I’ve had a few dogs over the years, but there are three that stand out in my mind: Mama Dog, Marshall, and Archie. Mama Dog came into our yard to starve to death when my husband and I were living in Liberia. I saw her skeletal form collapsed on the edge of our property withContinue reading “Consider The Dogs”
Category Archives: Damaris Zehner
Musical Pews
A man spent several years stranded on a desert island. When he was finally rescued, the sailors, looking back at the shore, asked him, “You say you were all alone here?” “Yup, all by myself,” he replied. “Then why are there three buildings?” “Oh, that’s easy,” the man said. “That one there is my house,Continue reading “Musical Pews”
The Wolf At The Door
We little pigs build – Walls of straw or sticks, or of sheetrock and two-by-fours, block us in and the wolf out. The door is so frail A barrier between us and it. The wolf blows and straw scatters, sticks split. Even the brick house crumbles, brought down, if not by wind, then by earthquakeContinue reading “The Wolf At The Door”
I Wanna Hold Your Hand: Being Physical In A Sexual World
There’s a lot of talk about sexuality these days. Whether it’s about sex outside of marriage, LBGT issues, pederast priests, celibacy as a lifestyle, or gender change – everyone has an opinion, and most opinions are heated. Let’s take a step back from sexuality and consider instead physicality. We as a society are far tooContinue reading “I Wanna Hold Your Hand: Being Physical In A Sexual World”
Missions 101: or How to Be More Like a Soldier of an Oppressive Imperialist Nation
My all-time favorite Bible character (yes, yes, excluding Jesus) is the centurion whose story is told in Luke 7. I don’t know much about him, yet I’ve loved him to the point of tears since I was a child. I suspect that one reason is that he, like me, was an expatriate. Both of usContinue reading “Missions 101: or How to Be More Like a Soldier of an Oppressive Imperialist Nation”
Growing Old
Fourteen years ago, when I was forty, I happened to glance into a mirror. It was a winter evening, and the room was lit by only a bare bulb. In the poor light my face for the first time looked old. “I’m a severe old lady!” I thought, and thus began my mourning. Mourning isContinue reading “Growing Old”
Christian Traditions 101: The Seven Cardinal Virtues, continued
In my last post I talked about the human virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. I pointed out that these are considered human virtues because all decent people recognize them as good things and in some way educate their children and design their laws to encourage them. We can’t stop there, though. We haveContinue reading “Christian Traditions 101: The Seven Cardinal Virtues, continued”
Christian Traditions 101: The Seven Cardinal Virtues
Quick – name the Seven Cardinal Virtues. Can’t do it, can you? It’s funny (or maybe not) that many of us can name the Seven Deadly Sins but have no clue what the Seven Cardinal Virtues are. It seems sins are still objective, nameable things, especially the deadly ones; post-modern people can still find someContinue reading “Christian Traditions 101: The Seven Cardinal Virtues”
Pentecost
The room is still; the hearth is cold and dark. A rancid smell of ashes fills the air. The candles stand neglected. Windows stare Like blinded eyes unlit by any spark. How dead this place – no life has left its mark Upon the icy floor, the table bare; No breeze, no breath, no sound,Continue reading “Pentecost”
A Brief Allegory Of The Communion Of Saints
From time to time on Internet Monk a commenter will express discomfort with the Orthodox and Catholic tradition of acknowledging the communion of saints. Someone will object to “praying to Mary” or “worshipping saints.” Let me offer a parable in response. Imagine a young woman who meets and falls in love with a man –Continue reading “A Brief Allegory Of The Communion Of Saints”
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