My Jewish friends have a mezuzah on the right side of the doorframes of their homes. The small container on the doorpost contains passages from the Sh’ma or V’ahavta, the central affirmation of Jewish faith. Mezuzot contain parchment inside the container with the words from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and Deuteronomy 11:13-21. On the outside of many…
I first read the book Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse in high school. This short novel describes the spiritual journey of a boy in India. The protagonist, Siddhartha, leaves home in search of enlightenment. His life involves asceticism, wealthy business trade, love and finally a humble occupation as a ferryman. It was years before I understood…
“Jesus wept.” The biblical verse that the first kid spouts off in the Vacation Bible School line-up of children demonstrating that they have memorized at least one Bible verse. It’s short. It commits well to memory. And it leaves every other kid reaching into his or her mental arsenal for another verse to recite. “Jesus…
When I was in college, I was active in Christian Impact, my school’s local chapter of Campus Crusade for Christ. It was a wonderful experience where I bonded with others, learned new songs, and experienced discipleship and spiritual accountability for the first time. One of the core activities of this student organization was leading first-year…
Like most people I know, I have a very long to-do list. It seems that I add things faster than I cross them off. I use the list for my much-needed sense of accomplishment. I exact this need in all types of ways. For example, I refuse to let the servers in restaurants refill my…
I own a pair of crutches. I keep them in the hallway closet where I can grab them if I need them . . . because every so often I will. I have a knee condition where my kneecaps naturally dislocate. I can move my kneecaps with my hand, or they will naturally dislocate in…
I recently learned how to swim. I decided it was time to learn. I asked friends for a swim instructor referral, looked it up and enrolled in a class. A week later, I was swimming across the pool. It was that easy. In my own defense, I knew what to do. I just wasn’t very…
I make grits on weekend mornings. As a vegan, I try to make organic grits and I have them with soy-sausage or scrambled tofu rather than the corned beef hash, scrambled tofu or fried liver on which I was raised. Eating grits on the weekends reminds me of leisurely family breakfasts with my parents, talking…
I have a confession: I like soap operas. Not all, but a couple. I’ve been following their story lines for years. At the end of almost every weekday, I indulge myself by watching the day’s episode online. It seems like a perfect mindless wasy to unwind. I jokingly tell friends, “Whatever’s going on in my…
I find comfort in those two tones that indicate that an episode of a “Law and Order” franchise is coming on. I don’t mind watching reruns because I’ve usually forgotten the outcome. I feel the same way about the “CSI” franchises and the television show “House.” This might be my personal television vice, but I…
Dr. Monica A. Coleman is an award-winning scholar, writer, and minister dedicated to the intersections of faith, social justice, and transformation. Through speaking, consulting, and writing, she empowers individuals and organizations to navigate change with purpose and integrity.
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