I have been writing the Praying in Color blog for over a dozen years. The entries include theological musings, memoir, reflections on life and Scripture, and hundreds of posts on ways to incorporate Praying in Color into your prayer and spiritual life. In the search bar you can type words like “Scripture, Advent, Lent, calendar templates, intercessory prayer, mourning, gratitude, forgiveness…” or other topics of interest to find related posts. I hope you enjoy exploring this site.
Folk tales from traditions around the world posit that God created the Earth on the back of Mother Turtle. Why would God choose a turtle as the earth-bearer? (And who knew there were turtles before the world was even created?) The resumé of turtles makes them better...
Lights from Manger Square in Bethlehem and St. George's Cathedral in Jerusalem. Icon of Birth from St. George Chapel in the Greek Orthodox Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem Madonna in the Greek Orthodox Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem Cave (grotto) and Star--birth...
Many Christmas carols exalt nighttime: Oh Holy Night, Silent Night, O, Little Town of Bethlehem, Away in a Manger, While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night.... Christmas carols are probably the reason I love nighttime and darkness. When the nights start to...
And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Luke 4, 1-2 NRSV Our goal in the wilderness was not forty days, nor a run-in with the devil....
On a walk through the Old City on Friday about sunset, we went to the Jewish Quarter to see lights for the sixth day of Hanukkah outside people's homes. The Christian Quarter near St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church was beginning to display its Christmas...
1) Calendars Advent is my favorite season of the year. It gives me permission to be in both spiritual and religious mode for three to four weeks. My favorite practices are using the Advent wreath, keeping a visual Advent calendar, and reading some kind of daily...
Here are five turkey templates for a pre- or post-dinner Thanksgiving activity for adults and kids. In the center of the turkey write your name for God: "Holy One, Generous God, Creator, Sustainer, Beloved One, or...." In the spaces within the turkey, in the shapes on...
The chase began almost two years ago. My husband, Andy, and I accepted an invitation to spend a year at St. George's College in Jerusalem, an Anglican pilgrimage and retreat center near the Old City. Andy would serve as College Chaplain and I would be the Minister of...
Using an Advent calendar is my favorite way to pay attention and pray during the four weeks of Advent. Unlike the store-bought versions, my calendars have no doors, just blank spaces for the days of Advent. Each day I fill one space with a prayer or meditation-- in...
I have not posted in a while. Between working on content for the new website and living in limbo about our departure for Jerusalem, I've been both distracted and a bit lazy. That's my excuse. Now, I'm excited about this new website. I hope you will take a few minutes...