Words from the Heart

  Last year, my word for the year was "visit."  Little did I know that 2020 was going to test my ability to re-imagine just what that meant! Shortly after the February first of 2020, I quarantined due to my age and the fact that both Roger and I have health issues that would be problematic if we were to contract COVID.   My last visit to anyone was with my daughters and grandchildren during February vacation.  The pictures I took then have kept me focused on the reason I am not traveling, not working outside the home and not meeting with people except outside and from a distance. For a people person, visiting with others is like air. We need it to live. So, I became adept at "visiting" via Zoom and talking to friends outside 6 feet or more away with masks on. I also found that visiting via snail mail was a joy I had almost forgotten. Letters to and from my grandchildren brought rays of sunshine for both Roger and I to bask in as the days got darker. In addition,...

  As a wordsmith, I have a fondness for certain words. Anticipation is one such word. Just saying it causes the heart to beat a tiny bit faster. Images of something to come begin to fill our minds. Anticipation, I believe, is a perpetual state for humans.  Think about it. We anticipate a birth. Nine months of waiting and planning, hoping, and dreaming until the big day arrives. Then, there is the wait for the first smile, first words, first steps, and so on. As adults, we await raises, election results and sports finals and the latest what's-it fresh from the factory.   However, anticipation can also be a deep longing for something important. Many people around the world long for peace, long for love, and long for equality. These deep longings are felt more acutely during times when anticipation is celebrated everywhere we look...such as now. As the Winter Solstice brings back a lengthening of daylight, as Christmas brings back the message of goodwill and peace to al...

Yesterday, after work on Zoom was complete and before I ate a scrumptious dinner of baked haddock and fresh coleslaw, I participated in the virtual #WilltoRun challenge facilitated by the @ARunningPassion.  I walked the 5K of this challenge.   This was my second 5K. The first was several years ago in Portsmouth, NH. I did it with my youngest daughter. She ran, I walked pushing a carriage with my two grandsons up and down the hills of the town!  I came in just in time to hear my number announced as a winner of a gift certificate.  I was ecstatic!  Not because of the prize, but because I finished my first 5K ever! But, I digress...the reason for this post today...the day after my natal anniversary is to share with you some of what I reflected on during my 70 minute walk.  Life needs to be pondered from time to time.  At 67, why not?! As I meditated on what it meant to be 67 years old, I realized how blessed I am. I am a woman rich in daughters - my ...

      Heart Rock   Photo art: (c) 2020 LMRN   As we enter the 6th month of this pandemic, I have been pondering ways to help bring the world Light, Love and Peace. So much around us seems hell bent on destroying these qualities. Yet, as Fred Rogers reminded us , there are always those who do good - there are always helpers.    With that in mind, I thought of how, in my Catholic upbringing, we would do novenas whenever there was a special intention we hoped to have recognized on High. In the Catholic church, a novena is nine days of prayer, offerings, and/or rituals for a specific purpose.  (Novena comes from the Latin words for nine - "novem.")   As an interfaith minister, I spent the morning trying to think of how I could offer a novena that would appeal to people no matter their faith path. Then, as I sat looking out at the birds flying back and forth to the suet feeder, it came to me.     I will host nine days of beautiful p...

As part of my attempt to support local artists, I began interviewing some of my artist friends.  This is the latest of these interviews. INTERVIEW WITH REV. CYNTHIA McCARTHY: Minister and Artist   Linda:  Hi, Cynthia! I am so excited to share your multi-talents with my readers. To get us started, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?  Cynthia:  I’m an interfaith minister, guest speaker, and writer. I live in Rome, GA. I give talks and lectures based on new thought principles. (These days you can find me at CSL Midtown Atlanta the third Sunday of every month on their Facebook Live.)  I own a company called Spirit on the Spot, which makes products like magnets, keychains, tiles, original artwork, and pendant necklaces that affirm good things—it’s all based in the positive, new thought philosophy that God is good and our thoughts are things. We create our reality. It’s a ministry to uplift and inspire the world.  Linda: We fir...

Since one of the best gifts my Momma gave me was poetry, I am sharing several poems I have written celebrating motherhood.   I dedicate this post to all the mothers of the world. Those who can raise their children without fear, and those who struggle to give their children their best in spite of pain, disease, war, and famine. God bless you all! Enjoy! NURSING BABY Your blue eyes look Wide-eyed in trust As you nourish More than just your body. Love encircles you As you dreamily hum Your baby purr… Deep satisfaction. A song, half sung Lulls you to sleep. Peaceful, warm… You are loved! LMRN © 5-83 LITTLE FINGERPRINTS Our life is cluttered with little fingerprints. They’re everywhere you look! Gone are the days of clean TV screens, Clean windows and un-smeared books. Little fingerprints fill our days now, And though I scrub most off, so smart, The ones I wouldn’t dare to touch Are the ones imprinted on my heart. LMRN © 1984 KATHLEEN VICTORIA Tiny hands reach down to scoop...

When asked if I would review Acts of Forgiveness , I immediately said, "Yes." First of all, I was intrigued by the title, Acts of Forgiveness.  For me forgiveness is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. I have written about it here in the blog several times. However,  I was also drawn to the book because it is a memoir of a fellow clergy person.  From the forward to the final page, emotions about church, religion and the treatment of others rose within me. As a woman, who was called to ministry as a child, but not able to answer that call until middle age, I understand Fr. Ted's fears, his trepidation, and most importantly, his joys at following his calling. In fact, I found many parallels to my own faith journey, the least of which was writing. What surprised and thrilled me was his relationship with one of my social justice heroes, Bishop Emeritus, Desmond Tutu. Reading his accounts of his time with Bishop Tutu, I could hear the good Bishop in my head, as I...

Photo Art: (c) 2017 Rev. Linda M. Rhinehart Neas Daffodils -  symbols of rebirth, national symbol of Wales Searching for your roots can be an enlightening experience.  What I have found over the 30 odd years I have been tracing my family's genealogical journey, is that there is most definitely what scientist call, genetic memory.  Let me give you some examples. My Slovakian ancestors raised and trained horses. They were, what we call today, horse whisperers - people with the ability to seemingly communicate via telepathy with horses. My mother, my brother and my granddaughter are all "horse" people.  (Like cat people, only with horses.) Another example is the love of poetry within my family along with the ability and love for writing it. I had always assumed this came from my Irish ancestors. After all, their name was O'Riordan, which literally translated means, the King's Poet.  While I thought this passion for the written word ended there, ...

A Picture Is Worth 1000 Words An Interview with Artist/Illustrator, Kathleen Grieg  L: Kathleen, I am so thrilled to interview you for Words from the Heart . Your art has touched me for many years now. As a writer who, at times, needs pictures to say what words can’t, I know the value of your work. Can you tell us how long you have been doing artwork and what your favorite medium is and why?  K: I have loved making art since childhood. My favorite medium in paint. Any paint. I love it all!   L: Are you self-taught or did you take classes? Where did you go to school? Who was your favorite teacher/professor and why?  K : I discovered the art program at Endicott College and completed my BFA there. My favorite art teacher was from middle school. His name was Mr. Bishop. He really encouraged my art and I always felt proud of my talent in his classes.   L: In most of your art, you seem to focus on animals. What is it about them that inspires ...