Earlier this week, I had big feelings over small things.I cried over Christmas lights. It wasn't pretty. I was skeptical and cranky about our tree. But today, the tree is decorated with a colorful cacophony of memories and strung with not-LED colored lights. The sun is hitting it just so--illuminating the striped glass ball that used to hang … Continue reading What are You Seeking this Advent?
Hello, friends. How are you? This is a hard time we are in. The other night, I couldn't fall asleep. I had a hard time breathing and couldn't catch my breath. I couldn't stop shaking. My thoughts went to: "Oh no! It's Corona! Who have I made sick?" I ran downstairs to take my temperature. … Continue reading You are not Alone
Sprouts! I've spotted two so far. Tiny tomato sprouts from seeds that I planted 8 days ago. Seeds that are a few years old because last year I had a tomato tragedy and my plants weren't able to produce fruit. I've been checking for signs of life a few times a day since I planted … Continue reading Rejoicing in Sprouts
Some situations call for excellent analytical skills, but generally, employing these skills directed at the people around us isn't helpful. It separates us. I try to 'understand' them, but without putting myself in their shoes. What if there is another way of seeing those around us? The phrase "It is" has been repeating in my … Continue reading Embracing the invitation of “It is”
"May you be blessed with good friends, And learn to be a good friend to yourself..." John O'Donohue Today is my birthday! This year it feels especially significant because I get to celebrate being 40. And I feel like celebrating. Not with a big party. That's not my style. But by being with people I love; … Continue reading On Celebrating 40
I've been contending with empty pages for a while now. Empty journal pages—pen poised in my hand for 30 minutes and the page still blank. Empty word documents—cursor blinking and not a word to type. Empty pages sometimes feel like failure. In a few days, I will be staring down another blank page. For the … Continue reading Welcoming Empty Pages and Spacious Places
My daughter had a giant-sized, shallow sliver sticking out of her finger. It could have been an easy, quick fix. I reached for her hand. She hid it behind her back and frantically screamed: "Don't touch it!" But I can get it out. "Don't touch it!" You can get it out. Why don't you try? "Noooo." … Continue reading Let’s Make Space for One Another Instead of Trying to Fix Each Other
"It is a lie--any talk of God that does not comfort you... How long will grown men and women in this world keep drawing in their coloring books an image of God that makes them sad?" - current translation of Meister Eckhart How do we heal from toxic images of God? How do we move … Continue reading How Do We Heal from Toxic Images of God?
“Our idea of God tells us more about ourselves than about Him.” ― Thomas Merton "Oh, how easy it is to clutter up the path of the Holy Spirit with my images and preconceptions of God!" ―Edwina Gately Our ideas about God matter. I've always thought so. But I used to think that it … Continue reading Why Our Ideas About God Matter
How do we talk to our children about war and enemies and hope and love? How do we talk to one another? I had the opportunity to practice the other morning as my six-year-old examined the library books scattered on the family-room floor. The conversation went something like this: "Mom, that picture on The Vanished … Continue reading Can We Talk About War and Enemies and Hope and Love?
Jessica Sanborn 