Good morning... "Sue," she emailed me from miles away. "I know that you follow Nouwen and sometimes I think his words are too wordy and more philosophical, but this one is direct and to the point of God’s saving love. It’s one for the come-back-to list. With Nouwen dying in 1996, these words weren't written last week, obviously, [...]
Good morning... Since I took this photo of my parents last July, a lot has changed in their lives. Her fall. Her stroke. Her stint in the ICU. Tons of prayers. Miraculously she came back to us. A second fall. More time in the care center. A COVID outbreak. Ugly symptoms. Today for the first time since her [...]
Good morning... "Sue," he wrote, "while you’re probably familiar with these comforting words of Francis de Sales, your message, Too Much Suffering, brought them to mind. 'Have no fear for what tomorrow may bring. The same loving God who cares for you today will take care of you tomorrow and every day. God will either shield you from [...]
Good morning... Weakened by her two falls, two breaks in her femur, and her recent stroke, my 84-year-old mom is now struggling with COVID - congestion in her chest, fogginess in her mind, loss of taste and appetite. Today is Day #4 since she tested positive, and we hope to see a turn around soon. Today is also [...]
Good morning... I have been enjoying Kate Bowler's Joyfully Mediocre Summer Blessing Series. Each Wednesday her weekly email arrives in my inbox. Yesterday's morning message wove itself into me. ***** God, I can’t tell which person I will be today: kind and loving, turn-the-other-cheek and I’ll-be-right-here, soft but strong. I will keep no record of wrongs. I might [...]
Good morning... Sharing honestly from her heart, she texted. "With respect to this week, frankly, it is hard. The days just are hard. Things are hard in this chapter. I know that God will give me the strength I need," she continued. "I know that this will work together for something I don't yet understand. Right now though, [...]
Good morning... As if panning for valuable chunks of gold, I sift through a New York Times opinion piece to discover some very important nuggets. Author Anne Lamott, wise and sassy, provokes the potential of authentic prayer. "Prayer connects us umbilically to a spirit both outside and within us, who hears and answers." "Prayer says... 'I am tiny, [...]
Good morning... After our shared silence, she read aloud a poem. Deeply. Slowly. Gently. In this sacred moment, might we each read out loud? Deeply. Slowly. Gently. ****** something unnamed is being called forth in the depths it has the familiar sound of an Abraham and the quiet certainty of a sunrise it has the movement of geese [...]
Good morning... Yesterday was a historic day. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, sending the authority to regulate abortions back to the states. Regardless of our position on these important issues, might we still our souls in the quietness of this moment? The Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says to the [...]
Good morning... "I just read this devotional and it makes me think of our relationship," I wrote to LaTonya Gates, founder and director of PAWkids, and her compassionate daughter, Larenzia. "So much growth, so much God." I forwarded to them the challenging wisdom below. ****** DAILY MEDITATION | JUNE 18, 2022 - Henri Nouwen Compassionate Solidarity When we [...]
