Good morning... I was thinking about all of those who have lost loved ones this holiday season. Husbands. Wives. Sons. Daughters. Siblings. Parents. Friends. One person told me, "It feels like whiplash. I was expecting a joyful Christmas, and we had a funeral instead." Then I opened an email that supported my prayerful pondering. "I came across this [...]
Good morning... This photo of my friend's grandson was taken by an Associated Press photographer at the Carter Center on Sunday. It pairs so perfectly with words written by Edmond MacDonald. The great events of this world are not battles or elections, earthquakes or thunderbolts. The great events are children, for each child comes with the message that [...]
Good morning... As a retired english teacher, he said, "Every year, I would share with the kids my favorite Hemingway quote." The greatest act of courage is getting out of bed each morning. Right now, my prayers are with the courageous ones who are facing the difficulty of illness, Alzheimers, powerlessness. The courageous ones who are experiencing the [...]
Good morning... "I am blessed to own the original of this wonderful painting by a very special artist," wrote my friend. "The painting is entitled, 'Even When I Can’t Feel You' by Elizabeth Londen." Then she shared her intimate thoughts from yesterday. ****** Epiphany 2025 by Vilda Stone Brannen, January 6, 2025 There is a sadness that comes [...]
Good morning... After receiving word of the heartbreaking loss, I immediately texted my friend, "I just heard the horrible news. Please know that Steve and I are with you in Spirit, lifting you in prayer. Let us know how we might come close to support." "Thank you, Sue," came her quiet response. The next morning, I texted. "I [...]
Good morning... In the dark of night, my bare feet walk outside to capture one first photo of this new year. Returning to the warmth of home, I savor gentle words. "Let me not forget how to be stirred by beauty, remade by it, even," writes poet Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. "So I practice now, this art of falling [...]
Good morning... "Indeed a humble man," filled the subject line of her email yesterday. "Good morning, Sue," she wrote. "I searched for this picture and 🙏 found it. My mom, daughter and I were heading home from New York City, and we were all held up boarding the plane. We could not figure out why and then we [...]
Good morning... Many of us could relate to yesterday's post, I've Broken A Lot. We are all gloriously, terribly broken, and oh, it's so beautiful to see it, the love in everything. "We are all so blessed that God doesn’t leave us in our broken state🙏🏻♥️," quickly came the first response. A few minutes later, another reader wrote: [...]
Good morning... These glass bottles line one window sill in our living room. They serve as a reminder of God's repeating process of growth, change, regeneration. The egg of our potential exists. Then, unexpectedly, things fall apart. We sit still in the sticky mess, empty, empty, empty. Over time, the seed of new life begins to form, "Amazing [...]
Good morning... In the earth's Northern hemisphere, tonight is the winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice. The winter solstice is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year. At dawn, we will wake up into the first official day of winter. I happen upon a poem to shed light on this [...]
