Snowbirds are preparing to return north this month. As things start winding down in Florida, everyone is trying to pawn off the contents of their refrigerators. They have a name for the remnants in the fridge: mustgoes. That moniker covers everything in the kitchen that has to be discarded before leaving. It makes for some interesting meals as people get creative…..

Little time is spent on Barabbas* as we celebrate Easter. Without doubt, the focus is and should be on Jesus. However, it’s glaringly obvious that there would be no story without “Barabbas”– because he is us. Condemned with no hope of reprieve, unexpectedly and undeservedly set free because Christ willingly took our place on the cross. There’s no mention of Barabbas after he’s set free, but there’s an…..

The glory of Easter Sunday doesn’t need to be ushered in with words. Christ’s actions speak for themselves. They are the purest, most powerful expression of sacrificial love the world has ever seen. People don’t just need to be reminded of it. More importantly, we need to experience it – every day of our lives lest we forget or discount the cost paid for our ransom. There is a quote in Shakespeare’s…..

Today marks the dawning of Holy Week, the start of Christ’s Passion, beginning with His glorious procession into Jerusalem. Personally, it’s also an acknowledgment of His triumphant entry into my heart. The thing about the Easter story is that until we make it personal, it remains just that – a story. It only becomes meaningful when we enter into it. So, who am I in the story? A woman singing praises…..

After a bout of COVID and a couple of weeks in Florida, I returned to the Peloton this week. It’s amazing how quickly you lose whatever state of fitness you’ve managed to attain. My muscles were mush as I struggled to keep up with the instructor. I’ve never been a ‘leader’ in any cycling class. I used to be happy to finish in the top half – bottom top half. After last year’s surgery, however, I’ve never gotten back whatever oomph I once had. Finishing is my only goal. Doesn’t have to be pretty…..

Following a recent bout of Covid, I had the benefit of a week in Florida to recoup. Sitting in the sun soaking up a hefty dose of Vitamin D is exactly what my body craved. I could almost feel the healing power of the sun restoring my strength. Even last winter during a prolonged illness…..

This week finally produced a decent snowfall. There’s nothing like a snow day – a glorious gift of free time most of us crave but never allow ourselves. It’s a mystery why we don’t choose to incorporate the relaxed pace of a snow day into our lives regardless of where we live. I view snow days as God’s reminder to stop and notice Him. How could you not amidst…..

This week we will celebrate Valentine’s Day and the start of Lent – a cruel coincidence for those giving up chocolate. Surely there must be papal dispensation for such an event. Regardless, I’ve always felt Valentine’s Day is a bit forced. I’d rather receive an unexpected love note on a random day for the purest of reasons, not because it was ‘Hallmarked’ as the day to do so. When I was young…..

As is often the case, this week’s topic came to me on the Peloton bike. Yesterday I chose an Earth, Wind and Fire class and was surprised how many great songs they had. Having never been a true fan, I didn’t realize they racked up nearly a dozen gold and platinum albums, not to mention their numerous Top 10 singles. Their most successful was…..

I brought my daughter and her fiancée to witness the annual light extravaganza in my old Brooklyn neighborhood this year. It never fails to delight. The wise men would have had no problem following the light projected from Dyker Heights during the Christmas season. Who knows? If they had that beacon guiding them, they may have arrived sooner. Last week’s…..

Over the holidays I read David Brooks’ new book, How to Know A Person. It should be required reading – especially during an election year. In a world where people are more connected than ever via the internet, they are also more disconnected than ever with those around them. Brooks surmises that this lack of personal connection is a large contributor to many of the social ills plaguing us. We are experiencing a deadlier epidemic than Covid. It is one….

Oxford’s 2023 Word of the Year was announced this week. Rizz beat out some strong contenders, with situationship among the top nominees. Rizz is simply a shortened form of charisma. I researched the etymology of charisma and, to my surprise, learned it was considered a spiritual gift. It is derived from the Greek word charis (grace), and is first seen in the letters of St. Paul. He defines…..

My daughter introduced me to a new term last week by sharing an interesting trivia fact: The busiest industry on Black Friday is not retail as most would presume, it’s actually plumbing. The phenomenon is known as Brown Friday. When she mentioned it, my mind immediately flashed back to the plethora of Thanksgiving plumbing issues…..

A friend forwarded me Perdue’s full-page ad in last week’s Wall Street Journal for obvious reasons. The Choose Wisely slogan has become prevalent across the board these days promoting all kinds of products. Aside from the shared sentiment, I am also a Perdue devotee, though my friend wouldn’t know that. Let me explain….

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. Perhaps it’s because I get to be someone else for a day – a mini vacation from my own neuroses. For the annual party at my mom’s assistant living facility she dressed as a nun, and I accompanied her as the Holy Ghost. After all, the nuns…..

read the book, Life Worth Living, this summer written by three Yale professors who teach a popular seminar by the same name. According to the cover, it’s “a guide to what matters most.” The book poses the question “what makes a good life?” along with other probing queries to assist you in determining your answer. The authors include input from pundits of all religions…..

I just finished reading Ann Napolitano’s, Hello Beautiful. It’s a family saga with all the drama that entails. It’s also the story of how a father’s love impacts the lives of his four daughters. It was particularly poignant because that’s how my father greeted me whenever I entered the room. He used to question…..

A term from my youth popped up unexpectedly last week. I was with a fellow New Yorker who called her husband (who chose to return to work after a long hiatus) a “flat leaver.” He had no idea what she was talking about. I’m not sure flat leaver is a New York term or simply a gender or age-related one. It refers to…..

While visiting a friend’s church recently, the pastor was installing the new youth minister. He invited the congregation to lift their arms to pray a blessing over this young man as he embarked on his new ministry. Eagerly, I raised my arm as the prayer began. And he prayed, and prayed, and prayed. It didn’t take long for my arm to become fatigued. I braced it….

A friend invited me to a show this week entitled, The Ding Dongs. I eagerly accepted anticipating a comedy about the popular juvenile prank (at least in Brooklyn), Ding Dong Ditch. You ring a person’s doorbell, then run away. My poor elderly neighbor (probably my age now but seemed ancient at the time), Mr. Munch, was a frequent victim. DDD was probably the most harmless of our antics. It’s not…

My daughter is getting married next year, and we’ve started looking at wedding dresses. After getting over the sticker shock, which was no small feat, it’s been a fun process. She has tried on everything from the sublime to the ridiculous. Apparently, I need to work on my poker face because there was no hiding my responses when she emerged from the dressing room. Some were looks…..

You may have noticed Owen’s distinctive christening gown in the photo from last week. It’s a family heirloom made by Owen’s great, great, great grandmother’s mother and sister in 1875. Since then it has travelled extensively from San Francisco to Mexico to Ireland, eventually returning full circle to San Francisco for Owen’s sister, Tess, a couple of years ago. As Owen’s grandmother explained, “It has gone back and forth…

My niece’s son, Owen, was baptized this week. I had the privilege and honor of being his grand godmother. He’s a lucky little boy to have two generations of women dedicated to helping him in his spiritual walk. Mathematically speaking, I doubt I will live long enough to see him hit his stride, but I will certainly be front and center cheering him on as he takes his first wobbly steps of faith. This is not the first time I’ve served in such a capacity, but I don’t think I truly grasped the responsibility……

Everyone has a place (or state of mind) where they feel closest to God - a place of peace and contentment. Some arrive there through prayer and meditation, others employ more tangible modes of transportation. In the summer I drive - certainly a more direct route than my feeble efforts at prayer and meditation recently. That's not to say that the four-hour journey…..