Category Archives: Stories

A Belated Valentine for You

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Lately, I’ve been writing my posts on the week I publish them. But this week I was on Bowen Island co-facilitating the Living from the Heart course, so I knew I needed a stand-in. I found one, or should I … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Elisa, Ernest Mann, Esther Hizsa, Happy Valentine's day, Living from the Heart, Naomi Shihab Nye, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Valentine | 2 Comments

An Old Memory and a New Reality

Posted on May 11, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

“Where did you accept God’s invitation to be loving, to be grateful, to be yourself?” Father James Martin asks in his Daily Examen podcast. Wow. God wants me to be myself–unselfconsciously, unapologetically, gloriously me. What does that feel like? Like the girl … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Reflections, Stories | Tagged Always Be Yourself, Consciousness Examen, Esther Hizsa, Examen, Funkybug, James Martin, Joy Is Measurable, Martin Hricko, Norman Foote, Pure Joy, Romans 8:31, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | Leave a comment

God Sees Me

Posted on May 4, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

All of a sudden, I was the boy in the story. I heard Jesus tell the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” While they stood there perplexed, I made my way through the crowd and offered Jesus my uneaten … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Praying with the Imagination, Reflections | Tagged Contemplation of Place, Esther Hizsa, Feeding of 5000, John 6:1-14, Luke 9:12-17, Mark 6:31-44, Matthew 14:13-21, Michael D. O'Brien, Prayer of the imagination, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 1 Comment

Seeing Ellery

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

God, help me see what you see, I pray as I walk. I wonder if I’ll ever slow down enough to see more than a label: that’s a tree, a flower, a truck that needs a new muffler. Annie Dillard … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged Annie Dillard, Earth Day, Elizabeth McKitrick, Ellery, Erin Khoo, Esther Hizsa, Genesis 1:31, goldfish, Maryam Khezrzadeh, maxxum, Medium, Mindfulness, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Second Nature Home Boutique, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 7 Comments

I Love You More than Anything

Posted on April 20, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I love You more than anything. And when I am in my right mind I know this to be true But You know it all the time. —Rob Des Cotes If actions speak louder than words, mine wouldn’t say I … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Ignatian Spirituality, Overeating, Prayer, Reflections, Rob Des Cotes, Spiritual Direction | Tagged 1 John 4:19, Elya Bergen, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spirituality, Ignatius of Loyola, Imago Dei Communities, Jesus with the children, John20:19-22, Michael O'Brien, Principle and Foundation, Rob Des Cotes, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Spiritual Exercises | Leave a comment

Time for Rising

Posted on April 13, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

Lift your head and dry your eyes. Time for rising. –Steve Bell, Bethany in the Morning During Lent, I tried unsuccessfully to refrain from zoning out. Many evenings I succumbed to temptation and played Scrabble on my tablet or snacked while watching … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Overeating, Reflections | Tagged Abbey of the Arts, Bethany in the Morning, Christine Valters Paintner, consolation, desolation, Esther Hizsa, Ignatian Spirituality, Mindfulness, Raising of Lazarus, Richard Rohr, SoulStream, spiritual director, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Steve Bell, Sunrise, Susanne Nilsson, Ted, The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Naht Hanh | Leave a comment

Miracle Moments

Posted on April 6, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

I love the drama in the stories of Jesus’ resurrection, watching the progression from sadness and despair to confusion and then to joy. One minute life is dark and pointless and the next, it’s bright and full of possibility. Jesus’ presence changes … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Mindfulness, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, John 3:3, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, The Miracle of Mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh | 4 Comments

Purple Everywhere

Posted on March 31, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

John and Peter rush to the tomb. If it’s empty, as she said, then– Prayers rise to their lips leap from their hands. God runs to meet them, spilling purple everywhere. Credits and References: Painting of the disciples Peter and … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Eugène Burnand, Peter and John running to the tomb, resurrection, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | Leave a comment

Writing a Prayer

Posted on March 30, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

My friend wrote this icon. “You don’t paint icons,” she said. “You write them. You are writing a prayer. “You begin with a small brush. Then use smaller and smaller ones.” She entered the tomb with her brushes, paint and trepidation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Easter, Holy Week, Poetry, Reflections | Tagged Ann Green, Easter poem, Easter Saturday, Esther Hizsa, iconography, Russian Icon, spiritual director Burnaby, The Entoumbment | 2 Comments

Our Hands Have Touched God

Posted on March 29, 2018 by Esther Hizsa

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. —1 John 1:1 On this day, my prayer takes … Continue reading →