lenten journal
friday night lights at the funeral home on a friday evening one of the speakers quoted Mary Oliver “four small stones hugging each other” an image of love in a roomful of loss the one who just lost his husband took the words in with the rest of us and
lenten journal
affirmation season the best part of deacons’ meeting on the night after the Oscars was when one said, “how long has it been since we told the staff they were doing a good job?’ after a short silence another replied, “it’s always a good time to say that” someone
lenten journal
making stock the air was as cold as it was grey today and the forecast of rain sent me stacking the stock pot on the stove pulling poultry bones from the freezer as well as a couple of bags of celery butts and carrot ends garlic fresh parsley and a
lenten journal
I am writing on Friday night, but most of you will read this on Saturday or later, which means this wa the night to write about daylight savings. saving time some time in the night we will be robbed of an hour of sleep in order that we might save
lenten journal
rain on me today was a rainy day to which the rain never fully committed the mist loitered without purpose the showers were scattered unfocused rather than pelting me as i walked the moisture wafted like a parachutist blown off course putting the whether in weather in it all I
lenten journal
spiritual practice start with intent make a promise show up and then miss the next day live with failure then deal with grace you did not write everyday this lent easter will come good friday too the season does not ride on you faithfulness and perfection are not synonyms saints
lenten journal
specifically, the time . . . you left a note you drove me home you called to check on me you paid my bill you dropped by to say hi you answered the phone and listened you called me out you came to Dad’s funeral you laughed at my jokes you said
lenten journal
We are two weeks into Lent and I am finally getting to my Lenten Journal, my spiritual practice for the season. If you follow my newsletter, you know part of the reason is our little Lizzy! had to have her eyes removed to alleviate the pain caused by the glaucoma
advent journal
One of the cool things about Guilford is a biannual event called GreenStage Guilford, which is four or five days of various live performances around town. This year, one of the spinoffs was a periodic Open Mic at The Marketplace, a local sandwich and coffee shop. I signed up, of
advent journal
incremental this shortest day was spent contemplating two long-lived lives alongside of sons and spouses caught in the anteroom of unraveling that opens into grief I had no answers I hardly had comfort I had only presence and a few words a few forgettable words in the midst of discussing
advent journal
poetic license I feel like a metaphor staring at a white screen not knowing what to write a week before Christmas or saying I spent the day driving through driving rain and wind that wreaked havoc and never turned to snow but it’s not the whole story I met
advent journal
A little whimsy for a December evening . . . marshmallow farm here’s the thing many of us live near marshmallow farms without knowing they are rarities events rather than ongoing projects farms of fancy marshmallows mature stealthily hidden in fields of hay and are flash harvested to find them whole before