Weekends with Friends by Andy Scheer

Last weekend offered a treat. My wife and I spent much of the day with good friends who live more than an hour away.

Two of my favorite traditional jazz bands would be playing in Denver — one in the afternoon, the other that evening. Wayne and Cristie agreed to join us for both concerts.

The late-winter weather cooperated for our drive over 7,500-foot Monument Hill.

We met at their house and talked, then drove to the first event. Between numbers we caught up on what we'd been doing and our plans. Three hours passed quickly, and we reconvened at the restaurant. The Queen City Jazz Band never sounded so good. With outstanding food and strong friendship, our evening passed too quickly.

This weekend offered another treat. Winter weather made a surprise encore, and my wife had to work both days at the public library. But I didn’t have a deadline pending, so I spent time with two other friends.

Paul and Jack live in Massachusetts and Vermont. I hadn’t seen either since October. But no matter. I had Paul’s Cool Blue Tomb on my Kindle, and a mass paperback of Jack’s Pandora’s Curse. Enough time had passed for both books to offer a fresh, yet familiar experience.

Next weekend I’ll face a deadline. But if I can make some progress the next few evenings, I might find a few hours for reading a book by Kathy or maybe Grant.

There’s nothing like a weekend with friends.

Honoring the Life and Writing of Brennan Manning by Diana Flegal

Saturday April 13th I was in Hamilton Ohio presenting at the Mad Anthony Writers Conference. Just prior to lunch, I was checking my inbox via my phone when I saw this FB post from David C. Cook Publishers:

ANNOUNCEMENT: Author and Friend Brennan Manning went to be with Jesus yesterday. As Brennan challenged us time and time again "Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion.” Brennan was a true Ragamuffin in Christ and is now celebrating with the Beloved. Our prayers are with Brennan's family.

When I read this, I wanted to go off in a corner and sob rather than eat lunch and chat about writing. I had lost a wonderful friend. Brennan had held my hand and spoke words of love and grace to me the last six years of my life, six difficult years. I never met Brennan face to face. But I knew him. Very well. A friend had introduced us. She was downsizing her library and moving into assisted living. She told me to help myself to her extensive personal library. I didn't want to be piggish, but I was salivating. She mentioned Brennan Manning as a favorite of hers and I came home with copies of his Ruthless Trust and Ragamuffin Gospel. At a later date, I added The Signature of Jesus, The Importance of Being Foolish and Souvenirs of Solitude when I came upon a collection at Half-Price Books. I was rich.

In Brennan's memoir, All is Grace- Philip Yancey said in the introduction:  and yet by different routes we had both stumbled upon an artesian well of grace and have been gulping its waters ever since. 

Yes,  I too gulped Grace along with Brennan. 

Brennan is a master of the art of piercing the soul with a gentle scalpel... John Ortberg 

Brennan writes with unvarnished honesty, and profound spiritual insight...Gary W. Moom

I found deep comfort in realizing Jesus loves even me, a ragamuffin, just as I am. Michael Card

Brennan does a masterful job of blowing the dust off shopworn theology and allowing God's grace to do what only God's grace can do--Amaze. Max Lucado

In the forward of the Ragamuffin Gospel, Michael W. Smith said, "Here was the purest picture I'd ever seen of God's relentless pursuit of His raggedy creation. Not that I could sin more so Grace could abound (Romans 6:15), but grace abounded more because I could find it in the darkness as much as in the light. God wanted me just as I am. I am loved. Brennan took every cliche' I had ever spouted or had spouted at me and turned it into gold". 

Authors, never doubt the power of your words. Words produce life or death in your reader. Choose them wisely, for they will outlive you.

Thank you Brennan.  I look forward to meeting you face to face. In the meantime, may I share the love of Christ with others as you have shown it to me by your life.

Diana

Ragamuffin