The Blessings of Gratitude

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ― Marcel Proust. Gratitude is a spiritual practice. It has a way of seeping into our souls - uplifting our spirits, refreshing our spirits, even invigorating our bodies. In my spiritual journey, I have been through seasons where I felt bitter and dark. At these times it is all the more essential to give thanks for the people, experiences, and things that bring us happiness and lighten our loads. What are you grateful for? I am thankful for many things. The one thing that stands out for me on this day is spiritual friendship. I have been blessed throughout my life to know people who are spiritually mature, who regularly pray for me, who I can count on to encourage me when I am laid low and put me in [...]

The Blessings of Gratitude2023-09-10T21:03:47-04:00

Why I Write in Less than 500 Words

I was a pastor for almost 20 years.  A big part of my job was to take the sacred Word and inspire people to do good things.  To do this, I did a lot of writing (over 500 sermons,  300 e-devotions, 200 newsletter articles, countless pastoral letters). Then I left pastoral ministry. Why? For many reasons, some of which I'm still sorting out. Essentially, God had another ministry in mind. For the past decade I have served an author with A Way with Words publishing, an outreach of Delight in Disorder Ministries. People ask me, "Do you write exclusively about faith and God?”  My answer is “Yes and no.”  Yes, because I believe all good writing carries with it sacred a sacred duty to "speak the truth in love." Since we are created in the image of God and creation reflects God’s good order, when we write faithfully about any [...]

Why I Write in Less than 500 Words2021-02-06T07:39:23-05:00

A Bipolar Blessing in 27 words.

A bipolar's blessing: What comes up, must come down. Every now and then, however, the crash occurs in safe waves and people are there with life rafts.

A Bipolar Blessing in 27 words.2021-01-14T15:38:43-05:00

Coping with Coronavirus

I am a retired pastor and missionary. I am 65 and have bad Asthma. If I catch Corona Virus survival is poor. Doctors are choosing who lives and dies for we very short on respirators. I wonder if I should minister to sick and call it a day. I am seriously contemplating it. As death rates increase I will go back out. I am a hospice pastor and involved with Homeland. I am a widower and family gone. I, of few, can do it. ~ B.R. I'm ok, thanks. I'm pretty much an introvert, so life isn't too much different so far. Mostly I'm just concerned about all the economic impact to so many people we know. Trying to help out as much as possible with gift cards for food, funds and whatnot. I'm hoping it will be over fairly soon. ~ J.W. I had an ankle replacement 2 weeks [...]

Coping with Coronavirus2020-04-01T03:07:44-04:00

Coping with the Covid-19 Crisis (part one)

This week, I've been contacting Facebook friends to see how they are doing coping with this Covid-19 crisis.  The responses I've received show a resilient spirit even in the face of uncertain times. Here are some examples of this:   I’m doing good and practicing self-quarantine. My food supply is staying safe and in plenty. I’m definitely not going hungry. My only major concern, I have no income since this all started. I’m going to sign up for unemployment today. So, I’ll see if I qualify and maybe have a little bit coming in. Thank you for asking. I hope you are doing well too. ~ M.C.   Pretty good, although I work at an "essential" store where hoards of people are ignoring the lockdown and come in for retail therapy, exposing us and other shoppers to the virus. They just don't care and it's frustrating. Gotta go, thanks for [...]

Coping with the Covid-19 Crisis (part one)2020-03-29T18:03:17-04:00

Writing From Despair to Delight

Tomorrow may be hell, but today was a good writing day, and on the good writing days nothing else matters. ~ Neil Gaiman. This has been a good week of writing days. I was coming into the homestretch of my book and I just kept striding until it was finished. Now I have a completed draft which I've sent to beta readers for recommendations and to Moody Publishers for consideration. The book was conceived near the end of 2013, as I was going to press with Delight in Disorder. It has taken six years to brew, and just about six weeks to write. Edna St. Vincent Millay was once asked how much time in her day she spent writing and she said at least 24 hours. A writer is never not writing, even when she is away from keyboard and screen. But it feels exceptionally good on days when I [...]

Writing From Despair to Delight2019-12-29T19:15:08-05:00

even more friends: to me, to my friends, and to famous folks (part 3 of 3)

While your spouse may well be your most intimate friend, s/he should never be your only friend. If you try to let off all your steam in the marriage relationship, there is bound to be an explosion.  ~ Tony Roberts.   I am mad, I am going under, I must follow the advice of a friend, and pay no heed to myself. ― Stendhal, The Red and the Black.   Someone you were meant to spend your life with. Those you realize God orchestrated into your life from the beginning.  ~ Paula Mellencamp Hauch.   “We were two throats and one eye and we had no price.” ― Toni Morrison.   Friendship....unconditional love...it continues beyond time and space.....feels like your favorite old comfortable clothes. A friend doesn't judge, critize, only gives advice when asked...they listen.  ~ Deva Richey.   It is proper for people to have friends, friendships without self-interest. Without friends, life is [...]

even more friends: to me, to my friends, and to famous folks (part 3 of 3)2018-05-27T20:25:49-04:00

more friends: to me, to my friends, and to famous folks.

I like my friends like I like my coffee -- strong enough to wake me up in the morning, yet smooth enough to ease me into the day.  ~ Tony Roberts.   I think that real friendship always makes us feel such sweet gratitude, because the world almost always seems like a very hard desert, and the flowers that grow there seem to grow against such high odds.― Stephen King,   A good friend is not overly sensitive and makes a better effort at communication and contact.  ~ Rachel Yahne-Oakes   A letter always seemed to me like immortality because it is the mind alone without corporeal friend. ― Emily Dickinson   9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, [...]

more friends: to me, to my friends, and to famous folks.2018-05-26T16:34:47-04:00
Go to Top