Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Chapter 1 And Certainly Comfortable
And so it is, in the still of this early moment, that all is peaceful and undisturbed and certainly comfortable. It is quiet, but for a distant thunder, which makes sense, for this is the season of raging and plentiful storms.
The air outside is heavy, especially for the morning. It's stifling and overbearing at times, so much so that even a whisper of an opposing front will cause quite the havoc in this present atmosphere.
The rumbling fades in and out, right there on the brink of today. It is curiously comforting as it lunges with perfect pitch and rhythm. Even so, this is likely just a storm for another part of town; an outlying area.
And so it is quickly forgotten.
Inside, the coffee is brewing, the air is conditioned and the pause in this pre-dawn is pregnant with noble and conventional expectations. The adventure that has cascaded and thrilled through previous chapters is merely incidental now, but yet, oh so worthy of further reflection.
So, this will be a safe day like the others, filled with introspection and inner growth and, perhaps, even periodic (but entirely sincere) risk management of the religious sort. In the fullness of this day, the cocoon that’s slowly formed as a friend will conceal and nurture and cajole the quiet development of that very special something, that mystical but oft repeated spiritual growth. Right there in its perceived core, in the holiest recesses of the soul, a beautiful array of colors will ensign the dull -- yes, deep within proliferating and protective borders.
Day after day after day, the maturity is nearly palpable, the knowledge, expansive.
Yet, strangely enough on this calm morning, in concert with the obvious progression of all things wise and beautiful, the color of the room begins to change. The darkness that was there, so soothing just before, gives way to a compelling tint that is spilling over the ledge of a nearby window.
And so the blinds must be pulled back to reveal it.
There is hesitation, of course, because it's much more comfortable to simply sit and lose oneself in more study and contemplation, just like the countless days before. But today -- something about today -- it is just too hard to resist.
The hand reaches slowly for the cord that will change the direction of the Levolor. A drum roll cracks and claps from the recesses of nature and it seems eerily well timed -- and then, with a deep breath and a flick of the wrist:
There it is!
It is the most stunning sunrise to break the horizon in some time!
The sky is overwhelmed with brilliant oranges and purples and pinks and vivid blues. There’s a familiar explosion of color and its pigments bleed into the outline of burgeoning clouds. Behind them lies the outline and dimension of darkness; of fleeing shadows.
And all of a sudden that far-off thunder seems to be rolling with more authority now. It is escalating and reverberating, almost as a crescendo to this symphony of hues.
But the threat of a storm makes no sense. Surely this sky speaks of all things promising.
Maybe, just maybe, this day will not be like the others.
well, he told us to go, right?
so i go now
~~~ VOLUME II ~~~
A New Kind of Church
I see him riding in on a Harley, the Jesus of my day. His hair is long and wild from the wind and it looks like he's been on the road for a while. But his eyes are still bright, and he smiles when he sees me. I guess he travels light because his saddlebags are mostly empty...
Now Available:
VOLUME I ~~ So I Go Now:
Following After the Jesus of Our Day
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The Reclamation Project
"We're breathing life into this historic treasure and transforming it into the Rialto World Cafe and Cultural Center - a gathering place designed to engage and serve Fort Wayne's growing refugee community."
About Me:
39 year old ex-Jersey boy living in the Midwest; father of four and married to my best friend.
People pleaser, encourager, listener. Affirmation junkie. Drink too much coffee. Love a good metaphor. And a really good margarita.
Seeking simplicity on this Christ following journey.
Wanna join me?
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VOLUME II Chapters
(with merely an accidental semblance of order)
Chapter 1 And Certainly Comfortable
Chapter 2 This Church of the Open Road
Chapter 3 One of the Ports in Her Storm
Chapter 4 A Muse of Some Sort
Chapter 5 A Seasonal Laziness
Chapter 6 I Like Writing About It
Chapter 7 Down Deep Where Longings Go
Chapter 8 Humanity as a Whole
Chapter 9 A Neverland Gone Wrong
Chapter 10 Actually, That's the Whole Point
Chapter 11 Redemption in Their Hands
Chapter 12 To Render this Moment Appropriate
Chapter 13 Closer Than They Appear
Chapter 14 Rational Borders and Square Corners
Chapter 15 This Enduring, Timeless Struggle
Chapter 16 What it Means to Move
Chapter 17 My Handsome Sweater
Chapter 18 Embracing Sharp Turns
Chapter 19 Jesus Himself Came to Audition
Chapter 20 Poetic Intentions Notwithstanding
Chapter 21 A Stranger in a Car
Chapter 22 Like Something That Matters
Chapter 23 The Power to Transform, Part 1
Chapter 24 The Power to Transform, Part 2
Chapter 25 The Modern Day Psalmists
Chapter 26 Intrinsic Expectations
Chapter 27 The End of This Traffic, Part 1
Chapter 28 The End of This Traffic, Part 2
Chapter 29 Rockier Than Once Thought
Chapter 30 Where I Least Expect Him
Chapter 31 Of Monkey Men and Winter Doldrums
Chapter 32 The Cold, Uneasy Comfort of Privilege
Chapter 33 You Really Don’t Have to Buy It
Chapter 34 A Concerto for Dull Senses
Chapter 35 To Really Feel and Know This Grace
Chapter 36 A Certain Type of Lifeguard
Chapter 37 Surrendered to Live Again
Chapter 38 When He Took Out His Palette
Chapter 39 A Crusade of a Different Sort
Chapter 40 Two White Guys, Who Happen to Follow Jesus
Chapter 41 To Form the Perfect Union, Part I
Chapter 42 To Form the Perfect Union, Part II
Chapter 43 To Form the Perfect Union, Part III
Chapter 44 Dress Me as a Pauper
Chapter 45 The Kingdom is Coming
Chapter 46 An Unwavering Beam of Intention
Chapter 47 Where Possibilities are Endless
Chapter 48 It’s Really Not Up for Debate: Part 1
Chapter 49 It’s Really Not Up for Debate: Part II
along for the ride
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7 Comments:
Am glad you didn't stay away long! Love that photo at the top of your blog.
wonderful, my friend - glad to see you back, as well :)
~peace~
glad you didn't stay away too long!
That was a short fill-up. :)
Emotions, colour, the feel of the wind, the sounds of the new day, the storm, and the taste of excitement.
This post, the prelude to the first movement of the next symphony, simply reaches out to affect all of ones senses.
I just have to sit with this for a while to listen and let the Spirit show me the dawn of newness when the dark of a jaded mindset is too disruptive.
nice...real nice
As usual...I so needed the visual....THANKS....b
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