For the past year and a half, I have regularly used the word “conservation” when referring to our community’s relationship with these ten acres of shortgrass prairie. While conservation has not required that The Land remains unchanged, it has created space to understand the pricelessness of The Land we would be conserving. As a practice, […]
Messages
In the Weaving
I don’t know about all of you, but I love Pentecost. This time in the church calendar when we remember the Holy Spirit, our advocate. Sometimes we remember this season by talking about when Peter and the disciples received the spirit and spoke in different languages so that all the Jews visiting from all over […]
Rising
It is St. Patrick’s Day here in Iowa. And Lent consciousness abides. This morning I find myself out on the burnt prairie patch. And it all begins where the last lesson began: with light. Only today the simple truth about light is that the rising sun is hidden behind a drooping, dreary canopy of misty […]
Territory
Greetings from Prairie School East! I’ve come to sit at the feet of this patch of burnt and re-energized Iowa prairie for a lesson on Saturday morning, March 13. Yep, one week ago now, as the Denver area was bracing for The Snowpocalypse. Yipes! This Iowa prairie lesson begins with light, particularly sunlight; and color. […]
When the Story Goes Silent
Acts 10:44-48While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can […]
Emerging
As this lesson pulls into view I am firmly in the grip of Lent and this theme of Emerging. I’m driving back to Colorado from two weeks in Iowa with my dad. His life energy is fading. What is emerging for him is surrender. Not something he’s ever been good at or fond of. What’s […]
Cotton Candy Conversion
Inspired by Acts 8:26-40Let’s just say that the story of Philip and the Eunuch is a cotton candy fairy tale. Unlike every other conversion story ever told, this conversion story is nothing but butterflies and rainbows. Two key ingredients ensure that this is a conversion story with a happy (aka: non-genocidal) ending. The first key […]
Genius
Perspective. This lesson begins with perspective. After two weeks in Iowa followed by three days in Colorado, I’ve traveled back to Iowa to continue living with my dad for now. It is good to be with Dad. It is good to be here on my home soil, near my home water. I had planned a […]
Paying Attention
We’ve had several lessons on what we might learn from The Land. Here’s one about how to learn from her. On my recent trip back to Iowa to care for my dad, I decided to stay in a “hermitage” at the Prairiewoods Franciscan Spirituality Center in Cedar Rapids. It was one of my parents’ favorite […]
A Critical Conversion
Romans 8:5-10Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires, but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The […]