Home from Retreat

April 20, 2015 |

Vivian Dunn We are home from Moose Jaw and the experience of “Encouraging One Another”. I am going to share with you on one of the subjects spoken about: reaching out to immigrants. When I lost my husband to cancer and I was sitting in my suite like a “basket case”, I prayed to God and asked him to help me find someone to help, so I could get my mind off of “Vivian”. God answered my prayer and my first immigrant friend was a young Mexican boy who found out I had been a teacher and knocked on my…

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To Be Okay in My Heart

April 13, 2015 |

Sheena Koops My hands are in the hot, soapy water; I can smell the orange fragrant bubbles, but my forehead is like a clenched fist and I swish each glass as fast as I can. I remember attending a mindfulness meeting and the facilitator said that washing dishes can be done mindfully. I breathe deeply, slowly into my belly. My tight temples relax. One more breathe in and I see that the bubbles are white and beautiful. One more breathe, seeking peace, but I just can’t slow my hands down, and pretty soon I’m thinking about the turkey soup I…

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From the Village

March 23, 2015 |

Over the holidays, we played numerous board games. We put puzzles together. We skated. We tobogganed. We read books. We ate good food. We stayed up. We slept in. We sang songs and my son made some up. We laughed. The kids cried a little. We shopped a little and a lot. We wrapped gifts. We unwrapped gifts. We hugged. We decorated. I reflected. Now, as I am contemplating heading back to work and a return to our regular programming, I am a little hesitant. It is not that I do not love our daily living. I like that our…

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After Sabbath

March 16, 2015 |

Deanna Cook Sunday evenings is very ritualistic in my life.  It is a time of preparation for the next school week:  preparing lunches, laying out clothes, and packing back packs.  I have found this time essential- a way to frame the next week so it is more peaceful and more prepared.  Those Sunday evenings I choose not to partake in the ritual, I end up regretting it as my Monday morning is spent rushing around making decisions, throwing together a bag lunch, and searching for lost keys. As I thought about this topic, I did some research.  Did you know…

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