Dave I Am

I love Christmas.  The lights, the tree, eating meals with family, singing carols in church — all of it. I pray you have a wonderful time with family or friends and your heart is filled with peace and joy. Merry Christmas.

“For whatever reason God chose to make man as he is— limited and suffering and subject to sorrows and death—He had the honesty and the courage to take His own medicine. Whatever game He is playing with His creation, He has kept His own rules and played fair. He can exact nothing from man that He has not exacted from Himself. He has Himself gone through the whole of human experience, from the trivial irritations of family life and the cramping restrictions of hard work and lack of money to the worst horrors of pain and humiliation, defeat, despair and death. When He was a man, He played the man. He was born in poverty and died in disgrace and thought it well worthwhile.” (Dorothy Sayers, Creed or Chaos? New York, Harcourt Brace, 1949, p. 4)

Went up to Sonoma County for a brief stop at Scherrer last weekend.  Enjoyed the wine tasting, but was more excited about the wealth of interesting squash and pumpkins the winery was giving away. (Re-awakened my love of photographing beautiful things in the fading, fall sunset.) Scherrer allowed guests to take up to one hundred pounds of pumpkin, but I contented myself with two pounds of squashy goodness.

This year I am thankful for diversity, unexpected bumps and twists, and bright colors. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

P.S. Here’s a Thanksgiving Day Prayer composed around 1900 by Walter Rauschenbusch, the theologian and Baptist social reformer.

For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.

We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.

Grant us a heart — wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thornbush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.

I had the pleasure of conducting the commitment ceremony for my friends Joanne and Randelle in Detroit this October. They did an amazing job showing off a wonderful city and giving us a glimpse of how deep their love is for this place — and one another.

Commitment Ceremony Homily

Abraham Lincoln famously said: it’s not the years in your life that counts — it’s the life in your years…

That quote doesn’t really have anything to do with the ceremony — but it’s a great quote, and I wanted to say it. So, I just had to get that out of my system. We can move on now.

When I think about Jo and Ray, I come back — time and again — to three “C’s.”

From day one of planning this ceremony, these two both wanted to emphasize Confluence. They continually drew my attention back to the fact that while this day is oriented around the two of them, it’s equally about the friendships, family and mentors which brought them together. The confluence is even evident in their choice of venue: here we are at the banks of a river showcasing two cities — two countries, even.

Secondly, when I think about Jo and Ray I consider their Compassion. Beyond its Confluence, they chose this location because it marks a pivotal spot in history, where African slaves sought freedom by  crossing this very river.

Forty-four years ago it would not have been possible for Joanne and Randelle to marry throughout much of the United States. That’s a big part of why they chose to make a commitment but not to get married today — because there are still couples in the US who love one another but cannot legally marry. Randelle and Joanne have an overflowing empathy for underserved peoples and a desire to see justice for those who suffer.

Finally, we have before us today a couple that’s aware it take Commitment to deal with life’s Challenges – Hey! Maybe that’s four “C’s.” Jo and Ray desire to give to one another what they want most in life — to help the other find those things for themselves, while moving through the world hand-in-hand. But there will come challenges to that walk. And when things get hard, they advised me, there are four steps they always try to take.

Randelle and Joanne gave them to me in order (which appealed to me a lot).

1. Slow down. Don’t race ahead of the situation.
2. Hunker down.  Take time to be together.
3. Speak your mind to one another, in honesty and in love.
4. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, don’t forget to make the time to get outside your house and head – to listen to music and shake your booty.

McDade and The Dan made a baby! To celebrate — and share memories with their ‘rents and grand’rents — we spent the day together playing baseball, reading, and doing a fair amount of laughing.

How long ago did I take these photos? Well, little Maximus has already arrived…

In keeping with recent yellow hues — here’s a sunflower field.  Hope you enjoyed a vibrant labor day weekend.

Four days ago, after weeks… and weeks… and weeks… of patience (and the occasional lack thereof), I finally started my new position at work.

Within two days I had expanded my job title and started to delineate the scope of what this newly created unit will be responsible for, which is basically all the strange and special requests which flow through the Dean’s office. And there are many of them. This is ideally suited to my temperament, which thrives on problem solving. Of course, from my first day on the job projects have overflowed and flooded my desk. (Which shows how pent up the need for this unit has been.) So far, so good; I’m loving the work — and the possibilities it offers.

Following the advice John Piper posted today, however, will be key to sustaining my efforts.

This lovely, yellow calla lily was given to me by my student assistant as a going away present. It’s hard to say goodbye to the work I’ve been doing these past eight years, but I’m grateful for new opportunities and challenges. It’s time.

I had the great privilege recently to take engagement photos celebrating one of my favorite couples: brilliant photographer/friend Amber and her awesome scientist/chef fiancé Ishy. We had a great afternoon wandering around the city, laughing, and generally goofing off. They’re good people and and I wish them all the best in the world… and their love.

Spent much of my vacation time this year in Cayucos (on the central coast).I had planned on a big trip up North through Humboldt County, Oregon, and Washington but it is, alas, not to be this year. Lots of balls in the air, hopefully landing soon.

Favorite day was a four mile walk in the fog along the Morro Bay Sandspit. Walking along an endless, foggy shoreline while waves unceasingly crested nearby took me right back to my pensive, high school self. In a good way, this time. (Video link below.)

After seven days vacation and relaxation I spent three final days at the New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur (where I visited two years ago).

This time I was in a trailer, perched up on the hill with a lovely view of the ocean. Of course, all the views from the monastery are wonderful.

July is a nice time of year to visit. Flowers are still in bloom and the morning fog gives way to clear skies and warm afternoons. Not unlike my hometown of Berkeley, I suppose. (Enjoy this while it lasts, local peeps.)

The monks pray four times a day (5:30, 7:00, and 11:00 am, plus 6:00 pm). You’re invited to join them in prayer and chanting the Psalms as often as you like, or you can stay in silent solitude. I would rise at 5:15 am to start my day and go to sleep around 9:30 pm. Lots of prayer, quiet contemplation, reading, and naps in-between. Just what the hypothetical doctor ordered.