"We can't be brave in the big world without at least one small safe space to work through our fears and falls." ~Brene Brown My Monday Night Girls make up one of my small, safe places. This spring, we are reading and discussing "Rising Strong" by Brene Brown. Her prior book, "Daring Greatly" explores … Continue reading WHAT COMMUNITY TEACHES ME ABOUT VULNERABILITY & GRACE
Tag: Personal Growth
I love to set a beautiful table. It makes me happy. But setting a beautiful table is the easy part. It's a controlled environment. I can place everything exactly how I want it. However, if I want my table to stay perfect, then it has to stay empty. And there's really nothing beautiful about that. … Continue reading PERFECT MEANS EMPTY
In the United States we live in a culture that upholds the values of work, productivity, and progress. These values aren't negative. Amazing achievements have resulted from these efforts. But when we apply these values to our relationships, sometimes the simple beauty and the unique gift of presence can be missed. The value of engaging … Continue reading THE GIFT OF PRESENCE IN COMMUNITY
Throughout my teenage years I spent every summer working as a ride operator at Six Flags Magic Mountain in my hometown of Santa Clarita, California. My fondest memories from the summers of 1988-1992 are not with friends I knew from school, they are with the friends that I got to know while working at a … Continue reading WHAT A TEENAGE RIDE OPERATOR LEARNED ABOUT COMMUNITY
"How do you manage your prayer life?" I asked my senior pastor. "How do you invest in so many people's lives and, then find time to pray for the growing list of needs that you become aware of?" His wise reply spoke to another need. One that I didn't realize I had. He responded that … Continue reading PERMISSION TO TAKE A BREAK FROM COMMUNITY
The French sky was a brilliant blue and the humid air was stifling as we sat down to form a circle on a large patch of dry grass in the center of a dusty campground. We looked at one another, wondering who would speak first, and in what language. Eva was from Germany and … Continue reading WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT COMMUNITY FROM A COMMUNITY CALLED TAIZE
I’ve reached the point in my vocational journey where my passion for cooking surpasses my culinary abilities. Last summer I seriously researched going to culinary school. But this pursuit does not fit into our resources of time or money. However, I have been able to take several cooking classes at Sur La Table. It's not … Continue reading THREE THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT LIFE AT A COOKING CLASS
