Dementors? Anticipate Your Advocate

“Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope, and happiness out of the air around them. Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can’t see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy…

Spirit Bear Rainforest

I am praying for far off places Praying for their safety For their healing For peace and protection I am praying for far off places I may go only in prayer To the Spirit Bear Rainforest Every fern, water drop, bear, bird, and tree held lovingly in prayer Where might we go together in prayer?…

Feels Like Ashes, Tastes Like Ashes

Lent began last Wednesday in Western Christian traditions—”Ash Wednesday.” It is so called because the ashes received on the forehead signify a time for penitence, for abstinence, fasting, almsgiving and prayer. This annual journey begins with heartfelt lament from the prophet Joel, “Gird yourselves, O priests, and weep” (Joel 1:13). The great mystery of sadness…

Snow Stilling: Stirring Prayer

Today, Thursday, February 4, 2021   I sit writing THIS blog post, for Friday, February 12. Snow stills everyone and everything; weather forecasters caution “reducing visibility.” We literally peer out at trillions and trillions and trillions of snowflakes transforming before our very eyes … flakes frolicking with furry-friended squirrels … dances of universal peace to…

Brokenness

What will we do with all the broken things? What will we do with the world, our feelings of frustration, our struggle with God? Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold. It’s not just a practice, but it’s a meditation. Because the pottery is made stronger and more beautiful…

For the Birds

The expression “for the birds” has always intrigued me. My grandparents and parents employed it when they wanted to discredit a claim, practice,\ or belief as trivial or meaningless. “Wearing shoes with no socks is for the birds,” they might say. In my family, “Nichts taugen (nothing good)!” was the German equivalent. According to Grammarist…

Economic Justice Examen

The pandemic clearly surfaces some deep cracks in the economic foundations of the world. We invite ourselves today to reflect on our personal economics and the impact our daily choices have on the greater common good. The following “Economic Justice Examen” was prompted and published by two beautiful spirits in Seattle, Washington: Kelly Hickman and…