Readings: Psalm 148; Proverbs 8:22-31; 1 John 5:1-12 2016 has been a bit of a murderous wretch. I had such high hopes and good intentions for this year when it started. And it turned out to be one of the hardest years of my life personally. It also turned out to be a hard year […]
Readings: Psalm 148; Acts 7:59-8:8 As I was driving home to Seattle today after spending Christmas with my family, I caught sunlight off the mountains over the river that runs alongside a portion of I-5. I pulled over. Despite the traffic and my ever-present need to beat my last drive time, I pulled over. And […]
Readings: Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1: 1-12; John 1:1-14 This is the day we wait for during Advent. The day that Jesus is born and we are filled with hope, joy, peace, and love. The day when all things can be made new because God has sent a new energy…a new spirit…a new human […]
Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2: 1-20 When I was a Doula, my favorite clients were young teenage mothers. Not a one of them a virgin like Mary. But each of them eager to meet their baby and often nervous about childbirth and terrified about what motherhood would bring. I think of […]
Readings: Luke 1:46b-55; 2 Samuel 7:18, 23-29; Galatians 3:6-14 The guests have all left. The kitchen is cleaned up. Nat King Cole is crooning on the radio about chestnuts roasting on an open fire. My kitties are curled up in their warm places…one in her bed and the other sprawled in front of the fireplace. […]
Readings: Luke 1:46b-55; Isaiah 33:17-22; Revelation 22:6-8, 18-20 Okay…so…today Putin and The Orange One decided that for Christmas they would give the world a conversation about nuclear weapons. As in “Merry fucking Christmas world…we are going to have another nuclear arms race. Suckers!” Everything in me wants to scream about this. I said over and […]
Readings: 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Genesis 37:2-11; Matthew 11:1-17 Today is the shortest day of daylight all year long. That alone makes it special. It is also the day when we begin the long ascent back into sunlight on our way to spring. That makes it extra special (especially to the people of the Pacific Northwest…cause […]
Readings: 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Genesis 21:1-21; Galatians 4:21 – 5:1 Now and then I find myself repeating old story lines, habits, and lessons. I can’t be alone in this. One of my regular lessons is about my willingness and desire to pick up other people’s burdens or problems and attempt to carry them. I call […]
Readings: 1 Samuel 2:1-10; Genesis 17:15-22; Galatians 4:8-20 I woke up this morning feeling anxious. That has happened more often than I care to admit over the past few weeks. It is frustrating and troubling to me that I’ve become a person who sometimes has to manage her own fears with really consistent behavior and […]
Readings: Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, to whom she was […]