If I Should Die by Karl Forehand If I should die, don’t hire a pastor To tell people how great that I am, Don’t take me to church to bid me adieu It is about me and it’s for you. If I should die, don’t throw a big party Don’t pretend like we don’t need to heal, Cry if you need to and feel what you feel It’s really the best way to rebuild. If I... Read more
Last year, the Desert Sanctuary initiated the Nomad 2020 online conference during the pandemic. Ever since that day, I have been dreaming of this event. I wanted to lean forward and look toward the future with all the other spiritual nomads and seekers. I wanted to bring together people with differing vantage points to see if we could see what is over the horizon. To be on this journey and truly experience the adventure, we have to move forward with some amount of uncertainty... Read more
As a former pastor, I remember the faces of people that were visiting for the first time. The were always a bit more attentive than the other members. They were a little more hesitant to be demonstrative, but they looked hopeful in a cautious sort of way. This always made me hopeful that they would be a new addition to the “fold.” Maybe they would be the right mix of maturity and hopeful, optimism that we needed at this place. ... Read more
It’s the only thing I do “religiously” any more. On the weekends, I arise early to sit on my porch, meditate and watch the sunrise. The only hustle and bustle are the crickets and cicada that endlessly communicate all around me. In the distance, I hear the rumble of a train that doesn’t bother to blow it’s whistle this time of day. Occasionally, an almost silent vehicle passes on main street, but otherwise there is just stillness. I watch the... Read more
I remember where I was on September 11, 2001. I was a pastor still trying to find his way in a fundamentalist Bible church. We had survived the year 2000 which many people thought might be the end of the world. It came and went, only to usher in the infamous 9/11 which most of us will never forget. I also remember George W. Bush standing at ground zero a few days later and vowing revenge for those that would... Read more
In recent years, I have developed a deep kinship with nature and animals. I love that I feel more a part of nature and understand it to also to be a part of me. I don’t want to go back to my elemental thinking that what I do doesn’t matter to the world around me. I realize now that I am deeply connected to it. But, even though I am deeply connected to the animals, I realize that human beings... Read more
This may seem like a short review of the book, but it’s hard to describe the book without giving away too much. I can tell you that I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the book and I read over the course of a weekend. It was captivating from the first chapter. The story is probably accurately described as an allegory, because most of the character names are applicable to either their current or future role in... Read more
I suppose we had romantic thoughts when we bought the hummingbird feeders. Like most things, it was more complicated than we thought including the delicate dance to hang the feeders full of sugar water without dripping it all over the house and our wrap-around porch. Eventually, it happened and we were able to watch the tiny creature drink from our feeder. They truly are amazing birds. We sat in awe and then set about to try to capture subsequent visits... Read more
Early in my Christian experience I was taught about mercy. We even learned the difference between grace and mercy. I used to explain it this way: Grace is getting something we don’t deserve, and mercy is not getting what we deserve. Mercy is generally understood to be the relief from punishment that we deserve because we are all sinners and miss the mark of God’s standard. Even though the Bible never really taught eternal conscious torment, the message has become progressively prevalent... Read more
October 16th – Online – Free – Reserve a Spot History and Purpose: Last year, the Desert Sanctuary initiated the Nomad 2020 online conference during the pandemic. Ever since that day, I have been dreaming of this event. I wanted to lean forward and look toward the future with all the other spiritual nomads and seekers. I wanted to bring together people with differing vantage points to see if we could see what is over the horizon. To be... Read more
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