Have you ever noticed how good it feels to give? I remember the first time I’d earned my own money to spend on people at Christmastime. I was 13, so I couldn’t go out shopping without someone driving me, which means they’d know about their presents, so I got the sneaky idea of ordering everyone […]
Read more "A Giving Heart"One day a few weeks ago as I was driving home from work, I stopped to wait for a red light and happened to glance into my rear view mirror. I noticed how tired and grim the person in the car behind me looked. I felt the stirring of compassion and a sense of connection […]
Read more "A Holy Joy"What do you think is going on inside cocoons right now? Here in the early days of warmer weather, edging toward spring, we know that all of nature is preparing for a new chapter of life, a new season of growth and blossoming just ahead. Some spring flowers are already poking green shoots up into […]
Read more "The Cocoon of Grace"This year in honor of Valentine’s Day, which is coming up on Tuesday, I felt inspired to get out the old autograph books I inherited from my great-grandfather Hugo’s early school life. The year was 1888, and Hugo was 12 when his classmates had written—in their best, fancy penmanship—short verses and bits of wisdom in […]
Read more "The Allness of Love"Have you ever tried baking your own bread? If not, I highly recommend it. Yes, it’s messy. And there’s often a lot of kneading involved. Your hands may get tired. You will certainly get flour everywhere. And it takes a lot of time, maybe all afternoon, if you do it right. But there’s quite a […]
Read more "Bread of Life"Have you ever noticed how many different versions of the world there seem to be? There was the world you left behind for a little while when you slipped off to sleep last night. And the world you woke up to this morning as you stretched and opened your eyes. There’s the world we experience […]
Read more "Remaking the World"Two weeks ago, on a Thursday evening, I did something I’ve never done before; something I’ve always wanted to do. I went to my first pottery class. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I was prepared to look and feel a little silly, because I was a complete beginner. I didn’t know how to […]
Read more "Made of Clay"It’s so good to have you all with us on World Quaker Day! All over the world just now, on different continents and in different time zones, Quakers are gathering together and celebrating and sharing the essence of the growing faith that animates and unfolds our lives. If you are new to Quakerism, you might […]
Read more "God-with-Us: Stories of Faith"Today is a sad and somber day, and it probably always will be. The 9-11 Memorial services are going on now, as family members read the names of the loved ones they’ve lost and continue to grieve, and firefighters ring the bell commemorating each precious life. Every September 11th I feel echoes of the sadness, […]
Read more "Overruling Fear"Do you remember a time as a kid when you thought you were going to get in Big Trouble for something—maybe a bad grade or a broken window or accidentally causing your little sister to trip and fall—but instead of anger and punishment, you were met with understanding? Or perhaps there was a time when […]
Read more "The Thing about Grace"
The Space between the Words 