Rest...



Today begins a 35-day sabbath. I am to learn to rest and pray. Please pray for me that I will not misuse these days. I am also going to begin a healthier lifestyle in regard to diet and exercise.



I will be going to San Diego this weekend to pray and isolate myself. I am thinking about attending a conference in New Mexico Dec. 27-29 by Richard Rohr, a Franciscan who has influenced me of late. Other than that I will be here in Vegas attempting to simplify and create space for God.



My friend Megan has agreed to save my cat...and there was much rejoicing...

Save My Cat?



Will anyone out there (in Vegas) save my cat? He is very groovy and friendly. None of the no-kill shelters will take him because he hasnt had his shoots for a few years. The pound is the only option and they will kill him if he isn't adopted within 72 hours. This could be a great lesson in the doctrine of redemption! E-mail me if you can help. I need to find him a home by Monday.

A Rather Difficult Week



Hello all. I have just finished moving all of my stuff into a storage unit. My house is set to close this afternoon, but it might get pushed to next week now. We are living at my friend Chris Duncan's house until ours is completed in May/June. Moving is hard.



Debbie, my wife, has been very sick for the last few days and was unable to help much with the move or with the kids. They thought she had mono, but now think it might just be strep (is that how you spell it? ) She is doing a little better today, but it sucks to be sick and homeless. I feel really sad for her.



The time has come for us to give up Cosmo, our cat of seven years. He doesn't seem to fit into our current or future living arrangements very well. I am sad about it, in a manly "its-just-a-cat" sort of way. I am searching for a no-kill shelter in town since all of my friends seem to despise the feline race.



There is nothing like having a deathly ill wife, an empty house and a lame duck family pet to make a creature a wee bit emotional.



My Sabbath starts this coming Thursday. Please pray for me. I may or may not blog during my sabbath.



Peace to you.

Too Many Saints, Too Little Time



St. Martin of Tours was a very cool dude. He started a monastic community planting movement thing in the days immediately following Constantine. (late 300's) His biography is public domain. Click here.

Be Ready



As followers of Jesus we are called to be ready and alert. Nearly every book in the New Testament eventually gives this command. I have come to believe that the opposite of being ready is being busy. The opposite of being alert is being distracted. Another way to see this command is to say that Jesus has called us NOT to be busy or distracted so that we can be ready to move with him (follow him) at any moment.



This is not the advice that you will find in the Management/Leadership section of your local Barnes and Noble. The "succesful" gurus will tell you to be proactive. Jesus says be reactive. The world will say prepare yourself and your environment. Jesus will say prepare yourself so that you can react to your environment.



I am currently preparing to wrap my life around three disciplines. I honestly believe that if I can create the proper space in my life for these disciplines God will take care of all of my secondary dreams and desires. I have come to see that devotion to these three expressions will lead me into all truth, so long as my heart is right before God. My disciplines?



1. daily prayer and solitude

2. repetitive reading of the Scriptures

3. extensive time with my friends

See This Movie Fast



There is a Jerry Seinfield movie called Comedian (click here to go to the official site) in limited release and fading quickly...I've seen it twice. It is a must see for anyone who has ever thought about stand up comedy...Jerry freaken rocks...

A Glance at the Dashboard of Life



My life friend and mentor Kevin Odor is always asking me about my "fuel tanks". He makes me gauge my energy level in three areas of my life: physical, emotional, spiritual. I hope to come out of my upcoming Sabbath fueled up in all three areas.



Today's readings:



Physical: I am less than half a tank. I am tired and have been a bit gluttonous of late. I have been much worse than this in years past, but I have been much healthier as well. After two nights of 8 hours of sleep, I am gaining momentum.



Emotional: Historically this has been my lowest reading of the three. However, I would have to say that I am at 3/4 right now. (I have never been full emotionally, so this is great news!) I can never remember a day when this was my highest reading...it is both encouraging and a little scary.



Spiritual: I am empty...just some fumes. I am not so much drawn to sin or evil (I seem to not even have enough energy to will to sin, if that were possible.) I just have no capacity to participate in the disciplines or to honestly love people these days. This tank is in crisis and must be the first to be addressed during the sabbath.

Sabbath



I am so weary these days that I cannot imagine having the energy to wake up the next day. When I am this tired, I hear the criticism of my life much louder than the encouragements. I have had some difficult criticisms of late that quickly internalized.



I am taking a five week Sabbath from Thanksgiving to New Years. I am so grateful for the time to rest and pray...but it feels like years away. I feel like a marathon runner in the twenty-fifth mile...how can I finish with absolutely nothing left to give me energy? I must trust God to keep me alive and alert...I look forward to being rested again someday soon. Rest is a gift from God and the only one that I desire today.



May He give you rest, dear reader.