I love the background stories of strong women making a difference. Lately, I have discovered more and more of them and thought I would share a few of their lives with you over the next couple of weeks. Enjoy the series. Matushka Olga Michael Matushka Olga Michael lived in Alaska in the early 1900s. This WOW woman was an indigenous Alaskan of Yupik origin and born in1916. Her given name in Yup’ik is Arrsamquq, and Olga is her “church name”. She was one of the first in her tribe to be baptized as an infant. Her husband, Nikolai Michael, was the village postmaster and manager of the general store, who later was ordained a priest and subsequently was elevated to Archpriest. Their marriage was arranged and as the wife of the priest, she was frequently by herself to raise their eight children. On top of being a busy mother, Olga became known for her compassion for women who suffered abuse, especially sexual abuse – a taboo most people denied and never discussed. A woman ahead of … [Read more...]
How Creativity Connects with Wisdom
How is my exploration into creativity this year leading me deeper into wisdom? Wisdom, one of my three WWW's that frame 2019 for me, has been elusive to name, capture, and apply, but I am beginning to see her lessons appear in odd places. One of these hiding nooks is creativity. I write. I want to express a unique voice and with God's help, birth inspiring and innovative thoughts and ideas. A writer desires to create something new, yet often finds another writer wrote this before, better, and even more beautiful. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 Nothing new under the sun. I am discovering creativity often begins on rented land. An idea emerges, is nurtured by others, handed over to the next artist who adds his or her own spirit to its life. As I study creativity, I am reading interesting bits of wisdom from other artists about this process: "Everything that needs … [Read more...]
Platinum Faith
How is faith like platinum? Here are some interesting facts about this metal: Platinum is a silver-white metal — it was once known as "white gold." It is extremely resistant to tarnishing and corrosion (which makes it known as a "noble metal") and is very soft and malleable, making it easy to shape; ductile, making it easy to stretch into wire, and unreactive, which means it doesn't oxidize and is unaffected by common acids. Platinum is highly valued and has a wide range of uses. Platinum is more than ten times rarer than gold. Recent research has shown platinum to inhibit the growth of certain cancerous cells. Did you know platinum never tarnishes? Platinum contains lessons about the strength, value, and protection of this gift from God – FAITH. What is Platinum Faith? Platinum Faith is actually a new book – released October 1 – written by two good friends and sisters in Christ: Michelle Medlock Adams and Bethany Jett. Their words found in this book inspire … [Read more...]
Wisdom Stories
Stories provide direction for our discernment, depth to our being, and color to our lives. I love stories. I collect stories. Stories bring smiles to my soul. One type of story bringing insight and inspiration are wisdom stories. Compiling stories that stir my mind and heart is one step I have taken this year in my exploration of my theme of WWW. I wrote about my WWW's – wonder, wisdom, and whimsey – on this blog post. Of the three WWW's, wisdom has been the most difficult one for me to capture clearly in my soul. Thus, I began with stories and thought I would share a few of the treasures I have found. Ready for Stories Plus a Few Wise Quotes? We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take from us or spare us. Marcel Proust ****** Wholeness is the goal, but wholeness does not mean perfection. It means embracing brokenness as an integral part of life. The sooner we understand this, the better. It’s a truth that can set us … [Read more...]
How Do We Honor Our Stories?
Honor. That is a word I don't hear very often anymore. Honor means to hold something with high respect and great esteem. Honor is a noun rising from the word "onur" Anglo-French for glory or renown. From the early 1300s, honor meant an act of paying respect. I'd add that when we honor something we value or hold something as sacred, precious, Respect. Value. Honor. Characteristics rarely seen in this toxic age. Respect. Value. Honor. Characteristics desperately needed. Honoring another is a spiritual practice I want to nurture within my heart, behaviors, and soul. Today I am being very vulnerable with this topic. Honoring God's story, the story of others and even our own journey is an unexplored territory for me and one I feel invited into. Here are some initial thoughts about honoring our stories. How Do We Honor God's Story? Reverence – I behold God's magnificent nature and his immeasurable grace and love. I bow in his presence. I am a mere creature in the … [Read more...]
Walking an Unclear Path – A Labyrinth Experience
Have you ever walked a labyrinth? Walking a labyrinth is a spiritual practice that I seek on retreats and to be honest, whenever I see one inviting me closer. Based on the form of a circle and the spiral, this practice is an ancient and powerful symbol of wholeness and transformation. It is found in cultures throughout the world and has been added to many retreat centers as a form of walking prayer. Some of the earliest ones were found in Greece dating back to 2500-2000 BC. The path becomes a metaphor for the spiritual journey and for life, itself. The labyrinth is not a maze. Mazes have many paths and dead ends and they evoke a very different feeling than when we walk a labyrinth. A labyrinth is a unicursal with only one path in and the same path out. Its path meanders its way to the center. Walking this path enables you to experience peace, listen deeply, and reflect on where are you in your life. Some find healing or new ways to celebrate. Occasionally nothing is … [Read more...]
Monthly Musings – What I Learned in August
August Monthly Musings Oh, summer why do you end so quickly? I do love the cooler beautiful months of September and October, but am already missing the fellowship, outsideyness, and blue skies of August. Outsideyness? Is that a word? This summer, on the good to best days, I hit the pause button as often as I can to linger on my backyard deck and breath in God's stillness. Savor this season. Writing this column each month, reflecting on the past 30 days, gathers the gifts of time into my soul. Gratefulness grows and joy rises. Time races by, but moments embraced, remain rich treasures to behold. Each month I look back at what I am discovering, learning, and exploring in life – I call these my monthly musings. Capturing these special moments gives meaning, depth, and delight to life. Let’s wake up to the wonders in the ordinary all around us. I record what I notice on the pages of my Monthly Musings Journal. You can use anything, scrapes of papers, a journal, or a … [Read more...]
The Spiritual Practice of Wonder
Wonder is one of my three W's for 2019. The spiritual practice of wonder enriched my silent retreat earlier this month. As I stilled my heart and mind, God's wonders revealed themselves more and more and soon I was surrounded by delights found in his creation. What is Wonder? According to the dictionary, this experience is “a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.” Another way of saying this is: “rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one’s experience.” This sensation often carries an element of surprise or seeing something new or in a fresh way. There may be hint of curiosity and joy too. Spirituality and Practice offers this insight: “Wonder begins in the senses, comes alive in the imagination, and flourishes in adoration of the Divine. It arises from our natural curiosity about the grand adventure of life.” Why Not Wonder? What stops us from this gift … [Read more...]