https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMG2IsXMskw 'I've Got Oil in my Vessel,' traditional gospel blues, NC fiddler Joe Thompson, 1997. Editor's (admin's) note. Second of ___ (I'm shooting for four) Advent meditations, prompted by a parish workshop exercise in which we were asked to craft a personal mission statement. My spiritual director suggested I operationalize it by asking myself: Who, … Continue reading What can a white spiritual mutt learn from the Black church in a time of neofascist ethnic cleansing? (Advent 2 of __?)
‘Awake, for night is flying’: An armchair theologian’s mission statement for Advent and the new year (1 of _?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdN7vC2q9Mc 'Wake Awake, For Night is Flying,' arranged by F. Melius Christiansen (St. Olaf College Choir). "Wake, awake! for night is flying,"The watchmen on the heights are crying;"Awake, Jerusalem, arise!"-- Philip Nicolai (Hymnary.org) A couple of weeks ago, I attended a planning workshop at my parish church that took an unexpected turn. The workshop was … Continue reading ‘Awake, for night is flying’: An armchair theologian’s mission statement for Advent and the new year (1 of _?)
Thinking of scripture as story: ‘In the beginning …’ to ‘… making all things new’ (spiritual journal – Nov. 2025)
Editor’s (admin’s) note: Lightly edited copy, with links added, of my email in advance of this month’s appointment with my spiritual director, giving her a heads-up on what I’ve been journaling about (or, in this case, why I haven’t been journaling) since our last meeting and, more to the point, helping me focus over time by … Continue reading Thinking of scripture as story: ‘In the beginning …’ to ‘… making all things new’ (spiritual journal – Nov. 2025)
A hard punch in the gut: Trump’s military photo ops trigger memories of racial violence (spiritual direction, October ’25)
Memorial to first Black students at Clinton High, Clinton, Tenn. (Wikipeda CC BY-3.0). Editor’s (admin’s) note: An lightly edited and expanded copy of my email in advance of this month’s appointment with my spiritual director, giving her a heads-up on what I’ve been journaling about (or, in this case, why I haven’t been jouirnaling) since … Continue reading A hard punch in the gut: Trump’s military photo ops trigger memories of racial violence (spiritual direction, October ’25)
Spiritual journal, Dec. 2024 (with a footnote on why I still find Pete Hegseth’s ‘crusader’ tattoos so embarrassing)
Muslim women visit St. Saviour's Church, Jerusalem, 2023 (Custodia Terræ Sanctæ).1 Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director today in advance of our session for December, archived here so I can go back later and see what I was thinking about when I posted it. Plus a bonus footnote in … Continue reading Spiritual journal, Dec. 2024 (with a footnote on why I still find Pete Hegseth’s ‘crusader’ tattoos so embarrassing)
‘A little help from my friends’: A Jesuit spiritual exercise meets a song by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C58ttB2-Qg Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends / Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends / Oh, gonna try with a little help from my friends -- John Lennon and Paul McCartney (1967). Full disclosure: This started out as an Ignatian contemplation, in which I intended … Continue reading ‘A little help from my friends’: A Jesuit spiritual exercise meets a song by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
How is the Holy Spirit like the wind? the breath of God? a wild goose? Notes for spiritual direction, September 2024
Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director today in advance of our session for September. I’ve been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind before we talk. It’s not a record or an agenda of our sessions. (Often enough, we start discussing something … Continue reading How is the Holy Spirit like the wind? the breath of God? a wild goose? Notes for spiritual direction, September 2024
‘From the river to the sea / we all need therapy’: Notes for a parish book study and spiritual direction, June 2024
Screen shot of newsletter blurb previewing our class. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director today in advance of our session for June. I’ve been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind before we talk. It’s not a record or an agenda of … Continue reading ‘From the river to the sea / we all need therapy’: Notes for a parish book study and spiritual direction, June 2024
Spiritual direction notes for May: ‘After the final no, comes a yes’; Swedish thelogian on Christan — and Lutheran — responsibility to fight antisemitism
'Krister Stendahl död,' Sydsvenskan, Malmö, April 16, 2008. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director today in advance of our session for May. I’ve been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind before we talk. It’s not a record or an agenda of … Continue reading Spiritual direction notes for May: ‘After the final no, comes a yes’; Swedish thelogian on Christan — and Lutheran — responsibility to fight antisemitism
A twofer for spiritual direction: ‘By their fruits — and (harmonica) toots — shall ye know them’; intersectionality, too
Ameya Deshmukh, 'Squirrel' (Wikimedia Commons). Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director in advance of our session for March. I’ve been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind before we talk. It’s not a record or an agenda of our sessions. (Often enough, … Continue reading A twofer for spiritual direction: ‘By their fruits — and (harmonica) toots — shall ye know them’; intersectionality, too
Notes on 19th-century Swedes in Illinois and an alt-country song from Appalachia (spiritual journal for March)
'Pastor's residence in Andover' Korsbanaret, 1880 (Google Books). Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director in advance of our session for March. I’ve been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind before we talk. It’s not a record or an agenda of our … Continue reading Notes on 19th-century Swedes in Illinois and an alt-country song from Appalachia (spiritual journal for March)
Of faith, doubt, ancient creeds, Pope Leo the Great, Attila the Hun and church history (spiritual direction, Jan.-Feb.)
Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director in advance of our session for February. I’ve been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind before we talk. It’s not a record or an agenda of our sessions. (Often enough, we start discussing something … Continue reading Of faith, doubt, ancient creeds, Pope Leo the Great, Attila the Hun and church history (spiritual direction, Jan.-Feb.)
‘I believe; help my unbelief’: Praying with anxiety (spiritual direction, January 2024)
Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director in advance of our session for January. I think it's important to say what it is -- and isn't -- as we start a new year. I've been writing these for several years now, primarily in order to help me focus my mind … Continue reading ‘I believe; help my unbelief’: Praying with anxiety (spiritual direction, January 2024)
Spiritual journal, September 2022
Lightly edited copy of an email I send monthly to my spiritual director to: (a) give her a heads-up on my where my spiritual journey has taken me since our last meeting, and (b) help me focus for our meeting. Which may or may not go off in unexpected directions. They read like a Reader's … Continue reading Spiritual journal, September 2022
Spiritual direction, August 2022
Editor’s note. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director in advance of our monthly meeting for August. I email her every month, mostly to focus my mind before we meet, and I archive them here so I have a record of issues I’ve dealt with over time. Being able to consult them … Continue reading Spiritual direction, August 2022
Who am I in Christ? Who are the people of God? A surprising answer from Ireland that brings the abstractions down to earth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkLzIeztC3c Shuan Davey, "The Deer's Cry" [St. Patrick's Breastplate]. [...] Christ with me, Christ before me,Christ behind me, Christ in me,Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ on my right, Christ on my left,Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,Christ when I arise, Christ to shield meChrist in the heart of everyone who … Continue reading Who am I in Christ? Who are the people of God? A surprising answer from Ireland that brings the abstractions down to earth
Spiritual direction, May 2022
Editor’s (admin’s) note. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director the night before our monthly meeting for May. I email her every month, mostly to focus my mind before we meet, and I archive them here so I have a record of issues I’ve dealt with over time. Here's my monthly … Continue reading Spiritual direction, May 2022
Spiritual direction, April 2022
Editor's (admin's) note. Lightly edited copy of an email I sent to my spiritual director the night before our April meeting. I email her every month, mostly to focus my mind before we meet, and I archive them here so I have a record of issues I've dealt with over time. This will be very … Continue reading Spiritual direction, April 2022
Spiritual journal for January, and hopes for spiritual direction in 2022
Editor's (admin's) note: When I was taking spiritual direction before, I emailed my director ahead of our monthly sessions … summing up what I’d been journaling about since our last meeting and, more to the point, focusing on themes I’d been working on and, more to the point, new directions that might (or might not) … Continue reading Spiritual journal for January, and hopes for spiritual direction in 2022
‘A child is born in Bethlehem’: New life in an old carol for postmodern, independent cats and misguided sheep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRyiOB4as9c DR Pigekor (Danish National Girls' Choir), dir. Philip Faber, 2021 Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. -- Charlie "Bird" Parker (Wikiquote). … Continue reading ‘A child is born in Bethlehem’: New life in an old carol for postmodern, independent cats and misguided sheep
A new (church) year’s resolution poses a question — is music ‘an agnostic’s spiritual practice?’ My answer: I don’t know yet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjAuBTLdqPg&t=18s Paula Bär-Giese, soprano; and Hans Meijer, lute, in character as Katie von Bora and Martin Luther, perform 'From heaven above I come' and 'A child is born in Bethlehem' agnostic (n.) 1870, "one who professes that the existence of a First Cause and the essential nature of things are not and cannot be known" … Continue reading A new (church) year’s resolution poses a question — is music ‘an agnostic’s spiritual practice?’ My answer: I don’t know yet
Is noodling on the dulcimer a spiritual discipline? English folksingers nudge me to try it after this ‘festering boil of a year’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGThVwKowks "Sweet Bells," Yorkshire pub carol performed by GreenMatthews Instead of New Year's resolutions, I'm dealing with hunches and nudges this year. Besides, I know myself and most of my resolutions don't make it past the first weekend in January. But hunches? Sometimes I act on them, and lately I've had several clamoring for my … Continue reading Is noodling on the dulcimer a spiritual discipline? English folksingers nudge me to try it after this ‘festering boil of a year’
Spiritual direction, August-September
Email, lightly edited to make sense of a couple of really clunky sentences, that I sent today to my spiritual director in advance of our September meeting. Excerpts from my earlier posts are in italics and linked to the original posts to this blog. Hi Sister -- Here's the usual note to confirm our appointment … Continue reading Spiritual direction, August-September
Working on a Swedish-American history paper and reading Luther in a global pandemic: Spiritual direction journal, July
Copy of an email sent tonight (Saturday) to my spiritual director. Lightly edited in the interest of making sense and removing obvious illiteracies. Hi Sister -- Just a quick note -- quicker than usual this month -- to confirm that unless I hear otherwise from you, I'll be calling you Monday at 2:30 p.m. for our … Continue reading Working on a Swedish-American history paper and reading Luther in a global pandemic: Spiritual direction journal, July
Spiritual direction — journal for June
Copy of email (lightly edited) sent yesterday to my spiritual director, summarizing what I've been trying to do in the past month and suggesting an agenda for our next session. Jun 19, 2020, 7:44 PM Hi, Sister -- Just a note to confirm our spiritual direction meeting at 2:30 p.m. and give you a general … Continue reading Spiritual direction — journal for June
Spiritual direction — seeking a ‘new normal’ during a global pandemic
Since I started spiritual direction a couple of years ago, I've emailed my spiritual director ahead of our monthly sessions ... summing up what I've been journaling about since our last meeting and, more to the point, getting a little focus on themes I've been working on and, more to the point, new directions that … Continue reading Spiritual direction — seeking a ‘new normal’ during a global pandemic
Easter 2020: A technophobe ‘finds Christ in hidden and unexpected places’
To say Easter was different this year would be an understatement -- like saying it was kinda nice when the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series. Growing up in the Episcopal church, I thought of Easter Sunday as a day of obligation, along with Christmas and Whitsunday, when you had to go to church … Continue reading Easter 2020: A technophobe ‘finds Christ in hidden and unexpected places’
Spiritual direction — journaling in a time of pandemic and social distancing
Copy of email sent today to my spiritual director and posted here to provide a monthly update on themes we’ve been working on and my progress (or lack thereof). Lightly edited to fix obvious illiteracies. Sr. __________ -- I hope all is well with you as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Debi and I have been … Continue reading Spiritual direction — journaling in a time of pandemic and social distancing
Spiritual direction — January and February
Editor's note -- copy of email sent to my spiritual director this morning, updating and summing up the past month and a half. Posted here, along with earlier updates, so I can tabs on the direction I'm taking as it evolves. Hi Sister -- A quick note to confirm our appointment for 2:30 p.m. Monday … Continue reading Spiritual direction — January and February
Spiritual direction — December 2019
Email sent Saturday to my spiritual director and posted here to provide a monthly update on themes we've been working on and my progress (or lack thereof). Lightly edited to fix obvious illiteracies and reformatted. Hi Sister -- Just looked at the calendar with something else in mind and realized our meeting is Monday afternoon. … Continue reading Spiritual direction — December 2019
Spiritual formation, October
Email sent last night to my spiritual director. Copied here because these "heads-up" emails force me to think about my progress -- or lack thereof -- and because I can refer back to it so important things don't slip between the cracks. Hi Sister -- How did it get to be November already? Here's the … Continue reading Spiritual formation, October
Seeking the holy in a trad Irish music festival video from Derry, a 10th-century Irish poem and choir practice at a Lutheran church in downstate Illinois
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpYuSmDbxnA Paddy Callgahan, "Be Thou My Vision," Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Derry, 2013 So a couple of weeks ago I posted an update on my prayer life, which stalled out recently as I navigated a welter of day-to-day crises, to the blog. And a fellow retired English professor named Elizabeth, who blogs on WordPress at … Continue reading Seeking the holy in a trad Irish music festival video from Derry, a 10th-century Irish poem and choir practice at a Lutheran church in downstate Illinois
Spiritual direction notes — August-October
Copy of an email I sent Saturday evening to my spiritual director. The links are embedded; a couple of minor illiteracies are cleaned up; the paragraphing is endlessly tinkered with (an integral although unnecessary part of my creative process); and a long excerpt from last month's post to this blog on an Episcopal table grace … Continue reading Spiritual direction notes — August-October
Krister Stendahl — a Swedish theologian on salvation, eternal life and the ‘coughing [of] mosquitoes’
Normally I don't get my spiritual direction and theological tips from the New York Times, not even back in the day when I thought Sunday mornings were for curling up with the Week in Review section instead of going to church. But I was caught up short the other day when I was tracking down … Continue reading Krister Stendahl — a Swedish theologian on salvation, eternal life and the ‘coughing [of] mosquitoes’
‘Sometimes a little writer’s block can be a good thing’ — spiritual formation, August-September
Email sent this afternoon to my spiritual director and and copied here so I don't forget what I said or, worse, lose it in my increasingly cluttered "sent" queue. After asking to reschedule our appointment, I wrote: ... I didn't have much to show you anyway. I've been doing more reading than writing the last … Continue reading ‘Sometimes a little writer’s block can be a good thing’ — spiritual formation, August-September
Spiritual direction — a dry spell in July and August
Email sent to my spiritual director before last week's meeting. I've been busy with doctors' appointments and other things since then and haven't gotten around to posting it till now. Sr. __________ -- Just a note to confirm our appointment Monday, Aug. 12, at 2:30 p.m. and provide links to my journaling. It can be … Continue reading Spiritual direction — a dry spell in July and August
Notes for a blog piece on St Paul in Athens I never was able to finish …
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Areopagus_hill_Saint_Paul_from_Acropolis_Athens.jpg Le rocher de l'Aréopage, d'où Saint-Paul prêcha le " Dieu Inconnu" aux Athéniens, vu de l'Acropole. Athènes, Grèce (Creative Commons). OK, here's the windup -- This is the second time I've tackled this reading (Acts 17:22-23). The first was back in April, when I posted the text and background to my blog Hemlandsanger, along … Continue reading Notes for a blog piece on St Paul in Athens I never was able to finish …
Lectio divina — some how-to websites
[Copied here or convenient reference from a prototype blog called Hemlandssånger (which didn't go anywhere and was replaced by Ordinary Time. This post was published March 4, 2019.] Verbatim xcerpts: "Praying With Scripture," Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois https://springfieldop.org/praying-with-scripture/ Lectio Divina is the contemplative practice of reading and responding to the Word in a personal … Continue reading Lectio divina — some how-to websites
Taking stock of spiritual formation — over the month of May and the past year
[Copied from my other blog Hemlandssånger, June 8.] Copy of email I sent to my spiritual director this morning, archived here as: (1) a record of issues we've been taking up along the way; and (2) a reminder of my overall direction so I can consult it when I need to get off of tangents … Continue reading Taking stock of spiritual formation — over the month of May and the past year
Ordinary Time 
