I adore my husband and know I am blessed to count him as my closest friend.  Even with that gift in my life, I hunger for the friendship and support of other women. My dear friend Michelle lives in Vancouver now and with me in Seattle, we have to be intentional about spending time together and nurturing our friendship. We met almost three years ago at a church young-adult Christmas party that we were both just about to leave. Somehow we got onto the subjects of Walter Brueggemann, Denise Levertov, and Mary Oliver within the first few minutes of our conversation

A story from the desert fathers: Abba Lot came to Abba Joseph and said: Father, according as I am able, I keep my little rule, and my little fast, my prayer, meditation and contemplative silence; and, according as I am able, I strive to cleanse my heart of thoughts: now what more should I do? The elder rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven, and his fingers became like ten lamps of fire. He said: Why not become fire? Someday, after we have mastered the winds, the waves and gravity, we shall harness for God energies

The art of savoring is at the heart of the sacred art of living.  Savor this lovely reflection by Rose Marie Berger and may you be inspired to savor these days of summer. . . (from the July issue of Sojourners, an amazing progressive Christian magazine focused on peace and justice): I’ve had the joy of visiting a small Christian community in California where—amidst the hustle and flow of daily life—everything stops 10 minutes short of sunset. Gathering in the small yard between houses, with celebratory drinks in hand, all faces turn west toward the coastal foothills to savor the setting sun. Depending on

I tend to listen to music while I am driving.  When I am at home I cherish silence and stillness, so I find car trips especially good times to explore new music.  It was a treat to listen to Trish Bruxvoort Colligan’s CD Splash! Bathtime and Bedtime Music for Grown-Up Girls (don’t you just love the title?)  Reading Trish’s blog Story Midwife (definitely worth a visit) I know I have found a kindred spirit and her singing voice is so lovely.  As often happens while listening to a new CD, I find a song that captivates me and I start

Creativity arises out of the tension between spontaneity and limitations, the latter – like the river banks – forcing the spontaneity into various forms which are essential to the work of art or poem.   – Rollo May The creative life requires this gentle tension between freedom and structure, or spontaneity and limitations as May says.  This is where a Rule of Life can be helpful, providing a gentle trellis of structure for our lives.  When approached with freedom and playfulness, boundaries can really help spark our creativity.  I find in my teaching, I need to introduce participants gently and slowly

  I have an altar space in my prayer corner in our living room. It is set on top of a beautiful old secretary desk that is from my father’s family and so in the last century and a half has traveled from Latvia to Vienna to New York to Sacramento to San Francisco to Berkeley to Seattle (those last four just in the last ten years).  There is a secret compartment inside and when I first lifted it open I discovered a shipping document that had the seal of the Third Reich on it, quite a history it has.  Inside