Are you lonely? I have to admit as an adult, sometimes I long for the close friendships I experienced in high school where we giggled through long phone conversations and dreamed of the future. We shared deep discussions and possibilities. We invented ideas of what to wear and how to do our hair. We spent time together. We were real together. There was a closeness that doesn’t exist today in friendships. We do have adult friends now. Some are traveling buddies. Several are “let’s try this new restaurant with” types. In fact, looking at my October calendar I have had several morning coffee dates with good friends to share catch-up-with-each-other-moments and perhaps a few deep meaningful ones too. Yet I find it so difficult making new friends as an adult. Not just because I am lean more towards being an introvert, I think our culture makes it difficult too. I read this article recently: “Is making friends as an adult really hard, or is it just me?” The article shares: “research … [Read more...]

Sometimes I am just too serious!  I decided to play. I love words and words are great toys to play with. So I took my word of the year – WELL – tossed it into the air, let it land, kerplop! right into a big pot of other words. I reached into the mystery stew and grabbed out some new words all containing my word of the year to see what I would discover. Ready to see what I found? Farewell – Not a big surprise here. Of course this is used to express goodbye. May we bid you a fare-well upon your leaving. Welly – now this one is new. Also spelled wellie. Is abbreviated for Wellington boot. But also can be slang for energy, concentration and commitment. Maybe I could use this one with intention with my word of the year. I could give my word, well, some welly, in the last months of the year. Wellspring – The source. Usually the water source of a well and refers to something of an abundant supply. One expression of wellspring I like and will use with my word of the year … [Read more...]

Each season welcomes a time to reflect on what we are learning, becoming, and where God is inviting us into as we are being shaped in this wonderful gift of life. I love pausing occasionally, taking a deep breath, and doing the spiritual practice of remembering, reviewing, and savoring life’s lessons and sacred moments in our lives. I gather these tidbits of wisdom into what I call my Four Somethings: Something Wise Henri Nouwen explains clearly why writing helps me/us express our deepest desire/emotions. This is why I find writing in my journal so helpful. He says it so well: “Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals to us what is alive in us. The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write. To write is to embark on a journey whose final destination we do not know. Thus, writing requires a real act of trust. We have to say to ourselves: … [Read more...]

“Well” is my word of the year.  I have prayed, journaled, studied, played, and walked with this word for nine months so far in 2024. I have wrestled, laughed, and wrung about every ounce of wisdom from its substance I could squeeze out. I sat here this morning and thought, “I think I am done. My word just doesn’t have enough juice to make it until the end of the year.”  Then I laughed, “My well has gone dry.” One of the most valuable and powerful spiritual practices I participate in is seeing a spiritual director. About once a month she and I meet. I share with her what is stirring my soul and she listens deeply – what a gift it is to have someone listen with such love and with the Spirit. Last week I told her about how I wanted to grow more devoted, more in love with the Lord and we talked about this invitation, this desire.  (mmm, thinking now perhaps this was a thirst from a dry well?). I asked her what spiritual practice would she recommend I focus on the … [Read more...]

Do you have sacred spots in your home? I was thinking about this last week and noticed I have quite a few special cozy places where I like to sit quietly, sometimes alone, sometimes with a friend and just be. A space that becomes sacred, holy, peaceful. A corner to connect – with myself, with another, with God. Deep in my heart I believe God is everywhere but I find it hard to experience the Divine in many places – some spots seem more sacred than others.  Do you have those spots in your home? Here are a few of mine. My backyard swing. My backyard is seasonal though I do try to enjoy the outside year-round, I am not a winter person. Sitting on my swing, especially in the cool morning air of the warmer months, with a cup of coffee and my morning devotional starts the day off so wonderful.  I sway on the swing with Jesus and we talk and giggle and lift others up.  I raise my feet up like a child, close my eyes, and feel the motion back and forth as if Jesus were … [Read more...]

Four Somethings is a regular blog post where I feature four fun bits of wisdom. I love this practice as it collects moments for reflection and growth. These “somethings” become markers in our spiritual journey. With so much pivoting and uncertainty in our lives right now, being grounded in a simple practice like this guides my way.  Sometimes simple is best, right? I listened to my heart and to God and narrowed down my four categories and to see what they will teach me this year Something Wise “You look me in the eyes, Father, And give me Your full attention. Teach me how to do the same with You, And to live life more present to my Maker.” Beholding: Deepening Our Experience in God by Strahan Coleman Something Wonderful I attended my annual silent retreat this year at the Lady of the Pines Retreat Center in Fremont Ohio – a wonderful time of renewal and time with God. Walking the labyrinth is always a wonderful practice for me. Listening to what God is … [Read more...]

What does it mean to live well? With “well” being my word of the year, I have been thinking about this question: what does it mean to live well? So of course, I was intrigued to find a book by a great author, Eugene Peterson, On Living Well, Brief Reflections on Wisdom for Walking in the Way of Jesus. Doesn’t just that subtitle say it all? Each chapter contains gems of wisdom on different aspects of life on themes such as beginnings, simplicity, prayers, mercies and glories. Here are a few quotes that teach us how to live well: “We ought to cultivate the skills that equips us to live in cheerful anticipation of what God will do tomorrow. Will we live anxiously complaining and querulous, because we don’t have all we want or because we don’t know what is coming next? Or will we live in confident joy, sure that God’s next move will be a good one? The expectant command is for us to rejoice.” “God invites us to leap, to live, and to love: to leap from the visible uncertainties … [Read more...]

I mentioned last week I would write about my experiences at my retreat with creativity and Soul Collage. I have attended a weekend with Soul Collage, but this was the first time I combined an 8-day silent retreat with a creative activity like this. I wondered what would happen. I really enjoy Soul Collage. First, you must know a quirk about me – I failed scissors in kindergarten. God did NOT sprinkle many fine motor talents into my DNA into my soul when I was created so being artsy isn’t not a strength BUT Soul Collage is something I and really anyone can do. Creating a collage is of course putting together a picture using photos from various sources to create a new photo as a form of self-expression.  Soul Collage goes much deeper. This trademarked process was created by founder Seena Frost who was a trained marriage counselor and held a Masters degree in psychology and theology. It is way of seeing an aspect of who you are in a new way. The only rule is we can’t publish on … [Read more...]