Our Energy

"We have put as much energy into ending racism as the white supremacist put into their hateful activities.  There is a saying among spiritual directors: Energy goes where attention flows.  Our attention has to flow away from white privilege and toward love, justice and respect for people of all races and background? " 
                                        Teresa  Blythe Facebook post June 18, 2015

Charleston Shootings

A facebook post came to me from Teresa Blythe, director of the Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, Tucson, AZ, where I was trained. I would like to share it with you in its entirety, in light of the horrendous tragedy in Charleston this past week. Please pause if you would to read this and offer a quiet prayer.  

"Waltrina N. Middleton the lovely person who is National Minister for Youth Advocacy and Leadership in the United Church of Christ lost her cousin in the Charleston shootings.  In an open letter to people of  my denomination she wrote:

Let us put our faith to action and be more than empty drums that have lost their melodies or arrangements.  Let us remove our instruments from the poplar trees and call the people, the public officials, and yes, the church to action to address the festering sores of racism, classism and militarism--as they intersect this culture of  violence.  How can we begin to eradicate this evil without acknowledging the realities of racialized policing, hate crimes, and the disproportionate acts of violence against Black and Brown bodies?"

Let us continue to pray for Waltrina, her family and all who are so intimately touched by this act of terrorism. 

Seeds of friendship

"Plant seeds of friendship and life will be filled with bouquets of happiness." (Author unknown)


Molly LaFond is a spiritual director with offices in Two Rivers and Crivitz, WI. For more information see mollylafond.com or contact her at 1.920.793.3530.

Sinking boat!

The "saga" continues! Hope you read the post on "busted hoses"! After the "smaller hose" was fixed, with an assurance that the larger one was "ok" my husband and I, once again, went fishing. Nothing had improved, so back the boat went to Fred, our repairman.  He discovered the larger hose needed to be replaced, so that was repaired. Out again we went...more water in the boat. We were just very glad the bilge pump worked. 

Oh,  I forgot to tell you...prior to starting the motor, my husband noticed LOTS of water was coming in the back of the boat.Fred did not put the plug back in. LOTS of water comes in without a plug and I needed to nearly swim to get the plug in!! Thank God for a good bilge pump. However, problems continued.

Again, we took the boat back to Fred.  Having had a keel guard on, and two hoses repaired, this time he wondered if it wasn't the rivets. I told Fred that we were just scared he would not want to talk to us again, bringing the boat back so many times and not being able to find the real problem. He assured me he would be able to fix the rivets, assuming that was now the problem. Who am I to question what might be wrong with a boat but I gently asked if one of the hoses could have come loose.

Well, a phone call from Fred the next day to pick up the boat...ONE OF THE HOSES HAD COME LOOSE!!!  A friend, upon hearing this saga, asked if it wasn't a hassle to keep hauling the boat back and forth to the repairman...I simply said the biggest headache was wondering if the boat could be fixed, being that it is over 25 yrs. old.

How many times in our own lives do things happen, one thing after another, that situations keep occurring and it feels like a merry-go-round that we just can't get off. Many of us have our own stories. Who and what resources do we each have that helps us keep our heads above water, to help keep going, to not throw in the towel? What helps us when our own spirit is challenged beyond belief?  Some have very healthy "repairmen" who assure us they are there for us (God, prayer, spiritual director, meditation practices, etc.). Some are not so helpful (substances, irresponsible behavior, hopelessness, suicide, etc. ). Of course, I needed a neighbor to point Fred out to us.  We're certainly glad he did. Now, we are not alone with a sinking boat!!


Molly LaFond is a Certified Spiritual Director with offices in Two Rivers and Crivitz, WI. For an appointment, call 920 793-3530 or see her webpage at: mollylafond.com

Knocked silly

About 4:30 pm today a beautiful bird was knocked silly after hitting a window here at our place.  It was quite a whack; he was dazed as he sat on the deck. It was several minutes that he just sat there, not wanting to fly. 

When these occurances present opportunity I will pick up the bird; and sometimes my nursing background rears its head as I check for injuries. I patiently and tenderly held this bird until his wits returned.  I then put him back down and in several minutes he flew away. He was OK. 

How many times in life, or a week or day have we been "knocked silly" with a good "whack"?  What do we do to keep our spiritual balance when that happens? I remember when I was called home in 1984 because my dad had a major heart attack.  I needed to talk with someone with whom I thought could listen to me and at that time it was a local priest whom I knew.  It really helped to talk about what was going on in my life, especially since I was five weeks from college graduation. 

This would have been a great time, if there had been one around, to meet with a spiritual director. Times talking with a spiritual director don't have to be about major traumatic situations; we can talk about anything that is important to us.  It is just wonderful to have a "soul-companion" or "spiritual guide" who will receive whatever conversation we bring to that hour's session. To top it off, there are really three entities present in a spiritual direction session, and the process trusts that the divine is really present who really is the spiritual director!

Fishing boats and busted hoses

Geyser!!

Fishing season is upon us, believe it or not!  It's been a long time coming in Wisconsin. The first time out with the boat was a bit harrowing for my husband and me the other day.  We encountered a "leak" in a hose and didn't realize it until we were very far from the boat landing, ready to anchor at our "spot"...when a "geyser" from a ruptured hose threatened to sink us if we didn't high-tail it back to the landing, which we did. 

Luckily, we found someone to repair it and took the boat there the next day. I have been backing trailers since I was eleven years old so it comes quite easily for me. However, when the repairman saw that I was going to do the backing he wasn't quite sure of it all and changed his mind as to where he wanted me to park it. Afterward I commented to him that I didn't think he "trusted" me to know what I was doing.

Trust is one of those words I have been hearing lately in my daily meditation book, especially "trusting God" when my life seems to be going in a direction different than what I think it should be going. There are words of reassurance that God really does know what is going on in my life, with encouragement to "trust God" in all that I do...to stop trying to control it all.  Hmmmm! Isn't that interesting??!! 

I see myself in my boat repair man.  I see my own lack of trust.  I see my own fears, hesitations and insecurities.  How do each of us deal with these very same things?  Is trust a big issue and how do each of us find a way to connect and find peace in knowing someone bigger than each of us can assist us with our daily details...not just when the boat needs to have a leaking hose repaired!? Who is that someone in your life?



Molly LaFond is a certified spiritual director with offices in Two Rivers and Crivitz, WI. She can be contacted at 920 793-3530 or for more information see: mollylafond.com