Spiritual Maintenance

On our Taos ride, we both richly enjoyed the Ranchos Plaza Grill and visiting the historic San Francisco de Asis Church next door. Think of Saint Francis of Assisi. Dating back to 1772, enclosed in a plaza for protection from raiding Comanches, made of adobe bricks combining clay, straw, and oxblood and plastered with mud, the church is among the most photographed in New Mexico. One pic features a wall with the plaster falling off. Mud erodes. The solution: they replaster with mud each year.

They make it a community celebration in June, church and community members and visitors add fresh mud and straw to protect the adobe bricks. Nice way to…

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Structure? Who, Me?

I’m embarrassed. Deeply. Soon, you’ll see why. A few months ago I posted how I got stuck spiritually, couldn’t figure out the cause, then God intervened in a very good Good Friday service. In the last week or so, I have some glimmers of the source.

 But know that I tend to hang loose. Too much regimentation and structure bring tension. Working hard is good, IF it varies. Now, here comes the embarrassment.

 For about 30 years, I was a “professional” Christian—a pastor, author of Christian books, a teacher...

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