Five People

One of the blogs that I visit regularly made reference to this quote this weekend:

It got me thinking.
First of all -- I can't think of 5 people that I spend time with.
Secondly -- are authors, bloggers, social media connections counted in the people you spend time with? Same with phone contacts or text messages? Or news outlets?
And finally -- While I understand the thought, isn't this really just a bullshit thing that sounds nice or is there some real documented evidence of this?

Certainly, we are influenced by people that we are surrounded by and the stuff we read or listen to, but do we choose to surround ourselves with people and information that affirms who we are or that challenges who we are?
If we assume that this is a true statement -- Who are your five people, and do they make you a better person or a worse person than you are on your own?

Overall, I think I do a good job of shielding myself from toxic people. Most of the time I just stay away from all people. Yesterday, I actually went to church for the first time in a very long time. Today I will be going to a ballgame. 
But being out where people are isn't the same as being with people in a way that influences behavior. I suppose an exception should be made about church people, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

There is a line in the Bible that says -- Bad company corrupts good character. 
We should be careful about the people we choose as friends. 
Maybe we also need to think about why people would choose to include  or exclude us from their friend circle.

John

#ThingsthatmakeyougoHmmm

Mind, Body, Spirit

I feel pretty good in two of the three -- mind and spirit.
That's not to say that they are completed projects. Like a garden, they need regular care and maintenance.

The body, however, is a wasteland of neglect. It's been fed crap and been sitting idle for far too long. My short bursts of activity are no substitute for regular exercise. Even a daily walk would be better than the nothing I have been doing.

Yesterday, I decided to combine the task of mowing with exercise and used the push mower to mow about half of the yard area near the house. I'm estimating it is about 1/2 to 2/3 of an acre. The plan is to finish it today.
I'm not going to lie -- I feel it this morning.

Wile it is true that some yard work/gardening is laborious and makes for good exercise, most of it is just activity. Activity is better than nothing, but I don't know that it is of great benefit to one's overall health and well being. Some time ago there was an old man that told me, "John, if I'd have known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself."

I would like to stick around and enjoy a long life, but I don't want to be miserable and unable to get around or be on a ton of medication.

While Monday Meditation tends to focus on the mind and spirit, today's thoughts are more about bringing the physical body along for the ride.
Reading and puzzle solving games are good mental exercises that I get on just about a daily basis.
Regular meditation and awareness of the life and nature that is around me and within me takes care of the spiritual stuff.
Unfortunately, I really don't do anything for the body.
That needs to change -- not just for today me, but also for future me. 

I recently read that without knowing it, we often hurt the person we should love the most by the decisions we make today. That person is our future self.
Hmmm...
That's probably worth thinking about.

John

Monday Meditation

It is the first Monday in May and I am enjoying my coffee on the deck. The wake up temperature was a breezy 60 (15 C) degrees and looks like it will be another beautiful day in the Ozarks.

As I sit and sip my coffee, I am contemplating the simplicity of my life and wondering if I would benefit from a more active appreciation of it. I'm wondering if I should be seeking things to enjoy rather than just passively enjoying what comes my way. 
In truth, I should be doing both. It's just that I haven't ever really considered actively pursuing appreciation of the world around me. 

What would that look like?
Is planning to go to the river or lake with my kayak a more active appreciation of nature if my purpose is to enjoy nature? Is it different from kayaking for exercise and then realizing the beauty that surrounds me?
I think that I am generally appreciative of the good things in life. I'm not sure that I ever really seek them out. Also, I'm not really sure that I need to. Maybe finding good in tough situations is something to consider.

It is easy to sit here in the peacefulness of the morning and appreciate the sights and sounds of the morning. 
It's easy to work the soil and "see" the future flowers that will bloom in a few weeks.
But sometimes it feels too easy. Sometimes it feels like I should have to do something to earn the right to experience the beauty that surrounds me.
Maybe that is a part of the gift -- the beauty exists whether or not we recognize it. Maybe it doesn't matter if we seek it out or if we notice it in passing. The moment that we find it or recognize it is the same. Either one is enough to steal our breath for a moment and force us to pause to admire both the simplicity and complexity of the world around us. 
Maybe just being aware enough to notice the beauty around us is the key.

It's just stuff I'm thinking about this morning.

John

Monday Meditation

The thing I love the most about the ocean is the energy. It is generally a calming pulse that seems to fill my spirit. It is something you can sense without actually seeing or hearing it. Just being near an ocean allows you to feel that energy. Being able to wade out into the ocean, to float or swim in it -- it is like a religious experience, like being directly connected to the Creator. 

I don't think I would ever take it for granted, even if I lived here and experienced it every day.
Truthfully, I get a similar sense of energy from digging in the dirt or walking barefoot on the ground, but the ocean energy is much more active and easier to feel. 
Both the land and the water are filled with life and share energy with all creatures that touch them. We (humans) have managed to divide them with borders and laws, but they do not recognize the foolishness of people. They treat all creatures equally. 
Through the land, through the waters, even through the air -- we are connected. We are connected to nature. We are connected to one another. And we are connected to the Creator.

Ain't life grand?

John

PS -- I am back at Estacion Cafe today. Perhaps I'll walk a little farther tomorrow.

Monday Meditation

Today's meditation comes very late in the day.
I think my working days (nights) for this cold weather season are over.
Although the shelter may still be open on some nights in March, there will be other people to cover those shifts and I will return to being one of societies non-productive (maybe the least productive) members. 

Naturally, I've been thinking about this past year.
I'm glad that I worked again this season. I am thinking that I would like to be gone for a portion of the winter next year, so I may just go back to volunteering during the parts of the winter that I am at home. 
There is a lot of time between now and then. Who knows what I'll be thinking next fall?

But...
This has been a good season.
I am glad that I was back working regularly this year.
Although it seemed that finding volunteers was more difficult this year, the ones that did show up more than picked up by doing extra work. Everybody was so willing to do whatever needed to be done.

I really feel fortunate to be associated with the coordinators and organizers of the city's shelter program. There is certainly much more that can be done, but we are doing what we can to help a few people make it through the coldest nights. The coordinators of the Fairbanks shelter are the best of the best and I believe their work is truly appreciated by the people that come seeking shelter for themselves and their pets. 
Last night one of the long time shelter users was telling me the reasons why this shelter is his favorite and why so many people want to be at our shelter. It said so much about the real care that people feel from our small part of the overall shelter system.

There have been a number of wonderful, personal interactions with our guests this year. And I have enjoyed the conversations I've had with our volunteers, especially the ones that spent an overnight shift with me.

Good people give me hope.

John

No Labels

It has been quite some time since I have done a Monday morning meditation post. Typically, I have been working overnight during the cold-weather shelter season. I have continued with Monday morning breakfasts even on warmer nights when the shelter is closed.
However, this week my breakfast partner had other plans, so I am back to my Monday morning coffee and quiet time.

As a part of my 2026 Lenten observance, I have been examining my spirituality and my overall life as I try to come to grips with who I am and who I am becoming. Initially I was just looking at the spirituality and just where my faith deconstruction has brought me, but I really don't have a spiritual persona that is different from who I really am. I don't think that has always been the case. Recent conversations have helped me to sort that out.

Past identities may have labeled me as an air traffic controller, an evangelist, a preacher, a magician, or a number of other labels. Today I feel like more of an anonymous retired guy -- and I like that the best. I am happy to exist in the world without feeling like I have to be somebody. I do strive to be a good and kind person, but I don't know that it's that important for others to see me that way. It's just important to me as I struggle to live life with the love that Jesus talks about in the gospels.

I've never accepted the "What you see is what you get" or "It's just the way I am" lines as excuses for bad behavior, but they don't sound as bad when they are reasons for kindness. I think that is worth striving for. But that's more of an internal goal. It's who I want to be more than who I want others to think I am. There is a great deal of freedom in not living to please everyone else.

One realization of not really caring what others might think of me is the reciprocal understanding that most people don't care about what I might think of them! There are, of course, exceptions to both sides of that, but I think it holds true in most cases.
Just as I don't want to live to please others, I can't expect that others are going to live or to change how they live to please me. 

"Live, and let live," sounds easier than it is.

Signed,
Anonymous retired guy

When Monday Mornings Aren't Mornings

This winter is making for weird Monday mornings. Working at the cold weather shelter on Sunday and Monday nights means that my Monday mornings are really Monday evening. 

On what is actually Monday morning, I typically end my Sunday overnight shift by going out to eat (breakfast) at a little diner along Old Route 66 with one of the other shelter workers. Then I head home and eventually sleep from 11 to 5pm or so and then get up and get ready for another overnight.
This becomes my Monday morning.

This evening time "morning" still has coffee as a part of my wake-up routine, but not much else is the same. Today I am getting in a little time on the Chromebook and blogging, but that hasn't been the case most of the winter. A little less screen time is never a bad thing these days.

The coming days are going to be bitterly cold and Springfield MO is woefully under equipped to help shelter our homeless population. Even on our best nights, we have fewer than 300 beds for the nearly 1000 unsheltered people in the area. Our little shelter has added a few cots recently and made room for a few more pets, but we are at capacity. Last night I had a couple of cots in the hallway and one person on the floor. We were literally wall-to-wall with people and pets.
The next 10 days or so will be extremely challenging and quite dangerous for the unsheltered population of SWMO.

No time for a Monday Meditation post. I have to get ready for work.

John

Thinking Ahead

It's still 10 days until 2026 but I am thinking about what I might like to accomplish in the coming year.
I often say that I am among society's least productive citizens and my sole contribution to society is that of being a consumer. I am actually quite happy in that role and I don't think that I am ready to mess up that particular brand of happiness.

Currently I am thinking that rather than focusing on doing in 2026, I will focus on being.
Right now, I don't know what that is going to look like.
Maybe it will be that instead of doing something like reading 50 books, I will work on being a reader.
I don't really know.

I do know that there can be great satisfaction in doing and completing a task or accomplishing a goal, and if goal setting is your thing then that's what you should do. 
But if goals don't motivate you and deadlines cause you stress, then maybe just being someone (yourself) or something (teacher, learner, artist, etc.) is more your kind of gig and is who or what you need to be.

There probably isn't much benefit to the world around me if I end up just being myself, but I am already a non-productive member of society so that's not a loss. 
Does being a responsible member of society mean that I have to be doing something to make someone else's life better?
Or does it mean I should allow others to be free to find their own happiness without my interference?

I think that purposefully living in the moment and appreciating the holiness of life will be a good way to spend my time in 2026. 
Being present and being aware of the wonder of nature connects me to the world and to the people around me.

For 2026 -- 
What will you do?
Who will you be?

John

¡Feliz lunes! (Happy Monday!)

I am a little bit sad that this will be my last Mexican Monday for some time. We will be back home later this week. I know that I will enjoy the comfort and familiarity of our own home, but I will also be missing both the physical warmth and the social warmth of life in Mexico.

I have certainly had some meditative moments while sitting on the beach or floating in the ocean, and there is a peacefulness that exists in spite of the sound (noise) that permeates the city, but it is hard to beat the quiet meditation that I am able to have sitting on our deck with just the sounds of nature. 

The first time I experienced the ocean I felt the energy of the earth pulsing in the waves. It was something I could see, hear, and feel. And while you can't really smell or taste energy, you can smell and taste the ocean and be reminded of the earth's energy. I remember mentioning that to a farmer when I got back home and was sharing my experience. They said that they felt that in the earth; in the land.
It made sense to me as a young man, but it wasn't something I had experienced -- yet.

Today I do feel the earth's energy and life in its land. I love contact with the earth and believe that walking barefooted or working in the soil holds life giving value. I have learned to be sensitive to the energy of the earth from our landlocked home in Southwest Missouri (SWMO). It's weird how learning to sense energy from the land can help one sense energy from other living sources like plants, animals, and even other people.

Did you know ...
That the earth has a pulse-like beat that happens roughly every 26 seconds? While we can detect it seismically, nobody knows where it comes from nor what exactly causes it.

Just things I'm thinking about on my last Mexico Monday.

John

Awake

It's not often I find myself awake after a single sleep cycle and unable to quickly fall back to sleep, but... that does seem to be the case in these early morning hours. One of the great perks of retirement is that the clock on when you need to sleep becomes less important and you can pretty much sleep whenever you can and get up in those times when you can't.

It is 3:30 in the morning and the coffee is just about finished brewing. I have two books on my Kindle and one from the library and I have my trusty Chromebook and less trusty wifi signal, but I am probably the only one up and using it. 
There is a disadvantage to being awake in an unfamiliar place and to not really having any available snacks. I have yogurt, granola, and some protein bars. I can make due with that or step out to the convenience store that is basically next door.
It appears that I may have a Wordfeud opponent that is in a time zone where they are up or perhaps they are also experiencing a bit of insomnia. At least they have made a couple of plays in our current game. I am magicianary if you are a Wordfeud player.

I am not really being meditative at the moment, but I am thinking about personal responsibility -- owning who we are, who others perceive us to be, and figuring out if we need to reconcile the differences or if it is okay for us to be perceived to be different people than we think we are.
I think it's probably okay for people to think I'm a jerk or unkind -- as long as I'm not really being a jerk or an unkind person. But how obligated am I to changing either their perception or my behavior? 

Just stuff in my head.
Since my Wordfeud friend seems to have gone back to sleep (or maybe off to work) I think I'll pour another cup of coffee and read a book.

Happy Monday
(It is Monday, right?)

John

Safe Places

I am home after a weekend of not being home.
We were in southern Wisconsin for my niece's wedding. We took our time going there and coming home so that we didn't have to make an all day drive either way. 

The wedding was fun. It was a beautiful day and an outdoor setting. The bride and groom were officially hitched under a 225+ year old oak tree, and the reception dinner was in a beautifully decorated barn. A covered pavilion outside the barn was there for music and dancing. There was a large fire pit surrounded by benches and cornhole or bags boards set up for games.

The bride and groom wrote their own vows and shared them privately before the ceremony. In keeping with the tradition of not seeing each other before the wedding, they were around one of the corners of the barn from each other and could read their vows without being nervous from being in front of an audience and without feeling as if they were performing. 
They let me (the officiant)  read their vow books so that I could share some of their vows during the ceremony. 

The bride said that the groom is her safe place.
I've been thinking about that a lot.

Safe places are generally thought of as -- well, places. They can be a room, a home, a place in nature or near a body of water.
Safe places are sometimes gathering places with other people that have committed to keeping confidences and trust in one another.
And yes -- safe places can be people, too. A person that allows you to be yourself without fear of judgment, a person that encourages you in the endeavors you pursue and is there to catch you if you fall, a person that provides you with the things you need, even if it's just a hand to hold or a shoulder to rest your head upon -- that person is a safe place.

But what about people that have no safe place?
What about people that have no one they can trust?
What about people that can't get away from the chaos of life, from an abuser, from an addiction, from the demons in their own mind?
What about people that always feel like they have to perform or deliver so they don't disappoint a friend, a boss or coworker, or a parent?
How does a person without a safe place find peace and comfort in a life that has none?

I have no solutions nor suggestions about finding a safe place, and I suspect that everyone's safe place is different. These are just things that I have been thinking about.
I have also been thinking about the privilege I have to live this life where I always feel safe.
Sure, others may judge me and I may disappoint some people, but I really don't care anymore. Although I am concerned about the changing social climate, both for others and myself, I don't generally think I am in danger or in need of a safe place on a daily basis. 

I hope that you have a safe place today.
I hope that you have a person that allows you to feel safe to be yourself and yet inspires you to be better.
I would share my safe place with you, but I don't think that's how it works.
I think we all need to have our own.

John

A Final Summer Meditation

Shortly after 1PM CDT the earth will reach that spot in its annual orbit around the sun that marks the astronomical beginning of fall -- the autumnal equinox.
I guess it is time to break out the flannel shirts, hoodies, and long pants. Fall is here.
The fog is thick this morning and I am a little disappointed that the summer sun didn't make an appearance to say goodbye, but everything goes spinning along as planned. 

This morning I am wondering if the dense fog and not being able to see the field and the trees will help or hinder my meditation. I often begin with eyes open and both seeing and feeling the energy of nature. It is easy to say that the fog makes it so there is nothing to see. 
But what about the fog?

Being in the present this morning means embracing the fog -- seeing it as something other than a damp, oppressive grey thing that overwhelms the morning. This morning's fog is an appropriate beginning to the new season. It is a remnant of last night's rains and it cools the day as it guards against the quick evaporation of the needed moisture of summer's final rain shower. 
I don't know if the fog amplifies the backgrounds sounds or if I am just more aware of them because hearing is the best sense to interpret the world this morning. Background sounds from the nearby highway and even the jet that flew far overhead seem louder today. 
I am aware of the coolness the fog brings to the air as I feel it on my skin and as I breathe it in. 

I typically think of fog being oppressive, but it doesn't feel that way this morning. This morning's fog brings no sense of good nor bad. It isn't depressing nor is it encouraging. It simply exists. Maybe seeing the fog this way is a good lesson in viewing other things that tend to obscure the priorities of life -- identify them for what they are, understand that we are the ones that determine if they are good or bad, helpful or harmful, and allow them to just exist.

Hey, that's not bad for an unplanned meditative learning.

I hope you find peace in your day.

John

Monday Meditation: Finding Peace

It's been a crazy week.
Perhaps the craziest part of it is that much of life goes on as if nothing unusual nor violent happened last week. 

I know that for those that experienced the violence of last week, life will never be the same. They didn't watch baseball games, or football, or championship fights this past weekend. There was no tailgating and there were no big watch parties.
They were grieving and recovering from the personal trauma of experienced violence. They are dealing with the firsthand knowledge that our world is not a safe place. 

The internet has made it so that one cannot even express one's own thoughts without being scrutinized and criticized for what is said. Simple truths like -- "If you want people to say kind things when you pass, you should say kind things when you're alive," have been mocked for being insensitive. 
People are either heartless for not really caring or militant against those that don't care. 
It's a weird space when people can't say what they feel about a guy that supposedly championed free speech.

It is also difficult to find peace if you remain in the same media that brings about your distress. I don't think you will find peace on the internet or specifically on social media platforms. You may have a small group of friends that are a calming presence, but I generally find that time alone is the best way to find peace. 
Quiet time with nature is my favorite place to find restorative peace. 
Honestly, the peace is already within me. Sometimes I just need the quietness or the sounds of nature to help me find it. 

I woke up early this morning -- around 5:00. I didn't fall back asleep, but just listened to the night sounds. The birds weren't even up yet, and most of the night bug sounds as long since quieted down. Mostly I listened to the hooting of a Great Horned Owl that reigns over this territory throughout the nighttime hours.
I spent more than an hour just listening and enjoying the peacefulness of the early morning before getting up and making my coffee.

I hope that you have a place of peace where you can rest and be restored.

John

Happy Monday morning!

Contemplating Imperfection

It has recently come to my attention (though not for the first time) that I have no marketable skills. There really isn't anything that I do well. Although I enjoy flower gardening, a cursory glance at my flower beds will quickly tell any observer that I am no gardener. The landscaping pictures in my head never quite make it to real life.

Past life John did well in retail sales, managing a jewelry store for a national chain and then leading two stores in sales for a now defunct lumber company. People sometimes commented about the difference when I switched from wearing a suit and selling jewelry to wearing khakis and loading lumber. I generally responded by telling them it wasn't that different -- I just went from selling rocks to selling sticks.

I generally did okay at sales. At one point I even peddled salvation for your soul. At least that's what the evangelism gig often felt like -- carnival barkers looking for suckers to bring into the big tent. 
Incidentally, I did pretty well at that, too.

The air traffic control (ATC) gig had a pretty unique set of skills. I can't really think of another occupation that they would transfer into. It is a good thing that retirement suits me well. I am extremely comfortable enjoying life from the deck of our rural home and being a non-productive member of society. For the past decade, my sole contribution to society has been as a consumer and that's pretty much it.

I embrace the low skill level I have when it comes to gardening. I'm learning as I go.
The same goes for my struggles with learning to smoke meats on the little smoker I have. Learning by failing kind of sucks, but it seems to be okay in gardening and outdoor cooking. It probably is not a great way to learn that ATC job.

I think that for most things in life a little imperfection is okay. Perfection is often oppressive and the stress to be perfect can be detrimental to one's health or even to relationships. I'm not saying that we should strive for imperfection, but I do believe that we should recognize that all of life is a learning process and that imperfection is a necessary part of that. 
And perfect can be different depending on perspective.

When I am cutting flowers to bring into the house and put into a vase, I look for the perfect ones, the fully developed ones with no missing nor damaged petals. The butterflies and bees seem to like the newly opened blossoms and the golden finches go for the ones that have started producing seeds. The insects and hummingbirds are attracted to the brightly colored ones, but I like to mix in a few of the pale colors for contrast.
Maybe nature is trying to teach me that imperfection isn't really a thing and that understanding that timing and purpose makes it (and us) all well suited to the moment.

Hmmm...

John

 

What if ... ?

There is a lot that can be said about the Buddhist belief that possessions and desires tie you down and lead to suffering. For example --
I like our home. I like our house and I like having a safe place to retreat to and a warm, comfortable place to live and sleep. I like the five acres we have and the various flowerbeds. Although I don't mind working in the yard, it is also a pretty big commitment and takes quite a bit of time and effort.
It is a privileged life that we live.

However, I also think it would be cool to get a truck-top tent rig for the Maverick and just hit the road, stopping wherever I feel like stopping and spending whatever time I want to spend before moving on. That really isn't a thing that my wife would be into, so that attachment (along with the homeowner obligations) is another tie down. 
Honestly, I don't know if that is something that I would really like for an extended period of time. There is a little bit of me that thinks I would like it and is a little sad that it likely isn't something that I will ever do. I can't say that it is a major regret or anything. It's just something I think of from time to time as kind of a fantasy adventurous lifestyle. 

So that has me wondering...
What would you be doing differently if you weren't tied down by obligations to people or property?
Would you live in a different city? ...or maybe a different country?
Maybe you have a dream of starting a business (talk about being tied to an obligation!).
Is there something you'd like to learn about?
An instrument you'd like to learn how to play?

Maybe there are things you can do in spite of your commitments and obligations.
I know that there are people that thrive on having obligations. They need to be committed to something. They need to have a purpose for getting up in the morning, Maybe you are doing exactly what you truly want to be doing.
In a sense, we are all doing what we choose to do -- even though it may not be what we want to do.

Just some weird things rollin' 'round in my head today.

What would you be doing today if you could be doing what you truly want to do?

John

Scripture thoughts

Some time ago I said I was going to read through the gospels, looking specifically at the things that Jesus taught. I got started on that project, but like most things, it got set aside for reading that required less work and study. For whatever reason, I feel compelled to resume that work and continue where I left off.
Whether you are a follower of Jesus or not, the man Jesus taught us some pretty good stuff -- stuff you can live by and have a full and meaningful life.

Meditating on the words of Jesus is complicated for me. Knowing that the gospels were written many years after the death of Jesus concerns me. Because of the practice of teaching disciples by repetition, storytelling, and memorization it is possible that the quotes attributed to Jesus are accurate. Plus the message is consistent throughout the memories and writings of the different authors.
Perhaps it is my own experiences with men using scripture as a weapon to control others that concerns me. I am not convinced that today's religious leaders care about the eternal life of people as much as they care about attaining their loyalty and their money. 

Personally, I would like to be thought of as a good person. For some people, being a good Christian is a prerequisite for being a good person. I don't agree with that, but I am okay if that's the standard used to judge me because I wouldn't mind being thought of as a good Christian, as well.
You don't really get much say in what others think of you. And to be honest, it isn't a big deal. I know there are many that will see me as a heretic that left the church because I pushed back by questioning some un-Christlike policies. I'm okay with that, too. 

I would be sad to know that I had done something to cause somebody to hate me or to think I'm an asshole or really bad person. I am sure that I have done and said things that poorly represent the Jesus that I claim to follow. 
I'm still working on it. 

These are my thoughts on this Monday morning.
Have a wonderful week.

John

Monday Morning Contemplations

June is the time of year when Facebook reminds me of all of the summer church camps that are a part of my past. I have had inquiries about doing magic since then, but I really haven't done any practice for a very long time. I may have done a little more preaching/teaching since those long ago days, but not too much more and not for a couple of years now.

Yesterday I was asked if I am still religious.
It's interesting when you have to examine who you are and how you have grown over the years to answer such a question. 
In truth, I have never really considered myself to be religious.

Side story:
Maybe 20 yrs ago
I remember walking in DC with members of NATCA's National Constitution Committee. One member that was a pretty vocal atheist prefaced a question by saying, "Hey, you're a religious guy..."
I interrupted by saying, "I am not!"
He paused, looked at me for a moment, and said, "Yeah, I get that, but..." and then went on to ask his question.

I'm actually more anti-religion than I have ever been.
That is not to say that I think churches or church camps are bad things.
I don't.
There are even parts of that previous life that I miss and think were beneficial -- both for me and for the kids that got to experience those weeks at summer camp. Sometimes I wonder what it would look like today if I were to step into a reconstructed Pastor John role. 
What would an anti-church camp be like?

I believe there is so much good stuff found in the teaching of Jesus that I don't ever see myself setting it aside and turning away from it. 
I also believe that there has been so much harm and destruction caused by churches (and religion) of all kinds that I find embracing a regular practice of religion to be a bit repulsive.

So -- 
No, I don't consider myself to be religious.
I do believe that I have become more spiritual. If I were going to assume a role similar to that of my past I might strive for something more like a modern day mystic than that of a preacher. 
Mystic, sage, mage...
Mage! Magic! Yeah, that's what I'm talking about!

No.
Not really.
I am happy in my quiet, isolated life.
No shows.
No stage.
No platform for preaching or teaching other than this little read blog.
I'll occasionally toss a few insignificant words into the cyber world and be happy if anybody reads or comments on them. And I'll be okay if nobody does.

Today (like most days) I will connect to God and nature by doing a little yard work and trying to coax a few flowers to bloom.

John 

Simple Things and Happiness

What makes you happy?

This morning I am sitting on the deck with my Ethiopian coffee and enjoying the sounds of the many birds that make their homes around the house. I hear some hammering in the distance and think that somebody in a nearby neighborhood is getting a new roof. I can also hear traffic from the nearby highway, but I am often surprised at how muted the traffic noise has become. Maybe I've just trained my brain to tune it out and listen to the birds. (I am currently downloading an app to identify the birds sounds.)

This really is a wonderful place to spend time. I will be out here for many hours during the spring, summer, and fall. It really doesn't take much to make me happy. 

It's funny, but verbalizing that -- It really doesn't take much to make me happy -- makes me pause and realize just how much I truly have.

We have a home, a very nice home.
We live in a rural neighborhood that is far enough away from towns and cities to be relatively quiet, yet close enough to have access to urban amenities.
We have clean water to drink and plenty of food and the means to prepare it at home, but also the means to eat out pretty much as often as we like. We generally eat better when we prepare our own meals and it definitely costs less, but...
We have multiple vehicles for transportation.
We have smart phones, internet access, and several smart TVs to access information (and misinformation) from around the world.
We have a lot.
I'm sure I would be happy with less, but I am also happy that I don't have to find out for sure right now.

It probably isn't fair to say that it doesn't take much to make me happy when I really do have so very much. Neither is it fair to say I enjoy a simple life when that simple life is a product of much work, some planning, and a lot of luck.

Nevertheless, I am happy that I don't have to be busy or always doing things to feel like my life is worthwhile or valuable, nor do I need the affirmation or approval of someone else.
Maybe life isn't so simple. Maybe I just cope well with the complexities of life and that makes it feel simple.
I don't know.
What do you think?

John


We have 

Nature

This bright Monday morning I am sitting on the deck, drinking coffee, and watching the hummingbirds at their feeder. There are sparrows tending to their nest and feeding their babies, and across the yard bluebirds are doing the same. Swallows dart past me to their nest to feed the babies under the deck, while more bluebirds and house wrens tend to their young ones in the front of the house.
It's like we've got a freakin' avian nursery!

Feeding a nest full of babies is a full-time gig for the mama and papa birds. They alternately enter the birdhouses with small bugs or to regurgitate food into the wide open, waiting mouths. Watching them is interesting and entertaining. 
I am surprised at the number of birds that seem to find nesting areas near the house since we don't have any trees near us and the only feeders we tend to are for hummingbirds. I have a couple of other feeders out, but haven't kept them full for more than a year. Maybe I just fill them again, even if there seems to be plenty of food for our feathered friends.
Maybe our home is just a safe place from predators to build a nest and feed babies.

There is also a small family of crows that frequents the area. Two years ago there were three birds. Last year there were five. This year there are generally six. It's been a week or so since I've seen them in the morning, but I do hear them cawing in the distance and sometimes see them when I'm out driving to or from the house. 

Hmmm...
I don't know anything about the nesting habits of crows, nor hummingbirds. That's something I need to check into.

Because of the large open fields and no trees, we don't see many critters. Squirrels, rabbits, and rodents are just hawk food. They are smart enough to keep to the trees or areas of cover from the high flying predatory birds.

Obviously, my meditative time this morning is being spent appreciating the natural world that surrounds our little home in this rural neighborhood. There is something calming and comforting about observing nature. 

I hope you are able to find a moment in your day to appreciate the beauty of nature. 

John

Monday Meditation

It has been a minute since I have been purposeful about daily meditation. Recently I have been seeing ads in my social media feeds that promote classes or readings that are teaching meditation techniques. Perhaps, the universe is telling me I need to get back to that practice.
I realize that the season contributes to my lack of regular meditation. I feel better about practicing outdoors where a connection to the world around me comes more easily. It isn't much more difficult inside. It is just a matter of pre-session mindset. I sense that the outside energies are more natural and the inside energies are more manufactured. I don't know if that is the case; it's just the way I feel.

In any case, with spring upon us and the temperatures getting warm enough to be outside for my morning coffee and quiet time, I should be back to a regular practice soon. 

...And some people do both!

John