by David Anderson
I once worked with a stone mason who was repairing a great fireplace, with the chimney stoned all the way from the mantle to the cathedral ceiling peak. He stood back and surveyed the stone work. “What makes this artwork, what makes it beautiful is not a bunch of same-size stones all perfectly lined up […]
by David Anderson 7 Comments Filed Under: Change, Forgiveness, Grace, Reality--trusting it, Surrender
The single challenge of life is change. We don’t like it, yet we know it is the only constant. Every day we get up and . . . things have changed. Nothing is where we left it last night. Not the kids, not the dog, not the roses in the garden. Everything we had just […]
by David Anderson 4 Comments Filed Under: Change, Faith/Trust, Grace, Happiness, Letting Go, Now/ the Present, Reality--trusting it, Surrender
Yesterday was the commemoration of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who was martyred for his opposition to the Nazis. He considered taking refuge in the United States, where he was teaching, but he returned to Germany to continue his work in the resistance. He was arrested April 5, 1943 and imprisoned in Berlin. Three days […]
by David Anderson 7 Comments Filed Under: Faith in Action, Faithfulness, Grace, Letting Go, Surrender
It’s the day after. The one that usually pulls you down. The day after Thanksgiving is such a downer we call it Black Friday. Retail therapy is the only upper we know for such a downer. The day after Christmas is the same, and everyone goes to see a “holiday movie.” The day after Easter […]
by David Anderson 4 Comments Filed Under: Adult Spirituality, Faith/Trust, Happiness, Reality--trusting it, Surrender
Along with my clergy colleagues, Leslie and Jonathan, I was leading a session last night on fasting, a spiritual practice common to the three monotheistic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. One man in the group said, “I’ve been worshiping as an Episcopalian for 25 years and this is the first I ever remember anyone talking […]
by David Anderson 3 Comments Filed Under: Daily Practice, Fear, Grace, Letting Go, Surrender
“You know how you lie when you’re dating?” That’s the way Peter began his story. Early in their relationship, Marsha asked Peter, “What do you like to do?” Peter said, “I like to swim!” And Marsha said, “Um….me too!” So they got married, and went on their honeymoon to the Outer Banks of North […]
by David Anderson 6 Comments Filed Under: Faith/Trust, Fear, Grace, Letting Go, Surrender
Why does the Queen always carry that purse? A friend was telling me at brunch on Sunday that he and his wife had been honored, on a recent trip to London, to be welcomed to Buckingham Palace. They were part of a larger church group. Ken said the Queen came in and worked the […]
by David Anderson 3 Comments Filed Under: Adult Spirituality, Change, Faithfulness, Surrender
(We’ll get to Gobbler’s Knob in a moment.) Today—February 2nd—is a big turning point. It’s a great cross-quarter day, midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. In ancient, agricultural societies it was regarded as the beginning of spring—the time for first turning the soil in preparation for March planting. There were prayers and […]
by David Anderson 5 Comments Filed Under: Change, Nature/Creation, Surrender