Lord, teach me. . . .

  Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.  –Erich Fromm   Have you ever been to a White Elephant gift exchange? Here’s how it works: You go through all the stuff you have lying around and choose one thing that no longer sparks joy—but might spark joy in someone else’s heart. Wrap it up, and get together with a group of friends. Everyone winds up with whatever someone else brought, and goes home with something new and unusual. Usually, when you open your “new gift,” you have one of three reactions: You laugh out loud (or cry inside), thank the giver—and plot to drop it off in a public trash bin on the drive home; Or . . . you stare in dismay, paste a smile on your face—and start imagining which friend might receive this wonderful gift at the next White Elephant party; Or . . . you genuinely delight in this unexpected gift, this thing that you can hardly believe someone else no longer wanted, because it will look great right next to the geraniums. You

  Tyrants fear the poet. 
 Now that we know it 
 we can’t blow it. . . . Hope— 
 we must bestow it 
 like a wick in the poet --Amanda Gorman, “In This Place” This week, we witnessed again the beauty and power of the spoken word. We listened in awe as a young woman of color spoke truth to life—in powerful rhyme, no less! The gentle wave of her hand, her confidence—wow.   And then, the newly-elected president spoke, asking the nation to join him in prayer (by whatever name you might call it). Mourning the deaths of over 400,000 men and women, parents and children is a necessary first step as we move forward into the next stage of this experiment we call democracy .   What do these two prophetic voices have in common? They have both worked their whole lives to overcome a challenge that could have kept them from sharing their words with the world. They both have endured ridicule and sometimes, exclusion, to speak clearly and with authority. God chooses. God uses. God give

  These are the times that try [humanity’s] souls. –Thomas Paine   Everywhere we look these days, things and people and events are vying for our attention, many in a not-so-good way. The violence and hysteria, the fear that fills the evening news—what on earth is going on? And then the church chimes in, claiming to speak for Jesus, and reminds us that the rapture is ahead, and it’s time to repent and be saved! (Rapture theology is weak and harmful. Please do not go there.) The constant onslaught is unhealthy for body and mind. So do something about it! Turn off the television. Shut down the internet. Focus your eyes back where they never should have left in the first place. Be distracted by the moments of beauty and grace that surround us every single moment! The message of Jesus the Christ is Love . The mission of Christ’s Church? Do justice ; love mercy ; walk humbly alongside your God who loves you. Let God provide the distractions this week. Let your heart seek an

  If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles. –Sun Tzu   It happens a lot. Things happen in the world, and we respond. Sometimes we literally break out in a cold sweat. We look around nervously and wonder. Am I safe? What’s happening there—could it happen here? What should I do? What can I do? I feel so helpless. . . . Our new year in the USA started off with a big bang, didn’t it, as angry rioters broke into our capitol building. The news channels covered it relentlessly, showing every angle. The fear among the reporters was apparent—and contagious. We all felt it. We all looked around at our neighbors, wondering. . . . Fear. At the heart of everything we felt on January 6-- was fear .  We are afraid our American lifestyle and democracy are at risk. We are fearful of our neighbors who might disagree with us. We are afraid we aren’t quite as safe today as we were yesterday—or were we even safe then? How do we get out of thi

  Let our New Year’s resolution be this: we will be there for one another, as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word. –Goran Persson As we turn up the new calendar page, there’s always been this idea that we need to change, to resolve to be better this year than we were last year. A few years ago, I discovered an ancient Hawaiian practice that seems suited to the start of a new year. The practice is called Ho’oponopono . There are four phrases that are elemental to Ho’oponopono . If you are up for trying something new in 2021, I would encourage you to meditate on these four elements: I’m sorry . Is there someone to whom you owe an apology? Now just might be the time. I forgive you . On the flip side, is there someone you know you need to actively offer forgiveness to? Whether they have asked forgiveness or not? Thank you . Gratitude is a wonderful attitude to cultivate. The world around us is filled with reasons to give thanks.   I love you . Three little wo