November 27, 2016

What is the nature of God's forgiveness?
Is God's forgiveness immediate or deferred - or sometimes immediate and sometimes deferred? 
Is it unconditional or conditional?
Is it absolute or partial?
Striving to understand and follow God’s leadings, how I treat other people reveals much about my beliefs about these matters.

Thanksgiving, USA

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Its message is not that we must be thankful; not that everything is as we'd wish; not that there are no grounds for grief, concern and anger.  And gratitude at the individual level is a matter of personal, daily choice.
I love Thanksgiving for the message to all people, of all beliefs and circumstances, that we as a society have much for which to give thanks; we have many people to whom and for whom to give thanks; and that it is good and important - it is worth closing business and government offices - to reflect on that together, and to give thanks as a nation.

November 20, 2016

“My car’s in the shop,” people say – even if it’s just a tune-up.

Here, or in any reflective meditation, particularly shared with others, I can say,

“my heart is in the shop.”

“My brain is in the shop.”

“My values are in the shop.”

“My soul is in the shop.”

November 13, 2016

This morning I heard of an embryonic movement to wear a safety pin as a sign that the wearer is someone with whom others may feel safe.  It is a clever idea.  That of God in each of us wants those who do not feel safe to feel safe; those who, having done no wrong, do not feel accepted to feel accepted; those who, having acted with courtesy and respect toward others, do not feel loved to feel loved.  But is such a sign needed?  If the sign means we are safe company for some people and not safe company for others, that is not what is needed these days.