Tag: Christianity
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Can it not be redeemed? Some thoughts on grief & shame.
It is funny, isn’t it, how events, dates or seasons in the calendar can be marked with a certain mood for us. How they become marred by the shadow of a specific experience. Birthdays for me have become a little bit this way. At first I thought, no birthdays with kids just hit different. And…
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What do you name your coffee machine? On Control, Surrender & Obedience.
I have been thinking a great deal about Hagar of late. The context for this is a little strange, I’ll admit, but bear with me (yes, I say that a lot). We are grateful to have wonderful cafes in our area. Including workers who take time to learn our name (more than some co-workers do!)…
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CHOOSE.
You do the right thing. You follow the rules. You do all that is asked of you. You do more. You look ahead. You dream of all that could be. You hope. You plan. You smile at the encouragement, the open hands. You soon learn the promises were empty. You take a step back. The…
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steadfast.
SteadfastOr crumbling to defeatThe differencebetweenStaying the course and relentingPowerlessto fear of change.Do we stay the course when the road inclinesgrows roughbeneath our feetOr turn backlooking for a lighter courseone that does not ask for resilience Or Challenge us,demand that we grow.Steadfast – Not an enticing wordStaying the courseNot oft observedBut we dare to wander the…
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A bit on Labels & a lot on Grace
On our journey of self-awareness and introspection, we’ll discover many labels. Some we’ll affix ourselves. Others will be given to us. With each we need to tread carefully. Our language of labels can be incredibly unhelpful. A sign of maturity is our ability to question these labels, before firmly fixing them in place, if we…
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The words we label ourselves – on how we respond to rejection and failure.
Rejection. I have tasted rejectionIn a thousand different waysThe comment that was ignoredThe smile that was not offeredThe way you walked out of the roomAs I walked inThe invitation that was extendedHumbly and nervouslyOnly to be discarded, I assume. I never even heard from you. Rejection that has made me SadderStrongerBraver WeakerRejection that has made…
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Called to Compassion
Last week I had the opportunity to attend a PD session. On the outside, it appeared to be for me and my development, time away to learn and reflect. In one session the leader, a Priest, read an email from a dear friend of his. This friend was dealing with “a new normal” and balancing…
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Life’s Mirrors – on Humility & being teachable
Is there anything quite as humbling as our children holding up mirrors to our flaws? Seeing them act in less-than-flattering ways and instantly thinking, yep, that’s me. This is my daughter and I. Sometimes my son. I feel like the list of all their undesirable behaviours come from me. I witness my daughter’s clumsiness and…
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What we carry – a poem for Holy Week
I sat down and started drafting this blog late in December. I think originally it was meant to be about the hope for a new year and all the glorious “new” that is to come. In early January, I revisited it and made some additions. After a holiday and the commencement of school (and real…
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A bit about Lent and the traditions that shape us.
There are some traditions we do just “to do them.” These traditions come with a form of expectancy and repetition, maybe without consideration of why. I suppose it would be fair to say that Lent might also be a little bit like this. If we are not careful, it rolls around in the calendar and…
letters and lattes 