Monthly Archives: December 2013

Advent (Peace): Harried and Hurried?

Rev. Jan introduced us to the idea of emotional literacy, and I realized, through her reflection, that for most of my life I have been in touch with the emotion called “peacefulness”.  Peacefulness is the feeling of connection.  The sense … Continue reading

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Advent (Peace): Peace Be With You

A few years ago I participated in a class on Emotional Literacy where we learned about six core human emotions: mad, sad, glad, scared, powerful, and peaceful. The first four are pretty easy to understand. New to me were powerfulness … Continue reading

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Advent (Peace): Waging Peace

“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”  ~ Eleanor Roosevelt  As we enter the second week of the season of Advent, we … Continue reading

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Advent (Hope): Difficulties

Difficulties break some people.  They make others.  Is this a truth that you have observed? My own experience is that difficulties often feel like they are breaking me, but ultimately, if I am honest, they make me.  They make me … Continue reading

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Advent: Legacy of Hope

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in … Continue reading

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Advent (Hope): Chanukah

There is a conversation that I have with my dad, like clockwork, when I take a new class. I begin, usually in tears, about my inability to do anything remotely useful with Latin. My dad responds, reminding me of the … Continue reading

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Advent (Hope): On the Horizon

“For the great human family, it is necessary to renew always the common horizon toward which we are journeying.  The horizon of hope!  This is the horizon that makes a good journey.” ~ Pope Francis, Dec. 1, 2013  We have … Continue reading

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