When our daughter was a student at the University of Maine we traveled north to visit her on several occasions. Maine’s state slogan is “The Way Life Should Be.” When you cross the state line the “Welcome to Maine” sign says “The Way Life Should Be.” I always liked the sign, but unfortunately never took … More The Way Life Should Be
They watched, and were happy,Hopeful, and fascinated.The children grew strong,And oh so beautiful.And it was so good.But then, something changed,Something felt wrong,Out of balance.They worried, murmured,Wanted to help.They saw Adam, happy,Enjoying the beauty of the Garden.And Eve was growing,So beautiful now.Why did he not notice?They saw Lucifer with Eve,Growing closer and closer.She smiled at him,He … More Genesis Part II: Tragedy
For eons they watched,Waited, assisted.Celebrated each new creationAs it formed and took its place.And the Creator said,“It is good.”The creations were magical,But not made by magic.In turn they came from the void,By design, according to the principlesUnderpinning the cosmos,To this day.From the darkness,Light shone bright.And the angels murmuredAmongst themselves,“What will come in this light?”When the … More Genesis: Part I Beginnings
Snowdrops have a very deep meaning behind them. As one of the first flowers of spring, they symbolize new beginnings, hope, rebirth, and the ability to overcome challenges. As snowdrops always have white flowers, they also have the meaning of purity, innocence, and spirituality. How great is God, our Heavenly Parent, to create such beautiful … More Snowdrops
My heart is broken All is pain, and darkness. Hope is lost Joy is gone. For three days I will suffer. Then I will break through And see the sun again And feel the warmth of God’s love. I know, because I have done it before. After three days I will rise like the phoenix. … More Three Days
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?
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
The thought “Cain was in pain!” came to me out of the blue the other day, so I took time to reflect on it. We know the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis; Cain killed Abel, the first murder and between brothers no less. Not a pretty story! So, if Cain was in pain … More Cain was in Pain!
Jennifer P. Tanabe 