InSpiritry

ONLY 7 MORE SHOPPING DAYS LEFT TO CHRISTMAS! 

As if Americans needed any more encouragement to  spend money we don’t have, television commercials and retail signs are reminding us that the annual holiday shopping deadline is quickly approaching. Stores are full of people desperately searching for “the perfect gift” for Christmas or Hanukkah. Some are shopping for family members, others for dear friends, others for bosses or coworkers and still others for those hard-to-buy-for folks saved until the last minute.

In the interest of preventing desperate choices like votive candle holders and purple sweaters, I thought I might offer an InSpiritry list of gift ideas for those who want to give something really special, things that affirm the recipient in ways a store bought item sometimes fails to do–gifts of inspiration! (more…)

In several conversations of late, I have been reminded of how overpowering the world’s problems seem to most of us. We would like things to be better, but global situations like terrorist threats, war, extreme poverty, religious persecution, human rights and famine seem, well…just too global!

Maybe there’s our answer. We keep our perspective at a global level. What if we reduce the world’s terrible dilemmas to personal proportions — to our everyday lives? Maybe then, we can see that we really can “make a difference.” (more…)

For many of us, this week signals the start of a new school year.  Ahhh, summer is over, whether we are students, teachers, administrators, librarians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, parents or just commuters who pass through school zones.

For my part these many years later, I can still recall the smell of new books and old classrooms and almost hear the shrill exultation of that first period bell! I certainly can remember the nervousness and delight of trying new things (phonics, 3 digit numbers, cursive writing, volley ball, geometry proofs, Old English, Chemistry experiments, frog dissection…).

For those of you involved in education, I celebrate your commitment to the sacred task of empowering young hearts and minds. (more…)

A recent visit from my son, who is particularly insightful about human interactions, reminds me of the power of really listening–something families are often too busy or too bossy to do well. I have long known that family life, as well as spiritual living, calls us to seek to understand others. This past week, my son reminded me that we cannot do that if we are consumed by talking, studying, working, thinking, writing, playing, TV watching or even serving others.

The ability to suspend our personal agenda and offer our attention to someone else is, in fact, in itself a great personal act of service. When we really listen, when we offer our attention, we affirm the importance of the other person and their experiences and values. In that way, the unselfish act of listening is a first step towards of acknowledging the importance of the Greater Good. By listening, we admit, “It’s not just about me!” (more…)

 Looking at these photos from my family album, you might think, What’s the Story? I can assure you, there are several stories represented here — each of them a treasure!

While many of us were told stories as children, fewer and fewer families are making storytelling a tradition. Maybe it’s because we have lifestyles that don’t have room for evenings with grandparents or long family meals. Maybe it’s due to the insistence of technology as a source of communication in our lives: television, internet, cell phones.

Whatever the reason, when we lose our stories, we lose a lot!

(more…)

Posted by Anne McCrady

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In the US, it was Father’s Day yesterday, a day to acknowledge the very crucial role men play in their daughters’ lives, as mentors, as protectors, as supporters, as friends. It is a time to celebrate one of our most precious relationships. (more…)

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While every challenge offers us new chances to grow and learn and love, no truer words were ever spoken than the lyrics of a song by the late (great) poet, musician & activist John Denver:

Some days are diamonds; some days are stones.

Sometimes the hard times won’t leave us alone.

Sometimes the cold wind leaves a chill in my bones.

Some days are diamonds; some days are stones.

Since I have a friend who is facing one of those “stones” today, I thought I would share a story I often tell when conversation comes around to what in our lives has made us strong enough to face our fears. (more…)

 Mother's Day: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

After celebrating a great Mother’s Day this weekend, I find myself thinking about mothers and their role in the Greater Good.

It is worth noting that I am still a card-carrying feminist who remembers the days of no birth control, no credit cards, no corner office. For that reason, I notice when news commentators, though often women, rarely interview women about politics or foreign policy. I notice that boards of regents at graduation ceremonies and boards of directors of public companies are still mostly men. I notice how testosterone-induced terminology and ideas still dominate international interactions.

Surely, I am not alone in that. Surely, around the world, other women realize that the same wisdom that raised our sons and daughters to be amazing, thoughtful people is wisdom that can raise the world to a new standard. (more…)