A patchwork day in the sun.

What do you do on your sabbatical? I am still figuring that out.
There are some times that are just in between times, creating space for God to write, hanging out, being available, enjoying life - what is traditionally called "stopping and smelling the roses".

Today was a perfect day for that. The sun came out today for the first time in a long while and we got above 50 for the first time and even above 64F.

I got up and read some, had breakfast and did some stuff around the living space. I was looking forward to some bike riding if it ever got warm, but it was still only 43F at about 10 a.m.

Dayn mentioned that folks were going to do some gardening at 1 pm and I could join in. I had lunch, did some reading that turned into a nap. Managed to wake up just as Dayn was going out so I joined him.

We drove over to a big house were 5 or 6 women live together. Reminded me a lot of the Chataquau house I lived at in Norman with 5 other guys, only this was better decorated!

There is quite a lot of communal living in the Boiler room community, done intentionally and not just for economic reasons. The garden project is to provide some vegetables for the folks who live there but also to have food to share with the homeless and poor. Dayn and I joined Maggie and Jessica. I got the job of shifting the compost pile around - a good 2 or 3 cubic meters of compost in various stages of "stinkiness". I discovered the pitchfork, which left me singing the "Green Acres" theme song. (See pic below).

Loving the Pitchfork

It was fun to turn the soil over and feel it in my hands, plant a bit of spinach and lettuce, as well as beets, even if I will not see it come up. One plants, another waters. . .

I certainly thought of the verse we memorized in Singles' Bible study last year:
Hosea 10:12 "Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of my life. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness on you." 


Dayn went off to the prayer time for the team going to East Asia and after a bit more time in the garden, I walked home, passing this ODD, larger-than-life statue. At first glance, it is of someone kneeling in prayer, except that his face is turned INTO his right hand, which communicates what? Extreme remorse? Utter sadness or despair?

On the way home, I had time for a nice phone chat with Rod Davis, a friend from Mali who is in N. Carolina. Good to have time to catch up with him and his family.

Back at home, I suited up for a bike ride around 4 pm. I headed off toward downtown for a 16-km ride, interrupted by a flat tire. I  thoroughly enjoyed the downtown area, some great hills and interesting buildings: except for the frequent stop lights.

While out riding, I find it nice to review verses I am learning, but also try to make it NOT about "getting something done" but just riding.
I got a call from Dayn wondering if I couldn't cook West African Peanut Sauce after all for him and an out of town guest he had. So I changed my route, hit the very cool farmers' market they have and chinese grocery and then hightailed it back home. 16 km of sweet riding.

I had fun making the peanut sauce and sharing it with 4 others. Trying to learn to be more hospitable. Sharing is not one of my stronger suits. I'll help you until I am blue in the face, but need work on sharing. I suppose that is why "serving" and "hospitality" and "generosity" are different spiritual gifts.

Ater everyone left, I had a good time of listening to some music and playing djembe along to that.
As I wrote this, Beau came in with 2 girls who signed up to 'couch surf' at the Boiler room.  I had to google it. Apparently the Boiler room, which does have hospitality as one of its core values, has indicated on various couch surfing sites that it has couches available to share for free with travelers. These 2 folks are here for a concert tomorrow night.

So that has been my day - pretty open and varied - composting, cycling, calling friends, cooking, couch surfing -  and also a GOOD day.

Tomorrow we head off early for a 2-day weekend retreat for the whole community.  Should be fun.