Spirituality

Where Is God in Chronic Illness? – Flunking Sainthood

/ Elizabeth Gaucher / 2 Comments

I always liked St. Francis the best.

Readers of Esse Diem may be interested in this excerpt of my essay for A Spiritual Life:  Perspectives from Poets, Prophets, and Preachers featured today on Jana Riess’s fabulous blog, Flunking Sainthood.  (I could swear she named that for me, but she says no.)

Jana writes:

As we continue with our Thursday Spirituality series for May, we draw from what I thought was one of the most powerful essays in Allan Cole’s anthology A Spiritual Life. I had not heard of Elizabeth Damewood Gaucher before, but her compelling account of being diagnosed with MS at the tender age of 30 had me spellbound.

Where is God when you’re sitting across from the doctor and he tells you that your health and life will get progressively worse with little hope of a cure? How does that knowledge then change the way you live the time you have left?

Click here to read a portion of the essay: Where Is God in Chronic Illness? – Flunking Sainthood

Image credit:  The Legend of St. Francis and the Wolf

Wabi-Sabi: “To My Fellow Swimmers”

/ Elizabeth Gaucher / 3 Comments

Wabi-Sabi: Wisdom from the Elders of the Hopi Nation.

Sunday is a day many people spend in reflection.  I am grateful to my friend Jim McKay for the opportunity to read this Prophecy delivered by the Elders of the Hopi Nation on June 8, 2000, at Oraibi Arizona.  I plan to re-read it many times.  This week I’ll be writing about fear, and I found the words of Jim’s post flow well into my own thinking about that issue.

I started to write that “Jim is a tireless advocate for children,” but truth be told it is tiring work for anyone.  I admire his passion, his tenacity, and his ability to always reach back with a strong hand to help others find the resolve to do the right thing.

Thank you, Jim.  For everything.