I’ve spent a lot of time these first few days of sabbatical remembering things I’ve forgotten. In random order, here are a few: The crash of the waves The fact that snorkeling gear is the great equalizer—everybody looks dorky in a snorkel and mask. How the world underwater is a hushed paradise. My “little” brothers: how wonderful and amazing they have turned out to be. What it feels like to be around… Read More

I didn’t spend even 48 hours there, but what a feast!  I just got back from a quick trip to New Orleans, where I dutifully ate my way through the city.  But the best thing of all: a great feast for my soul to hang out with dear friends Diane and Carol, and to hug my brave friend Anne.  Check out the Garlic Crusted Texas Redfish Cooked in the Wood Burning Oven with Brabant Potatoes,… Read More

At the risk of sounding a little more dramatic than usual, the start to sabbatical for me has had distinct similarities to the sensation of jumping off a very high diving board into very deep water. Or jello or something. It feels like moving toward the surface for air, but through a viscous, resistant matter. I can kind of see the light at the top, but the present is surreal and a… Read More

Sabbatical begins tomorrow, when the look of this blog will change and I will be writing sabbatical reflections.  Anybody with questions about sabbatical may find this page of the blog helpful.  What follows here is part of this morning’s sermon, which was intended to be a pastoral letter a la the Apostle Paul. Pastor Amy, who tries her best to be a servant of Jesus Christ and often fails, to the saints… Read More

Who among us could ever have sat through a youth rally featuring Tony Campolo and not be irrevocably influenced?  I first saw him in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church at its former location in downtown Honolulu–probably sometime around 1983, when he came to preach at some youth event my mother forced me to attend. Tony’s a very engaging speaker; he easily invites audiences to laugh and cry and think about faith.  He… Read More