Heroic Journey Today I ran my second long race. A half marathon. I ran my first in April of this year and wrote about it here. Since my run in April, I’ve continued to train. I was consistent except during…
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Ordinary Time XXVI – Blessed Mary of the Broken Pot
Blessed Mary of the Broken Pot ** You preside over the blessedness and the brokenness of the world. You are Sophia, the wisdom of God and space-maker for the birth of all things sacred. With blood and marrow, tears and…
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Walking in Circles I found myself with an unexpected opportunity to walk a labyrinth today. I’ve been to NaCoMe before, yet somehow I had missed the labyrinth. Dappled in light and shadows, the circular path is marked by rocks and…
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Saying Yes and Saying No Jesus teaches his followers to make their yes, yes and their no, no. Sounds so easy, but is actually complicated in a host of ways. Many things make demands on our lives and often conflict…
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Ground Zero May 2010 “Reconstruction” __________________ * The conclusion to my advice series will resume on Wednesday.
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First Tooth The day my daughter turned five she told us she had a loose tooth. My husband panicked. Well, slightly. First because things about teeth gross him out. Secondly, he admitted a few days later that it was also…
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Esperanza* Hope in Spanish. This young prodigy of a bass player and vocalist, Esperanza Spalding entered my horizon almost a year ago. Two friends mentioned her at nearly the same time. I started looking around for what she was singing…
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So Noted My first conscious memory of note-writing comes from the elementary school. The teacher gave us lined paper. We had to learn the parts of a letter and fill in all out completely. Date. Name and address. Salutation. Body.…
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Slowing Down* Tuesday Morning – I’m out for a run in the neighborhood around the seminary. The day dawns clear and pleasant. I check my watch and calculate. I’ve got 30 minutes before I have to be back and showering…
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A pastor I watched and learned from . . . In my kind of work you can’t really help but know a lot of pastors. And I feel gratitude, love and respect for most all the ones I know. They…
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Everyday Practical Theologians When I started this series, I didn’t know I was starting a series. I was responding to a request for advice to young women leaning into a call to ministry. The request was specifically for ‘practical advice.’…
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Forgiveness Tonight I’m feeling the satisfaction of a full and good day. It held prayer and writing, running and planning, silence and conversation. I’m at St. John’s for a few days to work on an academic writing project. The setting…
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Friends Finding a friend who is a really good listener is one of the best gifts life can offer. Making a circle of friends who can listen with each other into the deep places is still more. This afternoon I…
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Taking the Path of Prayer In all my time at seminary I don’t recall anyone saying to me, “To learn how to be a minister, you should pray.” Nor do I recall anyone saying, “You will need to attend to…
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Ordinary Time XIII – Practicing Generosity
Practicing Generosity* When I lead retreats about simplicity, solitude, and Sabbath I usually do an exercise like this. I ask those in attendance to help me make two lists. We start with the American Dream. What does that make you…
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Public Image Tonight, and for the next few posts, I’m continuing to unpack an earlier list of advice for those considering ministry. As already noted, proverbs or lists of advice have their place (for example in scripture), but also reduce…
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Unpacking Tonight amid packing for a brief trip, I also want to do a little unpacking. Wednesday’s blog post was a list of advice. As I noted, I usually avoid that format. Proverbs and pithy advice have their place. For…
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Practical tips for young women (and others) exploring a call to ministry I’m not asked outright for advice every day. And generally even when I am, I try to blink a few times before giving any. But this week I…
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Before and After I’ve always loved before and after pictures: * home improvement * haircuts * weightloss * whatever They intrigue me. How does change happen? Sometimes it only takes a pair of clippers and an hour of sweat…
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Shamanic Running pounding down the hill and toward the river it draws me down every time morning air swelters around me I try to find the rhythm in my stride, my breath grateful for every remaining patch of shade along…
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