Forward Day By Day – October 31, 2019

Last November, I went to Guatemala with my son and my parents. We lived there in the early 1970s, while my dad attended seminary. I wanted my son to see where we lived and where his grandparents had planted churches. While we were in Guatemala, many of the...

Forward Day By Day – October 30, 2019

I love nature—clouds, flowers, beaches, rocks, seashells, trees, and landscapes. If you look at the pictures in my phone or in my albums, you will find many nature pictures. I may not want to camp out and sleep under the stars, but I do love nature. Even through the...

Forward Day By Day – October 29, 2019

One of the things I love about flying into Latin American airports is that people clap when the plane lands. I have never asked why this happens, but I love it. I also love that when Latino/a folks are together, we clap along to songs. We will clap even when we don’t...

Forward Day By Day – October 28, 2019

The world hates many of us, labeling us as “other” to exclude and erase us. If we don’t have a house in a certain neighborhood, shop at the right mall, or buy those fancy shoes—we are nothing. One year, when I was still teaching fifth grade in Housto….(View this...

Forward Day By Day – October 27, 2019

I do a lot of talking and teaching about stewardship, which I learned through my parents’ examples and teachings. I remember a priest who told me he was ashamed because he could not tithe. He had struggled his whole life to financially support his two...

Forward Day By Day – October 26, 2019

Jesus’ challenge in this verse from Matthew is a pretty big one for me. His question echoes in my head and heart when I consider my own bad words—the judgy words I use when describing those I don’t understand. Why is he so mean to LGBTQI+ people? Why is she so...

Forward Day By Day – October 25, 2019

For my whole life, people have told me that I have been given a variety of challenges because I am strong. People have said or done ridiculous things to me because I am strong, and they know I can handle it. This is exhausting. Just like anyone else, I want to curl up...

Forward Day By Day – October 24, 2019

We tell each other the lies that we are not enough, that we are not loved by God because of who we love or because we are different. But what would you do if you knew God chose you? What would you say if you knew you were God’s beloved? How would you act if you knew...

Forward Day By Day – October 23, 2019

I occasionally struggle with feeling inferior—like I do not belong in certain places because I do not have the right credentials or the right last name. When I first started leading music and singing around the Episcopal Church, I felt intimidated because I am not...

Forward Day By Day – October 22, 2019

I pride myself on being able to pack for a ten-day trip abroad in one carry-on. However, this kind of packing magic makes my carry-on and backpack very heavy. I thank God for people who help me put my carry-on in the overhead bin. I’m not sure if they do ….(View...