Braving The Waters

 This past Thursday November 5th, was 10 years since I posted my very first blog here. I have been very sporadic in my writing. I have not gained a huge following and that is ok with me. I started this space as a space for me. A space to reflect, to share, to my own insight(often because it differs with where the congregation I am serving stands on some things). I do hope it is a space for those who follow and those who happen upon it, are able engage in some way. Even if that engagement is to say, "I don't agree".  As I continue on my journey of becoming a spiritual director, I hope this space will become one where people can spend time in their own reflection, meditation and prayer. I hope to offer more opportunity for anyone who reads this to engage in an active prayer life.  Here is a reflective vespers service I wrote for this year's Women's retreat for the Christian Church (DOC) in the Upper Midwest. This was a closing vespers service but could be used at an...

Today I celebrate my 13th Anniversary of Ordained ministry!  There are days (a lot recently with COVID 19 pandemic protocols in place) that I feel like I am new to this whole ministry gig. Then there are days when I feel like I have it mostly figured out and things are moving in the right direction. It's probably, most years, a 60/40 split of feeling in control or spiraling out. The 60/40 split flip flops almost daily sometimes hourly.  Ministry is hard and challenging and life giving and beautiful. It is sorrowful and celebratory. Up, down, praise, lament, struggle, success, regret, and celebration, sounds like the Book of Psalms. So on this 13th Anniversary of my Ordination I thought I'd share a Psalm.  O Holy One, No one told me! No one told me that I'd have to be creative but also traditional,  That I'd have to think both inside and outside the box at the same time.  O Holy One, for those times that line between people loving the minister and people turning ...