My husband has an irritating way of weaving systems theory into our everyday challenges. One of the most irritating adages he proclaims is, “During times of stress…chaos, the character of a system is revealed.” Personally, I prefer chaos theory’s adage…
Year: 2013
End of the Semester Stress
Everyone I have met this week has a list: papers to write, budget proposals to prepare, calendars to submit, exams to grade, evaluations to finish and things to complete before graduation. I really had to make a list of my…
Practicing Hope
Many years ago a peace activist priest, Daniel Berrigan, was asked how he stayed hopeful in the midst of ongoing wars and violence all around him. He thought for a moment and replied: “I stay hopeful by doing hopeful things.”…
The Pope, Facebook, and Inclusivity
Easter blessings to you all this beautiful April day. Not long after Pope Francis was selected by his fellow Cardinals, I saw a post from an acquaintance on Facebook. He posed the question, “I wonder what this Pope’s stance on…
Interfaith Reflection for Holy Week
The Spiritual Life Center is truly an interfaith place these days, so this week we are preparing for both Christian Holy Week events and the Passover Seder. It’s a busy place when you add in memorial services for Melissa Smith…
To Everything There Is a Season
The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that “there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens a time to be born and a time to die. . . a time to weep and a…
A Moment in Time
Last week I watched a YouTube video with some 8th and 9th graders that I teach. You may have seen the video as it has spread like fire. It’s the one about the high school boy named Mitchell who has…
Reflection
So, this has been a hard week for our campus—and that is an understatement. Nick Johnson’s death plunged a large part of our community into a crisis we didn’t see coming. Some of us had a very personal connection with…
True? Kind? Necessary?
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praise-worthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 These words from the Christian scriptures have always…
Love and Ashes
If you are in love and Christian you have two Holy Days to celebrate this week—Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday. If you are not in love and not Christian, please go about having a great “normal” week. Occasionally these two…
Top