Sharing insights and inspiration that happen over a cup of tea

Sharing insights and inspiration that happen over a cup of tea

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Category: Family

  • A Place at the Table – How the Feast of the Seven Salamis traveled with us to a new home town ~ guest blogger Lois Rogers

    We were strangers in a strange land that first Christmas on Yale Avenue.                                                                                                                                            Fresh from Newark by way of a post-World…

  • The Nativity reminds us that love was born at Christmas

    When my sons were young, I told them the story of Patrick, the penguin, who, even though he was poor, and a penguin, had the very best Christmas presence and he made a point to share it with everyone he knew who needed some Christmas cheer. My sons, not being able to read, didn’t understand…

  • St. Paddy’s Day can be everyday with a sainted Irish dad

    Well, I missed my chance for a St. Paddy’s Day blog post in honor of my sainted dad, Eddie Clifford, but the magic of leprechauns that lived in his heart is not a one-day kind of magic, so today’s the day. I never met my grandfather, my father’s father. He hailed from County Cork, Ireland,…

  • Journeying with the “C” word ~ a familiar journey for many, shared by our Anonymous guest blogger

    The “C” word.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         It’s that word! The one that no one ever wants to associate with, until you have no choice. Well that unspoken word crept up on me out of nowhere like a shadow in the dark. It was just a regular, boring Thursday until I got the call that he was in the…

  • The heart of a child is a home for prayer

    When my son, a father of two young sons himself, posted a Facebook photo of a little hand trying to push under a bathroom door, and the photo title was “They Will Find You,” I laughed out loud. As a mother of six sons it often seemed like there was never a day when a…

  • A small thank-you can make a big difference!

    During my visit to North Carolina for my granddaughter’s third birthday I had the chance to sit in the upstairs gallery of the gymnastic studio and watch this petite whirlwind and her classmates run, climb, tumble and spin their way to pure enjoyment. At several points during the class, when the instructor had assisted my…

  • Sorrow lifts when we surrender our memories to God

    Recently, during an extended time at home recuperating from a medical procedure, I whiled away a Sunday afternoon watching a marathon of Mario Lanza movies. I grew up with Mario Lanza, the renowned American actor, tenor and opera singer who was known as one of the great romantic performers of his time, because my mother,…

  • Remembering the gift of a friend and a crust of bread

    Every year, as Christmas approaches, I find one of my most memorable lessons happens while singing with the parish choir. Each year the lesson is different, but always unforgettable. This year, as I looked across to the soprano section during our annual Christmas concert, I was struck by how much I miss my friend, Joan,…

  • ‘A perfect dose of grace’ for all seasons

     This small but powerful book of stories is the perfect read for you when you want to reward yourself with some well-deserved quiet time! Rabbi Irwin Kula, author of “Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life” wrote, “If you want to find God, know love, and truly understand these are the same, read this beautiful book. But be prepared…

  • The unspoken word may be our deepest regret

    Having lived in a home with multiple teenagers, I can say unequivocally that they have a unique way of enlightening parents to their own version of the truth. In my house, I very often got the “quote.” A favorite among them, especially when asked to explain some errant behavior, was, “What can I say, I…