Category Archives: Calling

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Cradle in the Corner

Cradle in the Corner Last Fall, a brief skirmish with some mice brought me to the far corner of my garage, where the breaker box is, right next to the driveway. That corner is the most chaotic because it’s the most convenient, and most of the stuff in that corner is damning evidence of my…
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Being Real (Part 1): Learning to Swim By Swimming

When I turned 30, I decided that I wanted to complete a triathlon. One problem: I did not know how to swim. I wasn’t scared of the water and I could stay afloat, but the most fruitful results of my childhood swim lessons were a goofy-looking breast stroke that didn’t involve putting my head under the water and a “little bird, big bird, fly.” The latter was basically laying on my back, flapping my arms, and propelling myself (slowly) through the water. These were not the ways of a triathlete.

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New Release: Re-Creating A Life (by Diane Millis)

Re-Creating A Life Learning How To Tell Our Most Life-Giving Story A New Release by Diane Millis The Lord often reveals what is better to the younger (Rule of Benedict 3.3) [caption id="attachment_4602" align="alignright" width="150"] Diane Millis and Jaleah Taylor, used with permission.[/caption] “May I get a picture of the two of us?” a young…
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The Messy Middle: Where Change Happens

The Messy Middle: Where Change Happens In the Benedictine Center office, we’ve been talking about Brené Brown’s book Rising Strong (Random House, 2015). She makes that point that, if we want to experience real growth and change in our lives, we can’t skip the “messy middle” part of our stories. The first pass at such an observation…
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Benedict’s Wisdom for Change and Transition

Benedict’s Wisdom for Change and Transition We stand in a long line of Benedictines who have seen the needs of society and people of God and adapted our way of living to serve more effectively. Take, for instance, the shift from a completely cloistered life in Europe to one of teaching in the early days…
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Change IS Possible

Change IS Possible People can’t change.  If I had a dollar for every time I have heard these words uttered, I’d have a pretty hefty savings account. It wasn’t until I recently heard my sixteen-year old niece proclaim them that I knew I’d had enough.  I responded, “Honey, if I didn’t believe people could change,…
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We Dare To Hope (Part 2 of 2)

We Dare to Hope (Part 2 of 2) In part one of this reflection, I wrote that we much believe our collective Christian narrative, and then we need to tell our story.  Here let me say a few things about what sharing our Christian hope might look like. Take Opportunities First, we take the opportunities…
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We Dare To Hope (Part 1 of 2)

We Dare to Hope  (Part 1 of 2) Climate change is turning the earth into a desert….the opioid epidemic is spreading geographically and increasing across demographic groups…income inequality has risen to almost unimaginable levels…violence and threats against racial and religious minorities has escalated dramatically.  Those are just a few examples of the brokenness of the…
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The Hospitable Lathe

The Hospitable Lathe “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ ….” Rule of Benedict 53:1 My daughter, Katie, would impress you on several levels: a quick smile, a quicker wit, a keen sense of justice, lotsa’ golden hair, and a dynamic creative spirit. Part of her creativity also involves making things—drawing,…
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Becoming Real: Questions that Move Us Toward Our Best Selves

Eily Marlow serves as the Program Associate for Vocation and Reflection in the Center for Civic Engagement at Macalester College. Along with Kiely Todd Roska, Eily is facilitating the upcoming event “Being Real: Practicing Authenticity, Courage, and Humility in Everyday Life” (Thurs., Nov. 9, 9a-3p). Learn more and register online. Being Real Questions that Move…
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