The day before the presentation I was reading for a book that I received from one of our police chaplains, Father Tim Power, at my retirement from Eden Prairie PD.  My Grandfather’s Blessings by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. holds a regular place in my collection of books I use for meditation and devotional reading.

In one of the stories she shares she tells of how she struggled with an assignment she had where she was supposed to “build community” among the employees of a hospice organization.  They set aside one morning of a retreat to accomplish the task. When she sought out advice from a colleague she was give the following advice: “You don’t need to make that happen (building the community), Rachael.  You just need to make it visible.”

As I described the efforts we have made towards identifying and coordination chaplain services around the state I have found the same thing to be true.  We don’t need to create a chaplain services community, we just need to make the existing one visible.  Of course there is a lot of other work to do as we strive towards building continuity of services, standards and identities and professionals in police chaplaincy, but the community is there and it is active.  Making it visible, first to ourselves and then to others is a great first step.

There always seems to be plenty of visibility in our society of the problems and challenges we face.  A simple story in a book has given me an image, an image of making visible all that is good in life, that will become a guiding light of this ministry.

Take Care.

Dan,

Some time ago I shared this story with a good friend who is a 27 year
veteran of the DeKalb County department in GA. He suggested that if I was
able, to send you a quick thank you note for helping me years ago.

During the summer of ‘83 we were involved in a high speed fleeing incident.
I was on the motorcycle. Thank you for your diligence to stop me that
morning then your kind “hello” 1 week later near the 13th tee at Dahlgreen
Golf Club as a buddy and I played through your threesome on the par 3.

You were doing your duty as an officer but also participating in the
kingdom plan for my life. It’s been more than a couple years since my
friend suggested I write the note and I’m not sure why it came to mind this
AM.

May God continue to bless you and your endeavors,

We have all received a message like this, or like the cop in Georgia, heard one about one of our partners in the professions. I remember the incident, it ended with him dumping his bike on a gravel road, no significant injuries, no resistance, just a kid making some poor decisions. The thing I remember most was that the chase entered a neighboring community and I became a bit “misplaced” (ok, maybe it was lost in a tangle of streets through a lake community tangletown). Fortunately a guy in his yard pointed me in the direction of the speeding bike. Anyway, I’m glad things worked out for the kid and I look forward to having a cup of coffee with him the next time he’s in town.

What you do matters. At work, at home, even on the golf course. It may be 26 years before you have the “proof”, but do your job with a healthy spirit of service and it will matter.

Take Care!

“Adventure and a safe haven, that’s a good mix”. I love words and I love the stories that they tell. Over the years I’ve got in the habit of saving quotes that inspire me, words that are good for my soul. The “good mix” quote comes from James A. Michener’s Alaska and it has stuck with me ever since I first read it over 20 years ago.

As I sit in my haven this morning all I can think about is the “adventure” that surrounds me. I see it in my two oldest kids who have picked education adventures in opposite directions and opposite sides of the continent. They have had success and learning experiences in those adventures, but I’ve always seen the importance of the havens in their lives as their adventures unfold. I think about the adventures of the law enforcement professionals I serve as their chaplain. The challenges they face in crime, politics, leadership, career decisions, personal tragedy… all adventures that depend on their skills and abilities to keep our communities safe. And I look at my own adventure, leaving the haven of a career I loved to pursue another that calls to me.

This is what life is all about folks. Often it seems to complicated and overwhelming, but if you work at it you can pare it down to “adventure and a safe haven…a good mix”

Today I pray for blessings on your adventures and I pray for your awareness to the wonderful havens that surround you. Often they get lost in the clutter, but they are there and they are “safe”.

Take Care.

So Enjoy and Take Care!

(Bear with me here, there is a spiritual fitness message coming)

The girls are busy with other school activities, Pete moved to Alaska, so that leaves 50 year old (yes, I just hit the big one) dad to carry on the tradition. This has been the best local “snow season” we have had in years. The dogs and I have been training for the past 5-6 weeks and we have our first race this weekend in Frazee, MN at the “Third Crossing Sled Dog Rendezvous“. Click HERE to see the race starting order, yup, that’s me, first out, with my older brother Tom next out. I’m looking forward to getting back into it.

This last year has been very interesting to say the least. You will be hearing many reflections this coming year about my first year of retirement. One of the things that I hoped would happened, but didn’t, was that I would get back in shape, lose a few pounds and make recreational exercise part of my life again. But these past several weeks have really rejuvenated me physically and spiritually. Spending time outside, training the dogs, grooming the trails, skiing, sledding, has been great for the body mind and soul. And the fellowship and socializing at the races does wonders for the soul too.

So here is your lesson, one that is not new, not complicated, but very hard to accomplish (I know). If you want to be fit, physically, intellectually or spiritually, you need to make exercise a way of life, not just a program that starts and stops. A lifestyle of healthy activity and exercise is the key to fitness. Don’t go on a diet, but develop a healthy diet of positive exercise and recreation.

I’ve got to get going, I’m meeting an old (but younger than me) coworker for lunch today. I’m looking forward to the fellowship and catching up.

I’ll update you on the race as the weekend evolves.

Take Care.

The message I want to give you today is the gift I received from the homily Father William Martin gave yesterday. He said “Don’t ask why Greg died, because that’s a question no one can answer.” But he followed with the question: “Let’s ask, ‘Why did he live?’ Now there is a question we can answer!” And then came the stories of a man who lived, who lived a life of service, who lived a life protecting.

So today, don’t spend a lot of time asking questions that cannot be answered, at least not here on earth. Instead ask yourself how you can live, how to live a life of service and care and kindness. Ask yourself “Why do you live?”

Take Care!

The training is hosted by the MN BCA, and conducted by the Center for Applied Leadership. The class has participants who are leaders in their organizations who have supervisory responsibilities or are aspiring to become supervisors. My goal is to create an awareness and provide some insights into the subject of spiritual fitness, and I get an hour and a half to do so. This year I came to the conclusion that I won’t be able to find that perfect “10 pounds”, but that I will always be throwing out a variety of ideas that everyone will receive differently. Again this year I was extremely pleased with the conversations shared after the class as well as some of the thoughts shared by participants during the class. Several people heard different parts of the message and applied the ideas to their personal situations. As always I learned a lot from hearing the experiences of cops on the job.

So once again this ministry brings me insight, success, learning experiences, frustrations, happiness, sadness…well, you get the picture. This ministry is like life, complicated but wonderful. Thanks participants, I always enjoy and appreciate the experience.

Take Care!