Author: SusannahDB

A Benediction for Good Friday

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Today we remember the death of Jesus. Last night in worship I was almost moved to tears as I watched the stripping of the altar after a service that had included hand washing and communion. Removing all the adornments and beautiful items from an altar or communion table and pulpit and lectern always gives me pause as we mark this day as different from all others. For me, my favorite way to leave the sanctuary on Good Friday is in silence with no handshaking, no communication with others. I want time alone with my thoughts after hearing Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is dead.

I offer this benediction today for those who may not be attending a service today or for those who prefer to end a service with a benediction.

As you go out into the world this night, don’t rush ahead to the events of the coming days. Allow yourself to mourn the death of Jesus. Contemplate the betrayal by Judas and the denial by Simon Peter. Stay by the cross like the women who loved Jesus. Reflect on how much you love Jesus and how much he has taught you. Go now, knowing God is always with you and walks this lonesome valley with you. Amen.

A Benediction for Maundy Thursday aka Holy Thursday

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Today is the day we remember the Last Supper and Jesus instructing us to wash each other’s feet. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels, we hear Jesus asking us to take and eat the bread and to drink from the cup. In John’s gospel, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet and encourages them to wash each other’s feet. However you are observing this holy day, my hope is that you’ll take time to pause and remember and give thanks.

Open your hearts to receive this benediction- We have gathered at Jesus’ table as welcomed guests. Always remember that there is plenty of room at this table as this holy table is as big and wide as God’s amazing love for us. There are no better words to end this benediction than the words of Jesus spoken after washing the disciples’ feet from John 13: 34-35, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Amen.

Prayers to Start the Work Day

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I was asked for help by the staff of a local assisted living facility. They were feeling like they needed prayers or devotions to start off their morning meeting, and they didn’t know what to do. So, I wrote these prayers for them. I hope they will be helpful to you this week too.

Loving God, Be with us today. Give us patience and compassion. Help us to do our work with love as we care for those you have entrusted to us. Open our ears to hear the stories shared no matter how many times we have heard the same stories. May the work that we do be pleasing to you. Amen.

O God, It is another work day and my attitude is not what it needs to be. Help me to put aside for awhile all that needs to be done when the workday is done. Watch over my loved ones while I work so that I may focus on the work that is here and the people that need me. Guide my steps and actions. Amen.

Holy One, We know that today is going to be a good day because you woke us up and brought us to this place. So thank you for all the blessings you give us each day. Thank you for this work that you have given me to do. Help me to do it to the very best of my ability. Amen.

Gracious God, As we start this work day, we bring thoughts of things that didn’t get done yesterday and all there is to do today. It is overwhelming. How can we possibly do it all? Remind us, O God, that you are with us. Help us to prioritize and be efficient. Help us to slow down too when needed. With your help, Holy One, this day won’t be as hard as we imagine. Amen.

Thank you, God, for giving me work to do that makes me feel fulfilled. Help me to see that I am an important person at this place and the work I do matters. Inspire me to do my work well. Open my eyes to times I can help my colleagues to do their work better. And remind me to thank my coworkers for the good work they do and to graciously accept their thanks for work I do well. Thank you, God, for this team that is working together toward our goals. Amen.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi-Book Review

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I began reading this book on an airplane traveling to a much needed and anticipated vacation in Aruba. I am not sure this is the right time for most people to read this book, and yet it had been on my to read list for too long. I had recommended it to a hospice patient who wanted to read a book about dying written by someone who was actually dying. I told her when I recommended the book that I had not yet read it. In her memory, I wanted to read this book so I knew if it was something to recommend to someone else. And so I began reading it on a cold morning after leaving the airport in Baltimore. I took a break from reading to look out the window and saw the sun shining, blue waters, and islands of the Bahamas. While I had been reading, I had been transported to another place.


This book will transport you into Paul’s life. When reading these words, I felt like I was there with him in the desert in Arizona, in medical school with a donor (the kinder term for cadavers), in the hospitals and Operating Rooms. And then you go with Paul from his work as a surgeon to his life as a patient looking for meaning in the time he has left. The books ends with an epilogue written by Paul’s wife after his death.


I read this book quickly even as I recognized that it covers the difficult topic of one’s own mortality. I cried on the beach as I read the epilogue even though it was stated from early on that Paul was going to die. And I thought about my hospice patient who I would (now) recommend she start this book from Part 2-Cease Not till Death. My patient didn’t need to hear about his life before the diagnosis. She wanted to hear from someone else who had walked the journey toward death and stopped to share his or her own story. She did not want to read about all that one was giving up with a terminal diagnosis because she was living that herself. If I had read this book before she died, I would have encouraged her to read the epilogue because it talks about Paul’s last days and how he is surrounded by those he loved.


I do recommend this book for anyone who wants to ponder what it feels like to die young and to know you are going to die sooner rather than later.
This is a book for people who love poetry and literature and autobiographies.

I am still searching for a book to recommend to my hospice patients that is written by someone who is dying and who speaks in easy to understand terms about how their diagnosis and living their last days affects them.

I Will Remember

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Today is a sad day as I remember that day seven years ago when I said good-bye to my best friend. As I was cleaning last weekend, I found something I had written years ago for her. I don’t remember writing it or even when it was written and yet I feel that it should be shared for any of you missing a loved one today.

When you are living life, you live it. You don’t remember every detail. Things blend together as one days moves on to the next. Only when it is too late do you try to remember everything. What was her favorite color, song, tv show, shampoo, food? When did we take that trip or take that class or play that prank? While I’m grateful for all the time we spent together, I’m sorry, so sorry for all the memories we made that I no longer remember. I know holding onto the memories will not bring you back! I just want to remember, to recall the laughter, heartbreaks, tears, fun, and everything we did together during the 12 years we knew each other. I’m hoping by trying to remember-I will not forget any more of our stories and she will live on not just in my heart but also in my head-even when I’m old!

Two friends at a pub in Scotland in October 2005.

Now that more time has passed I don’t regret not remembering everything that happened. She was the one who remembered the details. Recently someone asked me if I knew someone and I replied, “Oh, Kristi would know. She is the one of us who remembers people and important things.” I know now that even though I don’t remember how many Thursday nights we watched Friends and ate pizza or why we took that road trip through Kentucky where she sang Sweet Child of Mine. What I do know and will never forget is that you always answered the phone when I called, you always stood beside me, and you always were my friend. I am grateful for all the time we spent together.

God, Thank you for the people you put in our lives right when we need them. Thank you for friends who push us to be our best selves. Thank you for laughter and friends to wipe away the tears. Loving God, when the ones we love are no longer here because they are with you, remind us of the good times. Send us your Spirit of Peace for comfort on the hard days. Mend our broken hearts. Amen.

Kristi’s Wedding Day June 2011.
Whenever we’d see this picture of us taken the day before my wedding, we would ask each other who picked out our sunglasses? April 2007.

Forgive Yourself

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Recently, I said something ridiculous. Not ridiculous funny. I mean why in the world did that come out of my mouth?! Sharing the details would not make it any better, so just picture that thing you would never say out loud. I said it. And I felt terrible. I worried. I was mad at myself. I didn’t know how to fix it. After much worry, anger, and frustration, I realized what was missing from all my thoughts. I had not forgiven myself! I was beating myself up over and over and reliving the moments. The only way to move on was to forgive myself. Today, I encourage you to forgive yourself for something you have done or forgotten to do. I encourage you to be kind to yourself as you are being kind to others. Let yourself know that tomorrow you will get another opportunity to be kind, so why not start by being kind to yourself?

Forgiving One, We ask for forgiveness when we harm each other and when we hurt you. Why are we so slow to forgive ourselves? As you forgive us, Merciful God, for the wrongs that we have done to you and to each other, remind us to forgive ourselves. Teach us your way of compassion and kindness to each other and to ourselves. Help us to love ourselves and our neighbors. Remind us that each one of us is created in your image and is beloved. Amen. 

Photo by Felix Koutchinski on Unsplash

Chai Tea Latte Frappe

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Chai Tea Latte Frappe
With black tea, ginger, spices, and honey

This is my first ever Frappe because they always have coffee in them. When I saw this on the menu, I had to try it. No coffee only tea and other goodness. I would describe it as a tea milkshake. It is not something I would want to drink daily. It is a fun treat perfect for those times you find yourself in Aruba on vacation. The spices and tea flavor shined through and the honey sweetened it the perfect amount. A fun drink for the tea lover.

An Ash Wednesday Prayer

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The season of Lent began this week with the observation of Ash Wednesday. I love the practice of having ashes placed on my forehead and consider it a privilege to place ashes on someone else. Seeing so many people with ashes on themselves gives me pause each year.

“What are human beings that you are mindful of them? Mortals that you care for them?” (Psalm 8:4).

So this Ash Wednesday, I am hoping to spend some time in silence giving thanks for a Creator that loves me despite my shortcomings and flaws. My prayer will be that I can be more kind to those I meet remembering that although their flaws are more obvious to me that only means that my flaws are very obvious to them. I am hoping to carry this prayer through the season of Lent.

Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, Today we wonder along with the psalmist- “what are humans beings that you are mindful of them?” How is it that you keep loving us even when we fail to love ourselves and each other? What is going to change our attitudes towards ourselves and each other? What is going to remind us that we are beautiful in your sight and created in your image? Slow us down today, Loving God, and remind us how big your love is for all that you have created. Open our eyes to see your creation. Open our minds to see the good in the people you place in our lives. Open our hearts to see ourselves as your beloved. God, there is so much brokenness in this world. Help us to be the ones who mend it with your help. Give us courage, hope, and strength for there is much work to do as we embark on our Lenten journey. Amen.

Photo by Ahna Ziegler on Unsplash

Read My Lips by DAVIDsTEA

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This tea was a gift from my husband when he returned to the land of Wisconsin where we used to live. This is my first experience with DAVIDsTEA, and I enjoyed this cup of tea.

I will admit that the description on the bag “This sweet black tea with vanilla, peppermint, chocolate and little red candy lips for a kiss of sweetness” made me nervous. That sounds like too many flavors for one cup of tea. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. The first thing I noticed was the smell of chocolate. No one flavor overpowered the others and they all worked together to create a delicious, smooth cup of tea. I love black tea, and I cannot stand bitter black tea. I was instructed to let my tea steep for 4-7 minutes. My plan was three minutes to ensure the tea was not bitter. I got distracted and the tea steeped for a whole 6 minutes, and it was not bitter at all. It was a smooth cup of fun tea to start off my morning.

I am looking forward to trying more flavors of DAVIDsTEA and enjoying another cup of this tea too.

The Holy Bible-Abridged Beyond the Point of Usefulness (Book Review)

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Last year I read the Bible with a group of wonderful people who helped me stay on track. Together we talked about our favorite and least favorite sections of reading. It required dedication and a commitment to reading every day for 365 days.

This year I read, The Holy Bible: Abridged Beyond the Point of Usefulness by Zach Weinersmith. This 67 page (small) book is a quick read.

Now, you might wonder why there are 67 pages and only 66 books in the Bible? The answer is that Revelation gets two pages. 

So now you are wondering how the author condenses each book of the Bible to so few words? Here is one example. “Amos becomes like the 14,000th prophet to note that Israel is making God mad and when you make God mad things go bad” (30). Or something from the New Testament. Mark-“Basically, Matthew’s Gospel, but with less boring, more ACTION, and your choice of two endings!” (41). That one reminds me of an informercial. 

This book was a Christmas present from a friend and it has brought me hours of joy as I read and reread it. And then, I read it to other people. I was thinking about how this little book might be helpful in the life of faith. I think he has a really great idea here. What if for your next Bible study, everyone tried to summarize a book of the Bible in one page, one paragraph, one sentence. What is the essence of each book? Or if you are studying a book of the Bible, compare what this book says to what you think is the main point. Is this author correct? How would you rewrite or change his words? 

So, if you need a new Bible, this might be the one for you. Only if you are willing to keep an actual Bible next to it for reading along this abridged one. Enjoy!