Living in Sacred Space

A missionary society in London wrote to Dr. David Livingstone and asked, "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send (men) to join you." Livingstone wrote back, "If you have (men) who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want (men) who will come if there is no road at all." This short conversation from the historical record of the great missionary Dr. David Livingstone hits me right between my "disciple" eyes. I must confess that I am part of that generation of boomers who has had a propensity to consume rather than contribute--take rather than give. In fact,  author Marva Dawn in her book entitled, " Reaching Out without Dumbing Down" says it well: "The boomers search for a church to meet their needs instead of commitment to the church through which to serve."   There is another phrase that has capture my attention recently.  You have heard John Wesley's q...

The weather was beautiful in the Puyallup Valley on Satuday, August 1, 2015, and "the mountain" was out: Mt. Rainier.  So my friends from Texas and I loaded up in the car and began the trek up the highway to "Paradise."  Locals can easily tell this "green horn" what he did wrong.  You don't go to Mt. Rainier National Park on Saturday in the middle of the summer when the mountain is "out".  The traffic was crazy, and, unfortunately, "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot." In otherwords, "there wasn't any place to park in order to get to 'Paradise.'"   As we traveled down the mountain I was reminded that "Paradise" really isn't a destination, but instead it is about life-giving and life-affirming relationships--it can be journey with people you love. You see, I might not have gotten to park at"Paradise" in the National Park, but I spent four hours with friends driving in my car...

It is about to happen.  What you ask?  My youngest daughter, Becka, will leave for the university. Saturday, August 1, 2015, Becka and her cousin, Will Tucker, will begin the drive to the University of New Mexico where she will be part of the incoming Freshman Class of 2019. I was just starting to get use to the idea that Rachel is entering her last of Law School at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. and now Becka is beginning this exciting new chapter of her life. Needless to say, "I am a very proud father."  But, more importantly, I am grateful for the beauty that is incarnate in each one of my daughters that reminds me of the best qualities that were their mother's, Linda Jean Myers.  We miss Linda Jean, but I am surrounded by the beauty which she valued. My home will be much more empty on Saturday....I know....they always come home, but it will be different from now on.  And yet, God's grace surrounds me as I begin this new and exciting chapter of m...

The mission of the Church for those who decide to follow Jesus is to tell a renewed and powerful tale that is so inclusive that it ties the past and present together into a whole so that others can see even clearer the preferred path that God desires for all as we walk into the future—this is the alternative story The mission of the Church is about building relationships with other human beings in the name of Jesus Christ, and to encourage and direct them in building a relationship with a loving and transformative God.    And there is another important part of the mission which the willingness to risk, sacrifice and to suffer on behalf of what is right and just for God’s preferred vision for humankind.   I agree with Vaclav Havel when he writes in his book, “The New Measure of Man”, “Something is on the way out and something else is painfully being born.   It is as if something were crumbling, decaying, and exhausting itself while something els...

There is an amazing snow fall that is happening outside my office window at this moment.  This has been an incredible winter in Anchorage, Alaska, filled with plenty of snow and plenty of days with frigid temperature, but I am grateful that what I notice is that the daylight is slowing vanquishing the darkness. Each day is filled with more light.  I heard the weather person say that we had eight minutes of daylight added to our lives today.  I have confidence rooted in experience that soon an amazing spring will break forth in all its spendor.  The season of Lent is not far off, and it is my plan this year to till the soil of my soul well so that the seeds that are planted in the new and fresh spring will bring to life a bountiful harvest during the long summers of my soul.  God is the God of winter, spring, summer and fall.  I pray that I will see God at work in all times and places of my life.  I pray the same for you,...

I was reading Thomas Keating's little book entitled, "The Human Condition:  Contemplation and Transformation" the other day.  I said it was a little book but it is packed with an abundance of insight that I find refreshing.  In the very first chapter, Keating offers the following story from Sufi literature: "A sufi master had lost the key to his house and was looking for it in the grass outside.  He got down on his hands and knees and started running his fingers through every blade of grass.  Along came eight or ten of his disciples.  They said, "Master, what is wrong?"  He said, "I have lost the key to my house."  They said, "Can we help you find it?"  He said, "I'd be delighted."  So they all got down on their hands and knees and started running their fingers through the grass.  As the sun grew hotter, one of the more intelligent disciples said, "Master, have you any idea where you might have lost your keys?"...