Good morning... Two weeks ago, our Fab 5 friend group circled up with Jennifer DeShelter over lunch. Jennifer is the mother of beloved Audrey, who passed away fifteen months ago after a fifteen year battle with pediatric cancer. Then last week, Audrey's dad, Ben, posted this moving message on Facebook. ****** This week would have marked the beginning [...]
Good morning... On Tuesday morning, we returned again to our therapeutic community group on the PAWkids campus in Grove Park. Men and women. Young and old. Black and white. We gathered again following our summer break. For our activity, we chose various cards from a deck of images to give voice to things we've experienced since last seeing [...]
Good morning... While on retreat Monday and Tuesday, we spread out into delightfully inviting guest rooms. One friend brought me into her room, and said, "Sue, look what's on my bedside table." Wow. It was The Circle of Love, a small, hardback book of meditations written by my spiritual mentor Betty Skinner. How dear. We just happened to [...]
Good morning... As pressures pile up and anxiety spirals down, we can feel buried beneath the stress. This simple Instagram post helps us to see the light. "The best part is yet to come," whisper the seed and the egg, the cocoon and the storm. "The best part is yet to [...]
Good morning... When I shared this image in yesterday's blog post, a friend responded, "I love this reframing of hanging on by a thread!" "I'm reminded of William Stafford's poem The Way It Is," she continued. "What a reassurance to know there is a God and a power for us we can hold onto and never let go." [...]
Good morning... To add fuel to our process of becoming who we really are, might we prayerfully consider these questions today? In what way are you living with death? What decisions have quieted you? Which one clear word fits you today? Often clarity comes when we take time in silence to listen for God's leading. As we age, [...]
Good morning... Tonight at 8:00 pm on CNN, Ben Sasse and his wife will be interviewed about their experience of facing his death from stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The articulate, well-respected former senator is using his final months on earth to talk about family, faith, and living life fully. Enjoy life with your dearly loved spouse all the [...]
Good morning... She mentioned a line from a poem by John O'Donohue. I searched and discovered the poem in its entirety. Featured in To Bless the Space Between Us, this beautiful writing offers us solace by suggesting that our deceased loved one remains present in our hearts. ****** On the death of the beloved: Blessing and Funeral Poem [...]
Good morning... As I reflect upon the service celebrating Jessica Martin's life, I think about a Scripture read by the pastor. The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory. It is the same way with the resurrection of the [...]
Good morning... Today we will gather to honor the tender life of Jessica Martin. The simple quote above captures her essence. Jess loved very, very deeply. She listened attentively. She whispered prayers often. When moments of peace settled in, she fully embraced them. Jess gave her time to God and to the people who mattered most. Her very [...]
