11 highlights of the the tour so far:

1. Giving my first sermon (Hickory Lutheran Church, Hickory, NC, September 11). I was scared and glad the pulpit was there to hide my shaking legs, however, everyone was very quiet and no one fell asleep. The subject of the readings was reconciliation.
2. Seeing Aunt Carol, Uncle Art, and Lisa (Malaprop’s Bookstore event, Asheville). Felt good to have the work seen and appreciated by folks who remember me as Fifty-five.
3. Re-meeting Hanaan, a Palestinian woman I met last spring at a Women in Black gathering (Knoxville, TN). She was studying in Egypt during the 1967 war and was never allowed to return to Palestine though the rest of her family were there. She’s a great storyteller and one of the most outspoken Muslim women in Knoxville. Her stories are often funny and warm and include someone waking up to their prejudice and ignorance towards Muslims and Arabs. We talked about doing a book together.
4. Listening to Jim Harb talk about the vegetables and flowers in his garden (Knoxville, TN). Jim, an old friend, and one of the hundreds of Harbs of Ramallah living in Knoxville, has flowers and vegetables from all over the world. Eight varieties of tomatoes, including a Lebanese tomato which we ate for breakfast.
5. Hiking with Charlie to Fall Creek Falls (Fall Creek Falls State Park, TN).
6. Eating a Bocca pizza with Pastor Joe Hoffman and Noel Nickel (Asheville, NC).
7. Sharing a story during Children’s Time (First Congregational United Church of Christ, Asheville, NC). First time I told part of the Magic Nation story to kids.
8. Walking with Carol, Flower, and Charlie along the Tennessee River (Knoxville, TN).
9. Sitting and talking with Brenda Bell in her home (Maryville, TN). Brenda just turned 60 last year, quit her job to work in Afghanistan to train teachers in literacy education. She will return in October.
10. Listening to the music at the Nashville Peace Rally (Nashville, TN).
11. (As I write this) talking with Chris Lugo of Nashville IMC about all the places I am headed next (Nashville, TN). He seems to know something about every place I will be presenting. Like that the Mall of America (the largest mall in the US) is in Blooomington, MN. And Focus on the Family is based in Colorado Springs. And Lawrence is the Boulder of Kansas.