Leanne Shawler, Artist

In April, I finished reading " Grounded: Finding God in the World -- A Spiritual Revolution ", by Diana Butler Bass. There were many things that were great about the book, and it was a good beginning (it inspired me to write a poem ) but by the end it felt like a whole other book could now be written. This is because I had some reader-baggage / preferences that came up as I read the book, and rather that writing to the author and complaining, I wondered what about the book discomfited me. Each chapter starts with a theology of grace, even abundance (in the non-prosperity gospel sense of the word!), rejoicing in these gifts that we have been given on "this earth, our island home" (a quote from a Book of Common Prayer Eucharist service) but halfway through a number of the chapters it switched to a scarcity-based theology: good soil and clean, fresh water is disappearing, air pollution, etc.  It is all true. Good soil is disappearing, air pollution is maki...

I have gone silent a bit lately because well ... I have dogs once more. Two adorable, smarter-than-me, could-do-with-some-training (and they're getting it), wee dogs that have been taking up a lot of my attention lately as we settle in together. They're shelter dogs, were turned in as strays, and had terrible matted coats so they have some serious separation anxiety issues but we're working on them. Earlier in the year, I finished reading " Grounded ", by Diana Butler Bass. The opening introduction inspired me to write a poem about the two Mt. Calvarys. ( Mt. Calvary is a monastery retreat house in Santa Barbara.) The one on the hill top before it was destroyed by fire and its current location. I thought I'd share the poem. On a mountaintop My heart broke open, filled with God's warmth In a city sanctuary: Conversations with bees, Rubbing wood prayer beads As storm blue clouds loomed, bad exhausts and loud music Whittled away in...