The train rounds a bend.The rest of the cars appear one by one,all tied to one anotherfar into the distanceIt comes as a surpriseto be tied to things so far backNazım Hikmet,Human Landscapes from My Country Recently I was thinking about an event in my childhood. It took place at the time of the Indo-Pak … Continue reading Siblings and the Third Culture Kid Journey
There is nothing ambiguous about Lent in the Orthodox tradition. No one contemplates what to give up, or how to spend more time in prayer and repentance. Everyone pretty much knows that you’re going vegan for the next seven plus weeks. Orthodox countries pull out their “Fasting” menus and we, sometimes reluctantly, get rid of … Continue reading Muted Colors – Lenten Journey
On my work space shelf, I have a box of instant oatmeal. It’s relatively healthy, full of fiber, and low in the bad stuff. I have it on hand for those days when I rush off to work, my tummy empty since the night before, my blood sugar low, and nary a minute to sit … Continue reading Lenten Journey: Instant Gratification or Slow Process
Palm fronds await us as we enter into our parish. It is Palm Sunday – that joyous day before Holy Week, where all of life makes sense as Jesus rides into Jerusalem, greeted by masses of people proclaiming him king. Unlike those crowds who gathered that day so long ago, we know what is coming. … Continue reading Lenten Journey: Palm Fronds and Hosannas
This piece was originally posted in May 2014. What a difficult season that was! Lent represents another type of season and calls for another type of endurance. I’m out of the country just now–but this struck me as an appropriate reminder to my own soul to hold steady and endure. “For the joy set before … Continue reading Lenten Journey: On Endurance
“You can cut branches of forsythia before they bloom and bring them inside and they will bloom quicker.” It was Western Easter a few years ago and we were at my mom and dad’s. Large branches of forsythia were in a vase on the windowsill, bright with yellow blossoms that defied the remains of winter outside. I … Continue reading Lenten Journey – On Forsythia and Hope
I wrote this years ago for a dark spring day. It seems appropriate again. Truth be told, my Christ candle has been burning every day since January 20. The candle has been a faithful reminder this Lenten season too. Advent is the season of waiting for the Christ. It’s typically celebrated during the month of … Continue reading Lenten Journey: The Christ Candle
