Good morning... Many were touched by the song in yesterday's post, What Lies Ahead? A variety of people wrote to me privately in response. (Some people are facing a grueling cancer journey with loved ones, others are being reshaped by the impact of Alzheimers, and still others are facing various forms of loss, grief, pain.) As the days [...]
Good morning... My parents' performance of "Guys and Dolls" at their senior living community near Cleveland, Ohio was priceless, just priceless. The joy filling the room was palpable as I soaked in the experience with my sister and her family. As our mom waved [...]
Good morning... "We are coming off a whirlwind graduation weekend at UNC," texted a longtime friend earlier this week. "Bryan Stevenson was the keynote speaker, who was EXCELLENT! Given your recent experience with the museum in Montgomery, Alabama which he helped to start, I wanted to forward you his quote." Your hope is your superpower. Believe things you [...]
Good morning... "So keep this refuge in mind: the back roads of your self." This Marcus Aurelius quote visits me like an old friend. Traveling the highway is rush hour, heavy traffic, efficiently direct. Exploring the back roads is slow moments, uplifting alone-time, freedom to meander. On the back roads of ourselves, God whispers through our rolled down [...]
Good morning... "A soul friend is a person you trust enough to share some of the deepest matters of your heart, someone who will listen to what you share without any kind of judgement, without trying to "fix" anything, and without flattering or criticizing you," writes Margaret Silf on page 47 of Simple Faith. "He or she will, [...]
Good morning... Meeting for the first time in Lent, our therapeutic community group began with our normal feelings check-in with creative blob-figures. I chose to share about our son's engagement, how I feel like the green figure below, diving into totally new territory, leaning into the friends (in yellow) who are skilled at swimming the waters of expanding [...]
Good morning... Yesterday, after my second sleep, I woke to a thought provoking poem sent by a friend. Slowly, I read it aloud to myself, thinking, "What a gorgeous way to begin Ash Wednesday." As we journey into the invitation of this Lenten season, might we each take a moment to savor these words which are blown like [...]
Good morning... Heading into yesterday, I read the monthly devotional message written by my husband Steve, the Upper School chaplain at The Lovett School. Through Steve's keen wisdom God spoke in surround sound as I prepared my heart for a two day training with our talented Northside Church staff. ****** Chaplain's Devotional by Rev. Steve Allen, October 17, [...]
Good morning... "I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world," said Mother Teresa. I adore this thought. I am. Little. Pencil. Held in God's hand. The steady hand of a writing God. God is sending a love letter through me. A love letter addressed to [...]
Good morning... "Sunset tonight as raindrops are falling on the lake," she texted on Sunday night from the coast of Oregon. "Sabbath blessings indeed!" "And then this happened," she witnessed God's WOW. "Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love" (Psalm 62:11b-12:a, NIV). Such full bodied transformation reminds me of a quote [...]
