Sunday Morning Thoughts in North Carolina

I brought one book to read while on vacation, The Return of the Prodigal
Son by Henri Nouwen.

It is a quite Sunday morning. Ronald and Jimmi went to church. Janet and
I slept in. After coffee, cereal, and cantelope, I am reading Nouwen and
listening to Diane Krall. What a "spiritual combination."

How I have struggle with the Prodigal Son in recent days and
particularly the surrender to God in one's entirety.

Today is 9/11. I try not to think about it. Five years ago yesterday we
celebrated our anniversary in New York City. It was a year before the
event. We went to Broadway plays, saw the Mets play, rode the subway,
ate some tremendous meals, rode around Manhattan on a boat, and walked
ourselves to death. Time goes fast.

Surrender is the "place where I have to let go of all I most want to
hold on to," says Nouwen.
The place of surrender and complete trust.

I have reached an odd point. I have found it difficult reading the Bible
lately. Reading Job might have caused that, plus the many losses of
late.

I am listening to the theme from the movie "the Bad and the Beautiful."
I have never seen the movie, but Mike Rapchak use to play it on WGN in
Chicago on Sunday Mornings. I love the music. Maybe someday I will see
the movie.

"The way to God reaches far beyond the boundary of death. While it is a
long and very demanding journey, it is also one full of wondeeful
surprises, often offering us a taste of the ultimate goal." (Nouwen)