I have been thinking about doing a podcast for a number of years now, and decided to take the plunge. However, the only reason to do a podcast is for it to be helpful to others in content and format.  So, I would be interested to hear any feedback you would have for me.

The idea for these is a simple, short (10 minutes), conversational-tone piece that helps to nurture resilience through the deepened understanding of the unforced rhythms of grace. I plan to do this podcast weekly on Saturday mornings – from my living room chair, staring at the lake in front of our home, as is my habit most mornings. Peace.

Here’s the link — Episode 1: Pause at Freedom 55  

BTW – here’s the view:

What is in power of a word; is it not simply a sound? Sounds are many and diverse. Some sounds need to be blocked out as they can damage our hearing – like the rhythmic pounding of a riveter in a ship-building yard. Some sounds need to be blocked out because they can create damage to our mental and spiritual health, like the sounds hurled at us by the schoolyard bully. Others give life and lift the human spirit, like the chickadee on a mild winter morning at sunrise, or the first song of the Robin in spring.

Though sounds can be brief, some can leave impressions that last a full lifetime — like the sounds of condemnation or betrayal from someone close to us.  We try to let them go, but they keep coming back to us as if they were imbedded in our flesh. Other sounds are so precious that we put great effort into holding on to them, and we fear that the memory of them will fade over time. Please Continue Reading …

 Please Continue Reading …

The longer this COVID season drags on, the more people tell me that they feel tired. Tired of adapting, tired of the steady diet of fear served through the media, and tired of the impatience of others. They often go on to state that they are concerned that their character is shifting; that they have a reduced capacity to engage life; that they are afraid that they will say or do something out of their present condition that will have undesirable and long lasting consequence.

Snow in Summer

I’m not the man I want to be – I’ve got no chance ‘til eternity
15-over but always short – Easy to hurt but hard at war
It’s like snow in summer – Like snow in summer

When I was writing the song Snow in Summer, I had the message down and the melody written, but I was still looking for the chorus/hook. It was as frustrating to find the right words as it was to be a better man – to live out of a fullness of altruistic character — and then, at just the right moment, I looked out the window. It was snowing. In summer. The window scene matched my current mood perfectly. The imposition of an undesirable event  in what should have been a more pleasant season: dissonance. Please Continue Reading …

“What difference does it make?” This was the question on my mind when I quit music ten years ago. There was more to it than this, (I’ll spare you the political blah, blah, blah) but the loss of felt impact was an essential element in my leaving music behind. Restarting again has meant coming to grips with the emotions of felt rejection – and I’m not alone in this; many artists wrestle with the vulnerability of placing their creation before others. Some deal with it well – I did not.

A good friend of mine captured the issue well when he said to me, “What makes us think we have anything that needs to be said, or that anyone should care to listen?” Please Continue Reading …

I enjoy sailing. I’m not an adrenaline junkie; I don’t need to be clipping across the waves in a catamaran with 1/2 of the boat in the air and my body leaning back away from it as ballast – I’m more of a “tiller in one hand, glass of wine in the other” kinda guy.

There are as many forms of recreation as there are personalities on the planet, and there are many ways to be on the water: kayak, canoe, stand-up paddle board, rowboat, cruise ship, runabout, pontoon, houseboat, wakeboat, fishing boats, dingies and more, but I have come to enjoy sailing the most.

OPEN WATER

Well I’m lookin’, lookin’ for open water
I’m lookin’ – lookin’ for open water
The air is just too crowded
It’s got no empty space
Tryin’ to find some grace

When I sail, I’m not really interested in racing. Some are competitive and can’t resist pulling up alongside my boat to see if they can provoke a race, but I’m not interested; I will deliberately let the sails go slack in response. The way I figure it, if I can’t relax sailing, then I’m going to stay at the campfire and watch from a distance. Please Continue Reading …

My Ride to Remember experience has become a living example as to how the keys of resilience work: growing self-mastery through supportive relationships within the process of cycling.

The Ride to Remember began as our way to honour our heroes, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their community and to ensure the magnitude of their sacrifice is never forgotten. On September 24, 1998, the Government of Canada officially proclaimed the last Sunday of September of every year as the Police and Peace Officers’ National Memorial Day.On September 27, 1998, the Solicitor General of Canada stated that “A formal, national Memorial Day gives Canadians an opportunity each year to formally express appreciation for the dedication of police and peace officers who make the ultimate, tragic sacrifice to keep communities safe.”

My R2R Story

My story begins much earlier than the five years I have been riding with the R2R; it begins with a 15-year friendship. While hiking the backcountry with a good friend (a Staff Sargent with the Saskatoon Police Service), my knees were giving me serious grief — my self-mastery was challenged!  Please Continue Reading …

I’m sure you’ve noticed as much as I have, that it is proving to be  difficult to know who you can talk to about what topics these days. Polarization of topical opinion seems to be at an all-time high – at least within my life experience.

Maybe you read the posts of friends and find them to be inline with your thinking, and/or you’re surprised when they are not. You fingers hover over the keyboard, and you wonder if you should wade in and express your opinion. This time you choose to remain silent, because you’re still trying to process the abuse you received from the last round. No, it wasn’t from your friend directly; you’re relationship is still (mostly) okay, but the thread opened up to many you’ve never even met, and they didn’t hold back their wrath, offence and indignation. Please Continue Reading …

Have you ever found yourself pondering who you are? There are many roles you play in life – you may be father/mother, husband/wife, sibling, friend, worker, leader, etc, etc…but who are you?

“You can sense it in the mornin’ – as you turn the coffee on
It comes without a warning – when all you feel is numb
And you’re lookin’ for the meaning in all you’ve done
Hope rides on the horizon…”

You may not be aware of the pervasiveness of this question in the whirlwinds of busyness.  The noise and clutter of the world around us overwhelms the capacity for our reflective thought and awareness. But every once in a while – in moments of quiet throughout the average day, a still, small, voice can be heard. Please Continue Reading …

SIDE A

1. OPEN WATER

2. I Hold On

3. Snow in Summer

4. I Ain’t Ready for a Fight

5. Hope Rides on the Horizon

SIDE B

1.  Ride to Remember

2. Someone Paid the Piper

3. Breathing Again

4. Stupid

5. Two Left Feet

BONUS TRACK: Let it Rain – A message for today – in 70’s psychedelic

MUSIC VIDEO: Ride to Remember

Like what you hear? Get your copy HERE!

….and please share! 🙂