Advent already? I know you are thinking - it is too soon and you are right. I am early this year with writing about the Advent season. Advent doesn’t begin until December 1st, but you see I am going to be traveling lots in November (more about that here on the blog next week) so I need to be organized and thinking ahead about what all needs to be done as soon as I return after our trip. And Advent and Christmas will be facing me squarely in the face once I am home. You will think I am crazy, but I have already purchased several “white elephant” gifts for early Christmas parties to take for the gift exchanges. I dug through the dusty bags in the basement and found the greeting cards I got last year on sale to send this year and brought them upstairs to have on the dining room table, ready to go once we get home. I hope to print the mailing labels before we leave. No, I won’t decorate before we leave. I am not that crazy! Ha! But I was tempted… Today I found my … [Read more...]
Pentecost Names
Pentecost is this coming Sunday, May 19 commemorating the arrival of the Holy Spirit and is often called the birthday of the church. The word Pentecost means “fiftieth day,” as it is celebrated fifty days after Easter. I love the tradition in my church to celebrate this day in many ways, including wearing red to represent the flames and the power of the Spirit. Two years ago, I wrote about the various names of the Trinity and which one in particular for the Holy Spirit that resonated with my own spirituality. Looking at the various names, I paused this year and considered which name seemed most appropriate for me right now in my spiritual walk. I knew if I listened quiestly to my heart, the Spirit would answer. I listened and the name – the Comforter – shimmered and called my name. Comforter. Just the name brings a sense of peace, doesn’t it? Comforter reminds us God is with us in all our life - the good days and the difficult times. And I will pray … [Read more...]
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas. This is a little early but getting close. I am taking a few weeks off from writing full blog posts as the year ends. Creating space to be with God and my family. To take time to savor this precious season and the gift of life. Time to reflect on the past year and dream into the next one. May God bless you with peace, joy and hope this year and into 2024 and beyond. Here is a prayer written by Henri Nouwen. I love his raw honesty in his words and the personal intimacy he speaks with God. May it be so for us too. O Lord, how hard it is to accept your way. You come to me as a small, powerless child born away from home. You live for me as a stranger in your own land. You die for me as a criminal outside the walls of the city, rejected by your own people, misunderstood by your friends, and feeling abandoned by your God. As I prepare to celebrate your birth, I am trying to feel loved, accepted, and at home in this world, and I am trying to overcome … [Read more...]
Advent is Coming
Advent is coming and coming fast. Soon the rush of the Christmas season will be upon us and before we know it we will be saying, “Happy New Year!” Times flies so quickly and does quicker each year. Advent invites us to pause and pray and rest in the Lord. To take a deep breath, savoring the season instead of surviving it. To refocus on the true meaning of Christmas – the coming of Jesus Christ. To light a candle or gaze quietly at the tree, knowing Jesus is the Light of the world. A Prayer for Advent I read this beautiful Advent poem by Walter Brueggemann: In our secret yearningswe wait for your coming,and in our grinding despairwe doubt that you will.And in this privileged placewe are surrounded by witnesses who yearn more than do weand by those who despair more deeply than do we.Look upon your church and its pastorsin this season of hopewhich runs so quickly to fatigueand this season of yearningwhich becomes so easily quarrelsome.Give us the grace and the … [Read more...]
Freedom Quotes to Feed Your Mind and Spirit
Freedom is celebrated in many ways but in the United States we set aside the Fourth of July to savor freedom, cheer in parades, wave the flag, and watch glorious fireworks. Here are a few quotes about freedom to consider. “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Nelson Mandela “Freedom is the open window through which pours the sunlight of the human spirit and human dignity.” Herbert Hoover "May we think of freedom, not as the right to do as we please but as the opportunity to do what is right." Peter Marshall "But laws alone cannot secure freedom of expression; in order that every man may present his views without penalty there must be a spirit of tolerance in the entire population." Albert Einstein "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it." Thomas Paine "All the great things are simple, and many can be … [Read more...]
Lenten Devotional
Lent, one of my favorite listening to God seasons, begins with Ash Wednesday, Feb 22. Lent is the season before Easter lasting 40 days, not counting Sundays. It is a time to reflect and remember our relationship with God. This time presents an opportunity for us to focus and draw closer to our Lord. One Lenten practice is to read a particular book/devotional during the season. There are many great ones available, even one written by me a few years ago. 40 Voices – A Lenten Devotional captures the words and settings surrounding Jesus the final week of his human life. We hear the stories with new insights for us today and showing us the transformational power of the cross. Each devotion ends with an image, a question, and a prayer. Here is an excerpt from one chapter: “Hosanna! Not the most common word in our everyday language. I have said it during church services and sung it in hymns. I’ve read it in the Bible and heard it proclaimed on Easter morning. I assumed … [Read more...]
Moving from Christmas to the New Year
Some of us are still celebrating with family. Some of us are already packing away all the holiday decorations. Some of us are still on vacation mode not quite ready to go back to work. Some of us, pastors, law enforcement, EMT’S, nurses, never got the day off. (Thank you!) Some of us are still eating. Some of us faced the reality of the scale already. Some of us can’t quite grasp the end of the year. Some of us can’t wait to get rid of 2022 and move onto 2023. But we all look at the calendar and see 2022 quickly ending and December almost gone. I found this great song by Matthew West that seemed very appropriate for this week of in-betweeness. So take a moment, hit the pause button and listen to these lyrics. Such a great reminder. “Day After Christmas” Here comes the letdown Christmas is over Here comes the meltdown, there goes the cheer But before we have a breakdown, let us remember The light of the world is still … [Read more...]
A Christmas Blessing
God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is love; the radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the all of Christmas, which is Christ. Wilda English From my house and heart to yours: Merry Christmas! … [Read more...]