obstacle

Identify an obstacle to my writing routine in summer (this summer). What can I do about it?

Easy one! Same as the obstacles to my living more fully. Lack of social interactions. Not enough people who get who I am. People do the best when and where they get the most support, but there's a huge limit to how much a person can engineer life; anyone's best life needs to happen organically. I've even stopped blogging my own sense of loss and devastation. The good news it doesn't take a whole lot of natural give and take, or very many conversations to establish a baseline to build on.

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05 June :: Flourish

I often say flourish, flourishing, bounty, bountiful, especially when I talk about God's bountiful gifts from earth, vine, and tree that help community and the land itself flourish, that make sacraments possible. You probably know about musical flourishes? Flourish is beyond bud, beyond blossom, beyond bloom. Flourish may be the best summer word! Flourish is bountiful presence that changes any status quo.

Many many of us have been asking how people, institutions, and organizations of a country can flourish. We look to revive to sustain both its natural infrastructure and its humanly built one. I yearn for the city to flourish, to come alive with hope. I ache for threatened wild places and rural outposts. What can we do to help restore and then maintain the health and integrity of everything we rely on that in turn relies on us?

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04 June :: Scent of June

The scent of June is the scent of summer. Imagine! After a rainfall. Just-picked tomatoes. It may be early in the season (summer in the northern hemisphere doesn't begin until late in the month), yet June smells full, rich, and complex. June's scent approaches complete! June's been through winter—it's known the promise and possibility of spring. Garden dirt. Farmer's market. City streets. Ocean at low tide. "Smells Like? An open air get-together. Smells like: hope.

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Five Minute Friday :: Danger

• Five Minute Friday :: Danger Linkup

This week's prompt instantly reminded me the Chinese pictogram for crisis illustrates both danger and opportunity. Though I could take this prompt in countless directions from the global to the very individual, I'll write about my current place.

Los Angeles is the second biggest city in the country; it's probably the most diverse human settlement in the history of planet earth. Like any large twenty-first century urbanity, LA contains a literal plethora of retail opportunities and entertainment venues. I especially love how its cultural, ethnic, and linguistic diversity means more restaurants, food trucks, street carts, and cafés than any individual could sample in a year of three meals a day. Farmers Markets and Super Markets offer all the ingredients you need to create your own.

Kate's danger image includes a chain link fence. Poet Robert Frost told us "good fences make good neighbors." As much as we need to be aware and care for each other, it's important to be sensitive to and honor geographic, social, and emotional boundaries. However, as in other big cities and small places, many people feel threatened and build actual walls to keep newcomers out; some put up high social barriers to exclude (not welcome and include) almost anyone who feels or looks not like them, in their fear maybe not considering what gifts people "different from me" often can be.

Many stories in scripture are rooted in migration and displacement. They include Abram and Sarai, the Exodus, exile into Babylon, Jesus' experience as a refugee into Egypt, God's Spirited charge to the church to go everywhere, include everyone, with examples of people and groups who in some ways are quite unlike God's primal people Israel. God calls all of us to be hospitable and welcoming; after all, "You know the heart of a stranger because you were strangers in the land of Egypt." Different translations say stranger, foreigner, sojourner, resident alien. Scripture references include Exodus 22:21; Exodus 23:9; Leviticus 19:33; examples from Jesus and from the nascent church in Acts of the Apostles.

Rather than reacting as if we're in danger and putting up fences, can we consider newcomers to our neighborhood, city, or church an opportunity to be appropriately welcoming?

I'm way far past five minutes and would love to continue this topic.

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03 June :: Ideal Reader

Today's Hope Writers prompt asks what my ideal reader buys at the farmer's market and wonders why. They suggested the pronoun she; for simplicity I'll keep it.

My ideal blog reader goes to the farmer's market often, because living local is best all around. She lives at one with planet earth in the variety of fruits and veggies she buys, food vendors she enjoys, and buskers she contributes to. Her educational level likely approaches mine; her interests are parallel but far from identical. "Far from identical" is key here because I'm greedy. I need to learn new things, have new experiences, and get to know people who are different from me. When my reader buys a new to me fruit or veggie or says she'll prepare it in a way I've never done, I'll be excited to try it out. When she stops to listen to a style of music that intrigues me, I'll buy the CD if they have them for sale.

PS If my reader has a blog or other website, I'll be happy to visit it. Maybe I'll become her ideal reader?!

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02 June :: Beach

A time I visited the beach.

Truro. Malibu East, Malibu West. Revere (Ri-vee-ah). Easta Bost. Windansea. La Jolla Shores. Pacific Beach. My list's not endless, but my memories approach infinity. Lately a summer week at Truro each of three years in a row has been haunting me. A big group in a big house on the water with friends of my classmate's family. Sand dunes, lighthouses, and trips to nearby Provincetown were stuff of dreams.

I've been haunted.

Every year I drove back to the city late Sunday afternoon. Monday was grocery shopping, laundromat, and catch-up with urban buzz. Tuesday initiated a few days of final planning for our neighborhood summer program. I knew I'd "hit my stride," as they say in certain quarters. This is what I'd be doing most of the rest of my life. I felt God's call and claim on my life. It felt right and righteous.

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01 June :: Summer

Most months I look at the Hope Writer prompts; a few usually appeal to me, but not enough to blog every day. This month was different. I easily could write to almost all of them, but needed to set boundaries—mainly acknowledging this is a writing challenge and not an illustration one. As much as I enjoy finding or creating pics for my posts, I decided on a single peachy footer and gave myself permission to add images later.

Back then, no matter what else had been happening, summer always at least approached wonderful. Why had it been divine? Warm weather, so staying warm enough was easy as a cool fruity drink on the lanai. Long days. Summer school, summer programming. Fun food that included picnics and barbecues. Beaches, of course! Like peaches and nectarines, summer itself had a sense of ripeness and fulfillment, an aura of "I've made it! I've arrived!" Summer was driving up the North Shore of Boston. A trip up California's Central Coast.

Early in this century that ended. Not being able to wait for fall was a cataclysmic shift. Summer quit being wonderful when I started counting unproductive weeks and months and years. When my attempts to participate no longer worked. What now?

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May / Spring 2022 Overview

• March 2022 – Winter into Spring

• April 2022 Highlights

• Lectionary Project May 2022

• Sunday 08 May Mother's Day / Easter 4 / Worship Program Cover

• On Mother's Day Everyone Got a Fresh Rose

• Street Succulents – they're all over the place everywhere! My fave!

• Very Young Peaches

• Thursday 19 May Planning Retreat

• Saturday 21 May Garden Party and Community Awards

• Saturday 21 May Garden Party and Community Awards

• More Peaches on the Way and Bright Flowers

Five Minute Friday :: Heal

• Five Minute Friday :: Heal Linkup

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth and skip about like colts frisky and frolicking. And you'll trample the wicked … on the day when I act, says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 4:2-3

Healing into health. Who and what needs it? How can we ourselves heal, how can others become healthy?

On top of the Russian Federation's – no, President Putin's – illegal, infrastructure-leveling, humanity-destroying war in the sovereign state of Ukraine, the USA recently has experienced too many especially devastating incidents of human violence using guns: Uvalde. Laguna Woods. Buffalo. And in addition, those of us who attend to church-related news haven't been as surprised as we'd wish about the Southern Baptist Convention's recent revelations. And now, right now, the National Rifle Association is holding its annual meeting in Houston, not canceling or rescheduling it because, as you know, money talks and there's something incredibly articulate about guns and ammunition.

Magisterial Reformer John Calvin was beyond correct about total depravity—not that depravity is the sole or overwhelming characteristic of people and institutions, but there's something misshapen, awry, sinful, and broken about every individual, every single organization, family, congregation, school, government. Each entity of every type. Something about everyone and everything needs to heal. But how?

In his letter to the Philippian [2:13] church, the apostle Paul reminds us God already is working in us, making it possible for us "to will and to work for God's good pleasure." Scripture and Jesus show us God's passion always is the wellbeing, integrity, and healing of creation. In the end, grace wins. Love triumphs. Amen!

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Five Minute Friday :: Know

• Five Minute Friday :: Know Linkup

Philippians 3:8-12

I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord … not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through the faithfulness of Christ. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and share his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

This week the lovely nature and sky picture our host Kate provided is both my header and my footer; I believe she usually finds photos on unsplash. Connecting the know prompt with this illustration brought me into flowers, plants, earth, and air. How do we engage them so we can know them? Mainly with our five senses. We smell, touch, see. With veggies and fruits and grains, we taste. (You may have seen edible flowers in the market?) Winds that course through your backyard garden or a neighboring farm make distinctive sounds in different crops.

However, in my focus scripture, the apostle Paul is all about life-giving knowledge.

• I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead … because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

For Paul, the gospel is death and resurrection. My sacramental tradition sometimes calls the sacraments visible words. Baptized into Jesus' death and resurrection that becomes our own first death and second birth, we feel and hear and see the water of life. Especially if we're baptized in one of creation's fonts like a river, lake, or ocean, we can smell the water and even may taste it as it splashes around us. A professor from a nearby university suggested if we're baptized in our local river that's probably a conduit of commerce and culture, why not lay a particular claim to that water by stewarding – quarterly cleanup day, anyone? – and celebrating it—how about a picnic beside the bay?

In the gift of Holy Communion, sometimes we catch the scent of bread baking in the church kitchen. Listen closely as the presider breaks open the loaf and, of course, listen and hear the history of God's people (anamnesis) and a plea for the Holy Spirit come to us and stay with us (epiclesis). We taste and we see how good the Lord is. We are what we eat! Jesus has made us his own. And then? We leave the gathered assembly. We become Jesus' presence so the world will know Jesus, too.

Knowing You, Jesus

All I once held dear, built my life upon
All this world reveres, and wars to own
All I once thought gain I have counted loss
Spent and worthless now, compared to this

Knowing you, Jesus
Knowing you, there is no greater thing
You're my all, you're the best
You're my joy, my righteousness
And I love you, Lord

Now my heart's desire is to know you more
To be found in you and known as yours
To possess by faith what I could not earn
All-surpassing gift of righteousness

Graham Kendrick – Copyright 1993 Make Way Music

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Five Minute Friday :: Vision

• Five Minute Friday :: Vision Linkup

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "See, the home of God is among mortals. God will dwell with them as their God; they will be God's peoples, and God will be with them; God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away." Revelation 21:1-4

Like a vision board packed with pictures of the future you dream of, the not here right now you expect will manifest and you'll then testify to, scripture reveals God's visions for creation's wellbeing and provides ideas we can follow to partner with God to create heaven on earth. In my focus passage from the book of Revelation that concludes the bible, John the Revelator describes the vision God gave him.

"Sea no more" is far from ecological disaster, but picks up the code word sea or ocean that in scripture frequently denotes untamed chaos, as when Genesis 1 tells us about the dawn of creation when the Spirit of God hovered over the formless empty deep darkness. Oh, yes, the new creation does have a river with life-giving water—"enough" clear clean water along with all we need of everything else.

God's vision of the reign of the Spirit is "shalom" justice and bountiful sufficiency. Reading and studying scripture gives us plenty of practice in learning God's ways. Enough food, safe shelter, healthy community. Good work for good pay in good conditions. Abundant mercy and love. No sorrow or dying or pain. The end of war and violence. Scripture sings in the language of geography and space, because we are embodied humans solidly situated on land.

The God who calls us into new creation partnership is Jeremiah's God so near with laws so just. Along with 2 Peter, we proclaim and claim, "According to God's promise we look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." [2 Peter 3:13] That's quite a vision!

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