Valentine’s Day. A day to celebrate love. Some feel it is a made-up holiday, by the card and candy companies. That may or may not be true, but it doesn’t matter to me either way. I am all for celebrating love no matter who decided to highlight it first. However, love is different than romance. … Continue reading Beauty and the Beast
Inspiration
Another Memorial Stone
Today, I heave another memorial stone upon the altar. There are 36 now. One for each year post accident. It doesn’t matter that this sacred memorial is only in my mind. That fact doesn’t make it any less holy, for it is in my mind that the events of that day are etched. Seared really. … Continue reading Another Memorial Stone
The Sound of Many Waters
From the time I was a little girl, I have loved the sound of running water because it calls to me. We had creek in our neighborhood that we had to cross on the way to the pool. I regularly dillydallied on the way home to visit with the creek. In the mountains, I knew … Continue reading The Sound of Many Waters
Resolution
To make a firm decision to do something. That’s the meaning most commonly used this time of year. But resolution has many meanings that do not involve losing weight, getting in shape, cleaning the house, or resisting whatever temptation is your nemesis. Over my lifetime, I’ve made many firm decisions to do things which never … Continue reading Resolution
Broken Candle
My candle was broken. When I selected it from the box at the church door it was intact. I didn’t intend to break it. I stood to worship on Christmas Eve. Singing all my favorites of the season. A much-needed heart lift. Of course, all my favorites are also Mom’s favorites, so my vision got … Continue reading Broken Candle
A Lamentation
Because sometimes there are no words…only lament... O Lord, how long will the violence last? How many nations will rise up to kill other nations? The pain seems never ending. The groans too deep for words. Innocence stolen. Virtue slaughtered. Blood spills into the streets. It runs like a river at flood stage, fast moving … Continue reading A Lamentation
The Churches of Ireland
I live in the Southern United States, the Bible Belt, where there is a church on every corner, so I am familiar with multitudes of churches. In Ireland, the spires of the churches are the tallest buildings in every skyline. In villages, the church is not only the largest building, it is often in the … Continue reading The Churches of Ireland
Wild Irish Skies
I have been to tropical islands. I have seen the rain coming towards me down the beach, and then move past in a moment. I have waited to go outside to swim until the skies cleared, because I knew they would. The constant change in the weather is easily planned around and expected on a … Continue reading Wild Irish Skies
Train Ride to Adventure
Along the tracks, Dublin and its busy streets fade into countryside. At first the train moves slowly, a reluctant beast, but as we slide further away from the noise of the city it finds its wings. We race to clear skies and lush green fields. Houses dot the landscape and soon there are barns as … Continue reading Train Ride to Adventure
Freedom
The absence of coercion or constraint in choice or action. Liberation from slavery or the power of another. We all agree freedom is of high value. Maybe the highest. Even if we do not all interpret what freedom looks like in the same way, we recognize the worth of this multi-dimensional noun. It means so … Continue reading Freedom