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The cynicism that surfaces in conversations of Christianity are not merely for the secular observer, but a fact that is also often experienced by those who sit in the pews.

For my nearly twenty years in being in and around conversations of faith, I can tell you first hand, that it is easy to assume that Christianity is an exercise of separation rather than one of integration and expansion. There are points along the continuum of faith practice that incorporate  these qualities at some point, to helpful purpose as well as devastating exclusion. There are times when separating ourselves out from the whole is valuable and life-giving, but also a time when we must return. It is the strangest irony that separation can create heartache one time and yet be the greatest release into freedom and self-identity the next. …But eventually, we will seek return to community. In our return, this same irony seems to hold true. Sometimes we return to great rejoicing and community wholeness, the next we are the very fly in the ointment that seems to prove the need for distance.

Perhaps it is the artist in me that is familiar in watching these roles play out. The predictability of our human ways, acted out, for better and for worse, give insight to the beautiful narrative of our existence. More so, I am ceaselessly inspired when in our troubles and short-comings, we refuse to live shamefully, but rather with hope and courage. When, in our victories, we live humbly and charitably, sharing our bounty with others.

For all these reasons, I found it an honor to be asked to write the forward for RAW: A Poetic Journey. This inaugural offering from NuWine Press, in many ways, mirrors the conversations I have every single day out on the road. Ordinary people living out extraordinary lives. From resting in moments of silence and darkness to exploding to the surface with full strength and joy.

It’s a little book, an easy read, but trust me, there’s a lifetime in it. You can cruise through it if you want, but if you care to take the time, it will be by your side for a good, long while. Believe me, when I say, there are few books like this. No one here is trying to sell you anything, or trying to create some story to please others. These writings are ‘raw’ indeed. Unshielded, vulnerable, celebratory and often harrowing…it’s what we all think when we doubt, when we don’t believe, when we don’t care, when we care so deeply that we think we might split in two. More than that, these are vignettes of those willing to be put back together.

For more information see NuWine Press on Facebook and Twitter

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So, on my birthday I head to the Great Outdoors.  As is all too common, I had an encounter with a wild animal.
Cute American Mink

Whilst sitting lakeside, sunning myself on some larger rocks, I discovered I was not the only one enjoying the weather.

I heard a faint rustle from underneath a large bolder, looked over and thought I saw the face of a rat. I let out a squeal, not unlike The Dude when the marmot was thrown into his bath water. The “rat” let out a similar squeal, which was obviously not “rat-like”. Needless to say, we were both surprised and unpleased.
I quickly stood up, more than willing to vacate the premises, when the animal bounded out from hiding and atop another bolder behind me. It was definitely bigger than a rat, about 3 lbs, and a bushy long tail and ferret like face. It was blocking me from my escape. I proceeded to make scary human noises so that it would scurry away (hopefully), but it was not altogether pleased by my attempts at intimidation.
Not too long after, I made good my escape, and the “marmot” (I was now calling it) departed as well.
Scary American mink
After returning to civilization, getting to Google, I discovered this interesting fauna was in fact, an American mink. Which, I also, discovered has the capacity to spray a dreadful scent not unlike a skunk. Fortunately, the mink kept his “ink”.
Factoids
Other wild animals I have been attacked by:
several various parrots, eagles, wild brumbies (horses), grey fantails (birds), kangaroos (yes, they can be quite territorial), the occasional reptile including lizards and turtles, and once, a fairly ferocious goose.
Fortunately, other encounter with more docile creatures, like echidnas and field mice have led to little or no personal injury.
I am starting to conclude that I have a threatening scent. 🙂

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Last night I went to my first lesbian night club.

(pause for you to catch your breath)

Like so many of the diverse and amazing experiences I’ve had in my life, I have music to thank for it. As usual, I am always curious as to how the music I play will adapt to those who have come to listen. Of course, the lyrics and music are set, they are the same wherever I play them. Still there is an amazing effect that happens each night when so many different individuals come together, each from their own private world, and enter into the community of a concert.

I talk about this a lot. The concept that we individually connect with music in our private rooms, tying the song to some place deep in our hearts. Then when we follow the sound, we find others at the epicenter, drawn as we were, to the place of shared ground and find that ours is not a lonely journey at all. What’s more, we are often surprised as to who find there…

In my mind, I imagined what Sisters Night Club was going to be like when I got there. Of all that I could conjure up, I can tell you I wasn’t even close to guessing. Every color, every gender, urban, sub-urban, the churched and areligious; there were straight married couples, L’s, G’s, B’s & T’s…It was beautiful! Like the biggest and best box of crayons you could imagine. I couldn’t have been more wrong about who I thought I would meet, and I couldn’t have been more delighted to be found in error.

But it wasn’t the diversity alone that made it special. It was the spirit of those who were there that made the evening so touching. As we allowed our differences to fade, we gathered our courage to connect with others around us: just as we came, are and hope to, someday, be.