Memories of Glorietta

(Thanks Brodie for posing for this one.)

So this week was national collegiate week at Glorietta, NM.  I must admit that I spent most of the week in some sort of spiritual reflection.  Be it solitary walks through the beautiful and serene woods surrounding the camp, or watching the sunrise while sitting by the "lake".  I was able to spend time in the prayer garden before others were out and about.  I even had some moments in worship, and learned some things in the breakout sessions.  It was all in all a very spirit filled week.  I think I have reflected, refracted, deflected, and projected in so many different ways.  Oh yeah I even had time to journal and sketch.  These were all amazing and intimate times with my God and my Savior.
There were some great sessions that taught me a lot about ministering to students.  One of the best was attended only by 3 of us and included a conversation about building leaders and perpetuating a ministry that could survive without an official campus minister.  It wasn't on the schedule and was kind of impromptu, and was held in our room, but I got a lot out of it. Maybe we should schedule that next year and invite others.

Glorietta is a beautiful place and I plan to return and possibly have a more intentional purpose to be there.  This year's purpose was to go and see.  Next year I may actually lead a break out session or two.  We will see what happens

As awesome as my time was on the campus, I'd like to tell a story that happened on Wednesday in Santa Fe.  It involves Beautiful music, theology, and a cup of coffee.

Brodie, Scott, Brian and I had traveled into Santa Fe, New Mexico with the illustrious Robert Turner as our leader and tour guide.  We were following faithfully and listening as attentively as possible to myriad of tales and stories related to this City in the Land of Enchantment.  Every step was lavishly and richly described in ways that belong to the distinctive style of Robert Turner. I saw many beautiful and colorful sights and was enraptured with trying to capture every one of them, and attempt to stay current with the conversation and connect the story to the images.

Eventually the leadership of Mr Turner was replaced with my camera.  I separated from the group and continued my own personal tour of Santa Fe, New Mexico.  I saw many other creative and colorful sights  and was moved and inspired by many of them

 
   

Some are profoundly important while others simply appealed to my eyes and my other senses. My journey took me to many places in the City and I saw many things and may people.

 

 

And I took many photos...
Every turn I saw something new and exciting.
With all the pictures I took this next one is the most important.  And I will explain.  


At some point I decided it was time to return to my group and find the people with whom I came.  As I returned to the square that was our designated meeting place I heard a beautiful melody wafting through the air.  It had a serene and peaceful sound that carried with stories fom the ages.  The people seemed not to notice it or recognized it as they walked along the street.  I followed the sound and found a man standing in front of store playing a wooden native american flute.  He was a man who seemed young and old at the same time.  He wore a long white and gray beard, a short sleeved buttoned down shirt that was weathered and worn with time and lack of cleaning.  On his head was this unusual black hat that fit close to his skull.  I spoke to him about his flute and was led to leave some money in his cup that was beside him.  I stopped and listened to his music.  I convinced him to play me a song. As the song ended He began to tell his story of how he had traveled the world from Moscow to California and many places in between. He told me of his vision of the Great Spirit and how he cleaned up his life.  My new friend's name was Dennis.

Another friend I had made came and joined the conversation.  Unfortunately the conversation turned from a collaboration of theology to a forcing of Jesus down his throat.  I had felt the Spirit leading me to share the Gospel and I did in a way that continued the conversation.  My other friend decided to jump straight to the Jesus lines and the typical "You must understand religion and my Jesus my way now!" line of witnessing.  It was direct and confronting.  Soon the conversation became antagonistic and Dennis was becoming more defensive and angry.  I interjected as often as I could and finally asked Dennis, who let me know he was ultimately homeless, if there was anything I could do for him.  He said he needed caffeine and told me where a starbucks was.  I went to Starbucks and to buy him a large coffee.  As I was standing in line, I saw in my wallet a Starbucks gift card I had gotten from Brian Musser earlier that week with $.60 still on it.  I took the $20 bill in my hand I paid for his coffee and placed the change on the giftcard.  I returned to Dennis and gave him the coffee and the card and said "as God has given me  his grace upon grace, I give you this cup of coffe and this card to get more."  He was touched.  We left him to ponder that. He seemed slightly befuddled.  My prayer today is that he is confronted with the grace of Jesus everytime he drinks a cup of coffee.