Power in Sanctuary
I’m writing this off the beaten path, staying with friends near Asheville, NC. And if you watch the news, you know that it is a minor miracle that I am able to send this Sabbath Moment at all, as power…
Letting our soul catch up
I love the heartening story Sue Monk Kidd tells about her grandfather.“My grandfather was a lawyer, a judge, and a farmer. He was frequently busy and conquesting, but I remember also that he sometimes entered the golden moments of wu…
Be gentle with yourself
Care of any kind—compassion, generosity, forgiveness, reconciliation, peacemaking, service, ministry, teaching, giving, healing—begins with and is nourished by self-care. By self-compassion.So. Our invitation this week; let us be gentle with ourselves. A restorative mainlined straight to the heart. Although, my…
Storm home sanctuary
I had a different Sabbath Moment planned. But two headlines grabbed my attention. “Dangerous severe storms will sweep across the eastern half of the U.S. this Memorial Day weekend, affecting a number of major cities from Saturday to Monday.” And…
Music, a place of sanctuary
During the Bosnian War, Serbs surrounded the city of Sarajevo. And the people of Sarajevo knew that sniper fire could kill anyone, indiscriminate; whether they stood in a bread line or were collecting a child from school.Even so, in the…
Healing power of sanctuary
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes. Including yourself. (Thank you, Anne Lamott.) And this did my heart good. Chanequa Walker-Barnes, (professor of practical theology and pastoral care at Columbia Theological Seminary in Georgia),…
At home in our own skin
A young seminary student (studying to become a Rabbi) found himself distraught, and sought the advice of his mentor."Rabbi," he said, "I try to pray and study. I give it my full attention. But I feel constrained and stuck. In…
A safe place to land.
Some stories are like restorative prayers. They invite (no, they require) retelling, for the healing of our spirit and our soul.In 1942, the Nazis were actively and forcefully rounding up Jews in France. In the picturesque farming village of Le…
The healing magic of pause
An American traveler planned a long safari to Africa. He was a compulsive man, loaded down with maps, timetables, and agendas. Coolies had been engaged from a local tribe to carry the cumbersome load of supplies, luggage and "essential stuff."On…
Reminders that replenish us
“I have never been lost,” Daniel Boone once said about exploring remote areas. “But I will admit to being confused for several weeks.”That’ll preach. And I will admit to the same. And it is no surprise, given the world in…
