Speaking of Spirit

By Internet Archive Book Images  [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons After sixty odd years of life, I have come to realize that friendship is a treasure that blesses us in ways we often can't imagine. Friends, especially those who are lifelong , bring affirmation, acceptance, laughter, and much love into our lives. Lifelong friends know us better than most. They have often seen us at our lowest moments as well as our best and still love us. They are those dear hearts, who we can call on in a moment of crisis, knowing that they will do what they can. They are those who, the moment we hear their voices, bring us to a calmer, happier and more hopeful place.  I have been blessed with several such friends. Some are blood related, others are soul related. Time spent with them is rich in laughter, healing, silliness, more laughter and tons of love. There isn't a subject that we can't discuss. There is always good food thrown into the mix, as well as l...

The picture above was taken immediately after my ordination -  June 2013.  I made my stole with bits and pieces of material, lace, and beads sent to me by loved ones. This stole is symbolic of how we all fit together, are connected as well as how our differences when celebrated and connected create something beautiful.  I have often been asked why I became a minister.  Here is my response. “ Here I am  Lord. ”  The first time I heard this hymn based on the story of Isaiah, I felt as if this was my story. I, too, had heard Spirit calling me; I, too, wanted to answer. However, as a young, Catholic girl answering Spirit’s call was confusing. I knew in my heart that I did not want to be a nun; however, to become clergy, I had to be male. Each time I mentioned wanting to become a priest, I was told not to think such things. If becoming a nun was not appealing, then I should simply concentrate on being a good wife and mother. Neverthele...

Night Sky (c) 2018 Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas I wonder, have you spent time looking at the night sky and wondering, "Where are we?" "Who are we?" One of the geniuses of our lifetime, Carl Sagan, asked the same question. He wrote, " For as long as there been humans we have searched for our place in the cosmos. Where are we? Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a hum-drum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people. " Sagan's words deserve our consideration. We are very tiny as compared to the great cosmos. Each day, scientists make new discoveries and bring new awareness to the fact that we are but a tiny, infinitesimal speck of the vast universe.  In his book, Cosmos , Sagan wrote, " The size and age of the Cosmos are beyond ordinary human understanding...In the last few millennia, we have made the most astonishing and unexp...

Photo credit: (c) 2011 Linda M. Rhinehart Neas Has this ever happened to you?  I have been sitting here for an hour trying to come up with something that will have meaning, something that will resonate with my readers, something that will bring inspiration, enlightenment or simply affirmation.  Nothing!   My mind is foggy. There is so much flying around in my head - responsibilities, lesson plans due, bills, concern about family members.  I can't see anything in the vast halls of my accumulation of knowledge. I am getting frustrated, and I know that frustration will produce brain-cramps that will further the problem. So...I am off to do other things - shower, dress, eat, anything to occupy my foggy mind. ~~~~ Well, doing other things did aid me in finding something to share. As I was wandering around the house, I began thinking about what others did to become inspired. From several different faith paths, I remembered that the holy people would...

One of America's sons was laid to rest this past week. Family and friends, colleagues and coworkers of Senator John McCain gathered in sacred space to bid farewell to the man they knew as husband, father, friend, and hero. His daughter said it best when she said, "He was a great man." Politics aside, John McCain, gave us so much. His legacy is one of taking responsibility, making sacrifices, being accountable, telling the truth, saying kind and thoughtful things about others, and standing up for what you believe in.  As Presidents Bush and Obama gave eulogies, it was almost impossible not to become emotional. Their words, their thoughts, their sharing of their relationship with John McCain was heartfelt, thoughtful and real. To be remembered by people, who often butted heads with you as a great person - a person who made them better - is one of the highest compliment one can receive. Senator McCain has joined the ranks of many other patriots and heroe...