In John 2:1-11 Scripture shares the story of Jesus' first miracle.  In short he was at a wedding along with his mother Mary and his disciples.  Before the party was over the reception guests drank ALL the wine and the host became desparate.  Mary says to Jesus, "They have no wine."  Jesus responds, "My hour has not yet come."  Mary, as all mothers do, ignores him and tells the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."  (Um, lady he already told you that his time had not yet come!)  That's a mother for you!  Jesus succumbs to Mary's request and orders the servants to fill the containers with water and to draw out some and take it to the chief steward.  By the time the steward received his beverage Jesus had turned the water to wine.  Ah!  The first miracle!

I grew up in a family that was always helping other people.  My mother, father and both of my mom's parents were forever doing things for the people in our community.  Seeing them feed people, nurse people back to health, loan people money, make sure people got home safely who had too much to drink was a divine lesson to me about helping others.  From these observations I have learned to help others almost to a fault because a few folks have taken advantage of me....urh!  But, that's for another blog.

Since moving to Jersey I have been on a situation imposed sabbatical from my world saving endeavors.  My partner and my close friends think it is a wonderful thing that I am "getting some rest".  I on the other hand am bored as hell with just sitting on the porch and kicking cans. No lives to save!  No hard head young men to converse with about unsafe sexual escapades! No condoms to hand out!  No newly diagnosed person to get connected to care!  No one to talk to about his or her struggle around spirituality and sexuality!  No reason to put on my red cape and fly through the air with the greatest of ease...oooops, that's the daring young man on the flying trapeze!  I need to turn some water to wine before the grapes dry up!  Ha!  I know those of you who are going to work every day and working with crazy people think I'm bananas!  I'm really not.  I'm just tired of walking around the house all day singing, "Touch me in the morning don't just walk away" in mezzo soprano.

In my sanest moment I know that my time to return to the active duty of saving the world will return.  In the meantime, HGTV, The View, The Chew and Scandal continue to comfort me through each day!

That's Real Open Talk for Life!

Presence and Power!