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Primitive religion is not believed, it is danced!

Arthur Darby Nock

Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God;
And only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.

Elizabeth Browning



Sunday, December 20, 2015

New beginnings Galore

“The world for which you have been so carefully prepared is being taken away from you,' he said, 'by the grace of God.' (Walter Brueggemann)”
― Barbara Brown Taylor, Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith
_________________________________________________

I try so hard
to plan my life

my days and weeks
and years
unfold according to plans

thought out
documented
codified on calendars
carved into my brain
and into my heart

and then
it all unravels

life is full of surprises
life changes
shit happens

by the grace of God

not that God orchestrates what happens – oh no
God does not need my help in that regard!

it is all too often my own foolishness
or the foolishness of others
that creates the chaos

but the Sacred Presence I carry within
Spirit (with capital S)
It is that which creates
(as it always has)
new worlds out of my worlds

new beginnings
galore

by the grace of God

__________________________________

Some historical notes:
I was a “hot shot” Presbyterian Pastor
big church and everything
I screwed up

God created a new direction with Northwest Medical Teams
one of the richest experiences of my life
helping the poorest of the poor

I left NWMTI to go to a program that was a disaster (and will remain unnamed)
only to land, because of contacts made there
with Oregon Health Science University
and the amazing Department of Family Medicine

then
surprise, a decision
made while on a trip to Baku, Azerbaijan
(OHSU gave me such great opportunities)

to head to Wallowa County
where I got a job in a field I knew nothing about
another degree, and 13 years later
some “gently” suggested it was time to step back
from being the Executive Director of Center for Wellness
(one of the best community mental health programs around)
(PS, I am still very much involved there, but my role has changed)

Surprise

there is only one question left
what new adventures does God have in mind for
this rather “iffy” soul J

Blessings my friends
Never give up
Never quite
There is a new world coming

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