One of the wonderful things about sharing life with pups is their unconditional love and acceptance of us humans. In my house, whether I have been gone for five minutes or for a week, when I return home, my pups are standing at the door eagerly anticipating my return. I can look through the window next to the door and see a nose pressed to the glass. I see eyes scanning the view, a tail wagging and at times, two to four legs jumping excitedly up and down. I imagine that much of the time of my absence, my beloved pup is waiting and watching, eagerly awaiting my return. ...  read more

There is a thing going around Facebook that speaks of wanting nothing for Christmas except for the world to go back to normal. Those words strike deep into our being, especially this week as we prepare for a very different Thanksgiving celebration. Those Norman Rockwell images come to mind. Generations of family and friends gathered around a table spread with food. A football game in the other room. Laughter, conversation, hugs and just being with those who we love. Perhaps no other holiday so holds the images of the bounty of life: both in food for the heart and soul as well as the full belly. ...  read more

Sister Julian of Norwich, that famed English mystic, is often remembered for her prayer, “… all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” These words come from Julian as she confronts greater theological perplexities. Her words have resonated with Christians for centuries. They are words which point us to our Christian hope that in Christ, all things will be made right. They are words of comfort. They are words of joy. They are words which are the scaffolding of our faith. As we live in this temporal world, our faith is the foundation of everything else. We, as Christians, are able to live knowing that the balance, the permanency, the solid rock on which we stand are faith. ...  read more

As I write this meditation, we are awaiting the results of our national and local elections. There seems to be a general air of anxiety and wondering about what comes next. Sometimes we sit here in the middle and look back and things seem so much simpler in the past. Sometimes we sit here and wish that we could jump to the future and rest in some assuredness that things will be okay. I imagine that that is how many of us feel in this betwixt and between time in our National life. ...  read more

Several years ago when my family gathered to plan the liturgy to celebrate my Father’s life, the question arose concerning which hymns we would choose to express his life and his faith. Quickly, one hymn rose to the top of our list: “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God.” My brothers and I have fond childhood memories of my Dad humming or singing these words of faith. We often confused the verses but we always ended with “…and there’s not any reason – no, not the least, why I shouldn’t be one too.” ...  read more