Sometimes, doing exactly what we want is the path to destruction. But sometimes it’s the path to joy. I don’t feel like writing a blog post today, so I will be brief. I’m much more joyful this holiday season than I have been for a while. I’m not really sure why, but that’s how I feel. Other people are not …
Inner Peace in 3 Easy Steps
The Christian faith, as I see it, is two parallel journeys. One is an inward journey to nurture the spark of the divine within us. The second is an outward journey towards the incarnation of God in the world. These can be viewed through infinite lenses, depending on what aspect of the infinite Divine we’re talking about. This week, as …
Fear and Hope
I’ve been struggling to write again this week. Sunday’s conversation did not go as I expected and I’ve been trying to wrap my arms around why and how I can “fix” it, if that’s even a thing. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good conversation; it was honest and rich and personal. But there was a lot of anxiety. …
The End is Here, Let’s Begin Again
Whether celebrated as Stir-Up Sunday, as we did, or Christ the King Sunday, this past Sunday is supposed to be the Day of Judgment. Whether we think that is good or bad depends on how we think we will be judged. Back to that later. It is also the last Sunday before Advent. Christ returns to sin in judgment of …
Joy in a Time of Tension
For some, Christmas is a joyful time; for some, it is not. Amid the lights and parties, there is a lot of pressure to be happy, to wear a smile whether you feel it or not. There is also a lot of stress with buying presents and decorating and travel. Everything has to be just so. It has to match …
Peace in a Time of Chaos
Repent! For the end is near! In fact, it’s already here. Remember a couple of weeks ago when the world ended, as it always does? Now is the time of the after-thought, the metanoia, the thinking in the after. The world is chaos, welter and waste, and the Spirit of God hovers over the top of it, coaxing it back …
Hope in a Time of Desolation
After spending Sunday talking about finding hope in the desolate places, I got a call from our friend Ivan on Monday night. We talk at Church in the Cliff about how what we do is an ongoing conversation. Even though Ivan missed church on Sunday, which is fine, he somehow was plugged into the Spirit of our conversation. When I …
Love and Light
We will have two services Sunday. Plus a post-evening-service feast. Plus getting the building ready. Plus the holidays. Plus a surprise appearance by my dog jumping through yet another window. It’s a busy time. I don’t know if I will get it all done or how it will all turn out. Advent is a time of waiting, a time of …
Rejoice! (Plus: A Note from the Board!)
People might not guess that I suffer from depression because I laugh a lot. In fact, I know a lot of depressed people who laugh a lot. Perhaps a bleak outlook makes us really appreciate the moments of joy. We wring out every drop. This week of Advent is dedicated to joy. As I’ve mentioned, Advent is a time of …
Peace in the Season
This is the Advent week of peace, but I have to admit that I have not felt at peace. Advent is supposed to be a month of preparation for the Light coming into the world. We are to hope and find peace and joy and love one another. Most of us are consumed with the logistics of holiday travel and …
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