The Seesaw Of Hope And Fear
Good morning... I have never met 37-year-old Elizabeth who is bravely battling colon cancer, but I absolutely love the way God's Holy Spirit is pouring through her to saturate the hearts of many. This week in her powerful post Elizabeth wrote life-giving words. ****** Don't you love my seesaw illustration that I made on my phone? Messy touchscreen handwriting and all. My heart and mind recently have felt like they are on a [...]
Why Create A Secret Santa Shop?
Good morning... For our make-shift shop, nine of us laid out awesome gifts donated by many generous people in our community. Why create a Secret Santa Shop for vulnerable, at risk children to choose and to wrap gifts for their loved ones? For me, the best answer to this question is a story. ****** LOVE DOES THAT by Meister Eckhart All day long a little burro labors, sometimes with heavy loads on her [...]
How Does Hope Happen?
Good morning... I love that God has given me meaningful moments with my soul friend this week. After church. During a quick visit in our home. We shared brief time, hugging, expressing, processing. With her 37-year-old daughter-in-law boldly battling colon cancer, my friend said, "I believe God needs Elizabeth on this earth. I have to keep hoping for a miracle. I just have to have hope." I left our conversation thinking, "How does [...]
I’m Feeling Very Stretched
Good morning... "I'm feeling very stretched," a friend texted me yesterday. I could relate. I could totally relate. In a weird way this mid-December week reminds me of the Christmastime I was nearly nine months pregnant. Then and now I feel stretched beyond my comfortable capacity, like I want to jump out of my bursting skin! Romans 8:22-25 (MSG) relates. These verses totally relate. All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The [...]
Who Is Helping Whom?
Good morning... I felt so encouraged by this inspirational email. "I am reading this, thinking of you," wrote a friend. "Very wonderful!" ****** Friday, December 9, 2022 - Richard Rohr's Daily Meditation - Faith in Divine Presence Contemplative activist and Episcopal priest Adam Bucko gained deeper faith and trust in God’s presence after facing limits of what he could do alone: When I think of this Gospel passage [John 6:1–14, Jesus feeds 5,000], [...]
Our Loaves And Fish Tale
Good morning... Just like the miraculous multiplication which fed 5,000 hungry people (with leftovers to spare), we each shared our own puny fish, our own little loaves. One friend donated a tree skirt and a handful of heart ornaments. Another brought lights - some big, some small, some colored, some white - along with some jingling bells and random ornaments. A friend who came down with COVID was unable to join us but [...]
How I Lift My Mood
Good morning... In a week that "should" be festive and fun, many people I love are wrestling with some really hard things. Hearing the heaviness of others, I am prayerfully drawn down into a sense of melancholy blue. The grueling impact of cancer. An untrue accusation drives a long legal battle. The ugly cycle of marital strife is hurtful. Grieving the sad, slow loss of a living spouse to Alzheimers. Abusive energy wreaks [...]
I’m Worried About You
Good morning... "I enjoy reading your blog posts every morning," she said. "I rarely write you back, but I am grateful for your gift each day." Then came the question I often hear: "I'm worried about you, do you ever sleep?" Muddling through a polite answer, I forget exactly what I said. Later that night, in the dark early hours, a puny poem said what I wanted to say. ****** One Midnight Rendezvous [...]
Enjoy The Festive Fun
Good morning... ...Sue...
We Heal In The Dark
Good morning... As the days shorten and the nights stretch long, we are instinctively drawn into holy hibernation. During these dark winter months, we stay inside more, watching and waiting for the life of Christ to be born in us anew. We are each miraculously made, hardwired to thrive in the silent dark, like babies in the womb, like seeds in the soil, like each ember of hope amid life's ruins. This quiet [...]
Steadfast In Hard Circumstances
Good morning... Elizabeth, our friend's daughter-in-law who is battling colon cancer at age thirty-seven, writes an honest, faith-filled blog. I am grateful to regularly receive her inspiring messages. This week she wrote about the joy amid her swirling river of sorrows. ****** PostHope blog from December 3rd I had the joy and privilege to hear Sandra McCracken in concert last night. What a gift to hear her beautiful, pure voice in person and [...]
Never Stop Praying
Good morning... A gorgeous table was set for our fun feast of friendship. As we gathered together our hearts sat in solidarity with one friend who was away visiting with her son and her 37-year-old daughter-in-law, a young couple bravely battling Elizabeth's advanced colon cancer. From our book Simple Faith by Margaret Silf we learned that "Soul friends are like midwives. They help bring Christ [...]