Mona lisa musta had the highway blues...

This past week has been one of incredible blessings ~ it is clear I don't deserve them at all ~ but I am truly grateful. It started off playing the various St. Patrick's Day gigs ~ they were some of the sweetest, most emotionally intense and flat-out FUN performances I have ever shared.

Then, for the past two Sundays worship has been very satisfying ~ and transformative ~ and intimate and vulnerable and holy. I got a note from my 86 year old buddy in Florida telling me how moved HE was over last week's worship (he watches our cable access show on the Internet.) That  just made my heart sing.

And then, get outta town, some very sacred things have been taking place in our Monday night Play-Fullness gatherings:

+ I began this class before Lent, starting each gathering with a few of my favorite poems.  I eventually asked others to bring their poems, too ~ and they did ~ but last week one of the men not only brought in a poem, he also brought us a song he had just written.  It was tender beyond words ~ poetic and musical, too ~ about faith and hope and doubt. And when he told us that during his working days he would have NEVER felt safe and loved enough to share something like this song... well, let's just say we all felt blessed.,

+ Tonight ~ a man who has NEVER expressed any public interest in poetry ~ not only brought in a poem filled with fragility and humility, he also spent all week writing a poem for his beloved wife.  Seems she has been aching for a poem from him for decades ~ and now he felt encouraged and safe enough to try it ~ so he gave it to her tonight in our class and shared it with all of us, too.  Do you have any idea what it sounds like for 15 adults sitting in a circle to be sniffling, wiping away tears of joy and returning thanks to God all at the same time?

Afterwards, I had a chance to check in with my dear daughter.number one.. she is soul food for me.  We got caught up on things going on in our respective families.  And all of a sudden found ourselves weeping together over the death of a beloved friend from 20 years ago... and talking about the fragility of our own lives... and making plans for a visit after Easter.

For some reason, my life is filled and blessed and very open to the movement of the Spirit these days. Things are tender and vulnerable. Hopeful and deep. Creatively, professionally and personally satisfying.  Early in the day, Di and I took our old, old dog out for a walk:  it was cold and the wind was waaay too cold for my liking.  What's more,ol'Casey lost interest in the walk half way through and had to be pulled along for the last leg. (He's a stubborn old cuss.)

But it was good to be outside ~ with my sweetie ~ walking and thinking about all these blessings. Let's just say, I am one grateful dude as this day comes to a close because I totally don't get why they are here.  So, like these visions of johanna, I'll just dig them and give thanks, yes?