My Crib Notes on Islam

by | Dec 20, 2017 | Interfaith, Uncategorized

Reflections on Islam and the Koran la ilaha illa’Llah “There is no god but God” Background of Islam The word “Islam” is derived from the root s-l-m. which means “peace” or “surrender”: “the peace that comes when one’s life is surrendered to God.” “Allah” comes from...

My Crib Notes on Judaism

by | Dec 20, 2017 | Interfaith

  Anokhee Yud-Hei-Vov-Hei, Eloheykha, Asheyr hohtseitikha mei-eretz mitzrayim, me-beit avadeem. “I am the mysterious and unknowable name of God (the one who is and will always be your God), who [can] bring[s] you out of a narrow way of seeing things, out of your...

Merry Christmas and a brief history of Jesus

by | Dec 20, 2017 | Uncategorized

I think most Christians understand that Jesus was not actually born on 25 December in the Year 1 AD. Like the Queen’s Birthday, Christmas Day is a symbolic date rather than a literal one. Christmas is thought to originate as a festive season from a number of...

White people don’t fart*

by | Dec 14, 2017 | Uncategorized

*Caveat: Some of my best friends are white people, and they definitely fart. This post is not about them. It is about those who do not fart. And when I say “do not fart,” I mean, of course, “Do behave in a racist fashion which implies that...

My Crib Notes on Taoism

by | Oct 13, 2017 | Interfaith, Taoism

There is a being, wonderful, perfect; It existed before heaven and earth. How quiet it is! How spiritual it is! It stands alone and it does not change. It moves around and around, but does not on this account suffer. All life comes from it. It wraps everything with...

My Crib Notes on Hinduism

by | Sep 22, 2017 | Hinduism, Interfaith

For my Interfaith course, I have to do homework on the world’s major religions. I thought I might share my crib notes here in case anyone else is curious about these faiths. I can heartily recommend Huston Smith’s book if you want to see where I got all...

Interfaith ministry

by | Mar 31, 2017 | Uncategorized

I have just been accepted by The New Seminary into the ministerial program. I’ll tell you about it. I have been looking for a way to pray in community for years. I guess you can take a girl out of Catholicism, but you can’t take the Catholicism out of the...

Second draft

by | Mar 13, 2017 | women who write

Well, Varuna The Writers House delivered. I have a second draft of my novel! I even have a working title: Fearlessly and Wonderfully Made. At first I panicked at the idea of producing something in a week. Then I called my husband who gave me permission to sleep in,...

In memory of Ally

by | Mar 13, 2017 | disability

Today is the anniversary of my sister Allison’s birthday. In honour of Ally I would like to share the children’s story which my talented niece and I are working on. We want to help kids understand that disabled kids are just like them: heroes in their own...