QUE TAL?
It has been quite a while since I posted anything. Actually I have been pretty busy and when I'm not busy I find it easier to do other stuff than to sit down and write. I really intend to be a little more disciplined about this.

Last Sunday was my last Sunday at the Church of the Holy Spirit. The past four months that I served there as the Interim-Vicar were a gift from the Holy Spirit to me. For one, it allowed me to slide into retirement instead of jumping into it. The truth is, I had planned a trip right after I left good Shepherd at the end of January. I had thought of going to Hawaii for a few weeks. I have never been there and it seemed like a good time to go, prices are down, etc. I had to put taking a trip on hold when the Bishop asked if I'd like to be the Interim-Vicar at Holy Spirit and help prepare the way for their new Vicar who would arrive in June. At first I was little disappointed about not having at least a week or so to get away before jumping back into the saddle. But once I got re-connect with the people at Holy Spirit I didn't miss the trip one iota. They welcomed me so graciously and made me feel truly wanted and needed, and that I truly had something to share that they really needed. There is no better experience in life and I am so grateful for every moment I was able to spend with them.
I also had the blessing of finding a new friend in the person of their new vicar, Julie O'Brien. We were able to talk over a lot of things about being a soon-to-be-ordained priest generally, and about starting her ministry at Holy Spirit. Sharing that experience with her, a person I came to truly respect and admire for her obvious gifts, her loving heart, and her great sense of humor.
Now I am getting ready for my trip to the Olympic Peninsula for the Arizona Highways Photo Workshop next week. I got a new Canon 5D, Mark II camera and I am learning my way around it slowly. It is a fabulous camera. For the camera buffs out there, I read some reviews on it before buying it and learned why it creates such marvelously sharp images. It is not because of how many mega pixels it has, though it has 21.1; it is because the mega pixels on the sensor are larger that in other cameras, except for the professional models. The larger pixels capture more light, leading to finer detailed images. I can't wait to experience it for myself.
Well that's enough for now. A few random thoughts and I am ready to call it a day.

A FEW RANDOM THOUGHTS
Music plays a very important part in my day and in my life. I have a very eclectic muscial taste. Mostly I like vocals with good harmony. It doesn't matter if its country, or pop or oldies. I like the experience of good harmony. For me, singing in harmony with others is one of life's great spiritual experiences. I sang in a Barbershop Quartet, as well as in our high school choir. Later I sang duets for parties in college with an old college friend. During the years I was the youth minister at Grace Church in Tucson, I helped form a music group from our high school and college kids that traveled around Arizona and around Colorado visiting churches and performing a wonderful repertoire of Christan music, much of which was written and arranged by one of the college kids in the group. I did not perform with the group, I just sang in practices with them..
But music has always been an important part of my life in general and my spiritual life in particular. Often when I have my prayer times I sing songs that are prayers of love and praise. Most of the music that I listen to isn't religious, but it is about life and love and joy and sorrow and loss and hope, all things that ae holy to me. Nat King Cole, Paul Simon, Peter, Paul and Mary, Johnny Cash, John Denver, Wynnona, Celine Dion, James Taylor, Phil Harris (whom only old folks will remember), the Mills Brothers, the Statler Brothers and many other are on my iPod. I envy other cultures, like the Germans,and the Irish who sing in their pubs and beer halls. To have a few beers and to sing with some friends, I can't think of a better way to spend an evening.
Well, these truly are just random thoughts, but again, that is all I said it would be.
Sing more, and sing more often, especially sing in harmony with good friends. It is good for the soul.
Glenn+