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In The Cathedral

5/29/2016

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It was a Ministry of Presence, but I wasn’t.

Pope Francis I had proclaimed 2016 the Year of Mercy in the Catholic Church, and our church in Seattle (St. James Cathedral) responded by setting up a daily Welcome Table to greet those who might come through our doors.  This was considered a Ministry of Presence, a way to embrace our neighbors and visitors, and I had volunteered once a month for a four-hour shift.

But 30 minutes into my first Welcome, I was feeling unwelcoming.  Bored, to be exact.  People weren’t coming by my table, it was too too quiet--I just wasn’t being entertained.  Three and a half more hours of this?  And as often happens when I’m uncomfortable in church, I started shoulding on myself, starting with the requisite “Should I be praying?”  Or in this instance “Should I be leaving?” 

But then I began to look up.  I noticed light nudging its way through the stained glass windows.  A slight wind motioned the murals.  Candle flames bounced and bobbed.  And even what wasn’t moving was moving: statues and shrines with winsome expressions and peaceful demeanors.  I became intrigued with tabernacles and altarpieces, organs and pipes, and, of course The Chairs (Presider’s Chair, Seat of the Archbishop--St. James Cathedral is Chair Heaven).

Soon my other senses were engaged.  The sweet spiritual smell of incense wafted alongside the altar flower fragrances.  I listened to the wind on the windows, the opening of doors, the lowering of kneelers; even the intermittent silences seem to speak with subtle cadences.  And all in all I was.......touched.

And surprised.   Once my God Goggles were on, I saw the place as it really was, teeming with activity and spirituality.  Not to mention people.  All sorts of people.  Out of town visitors and in town re-visitors.  Dressed up and dressed down--people from work and people from off the street.  Elders moving slowly--kids too fast.  Bowing, standing, kneeling. pointing.  Smiling, frowning and expressionless.  Woman kneeling at the base of the cross, touching the feet of Christ.  Men doing the same. 

Why are they here?  Worship.  Looking at the architecture.  Getting out of the elements.  Needing to cry and confess.  Seeking something.  People wanting to feel community while being alone.  Maybe God will be home today, and they don’t want to miss out.

They are coming to church.  And what is a church?   More than a building of course, but at least that.  Over the centuries many have decryed the amounts invested in church buildings, thinking the money was better spent doled to the congregants.  But it was rarely the congregants complaining; they knew through experience their church was a dynamic, enervating place and
by investing in a church, they were investing in themselves.

As I was by coming to the Cathedral for my once a month shift.  Yes I stayed that day and have continued, sometimes bored but often enthralled by all that’s going on.  My God Goggles have stayed on, as has my belief that although God is indeed everywhere, He is somehow especially here.







































    









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Thinking

5/28/2016

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Should I or shouldn’t I?

With my beer drained and hamburger served, I was contemplating ordering a second (beer that is).  The affirmative started strongly: “Rick, you did designate this Comfort Food Night, as anyone would who spent 45 minutes exercising and survived 3 tough clients at work.  You go boy.”

But as I was about to call the waitress the opposition rebounded.  “Have you forgotten this week’s goals?  Little to no alcohol!  Downing one’s an integrity stretcher, two a soul seller.  And didn’t you designate five Comfort Food Nights last week alone?  Count your losses, eat your burger, and at least walk out of here with your head held high.”

OK no then.  Except......that first IPA was awfully tasty and isn’t it time I stop shoulding on myself and let go a little?  Sure, but.......a goal is a goal is a goal.  Yeah, but.......I’m getting older and sick of being enslaved to my newest Rick Reformation project.  Good point, but.......you know what they say about alcohol and Alzheimers.......*

Think maybe I think too much?  Me too.  My cacophony of voices leads to hashing and re-hashing five different interpretations on ten different perspectives.  And with every air tight case deflated and molehill mountained, you think all this thinking adds up to more clarity?  Me neither.

So why do I overthink so much?  Well for one thing......wait--don’t want to overthink this question too.  Suffice it to say I’ve always been one to mull over minutiae so I suspect there is some OCD to it.  And I’m no stranger to stress, which seems to fire up everything, especially my brain.

But more than anything it has something to do with control.  Somehow facing the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune becomes safer when I can analyze and categorize.  Heaven forbid I would allow myself to just experience life as it is, what with all the potential heartache and messiness.  Indeed for me the unexamined life isn’t worth living because it is just too scary.

So should I just give up thinking in order to face my fears?  Not possible, nor even advisable.  I was given a brain for a reason, and God knows there is much to ponder and consider in making decisions and seeking truth.  I can certainly learn from our culture’s present emphasis on emotions and intuition but need to think to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Balance, as always, seems to be the key.  As for thinking, this balance can be expressed in the difference between introspection and rumination, with the former the goal.  Introspection can be a healthy examination of self and soul; rumination, defined as “chewing the cud,” can be contemplating your navel when you already know you have an outie.

Spiritual balance is also needed, especially concerning the head and heart.  Theologians of old spoke of “the mind descending into the heart,” with the Old Testament proclaiming “As a person thinks in his heart, so is he.”  Integration is the key, with listening to the Spirit the component to bring the two together.

As to my own challenges with overthinking, I’m trying to subscribe to the 12 step maxim of progress over perfection.  To test this, I “allowed” my good friend Denny and myself to get locked out of a cabin in the middle of a freezing night in Montana recently, with nobody in earshot.  At first, it was an overthinkathon, as we designed several Macgyver type scenarios of us tying together belts and socks and shirts to shimmy our way down 20 feet to the front door.  Perfect idea for a couple of 60 year olds.

But we didn’t succumb to temptation.  We put our thoughts to the side, prayed, and picked up a piece of patio furniture and chucked it through the window.  Messy, but it worked.  A nice example of underthinking. Thinking about it, I think I’ll do my next blog on the pros and cons of underthinking.........


* For those scoring at home the back and forth lasted through the last burger bite so the “No” won because of time management issues (Downton Abbey was starting at home in 10 minutes).

























    




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The Indoorsman

5/28/2016

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“I am two with nature.”           

                      Woody Allen

Our house in Seattle is blessed with amazing views of the surrounding topography.  The upstairs bedroom is like a treehouse, overlooking a panorama where we can see the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier, Lake Washington and Portage Bay.  When the weather is nice the sun rising over the Cascades can be seen drenching the mountains with a golden hue.

Too bad I never look out.  But I know it exists, because my wife mentioned it the other day.  “Isn’t it amazing how the sun rising over the Cascades can be seen drenching the mountains with a golden hue?  “Amazing,” I said.  Of course I was looking at the pork bellies opening on my laptop at the time.

What can I say--I am an avid indoorsman.  I belong to that hearty breed of Seattle self-made men and women who actually doesn’t suffer from NNG--Northwest Nature guilt.  I live by the motto: I don’t bike, hike, or anything I don’t like.  And I don’t like going (or looking) outside.

What’s out there anyways?  Wind, rain, sleet, and snow.  Bugs, varmits, and eco-hipsters.  Contrast that with the comforts of home, the even 70 degree temperature and re-circulated air.  Hungry?  There’s the refrigerator.  Gotta go?  There’s the bathroom.  And of course it’s a great place for emergencies--just yesterday I noticed my pajama tops and bottoms didn’t color coordinate and I was immediately able to rectify the situation.
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But even though the lifestyle benefits are obvious, there are still some who look askance at indoorsman.  Like many groundbreakers in history who’ve lived out their convictions, indoorsman can be vilified and misunderstood.  To make sure this isn’t you, see if you’ve harbored any of the following misconceptions:

Misconception #1: Indoorsman never go outside.

Sure it’s an ideal, but just like John Muir had to use indoor plumbing occasionally, indoorsman sometimes venture out.  I for one will go out to get the paper if my wife’s out of town.  Unless of course it’s too hot, or cold, or moderate.  Then I pay the neighbor’s kid to come over and chuck it to me.

Misconception #2: Indoorsman are lazy.

Balderdash.  I personally have every piece of exercise equipment known to man--Ellipticals, Ab Coasters, Treadmills--you name it.  My wife bugs me occasionally because I haven’t taken them out of the box yet, but knowing their there is helpful.  

Misconception #3: Indoorsman don’t enjoy breathtaking views.

Complete fabrication.  One of my favorites is from the corner of 5th and University Downtown, where the transcendent beauty of both the Rock Bottom pub and the Tap House Grill (and its 160 taps) can be seen simultaneously.  I of course enjoy the scenery from the inside of Starbucks; seeing the splendor in Seattle’s sucky weather would obviously spoil the view.

Misconception #4:  Indoorsman are unhealthy.

Hello?  I am tanned (regular at Cafe Soleil Tanning, Hair, and Espresso) and toned (currently using the Trump Products “Orange a la Donald”).  And speaking of thrillseeking adventure, just last month I went on a cave exploration (taking full advantage of Nordstrom’s “Man Cave” sale).

Sounds great, doesn’t it?  And don’t think you can’t get in on the in.  Just lose the NNG, pull up a chair, and embrace The Great Indoors.

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    RICK GRANT

    I am a psychotherapist and freelance writer with a background as a professional athlete (tennis). My studies and background with Pastoral Counseling reveal an interest in both spirituality and psychology. I am the author of “INSPIRED: Churches of Seattle” and have written dozens of magazine articles (including a few for the Wittenberg Door). My wife Hattie and I together have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.

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