Category Archives: Stories

Hoodwinked

Posted on February 5, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

A colleague asked me if I’d like to offer spiritual direction for participants at an upcoming Ignatian retreat. As soon as I got her e-mail, I knew I wanted to say yes. I’ve done it before; I love listening to what happens in retreatants’ prayers … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Popular Posts, Stories | Tagged Esther Hizsa, evil spirit, false consolation, false self, Heart's Desire, Heidi Braacx, Ignatius of Loyola, Luke 6:44, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Coquitlam, Ted Rheingold, Thomas Merton, Vegan Yarn | Leave a comment

DIY Prayer Retreat #6: Praying with Our Senses at the Beginning of a New Year

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

Nearly every month I gather with friends for a silent retreat. It has been a rich experience. I explained how it works here. Thanks to Ann Green, who helped me put this retreat together. Supplies needed: Jelly Bellies (5 per person) … Continue reading →

Posted in Prayer, Prayer Retreat Outline, Reflections, Resource | Tagged Abbey of the Arts, Anne Yungwirth, Beau Considine, Christine Valters Paintner, Esther Hizsa, First Bird Back, Gemma Rest, Gemma Trust, Gerald Manley Hopkins, Goldfinch, House Finch, Isaiah 43:16-19, Jelly Bellies, leaf, Living from the Heart, Lulu Lovering, Matthew 4:18-22, Pied Beauty, Psalm 34:8, seved mostafa zamani, SoulStream, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Coquitlam, Splash, The Artist's Rule, Visio Divina, Wicked Sushi | 1 Comment

Assumptions

Posted on January 29, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

I ran into my neighbour the other day at Starbucks. He lives alone and has been on government assistance because of a disability for most of his life. I have wondered how he makes ends meet, especially with the recent increase in food … Continue reading →

Posted in Ignatian Spirituality, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Ignatius of Loyola, Latte art, little*star, Reaching Out, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Starbucks, suscipe, Take and Receive | 5 Comments

Sometimes God Doesn’t Share Our Point of View

Posted on January 22, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

I came home from the Wednesday Lunch Club, an outreach for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, feeling frustrated with myself. I had met the homeless man who was badly burned last winter when his tent caught on … Continue reading →

Posted in Spiritual Direction, Stories, Wednesday Lunch Club | Tagged Binoculars, Burnaby, enough, Esther Hizsa, gerlos, listening, poverty, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver | 4 Comments

Enough

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

“My husband and I met with our financial advisor,” a friend said at a New Year’s Eve party. “He told us we’ve saved enough money, and we should start spending it.” After a life of carefully saving for retirement, she could hardly … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Mystical, Reflections | Tagged a lot of dollars, Ecclesiastes 4:6, enough, Esther Hizsa, Feather, Isaiah 62:1, Jim Champion, pile of money, Reynermedia, Richard Rohr, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Coquitlam | 1 Comment

Epiphany

Posted on January 8, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

Mid-November one lone blossom adorned my Christmas cactus. By Advent it was fuller than ever. It continued to blossom during the Christmas season and into Epiphany. Directees commented on it when they came, and I sat beside this bush, which was burning with … Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Popular Posts, Reflections | Tagged A Life of Being Having and Doing Enough, Christmas Cactus, epiphany, Esther Hizsa, Schlumbergera, Song of Solomon 2:14, Song of Songs 2;14, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Wayne Muller | 5 Comments

A New Year’s Wish

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Esther Hizsa

It’s a new year, and I would love to leave my old identity behind. Remember in “Undoing My Life” God asked me to let go of my identity as the Rejected One? That undoing continues whenever I feel rejected. I hate it when that happens. I … Continue reading →

Posted in autism, Reflections, Spiritual Direction, Stories | Tagged Esther Hizsa, Isaiah 43:2, Luke 1:26-38, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, St. John the Baptist Anglican church Ashford NSW, The Good Shepherd | 5 Comments

God Desires Us

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

“You can’t catch the Macdonald bus here,” a man says to me at the VCC-Clark Skytrain Station in Vancouver. “You need to go up to Clark.” I hurry up Sixth Avenue. It’s early Saturday morning and I need to get to … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Mystical, Poetry, Popular Posts, Stories | Tagged #22 Macdonald, Advent, Creation of Adam, Daniel Ladinsky, Esther Hizsa, He Desired Me Sio I Came Close, Love Poems from God, Sistine Chapel, spiritual direction, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Teresa of Avila | 3 Comments

Undoing My Life

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

I’m still thinking about the “Oh, no!” I heard when a toy car went over the edge of the coffee table and crashed. I imagine that a lot actually, when I fear going over the edge of acceptance and falling into a pit of rejection. Many things–gaining weight, … Continue reading →

Posted in Popular Posts, Poverty of Spirit, Stories | Tagged Cerus Scarf, Deb Arndt, Esther Hizsa, Jagrap, Jeff Imbach, La Marseillaise, let go of identity, Living from the Heart, rejected one, Roberto Ferrari, Sottosopra, SoulStream, spiritual director Burnaby, spiritual director Vancouver, Tony & Wayne, Undoing | 6 Comments

“Oh, No!”

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Esther Hizsa

When our grandson was a preschooler, he loved to line up his toy cars on the coffee table. He and his dad would drive them around imitating the sounds of engines starting, horns beeping and tires squealing. Inevitably, they would … Continue reading →