Many of y’all are sharing your 2020 words today, but I’m not quite ready to move on. A few weeks back I mentioned the 10 Things to Tell You podcast and the episode about reflecting back on 2019. In the show notes, Laura says “There are 10 questions in this episode meant to make you reflect upon on the last twelve months and get some clarity for what you want in the coming year. The prompts are a mix of light and deep, some to document a simple moment in time, others to help you grow.” As I’ve been sitting … Continue reading Hope | December 2019.

I’ve been thinking about Advent this week. Advent starts this Sunday (the dates of Advent change year to year, because it always starts the 4th Sunday before Christmas) and I am delighted it actually starts on December 1 (next year it will start in November). It marks the beginning of the church year and welcomes a season of waiting and anticipation leading up to Christmas. In many churches, we light candles each week, representing and recalling Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. At our church, different ministries are invited to light the candles each week, and as part of our Prayer … Continue reading Hope | November 2019.

The most meaningful part of my Hope journey this past month has been the series of sermons our pastors have preached on Hope. I’m honestly not sure they intended to have a Series, but I’ve seen it that way. On October 6, the lectionary passage was Lamentations 3:24 ” ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him’.” Apparently, this is the only passage of hope in that whole book. That Sunday was World Communion Sunday and the message closed with these hopeful words: Every time we gather to worship, every time we come to … Continue reading Hope | October 2019.

I thought it would be nice to open this month’s update on Hope with a glimpse of the sunrise over the lake. Sadly, the slight drizzle that greeted me when I left the house didn’t register on my weather app. It’s hard to see a sunrise when there’s no sun. Thankfully, though, eight months into this Hope journey, I’m not seeing anything hopeless about it. While I was in England, I read Richard Rohr’s, Everything Belongs. Subtitled “The Gifts of Contemplative Prayer”, this was another meaningful step in my exploration of Rohr’s work and perfect “morning work” while I awaited … Continue reading Hope | August 2019.

I sat at my desk this morning, thinking about what I was going to write, marveling once again how this OLW has been such a gift … and in unexpected ways. I added two more “HOPE quotes” to my journal this month: The power of hope is greater than greed. ~Pastor Steve’s daily meditation, July 4 Patience is hope in action. ~Fr. Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart But the message that really hit home for me comes – again – from Fr. Richard Rohr’s Falling Upward. In the last few chapters, he paints a picture of the second half … Continue reading Hope | July 2019.

A summer rain storm blew through last night. I worried that our almost blooming hydrangeas might be spoiled … but no … they’re hanging tough. I snapped the photo above just after my morning walk. Love that one open bloom, washed clean, and all the others, promising a real show. It seems a fitting illustration of where I am with Hope right now. Last week (when I had a few minutes to think about it 😉 ) I’d planned to write about Both-And Thinking. It’s a concept that I learned from Richard Rohr and became especially interested in when I … Continue reading Hope | June 2019.

In spite of my very best efforts to let go of hopelessness, I’m not gonna lie, it continues to be a day-by-day thing. But most days, hope wins. The practices I’ve talked about (naming gratitudes, unplugged mornings, contemplation, stillness) are a big help. and this month, I found another one – and some new voices – that have combined to lighten my spirit. I like to think I’m strong enough to do the hard work to find hope in the dark places, but day in day out, it’s exhausting. Light helps. (so does sleep. and taking care of myself with … Continue reading Hope | April 2019.

For all its claim to be another long month (31! days), March seems to have slipped through my fingers. And I am grateful for my journaling practice and this space to remind me … no, it didn’t. On the pages of my journal, I found hope in fresh starts. strong women. crossing boundaries with an open heart. choices. love. stillness. energy. inspiration. dots connecting. seeing the sunrise on my morning walk. birdsong. Queer Eye. On Being. changing my mind. contemplative practices. Spring! meetings with my confirmand mentee about drafting  her faith statement. In this space, I’ve shared bits and pieces … Continue reading Hope | March 2019.