For all the parents

Banner Frenziest

Jim may eventually have to put a halt to my banner making, else we may end up with a bazillion pages of banners on our site. But it's so meditative in its own way . . .

I am an atheist

My thanks to Jim for telling me about this.

Scalloped Light

The glow from the lamp post
spills a scalloped frame of light
on the night-soaked wall,
scattering shards of darkness.

How soft, the surrounding shadows.
How beckoning, a cocoon.

Grace pierces a chrysalis

with particles of light.
Calling of freedom.
Calling of life.
Calling me.

The bewitching cries of shadows
are drowned in scalloped light.

Turn Love Inside Out

A friend of mine approached me awhile ago with a vision he had for site that would let people know about God's immense and amazing Love for all of humankind. This became a "what if..." discussion. What if we could try and communicate the message of God's Perfect Love? What would that look like? Where would we start? How do we convey to people who may never have experienced it, that those who feel God's love deep in their spirits spill that love out into the world.

Recently through our partnership this message of love has turned into a web site endeavor: www.turnloveinsideout.com . Jim is a writer, so this vision and the writing come from him. I am a designer, so the web site and graphics are my domain. There are other people involved as well. Darla is our Flickr group administrator, and the one who created the wonderful photo on our main page. Michael is one of the TLIO group bloggers. I am feeling so blessed to have a part in an initiative. What could be better than spending my time sending out ripples of Love?

Jesus & The Kingdom

What are your thoughts?

The Buddhist and the Bishop

In his hotel room the other day, my brother caught the morning news story on TV about Pittsburgh's new bishop, David Zubik, and how he was flying into town from Green Bay. Bill idly wondered how the bishop was traveling there as he waited for his own flight to Pittsburgh. When he boarded the plane and took his seat, he immediately recognized the man next to him and said, "You're Pittsburgh's new bishop, aren't you?" That acknowledgement sparked a conversation that lasted most of their flight. Bill told me the bishop said a couple of times, "I don't know if you're Catholic..." and my brother kind of sidestepped the question. As they talked of spiritual matters Bill said that he'd be praying for the new bishop, that he would be a blessing to all those he's going to serve in his new role. And then finally in answer to a direct question he said no, he's not Catholic, he's a Tibetan Buddhist. The bishop raised his eyebrows. "Really?" My brother went on to explain that it wasn't that he didn't believe in Christ, it's just that the Christian church hadn't seemed very spiritual to him, but only a place where one put in their time on Sundays. Bill spoke about his practice of meditating an hour each night, and Bishop Zubik was surprised that he devoted that much time each day to his spiritual practice.

My brother told me later that he felt so honored to have been seated next to a man who has devoted his whole life to his faith. At the end of their time together the bishop said, "I think God had a purpose for seating us together today." My brother thinks so too. The Buddhist will be praying for the bishop, and vice versa I think.

I'll be remembering the reverence my brother had for his conversation with a man, and how it didn't matter at all to him that they followed different faiths. His respect was for another human being who has devoted his life to following God and serving others. God bless them both, and may I see the lesson in the mutual respect these two men on different spiritual journeys gave each other.