an interesting experiment

Within the span of a few weeks, try this:

- read "The Transition Handbook: from oil dependency to local resilience" by Rob Hopkins
- see the movie "The Road"
- read the book of Acts (better yet, meet weekly to study it with your community)
- get a whopping car repair bill
- meet with a group of folks from your community to talk about future direction and next steps for your work/career/vocation
- read anything by Wendell Berry

... and see what kind of effect it has on you...

refuge and strength

In our congregational worship on Sunday, as we prayed for the people of Haiti, our pastor referred to Romans 8:26 - “... the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.” And we sang “God Is Our Refuge And Strength,” an adaptation of Psalm 46 written by a close friend in response to another great tragedy, and a very fitting (almost shockingly so) song for this time.

As I read about "compassion more widespread than violence in Haiti," and about people singing in the streets of Port-au-Prince, I am reminded again of the power and importance of the songs we sing - the songs that have become part of us, and can help to sustain us, mobilize us, bind us together, and give us words to pray when no other words can be found. Lord, hear our prayers.

it's a strange start...

... when the first day back after the holidays, eager to make progress on all those projects that have been simmering on the back burner, I jammed and dislocated my left index finger playing basketball. No bones are broken (although I can now confirm that they are remarkably resonant when pulled back into place by qualified medical staff), but the finger is still swollen, sore, and not very mobile - it's going to be at least a couple of weeks before I can play guitar.

Thankfully my next performance isn't until February 14, and the extended spring tour doesn't swing into gear until a few weeks after that. The doctor and physiotherapist told me today that I should be "good to go" by then. The writing and recording I'd been planning for January and February... well, we'll just have to see how it goes.

2010, here we come!