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Spiritual Thursday: The Book of Longings

Posted in Books, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Sue Monk Kidd on July 9, 2026| 5 Comments »

Kim is gathering Spiritual Thursday posts today at her blog, Common Threads.

This summer I have been reading Sue Monk Kidd. First I read her book on creativity and writing, Writing Creativity and Soul. In that book she references the books she has written, and I began the hunt for The Book of Longings. I found it at an independent bookstore in Port Townsend, WA, Imprint Bookshop. The owner told me it was his favorite of her books, that it really made him think.

Sue Monk Kidd imagines that Jesus would have had a wife. She names her Ana. She is a strong and smart woman who feels pent up by the usual chores of a wife. In this reimagining of history, Ana shows us that even though society norms did not listen to her voice, she has one. She is a writer in a time when writing a book was done painstakingly by hand on papyri. She believes in her own power. Her relationship with Jesus is built on pure love and mutual respect. I got lost in this story and wanted to live there.

Once long ago I had a dream in which Jesus appeared to me. I was so moved by it that it set off a longing in me much like Ana’s longing. However, Ana is not only driven by her longing for Jesus, she is also driven by her longing to be heard. She has shown me that it is enough to be who you truly are.

Sue Monk Kidd does an amazing job of keeping the historical and biblical information true while giving us a woman to relate to.

Ana writes a prayer into her incantation bowl:

Lord our God, hear my prayer, the prayer of my heart. Bless the largeness inside me, no matter how I fear it. Bless my reed pens and my inks. Bless the words I write. May they be beautiful in your sight. May they be visible to eyes not yet born. When I am dust, sing these words over my bones: she has a voice.

Ana, Jesus’s wife (The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd)

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Poetry Friday: Sail Away

Posted in Poetry Friday, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, oracle deck, spiritual journey, watercolor painting, yoga on May 15, 2026| 11 Comments »

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Patricia Franz.

I’ve been taking a class in watercolor painting, and I find it challenging. This morning I went to yoga at my friend’s house. She does a private session with a sound bath meditation at the end. During the meditation shavasana, I had a vision of billowing waves of an ocean. I wanted to capture the vision in a watercolor, but I’m not brave enough yet to paint without help. I used a YouTube video to produce the image for my poem today.

The ocean is interesting, but the sailboats…well…ew. I accidentally dribbled some blue, and one thing my instructor said about accidental spots really helped me. He said, “Make them into birds.”

My poem wanted to be a shadorma form. (3, 5, 3, 3, 7, 5)

Waves of sound
surround in seaflow
billow sails
simply free
Meditation comes to me—
whispers of owl wings.

Margaret Simon, draft

For Mother’s Day, my daughter gave me a beautiful oracle deck. The card I picked today was the owl “Wisdom”.

Roots and Wings Oracle Deck by Katharine Ryalls

What is inspiring you these days?

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This Photo Wants to be a Poem: Power of the Oracle

Posted in being mamére, Spiritual Growth, This Photo Wants to be a Poem, Writing, tagged #poemsofpresence, #smallpoems, Katharine Ryalls, oracle deck, poems of address on May 13, 2026| 7 Comments »

Roots and Wings Oracle Deck created by Katharine Ryalls.

The power at my house is off. We are getting some repairs done, and the guys showed up at 7 and shut off the power at 7:45 AM. I’ve escaped to my daughter’s house.

She left a Mother’s Day gift on her dining table. It’s an oracle deck. Ironically, the first card I pulled was the snake. I am afraid of snakes, and my grandchildren know it, so they love to scare me with any snake-like toy. It is a visceral fear, completely out of my control. My son-in-law has gotten into the joy of scaring Mamére on our family trips. How did I pull this card? The Universe is speaking to me in snakes!

The label reads “Healer” and the message is “Begin the process of repairing something that has been hurt, sick, or not functioning at its best. Healing can leave us changed, but the scars remind us of our strength, courage, and resilience.”

Asclepius,
help me shed the skin of grief
and put on the armor of hope.

What are you most afraid of? What in you needs healing? Join me today with a small poem in the comments and encourage other writers with your responses.

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Spiritual Journey and Poetry Friday: Mothers and Daughters

Posted in Poetry Friday, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #spiritualjourney, duplex form, Mother's Day on May 8, 2026| 18 Comments »

Spiritual Journey First Thursday is being gathered by Chris Margos at Horizon 51.

Poetry Friday is being hosted this week by Cathy Stenquist.

My mom pretending to sleep with my (or my sister’s) Raggedy Ann.

Isaiah 43:18-19: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”

Chris Margos of Spiritual Thursday suggested this verse to write about this month. With Mother’s Day big and bright in every gift store, it’s hard not to think of my first Mother’s Day without a mother. The sadness I feel; however, is calmed by being surrounded by the best mothers I know, my daughters. All three of them are in the deep throes of motherhood, juggling it all, with professional lives and kids, and they are crushing it!

Yesterday I went shopping with my youngest daughter. The other women in the store and dressing room were charmed by her interest in finding me some cute new clothes. Martha was happily taking pictures of me and texting her sisters. It was a sweet scene, I admit. I am blessed they all want to spend time with me (and help me dress better!)

A page of my new book is dedicated to my mother, who my oldest daughter renamed as GiGi when she made her a great grandmother. My illustrator, Drew Beech, used a photo of my mother with my daughter as a child to create the illustration.

See, Mom! I am doing a new thing! I love that I can share my mother every time I read aloud my book. After all, it was in her lap that I became a reader.

For Poetry Friday, I am in with an Elegy for Mothers using the duplex form created by Jericho Brown. This poem is dedicated to all who have lost a mother, and every mother who has lost a child.

Elegy for Mothers (A Duplex)

after Jericho Brown

The rain sounds like a mother weeping,
softly kissing away touches of pain.

Mother washes away pain with a kiss
as her child nestles in her embrace.

The child will leave her embrace someday—
Memory echoes in her lullaby.

When memory echoes her lullaby,
hushing sounds of the storm calm outside.

Winds brush the chimes of time
like the sound of a mother singing.

Mother rocks on the soles of her feet
feeling the rhythm of life changing.

The rhythm of life is always changing
when the rain sounds like a mother weeping.

Margaret Simon, draft

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National Poetry Month 2026: Spiritual Thursday: Maundy Thursday

Posted in Poetry, Progressive poem, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged By the Mark, Golden Shovel, Maundy Thursday, spiritual journey on April 2, 2026| 4 Comments »

Spiritual Journey is hosted today by Ruth Hersey at There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town.

There is so much that is frightening and appalling about our world today. I’m sure it was that way when Jesus walked to Gethsemane, a hopeless time, a time of hatred and fear. Every year when we spend time between Palm Sunday and Easter, I am pulled into the despair.

Tonight I will sing. I am an alto voice in our small church choir. With a strong soprano by my side, I am singing a duet “By the Mark.” It’s been ringing in my ears all week.

Ruth asked us to write about service. When Jesus lowered himself to the ground to wash his disciples’ feet, he showed them and us how humbling yourselves can be a powerful expression of pure love. How can we love like Jesus did?

I fall short every day. Isn’t that the point? If I didn’t fall short, I would not need to repent or be open to change. Today I open my hands in prayer, open my hands to God’s children, and lift up my voice to make a gentle gift of love.

I am yours, Lord, even
when I’m tired. If the
world dips into darkness,
your light precedes
me and
I will follow.

Today’s line is with Cathy Stenquist at A Little Bit of This and That.

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SOLC26: Day 5: Spiritual Thursday Strength

Posted in Slice of Life, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #40daysofgoodshit, Accidental Saints, cento, Nadia Bolz-Weber, spiritual journey on March 5, 2026| 11 Comments »

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write and share.

Leigh Anne Eck is rounding up the Spiritual Thursday posts today. She has asked us to write about her One Little Word, Strength.

I think of my father during the season of Lent. He would always try to take something on rather than give something up. He felt that by practicing his faith more fully during Lent, he would grow in strength. He was a reader and a thoughtful theologian.

I have joined my church’s Wednesday evening service and study group. We are reading Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber. Some people in the group are having a hard time getting used to her language which can be profanity, yet that is one of the things that attracts me to her. She has spunk!

For Lent, Nadia is promoting the hashtag #40daysofgoodshit. When I used it on a few posts, I certainly got the attention of my friends. I am not one to curse, but one of my favorite sayings is “shit happens” because it’s so true.

So I am leaning in to the idea of noticing good stuff this Lent. A gallery of good shit:

Kim Johnson is writing Cento poems during the March Slice of Life Challenge. Cento poems use lines from other poems. Here I am attempting to create a poem with lines from Accidental Saints.

You are Not “The Blessing”

Silence
felt holy and grave
I am defenseless
So there I was
Christ’s presence in the hungry being fed
No one gets to play Jesus
We experience Jesus
When did we ever feed you, Lord?
All we have is a promise that our needs are holy
His kingdom is here

(Cento of words and phrases from Accidental Saints chapter 5)

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Spiritual Journey Thursday: Songs filled my Soul

Posted in being mamére, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #spiritualjourney, attitude, Praise songs on February 5, 2026| 9 Comments »

The gathering of Spiritual Thursday posts can be found with Bob here.

What song is playing in your head today? I find if I take a minute to sit in silence, there is always a song playing in my mind. I wonder if this is true for everyone.

When I check the song in my head, I can usually feel its connection to my attitude. I’ve been with my grandson for a few days, and he has favorites from my repertoire. When he brushes his teeth, I have to sing the Raffi song, “When you wake up in the morning and it’s quarter to one. You think you’ll have a little fun, you brush your teeth, Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch.” When I tuck him into bed, I sing the lullaby “Tell me why.”

I love these songs, but my ear worm this morning comes from the hymns I sang in the choir loft on Sunday.

“Blest are They”

“Rejoice and be glad!

Blessed are you!
Holy are you.

Rejoice and be glad,
yours is the kingdom of God.”

https://youtu.be/chqY9S1Lm2w?si=RQgDRiA6qkZdFlCP

A simple tune, a sacred message, not bad for a wake up call in the morning.

What songs become the background playlist for your life? Are they joyful?

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Slice of Life: Sacred Goodbye

Posted in Gratitude, Slice of Life, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged Episcopal Church of the Epiphany on January 13, 2026| 7 Comments »

Last week when I wrote about my one little word for 2026, I was teetering between sacred and simplicity, and someone wrote in the comments “sacred simplicity”. Of course!

Often the two walk hand in hand, sacred and simplicity.

On Sunday we said goodbye to our church choir director. Leon has been with us for more than 12 years. This past year he decided to get confirmed into the Episcopal church. I thought that meant he would stay; however, a chance to travel to California for 6 months changed his life trajectory. Sunday was his last Sunday as our director. I shed many tears between hymns and our anthem, trying to stay strong when it mattered.

After the closing hymn, our priest asked Leon to come down from the loft. She directed us to gather around him for a blessing, each placing a hand on him or on someone near him. It was a truly magical moment of grace, shared community, and love.

A circle of sacred simplicity to bless Leon.

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Spiritual Journey and Poetry Friday: Simplicity

Posted in Poetry Friday, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged One Little Word, Simplicity, spiritual journey on January 7, 2026| 27 Comments »

This is the new logo for Spiritual Journey (First Thursday) With a background photo by Molly Hogan.

This is the first 2026 Spiritual Journey gathering. Add your links in the InLinkz at the end of this post.

If you are interested in joining our monthly blogging group, please let me know. If you’d like to host a month, I can send you a link to the Google sheet.

In January, I have noticed that my inbox is full of ways to make myself better in 2026. Challenges, projects, or whatever you call them, I am too often one to jump in and then drop off as the year goes on, especially once spring is here.

I like the practice of choosing a one little word to guide your year. I’ve chosen a word for years now. I even bought a little chalkboard on which to display my word and remind myself all year.

Last year my word was Still. I like how still reminds me to take time to be quiet, to listen, to be here now.

The words that seem to rise up to me tend to be words that encourage stillness and presence. As an Enneagram 4, my challenge is to not yearn for the past or daydream about the future, but to be present.

Last week I got an email from Georgia Heard that included a heart map. One section of the heart was labeled “A word to stand inside.” This section in my notebook says “Choose” then “Trust” then “Window”. I was liking the direction.

In retirement, I am freer to choose what I do with my time. I should trust myself to make good choices. And the view out of my window is quite nice. I could have chosen any of these words.

On Saturday, we had dinner at my daughter Maggie’s house. Maggie pulled out an oracle deck. She said, “We usually do it on Sunday, but since y’all are here, we’ll do it tonight.”

The word card I pulled was Simplicity with a photo of a Lily of the Valley flower. Apparently her kids get to choose again if they get a flower, but not the adults. My husband similarly chose a flower card and his and my messages were very similar, about being present to reality.

Maggie took a photo of the oracle page.

I am not settled on the word Simplicity. Today after a lovely session of lymphatic draining body work, I heard the word Sacred enter in. Sacred honors the here and now, the gift of meditation, and the quiet moments when I can notice God’s unending grace. Maybe this is a year to find a different word each month. What do you think?

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!Click here to enter

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Spiritual Thursday and Poetry Friday: Advent

Posted in Poetry Friday, Spiritual Growth, Writing, tagged #wordlepoem, advent, Inklings challenge, spiritual journey on December 4, 2025| 18 Comments »

Spiritual Journey posts are gathered by Jone MacCulloch

Poetry Friday is gathered this week by Irene Latham at Live Your Poem.

Advent is here! Our priest announced last Sunday, “Happy New Year” because the Episcopal liturgical year begins with Advent. Jone inspired us to write about the Advent words- hope, peace, joy, and love.

For Spiritual Thursday, I offer an image poem for each word of advent.

If you are interested in joining the Spiritual Journey posts each month and hosting one month, fill in this Google sheet or send me an email.

For the first Poetry Friday each month, the Inklings do a challenge. This month Heidi asked us to write a letter to an article of clothing. Last year, I bought a cozy robe at the L.L. Bean store in Maine. The weather has turned dreary and cold here this week, so my robe is doing its job keeping me warm. I didn’t write a letter, though. I took an idea from fellow Inkling Molly Hogan to write a Wordle haiku with the three words I guessed today. If you haven’t done Thursday’s puzzle yet, you can come back later.