I woke up this morning with the image of a pearl in my mind: a tiny sphere brought into being by an irritating grain of sand within the house of a muscle; a space where competition between a foreign and resident thought spar to arrive at something beautiful and kind. This is an image of instruction for me. When I…
Read More
Latest from Mining with a Feather
About Desire
In speaking of our desire for our own far-off country, which we find in ourselves even now, I feel a certain shyness. I am almost committing an indecency. I am trying to rip open the inconsolable secret in each one of you – the secret which hurts so much that you take your revenge on it by calling it names…
Read More
Bringing Ireland to California
Timothy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Finding Happiness in Your Most Profound Relationship
To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for…
Read More
Crossing theThreshhold
Under His Wings
My Rights
I have the right to listen to the ravens, to hear the story being told by all of creation. I have the right to repeat creation’s story, to speak my own language, to keep my eyes open, to judge my intentions, to cherish freedom, to stand against evil, to sit in solitude, to sing in community, to be amazed at…
Read More
A Quote From C.S. Lewis
“People often think of Christian morality as a kind of bargain in which God says, “if you keep a lot of rules I’ll reward you and if you don’t I’ll do the other thing.” I do not think that is the best way of looking at it. I would much rather say that every time you make a choice your…
Read More
Where Sweetness Laces Every Leaf Edge and Petal.
Standing on the balcony overlooking the El Yunque rain forest, I remember the kitchen pinging with light. My father emerges from nowhere, slams me playfully against the wall. Placing his forearm against my throat, barely pressing because I know enough to freeze, while I plead with him to let me go, he grabs a knife from the silverware drawer. He’s…
Read More
Mother’s Day Prayer by Barbara Lyons
Heavenly Father, Jehovah God, from whom your whole family in heaven and on Earth derives its name, we thank you for motherhood. We thank you for what it reminds us about who you are. We thank you that you understood first the joy of anticipating your perfect family. We thank you that you understood first the pain of losing your…
Read More
A Great Place to Live
Thoughts
Male and female, created He them. The male is given all the apparatus to know a woman…and as he exhibits his knowledge trust is presumed upon her. If she grows cold is it for lack of covering? Or has she chosen winter’s indifferent arms rather than the deep warming thatwould undo and possiblyabandon?