Good morning... "Once in a blue moon someone like you comes along," Van Morrison sings into our soul. A friend sent me an article, an article written by Alissa Barry. These are perfect thoughts to ponder as May tips into June. ******* Once in a blue moon. Today is a rare celestial event. It's a blue moon. A [...]
Good morning... As I stroll into our summer reading of Henri Nouwen's Here and Now, I meet these words on page 43. "Joy and hope are never separate. I have never met a hopeful person who was depressed or a joyful person who has lost hope." I think to myself, "Actually, I think I am a hopeful person [...]
Good morning... Walking beside the muddy banks of the Chattahoochee river, I was reminded of a quote from our final book of the semester, Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer. On page 79, Parker writes about the season of spring. "...before spring becomes beautiful, it is plug ugly, nothing but mud and muck. I have walked in [...]
Good morning... In our spiritual growth group, she read this request out loud. ****** Circle me O God Keep faith within Keep fear without. Circle me O God Keep hope within Keep despair out. Circle me O God Keep peace within Keep turmoil out. Circle me O God Keep calm within Keep storms without. Circle me O God [...]
Good morning... Last week in class, we read aloud much of my favorite chapter in Parker Palmer's Let Your Life Speak. In a chapter entitled All the Way Down, Parker unpacks the most life-giving description of depression I have ever experienced. I posted some of his words yesterday in our blog Befriending Our Depression. Today, I feel drawn [...]
Good morning... Ironically this same tongue can be both an instrument of blessing to our Lord and Father and a weapon that hurls curses upon others who are created in God’s own image (James 3:9, VOICE). Today, will our tongue be an instrument of God's peace or a weapon of the warring world? Hatred exists. Heap hate or [...]
Good morning... Yesterday, at the exact perfect moment, we discussed the final two chapters of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May. Today, we wake up to the first official day of spring. Just like that, we melt from one season into the next. Katherine has this to say on the last [...]
Good morning... Last weekend, I led a retreat with thirty-two women for Kairos, a small Presbyterian church in town. God inspired the "Made for More" retreat material from a funny card I received several years back. Symbolically, we are all born as caterpillars, mindlessly munching the leaf upon which we [...]
Good morning... After reading yesterday's post, including words of wisdom from our spiritual mentor Betty Skinner, one friend texted me along with another friend. Know who and whose you are. Remember, "Gratitude is everything." Keep your mouth shut and your heart open. "These are my favorites!!!" she said. "Agreed!" replied our other friend. "I was thinking of the [...]
Good morning... "Sitting still with God, we un-blend our emotions," said our group leader on Tuesday morning. The word "blend" made me think of the smoothie-making process. I take separate ingredients. Almond milk. Frozen fruit, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. A scoop of protein powder. A spoonful of plain yogurt. A big handful of spinach. I "blend" it all together [...]
