Breathe Grace

Our granddaughter, now 9-months old, recently encountered the concept of her shadow. It’s remarkable to watch a little human’s intrinsic curiosity at work. In a pre-toddler, not yet able to mentally process information in verbal building blocks, how does this instinctive wondering and curiosity manifest itself? What remarkable process drives a developing brain to spot patterns, to test a cause for an effect, and to figure things out?

Science, in its basic form, is a circular process of stimulation, observing results, and hypothesis formation – followed by testing to confirm a theory or inspire a new one. This human trait is so deeply embedded that language, dialog, and instruction are not even necessary.

I don’t have the words for it either.

Seventh grade. Woodshop. Our assignment was to make a simple birdhouse. With the undeveloped attention span and stream-of-consciousness priorities of a thirteen-year-old, I completely ignored  board-foot calculations, and any notion of efficiently using lumber.  I also breezed through the steps that involved applying glue to joints before nailing the pieces together.

I recall squeezing glue onto my fingers, and attempting to push and smear the adhesive into the joints. Somehow, I could just feel the presence of Bill Nelson, the wood shop teacher, standing behind me – quietly watching. Read More

I had a business associate who frequently used the most comforting phase.

He was my CFO – Chief Financial Officer. Situations constantly arise in business involving both legal and financial issues that are complex and difficult to explain easily. Rather than taking me through all the complexities, the issues, reasons, status, he’d just say ‘it’s handled’. What a comfortable, easy, refreshing statement.

Are we getting SEC filings out? Or is the audit committee going to be ready with its report? He’d simply say “it’s handled”.

That’s what God longs for us to know in our lives as we move closer into relationship with Him – ‘it’s handled’. Relax. And let your faith expand into assurance.

The Biosphere science research center in Oracle Arizona was built to study the interactions between humans, farming, technology and nature. The sealed, 3.14 acre vivarium housed five biome areas including a rainforest, a small ocean with a coral reef, a mangrove wetlands, a savannah grassland, and a small desert. Its agricultural system was intended to be self-sustaining, with no requirement for externally-sourced energy or atmospheric gases.

One of the unforeseen outcomes of the Biosphere project included the numerous trees Read More

As I entered the airport security line coming home from Pittsburgh, the TSA agent tapped on a handheld device and, after reading the display, directed me to a special aisle. I glanced at the product name on the device as I passed – it was labeled “TSA Randomizer”. For some reason, TSA has started to Read More

My satellite radio preset stations are an interesting mix. I listen to Country/60’s/Coffee Shop/and The Message most often. And, I can get in a musical rut at times. For me, like many, music is therapeutic…matching, enhancing, and sometimes even reversing our moods. The other day I popped in an old CD: Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti singing an Italian aria in unison. My vehicle transformed to a concert hall, the soaring voices lifted my soul to a dimension beyond some of the short flights I’ve taken with Neil Diamond or The Beatles. I had a Shawshank Redemption moment as the music washed over me – how could anything be this beautiful and moving? The experience caused me to ponder the gift of music – where it even comes from and why it graces us so deeply and effectively. I don’t know the answer, but I am thankful for it.

Tonight I have an event with some high school friends at a local bistro not far from where most of us grew up.  We’ll revisit our collective  histories, and after we have parsed out every bit of triviality there are always those precious moments where we really relate as only long-time friends can. That shared history with these women of my youth may be the most important element – years of accepting, supporting, showing honor, and always being there. My spirit is always deepened, and even the silence between us is comfortable.