Articles

When I was a child, my mother would take me to see a Christian Science practitioner when I didn’t feel well. It was such a good experience that I remember sometimes saying, “Please, Momma, take me to that nice lady.

I often carry my smartphone in a rear pocket of my trousers. Rather than sitting on the phone, when I used a ride sharing car recently, I took it out and laid it on the seat next to me—then forgot to take it with me when I left the car.

“Be a sunflower,” a friend posted online­—a reminder to me to focus my attention on God, as young sunflowers track the sun.   Not long afterward, I was on an early morning dog walk and marveled at a vast field of sunflowers, all turned upward toward the rising sun.

I’ve found that physical workouts can be such a joy and take so many different forms. Sometimes we exercise in an effort to stay fit, and sometimes we do it more for fun.

Recently I experienced the longest trip of my life, and it reinforced my understanding of and trust in God. I was traveling with a comrade to another part of the country, to support a mutual friend at a family funeral.

It was a quiet evening and I had just made myself a cup of hot chocolate. I was pleased with myself and my day until I mistakenly laid my hand on the hot burner on the stove where, moments before, the milk for the hot chocolate had been.

Holding the newest grandson of the family in my arms was a sacred experience. I marveled at this precious tiny one’s simple show of trust in, and receptivity to, being cared for, as he leaned on me and rested peacefully.

The British slogan “Keep calm and carry on” began as a 1939 poster but has made a global reappearance today. In the midst of modern-day disturbances and disasters, it encourages many.

Have you heard the expression “two sides of the same coin”? It means that two things are very closely related even though they seem different. I’ve learned that the “coin” of personal sense is a worthless coin.

Guy Gilbert is a French Catholic priest who is well known for his commitment to underprivileged populations. He’s a student of the Bible and said something a few years ago that touched me: “Live in such a way that your way of living causes people to think it is impossible for God not to exist.