So many of us live closely by our schedules and to-do lists. But those schedules and to-do lists come with worries and an overdeveloped preoccupation on what comes next. We have both the possibilities and limitations of any given day, and both can be gifts.

Matthew 6:25-34

Practice Makes Proficient

Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder

Christians know Palm Sunday best as the beginning of Holy Week, during which they are invited to reflect on one of the stories from the Gospels of Jesus' ride into Jerusalem a few days before his crucifixion. It tends to be a celebratory day, as well as a lead-in for what comes later in the week. But the story's implications carry so much more than what we may tend to see.

Mark 11:1-11

Coffeehouse Contemplative: Spiritual Direction for the Everyday

Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times

Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder

After months of watching lockdowns begin in other countries, it was the United States' turn in March of 2020. Now here we are a year later, and we have experienced and lamented so much. Have we allowed ourselves to grieve over this past year? Will we allow ourselves to deal with lingering effects of grief even after we begin to return to a post-pandemic existence?

Psychology Today, When Grief Gets Physical

Shoma Morita, Morita Therapy

The Endgame of Grief

Wanda's Grief

Psalm 22

Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder

If you were asked, "What's one thing you wish you were better at," you may actually be able to name more than one thing. We all have activities we wish we could do better, or habits we wish we could develop or break. We may recognize that the key to all of this is more practice -- "practice makes perfect," as the saying goes. But the pursuit of perfection may sabotage us before we even begin. Fortunately, there are other ways to think about practice that are more reasonable and achievable.

Austin Kleon, 31-day Practice and Suck Less Challenge

James Clear, Atomic Habits

One Word 2021: Practice

Prayer in Motion: Connecting with God in Fidgety Times

Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder

It's been about a year since the pandemic lockdowns began. Events have been cancelled or postponed over and over, and life in general has been turned upside down. This entire time--and more frequently now that an end slowly appears on the horizon--many have been talking about going "back to normal." But will everything really be exactly as it was, and will we really want it to be?

Ed Prideaux, How to heal the "mass trauma" of Covid-19

Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder

All the COVID-related lockdowns and cancellations began during Lent 2020, leading someone to create a meme that read, "This is the Lentiest Lent I've ever Lented." This year, we are still faced with going without many of the same things, and questions of where hope and new life may be found are still with us.

With all that we've been through and all that we've learned, how might this Lent be a source of renewal rather than added despair?

Related blog post: Five Reminders for a Meaningful Lent

Benediction: Blessing the Dust by Jan Richardson

Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder

Find more about my writing at coffeehousecontemplative.com

The inaugural episode of my new podcast.

Many across the spectrum of religious experience and belief carry with them a question: “Where is God beyond what I know? Where is God beyond the walls of my place of worship? Where is God beyond the pages of my sacred texts and songs?"

There is no one answer to that.

I figured that the best way to begin would be to tell a little of my own story, and why I'm passionate about finding the spiritual in everything.

My books:

Music: "Reflections" by Wild Wonder