[Oe List ...] Happy Thanksgiving!

[Isobel and Jim Bishop]

Dear Margaret and colleagues on the Journey,
  Thank you for your love and sharing, to us all. Your words mean so  
much as I sit in sunny Sydney, today.
Marilyn's recent  writing so deeply about Jane has stirred me  
profoundly. The Order was/ is a vessel for extraordinary graces, even  
with its treatment of our children.
Last Sunday at our Church we listened to the Rev Paul Raushenbush  
share with us his own story.
You probably all know that he grew up as the great grandson of Walter  
Raushenbush, the great social Gospel and inner transformation Preacher.
Then Paul had a time of being outwith the Church, and fell into  
addictions with drug and alcohol-  In San Paolo at one time, he was  
living in a half way house, and an  old an Irish woman always used to  
put Paul's shoes underneath his bed-  in order to create a semblance  
of tidiness.
One day Paul yelled at her , and said" why do you always  put my  
shoes under my bed? "  and she said " so that you will get on your  
knees."  It struck me again that our human kindness often is in the  
very small things-  they make a difference. I was very moved by  
Paul's witness to us, and told him afterwards that I was very proud  
that our eldest child is an American citizen, as she was born in  
Cleveland, O.  We have a great partnership.  Our Prime Minister is  
visiting your country right now, too.

Paul Raushenbush is now the Associate Dean of Religious Life and the  
Chapel at Princeton.  He also moderates Beliefnet's Progressive  
Revival ( Beliefnet.com) and writes for the Huffington Post.
He is in Australia to attend The Parliament of the Worlds'  Religions  
in Melbourne, which begins on Thursday of this week.
Grace and peace to you all,
Isobel Bishop.


On 27/11/2009, at 9:02 AM, Margaret Helen Aiseayew wrote:

> Dear Friends,
>
> Each week in church I have the responsibility of receiving the  
> offering and rendering it up.  Each week, I feel inadequate to the  
> task.  It is overwhelming to me that we are so blessed.  All of us  
> are, in many different ways.  It is really not about economic  
> resources.  They are nice, but in my small mind, they hardly begin  
> to measure against the blessings that have been brought to my life  
> by my association with you.  I started some over an hour ago  
> sending individual e-mails and have realized that if I continue at  
> this rate, I will be late to work tonight at 11:00 p.m. and still  
> won't have written all the notes swimming in my head.
>
> I want to thank you for all the offerings and influences you have  
> had upon my life and how rich they have made me feel, both in the  
> past and in this moment.  I apologize for making this less than  
> personal, but you know (I hope you know)what a gift you have been  
> to my life.
>
> I love you.  Take care.  Give thanks.
> Margaret
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