A friend posted a blog today that referred to the image on the right. “Buy Presents” is edited to “Be Present,” and so on. She suggested that in her life there’s a bit of Both/And. Do you know how a phrase can send you off down a rabbit hole of memory? Her post did that … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope from the Both/And
The window next to our dining table looks west to the Olympic Mountains. In the early morning, when the sky is clear and there is snow on the peaks, they emerge from the darkness in tones of deep blue and pink. Every time I see them while drinking my tea, my breath is taken away. … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: The Mountains
All this talk about hope can actually be a little depressing, I fear. I think that can happen especially when the world seems extra dark. And for some of us — me included, the world feels extra dark as we approach the solstice, now less than a week away. While Denise Levertov’s poem “Talking To … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Even if Hope Seems Far Away
I was introduced to Wendell Berry’s work when preparing for a wedding early in my ministry. The couple included his poem “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” in their service, and then gave me a copy of his collected works. These few lines have offered me hope more times than I can count: Expect the … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope in Laughter
William Carlos Williams points us toward the sights that surround us and the refreshment that we can find there. Hope is all around if we look for it. APPROACH TO A CITY Getting through with the world- I never tire of the mystery of these streets: the three baskets of dried flowers in the high … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope in the Small Holiness of Braver Things
#31daysofhope Words from Carter Heyward that remind me of what is essential. Christmas Beatitudes 2016 By Carter Heyward Blessed are those who are kind, especially when it’s hard Blessed are those angry for justice in situations of unfairness and oppression, Blessed are the compassionate in times of hatred, Blessed are those who speak honestly when … Continue reading Hart to Heart: Beatitudes for Our Time
My colleague, the Reverend Theresa Ines Soto, lifts up hope by reminding us both that the Universe has been waiting for us, and that it may be hard work right about now. Finally, you There are a lot of things that are not going to work out. Planet probes, Jean Claude Van Damme movies, … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Dance
A colleague who was putting off writing her sermon wondered about how to find the stories of Martin Luther King, Jr. that showed the side of him that we don’t often see: the man who was fearful and lost, the pastor to his people, the father and husband in the small moments. Most of the … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope from the Ancestors, Part 2
Last Sunday, I had the joy of sitting in worship without having a single task to perform. I got to sing, say our unison words and simply drink in the message and our beautiful worship space. The singing is an important part for me. Throughout my adult life, I’ve loved to sing, and often feel … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope Emerges from Singing Together
Author Sherman Alexie is a favorite of mine. His willingness to speak the truth through his fiction, his poetry, and films connects with me. In an interview with The Stranger, he reflects on the role of the arts in resistance movements: I’m not one of those artist-writers who thinks they have any real power. I’m … Continue reading Hart to Hearts: Hope from Other Voices
