Author: SusannahDB

Trinity Benediction

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Last night I had a dream where I was leading worship. I must be missing in person worship more than I had realized. For all of us dreaming of returning to worship with handshakes, hugs, singing, and no worries of sharing germs, I offer this benediction.

Go in love. Know you are created in God’s own image and loved more than you can imagine. Share that love!

Go in peace. Follow in the footsteps of the Prince of Peace seeking to be peacemakers in all you do.

Go in hope. Listen for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you live into your calling.

Go out sharing love, peace, and hope!

Almost Everything: Notes on Hope by Anne Lamott

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When I read Anne Lamott, I laugh and cry and nod my head in agreement. In this book, she shares her thoughts on a variety of topics. If you enjoy her writing, you will enjoy this book.

I laughed out loud when in her chapter on writing she said, “And everything that happened to you belongs to you. If people wanted you to write more warmly about them, they should have behaved better” (68).

Her writing draws on her life experiences and it draws me in with its truth telling. She writes about prayer, making life choices, end of life, and relationships.

“The lesson here is that there is no fix. There is, however, forgiveness. To forgive yourselves and others constantly is necessary. Not only is everyone screwed up, but everyone screws up” (50).

”…the more time you spend in the presence of death, the less you fear it. Your life will be greatly enhanced by spending time with dying people, even though you’ve been taught to avoid doing so” (77). I agree wholeheartedly!

”I wish good things lasted forever. That would work best for me. But God is a lot more subtle than I am comfortable with. Saint John wrote that God is Love, that anytime you experience kindness and generosity, hope, patience and caring, you are in the presence of God” (102).

“Hospice is the cavalry. Hospice means that death isn’t going to be nearly as bad as you think” (125). I am thankful when people agree with these words and trust Hospice to enter their homes and allow us to join in life beside you. I often say-we can’t make it easy. My hope is that we can make this time a little easier.

This book will not take you long to read, and then the words inside will stay with you. You may be challenged and changed and encouraged to see things in a new way. Give this book a read!

Psalm 139 Benediction

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Sunday’s Psalm reading is Psalm 139:1-12 and 23-24. In the challenging and odd time, we all need a reminder that wherever we are God is present. God does not abandon us nor ever stop loving us. This is good news. I encourage you to read the Psalm and then speak out loud for yourself and those you love this benediction.

As you go out into the beauty of God’s world or stay in your homes, know God sees you. As you do your part to keep others safe in this time, know that God is with you. As you pray for your friends, family, and people you do not know, know that God hears your joys and cries of pain. As you begin a new week with God, know that God is leading you in the way everlasting. You are created in God’s own image, and you are God’s beloved. Amen.

Fishing (Again)

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I would like to talk about fishing. Growing up, my grandparents would take my sister and I fishing in a pond on their farm. We would load up all the necessary supplies into the pickup truck and then set out driving a little ways on the road and then through the field until we came to the fishing pond. Everyone would get their five gallon bucket and fishing pole. And I also brought a book. I wanted to be back at the house reading and had to fish. So, I would cast my line into the pond, see that my bobber was steady, sit on my bucket, and pick up my book. Someone would yell my name when my bobber went under. I would sigh and set down my book so I could reel in a fish. As you can tell this was not an activity I enjoyed.

Recently, my husband thought we should start fishing. All of the trips to the fishing pond came back to mind. Reluctantly, I agreed to fish with him. And I cannot tell you how surprised I was to discover that I am enjoying it. I find it so relaxing to stand on the dock, casting into the water, and slowly reeling it in. I find myself breathing slower and can feel my body relaxing as I fish. I have been watching sunsets and birds flying overhead. Lest you think I am a true fisher person. I am still happiest when I do not catch anything and can just enjoy the rhythm and action of casting out and reeling it in over and over.
So you can hear this reflection as an encouragement to try something again. Try something you didn’t enjoy and maybe this time you will. Disclaimer-you may still dislike the activity, and that is okay too!
Or maybe you will hear this as a call to go outside and soak in the beauty of nature.
Possibly, you are hearing a reminder to rest because God rested on the seventh day and your body needs rest too.
Holy One, we give you thanks this day for memories and new experiences. We are grateful for sunsets and time in your creation. We ask for strength to do the work you have called us to do. And as one of my hospice patients would always remind me, we can’t just pray for ourselves we have to pray for everyone else God loves too. So God, we remember your children around the world today. Ease the suffering. Mend the broken hearts. Feed those who are hungry and comfort everyone who is scared. Strengthen those fighting for justice and increase our compassion for each other. Hear our prayer and the prayers of all who call to you. Amen.

Sometimes a fish jumps on the line even when you just want to enjoy not catching anything.
Last night’s catch

Can We Start By Being Kind?

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This is an adaptation of a reflection I shared in the daily call for prayer and inspiration which is led every weekday morning for volunteers and staff of Coastal Hospice.

What a different place and space we find ourselves than when the Spiritual Counselors began hosting these calls a few months ago. Whatever you believe about COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter and the stock market and our elected officials and how we best educate our children and so many other things, we are not where we were a few months ago. Things have changed and each one of us has changed. Don’t hang up because you think I am going to tell you how to think about a specific topic on the news. I’m not. Instead I’d like to encourage you to think about how you react to another person who has a different view than you hold. Because we are a healthcare organization, I’m going to focus on our reactions to COVID-19. Even on this call, I am going to make an educated guess that we have different responses and feelings to where we currently are with this virus. Some of us might think that everything should be opening up and people should be able to make their own choices with what to do. Others of us might think that we should have continued with stay at home orders in this state for a longer period of time. Like all of you, I have my own feelings on this based on my life experiences. Again, I want to say I’m not trying to change your mine on this. What I would like to call to your attention is how you react to someone who feels differently. How do you respond to someone who has a different view? What emotions bubble to the surface when someone is doing something that you disagree with? My reflection today is a call for kindness. We don’t have to agree. We can be kind. We don’t always understand what is going on in someone else’s life. We can be kind. We may worry about the future or not have a care in the world. We can be kind. I may not like what you do. I can be kind.

As you go about your day and into the weekend, don’t rush to judgment, bite your tongue when necessary, and believe in the good of other humans. Response with kindness in your thoughts, your words, and your actions. Lest you think this is Susannah calling us to all be Pollyannas, being kind is hard work. So be kind to each other and especially yourself!

Hear these words from Colossians 3: 12, “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”

God of Love, Fill us with your love this day, so we may be kind to ourselves and each other. And when that proves to be difficult, give us strength to try again. We are thankful to be called your beloved ones. Teach us your kindness. Amen.

You Should Read I Am Enough!

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My favorite book I have read recently is I Am Enough by Grace Byers and illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo. This beautifully written and illustrated children’s book is the reminder we all need that you are enough.

”I’m not meant to be like you and you’re not meant to be like me.”

This book reminds us we are each uniquely created in the image of God. We are all different. And we are all enough!

I encourage you to read this book yourself and read it with anyone you know who needs a reminder that they are enough!

A Prayer for Pentecost

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Let us pray on this holy day (this coming Sunday) as we end the Easter Season and celebrate the Holy Spirit and the Birthday of the Church!

Today does not look like other Pentecosts for many of us. Wherever we are celebrating this Pentecost, we know you are with us, Holy One. We ask that you pour out your Holy Spirit upon us like that first Pentecost. Revive us as we are so weary. Inspire us so we may live out our faith in new ways. Strengthen us for the coming days. God, we celebrate today as the birthday of your church. Whether we gather as your church virtually or physically, we are your church. Remind us today that we are your beloved children who you have called to do your work in this your world. We have heard your call and answered with the help of the Holy Spirit. Revive us. Inspire us. Strengthen us. Amen.

Honey Lapsang by Cup of Life

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This tea is part of an awesomely beautiful and tasty tea gift set I was given by a dear friend.

The Honey Lapsang is described as “Organic Black Tea with Cinnamon, Cocoa, Licorice, and Lapsang”. It is delicious. I would describe it as a smooth black tea which leaves you with a good smokey taste on your tongue. I have been enjoying this fun tea to start my mornings this week. And I am enjoying the other teas in this gift set too.

Cleaning Out and Looking Back!

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When I left St. Giles Presbyterian Church over 5.5 years ago, I sorted through seven years of ministry in one place and narrowed it down to a few boxes of paper and many boxes of books. I am focusing today on the paper and not how many books I still have…although truth be told the number has decreased significantly. In the one of the boxes of files, I found calendars from each year I served a church. These calendars are made by the denomination and leave more room on Sundays as that is the busy day of the week in the church.

I took the calendars out of the box and sorted through the papers first. Most of the paper is being recycled as it is no longer something I need. The calendars stayed in their pile. Should I keep them? Why should I keep them? I opened the first one from 2004, and I was not prepared for the flood of emotions that came to me. I read of meetings with people I have not seen in years. I saw notes about preaching dates and education opportunities. I saw the way I used to write the letter R in the corner as a reminder for the weeks my then boyfriend was working. I saw notes about plays and sporting events and parties I attended for the youth who were a major part of my ministry. As I turned the pages, I got married, moved to a new state and church, bought a house, said good-bye to my best friend, watched my husband graduate, said good-bye to family members while welcoming others to the family. So many memories in these pages.

And then I was even more torn. Now that I know what is in those pages, do I keep them? Or is this blog post enough of a memory? Or better still should I hold on to the memories in my heart that have dulled the hurts over time and brightened the good moments?

Writing this has given me the courage to say good-bye to these calendars. I am thankful for these years of ministry and all that I experienced. I am thankful for the mentors and the supportive ones who guided me. I am working on being thankful for those who challenged me and made my work harder than it needed to be. I am thankful for the children and youth who are no longer children and youth and love hearing about the amazing adults they are. I am thankful for all those who volunteered countless hours to ensure each person who came through the doors knew they were loved. I am thankful for the ways I was welcomed into homes and lives of so many faithful people. And I ask forgiveness for the mistakes I made and the hurts I caused. My prayer is that all whose names are listed in those calendars and all who ministered along side me will know God’s peace and love today.

Comfort in Challenging Times

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I shared this reflection with staff and volunteers from Coastal Hospice last week.

As we begin, I invite you to grab a pen and paper if you are somewhere safe to write things down. If you are driving, please be careful and do not attempt to write anything down when we reach this part of our time together.
Our lives have been turned inside out and upside down this year. What once was routine or normal is now no longer the way it is done. I do not need to tell you any of this as you are living it. And yet, sometimes it is helpful to say out loud what is happening in our lives.
“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God” Isaiah 40:1. What brings you comfort in these challenging times? Before you leap to answer that question, let me share a definition of comfort which is “a pleasant feeling of being relaxed and free from pain.”
Now, I invite you to make a list for yourself of what brings you comfort. We’ll have a time of silence as we write our list.
(Silence).
I shared that I find comfort in a hot cup of tea. I take the mug in both hands and bring it close to my face. I feel the warmth and smells calm me.

I hope you will take the time to do that which comforts you in the coming days, and maybe share your list with others so together we can comfort each other.
Please reach out to others when what has always been comforting is no longer working for you.
Let us pray-
Loving God, Comfort us! Hear us! Continue to love us! We need you today! We need each other today! Bless the work that we do and give us the strength to carry on. Amen.

This cup makes me smile each time I read the words, “She listened to her soul.”