June 19, 2005, Father's Day

Whipple Hollow Road, biking.
I haven't been able to post the last couple of days due to computer failure but it seems to have decided to work now. The rain that has lasted a week and flooded roads has finally subsided and the sun is out. I went for a bike ride for the first time in a month. I was riding 18-20 miles a trip in FL but have been forced to cut back here in these hills. I was never shifting a gear in FL but here, I am shifting all the time and still forced to walk up some of these slopes pushing the bike. I did manage to get Bearfoot waxed with a good marine wax in between rain showers this past week. I found a couple of cracks up top too and was able to caulk them. Whoever owned this MH before me had hit some low hanging obstacles. I will hang out here this week, then move to Florence, VT next week. My daughter, Jill and her family live there. I always enjoy spending time at their place. She and Thon, her husband, have a large family. They are an industrious and interesting mix of personalities. I also get to bike there in the mts. of VT.

I awoke the other morning thinking about spirituality and religion. I meditate each morning and night, although my morning meditations are much longer than my nighttime ones. I am a spiritual person but not necessarily a religious person. I live a spirit-filled life and give to others in any way that I am needed. I thought about all the churches I have attended and why. In FL, I attend St. John's Catholic church because I enjoy the music of Paul Todd, a fine musician from Naples. He plays 7 keyboards at once and sings like Vic Damone and Frank Sinatra rolled into one. They also have a couple of fine tenors and a super choir there. When I am in VA, I attend St. Matthews ME church because it is a time when I can see my VA family who attend church but lead very busy lives during the week. I also like the pastor there as well as the members. The pastor of the Unitarian Church of Glen Allen, VA that I enjoyed so much left the church for another one in Boston. I attended the Baptist church in NC for many years because it was convenient to my home and since I was unable to drive, it allowed me to have contact with my neighbors. I attend Native American ceremonial gatherings and participate in the ways of the people because I have been drawn to do so since I was a small child. Our family has approx. 1/16th Mohawk blood in our genes. It is partially due to the genetic trait but also due to my love of the Earth and all the creatures of the Earth. I find God all around me all the time whether I am listening to a pastor, a choir, a tenor or a birdsong in nature. It doesn't matter if I attend church or not, I still feel the connection to all there is, or the greater I AM energy. I attended a Quaker Meeting and found great comfort, integration and connection there amongst the meditating people. One objection I have to traditional churches is the constant activity. The prayers seem too short, sermon too long and never enough music. Quaker meetings are lovely long periods of time where one can connect in group meditation and prayer with others who are doing so. It is a very satisfying experience. I hear people say one should not attend church due to a particular liking for a pastor but I disagree. I think one should follow a teacher just as the people did in Jesus Christ's time of teaching or when the Buddha was teaching. Gather the information that is available from the teacher who resonates with your own way of learning. These types of stepping stones will only increase your spiritual connection.

I am still working on photos. I will post a URL as soon as I figure it out.