“Contrary to belief, nobody owes you anything.” Too many, too often, fall into the subtle trap of believing that life inherently owes them because of who they are or what they have done. This sharp trap holds them screaming for fairness. Many of you read about the entitlement generation. An entire generation a young folk […]
Back To Center
Don’t you hate those days when you’re spinning and can’t seem to hit the mark no matter how hard you try! It feels like something has got a hold of us and were not the person we want to be. Our decisions seem to make things worse. And we become impatient, perhaps even disappointed, with […]
The Wisdom In Staying
When I was trying to make my way as a young (er) cleric with idealistic intentions, I did so within an institution that is inherently slow to change. Many parishioners were well integrated into what was and always has been. And consequently I was ‘corrected’ (often). It was a time of learning in which I […]
The Storm Before the Calm (A New Years Reflection on Change)
The Storm Before the Calm (A New Years Reflection on Change) Over the last few months we have been talking about healing, particularly the healing of deep wounds so that our lives are released from their effects on our choices. In this article I would like to address the issue that this healing process can […]
The Place of Wounds: Part 3
In my last 2 articles I have been exploring the healing of our past wounds. These wounds are the result of our past hurts and they comprise everything from genetic predisposition to abuse and hardship later in life. Some understand this as our ‘holy brokenness’. Leading to compassion and developing character. I agree, but…there is […]
The Place of Wounds (Part 2)
Last month I pointed out that Wounds shape our lives. By wounded I mean bruised and hurt by circumstances (often out of our control). Many of our choices arise from the needs our wounds have created because every hurt leaves a scar, every hurt leaves a memory, and consequently, every hurt molds our thoughts and […]
The Place of Wounds (Part1)
Our wounded self shapes our lives in big ways. By wounded I mean bruised and hurt by circumstances (often out of our control). And going as far back as the womb and encompassing everything from genetic predisposition to abuse and hardship. Wounds are inevitable. Though perhaps the more tragic ones are preventable. Wounds burrow deep […]
Rhetorical Landmines
Some language, especially religious language, not only fails the test of pragmatism but can leave one feeling skeptical, if not completely turned off. Some would call it rhetoric (at its best eloquent and pointed…at its worst, insincere and shallow). I was watching a show depicting a community baptism in a cold river. A 13-year-old young […]
Safe Certainty (or Certain Safety)
Safe Certainty (or Certain Safety) We are limited in how much we’re able to control the circumstance of our lives. We can construct reasonably safe containers but are awfully vulnerable to outside circumstance. Where do we go? Relying on our own strength has its limitations. We want so much to be strong and create a […]