R.I.P. John Prine

I never got to see him in person. But his music is among the greatest. Thanks to a remarkable songwriter. He told us what he would do today in a song. Enjoy. Laugh and cry as you watch.

Bucket List Items?

Stopped into my local coffee shop and the question on the blackboard was "What is on the top of your bucket list?" The funny thing was I almost posted that on Facebook an hour or so earlier. So I started thinking.....

I am in the midst of filling one of those this summer (and beyond, hopefully.) I am devoting significant time to becoming a much better trumpet player. My technique etc. is probably the best it has ever been. (I know that because I can almost play the whole Al Hirt part of the song Java.) I am playing all kinds of music this summer from classical band to brass quintet to jazz-big band. I am wrestling with improvising right now. Our quintet will be playing at a local band festival in three weeks. It is exciting!!

So, what else is there to look forward to? Here goes:

• Playing in the pit orchestra for The Music Man
• Finally getting to the Grand Canyon and perhaps someday
• rafting in the Grand Canyon
• Finishing my first book and
• Getting the book published
• Visiting Cuba
• Visiting Alaska, esp. Denali

And the #1, top bucket list item, and perhaps the least likely to occur:

• Biking at least 300 km or more of the Camino de Santiago de Compestela in Spain

In the end it also reminded me of a pastor colleague I once knew and greatly respected in spite of some of our disagreements. He was a Bishop and a truly spiritual person! Every year, like most of us, he would get upset with the tedium of the church annual report that had to be sent into the denominational headquarters. In addition to stats and all those things you had to list both "short-term goals" and "long-term goals."

One year, in one of his flights of fancy he decided to see what would happen if he gave a really true answer to the "long-term goal" question. His answer was simple:

• To get to heaven! 

My ultimate bucket list item! And obviously the last one to be fulfilled.

Toward Pentecost (40): Heaven (Ascension Day)