I went back tonight to the spiritual community of my young adulthood. I went back to say goodbye, as yet another church in the city of Buffalo is having its doors closed. I went to offer support, and was taken aback by how it hit me… Memories flooded over me… this was the church of … Continue reading Keep Watch with Me
Category: In the Moment
Little Bits of Light can Illuminate the Darkness
The last week or so saw an uptick for me as the group I volunteer with finished our 29th home for a refugee family of 6. It takes me back to Spring 2022, when it was suggested that I "check the group out…” When I did, I learned that ‘they’ accepted every aspect of support: … Continue reading Little Bits of Light can Illuminate the Darkness
Invite Small Moments to Inhabit Your Heart
Inviting small moments to inhabit my heart… that is my challenge this Thanksgiving… my beacon of light in a world that tends to point us to the darkness. Yesterday, it was a grey, dreary day in Western New York… the rain had stopped, but the dampness had pasted the land with flattened leaves and a … Continue reading Invite Small Moments to Inhabit Your Heart
Thy Kingdom Come…
So many hands and hearts touching so many lives… This week, another marvelous experience of people making the world a better place. 4 trucks... 1 trailer...11 pick up and drop-offs...50+ volunteers... 1 home... 3 apartments, and reorganizing our storage unit, (paid for by generous donors) ~ THIS was our charge, as we answered "yes!" to … Continue reading Thy Kingdom Come…
Away…Towards…With…
The gift within the pain...
Presence
It is never easy to pack up and move; the emotions that slip into each suitcase, plastic bin, and aged box hold a lifetime of memories. When the choices are limited and feel like they’re less than our own, the mix of gratitude and hesitation is palpable. Establishing resettlement homes for refugee families has groomed … Continue reading Presence
There Will Come Another
Today marks the 17th anniversary of the Western New York October Storm. The lessons I learned during that unexpected storm have guided many a decison over the past 17 years. In memory of that event, the book There Will Come Another, A Lesson from the Trees, is again available for purchase at a special 'Storm … Continue reading There Will Come Another
One Last Pause… The Gift of Slowing Down…
Four months…! It’s four months today that I had my shoulder surgery. A little over five months that my friend graciously offered me her recliner chair so that I would be able to sleep and heal therapeutically. When I got the text that they were on the way… I paused… She and her grandsons were … Continue reading One Last Pause… The Gift of Slowing Down…
Perspective Offers Us a Wider Lens
On a recent morning of service working with volunteers on establishing a refugee resettlement home, I was asked to work with an agency employee to pick up items from our storage unit (provided by the sponsoring agency.) Having this chance to work directly with staff was a first for me, and was particularly rewarding as … Continue reading Perspective Offers Us a Wider Lens
The Best Classroom Lessons are Right in the Moment Before You…
You can ask any elementary teacher… first year as well as those in their 30-something-year… there is something about a teacher’s ‘inner calendar…’ We somehow know intuitively to begin preparing inwardly for the year ahead… Mine comes in the form of early morning insomnia, woken by a growing to-do list that may or may not … Continue reading The Best Classroom Lessons are Right in the Moment Before You…