Prendre une petite pause d'une spiritualité de la tendresse aujourd'hui...

Prendre une petite pause d'une spiritualité de la tendresse aujourd'hui - taking a little break from a spirituality of tenderness today - but I will pick back up on it tomorrow. Today I actually purchased my new bass. We took it to the luthier's for a tune up and I paid the fees in full. It is a great deal with one half of this summer's rental going towards the total cost plus the benefit of the US dollar's exchange rate in Canada. Still it represents a serious next step in my bass playing commitment as this was serious money - and three months of my life, too. For the next week I will be reviewing music theory and practicing on my electric bass as Olivier work's his magic on a few minor repairs. This feels so right.

Then it was off to La Vieux Port and Impact Gallery (check it out: http://www.impactgalerie .com /shop/index.php) to get my new wedding ring repaired. We renewed our vows in this grand old town earlier this summer - and purchased new wedding rings, too. Last night part of the gold on my ring became loose so we needed to get it fixed before our departure in 10 days. 

We then schleped to the Places des Festivals for the Fashion and Design Festival and a late supper (check it out: http://www.festivalmodedesign.com/en). Dianne loves this vibe and it was a hoot to check out all the truly beautiful people and "talent" on display. I suspect that we'll head back down for a little more before this weekend is over. Tomorrow, come hell or high water, we're going to a hipster hair salon so that we can both re-enter the USA with a bit of style. I've been letting my mane flourish over the past four months - and to a lesser degree for the past year - so I need to find a way to keep the groove but make it work for ministry. Right now it is mostly Frank Zappa with an attitude.

There are just 10 days left for us in Montreal - almost impossible to comprehend - but oh so true. We are working on getting to "must see" destinations as well as talking about next steps when we return to Pittsfield. Tthere is a ton of packing angst just below the surface, too. What a total gas this time has been - sacred, fun, insightful, challenging and saturated with love - in ways I have never known. And now we're starting to get ready for a return with an equally wide open sense of what this new phase of ministry means. All I know for certain is that it must be filled with music and must be guided by tenderness. Everything else is up to the Spirit.

I have been slowly reading the Psalms in French and here is one of my favorites: 131.

Mon coeur n'est past trop haut

Non mes yeux ne se levent pas

Je ne vais pas vers de grandes choses

Ni vers celles qui sont trop etonnantes pour moi

Non je suis plus bas

Entierement silencieux mon etre

Comme un touy-petit sur la mere

Un tout petit enfant sur moi mon etre

Oh Israel espere en Yhwh

De maintenant a toujours.