Willingness To Be Made New

Here is something that I wrote up and shared on jsh-online- the online arm of the Christian Science Publishing Society. This is a healing that happened after the France trip.

Names For God

Having many names to talk about the one God- helps me understand God in fresh ways. If we are reflections or expressions of God then we must be as diverse and rich as God.

New Year’s Eve plans – and prayers

Last year, during the New Year’s holiday, I was visiting my aunt and uncle in a city that I’d never been to before. It was fun to go out and explore the restaurants, neighborhoods, and museums, and just get a feel for this new place. Yet, friends had warned me that this city was known for the extreme contrast of the posh downtown shopping area and the rough neighborhoods where homelessness and drug dealing were rampant.
In daylight, or if I was with my family, I felt comfortable traveling through the city. But I was reluctant to head out at night alone. That’s why I was anxious about my initial New Year’s Eve plans; a large group of friends had converged in the city, and we were looking forward to meeting up for dinner, dancing, and watching fireworks.

Connecting with true Christmas peace

It’s Christmas time again, and the air is thick with commercialism. Each year the Yuletide spirit comes earlier and the demands increase. With the parties to attend, gifts to buy, and family members to entertain, Christmas can feel far from a spiritual time of year. One particular Christmas I was living in a new city away from friends and family. I had just graduated from college and was working as a teacher.