This weekend, Abbot emeritus Francis Benedict of St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, breathed his last breath here on earth. For my years through seminary and into the early years of my ministry, Francis was my beloved spiritual director and friend.…
It's already long past departure time. I'm standing near the gate, waiting for the inbound passengers to deplane. There's nowhere to go, and the plane will depart when it departs. Even so, the passengers (including me) are beginning to huddle,…
The Sunday-school teacher asked her 10-year-old students if they would be willing to give $1,000,000 to missionary work for children and families in need."Yes," they all screamed in unison."Very good. Would you give $1000?""Yes!""Good. Would you give $1?"The class responded,…
I need grace.Because grace is my grounding.Without grace... I lose track of where my soul is awakened, sustained and reborn.And I love stories about grace, the kind that do your heart good, and nourish and replenish your soul with gratitude.…
Some stories are like restorative prayers. They invite (no, they require) retelling, for the healing of our spirit and our soul.In 1942, the Nazis were actively and forcefully rounding up Jews in France. In the picturesque farming village of Le…
I am sitting on my porch, my muscles sore in a good way, and a big smile on my face. And dirt under my fingernails. This week I worked (more like played and dawdled) in my garden. Smiling also as…
Toward the end of his life, Bruce had an advanced case of Parkinson's. One of the symptoms is particularly disconcerting. Sometimes when Bruce sees a line on the floor (perhaps because his eyes are cast down, watching his feet, fearing…
“I’ve lost my way.” One man confesses to his friend. “And it’s not good, because I don’t know how much more I can take."“I understand,” his friend says.“I don’t know what is next, but I think I’m close to the…
“The plain fact is that the planet does not need more successful people. But it does desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers, and lovers of every kind. It needs people who live well in their place. It needs people…
Teachers considered grade school student Gillian Lynne a problem child. You know, one of those students who don't pay attention. Or focus. Age 8 and unable to sit still, Gillian had earned the nickname Wriggle Bottom. This much was clear;…