Uphill idealist

​ Recently, I had an unusual meeting with a bird – inside my car. I opened my car door and something brushed against my leg. I cautiously turned to look and found a robin, blinking back at me. On being noticed, the robin hopped into the passenger seat of my car and peacefully settled on the front dash. She showed no sign of fear. She curiously and calmly looked for her exit to head back into the open sky. I opened the car door and  she hop, hop, hopped - out of my car and into the sunny day. As she flew away I wondered if this feathered friend had a message for me and googled the meaning of, “meeting a robin close up and personal”. I learned that in some Indigenous traditions, robins are understood as messengers of Peace. This understanding of Robins as messengers of peace, is one that still resonates with me. In the middle of a busy day of errands, worries and many expectations - I needed a surprise delivery of PEACE. If you were to encounter a robin of peace today, how would you ...

​ The Best Espresso in thr World! A woman once told me about a place in a small town in PA where she had the best espresso of her life. She went on to say how she’d travelled the globe and had never had another espresso as good as that one. Surprised by her statement, I asked, “Was the name of that shop - - - - -? Was it in -, PA?” She said, “Yes! Do you know the place?” I was shocked. It was more than knowing the place. I was one of the staff at that shop and back at that time I had fallen in love with making beautiful espresso drinks. I learned how to make a cafe au lait with three distinctive sections and a stripe of floating cream in the middle of the tall glass it was served in. I looked at the woman, amazed at her recall of something I had long dismissed and said, “I think you are talking about the espresso that I might have made!” She was shocked!  She asked if I had a shop today. I told her I was now a pastor. She pleaded for me to open a espresso shop once more.  Toda...