Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
It takes time to learn. Sometimes, a very long time.
The problem is we know just enough to think we “know,” when in fact the core of what we need to know has yet to dawn.
I “know” about racism. I’ve been through trainings. The trainings taught me there is no such thing [...]
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
This sabbath draws to a close.
The air is cool, with a breeze gently swaying the trees along the bicycle path.
The scripture for the day is caustic. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” Jesus once said. “Peace I leave with you,” he also said. But not today. “Do you think I have come [...]
Friday, August 13, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Perhaps it is possible for you to not have a fallback position in life. Perhaps everything goes as planned. Relationships move along swimmingly well. The trip to the hospital actually does yield a cure. You have been prudent enough to suffer nary a financial loss, and have insurance that takes away [...]
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
This last week or so, we’ve been working with the language of healing. The more I’ve thought about it, the more surprising it has been.
The language of healing is so full of nuance, so prone to surprise, it is hard to pin down. I might even say it shouldn’t be pinned [...]
Monday, August 9, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
I’ve been writing about healing.
On its own the word is taken to be a good thing. We want to heal, and hope we will. Healing takes us back to who we were, and gives us a chance to be who we would like to be. It is a good thing.
Who would [...]
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
As the morning dawns I find myself embraced with a perception. The renewing power of sleep has led to an unexpected perception.
For whatever reason, I’d been thinking about gravity. In the end, gravity “wins.” Mountains are indeed swept to the sea. Trees fall. Rivers find their way. In old age, [...]
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
It was a hard sermon. Had to be. Talk about money always is. “Fool,” Jesus said to the man whose aim was to build up his estate. “Today your life will be taken. Where your heart is, there your treasure is as well.” We wonder, are we greedy? Perhaps we [...]
Friday, August 6, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
At heart, I am a scientist. When our children were growing up, we’d often have discussion of “kitchen physics.” Warm a coffee cup before pouring the coffee hinders the loss of heat, glass isn’t a solid, balance depends on a center of gravity, plumb lines never lie, and so on. Drying [...]
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The more I write, speak and think about healing, the more compelling, mysterious and complex it becomes. Yesterday I thought that the language of healing can be learned, and that vets can perhaps teach us how to bestow an encouraging word. Today, a healing memory points me in an entirely different [...]
Monday, August 2, 2010
Minneapolis, Minnesota
To love the art of healing, we rely on artists.
After my strokes, Judy Fjell, a songwriter whose love of music and people came to our house when I could not sing, much less speak. I still did not quite know who I was. But she did. So she came, and helped [...]