Cloudy With A Chance Of Sunset
Good morning... "You should write a blog post entitled Cloudy With A Chance Of Sunset," our twenty-one year old son said on the top of the mountain in Steamboat Spring, Colorado. He had worked out west all summer with five friends from The University of Georgia. My husband and I visited, seeing his place of employment, enjoying with him the hikes and the views, the rodeo and the restaurants, the fly fishing and [...]
I Believe In The Sun
Good morning... "Please don't miss 'I Believe' by Mark Miller on YouTube," she wrote after yesterday's post, When God Seems Silent. "So thankful for your commitment to sharing your love of scripture." I enjoyed the adventure of researching various versions of this powerful song. The following rendition by Schola Diffusa (Latin for "dispersed choir") was performed from the singers' homes — in January 2021 — during the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. [...]
When God Seems Silent
Good morning... "Love that reading and your message," a friend wrote after yesterday's post, A Weekend Of Waiting. "Reminds me of the Sue Monk Kidd’s book, When the Heart Waits. Peace be with you." "Good morning, Sue," wrote another loyal reader. "I love the beautiful quote you shared: 'Strive to be one of the few who walk this earth with the ever present realization - every morning, noon and night - that the [...]
A Weekend Of Waiting
Good morning... This was a weekend of waiting. Waiting for a teenager's scan results. Waiting for a baby's birth. Waiting for my mom's broken leg to heal. Waiting for a loved one's transition to heaven. Waiting for deadly flood waters to recede. Waiting for raging fires to cease. Waiting for this ugly war to end. Waiting for the school year to begin. Waiting for July to flip to August. Waiting for clarity, answers, [...]
Two Special Toddlers
Good morning... My parents in Ohio donated $25 to PAWkids (a non-profit in downtown Atlanta) in honor of 3-year-old Ludvig, who is battling cancer in Oslo, Norway. Wow, what an opening sentence - Ohio, Georgia, Norway. Look at God's creative web of connectivity! This seed money became a magnet for the generosity of many and, through individual donations of $10, $25, $50, $100, $200, our written word community raised enough money for the [...]
Hard, Beautiful Words
Good morning... Daily I am fed by writers pouring hard, beautiful words into my inbox. My gut nods in agreement, "This truly is true." The wisdom of Betty Skinner, shared above, mysteriously mingles with words from Kate Bowler this week. Your world has shrunk. Pain or grief or fear has sucked up every bit of oxygen from the room and every ounce of delight has been squeezed from your hands. Blessed, are you [...]
Seeing Both Sides Now
Good morning... "I love this scene from 'Up'," a friend wrote after yesterday's blog post, One Favorite Movie Clip. "It's so dear. It reminds me of this." She proceeded to share the link below of 78-year-old Joni Mitchell blessing adoring fans with her beloved hit "Both Sides Now." Researching her surprise performance at the Newport folk festival in Rhode Island, I learned that Joni, the iconic singer-songwriter, stepped onto the stage for the [...]
One Favorite Movie Clip
Good morning... On our plane ride home I watched "Up", the 2009 computer-animated film produced by Pixar. One favorite movie clip sums up the lasting love we each hope for in our lifetime. This series of scenes reminds me of my husband and I as we enjoy the empty-nesting phase of life. It also spurs hope for our four young adult kids who are seeking to find their own lifetime soulmates. I admire [...]
Surround Sound Again
Good morning... "God's surround sound again," she texted me early yesterday. "I awoke praying for all those who are in the midst of personal struggles and now moving to our world and it's chaos. Was feeling the call to find and hold onto Hope--to not despair--and then I opened your email, How To Live With Hope. "May the God of grace--and peace and love--help us to be that beacon of Hope for those [...]
How To Live With Hope
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, but 'nuclear holocaust' is symbolic of so much more in these days of political divisiveness [...]
Love Is The Only Solution
Good morning... "This meditation from yesterday really speaks to me, and I think it will speak to you too," she texted me yesterday after a really hard ten days. "Happy Saturday as I enjoy the lake and mountains before the boat traffic starts." ****** Love Is the Only Solution by Richard Rohr, July 22, 2022 Father Richard’s Franciscan tradition prioritizes putting love into concrete action while drawing on Divine Love as our Source: [...]
From Problem To Person
Good morning... Many of you were drawn alongside me toward an astronomical shift we gleaned from yesterday's post, My Mom Is Home. "Behold. This is not a problem to be solved. This is a person to be loved." When we shift our focus off of the problem at hand and consider the person sitting right in front of us, we move from problem-solving to generously loving. Might this shift of focus make all [...]