Metanoia is a Greek word we Christians hear much about, especially during the Lenten Season when our focus is intentionally on the journey which Christ took and on how faithfully we are following. The word itself basically means a change of direction, turning around, or turning back towards, and so we look for places inContinue reading "Returning"
Enjoy
As I contemplated moving from ashes to hope during this yearly transition between winter and spring, and giving to instead of giving up for Lent, I noticed this sign during a recent beach visit, and it struck me with its mixed message. Do not take your dog to the beach. Do not sleep on theContinue reading "Enjoy"
Ash Wednesday During a Pandemic
And we are put on earth a little spaceThat we might learn to bear the beams of love. William Blake No matter where we have lived this past year, we all have one experience in common: the pandemic. We all know how it feels to have our personal freedom and choices and pleasures denied asContinue reading "Ash Wednesday During a Pandemic"
Lent 2021: From Ashes to Hope
Honesty alert! It would be a challenge for me to try to write a Lenten blog from anything other than a Christian perspective, since I have been a Christian my entire life. Yet my hope is that this blog will resonate with anyone who has felt like it is time to rise from the ashesContinue reading "Lent 2021: From Ashes to Hope"
Groundhog Day Prayers
February 2, 2021 If you watched Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day in 1993 (can it really be that long ago?), then you know the premise—Murray's character, Phil, awakens to the same day again and again and again. That is how my prayer life--not to mention my actual life--has felt during these long monthsContinue reading "Groundhog Day Prayers"
Asking for Guides
Stand at the crossroads and look; and ask for the ancient paths where the good ways lies and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. Jer. 6:16 I enrolled in an online course this past fall that explored the interplay between contemplative practices, such as meditation and prayer, and the creative arts. WeContinue reading "Asking for Guides"
Thoughts on the 2021 Presidential Inauguration
Yesterday, Inauguration Day here in the States, was, for me, a great release. I felt I was able to let go a burden of fear and anxiety and disbelief and confusion and hurt that I have been shouldering for the last four years. I recognize that many, many others feel very differently, and my heart holdsContinue reading "Thoughts on the 2021 Presidential Inauguration"
When the Light Goes Out
For the first time in my life, I have a “Winter Tree” in my home. After removing the Christmas ornaments, I felt a deep yearning for light and more light and was resistant to taking down the tree. A friend of mine suggested that I replace the ornaments with snowflakes to make the tree seasonal,Continue reading "When the Light Goes Out"
When There are No Words
As we continue our journey, it seems, in a way, like a lifetime ago that Jan. 6, 2021, happened, instead of five short days. Perhaps that is how time manages nightmares. Yet each and every image haunts me, much like two burning skyscrapers on Sept. 9, 2001, still haunt me almost twenty years later. IContinue reading "When There are No Words"
A New Year’s Litany for Light
Journeying forward together, we rely on the wisdom of ancient practices and guides. For those not familiar with the word, a litany is an ancient prayer form composed of a series of petitions/requests usually followed by a communal repeated refrain. As we cross the threshold into the unknowns of 2021 and leave behind what, forContinue reading "A New Year’s Litany for Light"
Spirit Reflections 