“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity. ” — … Continue reading President’s Blog Post for May 2021 — Delicious Ambiguity
“Imagine if the practical and administrative work of the church – meetings, planning, teaching, etc — was understood not as a necessary evil but as an integral part of the mission of the church to spiritually nurture us. Imagine church not as a place led by overly taxed people but one where leadership is a … Continue reading President’s Blog for April 2021: Service as Spiritual Practice
On February 28 after the Sunday service lifting up We’re All in This Together, Miss Daisy, our 14-year-old American Staffordshire terrier, let us know clearly that she was done. It was time to move on to her next adventure. We loved her for 13 years after Dave adopted her from the SPCA in Annapolis MD … Continue reading President’s Blog for March 2021: Lessons from Miss Daisy
“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.” Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (Molière), French playwright, actor and poet (1622-1673) “Responsibility equals accountability equals ownership. And a sense of ownership is the most powerful weapon a team or organization can have.” – Pat Summitt, head coach of … Continue reading Accountability
“Grief and resilience live together.” — Michelle Obama, Becoming Dear Friends, I am shaken to the core of my physical, intellectual, and emotional being by the events in Washington DC this week. The assault on the United States Capitol – encouraged by the leader of our democracy – added to the multiple heart quakes … Continue reading President’s Blog for January 2021
“Like hope, trust, and love, gratitude is both a feeling and a spiritual practice . . . Words of thanks signal acknowledgement of another’s part in benefiting our lives. “Thank you” adds a human connection. It says, “I noticed you were there, and I am glad.”” – From “Practice Gratitude” by Christine C. Robinson and … Continue reading Gratitude
As I’m drinking a cup of tangerine tea, relaxing for a moment during a day of raking dirt, digging in edging and helping a large area of our yard recover from “the big dig” of a full septic system replacement, I realize that I am stewarding myself. I am “practicing the ethic that embodies the … Continue reading President’s Blog for October 2020
“When the going gets tough, the tough reinvent.” – RuPaul And reinvent we have in a time that has challenged our bodies, minds, hearts, and spirits. I am trying to be patient, to be mindful, to be careful, to be thoughtful, to be healthy. And, honestly, I am weary of it. I want to meet … Continue reading When the Going Gets Tough…
Harnessing the ripple effect in times of trouble An ugly pandemic has launched a societal tsunami, threatening to turn us inward at a time when we desperately need the warmth of community. In times like these, the value of sustaining your spiritual home becomes clear. Our minister, staff and volunteers moved quickly to provide us … Continue reading Tahoma UU President’s Budget Message
Reflections on the Recent Past In August the Board of Trustees took our annual retreat. The concept of a day(s) long retreat is nothing new for organizations. The stated goal is usually to take an extended period of time away to reflect, plan and grow together as a team. The time together as a board … Continue reading President’s Blog September 2018
