Good morning... "Steve and I have had a good time of connecting about our day," I texted my friend at 9:02 yesterday morning. "Here is what we have come up with." "Steve is leading communion at Kairos at 10:00 am, the vibrant little Presbyterian church off 285 on Riverside Dr.," I explained. "After that service, we plan to [...]
Good morning... Today is November 1st, the day the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) benefits are set to expire for millions of vulnerable Americans. A 2023 report revealed that, of food stamp recipients in our country, about 39% were children, 20% were elderly, and 10% were non-elderly individuals with a disability. Though [...]
Good morning... I had not talked to my friend from Minnesota since the beginning of the summer, so we had a lot of catching up to do. As we shared a phone call this week, I got teary as I told her about putting our dog, Tate, to sleep in June. Tears surprisingly still flowed as I heard [...]
Good morning... "Sitting still with God, we un-blend our emotions," said our group leader on Tuesday morning. The word "blend" made me think of the smoothie-making process. I take separate ingredients. Almond milk. Frozen fruit, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries. A scoop of protein powder. A spoonful of plain yogurt. A big handful of spinach. I "blend" it all together [...]
Good morning... One of my favorite hours in the week holds space for our therapeutic community group to gather around the sacred table at PAWkids. Unique adults - small and tall, young and old, black and white, male and female - we are guided through creative activities which help us to express the wide range of emotions washing [...]
Good morning... "It's a tumultuous time," I heard myself say on our spiritual direction phone call yesterday. The dark skies and driving rain matched the mood of the moment as Hurricane Melissa is barreling down on Jamaica, loved ones are losing jobs, devastating wars continue to rage, and an estimated 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental [...]
Good morning... "The awareness of my condition moved through me like a wind," writes Sue Monk Kidd on page 128 of God's Joyful Surprise. 'God, I know that You are here even now with Your love,' I prayed silently. 'I have been absent, unaware, sleepwalking through Your glorious presence. Please, God, help me learn to be present to [...]
Good morning... On this fresh fall morning, a song flows like a river from me to you. Enjoy the palpable presence of God, trusting that the river knows where it goes. You are like a tree, planted by flowing, cool streams of water that never run dry. Your fruit ripens in its time; your leaves never fade or [...]
Good morning... We are all designed to live each day from "...the place where our lives touch and mingle with God's. A shared space, a center," writes Sue Monk Kidd on page 61 in God's Joyful Surprise. This crucial concept expands all over these holy pages. "A center is not simply an inner place where you are in [...]
Good morning... As we gathered for class on Sunday afternoon, I asked a friend, "How are you today?" "I'm really tired," she replied, not knowing that "tired" was where our opening poem would begin. Together, we sat outside in the sunshine and listened to David Whyte read his beloved poem "Sweet Darkness." We unpacked the thoughts stirring within [...]
