Good morning... In yesterday's post I was grateful to sense the fruits of God's Spirit growing early on my Easter Sunday branch, as I heeded Betty Skinner's wisdom: "The big 'I' must die." Twenty-four hours later, I realized my big "I" had not died, instead my big "I" was crouching inside, keeping score. Let me explain. Two minutes [...]
Good morning... This sacred Saturday, we are called to remember, piecing together, mentally re-membering the painstaking process that crucified our Lord. Here is a song to help you remember, piecing together, re-membering in your mind God's ultimate gift of sacrificial love. Let's take ourselves back with a touching rendition of Were you there? Late in the afternoon a wealthy man [...]
Good morning... This Maundy-Thursday morning, we meditate on the gentle gifts given by our Lord. "Meditation is like taking a little time to sit on a park bench," writes my friend, 93-year-old Christian mystic, Betty Skinner, "touching your old Friend's hand, feeling the warm sunshine together, gazing at the new blooms that have unfolded overnight, listening for what [...]
Good morning... Walking around the horse farm with my Friday morning friend, I heard myself say, "Knowing our Enneagram number helps us to become more consciously aware of our True Self as we grow to become more and more like Christ." At that very moment, I looked down and saw a perfect heart-shaped rock. Picking it up and [...]
Good morning... Opening time and space in these first wee hours, I wait for God to whisper. Who knows what will bubble up and spill on my journal? As I wait, quietly attentive, I strangely feel drawn to doodle. I doodle my memory of 93-year-old Betty Skinner's room in her assisted living facility in Florida. I sketch her [...]
Good morning... "Sweet dear friend," she emailed after yesterday's post, "I’m smiling as I know your family and I can just imagine how fun and light-filled that breakfast was and the jovial conversation which flowed from your son's prompt." "And yet I wonder," she continued, "how will these examples of near-death experiences “sit” with a community that is [...]
Good morning... As we walk on the road God calls us to travel, we are encouraged by the verse ending yesterday's post: And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences (Ephesians [...]
Good morning... Inspired by a deep discussion over a birthday season brunch, God grew within me an opening activity for our Enneagram class this week. As about fifty women gathered together in the Chapel at church, I said, "On a blank sheet of paper, we are going to answer five simple questions. On the left side of your [...]
Good morning... She said to me honestly, "With all of the division in our world, religiously and politically, I really am not sure how to pray." Her confusion made me think of Sue Monk Kidd's comment: "To believe you can find your way 'home' through the crises and the sufferings that fall upon you - and believe it [...]
Good morning... Right here. Right now. There is always something to savor. As I wake this Sabbath, I gush a quick list. sunny, blue winter sky (a welcome change from days of grey drizzle) the joyful love of our quirky dogs surprise overnight visit from our youngest daughter and friends (homemade Stromboli is a magnet) surprise overnight visit [...]
