Posted in Uncategorized on Apr 10th, 2012
“I have a direct influence on the world around me, and I choose whether that influence is positive or negative.” My then 15 year-old daughter Kiki wrote upon returning from a mission trip to Kenya. Kiki has inspired me to give back to the country that influenced her so greatly. My friend and classmate, Father [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Apr 8th, 2012
Easter hope… radiant Light of Love holding hungry babies caressing harried hands laughing through sorrow embracing hope-filled plans defying gloomy headlines breaking war-torn strife reaching beyond boundaries crushing doubt and fear calling us to care listen…love believe…dare. A Hope-Filled Easter to you, yours, and all! May we believe, behave, and BE as Easter people. Amen. [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Apr 7th, 2012
This time of year, I often wonder what it was like for the disciples to have been so physically close to Christ. What joy to have been in that All-Loving Presence–in the morning drinking tea together, walking down dusty roads, sitting at his feet while he taught. And then I try to imagine how it [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Mar 4th, 2012
Much of the day had been spent reading and reading. I did stop to eat, only to return to my room and read some more. I studied Augustine of Hippo wondering why he needed to go on for 60 pages with what seemed could’ve been said in 10. I sensed there were nuances I was [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Feb 6th, 2012
“The practice of paying attention really does take time….Reverence requires a certain pace. It requires willingness to take detours, even side trips, which are not part of the original plan.” Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World Refreshed from a week of reading writers who illumine the sacred in the most commonplace, I was [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 26th, 2012
This week I am taking a contemplative writing class. It is a luxury to conflate two of my loves–writing and prayer. Anyway, I was assigned to write a letter to Annie Dillard in response to her piece, “On A Hill Far Away” from her book Teaching a Stone to Talk. Below is a copy of [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 19th, 2012
Do not fret–it only leads to evil.* So says the Psalm. I wonder, did the psalmist ever birth a child? I have seen mothers bury daughters-their own flesh in the ground. I have seen mothers visit sons in cells-traverse the road from silver spoon to tin cup with nary a frown? How in the world [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 18th, 2012
Last Sunday I had the opportunity to offer the sermon at Grace Episcopal Church in Cullman, AL. If you would like to read the text, you may click here for a transcript of the sermon. I hope it is as meaningful for you to read as it was for me to write and share. Below are [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 16th, 2012
Well, I am slogging through a Clinical Pastoral Education application so that I can work for free in a hospital this summer. Can you tell I don’t have a great attitude about this? Anyway, my poor opinion of spending the summer as a volunteer chaplain-in-training is a bit mortifying to my dear, chaplain husband. In [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on Dec 29th, 2011
Yesterday, my beloved walked beside me in the woods. Silence, crinkling leaves underfoot, blue herons aflight. Shafts of light pierce hearts on fire. All is calm, all is bright. Amen