Seeking Authentic Voice

Let’s take a moment and focus on the breath. Breath, the life source that brings oxygen into our lungs and exhales carbon dioxide. This life source that the ancients believed was the very breath of God. Of God breathing into the chaos that existed before creation and brought order to that swirling mass. God breathing life to the dust of the earth which then, with God’s breath became human. God breathing life into the dry bones of the community Ezekiel prophesied to God breathing life into the crucified body of Jesus, And on Pentecost, God breathing life into the followers of Jesus and inspiring the Church to form and grow, and spread the love of God throughout the world. God breathing into the chaos of these times when our breath, our human breath is potentially dangerous to one another. When breath is the way this virus is spread.  And breathe, the devastating image as yet another black man dies from the brutality of a white police office

Terri C. Pilarski, as a Girl Scout, carrying the American flag in a parade, 1969 This year in the USA, Monday, May 25th, was Memorial Day. It is the annual day of remembering those who have died fighting in wars to uphold the freedom and values this country espouses.  This annual day of remembrance began around 1866, the year after the Civil War ended. Initially cities around the country chose different days and different ways to remember those who had died in the Civil War. Then in 1968 after people in this country had fought and died in WWI, WWII, and other wars, Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Act which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May, creating a three day weekend to honor federal employees. Typically the day has been celebrated with patriotic parades and family picnics. It’s become the unofficial launch of summer.  However, this year  was different. No parades, and picnics were to be carefully constructed with some degree of social distancing

My three year old granddaughter, like most preschoolers, is figuring out her world. She is a child that is stoic about physical pain, but very expressive in  her emotional agony when she does not get her way. From the sound of her cries one would think the world was ending. Her brother, almost 20 months old, observes his sister. Although he is generally more easy going, when he has been affronted because of something he cannot have, he will slowly “fall” down, slow enough that he doesn’t get hurt in his collapsing, but at the same time the dramatic wailing of his cry informs us that he is suffering and displeased. Because these two are so young their suffering is short lived and they are easily redirected to something else, usually by picking them up and taking them outside where I point out the birds or the squirrels.  The Covid times we are living are being experienced by each of us in different ways. Some of us are managing this time just fine, with little interruption to

A number of years ago I was struggling with some health issues that I thought were heart related. I would have this intense sensation of pressure on my heart and pain in my back and arm. My mother had heart issues and died of a massive heart attack when she was only 65. So my concern was founded in my family history. I saw my doctor and she determined that it was digestive issues and diagnosed me with acid reflux. I took medication for it, but eventually I found some dietary changes that I could make and I weaned myself off of the meds and have controlled the acid reflux well with diet. One of the dietary changes I made was to reduce my gluten intake. I am not gluten intolerant, but too much gluten in the over processed foods that are the staple of American diets causes acid reflux in me. However, well made sourdough breads create a different kind of gluten that does not bother me. So now I mostly eat sourdough bread.  Sourdough bread has been difficult to find in these Covi