We know there are few constants in life. These last 18 months, we have come to know this in new and terrible ways, the truth of it ever-more pronounced by the pandemic. Lives and livelihoods lost. The rhythms of our daily lives disrupted and forever...
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Someone asked me the other day how I was doing. I paused, looked at the person and said, “I choose to be okay today.” We may not have a choice on things that happen beyond our control, such as the weather or what someone else might...
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Our world is rapidly changing. There is no way any one person or even a small group can see the totality of what’s happening. We see only in part, cloudy by our own limited understanding....
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The poetry of Mary Oliver speaks volumes to my soul. One of her short pieces provides a motto by which I try to live. Short, simple and to the point: Instructions for living a life.Pay attention.Be astonished.Tell about it. Pay Attention. How often I go through my...
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This weekend we celebrate the Fourth of July. There will be picnics, parades, and lots (and lots) of fireworks. As I reflect on the history of the 4th and of our country, I am led to wonder how we define freedom. Per Websters Dictionary, freedom is...
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Last week marked a historic event known as Juneteenth. It has now become a Federal holiday marking "freedom" for African Americans that is long overdue. I invite you to read more about the history of this Juneteenth "freedom" and reflect on it as we approach the...
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Receiving Angels Unawares: Meeting Asylum Seekers at Nashville’s Greyhound Bus Station “Ustedes son unos angeles!” (Y’all are angels) responded the smiling woman to my “Welcome to Nashville” greeting (which left me speechless, not expecting this). She was traveling with her 10-year-old son and had a stop-over...
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I was recently on a zoom Lectio Divina with friends in Colorado, Kansas, and Oregon (gotta love the expansiveness of Zoom!) The poem for reflection led to a fruitful discussion of those places in which we feel we are right. "The Place Where We Are Right"...
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Several years ago, while listening to NPR, I heard an interview with singer/songwriter, Carrie Newcomer. She has since become one of my favorite artists for her insightful words and music. https://www.carrienewcomer.com/ In addition, Carrie is working with Quaker theologian and Educator Parker Palmer for concerts and...
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June is Pride Month. As with many groups for whom we dedicate a month, or a day, the celebrations were borne out of a history of injustice and the need for education and awareness among the broader public....
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