Saint Fred Rogers

When my grandchildren watch television at my house there are a myriad of channels for them to choose from - most of which are smart mouthed animated characters and/or situation comedies geared towards pre-teens - most of which are drivel. We need models of kindness and gentleness and love for our children/grandchildren. Are you aware of any?

"At the center of the universe is a

loving heart that continues to beat

and that wants the best for every person.

Anything we can do to help foster

the intellect and spirit and emotional growth

of our fellow human beings, that is our job.

Those of us who have this particular vision

must continue against all odds.

Life is for service."

mister rogers neighborhood

- fred rogers - 1928-2003

self-care

“Showing compassion for ourselves
allows us to serve from
a full and grateful heart.”

–Rev. Jane E. Vennard,
Praying With Body and Soul

Labor Day Prayer

Creating God,
You made the heavens and the earth and your work was Good

and we praise you.
May we continue your good work through our own labor -
helping to create your kingdom on earth as in heaven.
We pray on this Labor Day for all those who work.
Whether in the school, the factory, the mines, the armed services,
the business office, government or on the farm,
may all workers carry themselves with honor,
know the respect of their managers,
be kept safe from harm,
and be well paid for hard work
so that they might provide for their family and loved ones.

God help us not to pit workers of one nation against those of another nation
so that one must suffer if another thrives.
Rather help us to create work in concert so that workers of all nations
might mutually prosper with decent wages for decent work.

Today we also pray for those who are unemployed or underemployed.
May they not become discouraged;
may they continue to find ways to learn and grow in their time out of work.
Help us as a nation to continue to provide

for those who are suffering from unemployment
so that they do not lose hearth and home.
May those out of work experience tangible evidence of our support
and may meaningful work come quickly.
May all the labors of our lives benefit your creation
so that we might be co-creators of your world
filled with peace and enough for all. Amen

Paul Raushenbush

accept yourself

"You can deny your nature
only up to a point;
otherwise
even your feelings for God
melt away.
Knowing God demands
self-denial,
not self-destruction."

- Juris Rubenis

Make it Work!

I'm a huge fan of Project Runway. I especially enjoy Tim Gunn's famous line "Make it Work" which he uses to encourage the designers as they frantically race the clock to complete their next design projects. This may be just the incentive an aspiring designer needs to hear - however, in the practice of Spiritual Direction the directive to "make it work" can only spell "disaster".

Sometimes people seek Spiritual Direction because they are stuck in their relationship with God. They want new tools, new prayers, and new insights that will somehow get them back on track or "make their relationship with God work". I suppose this comes from our consumerist-oriented society. We can buy just about anything we want & we want what's easy and what works for us. (i.e. Did you know that most people choose a church based on the accessibility of parking?) So why not apply those principles to our spiritual lives?

Because spiritual growth can be long, slow, and at times tedious. The Holy Spirit cannot be manipulated. There will be times of delight where the presence of God is palatable and times of darkness, where one feels as though they've drifted off alone to sea. These will be times of waiting. I'm in one at the moment. And I'm hearing a great amount of silence. This brings up feelings of anxiousness as my ego demands that I not only make a choice, but the RIGHT choice. And yet, these feelings of fear are a reminder that I'm living in my head again. Life is not found there but in the letting go of what I believe brings life (that would be control). I can't make my life "work" yet I have difficulty letting this idea go.

Spiritual growth is in no way linear. It's fluid, circular, and always in motion. Spiritual Direction is about relaxing into that way of thinking and being. It's a call into deeper relationship with the Divine and with one another. So if your spiritual life is not "working" for you perhaps it's time to let go of what you thought would bring you life and engage in the rich and nuanced adventure of what we are all called to - which is to love and love and love and love.

boxed in

snitched from EK

wallow away

"The only purpose of guilt is to enable us to recognize the pitfalls of the present so that we can do better the next time, not to wallow in the past."

- from The Fine Art of Living
by Joan Chittister


One thing I saw in all the pictures I found of wallowing animals - utter delight! Look at that smile. To wallow means to roll oneself about in an ungainly manner like this pig - but it also means to take unrestrained pleasure or delight - like this pig. So why do we want to wallow in something like guilt?