Gossamer Threads

I spent my Thanksgiving weekend writing.  It's a gift I give myself every year as I participate in NaNoWriMo .  And this year, I found the answers I've been searching for in this writing for 15 years.  It's nowhere near ready for publication, but I feel like I've done my world building and character building enough that I'm ready to re-write these books now. In this year's novel, they finally discover a cure and a vaccine for a bioweapon developed thousands of years ago.  The problem was created by a few, but it takes the gifts of many, of representatives  of all the groups on the planet to fix it. And in doing so, they create a new covenant among them.  Those words are specific to the people and challenges of that world, but I loved them enough that I wanted to adjust them for me.   This is my covenant and my prayer for a new year:   Fully aware of the blessings and responsibilities that come with my gifts, I serve this plan...

Last January, inspired by the writing of my friends, I wrote a prayer for the new year. As we approach another new year, I decided to share it more widely. Here is that prayer: Prayer for a New Year There are so many chances to begin again. A change of clothes. A new day. The next breath. The next step. As we begin this new year, full of hopes and dreams, may we remember that it is not just on this day, but in every moment of our lives that we can live in this freshness, this joy, and this commitment. Open our eyes to see beyond the surface. Teach us to listen, to really listen, with understanding as our goal. Help us set aside our judgements so we may more fully see the Child of God before us. 

 May we remember to walk slowly, and to discover the stunning beauty that others rush past. May we find the time for awe and reverence, for these are the things that sustain us in this crazy, busy world. Keep our hope alive. Help us be the Light that gives hope to those in need. May this n...

Dearest friends, especially those whose Christmas joy is colored by grief, I'm writing this morning as I wait for the rest of the family to wake up to see what Santa brought.  And I'm missing my Dad.  I know that many of you are also feeling loss this morning.  Some of it is very fresh, and some of you have lived with this for years. I want you to know that you are held in love this morning.  I want you to know that I see you and I honor however you choose to engage in this day or not. And I want to share a few messages that I found very true for me. This from HavenTree . And we can’t forget you!   Oh, my friend. We see you over there, with the tissues in your pocket, trying to get through the next few   days without drowning in the hole left by the person who isn’t there anymore.    We see you being brave and broken and missing them.   It’s okay to mourn instead of celebrate.    They’re gone, and it hurts, a...

Arthur Hacker, The Annunciation, 1892 A friend shared this lovely recording of Biebl's Ave Maria this morning, which reminded me of a sacred learning experience that happened a couple of years ago.  I was privileged to be in a group of strong and courageous women and a few men when a Catholic sister led us in praying the rosary.  I'm not and have never been a Catholic, but I know the words well, especially those that I have sung over the years either in Latin or in the English translations.  I knew the text, but I had never imagined the depth that could come from repeating words over and over.  And I hadn't thought about how words I might not literally believe could open me to new depth and understanding of what I do believe.   I was particularly touched by the Hail Mary.   Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;  blessed are you among women,  and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.  Holy Mary, Mother of God,...

I found an unpublished blog today.  I had intended to come back and refine it and add some sort of ending.  But as I look at it today, it says what it needs to say.  These words are as relevant this week as they were then. _______________________ Years ago, I had a professor that would not teach about Richard Wagner or his music.  What it boiled down to was that my professor was Jewish and Wagner had been deeply anti-Semitic.  At the time, I wondered why it wasn’t possible to separate the person from their work.  Couldn’t we appreciate great art without condoning the immoral and unethical choices of those that created it? I think I understand a little better where my professor was coming from.  I’ve actually thought a lot about it in the years since. Where is my line?  Who gets a pass and who doesn’t?  Why?  Should I have refused to see the movie Ender’s Game because of Orson Scott Card’s  beliefs and ...

This was originally posted on May 17, 2016 on a now defunct blog called Exploring Sainthood.  I was reminded of it when I read my friend's post today titled "Seeing the Good, Speaking the Harm" . Please take the time to read her post.  It is what the world needs more of right now. Our world is a difficult place to be at this point in time.  We are living in a world of amazing growth and beauty. We are living in a world of extremely damaging actions of individuals and broken systems.   It is both at the same time.   As a people, we cannot deny that the pain exists and just focus on the good. If we do that nothing ever changes.  As a people, we cannot just call out all the injustices and fail to see what is working well.  Noticing what works helps us to shape our vision of a better future. We need people that see the good and that bring it to our attention. We need people that show us how we are broken. And we need people, like me, who are calle...