When Love Comes to Town

I love the mystery of God incarnate moving from spirit to flesh and taking a tiny step into our world as a baby. God could have arrived in any form yet chose to show up as one of us in our most vulnerable form. Just as vulnerable and open as love when it comes into our lives in its truest form. A baby is probably as close as we can get to uncomplicated love – vulnerable, fragile and yet a powerful force to reckon with.

I’ve been thinking about how we look at the birth of Christ as the arrival of love. I just can’t seem to settle for that narrow of a story. I think it needs to be stretched much, much further. God is love – for all time. Forgive me for stating the obvious but God has always been with us even before we could sense the mystery of something more. Love was breaking through long before the birth of Christ and will continue to pierce our barriers. Why does this matter to me so much? It matters to me terribly because the Christmas story can easily become a story about anything but love. We can claim this story as our own and before we know it find ourselves believing that God loves only Christians. That is why we must remind ourselves that the son of God has always been present in God. That love, the same love that spurred the incarnation, was available long before the notion of Christianity. Christ himself didn’t bring the notion of Christianity with him but the hope of new life. New life is birthed out of love – real love.

I hope this Christmas you can look into the eyes of those people who are very different from you and remember that God loves them. The Spirit of Christmas is a Spirit of Love that transcends time and even the Christmas story itself. This Spirit of Christmas gives us reason to never consider war as an option. As the bumper sticker says to be "against the next war before it even gets started.” Love is not limited to a religion, an ideology, or race. U2 has a song titled, “When Love Comes to Town” which describes the transformation that takes place when love moves in. If only, in the Spirit of Christmas, we can let love come into our town and our hearts.

By the way, the image is artwork by Jeff Nabors.

Year 54

Year 54 and counting. As I get older I am more aware of the tension - the tension between finding my own voice and the need for community and relationships. I say that I couldn't care less about what others think but I don't know if that's true or not. I suspect I care very deeply. I have seen so many people come and go in my life for one reason or another and now I have so few good friends. At this point, I'm trying to learn how to hold onto these relationships with a healthy grip.

I took some time this morning on the day of my birth to reflect on where I stand on relationships after 54 years. I am still so insecure on where I stand with people and I find that pattern so frustrating. I know it's a pattern. This morning I was recalling my relationships with my parents and how that formed this pattern of insecurity over the first 18 years. I was never really certain where I stood with them. My parents fought as if my sister and I were not present, not really there. We could be going down the road at 60 miles an hour and mom would threaten to jump out of the car. My sister and I sitting in the back seat trapped and stunned. So many thoughts going through our young minds regarding our mother and our future. We saw enough violence that we learned relationships can turn on a dime.

Fifty four years and I am still trying to change this pattern. I am healthier in the sense that I have little or no tolerance for being treated as if I'm not present. At 54 I don't have time to be treated as if I don't exist. I am still working on finding ways to accept relationships for what they are and trying to have realistic expectations. I will be working on this the rest of my life because the old pattern is so embedded in my thoughts. The awareness of this pattern is a gift and allows me to step back and examine my responses to people. The biggest hurdle for me is accepting the fact that people are okay spending time with me. I know I have some attributes that people don't necessarily want to be around like sounding like a "know it all". I know it can also be very difficult being around a person dealing with depression and low energy. Some fun! At the same time, I know we are always extending grace to each other in one way or another. Grace allows us to truly be present in the life of each other.

Community and relationships are our most valued possessions as we get older - our most difficult and precious gifts. I still have some time and I hope some day that I will know how to receive and give these gifts.

Twenty Six and Counting

Twenty six years ago we were married at 2:30 in the afternoon at College Hill Presbyterian by three pastors: Ron Rand, Jerry Kirk, and Chuck's father, Branson C. Wiggins. Just a bit overkill but no one could doubt that we are really married. It was slightly rainy and a little bit warmer than it is today. There was a Thanksgiving Day parade in College Hill in which Chuck was stuck for a few minutes trying to get Graeter's ice cream for the reception in order to surprise me. He continues to be thoughtful and full of surprises to this day.

I don't know why I'm so blessed with a friend, a partner, and a soulmate. Not everyone gets that privilege in this life. He has been patient with my career choice to step out of teaching. He has been sensitive to my journey with depression. He is the most talented person I know. He quietly reads and continues to expand his knowledge base. Not only is he intelligent but he is also wise which is a wonderful combination. I have the utmost respect for him. He has made me laugh until I cry. His beliefs are based in the hope that we will evolve into the better versions of ourselves. He's a geek and an artist. He is a quiet man who plays a fierce accordion.

I don't know why this good fortune has been bestowed on me. There is no apparent reason for it. But I'll gladly take it and hope for many more years with the one I love.

Chuck rocks on "Stairway to Heaven"

This is Chuck

Jeanie with the Cool Glasses

I attended a counseling conference this week at the invitation of my friend, Jeanie. Jeanie and I have much in common but our most exciting commonality is our passion for helping people move toward healing and wholeness. It floats our boats, charges our batteries, and blows our dresses up. Jeanie is an excellent counselor and she has walked me through many trying times in my life. Let's just say if she were charging me by the hour then I would have to ask the government for some of that financial bailout money.

At this conference I was able to find sessions where counseling and spirituality were linked. Interestingly enough, the speakers of these sessions spoke from the premise that you cannot separate counseling the person from their spiritual/religious stance. The emotional, psychological and spiritual are intertwined and getting to the root of an issue can often lie in the spiritual/religious realm. Of course, I was very excited to see a secular conference acknowledge the connection in their effort to move people toward psychological health.

I was able to attend sessions such as "Using Biblical Principles to Move Clients from Fear to Forgiveness", "Empowering Clients by Using Spirituality in Counseling", "Counseling Issues with Clients from Mainline Christian Denominations", and "Wired for Joy or Wired for Stress." Of course, I am not a counselor nor would I ever pretend to be. But I have been trained in Spiritual Direction and this renewed my passion for coming alongside people on their own spiritual journey.

I have three main reasons for my passion for Spiritual Direction. First, this is what I am gifted to do. I am a listener, an empathizer, and I love to see people move toward wholeness. I have my own life experiences with depression and loss so I know the struggle of moving from the pit to standing on my own two feet. Of course, I am still moving toward wholeness and I have far to go. I believe my woundedness is the gift that I bring to others. Second, I have worked as an Adult Discipleship Coordinator in a local church. I spent much time finding and developing programs to help people in the area of spiritual transformation. Of course, some of it was very helpful to others as well as myself. I don't totally discount programming. At the same time, I firmly believe that transformation cannot be programmed. I don't believe that Bible knowledge or reading a Christian book generally changes a person. I have seen people who know much about the Bible show the least love to others and there have been times that I can include myself in the category. I do believe that Spiritual Direction forces you to identify where you are with God and what is happening in your spiritual life right now. The goal of Spiritual Direction is to help you identify the desires of your heart and to do the work that helps you move toward those goals. Spiritual Direction is about your spiritual ideology, not mine. I am there to keep the focus on that point that the Holy Spirit is moving you toward. My job is to help you find answers to questions by drawing those answers from you. You are the only one who truly knows the answers and I dance the dance of listening and asking questions and then stepping out of the way of what is happening between you and God. This is truly spiritual transforming work because you are no longer in the knowledge realm but facing the reality of where you are spiritually and how it plays out in your life. It is the joy of being actively involved with your God in the healthiest way possible. The third reason I am passionate about Spiritual Direction is because I have been on a church staff and I have been in that place where I needed a truly safe and confidential place. The reality is that this place is very difficult to find in your own church. So my heart goes out to all the people on a church staff from the custodian to the pastor(s). Most church staffs consist of wonderful people trying to do an impossible job. Their need for support is immense and absolutely necessary. I know Spiritual Direction can be that place that recharges their batteries and helps them to return to an impossible task. Of course, you don't have to be on a church staff to need Spiritual Direction. Anyone can need it at any point in their life.

I am grateful to Jeanie for asking me to go with her. I just hope I have the energy and courage to pound the pavement to make myself available as a Spiritual Director. Just email me if you are interested, what to know more, or know of someone who might be interested. And if it's counseling that you need then I'll just refer you to my friend, Jeanie.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every October I brace myself for the networks dragging out the experts to talk on the subject. They share old and new insights (if they have any) and then end with the same bottom line - early detection. I brace myself for the pink merchandise with a percentage of the sales going to cancer research. Seriously, how many pink toasters do we have to buy before cancer is cured? If someone could tell me, I would do whatever it takes to buy that number of them. And I seriously hate the color pink.

On Sunday, October 15, 1995 Chuck and I headed for the Tall Stacks event along the Cincinnati riverfront. Chuck was in a Cajun band at the time called "Lagniappe" and they were scheduled to play on the Covington side of the river. The weather was perfect. The steamboats and period costumes transformed the riverfront to a different time as all that the city skyline represented seemed to move further and further into the background. The music and dancing celebrated the memory of a slower pace of life. I can still remember the relaxed and quiet atmosphere that made us want every Sunday afternoon to be such a peaceful escape.

I stopped by the store on the way home from Tall Stacks for a few things and picked up cans of Healthy Choice soup for my mom. Yes, ironically, Healthy Choice was the brand and nothing from that moment on had anything to do with healthy choices. She had been getting weaker and had a chronic cough. She told us that the doctor had been treating her for pneumonia. I thought hot soup would certainly help with fighting an infection. I went in her house with no idea what I was walking into. I gave her the soup and then she told me what she should have told me months ago. She was certain that she had breast cancer. I asked her how she knew and she said she had a lump that had changed. Changed? I would find out later that the lump had ulcerated clear through her skin. I asked, really begged her to take her to the hospital. My mother did things her way and so I had to wait three days to take her to a doctor's appointment that she had made. Three days. Three of the longest days of my life when all I could think of was my mother and deal with the anger because I could not get the help she needed any sooner. When I finally got her to the doctor she was in the room with him not more than five minutes when he came out and told me to get her to the hospital. In a way, I was relieved just to be able to get her to a place where she had less control which is exactly why she didn't want to go to the hospital.

She survived three months because the cancer had metastasized from head to toe. Chemo slowed the killer down but couldn't stop it. She actually died from a heart attack because the chemo had damaged her heart. The only reason early detection works is because you don't need as much chemo and radiation to kill the cancer. Less chemo means less damage to the good cells. It's that simple.

My mother lived her life with the simple goal of making people laugh and found moments to make that happen even through her treatment. I admired her strength and courage in light of such a ruthless enemy. I will always be so proud of the way she lived out her last three months of life. She had a inner energy that few people have and yet she was still no match for cancer. She did it her way. She let us in on her secret battle when she was ready but her timing was off and the battle had already been lost.

Every year I am painfully aware that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I hate the word, "Awareness", because it is such a pitiful word and so far from the word or words that would give us hope. Pink is much too mild a color for all the grieving cancer has wrought. I'm sorry. I know full well that I'm wrong for feeling this way but all the pink ribbons, marathons, and Oprahesque talk show experts are about as effective as a pink toaster. The only hope I have is that I know my mother's spirit could not be conquered by cancer. She lives on in the hearts of many people and in another dimension that cancer cannot reach.

Cruisin'

Contrary to hurricane winds, we were invited to join our gracious friends, Yvan and Martine, on a riverboat cruise. The cruise was a thank you to musicians for playing at an event and we got to go along for the ride. As you can tell by the last two pictures, Yvan and Chuck were in their element. Yvan and a few of the other musicians who are in Lagniappe which Chuck was also in for awhile played great tunes while we coasted up and down the river. So peaceful and what seemed to be so far away from Fairfield. Our friend, Cortney, joined us and took the first two pics with my camera. Every Sunday afternoon should be so pleasant!

Ike Blew Through Sept. 14, 2008

Tree on the house.

Tree in the pool.
Tree in front of the garage - just missed it.

Chuck watched as the neighbor's tree fell into our pool while the dogs and I ran for the living room. I wasn't sure it was going to miss the house so I wanted to be in the part of the house that had two levels. When the tree fell it took down two utility poles so we were without electricity until Monday, September 22nd. The repairmen were actually from North Carolina and we were grateful for their work. We had cable but didn't have internet until Friday, Sept. 26th. Yes, twelve days without internet. Our neighbors, Jeff and Cyndi, helped us get our "fix" by using our computers at their house. Cyndi also made coffee for me on her camp stove when neither of us had electricity. Then she continued to make coffee for me when she had electricity and I didn't. Guess she didn't want to find out what would have happened if I didn't get my caffeine in the morning. It was great having morning coffee with her and spending time talking. I hope we can do our "coffee chat" again sometime minus the hurricane.

It's been almost three weeks since Ike blew through town and I was out in the yard today picking up limbs so the yard could be mowed. We are still waiting to talk to the insurance adjuster for the damage to the pool, etc. Ike has been long gone but we'll be dealing with the aftermath for quite some time. I did enjoy playing Scrabble by candlelight with Chuck. He had to sleep at Jeff and Cyndi's because of his sleep apnea. I stayed here with the dogs at night. They had already been disturbed enough all day long by strange men outside with loud chainsaws. Micah, Jadon, Noah and Carolyn were over on the day they pulled the tree out of the pool. It was quite a feat.

During all this I heard what Galveston was going through and realized this was nothing compared to their devastation. We certainly have no complaints - just fewer trees.

Forgiveness is Not Optional

The way I understand the Christ model (and others) for the healthiest way of being in this world is to receive and extend forgiveness. I've always had a tendency to embrace the spiritual meaning behind such ideology when I could intuitively sense the grounding in good psychology. We are wired to heal and thrive in the presence of grace. Anything less is toxic.

I have learned that forgiveness often includes the need for boundaries. I have done much examination to come to the point of forgiveness for C. Church. No doubt they have had to do much work forgiving me. My relationship with them will be forever changed yet I can pray that ministry abounds there. I can pray that their love for one another and for God grows in such a way that community abounds. I can pray that they are that city sitting on a hill shining a bright light to those in darkness. I can hope that they are blessed and, at the same time, know that it is all for the best that I am outside of that circle. The act of forgiveness has allowed me to step back and see through a more realistic lense. Of course, I prefer my own lense which prefers my own point of view. I could hold onto that point of view and never move on but that only holds me prisoner while they have moved on a long time ago. Forgiveness is as much about setting myself free as it is setting the other free.

I can pray that N. Church thrives in this area because there is no other community like it. I know there is work to be done there that can't be done in most other churches. I pray it is a center of healing and wholeness. I can have high hopes for N. Church and love the people there while living on the outside. I could hold onto something that was not meant to be or find the grace to accept things as they are.

I struggle the most with the loss of finding that place where I would have served on the staff of a church leading spiritual formation. I have to extend the same forgivess to myself for not being able to have or do whatever it takes to fulfill that dream. It is difficult to forgive yourself because you're looking at yourself through a realistic lense and owning your own barriers that you put up. But it's the only way to move on and live into a different dream that could possibly be fulfilled. Forgiveness is the freedom we need to be fully alive.

At times forgiveness may go against every fiber of our being. We don't have to smooth over what happened or say it was okay. Forgiveness doesn't even mean you have to forget. It just means that at some point you have to let go of the hope that something will happen that will release the pain for you and just pull that trigger yourself. Grace is a choice and all are better when we allow ourselves to hold out hope for everyone and our own hopes and dreams.

Speaking of Community

Yes, my comments about the community at Toddstock are very idealistic. We were together for one week and then we parted ways. Knowing there was an end in sight put us more at ease with each other. Our highest goals were to enjoy being on this leveling ground with an extremely gifted artist and to enjoy each other's company. Goals that were not difficult to achieve. There was a sign up sheet for each day where people signed up to cook, clean, etc. No manipulation, no big recruiting talks, just here's what needs to be done, now do something. We don't care if it's in the realm of your gifts, talents, or passion just make this happen so everyone can have what they need. So simple that you automatically gravitated to the tasks that you knew you could do fairly well or with someone's help. It all got done.

It was so much more difficult in a church community. In C. Church the unspoken goals were to produce the best image, numbers, and performance possible. The One we had come to be on leveling ground with was difficult to find and it was just too difficult to enjoy each other's company when image was such a concern. I was an outsider wanting to name problems and find solutions rather than pretending everything was fine. I moved further from the center because my temperament has no or little concern for image. I did not belong in this community anymore because the simple had become far too complicated for me.

I had hope in N. Church because this was certainly an open and affirming church. I had hope to find community in a church that refused to marginalize anyone. Turns out I had a better chance of not being marginalized if I were gay than hoping the Sunday worship were not so painfully traditional. I was told that it was a good thing that I was leaving because of the impact that it would have on the church as it grew and that it was my pattern to leave. I believe that if you are truly in community with a group - there is never a good time to leave. I'm certain my pattern had something to do with me leaving N. Church but I am certain that there were also patterns of other people coming into play here who weren't willing to own up.

Our small group of believers met this past Tuesday. We simply shared where we were emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Our relationships have been building for over a year now and this exercise opened us up to a deeper level. Strengths and weaknesses were shared. Goals met and goals yet to reach were shared. I shared with the group that my antidepressant had stopped working and that I appreciated their patience as I transitioned to a new one with the hope that it would lift this low level of depression. It was safe to be authentic with these people. I have received notes of encouragement and I will send them encouragement as well. Oh, the relief of not having to be someone else that I'm not. I can find Christ in the midst of that grace. Our goal is simple - to be a place of healing and encouragement to each other so we might bring some light to our families, friends, and coworkers. No performance, no numbers, no salaries, no building campaign, no one speaking for 45 minutes - just friends trying to follow Christ. We met Saturday morning at St. Raphael Social Services to do whatever needed to be done and again we enjoyed each other's company. I am done with church. If it works for you, that's wonderful but I am done with being marginalized by people who call themselves Christians.

Toddstock: Monday 6.23.08

Such a mixed feeling - looking forward to going home and having been part of a real community. One of the reasons the week was such a success was that people had stepped in and volunteered to make so much of it happen. It gave me hope that community can and does exist. Todd and Michele were courageous enough to open up their home to friends and strangers and took a great risk. I know it doesn't always work out but this risk paid off and people honored their courage.

I found this quote in a review of a concert by Chris Ska on trconnection:

Before “Man Up” Todd said something like, “You’re wondering who this is for... The men in power are crooked liars. For the past 7 years they having been lousy, corrupt, lying... been giving us a bad name.” The crowd cheered and he added, “Being a man is helping the weak” He said it twice, he meant it. The audience was attentive, and applauded and cheered, some guy yelled out “Real Man!”

In light of the political atmosphere Todd's quote "Being a man (I'm going to add that woman is implied) is helping the weak" if actually applied would change the world. I'm sure Todd's spirituality is very pluralistic but I think this quote comes so close to what Christ was trying to say to all of us... help the weak. Of course, I'm not implying that Todd is Christlike at all. As we declared often during Toddstock, Todd is Godd!

Toddstock: Sunday 6.22.08

This was a day that will go down in history - Todd's 60th birthday, Todd and Michele's anniversary and the debut of Todd's new CD, Arena.

Chuck had shared with some of the tech crew for the concert that he had camera experience so he was able to act a a runner for the camera guys. He had a great front row seat for the concert. Todd had men move the stage from the hillside to the koi pond (we didn't see any koi in the pond during the concert). It was the most amazing setting in the water directly in front of the open living room/kitchen. LED lights that lined all three walls eventually were used for a special lighting effects during the concert. That band was warming up and Todd appeared around 7 pm. The band consisted of the birthday guy, Jesse Gress on guitar, Prairie Prince on drums, Rachel Haden on bass and Matt Bolton on guitar and keyboards. It was inspiring to see a woman taking her stand among these great musicians. To up Rachel's coolness factor even more, she is the daughter of Charlie Haden, jazz bassist, and the sister-in-law of Jack Black.

The concert debuted the new CD, Arena, and was old school rock 'n roll. Some words were difficult to understand since the sound was difficult to control in Todd's backyard which faces a valley. We loved the words we could understand and Todd is such a great musician who gave us all hope that at 60 you could still continue to take whatever you're passionate about to a whole new level. There was such a great energy every minute of the concert and we truly felt priviledged because we were there for the debut. The tour info for this new CD can be found on trconnection.com.

Chuck had been hoping that more musicians would have brought instruments out to jam during the week. He finally decided to bring out the red digital accordion (which is now autographed by Todd who had heard the story about the accordion riding in first class and asked, "How's your marriage?") People started gathering and we sang every Todd song that we could remember. Pippi led us through most of the songs with her strong energy. Sitting there with people from so many different places and countries singing the song, "One World", will forever be one of my most cherished memories from the week. We may have not been able to communicate with the Japanese women who were very loyal Todd fans but they knew every word to every Todd song so we were all on common ground in song. Just a glimpse of Utopia made us even sadder to think that we were leaving the next day.

Toddstock: Saturday 6.21.08

We had a fairly relaxing morning. Found a store where we could buy souvenirs for friends back home. Chuck found a Hawaiian shirt because he had left his at home. You have to be properly dressed for such an occasion!

That evening there was a pig roast done by cooks on the island who truly knew what they were doing. The vegetarians took off to find a restaurant where there were no animal faces staring at them. Todd’s wife, Michele, was carried around on a surfboard as queen of the luau. She had a huge headdress fit only for a Hawaiian queen or Carmen Miranda. Todd, Michele and their son, Rebop, were gracious with those who wanted to take photos. Todd’s other sons were not able to make it. The Toddstockers had collected money for a sushi table for Todd's birthday and we also celebrated Todd and Michele's anniversary. Both events offically happen on Sunday, June 22nd but it was just the right time to present Todd with a gift. The food was tremendous and the conversation flowed. Prior to the dinner we had been treated with performance by Toddstockers who had learned a Hawaiian dance earlier in the week. They were good sports and gave it their best shot but should leave it to the locals.

That evening there was a Todd trivia game with extremely difficult questions. They knew these were hardcore Todd fans so easy questions would be a no brainer. These questions were so difficult that Todd may have not been able to answer some. The prize was an autographed can of Spam. Yes, Spam! Spam has been an island staple for a long time and popular among the locals. The vegetarians were not subjected to Spam as an award.

The partying carried on into the night. Most of us were realizing by now that the end was in sight and we were already talking about whose backyard to camp in next.

Toddstock: Friday 6.20.08

Some folks went tubing instead we took a boat trip to Napali coast with Joanna and Biljac Burnside. We saw several kayakers out in the ocean which made me grateful that our boat had a motor and someone else was driving. The coast has a surreal velvet cover. We could see hikers that were on the trail that Todd and the crew had taken on Wednesday.

Our favorite part of this ride was when the captain took the boat back into a cave. It was dark and you looked down into clear water. Looking back and watching the light come through the opening to the cave is one of my favorite pictures from the trip.

The boat was anchored in the calmest waters that the captain could find and we were able to snorkel. This spot was not nearly as calm as Annini beach, of course, but we were able to adjust to the waves and see some very colorful fish and turtles.

This evening was an interesting Q&A time with Todd. Doug Ford of Rundgren Radio ran the Q&A with Todd at his side. The interview can be heard here. Todd told interesting stories about how Kauai came to be his home and how they acquired the property. If you want to know more about the Q&A time you have to consult Chuck. I camped out in the hotel room with the air conditioning. My apologies to Roger D. Linder - I orginally said that he ran the Q&A but Roger runs the TRConnection which keeps all of us up on any news and tour info about Todd. I told ya Chuck knows alot more about this than I do!

Toddstock: Thursday 6.19.08

We woke up this morning in a real bed. There was no snoring from others in a nylon walled tent, no red dirt and a hot shower. Well, Chuck woke up. I still had more sleeping to do. That morning Todd led the group on a hike along Napali coast and Chuck was on his own for this event. No one could tell that it was Todd’s 60th birthday by the way he left others in the dust on the hike. The hike was up and downhill so when Chuck rolled in from the hike he looked like it would take him some time to recover. He was covered in red dirt from head to toe and I still can’t get the red dirt out of the socks he wore on the hike. He did say that the views were amazing and he was glad that he did it. I was glad I slept in.

We were treated that evening with a concert by Ken Emerson. He made it in for Todd’s birthday and Todd sat front and center taking in the music from Ken’s guitar. I would have loved to see what would happen if Ken and Todd had played a song together

Then it was back to the martini bar and getting to know more people. Todd wandered through the crowd so if he was around people would gather and listen to his stories. If he wasn’t in the food tent or at Michele’s bar then he was at the Tiki bar making and serving martinis. Such a gracious host.

Toddstock: Wednesday 6.18.08

We had been to Waimea Canyon on a previous visit to Kauia and knew we wanted to return to this spectacular view. We made the trek with Ronnie, his son, Allen, and Karen. Karen lives in England and is originally from Australia. We loved her quick wit and her comments about being Jewish and looking for a synagogue on Kauia were hilarious. She is also a songwriter although we didn’t get to hear any of her tunes.

Waimea is known as the small Grand Canyon. I’ve not seen the Grand Canyon but the clouds parted long enough for us to see the Napali coast and ocean and provide a view you won't find at the Grand Canyon, of course.

We returned to the campground after buying leis to take part in the house blessing for Todd and Michele's house. It's been under construction for 3 years and when I asked the forman who happened to be sitting next to us one evening when it would be finished he looked at us and said, "Never." Truly a work of art in progress. The roof has curved lines and is covered with copper. The foreman told us that it was constructed on the ground and then attached to the house. Todd's ability to see a vision and then make it happen continued to amaze and inspire me.

Of course, it was a Hawaiian house blessing. The spiritual leader explained as she moved through the blessing the purpose of each part of it and then she spoke in Hawaiian. A tea leaf was planted at each corner of the house to remind them of this day of blessing. We waited outside while the family went inside and spoke words of their intentions for each room of the house. When they were finished the rest of us were invited into the house. When the front door opened the view was breathtaking. We looked straight through the house (because there is no fourth wall on their living room/kitchen) to see the water of the koi pond at the edge of the living floor and look directly out into their valley view. Only an artist could know how to take advantage of such a view. Then each person was permitted to share their words of blessing for the house. Most of the words were beautiful and appropriate. My word was "martini" and it went downhill from there so Todd knew to put a halt and invite people to tour his home. When we are released to share our pics I'll post some of our better ones of the house here.

We had a great dinner that evening and continued to mingle and share in the beverages.

Toddstock: Tuesday 6.17.08

On Tuesday we went back to Anini Beach but this time we were led by Michele's brother and sister-in-law. They lived on Kauai so they knew where to find the best snorkeling. They led us to some great sites and it had been a long time since we had seen such colorful fish and turtles. Truly helped us remember how much Chuck and I love snorkeling.

Chuck's accordion strap had broke the night before so we knew we were going into town after snorkeling to find a music store. Pippi, Ronnie and his son, Allen, went with us to get some lunch before we hit the music store. Pippi hails from Texas and has a wicked sense of humor and an amazing singing voice. Ronnie is from England and is a true gentleman. We enjoyed getting to know these great people and they will always be a part of what made Toddstock such a once in a lifetime event.

We stopped for photo opps of these amazing taro fields as shown above.

Been Gone Too Long

I'm back to finish the Toddstock blog. My friends and I had an open house here at my house and we did very well selling jewelry and purses (handmade - not knock-off brands). We had a great turnout and appreciated everyone showing up. Sales were good and so I went on a bead hunt with my friend, Cortney, who makes beautiful, contemporary jewelry. I have replenished my stock and am beading again. We will probably go to a bead show this weekend at Sharonville Convention Center but no more buying after that - only selling! Cortney and I have promised to not let each other spend any more on beads cause we're beadaholiques! Cyndi, who makes amazing fabric purses, Cortney and I will probably be at the September Days Arts and Crafts Market on September 13th at the Village Green in Fairfield. Hope to see you there!

Toddstock: Monday 6.16.08

We continued to meet some great people. Chuck and I both have an introverted side to our temperament and so it takes a great deal of energy for us to small talk. Not so here. Todd/music was the common denominator so any question such as, “How many times have you seen Todd in concert?” was an immediate conversation starter. We realized pretty quickly that we were amateurs compared to the people who had seen him 60 or 70 times. There was a noncompetitive spirit about the camp so we were still welcomed even with the handful of times that we had actually seen Todd. Chuck has played Todd’s music whenever possible in bands and even in worship in churches.

We met a beautiful lady named Mary who came to camp by herself. Her husband has an aggressive form of MS and he was gracious enough to give her the gift of this week. She struck me as a devoted caregiver in much need of this time to recharge her spirit. She has physical problems herself (as most of us did since this wasn’t a Woodstock generation) and she was so filled with energy from other people and being near Todd and Michele. Her story touched our hearts and I continue to ask the source of love to be very kind to her.

I met a lady, Mary Ann and her husband, Larry. He is 67 and I didn't catch her age. Mary Ann had only discovered Todd’s music six months ago and was consumed by it. She had printed off the words to songs and had compiled them in a notebook. It was one of the things she asked Todd to sign for her. She really resonated with his words. One of his songs, The Last Ride, came through the speakers and tears started rolling down her face. The words spoke to her at such a deep level that the only way to describe the connection is to call it spiritual. Even though our ages were not that far apart I still found that she was very inspiring to me because I hope I always look for those things that speak to my heart. The concert on Sunday was the first concert of Todd’s that she had actually seen live. She and her husband enjoyed it immensely. They were the ones who had brought Todd the walking stick which he carried during the hike. They also brought jewelry for Michele and I think it was the night of the Luau that she wore their gift.

There were so many great people – I can only name a few as I blog about this event. I just kept saying during the week – of all the places to be on the earth at this time – this was the place to be. It was simultaneously surreal and, yet, very centered. Very difficult to explain but the people who were there know what I mean.

Day 3 was the day we went looking for a different extension cord for Chuck’s sleep apnea machine that he was using in the tent. Most of us were of a mature age which required an electrical box in the tent that housed the camping tents because of the number of people using CPAP machines. Michele referred to us as a Papper colony - better than being a leper colony! Chuck discovered that the CPAP machine has a dual purpose – was great for blowing up air mattresses!

Toddstock: Sunday 6.15.08

Chuck and I took off on our own to check out the snorkeling at Annini Beach. Beautiful, clear water. We didn't find much in the way of snorkeling but when we went with the group on Tuesday we saw turtles and all kinds of fish. Michele Rundgren's brother and sister-in-law led the group and knew exactly where to direct us to the fish.

Camping

We have not camped for at least 20 years so it was a test. With the air mattresses it really wasn't bad. What was bad was the snoring. I had wax earplugs and could still hear it. Of course, I'm sure they heard my snoring and coughing as well. The majority of the tents were under one huge tent like they use for events so we were really close together. So, at night, Toddstock turned into a snore fest. We lasted 5 days and 4 nights in the tent and then mutually decided if we were to have the best experience possible that we needed more rest. The hotel room was small but looked huge compared to the tent and the bed and shower looked even better. There were outdoor showers at the camp and you could look up and see the Hawaiian sky - when you looked up you hardly noticed the cold water. Trading hot water for cold still ended up feeling like a true luxury.

Camping in Kauai is probably under some of the best circumstances possible. Lower humidity and cool breezes at night. We just got tired of the red dirt that permeated everything. Chuck did like the red hue of the dirt on his green khaki shorts but that was about all we could tolerate. I imagine we'll be finding red dirt for quite awhile.

The Burnsides

We connected with a great couple, Biljac and Joanna Burnside, who were on the same flight from Denver to Kauai and needed a ride from the airport. We stopped by Sears to pick up their tent and get stuff that we still needed like chairs and beach towels. We had borrowed a tent and had three suitcases so by the time we got everything in the SUV we still had to tie some luggage on top (thanks to Biljac).

Biljac had cooked for a football team at Old Miss years ago and volunteered those cooking skills for breakfast and dinner times. He knew what he was doing in the kitchen and we were grateful for it. Joanna was usually at his side cleaning and organizing. They made a great team. Biljac owns two businesses - he teaches Karate and tunes pianos. Joanna teaches piano at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. They live in Hattiesburg, Mississippi with their cat, Nudge. I'm so glad I didn't do anything to tick Joanna off during the week - I'm sure Biljac has earned numerous awards for his Karate skills but he also informed me that Joanna has been the state champion seven times for their particular style of Karate. Those southern women are velvet covered steel!

The cup in my hand was my cup for the week because the Rundgrens strive to be environmentally friendly. They also used biodegradable cups and utensils made out of corn. I kept watching my martini served to me by Todd himself that he had been poured into a "corn" cup and just waiting for the vodka to melt right through it!

Part 2 of the Accordion Story

Apparently, Todd heard about the accordion riding in first class because just before he autographed it he asked Chuck, "How's your marriage?" Chuck's reply, "We're probably looking into many years of intense therapy."

I would show you the photo of Todd autographing the accordion but we signed an agreement that we would not post pictures or send them through the internet until Todd releases us to do so. I'm sure there is a dvd of the events around his 60th birthday that will be available for purchase and given the amount of money that was spent on that week (i.e. vodka for martinis and kegs of beer for Michele's bar), he deserves to earn every dime of it!

The Journey to Toddstock: Saturday 6.14.08

The journey began to Todd and Michele Rundgren's home on Kauai on June 14th. Chuck had to take his digital accordion, of course, so he had called ahead to make sure that it would fit in the overhead storage - no gate check for this baby. They reassured him that the accordion would fit. On the first leg of the journey we flew from Cincinnati to Denver and the plane was small. There was no way the accordion would fit in the overhead storage. The stewardess was very accomodating and reassured Chuck that she would find a seat for it. Probably due to the weight of the instrument she put it in the nearest seat possible which was FIRST CLASS. Yes, look at the picture again and you will be able to see for yourself that the accordion is sitting in first class. And where did the wife sit? In economy, of course! I had to pretend that I was upset because I did think it was hilarious. I did ask the waitress for the accordion's drinks and lunch. Apparently, it likes foreign beers. Fortunately, she enjoyed playing along with the joke.

Yes, it's hilarious but, at the same time, there is something so wrong with this picture - especially for such a long flight!

Rudy, the Metrosexual Dog

I suspect he's metrosexual. Caught him working out in exercise clothes. He like this particular one piece because of the amount of chest hair that's revealed. He's so vain. He bites his nails if they get too long before I can trim them. The crunching sound is weird until you realize it's him chewing on his nails. He grooms the other dog's ears and eyes once a day. They have a regular routine - I think she makes an appointment.

I can ask to see his eyes and he looks at me to wipe them. I can also ask to see his teeth and he lets me raise his lips to look even though it messes up his lip gloss. He especially appreciates when I ask to look into his ears because that's what he likes to groom on the other dog. He's so high maintenance.

I caught him walking out of the room for an appointment - something about getting his eyebrows waxed.

The Bluebird of Happiness

My lovely friend, Cyndi Nabors, was patient enough with me to actually take me to the fabric store and let me pick out this beautiful batik fabric. She then went on to amaze me with her sewing skills and made this purse and wallet by the next day. Very talented lady. I love all the pockets on the outside and all SEVEN pockets on the inside - no more digging for stuff at the bottom of the purse where most stuff lands. I love the wallet because it is light weight and can easily be picked up to run into a store instead of dragging the whole purse. She even named the design after me - the Deb bag. Now when the purse gets really old I can call it Deb, the old bag.

You can visit Cyndi's blog about her handiwork at Bluebirdswing. Her purses are well designed, durable and washable. She and I are having an open house at my house on July 12th from 11 am to 4 pm. Stop by for browsing and refreshments.

Me Camping? Stop Laughing!

Yep, I'm going camping and you would too if you were going with Chuck Wiggins to hang out with his alltime favorite musician. You can read more about it at Chuck's blog, Entering the Noosphere. I encourage you to play the video at the end of the post - Chuck probably looked much like this kid when he was a youngster.

Day 21 Resurrection Stories - Mother's Day

In these last few minutes left of Mother's Day all I can think is "God, I hate this day." I miss my mother even though she's been gone 12 years. I will never get used to it - I've just tried to adjust to it like a person who has lost a limb. I think the resurrection part of this story has yet to play out. My beliefs tell me that I am separated from her temporarily and I will have eternity to yell at her for not letting us know sooner that she had breast cancer while hugging her for handling it with so much courage.

I also hate this day because I was not able to have children. I was fearful of adoption because of the unknowns. I have great respect and admiration for the people who were not as fearful as I. There have been signs of life as I have grieved the loss of the unborn over the years. I was a teacher for 23+ years and had the priviledge of mothering many children. It took me awhile to understand that there would be children in my life.... just not the way I thought. Even now at 53 I have a friend who has asked me to babysit her three boys once or twice a week this summer. What a wonderful arrangement - I get to hang out with them and then send them back! It's a gift to be trusted with someone else's children. It gives me hope that I might have been a decent mom if I had been able to have my own.

Day 20 Resurrection Stories: Solomon Lee

Yes, I know I'm on story 20 and Ascension Day was May 1st and Pentecost Day is May 11th. So I have reached half of my goal and still want to hang in there with reflecting on finding those stories of new life. It is a spiritual discipline for me given my temperament and fatigue. It gives me hope and in sharing we can carry a small bit of hope to others.

So, for Story 20 I want to share a poem written by Solomon Lee who is ten years old. He is the first child in the pic. The pic was taken over a year ago so he's even more handsome now. Please read his poem and see if you agree with me that minds and hearts like Solomon's can revive new life in the midst of what we hear in the media. This is in his spelling, punctuation, etc. Makes my teacher heart flutter!

Why Fear?

Why fear the bully,
Or writing from scratch
Why fear those
Who think rap isn’t crap?
Yes, you can fear the massacre,
The mystery
The immigrants.
But why fear the stupid people
The goray, grotesque facts of life
Like the old age Christans being devoured by lions
Fear can be blissful,
Like a horror movie (too freaky for me.)
But don’t be scared of hell threats,
Fatigue and cancer you shouldn’t fear
But be cautious in life
Don’t fear, you shouldn’t
For I fear humanity
It doesn’t feel good, trust me
For I’m Solomon Lee!

Day 19 Resurrection Stories: Deconstructing Rituals

We had an interesting discussion around rituals in our group. There is honor and respect for the rituals that exist and, at the same time, the desire to be creators of our own. We began the evening with what may become a birthday ritual. It was Kelly’s birthday and we wrote on post it notes the characteristics that we see and appreciate in her. Then Bob, her husband, got to put the post it notes on her. She was covered in words of affirmation and blessing. We described her with words such as “kind” and “caring.” These words don’t show up in the daily news and are becoming rarer all the time. I had done this activity in a small group study a few years ago and after the activity we came to the conclusion that we don’t hear the affirming words nearly as much as the critical ones – either from ourselves or outside of us. As far as I’m concerned a ritual as simple as being intentional about affirmation can replace any of those in the church that seem to focus on our sin.

Of course, one could really have fun creating new rituals. I like the ritual of sharing Graeter’s strawberry chip – a most holy and reverent moment. Amen.

Day 18 Resurrection Stories: Deconstructing Worship

We’re trying something new in our small band of believers. Each of us is bringing a “God Sighting” to worship in any way we choose. Our “tribe” will share the stories of where the Spirit is moving in and among us. Worship is naming those places where God has made Him/Her self known and returning our gratitude for the Presence.

So we’re letting go of worship being done for us and we’re allowing ourselves to be immersed as active participants. If the evening together becomes filled with worship maybe we’ll find that we have fewer questions to discuss. Who knows? Well worth the try.

Day 17 Resurrection Stories: Deconstructing Prayer

Our community group talked the last time we met about the role of prayer during our time together. We had an open and honest discussion about how prayer has played out in each of our own lives. It was obvious that all of us have spent much time sincerely talking to God in our own ways. We’ve prayed in forms from ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication) to simply, “God help me.”

I have found in my own journey with prayer that I have no problem being in an ongoing dialogue with God. We came into the world with an open line to the I Am and we’ll move through eternity with the same organic openness. I know I am the weakest link in the conversation. Can I trust what I think I’ve heard God communicating to me? I was on a path to ordination but, obviously, I got that wrong. I thought I wasn’t retiring but moving from one career path to another. I have had to deconstruct the whole notion of prayer because of getting such crucial decisions wrong and the impact this has had on my faith. Don’t get me wrong, ultimately this has not been a bad thing.

So I have completely different expectations of prayer at this stage of my spiritual life. I may still ask for direction regarding decisions to be made but I spend much more time in listening and asking for direction regarding how to just be. I find prayer to be the place where life gets centered, focused and true. K. in our community group suggested that we sit in silence with each other. I welcome this opportunity because it is much more powerful to sit with others in a centering prayer or a guided mediation then to be filling the air with requests that we know the answers to if we are asking God to show us how to be in the world.

Prayer can take on new life if we’re learning to pray out of a servant heart. Some prayer habits need to die. It’s okay.

Day 16 Resurrection Stories: Waking Up

Waking up each morning is just one of the millions of ways that the Christ theme of resurrection is woven into the very fabric of our being. We get another day, sixteen hours of new life so we can take another shot at trying to figure out how to be in this world. I need a nap just thinking about it.

Day 15 Resurrection Stories: Daffodils

I know, I know. Flowers in the spring are the most obvious symbol of resurrection. But when you think about how they lie dormant and take the cold temperatures, rain and snow - especially the snow this past winter - and yet they return year after year. It's more than a symbol - it's a gift that gives one hope just when you think winter is never going end.

Day 4 – 14 Resurrection Stories

Obviously, I am behind in writing 40 days post resurrection stories. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t been searching for those places where new life is occurring. I look for it every day. As I said at the beginning of this endeavor, Lent provides us with more than ample time to focus on dying and I find this theme is prevalent in our own lives through our own experiences/conversations and media. Post Easter is the Easter season and I find that we really have to be in the present and look with new eyes for those stories of new life, reconciliation, and, yes, even miracles.

So, I am going to play catch-up today and I know no one will read all of this because I have 11 days of the 40 to catch up on. It’s entirely for my own self-discipline. So, this is one long post for you to skim, if you’re interested.

Day 14: Resurrection Stories: The Kite Runner

This story may take up more than one post here. There are some very rich lines regarding redemption. One that really resonated with me was the line spoken by Rahim Kahn which was “There is a way to be good again.” He says this to Amir to encourage him to help Hassan’s son escape Afghanistan and finally redeem himself. Amir is the main character and had a very close relationship with Hassan. I won’t go into story details just in case you haven’t read the book or still haven’t seen the movie.

If you choose, there is a way to be good again no matter what – is that not the message of the resurrection? There is nothing beyond the work of grace. There is always available a better version of who we are. If our story gets stuck and hyper focused on death and sin then we have great difficulty moving toward that better version. The Christ story is a complete story of life, death and new life. There are times that people hurt us or that we hurt others so deeply that we have to forgive them because they truly don’t comprehend what they’re doing, they don’t understand how much pain they have caused. For some reason, they (or we) aren’t capable or choose not to read the situation through a different filter. All anyone can do is ask God to forgive them because they don’t know what they’re doing. You turn the pain loose and wait for new life. Sometimes it’s three days, sometimes it’s a lifetime of waiting. But there is always a way to be good again.

Day 13 Resurrection Stories: The Kite Runner

I will continue with another quote from the movie that speaks to the redemption theme. The quote is “For you, a thousand times over." This is said by Hassan to his friend, Amir, as he retrieves the winning kite that would help Amir earn his father's praises.

A thousand times over – unconditional love that transforms. Amir was forever influenced by his friend’s words to the point that he even risked his own life in the end. I can’t say much more then that without giving too much of the story away.

I’ve never met a “Hassan” and I’ve never been a “Hassan” but I can let these words rest on my heart and pray that they take root.

Day 12 Resurrections Stories: Praying with Beads

A friend of mine, Rev. Tammy Jo Reiser, clued me into a wonderful book called “Praying with Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year” by Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens. Since I make prayer beads I was delighted to connect my work with this resource. There is a great deal of reading regarding the season of Lent and I am very grateful to find these prayers for the Easter season. At the beginning of Easter season section of this book part of the introduction states:

“During this season we celebrate the Lord’s continuing presence with us on this earth. We know that Christ has promised to be with us through the Holy Spirit and is available to us through prayer.”

There are six weeks of prayers to pray with the beads that truly do celebrate the Lord’s continuing presence with us. Of course these weeks lead up to Ascension Day and then onto Pentecost.

In the second week in Easter this was the prayer for the invitatory bead:

“Everlasting God, you established the new covenant of reconciliation; grant that we who are reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s body may show forth in our lives what we profess by our faith. Amen”

Truly a challenge and yet the hope of all Christ followers.

Day 11: Resurrection Stories: Naked Pastor
David Hayward has a very sharp wit through which he teaches. He is also an artist and this particular work spoke volumes to me.

Day 10: Resurrection Stories: Bob Carlton Post
Bob is one of the most amazing bloggers out there. He provides new and challenging perspectives. This post challenges our vision of post Easter days.

Day 9: Resurrection Stories: Manipulation

The resurrection story was used to manipulate me into accepting Christ as my “Lord and Savior.” I responded to the Christ story out of pure guilt. I went forward during an altar call and my sins were washed away. Apparently, that was all I needed to know. It wasn’t until years later that I began to discover the Christ story of grace…the grace that actually moves us forward toward compassion, justice and mercy.

I don’t believe the purpose of the crucifixion was to manipulate anyone emotionally. I don’t believe that we are to live with the horrendous burden of evangelism. I think the message is conveyed by how we live out the resurrection story one day at a time – one act of grace at a time.

Day 8: Resurrection Stories: The Easter Message

This is an Easter sermon by one of my favorite theologians/authors/women, Joan Chittister.

Day 7: Resurrection Stories: Reconciliation

I’ve been thinking about how much resurrection is reconciliation. Christ reconciled us to God and us to ourselves and to each other. It’s crossing those bridges that have been broken. The bridge doesn’t get crossed by being judgmental, unforgiving, or by being in denial. I don’t see this as such a personal issue as I see it much more about building the Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. I know it happens one person at a time but the ultimate goal is not to reconcile me to God but the world to God…. a much bigger picture then my little world. If we don’t get the big picture then we don’t grasp how crucial the work of reconciliation is in our lives.

If we raised the level of reconciliation to that of how much we focus on sin or self preservation then we might just stumble onto the path of Christ. I am a stumbler who has wrestled with the work of reconciliation. I know there’s something much more powerful about this work than any of our own needs…. as modeled to us by Christ.

Day 6: Resurrection Stories: Spiritual Direction

In the required reading for the training I am using a highlighter like mad. In the book, Spiritual Direction and the Care of Souls, by Gary W. Moon and David G. Benner I found this wonderful quote about the difference between psychotherapy and spiritual direction.

“Psychotherapy is about normal making. Spiritual direction, however, is about abnormal making. For the most part, spiritual directors work with individuals who are already living close to the middle of the normal curve but desire to become abnormal – abnormally loving, peaceful, joyful, abnormally aware of God and the loving presence. In spiritual direction the goal is accompany directees on a journey toward normal kingdom living – far from the center of the world’s normal curve.”

We can look at the life, death, and resurrection of Christ and see that normal was changed forever. Cultural norms, politics, relationships were leveled and a new playing field was established. Normal is not such a good goal anymore.

Day 5: Resurrection Stories: Spiritual Direction

On March 27th and 28th Dave walked us through the steps of discernment process called a clearness committee. A Quaker technique that is very simple, of course, yet very powerful. One person talks about the area in their life where they need discernment. No one else can speak until that person feels they have adequately shared their story. We began with a centering silence. Then each person could ask just one question. This really makes you sort through your list of questions. You can’t give advice, counsel, or instructions which is tough for someone of my temperament type. I know this about myself and will always struggle with it in any discernment situation. After the questions, the person reflects verbally to the group. Then we shared our hopes for this individual.

What I was most impressed with was the movement of heaviness regarding the burden this person was carrying. I felt the heaviness move from the one person carrying it out into the group and the weight of it was diffused. In this particular situation I felt that we were there to help carry the burden for a moment in order to help this person step back and see the situation more clearly. The questions were very helpful and the person had the right to not answer the question. No decisions were made which is very difficult in this age of fast food everything. But for a moment this person was embraced, empowered and heard. That’s all most of us want in any given situation. Please pray for that this person finds new life in this situation - new life that will bless them in the now and the forever.

Day 4: Resurrection Stories: Spiritual Direction

March 27th was the day that I started back into training for three days at the School of Spiritual Direction under the umbrella of Sustainable Faith under the direction of David Nixon. It was good to be back with others on this journey. We have two more sessions between now and June 21st and I already know that I am going to miss this community.

I am beginning to see the parallels between the resurrection story and spiritual direction. Spiritual direction is simply a discernment process in finding new life. It’s finding God’s aim and following that aim toward health and wholeness. It’s finding life and living it to the full. Most people seek a spiritual director because they sense a change is on its way. Something is coming to an end because a new way of being is going to be birthed. A spiritual director is often compared to a midwife. I’ve never known the joy of birthing a child but I find great joy in being part of the soul’s birthing process.

Day 3 Resurrection Story - Via Lucis

The Stations of the Resurrection are a fairly recent phenomenon. The inception is described in Wikipedia:

In the summer of 1988, Father Sabino Palumbieri, Professor of Anthropology at the Salesian University in Rome, proposed the creation of a new set of stations, centred upon the Resurrection and the events following from it, so as to emphasise the positive, hopeful aspect of the Christian story which, though not absent from the Stations of the Cross, is obscured by their emphasis upon suffering. The first major public celebration of this devotion was in 1990, after which it gained greater currency.

In spite of continuing local variability, there appears nevertheless to be an increasing convergence upon the following as a recognised list of Stations of the Resurrection:
Jesus is raised from the dead
The finding of the empty tomb
Mary Magdalene meets the risen Jesus
Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus
Jesus is known in the breaking of bread
Jesus appears to the disciples in Jerusalem
Jesus gives the disciples his peace and the power to forgive sins
Jesus strengthens the faith of Thomas
Jesus appears by the Sea of Tiberias
Jesus forgives Peter and commands him to
feed his sheep
Jesus commissions the disciples upon the mountain
The Ascension of Jesus
Mary and the disciples wait in prayer
The Holy Spirit descends at Pentecost
Other sources, however, including some recent ones, replace some of these
Stations with others, such as:
The earthquake
The angel appears to the women
Jesus meets the women
Mary Magdalene proclaims the Resurrection to the disciples
Jesus and the beloved disciple
Jesus appears to over five hundred at once
Jesus appears to Saul

I share this because I find the power of the resurrection released in these moments. I find this side of Easter amazingly bright and hopeful. I hope there are others (and I know a few) who would like to take part in creating these incredible moments in experiential worship. Via Crucis leads us through the stations of the cross but Via Lucis (Way of Light) is where Christ intended us to live - in the light.