I first discovered the “desert fathers” in Henri Nouwen’s little book, The Way of the Heart. His book was a such a gentle beginning to what I continue to find as a deeply Biblical, existentially honest look at the interior life. Nouwen did not speak, as the Desert Fathers did, about the “demons” in my soul. Rather, he spoke… Continue reading Just Under the Surface
Tag: Lent
Welcome to the Wilderness
Even though I love nature, I’m not much of a camper. I still remember the night when I was about eight, lying in a tent in a “beautiful” site we had procured rather late in the day somewhere in the Rockies …only to discover the site had not been previously taken for an excellent reason: trains… Continue reading Welcome to the Wilderness
Transformed by 40
They wandered forty years in the desert, those Israelites who failed the test of belief in the God who raised up Moses, delivered them from the hand of Pharaoh, made bitter water sweet, fed them with manna, gave them the Law and instructions for a Tabernacle so they would know precisely where they could find… Continue reading Transformed by 40
Desert Dwelling
There are those who dwell in the desert, not as yearly discipline, or as the unlooked for invitation when life becomes a dust bowl, or even as a place of refuge from whatever or whoever is nipping at our heels. The actual experience in the desert is nearly always hidden from observation. Others perceive, instead,… Continue reading Desert Dwelling
No Swinging During Lent
This Lent I can’t abstain from caffeinated coffee because I am not drinking it at all. But for years it has been a not so trivial way to help me step into the season of Lent. Not being a "morning person," my cup of coffee in the morning helps me wake up, and offers comfort… Continue reading No Swinging During Lent
Lenten Spring
The trunk of the tree by my house matches the pavement, which are both in the same color palette as the sky. Even the greens are gray. I find it fitting that the last "Alleluias" are receding from the airwaves as Jesus' Transfiguration makes way for Ash Wednesday. "Remember from dust you came and to… Continue reading Lenten Spring
Mountains, Valleys and Deserts
And I was wondering if you had been to the mountain,Looked at the valley below;Did you see all the roads tangled down in the valley?Did you know which way to go?Well, the mountain streams run pure and clearand wish to mv soul could alwavs be hereBut there's a reason for livin' way down in the… Continue reading Mountains, Valleys and Deserts
Posture of Repentance
Our souls are created to look “up and out,” not “down and in.” One of the important implications of this reality is how we come to understand the mess inside, and then what to do with it. If “down and in” is a place where self talks to self, it is a closed system. I go on talking and… Continue reading Posture of Repentance
Carla Waterman 