My Rudder - a poem

A rudder put in so long ago can affect my travels today.

The rudder was put in with a promising dream and direction,

But at some point it was screwed in with firm lock-tight bolts.

Perhaps this strong hold was necessary against the winds that once stormed against us, necessary to avoid rocky outcroppings.

But now the immovability of that rudder is troubling; the clarity of the trajectory disconcerting.

As I start to jostle and pry at the bolts, I worry about the destruction it may foretell.

I have moved the bolts enough that the rudder is shaking – I can feel the turbulence.

I am unsure if I should break it free, and I know possibly in the movement I have created may tear us apart any way.

I fear that I will be so uncomfortable with the letting go of control that I will rebolt the rudder just on the other side of the hull.

How to Stay Strong in Your Religious Beliefs

I wrote the following poem in answer to the question, " How do you hold your own commitments while remaining open to encounters with those who hold different commitments?"

As I Grown by the River

As I grow by the river,

I stand straight and strong.

                My roots hold me still in times of flood

                             and stretch deep in times of drought.

                My branches reach for the sustenance of the sun.

I have stood here long, as my trunk attests,

                through strong winds and cold nights.

I stretch my arms so that I may feel the breeze.

                I welcome birds to nest with me.

               I play with the chipmunks and squirrels who scamper about.

I try to be strong when children tie ropes to me to jump in the waters.

Sometimes, I grow weary.

My arms sag in the snow

 or my leaves fall to the riverbank. . .

                But my roots are deep. My trunk is strong.

                              And life will rise in me again.

                                          And if I am really very lucky,

Perhaps one seed will fall from me 

and stick in the mud 

and there

                Another tree will grow 

                    – perhaps it will not be exactly like me, but

                                It will have deep roots 

                                           and 

                   outstretched limbs that reach for the sun.

Mandala Meditation - Thankfulness in all things

 "O Lord, my God, 

I will keep on thanking you forever."

-Psalm 30:12b

This is so easy in our joy, but so hard in our sorrow.  How can we recognize His gift in a death, a famine, a hardship, a debilitating injury, an abuse perpetrated on us?  How difficult to make out the footprints by your side or the enduring strength holding you up or the extra tears streaming with yours. How difficult to be thankful in pain.

How do get rid of a depressive mood - Walk in God's Temple

     I came home from work today in the most foul mood.  I felt mentally beat up and like I could do nothing right.  Fortunately, the person at work responsible for my rotten mood also said, "I really need a stress relief.  What can I do to relieve stress?"  

     I answered, "Boxing" at the time, which led him to ask if I boxed.  I just grinned,  "No, I do not box."

     He asked, "Then why such a mischievous grin?"  To which I refused to respond and just continued to smile.  But when I got home feeling really frustrated and generally sad, I thought about the things that do make me happy and decided my mood was up to me.  

     I called my husband and said, "Let's go hiking."  So as soon as he got home, my son, husband, and I headed out for the Rock House Reservation in West Brookfield, MA.  My blood pressure dropped as soon as my foot hit the trail.  I was in God's house, and he even put out the welcome mat.  Apparently, it is Lady Slipper season.  We saw dozens from almost white with wisps of pink to deep purple.  As my spirits rose, so too did God's word in my soul.  Yesterday's reading included, "Lead them like a shepherd and carry them forever in your arms." (Psalms 28:9b)  I found myself ruminating on the phrase, "Carry them forever in your arms."  In this walk, I felt like he was carrying me, and I was thankful.

I hope if you ever find your spirits low that you too will find a way to commune with God, whether it be in nature, in word, or in some other way.  

I don't think this is probably what was in my bosses mind when I refused to answer the question, but walking with God is a great stress releaver.

A Book By Mother Teresa - an inspiring read

I came by this book while riffling through the books on the shelf at the library.  Of course since working on my masters doesn't provide me enough to do (clearly this is said sarcastically), I needed more to read and so I picked up yet one more for my spare time.

This was a wonderful and worthwhile read that will remind you about the wonder in the world.  We may think of Mother Teresa as a saint, but the biography at the back of the book reminds us that she was just a girl who wanted to make a difference.  She was a woman that listened to the yearning in her heart placed by God and had the conviction to follow no matter where it led.

This book does not have to be read from front to back and can get set down and picked up as you are inspired. or have time to devote to it.  I hope that you might pick it up yourself and see how her story might fertilize the yearnings of your heart.

Looking for Places to Listen to Faith

This is just a quick note to let you know if you enjoy thoughtfully, provocative radio broadcasts, especially around issues of faith, I would like to give you two recommendations:

12 Enough - which is a podcast produced periodically by two New England  Protestant ministers.  They are witty and fun to listen to while also forcing you to think about theological questions.  You may agree with them or disagree but you won't go away without having a new thought.

On Being with Krista Tippett is my second recommendation.  This show carries a much broader view of faith and may introduce you to ideas that you hadn't considered before as well as allowing you to hear from and about some of the great theologians of our time.  (I was introduced to this show as a way to listen to the work of Reinhold Neibuhr and haven't stopped listening since.)

Both of these shows also have blogs and other media that you may want to explore as well.  Is there anything that you listen to that you find helpful in your spiritual growth?  Please let us know.

What is Evil?

Today, I used Psalms 7 as my scripture for meditation.  There are many interesting phrases in this scripture, but I was caught in Psalms 7:3 "It would be different Lord, if I were doing evil things."  I think I became transfixed on this phrase because of the work that I am doing in Christian Ethics about oppression.  For class we watched, Romero:



In watching this,  I had to ask who was evil? Was it just the soldiers? Just the government? Or was it also Romero himself when he begrudgingly walked alongside the El Salvadorian people in the beginning as they walked to the polls?  Was it the mother who asked Romero to baptize her son separately?

It is so easy to be sure that we don't lie, cheat, and steal.  It is much harder to separate ourselves from oppressive systems that surround us all.  Perhaps, we don't offer health insurance to our employees.  Perhaps, we don't pay our full share into taxes and therefore put a strain on the support systems for others in need.  Perhaps, we choose not to vote and let the status quo continue.  Perhaps you buy the less expensive items at a store that encourage child labor or not paying a living wage to those in need. What is evil?  What is sin?

This is the mandala that I created as I pondered this question.

  How do you think you may add or assist in the oppression of others?  What steps can you take to not continue this action?