Meet Jeff Goins, Author of Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into Your Comfortable Life

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Recently I reviewed a wonderful book known as Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into Your Comfortable Life. Jeff  Goins, the author, made time out of his busy schedule to sit down for a quick interview.

SB: Who is Jeff Goins? What makes you tick?

JG: I’m a writer — a guy full of ideas and a penchant for making guacamole. I’m driven by the desire to make a difference in this world, to “leave a dent” as Steve Jobs once said. I want what I do to matter, to last well beyond the years of my life.

SB: What led you to write Wrecked? As a writer, how did you make the transition from blogger/articles to a book?

JG:I wrote it because it needed to be written. I couldn’t find something that addressed this issue I wanted to cover. Lots of books talk about why we need to be more compassionate or become better servants, but what about the byproduct of service? What about the burden of bearing other people’s pain? What do we do with that?

Wrecked attempts to answer those questions.

SB: Your book reflects the two Great Commandments of Jesus – to love God and to love neighbor. How important is it to you to have an ongoing, intimate relationship with God and how do you think it helps you to love your neighbor?

JG: Everything requires a foundation. Compassion is no different. Our pursuit of justice or compassion or poverty relief can easily turn into an unmanageable burden, an exercise in codependency. There are so many needs in this world that it’s easy to get addicted to being needed. The best way to keep this in check for me is to actively practice my faith, which is about laying down my life — not only for others, but also (and foremost) for God.

SB:What is wrecking you now?

Fatherhood. It is the most powerful tool in dying to myself I’ve ever experienced. Not easy, but good (I think). Ask me again in a few years, though.

Having raised two myself, I think I already know the answer. 🙂

Be sure and pick up your copy of Wrecked: When a Broken World Slams into Your Comfortable Life. Goins knows how to give new meaning to the pain and suffering in our lives.

Click to Tweet & Share: Meet Jeff Goins, Author of Wrecked – giving new meaning to pain and suffering http://wp.me/p2D9hg-ig @JeffGoins

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Happy Halloween!

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Arlo and Murphy wish you a Happy Halloween!  These beauties belong to Patricia Sullivan. Arlo decided to be a clown just as the picture was taken. 🙂

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The aftermath of Superstorm Sandy

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This is what happened to us … and yet I feel blessed.

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We knew this tree would fall. In the last post I showed how one half of the tree fell during a microburst. The tree that fell yesterday was leaning east and the wind came from the east. Inevitable.

It so happens our neighbor cuts up trees for firewood and he came right over and dug in. God is good.

I do feel blessed when I see the unending tweets of all that has happened in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Twitter was my lifeline yesterday after the power went out, keeping me connected with the rest of the world.

Because my son lives in Brooklyn, I was paying special attention and was horrified when I read of the fire at Breezy Point on the Rockaway penisula that wiped out 80-100 homes, homes that had already been flooded! Seeing the photos of streams of water flowing into subway tunnels and streets reminded me of the suffering that New Yorkers will be enduring over the next few weeks.

New Jersey took the direct hit and Atlantic City was totally flooded. Details, I’m sure, will be forthcoming on the extensive damage in that state.

Last night I was glued to my emergency radio listening to the Connecticut governor who was beside himself over the catastrophic flooding taking place on the southern side of the state.

I couldn’t pray with words. All I could do was depend upon the Spirit to supply the prayers for me as I thought of the suffering going on because of Hurricane Sandy.

It is good that God will supply us with all we need, including the prayers to pray for others.

How did you make out?

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Waiting for Hurricane Sandy …

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As a weather nut, Hurricane Sandy is a fascinating thing to watch even as I wait nervously for her arrival. I live in Central Massachusetts and as you can see on the chart, we are going to get hammered.

Our yard is populated with oak trees and one in particular at the end of our driveway is of concern. That tree used to be two trees together. During a microburst several years ago, we lost one half and it barely missed our neighbor’s house!

The other half stands menacingly close to our house; should it fall, hopefully it will fall away from the house; the trajectory seems to suggest that it would.

http://www.weather.com/weather/hurricanecentral/storms/2012/SANDY

Winds around here are going to run between 40-60 mph and last two full days! That can do a lot of damage. Needless to say, whatever leaves remain on the trees will be down for cleanup next weekend.

I am concerned too for our son, Stephen, who lives in Brooklyn, NY. The storm surge in that area is predicted to be quite dangerous. As you can see from the map, if the ocean waters surge into the bay, they have nowhere to go but towards the East River and Manhatten. Brooklyn is close by …

blog.weathernationtv.com/2012/10/26/hurricane-sandy-potentially-devestating-for-the-northeast/

Still, despite the concern, I also have an insatiable and morbid curiously about this storm. The last time a storm of this magnitude happened was in 1991; it was dubbed The Perfect Storm. Immortalized through the book by Sebastian Junger and the movie starring George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg, this Halloween Nor’easter was a combination of tropical moisture from Hurricane Grace and two other storms. Among the casualties was the crew of the fishing vessel, the Andrea Gail.

Hurricane Sandy is taking a similar path. Blocked by a large high pressure ridge over Greenland, the storm has nowhere to go but straight at us. Taking an unusual curve inland, it will merge with a powerful cold front advancing from the west. The crashing of tropical into arctic air will cause the hurricane to explode, forming a super storm. The strong winds and rain will extend out over 800 miles covering the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Weather.com provides all the details.

Needless to say, we are hunkered down with water, canned goods, LED lamps and an emergency wind-up radio.

http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/hurricane-sandy-superstorm-20121027

Let’s all hope and pray that everyone in the affected area will come through unscathed.  Fr. James Martin, author of Between Heaven and Mirth and My Life with the Saints, offers the following prayer for the over 60 million people in the path of this storm:

God of the Universe, at the dawn of creation, your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. You created the oceans and rivers, and all that dwell within them, and at your word the wind and the waves were born. The seasons follow your plan, and the tides rise and fall on your command. In both calm and storm, you are with us. On the Sea of Galilee, even when the disciples began to fear, Jesus showed that he was Lord over the waters by rebuking the storms, so that all would know that even the wind and the waves obey him. Creator God, we ask you to calm the wind and the waves of the approaching hurricane, and spare those in its path from harm. Help those who are in its way to reach safety. Open our hearts in generosity to all who need help in the coming days. In all things, help us to remember that even when things seem dark and stormy, you are in the boat with us, guiding us to safety. Amen.

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Recommendation for a Spiritual Virtual Book Club

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I belong to a wonderful group of women from the Diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts known as the Commission for Women of the Diocese of Worcester. Established in 1989 by Bishop Timothy J. Harrington, the following mission statement of the commission explains its goals:

“The Commission for Women shall serve as an advisory board to the resident bishop of Worcester in regard to women’s issues. It shall function as a liaison between women in the diocese and the resident bishop, raising and promoting awareness of the evolving role of women in the church and society. The commission shall strive to bond together the women of the diocese through spiritual, educational and social programs.”

I help out with the blog and wanted to invite you to join our Virtual Book Club. We are studying The Cup of Our Life by Joyce Rupp. It is a wonderful spiritual guide with an array of exercises involving a written reflection by Joyce, quiet prayer time, and prompts for journaling.

Joyce Rupp recently presented a retreat day for women with subject being “The Art of Self Compassion.” It was a truly blessed day and you can read all about it here.

Because of the enormous success of this day, we are following up with this study of The Cup of Our Life (I will be writing the blog posts). Our hope is to create online discussion as we reflect upon the spiritual wisdom offered in this book.

Click here to visit the Commission for Women blog with directions on how to join our book club and obtain a copy of the book.

Hope to see you there!

Click to Tweet & Share: Come join our Virtual Book Club discussing The Cup of Our Life by Joyce Rupp http://wp.me/p2D9hg-hE

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Remember doing this as a kid?

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Click to Tweet & Share: Remember doing this as a kid? http://wp.me/p2D9hg-hp

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A quintessential New England autumn in Concord, Massachusetts

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Autumn in New England this year has been positively spectacular. In central Massachusetts where I live, the color is peaking this week. I haven’t seen such brilliant reds, yellows and oranges in years. Driving down the Massachusetts Turnpike every morning greeted by the rolling hills of fiery colors tucked among still-green trees starts starts off my day just right.

This is autumn to me.

A Massachusetts autumn to me is not complete without a visit to my beloved Concord. Transcendentalism flowered here for a time in the mid 19th century represented by such luminaries as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Amos Bronson Alcott and Margaret Fuller. Nathaniel Hawthorne also called Concord his home although he did not subscribe to  Transcendentalism.

Little Women was written in Louisa’s bedroom – the physical setting for the book was Orchard House.

One of the most beloved books in children’s literature, Little Women, was written by the daughter of Bronson Alcott, Louisa May. I have been studying Louisa on and off all my life and since 2010, consider myself a full-time student. I blog regularly about her on Louisa May Alcott is My Passion.

Last Saturday I spent some time at the Concord Free Public Library in their Special Collections room pouring over the diary of Louisa’s oldest sister Anna (aka, Meg in Little Women). The bright sun and cool, crisp air beckoned and I took the walk that Louisa and so many other famous authors walked, down historic Lexington Road, to her home (the setting for Little Women), Orchard House.

Between the gorgeous day and beautiful trees, the lovely antique homes and the history I pondered while walking … you can perhaps appreciate why being in Concord in autumn is a mystical experience for me.

Enjoy this virtual tour and I hope someday you can visit this special place too. If you have visited, share a comment about your experience. We’d love to hear!

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Click to Tweet & Share: Concord in autumn … mystical… join me for a virtual tour of fiery leaves, antique homes & extraordinary history http://wp.me/p2D9hg-gm

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Creating sacred spaces

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I am a big fan of sacred spaces.

My car is a sacred space.

The dashboard contains various pictures and icons that I can gaze upon. God has gifted me with a long commute – two hours each day of time alone. Here I can pray, reflect and sing. And often I end up brainstorming as well. It’s not only a prayer space but a creative space.

My writing corner is a sacred space.

On my small desk is a picture of my favorite author, Louisa May Alcott, plus 2 paintings by her younger sister May. Sitting at the desk and working from my laptop, I can see my bookcase dedicated to all things Alcott plus the birds at the feeder outside the large window. Lots of writing has been done in that space.

The entrance to our home is a sacred space.

Here my husband, a deacon in the Melkite church, has set up his icon corner. Each morning he faithfully prays the First Hour of the Office, also known as the Liturgy of the Hours. I marvel at how he prays the same prayers every morning and frequently experiences new insight. He’s been praying those same prayers for close to ten years.

Physical sacred spaces prompt the mind and heart to enter the spiritual sacred space in the soul.

I am pleased to offer a guest post by Lori Erickson of the Spiritual Travels blog on sacred spaces. Here’s a tease:

There seems to be something instinctual about the human desire to create sacred space. We set St. Francis amid our garden flowers and tuck the Virgin Mary under the shelter of an overturned bathtub. Many of us do even more inside our homes, creating private altars that seem to grow of their own accord on a shelf in our bedroom or on top of a dresser, spots that gradually accrue photographs, stones, sea shells, candles, holy water, and prayer cards. Each seemingly inconsequential item carries a deep weight of memory, prayer, or hope.

You can read the rest here.

And finally, here’s a beautiful and simple song to get you in the mood. The words are:

Silent, surrendered, calm and still,
open to the word of God.
Heart humbled to his will,
offered is the servant of God.

Words by Pamela Hayes; music by Margaret Rizza

Share with us your sacred space. Where is it and what do you do there?

Click to Tweet & Share: Physical sacred spaces prompt the mind and heart to enter the spiritual sacred space in the soul. http://wp.me/p2D9hg-fD

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“Bird Tales” connects humanity to the natural world

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Today I had the good fortune to catch a wonderful program on PBS called “Bird Tales.” You can watch it on your computer or check your local PBS station for a schedule of showings.

In a series of stories, “Bird Tales” shows how your everyday birds connect with the world at large. Here’s a preview of the program:

http://player.pbs.org/viralplayer/2244975485

Watch Bird Tales | Preview on PBS. See more from WENH.

You will meet Donald Kroodsma, a songbird expert who has devoted his life to not only recording bird songs but interpreting what the birds are communicating through their songs.

Birdsong expert Donald Kroodsma

He chronicles how a young bird grows from a baby’s babble to the full song of the adult. He talks about birds who have migrated from other parts of the world and demonstrate that by the extra sounds they include in their songs that are native to the countries they migrated from.

You will also meet a team of classroom teachers and instructors from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC who expose school children to birds in their natural setting. They are shown where these birds migrate and follow up by connecting with school children in the migration-bound countries who see these same birds (through the process of bird banding).

We are introduced to a young man of sixteen, Abraham Hunter, who has taught himself how to paint birds and landscapes strictly through perseverance and his keen powers of observation. Some of his paintings were chosen to be reproduced as stamps to raise awareness about wildlife.

There is much more to see in this wonderful program which you can view in its entirety online. I have included it here for your enjoyment.

Have birds made an impact on your life? Share your bird stories with us!

Click to Tweet & Share: “Bird Tales” connects humanity to the natural world http://wp.me/p2D9hg-fg

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A Radical Scheme – guest post by Lori Erickson of Spiritual Travels

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Extravagance in my neighbor’s yard (Lori Erickson photo)

“Nature is, above all, profligate. Don’t believe them when they tell you how economical and thrifty nature is, whose leaves return to the soil. Wouldn’t it be cheaper to leave them on the tree in the first place? This deciduous business alone is a radical scheme, the brainchild of a deranged manic-depressive with limitless capital. Extravagance! …”

So writes Annie Dillard in Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. I love that line about this deciduous business being a radical scheme, the brainchild of a manic-depressive with limitless capital. When I took a walk this morning, I stood beneath a neighbor’s maple in a shower of shimmering leaves, each one the product of a hundred sunny days, watching as they twirled and tumbled about me, drawn toward earth in a dance they will take just once. Extravagance indeed.

Click here to read the rest …

Click to Tweet & Share: Guest Post by The Holy Rover: The extravagance of Autumn http://wp.me/p2D9hg-f5

em space

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