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Welcome to this oasis on your journey-
A respite from the chaos of the world A place where you can rest and be calm Take in the beauty, the hope, the healing When life gets hard, return to this oasis Listen Watch Learn Heal (photos...thanks to Tracy Mooty, Janet Hagberg) |
Those Pesky Demons
Demons and their assorted “relatives” have always intrigued me and have likewise always frightened me. I grew up in a religious atmosphere unusually conscious of the war between demonic powers and the power of God. A huge wood carving across the front of our sanctuary had a giant dragon encircling most of the earth! I know there was an image of Jesus somewhere else on the carving, but I don’t remember what it was. All I remember was the dragon. Really scary. So, when the title of this essay arrived in my psyche I said “What?” . . . Read more
Oasis in a time of Chaos
I feel called to be an oasis of calm amid the chaos of the world these days. That includes being a place of refuge both for myself and others. It means living from an inner calm that is not tossed about by the latest news or the latest crisis. More on that later but let me explore the whole idea of oasis first and then later describe why it can be so vital. I’m going to invite you to consider yourself an oasis too.
My most memorable oasis story
Three months into the pandemic, four months after my like-a-son, Michael age forty-nine, died of a Glioblastoma, and a week after George Floyd’s murder I faced yet another personal crisis. . . Read more
Demons and their assorted “relatives” have always intrigued me and have likewise always frightened me. I grew up in a religious atmosphere unusually conscious of the war between demonic powers and the power of God. A huge wood carving across the front of our sanctuary had a giant dragon encircling most of the earth! I know there was an image of Jesus somewhere else on the carving, but I don’t remember what it was. All I remember was the dragon. Really scary. So, when the title of this essay arrived in my psyche I said “What?” . . . Read more
Oasis in a time of Chaos
I feel called to be an oasis of calm amid the chaos of the world these days. That includes being a place of refuge both for myself and others. It means living from an inner calm that is not tossed about by the latest news or the latest crisis. More on that later but let me explore the whole idea of oasis first and then later describe why it can be so vital. I’m going to invite you to consider yourself an oasis too.
My most memorable oasis story
Three months into the pandemic, four months after my like-a-son, Michael age forty-nine, died of a Glioblastoma, and a week after George Floyd’s murder I faced yet another personal crisis. . . Read more
A Theology of Kindness
John O’Donohue, in his book, To Bless the Space Between Us, says this about kindness: “There is a kindness that dwells deep down in things; it presides everywhere, often in the places we least expect. The world can be harsh and negative, but if we remain generous and patient, kindness inevitably reveals itself. Something deep in the human soul seems to depend on the presence of kindness; something instinctive in us expects it, and once we sense it, we can trust and open ourselves.”
What is it about kindness, especially an act of kindness that attracts us at such a deep level?
Read more
Links to podcasts - Janet Hagberg and friends
John O’Donohue, in his book, To Bless the Space Between Us, says this about kindness: “There is a kindness that dwells deep down in things; it presides everywhere, often in the places we least expect. The world can be harsh and negative, but if we remain generous and patient, kindness inevitably reveals itself. Something deep in the human soul seems to depend on the presence of kindness; something instinctive in us expects it, and once we sense it, we can trust and open ourselves.”
What is it about kindness, especially an act of kindness that attracts us at such a deep level?
Read more
Links to podcasts - Janet Hagberg and friends
- Critical Journey
- Dialogue with the Wall
- Stages in the life of Faith
- Inner healing while preparing for death
- Poem podcast:
- A Safe Place to talk about race and faith
Beauty Water Lily...thanks to David Liedl
"Beauty is a thin place, a place in which our souls connect with someone or something beyond us. The human soul is hungry for beauty. Beauty is everywhere." What is beauty for you? Where are you seeing it in your life? How do you feel in the presence of beauty? See the beauty by clicking here |
Hope Flame of Hope...thanks to Jenny Larson
"Hope is the basic belief in the spark of essential goodness in the world, a core feeling that there is a way out of the darkness, and that the Holy is indeed present despite the prevailing evidence one might have accumulated." Hope is the other side of despair. It is the twin sister of suffering. It is the belief that there is a bird that sings to the dawn while it is still dark. What gives you hope, like a candle in the dark? How do you sustain hope when you are in chaos? How do you provide hope for others? Experience hope by clicking here Where I find hope poem |
Healing Reconciled...thanks to Deb Turnow
Healing is the experience of being whole and loved despite our life circumstances. We are called to core healing, no matter what our journey." When we are unhealed, we feel wounded in body, mind or spirit. Everyone suffers, so we all share the experience of brokenness. But what we do with our suffering, what we believe about our suffering and the process we engage in for healing make all the difference. We may not experience a cure, but we have peace of mind and a reconciled heart. What in your life needs healing? Do you want to be healed? What is your belief about your suffering? How is God involved in your suffering? Experience healing by clicking here |
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