It would be hard not to talk about racism right now. In the wake of “no indictment” decisions in both the Michael Brown and Eric Garner trials, thousands have taken to the streets in mass protests – and here in Berkeley, the word “riot” has been bandied about and added to the mix, thanks to […]
I love reading the parables. Not just the stories themselves – though I definitely have favorites there and can probably go on about one or two at some point – but I love reading about Jesus’ more intimate teaching moments with his disciples. He spoke to crowds, sometimes huge crowds of people, and when he […]
I’ve been studying the Book of Mark over the last couple of weeks (NRSV, with the KJV for comparison), and one thing that jumped out at me was that Jesus was an introvert. Not in the sense of being shy or withdrawn around others, (which from all accounts, he wasn’t), but by the definition I’ve […]
It occurred to me this morning to look at the Bible as a series of journal entries. I was originally going to qualify that as “parts of the Bible that aren’t letters” – but haven’t you ever recorded a letter you’d written in your journal, so that you’d have it to look at later? Or […]
I have always had an affinity for John the Baptist – or John the baptizer, as the NRSV Bible refers to him, which I have come to prefer (after all, “The Baptist” was never John’s last name, any more than “Christ” was Jesus’ – but that’s a blog for another time). So – I have […]
So, about the title of this blog – Shiny Thoughts… What medical science refers to as ADD is not just a designation – it’s something I seem to be imbued with, from the inside-out and back again. Sometimes I take exception though, to the words, “Attention Deficit Disorder”. First, I don’t think it’s a disorder… […]
So, this is where the Journey has brought me thus far: tonight I will be Baptized into the Episcopal Church. Given all the divergent expressions of Christian faith, why this specific path? I can sum it up in five words – the five words on the banner I have noticed lately in every town or […]
I was raised on the beach and lived there until I was 10. Our house was right on the beach… step out the sliding-glass door and there you are, toes in the sand. I spent hours each day watching the gulls and sandpipers, running tirelessly with my friends and the many dogs who resided there, […]
“Shame” is not a concept I spend much time thinking about. It’s not something I was raised with (quite the opposite, really), and is not an emotion that has much hold on me. The closest I’ve come though, was in the 6th grade. I was not a “neat” child – which is to say, I […]
My reading this morning can be distilled down to one lovely, simple sentiment that resonates powerfully to me – FAITH is God within you. I have held this in my mind as I’ve set about my day, coming back to it whenever I recalled the reading and mulling it over: Faith is God within me; […]