Living in harmony with nature is certainly an admirable goal for humankind. We haven’t done too well so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. We can certainly enjoy nature, and learn to live in harmony with it. I am not talking about going “off the grid” and living in a small cabin in … More Living in Harmony with Nature
As I was praying for someone, the image of a flower came into my mind. A beautiful flower, it clearly represented the young woman for whom I was praying. I reflected on flowers, how delicate they can appear, yet they have such strength to grow and blossom even under adverse circumstances. They become so beautiful, … More Like a Flower
A while ago, I had a special dream. I was walking through a rather barren wasteland. It seemed like nothing would grow there; it was all dried up and rather colorless. Then the terrain became even more rocky and I saw a cave a little way up a mountainside. I climbed up and went inside. … More The Cave
I have no specific recollection of God when I was a very young child. I was taught the usual Bible stories, like Noah’s ark, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Moses parting the Red Sea, and Jesus performing miracles, but I didn’t really connect them to God. We were also taught to pray … More My Journey to Meet God
Perhaps it is obvious that humankind should consist of men and women, two genders, not just one. After all, “it takes two to tango” doesn’t it? But, on the other hand, why would one kind of human being not have been enough? Problems between the two genders have occurred throughout history, often with disastrous results, … More Why Does Humankind Consist of Men and Women?
When I was child, on many occasions we recited the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught 2,000 years ago. It begins “Our Father,” which brought God closer to us than the awe-inspiring God of the Jews. Not to say that this version of God isn’t awe-inspiring! I think Jesus had great respect for his Heavenly Father, … More Is God’s Love Paternal or Parental?
This morning I saw a strange flickering of light and dark across the trees in our neighbor’s yard. Could it be smoke? Surely not a fire! I ran outside and heard such loud sounds. At first, I didn’t know what it was. But then, I saw a huge crowd of big birds flying around. They … More God’s Heart towards Creation
During a recent meditation I had a deep experience. It started by entering an antique store with some friends. The store was dusty and full of old things, mostly junk. Nothing was very interesting to me. The owner, an old man, approached me and invited me to come to a back room. When we entered … More The Unbroken Heart
While I was growing up my family were not regular church-goers, but I have clear memories of the Religious Instruction (RI) classes in school. In elementary school we had a blue book containing Bible stories with age-appropriate illustrations. We learned about Noah’s ark, Joseph’s coat of many colors, and Jesus being born in a manger … More Experiencing Religious Diversity
I wasn’t always an author, or even an editor, but I was always some kind of academic. With parents who were teachers, my mother a music teacher and my father a psychology professor, that’s not really surprising. But my interest initially was in science, so the only writing I did and was trained to do … More Becoming an Author
Jennifer P. Tanabe 