Category Archives: compassion

As If I Wasn’t Dying Inside

I am poured out like water,    and all my bones are out of joint.My heart has turned to wax;    it has melted within me.–Psalm 22:14 (NIV) Jesus, on the cross, poured out like water bones out of joint heart turned to wax, … Continue reading

Posted in community, compassion, Creation, Easter, Lent, Poetry, Prayer, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A World Filled with Love

He showed me a little thing, the size of a hazelnut, in the palm of my hand, and it was as round as a ball. I looked at it with my mind’s eye and I thought, “What can this be?” … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Helpful Images, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Room to Be

“Look at all your plants!” my guest said. “They’re so healthy.”  Before I could stop myself, I recounted the story of my rare cactus who died because I misunderstood her.  Later, as I walked to church, I noticed how I’m quick to balance … Continue reading

Posted in community, compassion, Lent, Mindfulness, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Found

As I return and rest, I feel gentle hands unfolding a crumpled part of me, smoothing it to the edges.  Now She’s softening the creases, straightening the bent back corner, and tracing my words with Her finger. I feel Her reading my thoughts, holding the whole story.I … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Lent, Mindfulness, Poetry, Poverty of Spirit, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Making Light

You are the light of the world.–Matthew 5:14 We must let go of outcomes. Suffering is caused by not accepting things as they are, not admitting we are powerless to control the future.  I’m learning to accept my powerlessness. I try to notice … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Creation, Justice, Lent, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Old Story

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. –Matthew 4:1 (NIV) I know how it happened to Jesus,human as he was,just like me. The tempter came as a thoughtin Jesus’ head, in … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Lent, Poetry, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Return Again

Return again, return againReturn to the land of your soulReturn again, return againReturn to the land of your soul Return to what you areReturn to who you areReturn to where you are born and reborn again. –Shaina Noll, Return Again Come … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Creation, Lent, Mindfulness, Poetry, Reflections, Songs | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What Was

After Mom passed, sadness drifted in and out of my days like a hum in the distance, clearer whenever I looked its way.  It didn’t come from the one who had mothered my mother, nor the one who kept wishing for more. It came … Continue reading

Posted in Childhood, compassion, Poetry, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Morning Light

The moment I discovered,  with the clarity life brings, that my idea was a good idea, and I should’ve acted on it, a grey cluster of emotions emerged.I felt its weight in my chest.  Why did I doubt myself? What do I do now? The … Continue reading

Posted in compassion, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Come In

It was comical, really.The day before my mother died,there was a clatter.Clear as a bell, my mom, who hadn’t eaten or spoken for days, called out,“Come in!”“I just dropped something on the floor, ” I said.“Come in!” she said againand went … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Childhood, compassion, Ignatian Spirituality, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments