Augsburg Class

The camera is blinking again.
Quick... Everyone dive in!
(we like to show our teeth)

a new story

I… wrestle with nature long enough

for her to tell me her secret.

–Vincent Van Gogh

Everyday should have a picture worth taking...
...a picture with a story worth telling!

Back in MN for a couple days I ran by some ducks looking at their reflection near a bit of open water.


Mighty Stories
Dangerous Rituals

---new book! --- complete with a card makes it a sunny day. Part of a new story, a new journey, a new hope, a new picture, a new friend...





Mary, Ken and Sam taught me that everyday needs a ritual and a story…

What was the sunniest part of your day?
What was the cloudiest part of your day?
Where did you see God today?

Goodbye Camp Luther

Goodbye much colder run at Camp Luther.

People were great. One of the learnings from the group: “You can only change yourself.” A lot of people trying to make the other person change… Never works.

Camp Luther

Welcome to Camp Luther,
a creative name for a Lutheran camp
in Schuyler, NE.
“Look everyone, my camera is flashing!
Quick, get in the picture!"
- and they did.

Sunset at yet another camp.

Omaha

Flew into Omaha last evening after a 3 hrs layover in… Minneapolis!
Chip & Rita Borgstadt hosted me for the night. Good, creative, supportive people to be with. (Thanks!)

Downtown Omaha has become a beautiful city. However, the area on the edge of town I ran this morning reminded me of the franchised world we live in. The strip looked just like every other town, Walgreen’s, Parnarra’s, Starbuck’s, Taco John’s, Blockbuster, Walmart, Super Target, and… and… and…

So a picture of my shadow on a sunny day!

Rapid City, SD

Lucy!
From Houston
Another one of my favorite EYE Peer Ministers
I met her at her arrival gate just before I boarded for Rapid City!

Dinosaur Park up on the hill.
Ran this morning in Rapid City. Okay lungs say a bit higher elevation here.
But 60º yesterday!
Ya Calvery Lutheran! A lot of fun speaking to a couple hundred kids and parents.

How odd!

I ran past a place called “Storybook Island” created in 1959. Through the fence I spotted Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall. What was odd is that I know I have seen this before. --- Most likely as little Lyle during one of those jump-in-the-van-and-go vacations. --- We never knew exactly where we were going. We just picked a direction and went!

"Friend"

I have run several times since Hawaii. Replacing sand for snow, 72º mornings with 27º and bright colors for black and white and (still) gray is a bit of a culture shock. But we love Minnesota, don’t ya know.

Terms and labels seem to be an interesting challenge.
The word “Friend” being one of them.

Friend Quotes
• "Friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable."
• “A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope.”
• "A friend is one who walks in when others walk out" -Walter Winchell
• “The best mirror is an old friend.” - George Herbert
• “We don’t expect kids to be friends until they have played together. Why do we expect adults to be friends without playing first?”

Observations
• “Friend” can be a safe term when you don’t know what else to call someone.
• “Friend” may mean, that is all you are.
• “Let’s just be friends” can mean, “back off!”
• A friend is that person who flies across the country and shows up at your door just when you need one.
• A friend is that person you can talk to about anything, just like you did the last time you met 30 years ago.
• A friend is someone who invites you over when you just need a place to be.
• Use “friend” when approaching a stranger you don’t want to antagonize

For Me
Personally I often call people friend. This includes my own boys, kids I have worked with along the way, and those that have entered into my own life journey. It may take on various meanings for various people, but for me the word friend seems to echo something Jesus said. As Jesus sits with his disciples he says, I no longer call you servants, but friends.” In so doing there becomes equality, an intimacy, a genuine humannus that is neither above nor below. For me friend is about being. There may be no greater relationship then that of being. It comes without expectations or labels, a lesson hard to learn. God is not about hierarchies; only humans try to make one person better than another. It amazes me that God can look across and say I call you friend. What an amazing, almost impossible, thing for a human. May we learn the art of being friends.

John 15:15
I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.

Hawaii - Last Day

Last run on the beach, last dip in the ocean. I could have run forever this morning. I almost did. I floated for some time in the sea staring into a cloudy sky. It is the 17th again. The date this new journey began. For whatever reason it is the day to remember the phone calls, the quick flight arrangements, all the questions, all the people, the walk with my sons, and all the thoughts rushing through my mind. Today’s baptism consists of the sweat from the run, the salt water from the sea, the warm rain from the sky and a few of my own tears. Water is all around me. Water, the symbolic element reminding me that I am reborn each and every day. Water reminding me of hope, promise, love, purpose and belonging. Belonging and thankful for good friends, while I reclaim old friends and make some special new ones.

Hawaii Day 6

As the sun sets on the beach we pause...

...to enjoy a Mai Tai and listen to acoustic melodies on the roof.
Tuff week!

Hawaii Day 5

Point the camara and click... you almost always find something worth shooting.

Noel Saint Nicholas, also from the EYE all star team, was able to
join Jasmin and myself for the next two days!

Working on skill, kids get to know each other very well.
Sara and Danny

Kevin and Nancy

Eric and Mason

Hawaii Day 4

a happy bunch of islanders

Kevin - Danny - Eric - Sara - Nancy - Lester - Jasmin - Mason

a beautiful Sunday morning
Yea God!

Hawaii Day 3

I got to catch up with my EYE Peer Ministry friend last night...
Jasmine Hanaka'ulani o Kamamalu Bostock

Full moon, early morning run on the beach...

Ending with a jump in the ocean to cool off!

Hawaii Day 2

To all my dear dear friends in the Midwest...

You are going to have to put up with these kinds of pictures for the next 5 days!

Wave Dogging is my new sport.

Hawaii Day 1

Arrived in Hawaii and was led to an uncles restaurant with an indoor stream and ate, oysters, shrimp, clams, steak, crab and raw yellow tail tuna!

Diamond head sits in the back.

Dr. Barbara Varenhorst, my traveling companion on a later to be “top down” afternoon,
my mentor, cheerleader, my friend.
–thanks!

Polynesian Cultural Center

Hawaiian ocean blues are VERY blue!

God and Micky!

Ran a loop near the new office today.

Couldn't resist a shot on the run.

God, Micky, and Minnie
bless America
(Inclusive! hey?)

bit of Narnia?

Back to grey cloudy weather… Mr. and Mrs. Beaver have been working over this tree along the trail.

A bit of Narnia?

Ran the 4.1

Wow! Gloria at the Garage… There were at least a hundred kids waiting for someone to leave so they could enter since the venue had reached capacity. So fun to watch so many kids singing with and reacting to the band. Amazing drumming Nick!

Afterwards… (till one in the morning) at Bonfire listening to the Dueling Pianos. Thanks Meg, Joe, Pam and Dave!

Here comes the sun.

after 18 days of only gray
the sun
finally!

...another reason to smile...

525,600 minutues 2006

If I pause on a run it is here to reflect.

What’s the scorecard? I ask this question when coaching church leaders. In other words, how do we measure success? Answers are often not well thought through and come from past assumptions, clichés, old patterns and someone else’s “should” list.

From the Musical Rent “Seasons of Love” (Lyrics below) are some powerful questions. The words kept echoing through my mind as a ran this morning, some that seem too real, too close.

How will I measure 2006? What will be my score card? -how many trainings I can do? -making budget? -how many places I can travel? (this always seems to impress people) -writing several new resources? –books read –maybe a hiking or canoeing adventures? –maybe I will run a marathon?

But, I suspect the measure of this year is changing in a story that never ends, which means for me I can’t predict or know all the endings. Still, I find myself wanting to know something about these stories. So I try to know and live by believing, wishing, hoping, feeling, trusting, and finding the faith to “walk-on,” as my own scorecard measurements.

The word that keeps coming back to me from different directions is “BE.” Maybe my measurement for 2006 is in the “being” – being myself, being present, being with, being a friend, being… Dave Bucher taught me the phrase years ago… “We are not human doings. We are human beings.” Maybe being is measured in the many ways and seasons of love?

Song Lyrics from Musical Rent: Seasons Of Love

525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes - how do you measure, measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?

How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love.

525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan. 525,600 minutes - how can you measure the life of a woman or man?

In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried. In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.

It’s time now to sing out, tho the story never ends let's celebrate remember a year in the life of friends. Remember the love! Remember the love! Remember the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.

Two Evening Events

Got in on two special events this evening.

Debbie coaches her team using sign language

Nathan signs CD’s after singing to a couple hundred kids and parents at St. James.

older musicans

From the young musicians to the older musicaians.
The McCraken's take the grinerGUYS to lunch
before they head back to the real north country woods.

Ran the 4.1 yesturday before day light. Tonight - yes awake at 2 am - it is foggy, snow melting with some lite rain. Still no sky predicted for a few days. Just gray.

Mikka showed up earlier in Dec at a youth gathering I was speaking at.
Thanks McCrakens.
Lets keep the music alive!

Young Musicans

Got ready to run only to discover RAIN! Freezing rain! Inside exercise today.

Wow! This came in the mail. They started their musicianship early. But… Nate and Nick are playing the wrong instruments. Mikka got it right, as she is an increasable singer and pianist. Can’t see what Ky is playing but he also amazes people in his high school show choir. As someone pointed out to me a few days ago, I not only love these kids, I really like them also.

Thanks McCrakens!

New Years Day

2006

The Norman Rockwell calendar is up. It is a new year.

A simple morning celebration. I added a mile to my normal route now running 4 miles.

Measure your walks and runs at
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/

The sun tried to peak out this morning, but it is yet another gray day. A couple weeks since we have seen any real sunshine. Even dad says he is sleepy all the time with out any light.

New Years day, flipping the page on a year that was filled with great joys, and great sorrows. I have a perceived need that I should be able to predict how stories turn out, or at least know what the next flipping of the calendar page will bring. The events of this last year have taught me that stories always have mystery and usually never end the way I expect. So I have to surrender some of my own expectations and enter 2006 by realizing there is much I do not know. I can only trust that it is in the great joys and great sorrows of life that God seems a bit clearer. Dependence on prayers, including prayers of praise, lament and even curses uttered somewhere other than the rational mind bring an ever listening, loving eyed God to view. Often this last year the eyes of God have been mirrored in my friends who are willing to look me in the eyes and ask the harder questions of life, mirrored in the phone calls, the emails, hugs, walks, gifts of food, the times of being, and in their own prayers. Thank you my friends.