Add to the Beauty—a Card & the Ocean & a New Book--April 2020

Beauty heals.

Beauty restores.

Beauty is both the echo of Eden and the forecast of Heaven (thanks to the writings of John Eldredge for reminding me of this fact).

Beauty’s echo can be heard by all, but too many other ringing sounds regularly drown out the reverberation. The modern, high speed, efficient, productive American way of living and working has minimized Beauty to me. 

As I think about it, though, minimized isn’t quite right. I didn’t shrink Beauty. No, a better word choice is ignored; I’ve ignored Beauty for getting things done.

Now, while ignoring Beauty, what has been accomplished has been good and noble, like building a solid career. Very few of us would define career advancement as a bad thing. After all, Efficiency and Productivity are celebrated labels. However, career success can be blandly defining and often idolatrous. Thankfully, I think I’ve navigated away from many of the sharpest breakers with career, but we all get a wave crash or two when we swim too close to those dangerous and deep waters.

Efficiency and Productivity are not Beautiful. 

They’re simply not! 

They are not Life Giving. 

They don’t deepen you or make you a better person. 

They don’t restore your humanity and sanity. 

They just serve to drain, exhaust and wear you down. They bring an immediate flicker of satisfaction. Yes, they do. They just can’t restore and rejuvenate. They don’t Add to the Beauty.

Enter the Stay-At-Home orders. We are all in this new mode of life and time of lessened productivity and there’s really no need to be efficient when there are no solid deadlines or things to set an alarm to attend. It is precisely because of this new rhythm, thankfully, Beauty has made herself apparent to me again in three unrelated ways: in handmade cards, pictures of the ocean and a new book that just arrived. 

I am married to a gifted creator of handmade cards. Sarah is a visual artist in photography,

scrapbooking and painting. Lately, with the additional time, often late into the night and further into the wee hours of the coming tomorrow, she’s been creating handmade cards to celebrate every possible life circumstance and holiday. She was moved to give them away to neighbors and church friends as a way to spread joy, human connection and Add to the Beauty.

But how? 

This whole social distancing thing means we needn’t be visiting everyone for tea and dessert to make a card delivery. Sarah opted to set out a display, refreshed daily (after the midnight creative rush), on our front doorstep. She let friends and neighbors know via social media

that they could come by any and every day and simply take whatever they wished. My part of sharing that Beauty has been to be “the muscle” by setting out the display case before noon each day and bringing it back in by 8pm each evening. I get to spend a few minutes everyday mesmerized by the intricate detail and intentional artistry. In these past few years of Sarah creating a lot more cards, I’ve become keenly aware of how treasured they are to the recipients. People actually display her cards around their homes and offices. They keep that Beauty always before them. Sarah’s handiwork Adds to the Beauty of their worlds and mine. 

Beauty also showed up lately, mercifully, when I rediscovered a couple of printed photographs I have in my Bible and journal. Back to loving a scrapbooker, I’ve learned one MUST print photographs to truly enjoy them. I have one of the Atlantic Ocean at sunrise off the coast of

South Carolina and another pic of swings and cabanas overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. 

Daily now I see these photos. 

Daily again I see the vastness of the ocean.

Daily I’m reminded that coastal creation is stunning while I’m sitting in landlocked suburbia. The Beauty and memory of the oceans bring me back to a bigger story, a heavenly one, nearly every morning. We were just at the Pacific in March. We’re already looking forward to returning to the Atlantic in the Autumn. That kind of Beauty restores me, calms me.

One last piece of unexpected Beauty during this season of life has been a book. I’ve been reading a lot more, daily, and one book I’ve desired to acquire for some time, I finally ordered. Douglas McKelvey’s masterful Every Moment Holy Liturgy arrived last week with its leather

bound cover, it’s gold edged pages and ribbon marker. The content is obviously why I bought the book as it is full of guided prayers and meditations to keep my heart, mind and soul grounded in the truth of God and His holy Word. As I opened the box, I was immediately softened by the Beauty of the book itself. To hold a leather covered book vs a paperback; to have gold edged smooth pages vs rough cheapie-do paper; to have a bound red ribbon, a scarlet thread of sorts, to hold your place at the last prayer you prayed vs an advertisement laced bookmark from the used bookstore downtown; all of it Adds to the Beauty.

There are signs in our area that a loosening of restrictions will be soon and we can “get back to life”. I’ll be glad for some of that. But I will intentionally keep Beauty in front of me as I get back into the new/old rhythms. As Sara Groves sings: “Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces calling out the best of who we are, and I want to Add to the Beauty, to tell a better story, shine with a light that is burning up inside.” 

Beauty.

More please. 

Julian & Sophia—April 2020

They first met nearly 13 years ago in Bangor, Maine. She lived with my parents. For a summer family vacation I loaded the boys, then ages 13 and 6, along with my lovely into a Southwest Airlines flight north. We dropped the boys off at Grandma and Popa’s place so Sarah and I could experience a week of summer rest in Bar Harbor. (Be sure you pronounce it as the locals do: “Bah Habah”.)

Sophia lived with G & P. 

She was their rescue cat.

She was a preening, prancing, fully cat-like member of their household and Julian instantly adored her. 

Julian, even then, was strong and could be rough without realizing it; the way Sophia calmed him down and brought out a gentle side, a kindness, was amazing. He’d sit on the floor and pet her and she’d relish it. We snapped a picture or two which I think are now in a scrapbook somewhere. I can see Julian’s smirk of delight and Sophia’s utter disregard for the camera both evident in remembering those early shots.

Some years later, Grandma and Popa wanted to have a dog and offered to give Sophia to us. They had all the necessary gear after years of hanging with the feline, so on a particular road trip, they dropped her and her luggage off at our place in Nashville. She was instantly Julian’s cat. Sure, she lived with the rest of us, but she was his kitty. Again, his slowed down, kinder side would show up time and again. 

She rode with me in the moving truck when we came West years ago. The Valium I gave her sure made the trip easier for us both. (Side note: it is hysterical to watch a cat on Valium; I’m not sure she’s truly forgiven me for that.) We’re guessing Sophia is

something like 17+ years old at this point. Again, she was a rescue so no way to be definitively sure. She’s an old, set in her ways, what-are-looking-at kind of gal. She has her favorite haunts in the house: the lower cabinets near the sink, under the bed in the upstairs bedroom, sprawled fully out slap in the middle of the king sized bed in the master bedroom and on the edge of the love seat in the living room. She’s not a fan of company; if church friends or extended family come over, she will outright hide for hours, the only evidence of her existence being the white cat hair stuck to your clothes when you rise from that love seat. 

But every evening somewhere around the after-dinner hour, Julian will look for her to pet her and talk softly to her. Once in a while she’s accommodating to laying on his bed as nightfalls while he tells her about his day and gently pets her. Once he nods off, she’ll wander the house like she’s on guard over Julian and all of us. She’s definitely Julian’s cat. But, she’s more than a pet, she’s a true friend.

Listening All the Way Through—April 2020

As I write this, we’re in the continuous middle of the social distancing, stay at home season of life in America. Each day has slidden into an easy pace where alarm clocks for the family are not necessary, where some daily work can often be accomplished in small doses and where vast amounts of time each day have opened up to other pursuits. Cooking, reading, exercise, home repair projects, music listening and a bunch of other pursuits now fill each day. 

Over the last few weeks, many friends have participated in the social media “top 10 albums” postings. Even with no commentary or context other than the album cover, I’ve been reminded of some defining records while also seeing some that arch an eyebrow or cause a head scratch.

Isn’t that the beauty of music? 

It is both personal and communal.

It is unique to my experiences while simultaneously being woven into the story of so many others.

You have your favorites, I have mine and so many times they intersect.

In thinking through the album lists, it dawned on me this week that I’ve become a playlist listener vs an album listening purist. I’m quick to hit shuffle or say “hey google play _____” before I turn on a device and listen through a whole album, all the way through, as a complete thought. 

What has the modern era done to me?! 

You don’t read a single chapter of a novel and say you’ve read it. You don’t watch a movie clip and say you saw that film. So why have I chosen to be satisfied with a tune here or there vs the complete thought encapsulated in the full recording?!

As a teenager, I remember taking my $15 to the record store every week to sort through racks of overly packaged CDs to decide which ONE I would buy and then spend the whole weekend listening to it endlessly. I absolutely loved that as I never knew exactly what to expect. There was intentional discovery in the listening on the horizon. I looked forward to those record store visits. I’d do without many things (necessities and nutritious food, too) to be able to afford a new CD each week.

We all know the digital revolution has changed so much of the music business and the way we encounter, experience and consume it. It just wasn’t until this particular quasi-quarantine week that I really looked at my listening habits and decided to redeem the time with complete album listens. 

Here’s how it’s played out: the headphones go in when I think I’ll have an uninterrupted stretch to listen. I’m not fanatical about it, in that, if a call comes, I’ll answer it. If the wife needs me, I’ll pause and respond; but the intent is listening all the way through at least one album per day.

I scrolled through the iTunes already loaded on my phone and picked 14 records, two weeks’ worth to start this process. Understand, my first two weeks’ listening list probably will remind you of some good discs and it’ll raise an eyebrow on others. I’m sure some we will all gladly listen to, while others you’ll actually have to google to even know who they are or were. There are some automatic sure-fire listens like “The Joshua Tree” and “Gretchen Goes to Nebraska”. The only commentary I’ll add is that those were defining pieces of my teenage musical development. They MUST still be regularly re-listened to and through as they’re like comfort food, an old sweatshirt or dark roast coffee in the morning—they just fit me. I’m sure I’ll add to this list as time goes on but here’s where I’m starting, with what I’ve already spun this week checked (no priority of list, just alphabetical):

Bebo Norman-Ocean ✅

Bruce Cockburn-Humans

Charlie Peacock-Kingdom Come ✅

Counting Crows-August & Everything After

Eric Clapton-Slowhand 

Guns ‘n Roses-Use Your Illusion 1 ✅

Hozier-Wasteland, Baby!

Jars of Clay-Inland 

King’s X-Gretchen Goes to Nebraska ✅

Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris-All the Roadrunning ✅

Metallica-Kill ‘Em All

Mumford & Sons-Sigh No More

Shout-In Your Face ✅

U2-The Joshua Tree

Do Something New April 2020

Do Something New 

Is this day 28 or 30 of being under the stay-at-home general direction turned civil instruction? 

I seriously don’t know.

I’ve lost count. 

Tom Hanks made a quip in his “SNL (at home)” monologue last night that it wasn’t Saturday, instead everyday is now just “today”. That’s more profound than even Tom, Loren and the writers probably realize.

Today is today.

So what do we do with today?

The whole “unexamined life” thought (you know the Socrates’ dictum, the one about it being not worth living) has come to mind lately with the additional time of each next today on my hands. Certainly, I am blessed to be one who is healthy and still able to work from home; it’s not the same as being out and about seeing clients but it is still a little something productive every weekday to bring in a few shekels for the family. It’s just that now instead of investing 8, 10, even 14 hours per day in work-related activities, I’m realizing only 4-6 actual hours per day being calculably absorbed in production spread over the course of the day. I’m rediscovering early morning stillness and prayer. I’m reading print books and listening to audiobooks and uplifting podcasts a LOT more. I’m completing some of the house to-do project list. 

And now I’m writing nearly everyday.

Writing is my something new.

A few years back Sarah and I realized there were very few books (instruction, encouragement, memoir) on raising special needs children. If you know much about us, you know Julian is our oldest and has his challenges. We are quick to acknowledge that though he has his challenges, he is healthy and strong and high-functioning in so many ways. We recognize that for the comparative burden-lessening blessing that it is. Yet it is still a challenge. Back those few years we felt like very few others knew what we faced. Then, because I’m married to a wonderfully creative woman who writes the most elegant posts and because I’ve written a song or two or hundred over the years, we thought “what if we wrote about our experiences with Julian? Maybe that kind of memoir would give insight to others.”

Grandiose idea?

Maybe.

A realized dream already (or anytime soon)?

Not hardly.

Where do you start something like that 20+ years into an experience?

I decided to do something new: write little blog posts about anything to get used to the work of writing, editing, re-writing and publishing to then see how it affects others.

I also started to read more. It was at that same time (providentially) that I was encouraged by those above me in my work world to be a more avid reader. Great books do abound in all genres. Sarah and I have managed to find a few in the very

arena like what we wanted to write, books that help with raising Julian. One of the best by far, so far, has been Aching Joy by Jason Hague. His son Jack is one who has his own unique struggles and Jason does a masterful job of recounting important events, feelings and impressions all while looking toward Hope. It’s a worthy read even if you don’t live with your own Julian or Jack. It’s a perspective broadening and heart acclimating read.

Writing about special needs-ness, however, is a tough topic. Important, just weighty. So I’ve taken to writing about anything that strikes my fancy. Some posts have, in fact, been about Julian, while others have been recounting of work travels and travails and all the impact on my heart, mind and soul. Some pieces have been societal observations. Once in a while there’s even been a rock n roll moment worth recounting. All that to say is that by one word at a time, usually right thumbed typed into Notes on the iPhone, these skills are being exercised and learned.

During this shelter-in-place moment in history our posse is all healthy. 

We are thankful.

We pray for the end of this virus scourge on humanity. We pray for healing and the full restoration of the people suffering and the complete eradication of the virus. For those of us least affected by the illness and only sidelined by the social distancing dynamics, let me encourage you to “do something new” while we’re in this season. 

What will yours be?

Workout at the house daily?

Take up running in the neighborhood?

Write real letters to friends and family far and wide?

Plant a garden?

Like my sweetheart, spend extra hours diving headlong into the hobby she loves? (she’s making some incredible handmade greeting cards lately!)

Take up photography documenting this season (like with portraits of your haircut deprived, now shaggier, male family members)?

What about pulling that guitar, fiddle or oboe out of the closet and you-tube lesson-ing it everyday for 30 minutes?

For those of us who are healthy, just sidelined, we could see this additional time as a gift. What will you do with it?

Renewed Minds, Quiet Spaces—April 2020

“You can’t have a renewed mind without quiet space.” Ross Strader 02/23/20

Life was moving fast. Doesn’t it always in the modern world? Or better in the modern, first world. 

Until a month ago, everyday had a long to-do list that often was handled but was unfulfilled.

Think on that for a second and you’ll get what I mean. A lot was checked off by the end of the day, but it didn’t seem like it was what truly needed to be done. It certainly wasn’t what my soul needed. And I can assure you it wasn’t what my relationships needed.

“You can’t have a renewed mind without quiet space.” This statement came from my pastor Ross in February as he continued his sermon series through the New Testament Pauline epistle to the Romans. None of us realized then that we’d have time now to experientially wrestle this thought out. I can attest now that the quiet space exists but at first it wasn’t welcomed. 

I’m the early riser in our family; my lovely is the night owl. Both our boys take after their momma in their joy of late night living and their disinterest in seeing the sunrise.

I awaken to quiet (usually) and have free run of the house for hours uninterrupted. Prior to this slowdown I’d enjoy a single quiet weekend morning and think that that was enough for my soul. I’d dash out the door for work on weekdays and not relish any of the early dawn stillness. Now that I’m something like 27 days into the stay-at-home, social distancing lifestyle, I can attest that a quiet AM here or there isn’t sustaining. 

It’s barely memorable. 

It’s not enough to renew anything or anyone.

Having day after day after endless day is a generous gift to a soul that can provide vast swaths of quiet. The idea that St Paul was getting at with his “renewing of the mind” concept isn’t a zap-a-quickie-doodle kind of proposition. The renewal, healing and restoration are time intensive processes. And quiet, especially my early AM quiet, is having that effect on me.

It is nothing radical.

It is nothing jarring.

And I’m realizing that’s the beauty of the quiet space leading to renewal equation. It’s a gentle kindness on the soul that takes me from point A to a point B I couldn’t even see prior to this season and frankly still can’t clearly outline. 

So, Ross preached “You can’t have a renewed mind without quiet space.”

The question is: do I want those?

Do you?

Of course we do. We all want a quieted mind and heart full of all the good, true, noble, healthy, right things.

Even the most vocal anti-God atheist wants good things. He can have propositions about both where or who they come from, but we all want a fresh, renewed perspective. 

We all want relationships that matter and a life of depth, joy and purpose.

The catch in the statement from my pastor derived from St Paul is this: One precedes the other, as in one produces the other. 

There’s an order and no option for a shortcut.

Quiet Space is how we enter renewal.

Scripture clearly speaks about God-in-the-quiet.

It’s becoming more evident to me with every quiet morning.

Give us this day our daily bread—April 2020

Give us this day our daily bread.”

The words of Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer

For 22 years I’ve been an outside sales rep for my company. I thoroughly enjoy the work, the challenges and opportunities and the life it has provided for me and mine. I’ve met some of the most resilient and resolved people in the world who comprise the American small business community. I’ve traveled to something like 34 of the states training our team and I’ve been afforded vacation travel to tropical paradises all over the Caribbean and Western Mexico. I’ve even been resourced to go on mission ventures in Central America and Africa for the last decade all because of my job.

The work is a daily faith walk. I sell a one year renewable subscription to a great service. There’s no guarantee I’ll sell everyday, only the assurance I won’t sell (and therefore won’t earn) if I don’t show up and work everyday. The reality and weight of the daily-getting-it-done was gracefully eased in me when I learned that a good plan of sales calls greatly increased my likelihood of daily selling. I always “plan tomorrow before I go home today”. Even through early March this year I had plans out a quarter at a time and travel inked and penciled in months in advance. 

Then we all felt the downshift.

When that moment presented itself, the president of my company canceled all flights for trainings for two weeks with the understanding more could/would get canceled as the situation unfolded. That left me to adjust over a weekend because I am always slated to train someone somewhere in the near future and now I was instantly not doing two ticketed training trips. I was now going to be working close to and from home until, just until.

And it was...unsettlingly settled.

Because that is how it was.

I produced well that first freed up week. And I really didn’t need to travel far or be gone all day, everyday as the phone became a greater resource. The guy I was slated to train in Kansas did well solo, too. We both took the challenge of that moment and made more than lemonade.

Now, we’re all weeks deep in the new reality and I’m finding myself understanding that line in the Lord’s Prayer with a fresh clarity. It’s a DAILY prayer, a DAILY request, a DAILY reminder. I’m still blessed to be able to work from home as I’ve pivoted to more phoning and emailing vs my preferred face to face visits. I’ve been leading our whole sales team that way, too. 

And it is settling in.

Those resilient and resolved clients of mine are navigating in new ways too. 

We are all innovating and many are actually thriving day by day.

I’m praying with less down-the-road-ness and a whole lot of “Bless THIS day with your provision, Holy Father.” To live with an immediate and refreshed sense of “there is only now” has actually been stabilizing. I can do today, nothing more. I must do today because this is all I can effect. And it’s been freeing. Now, for clarity, I’d still rather be out seeing the clients like I was prior to the downshift, but here we are.

And here we shall be for a bit.

And it is continuing to settle day by day.

Today, give us our daily bread.

And a day’s worth of kindness, patience, courage and generosity. 

Give me this day what this day will require of me for that will be enough.