Last Thursday evening, my husband and two youngest kids and I met up with 7 other people we didn’t know, climbed into a van with our duffel bags and our good intentions and drove to the border town of Mexicali Mexico to build something. I’d been busy enough in the weeks leading up to our departure that I quietly panicked…
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We aren’t ready for these phone calls, ever. She said, “I took the liberty of making you an appointment at one of the country’s top gynecological oncologists and he’s going to come in today to see you and you need to be there at 1:00. Here’s the address.” It was 12:25 and I was pulling into my client’s offices for…
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Last week on NPR I heard a fascinating interview with a psychiatrist who uses avatar therapy to quiet the negative voices in people’s minds and free them from the burdens imposed by fear, doubt, anxiety, insecurity (etc.). I’ve since read that this sort of therapy is even used to treat clinical schizophrenia. Fascinating, isn’t it? Talk about theater of the…
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Don’t Look Up! More than one war is waging above your head today. Yes, I am intrigued by the fierce battle between good and evil waging in the heavens for our hearts and souls. But God only knows who will win that one today. (wink) Right now I’m referring to the battle in Washington over controlling our digital screens. Our…
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Watch my smoke! After a summer of constant, joyful, [hot, dry], adventurous activity, I’m sitting alone on Day One of School with …. rain! I wouldn’t have thought to ask for it, but here it is. The buzzing frenzy of summer – sports camps, weekends Up North, city outings, and even the pressure of seizing the moment — is for…
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Summertime Afternoon. Jack and his pal Eden disappear into the game room downstairs and things get dangerously quiet. But at this moment, I’m so far behind in writing and work that I irresponsibly convince myself that they’re having fun and all is good. Carpe 5 minutes. With no worries about markers on walls or pokey-sharp objects, I keep working. More…
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Today as I read Dr. Jim Samra’s book, God Told Me I see the direct application of living to listen. I hear a voice that sounds like God on my heart – even today. First, here’s the excerpt: Love is a tricky concept, easily perverted, so God anchors the definition of love in the cross of Christ. With the crucifixion…
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If you miss the impossible power of the miracle, you won’t see God. Yes, that’s it. This is where I must stay today. I’m now beginning the wonderful new book by our wise pastor Jim Samra. God Told Me is new jam-packed teaching on listening for guidance from God. “He is a better guide for our life than we are.”…
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C.S. Lewis says: “Pride is spiritual cancer.” Nodding, we all easily grasp the problem of pride (particularly in others). But as a parent, aren’t we justified in aiming our pride at our successful, well-trained children? Even noble? After all, we’ve worked hard to train them in the ways of God and culture. More Lewis: As long as you are proud you…
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I know, weird. But the idea of vibrating thresholds is once again the best way to describe this time. It’s my new way of thinking about life change that we can sense but can’t see to the other side. Sometimes it’s merely waiting. But often it’s continuing to heed the insistences on our heart. Walking towards the dream. Steve’s and…
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Maybe we should be committed. (hmmm… does it negate the “committed” part if we say “maybe”?) Scratch that; let’s keep going. Saturday: Today we have a two-hour drive to Riley’s weekend volleyball tournament, and we accept the opportunity to ponder yet another transformational life-moment. This week we made some key decisions. We settle into the truth that both Steve and…
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We decide what or who we allow to control us. Every day. We each allow someone or something to control us. Good News: We choose what that is. That doesn’t mean we compromise or ignore or isolate. It merely means we elevate the voice that leads us to a more vertical, freer presence with our self. It means we decide…
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Anyone over 40 will likely remember the movie DEFENDING YOUR LIFE. Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep and the rest of the newly dead are shown movie clips of their life on the big screen. In the movie, Brooks needs to defend his life-decisions that were rather dumb or cowardice. Streep gets to see puffy moments of bravery. First, I’m really…
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Every day we get another chance to adjust our settings; turn the dials of our vision, our focus, our intention, our daily starting point. When we are overly focused (read: obsessed) on the person-to-person interactions, we are choosing to live horizontally. This often results in serious side-effects: frustrations, worries, expectations and, on good days certainly, even delightful joy and thrilling…
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Parker Palmer teaches: In “Living The Contradictions” we refuse to flee from tension but allow it to occupy the center of our life. And why would anyone walk this difficult path? Because in doing so we may receive one of the great gifts of life – the transformation of contradiction into paradox. The poles of either/or, the choices we…
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What do you do about the gifts you’re given? …. in building relationships with others? What are your priorities? does it show? Can we tell?