Good morning... Most every day, I walk the sidewalk pictured above. One day, no leaves. The next day, a ton. What a silent, visual truth: The neighborhood trees, just like you and me, are altered by the rainstorms of life. As I have been trying to "obey my muddle clear" this week, I enjoyed lunch with an old, [...]
Good morning... “What kills a soul?" asks Shauna Niequist author of Present Over Perfect. She answers herself: "Exhaustion, secret-keeping, image management." "And what brings a soul back from the dead?" she wonders. "Honesty, connection, grace.” For me, what will it be? Exhaustion. Secret-keeping. Image management. Honesty. Connection. Grace. As I notice where my heart is drawn, I focus [...]
Good morning... Our weekly Thursday class decided to meet monthly in this summer season. As we gathered last week, one of the women shared a page from a devotional book she loves. She read the following words to us aloud, before we unpacked our thoughts as a group. The word "standby" [...]
Good morning... Our nine year old dog went to heaven recently, and what I learned from our choice to release Tate's spirit from her cancer-filled body helped me this week. A friend called, distraught. Their ten year old dog had inoperable tumors growing in his liver. He would happily walk their five mile route, then he would suddenly [...]
Good morning... I send the photo above to my friend in Atlanta, exchanging a string of texts with these loving thoughts. Me: I wake this morning in the nest of the upper floor of my friend’s old home in Connecticut. Jayne is a soulmate from my graduate school days at UConn. This image greets me as I walk [...]
Good morning... I have been texting with a friend who is making a very hard decision. "I woke up thinking about Tate," she wrote. "And the unwanted space in your house. I am so sorry, Sue. I haven't called because we are heartsick and stomach sick. I feel God is guiding us to memory care. We are crying [...]
Good morning... Each dark night when I am stirred from sleep, I find myself in search of a pearl, a pearl of wisdom, a fresh revelation. Like a mesmerized mermaid, I dive deep down, deep down to the foot of Christ's heavy cross. There I discover a gem, a gift of the Holy Spirit. [...]
Good morning... As I blogged about Our Retreat In Review, I shared with you our acronym to S.T.I.R. U.P. the Gifts of God. S. – Savor Six Senses T. – Trust God’s Time I. – “I” Must Die R. – Release All Resistance U. – Unite With God P. – Power Rises Up Grow God’s Gifts Immediately, a reader responded: "Sue, what are six [...]
Good morning... I woke to an email sharing one of my favorite poems. ****** "The Guest House" by Rumi This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who [...]
Good morning... As we drove home from a wonderful wedding weekend, Steve and I listened to a podcast which included a story about two wolves. Later, I researched the Native American tale. I invite you to take three minutes to enjoy the retelling of the first version I uncovered. “Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. [...]
