Soul Cafe Podcast

Readings from The Return of Light—12 Tales from around the World for the Winter Solstice by Carolyn McVicker Edwards.  Two songs are included in this episode—May I Suggest sung by Red Molly and written by Susan Werner and Light of a Clear Blue Morning sung by The Wailing Jennys and written by Dolly Parton.

Benevolence Farm seeks to cultivate leadership, promote sustainable livelihoods, and reap structural change with individuals impacted by the criminal legal system in North Carolina.

Go to website: www.benevolencefarm.org to learn more.

Go to www.beanssprouts.com to learn more about the sponsor of this episode.

Songs used:  Rude Awakening as sung by Della Mae—permission granted.

                          Morning Birds as sung by Mandee Radford Langley and Cristi Johnson known as Alathea—permission granted

                          www.Alathea.com

Sponsors:  beanssprouts.com    @beanssproutsnc

*special note——a couple of small glitches in the recording—sorry our editor is on vacation. But do please find some of the humor in the glitches.

As always, we are rudely awakened by the Americana/Bluegrass band, Della Mae with Celia Woodsmith belting out Rude Awakening and the episode closes with another song by Della Mae-For the Sake of My Heart.  Both songs used by permission from Concord Music.

Conversation between Frank and Jennifer around the influences of MLK Jr on vocation, intersections of faith and life, etc.

This Soul Cafe Podcast featuring permission granted music by: Della Mae and The Sea the Sea.

Public domain music: Huron Carol in part accompanied on piano by Jill Newsome

Special substack reading  by permission authored by Carrie Newcomer.     www.carrienewcomer.substack.com

Blessing by: Jan Richardson.

The Soul Cafe ‘where life is served-up freshly brewed’.  As always to get our minds and hearts to open up we might just need a Rude Awakeing (by Della Mae and permission by Della Mae and Concord Music).  Wake us up Della Mae!

Are we not all struggling right now?  People on both sides of the fence yelling at each other and yelling at ourselves—yes, we are a divided people.  Now we are not calling for some kind of blind unity (Kum ba Yah) that means absolutely nothing—maybe we need to figure out some ways to get around the table—-and listen to each other—to sense each other’s humanity—lots of listening.

Getting around the table—starting with basic humanity.  We quote a little from the book SAVING GRACE—Speak Your Truth, Stay Centered, and Learn to Coexist with People Who Drive you Nuts by Kirsten Powers.  We talk a little about famous odd couples of differing political and other persuasions—and how they found common humanity.

Bell Hooks said “How do we hold people accountable for wrongdoing and yet at the same time remain in touch with their capacity to be transformed”.

We pause to ponder having Room at the Table for everyone by listening with permission from singer-songwriter Carrrie Newcomers song—ROOM AT THE TABLE.  “but there is room at the table for everyone—-so pull up a chair”

Then we focus a little on Frank’s wife Jill’s new buisness in retirement—BEANS AND SPROUTS—beanssprouts.com —one way of making room for everyone is justice—-selling fair trade and organic coffee where the farmers around the world are getting a fair wage and helping to transform their communites—Drink Coffee and Be the Change.  And selling local organically grown herbs and plants.  Also selling Sweet Justice products by (Deans Beans) organic and fair trade dark chocolate disc and hot cocoa mix—giving 10% of the sales to a local agency named—Benevolence Farm near Graham, NC helping formerly incarcerated women to have room at the table.

Frank then switches gears slightly by pointing out that this whole struggle is not about opposing sides not standing for anything—as the Dali Lama says, “if you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion” which leads us even among division to declare humanity for all—-so………………………..

VOTE AS IF

Your skin is not white

Your parents need medical care

Your spouse is an immigrant

Your land is on fire

Your child is transgender

Your house is flooded

Your sister is a victim of gun violence

Your brother is gay

Your water is unsafe

Because Privilege has no place in an Election, But Empathy Does!

Winding down today….an Armenian American writer William Saroyan penned these words in his breakthrough article “The Daring Young Man on the flying Trapeze”, published in 1934.  You might say this is a rousing piece of advice that reads like a rallying cry to live life to its fullest:  “Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste the food when you eat, and when you sleep really sleep.  Try as much as possible to be wholly alive, with all your might, and when you laugh, laugh like hell.  And when you get angry, get good and angry.  Try to be alive.”

Yes, it is almost Halloween—crazy how for some that even divides people—but I say get out there—let your bones rattle—pull out the witches—strobe lights—fog machine—-and laugh with the whole neighborhood—we are in this together—and be ready for some good ole gratitude humanity as Thanksgiving approaches.

We head off into nature—as Della Mae sings—For the Sake of My Heart———just maybe the table needs to be outside—all humanity breathing the same air—watching the change of seasons

The Soul Cafe—the table is large enough for all—-see you next time.

Season 2–Episode 1
Episode Notes

Welcome to the Soul Cafe Podcast—-Season 2–Episode 1–the Soul Cafe “where life is served-up freshly brewed”.
Yes, it has been awhile since Season 1 ended back in May—-Geez—I have retired since then—moved from Portsmouth, NH to Graham, NC—-even working with my wife on a cool venture named Beans&Sprouts—a mobile business from our 1995 Mazda Scrum Mini-truck named Miss Betty (Betty White)—-selling 1 lb bags of organic fair trade coffee—roasted and sourced from the unbelievable Deans Beans …we have 2 Blends and Sprouts special blends and 1 Soul Cafe blend…and super organically grown local herbs and plants from J&B farms in Roxboro.
www.beanssprouts.com

Remind me to tell you the whole story sometime.

Speaking of stories—we have with us today the superb story teller—story catcher—story listener—Mark Yaconelli—-we will be chatting about his brand new book—BETWEEN THE LISTENING AND THE TELLING—How stories can save us”
markyaconelli.wordpress.com


But first we all need an awakening—wake up—-well, yes many today have somewhat polluted the term ‘woke’—but folks we all need an awakening—do we not?—-so let my friends —Americana—bluegrass—beyond label—Della Mae lead us to a RUDE AWAKENING (by permission of Della Mae)

So to help wake us up a little today—we have Mark Yaconelli—-Anne Lamott says about his new book—this is an “owners Manuel for the Soul”——-Okay we are at the Soul Cafe—“where life is served-up freshly brewed”

Mark Yaconelli—speaker, facilator and author of five previous books—founder of the Hearth, a non-profit—Profiles of Yaconelli’s work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, NPR, ABC World News Tonight—-he and his wife have 3 adult children and they live in Ashland, Oregon.

Welcome Mark!!!!
Okay—I am a believer that stories can save us—-and have been for some years—-I understand this book has been in the making for like 10 years—that means to me this is important!!—-so Mark—why this book—why this book at this time in history??

Okay Mark—let’s just cut through it—-in the chapter entitled “Home” (instead of me—which I do sometime) can you please read from your book—page 168–starting with “our world is in crisis” through top of page 171?

Pandemic—-an awakening—-or not??

Chapter 6– The Hearth—-page 84—“in many faith traditions, there is an individual salvation——through page 85—“peace by picnic”.   Comments Mark??

Mark—-my goal with the Soul Cafe Podcast—-pretty much with my life’s—and 40 plus years of ministry—to bring people together around the table—a big ass table—to talk—to listen—-so help me—-tell me how telling/listening/catching stories can contribute to this ‘beloved community’ goal?d

So we have gone deep—a little fun—I will blame you—for books like—practicing the presence of—-etc—for my going to some contemplative time out in Frontac Minnesota—at a monastery in the middle of nowhere—-silence—I mean I had been at Youth Ministry—working with teenagers for some 20 years at that point—Stephen Iverson singing chant like—Peace by still====and then that story you told in one book about Mildred—a senior adult youth worker—stories that changed med
Or your dad—to crazy for his own good…Dangerous Wonder/ MessyMessy Spirituality —world may be going to hell in waste basket but what your family may need is rousing game of Capture the Flag—ping pong championship?
Our journey’s Up here today—-wow—thanks—brother!!!

Thanks Mark for taking the time in your very busy schedule to help me flesh out what the Soul Cafe Podcast is really all ABOUT—telling and listening to stories—-around a big ass table where all——are welcome.  BYE

And so we wrap it up today—humbled by this guy—Mark Yaconelli—that has reminded us in his new book—BETWEEN THE LISTENING AND THE TELLING—How stories can save us” that we need to be at the table—the bar—the picnic—wherever—listening—-telling—our stories

And we need to listen to one more story and that is of mother nature calling us to get outside and be—be with—listen—so we go with a song by The Brother Brothers—Red and Gold. (By permission of the Brother Brothers music)
thanks for joining us at the Soul Cafe