Finding Peace Of Mind
Good morning... Friday, November 15th has been excitedly filled in on my calendar for a very long time. My dear friend Dr. Cathy Snapp, Director of Behavioral Sciences and Professor at the Medical College of Georgia, will be one of the keynote speakers at the "Finding Peace of Mind" symposium hosted at The Carter Center. Then yesterday, I received a detailed description of the event to share with our written word community. Another [...]
The Coffee Cup Analogy
Good morning... Taking our dogs outside in the middle of this night, all is calm, all is dark. Instinctively, I turn toward the south and lift prayers for the lives being ravaged in Florida by the drenching winds and the storm surge of Hurricane Milton. Prayer. What does prayer do at a time like this? I lift prayers for God's presence to be with family members of friends and the vulnerable people I [...]
“That’s Not Okay.”
Good morning... As I was nudged awake by the Holy Spirit, I climbed out of bed and sat on our couch in the dark of night. A few ideas were dancing with the question, "God, what might I write about right now?" I prayed. I pondered. Then I paused. I opened an email just arriving in my inbox. The blessing below is what I experienced. Might you touch on the link and also [...]
Two Words On One Stone
Good morning... "Hey Sue," she wrote. "On my walk, I was listening to your Ron Greer’s Wisdom blog about kindness from last week, and I happened upon this piece of art. Look closely at what someone left on the base of this statue." In a world that can feel chaotic, confusing, catastrophic, we all need the gentle reminder of these two words on one stone. "Be [...]
Hold Notes Not Bullets
Good morning... Yesterday in our class, I shared the talented gift of a spoken word poet. What a perfect gift to share again with you today, on this first anniversary of the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Israel. As we listen together to this mesmerizing monologue, The Heart and The Fist by Rudy Francisco, we move our way through these powerful words. "In 2012, Pedro Reyes, an artist from Mexico City, convinced his government to [...]
Normal Washed Away
Good morning... "We miss the normal this hurricane washed away." Her haunting sentence stays with me long after the interview is over. Our prayers continue, prayers for a new normal to somehow form around those grieving deep loss. The light of the full moon will be like the sun’s glare, and the sun’s glare will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, when the Lord binds up his people’s fractured [...]
Ron Greer’s Wisdom
Good morning... A friend sent me the link to Ron Greer's talk about kindness from last Sunday. When the moment was right, I opened the link below and spent nearly an hour peacefully finishing a project at home and listening to Ron's restorative wisdom. So many important nuggets to ponder. When the moment is right, might you do the same, touching on the link and savoring Ron's wisdom? In Matthew 25:40 (MSG) Jesus [...]
Celebrating Junie Parker
Good morning... On Friday morning, I received the above text. A beloved member of our church family went to heaven last week. Kind. Generous. Incredibly beautiful, inside and out. This photo on my phone captures well the spirited Junie Parker I will always remember. Her obituary begins: "Natalae Waters 'Junie' Parker died peacefully in her home on September 24th after a brief illness, surrounded by her family." Peaceful. At home. Brief illness. Surrounded [...]
See Kindness Spread
Good morning... "I love that you posted on KIND30🌞," wrote a long time friend last night. "My good friend Beth Abernathy is the founder," she explained, "and I am so thankful for the traction this movement has gotten! This might go global!! We need intentional acts of kindness more than ever now. I met with the development director at Skyland Trail today and she is going to take it to the Skyland Trail [...]
Notice The Kindness
Good morning... Today, October 1st, is the official start of our KIND30 Challenge. This month, we will commit to doing at least one small, kind act each day, hoping to develop a sturdy habit of kindness. Now, up in the middle of the night, I scroll through my phone and see that kindness is already happening in our world. Do we take time to pause, to notice, and to cherish kind acts? Yesterday, [...]
The Bottom Fell Out
Good morning... The bottom fell out of the sky last week, as Hurricane Helene's flooding rains and devastating winds upended normal life for many in Georgia and for our neighbors in surrounding states. These photos show the impact across our nearby neighborhood. The delicious Canoe restaurant, where we often enjoy happy hour beside the Chattahoochee River. Across the riverbank, The Lovett School's football field, completely under water. Flooded was the lower part of [...]
Completing The Camino
Good morning... Journeying through fog and mist our final three days, on Tuesday afternoon all twelve of us completed our Camino pilgrimage. Walking seventy-two miles of sacred trails in six life-giving days, we soaked in the magnificence of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the holy spot where the remains of St. James have been laid to rest. What an experience, what an incredible experience. [...]