As I left church this past Sunday, one of the members of the congregation called to me in the parking lot. She was sitting in her car and had lowered the passenger window to talk to me. She’s a kindly woman in her 70’s who sits toward the front each… Read More »All Hallows: A Holy Remembrance
I met her at her home a few evenings ago. As we visited, she spoke about him frequently. She also referred to things around the house that she has now been doing – things he used to do – which she hadn’t done for years: yard work, home repairs, and… Read More »Clumping: How Much Can One Person Bear?
It was a lovely autumn day. I sat on the front porch swing and watched as squirrels continued their collection of items to store for winter. Birds from farther North arrived in the South, nesting in shrubs and on trees, or resting on the telephone wires overhead. Occasionally, a breeze… Read More »Autumn Reflections from the Porch Swing
I recently celebrated my birthday. I appreciated the well wishes from others and the humorous jabs made about my age. It’s all part of the fun. One comment, from a friend I’ve known for nearly 30 years, stuck out in particular. In the midst of a group of people, he… Read More »Embracing Age: The Last Quarter of Life
Spiritual Direction. It’s an odd term. It refers to a practice in which one person tends to another as a companion for the spiritual journey. The “direction” aspect of “spiritual direction” is what makes the term awkward. A wise spiritual director doesn’t direct anything. At best, an experienced spiritual director… Read More »Spiritual Direction and Healing the Soul
My mother was never afraid to ask difficult questions. While she didn’t graduate from high school, she was inquisitive and had a very sharp mind. It should have been no surprise to me when she began to ask heavy-hitting questions about theology. I remember when she first asked about the… Read More »Re-Examining Christian Salvation
It was a question I hadn’t expected. I fumbled for an answer while another person at the table provided a more focused response. Now several days since this dinner conversation occurred, our discussion has stayed with me because of the importance of the insight contained in the brief exchange. Four… Read More »Creating Space for Another
It was something he hadn’t experienced before. I was a bit surprised by that, but it’s probably not uncommon. He told me that at age 26, it was the first time he knew someone who had died. Of course, I know that my life was a bit unusual in this… Read More »Grief: Remembering Forever
