"No Foolin"

"I have arrived. I am home" This calligraphy by Tich Nhat Hanh sums it up very well. "I have arrived. I am home." It is all about being in the moment. What it says to me is that one is to be mindful that wherever one is, at that moment they are already where they are going. At the same time, regardless of where one is, one can be at home. 


So after almost three months I am back in Denver. I arrived on late on Tuesday evening. Sue Ann greeted me at the airport. On Wednesday I was still definitely on London time. On Thursday and Friday I met with Pastor Ruth Ann, my fabulous colleague who over saw pastoral leadership at Bethany during the sabbatical. We've talked about the past three months and looked ahead to the activities and services of Holy Week.

The first day back in the office will be Tuesday, April 3rd. The first service that I will be at is Maundy Thursday at 12 noon and then followed by Maundy Thursday at 7pm.
Given the fact that I left on January 4th, I'm doing my very best to be quite intentional about the process of re-entry in terms of personal and professional relationships.

This afternoon Sue Ann and I are heading up to Chautauqua for two nights http://www.chautauqua.com/. It's a huge gift from the congregation for us to be granted space in which to intentionally re-engage in the life of the community.

One of the things I did this morning was to return to Weight Watchers. Over the past few months I've been watching my weight (among other things). I know that in order to be a healthy leader that I need to "watch" over my body, mind and spirit.

I just love it when "march madness" overlaps with this weekend of the Passion of our Lord. A double blessings is Sunday falling on April Fool's Day.

May the arrival of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem on this festival of March Madness find you at home
with the wondrous news conveyed in the following prayer for the day:

PRAYER OF THE DAY (ELW)

Everlasting God, in your endless love for the human race
you sent our Lord Jesus Christ to take on our nature
and to suffer death on the cross.
In your mercy enable us to share in his obedience to your will
and in the glorious victory of his resurrection,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.Amen