I read Foster this year, too. Such a lovely book. And I worked on healing and community by opening my door for evening candlelighting during Advent, hosting meals, and writing daily Haiku. Thank you for sharing your words this year...it is hopeful and reassuring to be part of your community.
I don't usually pay much attention to New Year's Eve or think about making resolutions. It never was a "big thing" to me, except that I got to stay up really late when I was a child. But one thought has been flitting in and out of my mind all day - I hope (and PRAY) that 2025 doesn't turn out to be as dreadful as I think it might be for the country I love.
I honor truth and don't comprehend how a person who treats truth as inconsequential, or inconvenient, can provide effective leadership as president - to say nothing of the moral caliber of some of his nominees for important positions in government. When I pray for the leadership of the United States of America, I pray that people of integrity will somehow be able to counterbalance the lack of same in others.
Thank you for another year of insights and glimpses into your life! I really appreciate this corner of the Internet that you've cultivated here. Have a blessed New Year!
Foster was such a wonderful book....small but so so good.
I attended a Moving Mindfully into the New Year event at the National Cathedral in DC today.
We were asked to remember an event that brought us joy and I was reminded of watching your your ordination. What a wonderful event and thank you again for providing us the opportunity and means to "attend".
Thank you for these great newsletters. I find myself feeling better about our nation, the world, and my own little part in it through your writing.
I really appreciate you sharing your life with me in your writings. It has been a difficult year. I have spent 9 months in pain and waiting for my body to be able to tolerate having my knee replaced. The blessing is that it was able to be done and so far healing well. My mother passed away in November. I did not have a relationship like my siblings did with her so we grieved very differently. The blessing is she is at peace now which I am grateful for. 3 weeks later my husband needed extensive open heart surgery. He is recovering well. I am so blessed it was caught as early as it was and no permanent damage. I guess I go into 2025 realizing there are blessings in everything, I just need to look for them
Hope you and Tristan have a blessed and healthy New Year
That’s a lot to have to deal with, Tammy, feeling it with you with gratitude that the outcomes seem to have been good.
My older brother died in September and I would characterize our relationship as complicated so it was just easier for us when we stayed in the present moment. But the Joe I knew was different from the Joe that many people talked about at his memorial service.
Beautiful Jeff, thank you for this. Reading through your year made me feel a little more grounded as we quickly come to the close of this year. One I'm grateful to wave adios to. It was a lot, this year. But we have a new baby in our family, who despite his early entrance is well and happy and brings us joy. A friends husband said "hope is like breathing. It's natural, it keeps us alive" I'm going with that one because sometimes it's all we can do. Peace and blessings to you and Tristan.
"Having been warned in a dream" translates to God's messengers getting through to our world, right? (Actually, "going home by a different way" is family code for shaking the dust from our feet... so we love to think of it as angels talking to us.)
Love your work. Totally get that stuff about dog hair never going away, months after the unconditional love is no longer physically present. May your memories always be blessing you and Tristan!
Happy New Year to you and Tristan! Thank you for another year of providing a safe space to ask questions and not settle for surface level platitudes. I always appreciate that about you!
Happy New year --- your perspective always grounds me. I'm giggling at you adamantly not participating in the volleyball cheer.
This past year has felt too full and busy, and I'm not clear what could be changed. It's simply a busy season, with work and kids and their schedules. I'm praying for grace in the midst of that. If we can't change the schedule perhaps I can find the grace to enjoy the ride.
I just finished reading "The House in the Cerulean Sea" which is a delightful bit of escapism. I'm struck by the delight that the characters took in each other. I think a skosh more delight could sustain me quite a bit - so maybe I will pray for that as well.
May God bless your past year to you, and God give you and Tristan a path through this year. A Benedictine monastery is becoming very important in my life as well, Holy Cross not far from here. Once I preached on the magi's star precisely as an angel, an angel that God sent to the magi in a form that they would be looking for, according to their culture and religion, and therefore could interpret.
Somehow hearing that you didn't share in the "spike" chant makes complete sense and makes me smile. There are just certain things in the world that are unshakeable and your introverted curmudgeon-ness is one of those things.
For 2025, I'm focusing on taking care of myself and those close to me. I can't fix politics or make people smart, but I can make sure that those people I love and care for have what they need. I can smile at strangers. I can compliment someone's shoes. I can volunteer in our church's food drives. It's about what I can do and releasing what I can't.
In astronomy, the key to a high resolution image is stillness in the tracking of the telescope, and stillness in the atmosphere above the telescope. Thanks so much for this beautiful reminder on posture and detecting light.
I read Foster this year, too. Such a lovely book. And I worked on healing and community by opening my door for evening candlelighting during Advent, hosting meals, and writing daily Haiku. Thank you for sharing your words this year...it is hopeful and reassuring to be part of your community.
I don't usually pay much attention to New Year's Eve or think about making resolutions. It never was a "big thing" to me, except that I got to stay up really late when I was a child. But one thought has been flitting in and out of my mind all day - I hope (and PRAY) that 2025 doesn't turn out to be as dreadful as I think it might be for the country I love.
I honor truth and don't comprehend how a person who treats truth as inconsequential, or inconvenient, can provide effective leadership as president - to say nothing of the moral caliber of some of his nominees for important positions in government. When I pray for the leadership of the United States of America, I pray that people of integrity will somehow be able to counterbalance the lack of same in others.
Blessings on you and Tristan,
Judy Sargent
Perhaps an elected president who has a casual relationship with truth reflects a society that has a casual relationship with truth.
“I pray that people of integrity will somehow be able to counterbalance the lack of same in others.” That’s a great prayer, JES!
Thank you for another year of insights and glimpses into your life! I really appreciate this corner of the Internet that you've cultivated here. Have a blessed New Year!
Foster was such a wonderful book....small but so so good.
I attended a Moving Mindfully into the New Year event at the National Cathedral in DC today.
We were asked to remember an event that brought us joy and I was reminded of watching your your ordination. What a wonderful event and thank you again for providing us the opportunity and means to "attend".
Thank you for these great newsletters. I find myself feeling better about our nation, the world, and my own little part in it through your writing.
I really appreciate you sharing your life with me in your writings. It has been a difficult year. I have spent 9 months in pain and waiting for my body to be able to tolerate having my knee replaced. The blessing is that it was able to be done and so far healing well. My mother passed away in November. I did not have a relationship like my siblings did with her so we grieved very differently. The blessing is she is at peace now which I am grateful for. 3 weeks later my husband needed extensive open heart surgery. He is recovering well. I am so blessed it was caught as early as it was and no permanent damage. I guess I go into 2025 realizing there are blessings in everything, I just need to look for them
Hope you and Tristan have a blessed and healthy New Year
Sending you and your husband all my best wishes for healing!
That’s a lot to have to deal with, Tammy, feeling it with you with gratitude that the outcomes seem to have been good.
My older brother died in September and I would characterize our relationship as complicated so it was just easier for us when we stayed in the present moment. But the Joe I knew was different from the Joe that many people talked about at his memorial service.
Lori, I am sorry about your brother. It’s difficult when you know a different person than everyone else did.
Thank you, Tammy!
Beautiful Jeff, thank you for this. Reading through your year made me feel a little more grounded as we quickly come to the close of this year. One I'm grateful to wave adios to. It was a lot, this year. But we have a new baby in our family, who despite his early entrance is well and happy and brings us joy. A friends husband said "hope is like breathing. It's natural, it keeps us alive" I'm going with that one because sometimes it's all we can do. Peace and blessings to you and Tristan.
More and more, I see the arrival of babies as an embodiment of hope and possibility.
Quite true! I absolutely agree.
Hey Jeff,
"Having been warned in a dream" translates to God's messengers getting through to our world, right? (Actually, "going home by a different way" is family code for shaking the dust from our feet... so we love to think of it as angels talking to us.)
Love your work. Totally get that stuff about dog hair never going away, months after the unconditional love is no longer physically present. May your memories always be blessing you and Tristan!
Peace live joy hope for 2025
Chris
Happy new year.
Thanks for the kind words.
Re: "having been warned in a dream," I think it's perfectly valid to speculate, but I'm not comfortable saying outright that it was angels.
Happy New Year to you and Tristan! Thank you for another year of providing a safe space to ask questions and not settle for surface level platitudes. I always appreciate that about you!
Happy New year --- your perspective always grounds me. I'm giggling at you adamantly not participating in the volleyball cheer.
This past year has felt too full and busy, and I'm not clear what could be changed. It's simply a busy season, with work and kids and their schedules. I'm praying for grace in the midst of that. If we can't change the schedule perhaps I can find the grace to enjoy the ride.
I just finished reading "The House in the Cerulean Sea" which is a delightful bit of escapism. I'm struck by the delight that the characters took in each other. I think a skosh more delight could sustain me quite a bit - so maybe I will pray for that as well.
Sending love and warm thoughts in the deep midwinter 🕯️🕯️🕯️
May God bless your past year to you, and God give you and Tristan a path through this year. A Benedictine monastery is becoming very important in my life as well, Holy Cross not far from here. Once I preached on the magi's star precisely as an angel, an angel that God sent to the magi in a form that they would be looking for, according to their culture and religion, and therefore could interpret.
Thank you for that nudge to see the story from a slightly different angle. What a hospitable reading. Miss you, Dominee!
Somehow hearing that you didn't share in the "spike" chant makes complete sense and makes me smile. There are just certain things in the world that are unshakeable and your introverted curmudgeon-ness is one of those things.
For 2025, I'm focusing on taking care of myself and those close to me. I can't fix politics or make people smart, but I can make sure that those people I love and care for have what they need. I can smile at strangers. I can compliment someone's shoes. I can volunteer in our church's food drives. It's about what I can do and releasing what I can't.
In astronomy, the key to a high resolution image is stillness in the tracking of the telescope, and stillness in the atmosphere above the telescope. Thanks so much for this beautiful reminder on posture and detecting light.