Even though I liked to learn and did pretty well in school, I felt pretty nervous every year before starting class again. The anxiety amped up in middle and high school. I dreaded seeing students who picked on me. I was insecure about my body in gym class. I was...
Confession: I did not want to write this blog this week. I’m exhausted. I’m grumpy. I’m discouraged. My meditation practice this morning only took the edge off my funk. I’m glad I work and live alone so that others don’t have to put up with me right now. (Apologies in...
When I worked in a regional role within the United Church of Christ, I used to help local churches develop vision and plan for their futures. In these sessions, I would often sound like an annoyingly curious three-year-old or deranged parrot. I would ask variations on...
Complicated feelings have been part of Memorial Day since its inception. Being a church nerd who loves ritual, I searched for the origin story of Memorial Day recently. Within seconds, (Thank you, interwebs!) I found a fascinating article about how David Blight, a...
As more and more people get vaccinated for COVID-19, the rumblings (or directives from on high) about returning to office workplaces are in full swing. After a year of breakneck change, the tempting lure of comfort will be overwhelming. You will want to simply return...
“Peace can be difficult to feel because of the chaos that surrounds us.” I wrote that line more than a year ago for my 2019 Mindful Advent series, but is really true now. Everything in this year feels like chaos — the disruption of a pandemic, the helplessness created...