WHY NOT FIRE?

these two morsels found me this evening and have me contemplating whether i have become content with cooling coals...

Abbot Lot came to Abbot Joseph and said: Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my prayer, meditation and contemplative silence; and according as I am able I strive to cleanse my heart of thoughts: now what more should I do? The elder rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire. He said: Why not be totally changed into fire? -The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers

Tame worship is easier to agree on than any other kind, and bringing fire requires a lot more energy than simply showing up. When life is pretty good and church is pleasant enough, who needs resurrection? -Barbara Brown Taylor, Leaving Church

i want to burn.

ISLANDS AND HOME

beau and i had a beautiful trip to orcas island. it is an amazing place with lots of natural beauty...plenty of hiking and kayaking to be done and a generally peaceful easy feeling.
we are back now and relaxing with the doggies and i am tending to my beauties (see above)...i have some cool stuff from an OLD nouwen book that i found in our church library...stay tuned...
oh yeah, did i mention i didn't have to preach today? i'm not going to know what day it is all week. ;)
peace!!!

THE END OF AN ERA

beau and i bought a new car this weekend - we love it (more on this later). sadly, this means we have to get rid of my first car that was really mine (i chose it, i paid for it, i loved it)...it has brought us to many amazing places, beau and i had our first date in this car (well - it DROVE us), i have prayed for folks in this car and generally loved it. i hope the next owners enjoy it as much as i have.
if you are interested in a great AWD car, let me know - we will let it go for bargain basements prices. ;)

update: we sold the car last night (less than 12 hours after i posted it on craislist. we had MANY calls, many visits and a few test drives. we had one guy make a full price offer who was a total jerk to beau on the test drive...beau felt strongly that he did not want to sell the car to him, so we didn't. after that we had a wonderful couple who have been serving as missionaries to ecuador for 18 years and recently moved back to the states look at it. it was so awesome to sell it to them and give them a deal and a car that will BLESS them! we are so happy that the car will continue in ministry and adventure. they will move up to the skagit valley soon and have promised to visit us with the car. God is GOOD.