Prayer Room Eight Garden Steps, Step Six First-Plymouth Congregational Church United Church of Christ 2000 "D" Street Lincoln, Nebraska 68502-1698 Office (402) 476-7565 Fax (402) 476-8402

   Step Six-
                    Love

   Psychosocial Crisis: Intimacy & Solidarity vs. Isolation 
   Range of Relationship: Partners in Friendship, Sex, Competition,
      Cooperation

   Love is a mutuality of devotion greater than the antagonisms
   inherent in divided junction.

[Erik H. Erickson, The Human Cycle (1968)]

[Love; 26x43 in. Painting by Nadine McHenry. A young adult concentrates on establishing relationships and commitments.]

Biblical Reference     Jesus and the woman at the well      

    There came a woman of Samar'ia to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samar'ia?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' I you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep; where do you get that living water?" Jesus said to her, "Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give a person will never thirst; the water that I shall give will become in that person a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

[John, Chapter 4, verses 7-14]

Taoist Reference

He doesn't just look at the surface ;
He blows away the dust and drinks the water. 
Blow away the dust, now come to the living water.

[Tao Te Ching, Chapter 38]

Plant Selection            Holly

    "Blue Princess" and "Blue Prince", "China Boy" and "China Girl". So few members of the plant kingdom require separate male and female plants as do the holly. Sans the retail tag identifying the plant as male or female, the potted plants stood under the makeshift shelter huddling amongst the other end of season rejects protected from the scorching Nebraska sun. They where right where I left them, weeks before, waiting. The countdown had started at 10% off I knew that as sure as spring would be replaced with summer, usually in one day, these hollies would be affordable 20%, 25%, ouch, that stung. I remember 40% off and lots to choose from. Do I buy now, or wait? Is it worth it? Choices. Consequences. Lessons learned. Sold. One male plant fertilizes many female plants. Love?

[Thomas Bare]

Step Six: Love

Christ's thirst was quenched
By the woman at the well
His love then satisfied her thirst for life. 
Holly, male and female 'twined,
Bear beads of blood and jagged pain. 
Intimacy requires devotion.
So come now, blow away the dust. 
Drink deeply living water.

[Randall E. Dinsdale]

From the program notes for the Abendmusik: Lincoln Eight Garden Steps concert, May 19, 2002.