Betsy’s Bullets
Good morning... "The unseen Spirit of God was real to Betsy Anderson," said the minister with delight. Betsy captured breadcrumbs of Spirit-led living, compiling over her nine decades a coveted document called "Betsy's Bullets." Each person who attended Saturday's celebration of life service got a bright yellow copy of Betsy's words of wisdom, "learned here, there, and everywhere in life." Of the five full pages of loving one liners, these are my top [...]
She Splashed Joy
Good morning... At Lenbrook Senior Community on Saturday, we honored the flamboyant life of Betsy Anderson, the mom of Corinne Adams, a dear friend to many. I have never put in so much time deciding what to wear to a celebration of life service, since the traditional black garb simply would not do. I chose my brightest blue blouse and donned my white, TYVEK jacket with a huge, sequined eye-inside-a-heart appliqué on the back, [...]
Savor Sabbath: Don’t Miss This Video
Good morning... Wow. As on online community, we have experience the deep-wide fullness of real life this week, colorful highs amid painstaking lows. As we savor this Sabbath, revisiting past posts, please don't miss this video likely lost in our shuffle of mixed, meaningful emotions. Snuggle up with God in the sacred space at your center, and enjoy this video shared yesterday by a loyal subscriber: www.youtube.com/watch?v=apjRstrD6oE God is our refuge and strength [mighty [...]
The Rich Gift Of Shared Sorrow
Good morning... "Dear Sue," she wrote after yesterday's post, A Special Kind Of Grief. "Today’s post is so powerful and important. Thank you for sharing these words from the mother who is grieving the loss of her son from overdose. She is so honest and raw and true. So many of us have family and close friends that struggle from drug or alcohol addictions or from eating disorders or other socially challenged diseases. [...]
A Special Kind Of Grief
Good morning... God's timing astounds me. On June 17th at 2:09 pm, I received the email initiating yesterday's post, a post about a man in Jacksonville who was touched by our past post, as he grieved the loss of his nephew to a drug overdose. I am not kidding you. Less than two hours later, at 3:49 pm on June 17th, I got another email. "I wanted to share this article with you," a [...]
Our Post Touched A Person
Good morning... "Hi Sue," she wrote this week. "Wanted to let you know that your recent post and poem has helped a friend of mine in Jacksonville. He lost both his brother-in-law and nephew in two separate drug overdoses in a three week period. So much sadness — thanks for all you do for so many." She proceeded to share with me a snapshot of her friend's Facebook post and received his permission [...]
This Mom Will Be Missed
Good morning... "Sue, my mom passed away at 2:36 today peacefully and quickly," our dear friend Corinne Adams texted me at 11:08 pm on Saturday, June 8th. "It was time to rest. I can't wait to tell you about all the angels who showed up spontaneously...former caregivers, who were like family...they felt a call to come, not knowing...it was tearful and beautiful. We sent her off in pale pink like a new baby [...]
Are You Driven Or Drawn?
Good morning... "There is a difference between being driven and being drawn," she said at the end of yesterday's phone conversation. Intrigued by the crossroads of these two words, I jotted her concluding statement in my journal, returning to her wisdom when I woke around 2:00 am. Around 3:30 am, I climbed back into bed, sensing God's message for us today was not yet fully formed. When I woke again at 5:30 am, [...]
Songs In Our Soul
Good morning... Last Monday's post set off a creative chorus of responses. Our post, A Little Boy's T-Shirt, ended with an invitation. "If the joy of the LORD is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), what song lyrics well up in your brain when strong emotions get all steamed up? P.S. If you feel compelled, send me your brain’s knee-jerk reaction and together we will bring out into the open the lyrics living inside." My dad responded [...]
Savor Sabbath: Our Fathers In Heaven
Good morning... We all have founding fathers, generations of grandfathers, and some of us have beloved fathers at home in heaven, at home right now, feasting with our Heavenly Father as we celebrate this special day set aside for dads. Out of sight but in our minds, how will we celebrate the legacy of our loved ones this one-of-a-kind Father's Day? This week our posts have centered around one deeply missed dad, a [...]
My Husband’s Message
Good morning... My husband, Rev. Steve Allen, shared a life-giving message during Tuesday's memorial service, honoring another deeply missed dad in our close-knit community. Steve chose to read what seemed like an "odd" Scripture for a funeral, at first glance. Aloud he read: Jesus said to one who had invited him to a dinner, "When you give a luncheon, a dinner, or a wedding feast do not invite your friends or your brothers or [...]
The Poem In His Wallet
Good morning... Before J Schroeder died, he taught people how to live. Stepping up to the microphone at his memorial service, his deeply loved wife described J as "a force of nature," admitting "Everyone wanted to be in his orbit." Grateful for joy-filled years together, she said, "I am so glad he chose me." After sharing bonding stories, she read aloud a poem, a poem she found folded neatly in his wallet after [...]