Shows
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendClay: Pottery in the making
We are being formed like clay
What cycle of the process are you in?Clay: Pottery in the making
If we in our lives are being formed like clay, what cycle of the process are you in? This poem and meditation is on looking at our lives through the metaphor of clay being formed into pottery. In this time of the Covid epidemic, we are all likely in new ways looking for meaning in the longterm and immediate importance of our lives. Holding what is dear, like one holds a cup filled to the brim, what of your life can you honor? Can you look at your life like pottery, by knowing you are...2020-09-2905 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendCultivating a Sense of WelcomeThis episode is an open letter of thanks to a congregation I chanced to visit, and how I experienced welcome there. It is a prayer that Cultivating a Sense of Welcome become what we offer, what we do and who we live to be. What would it look like to intentionally place our lives at the center of this question, “How do I cultivate a sense of welcome here? Where have I found a true sense of welcome?” Where do I feel led to ask this question?2020-06-1117 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendOcean Message: Springing into New BeginningsI offer this episode in the time of the Covid-19 crisis, when we are practicing social distancing as well as creative ways to uplift one another. This message came to me at the winter solstice, as a kind of Christmas message, though I publish it now as a spring meditation in the time when many communities would be gathering with their communities, friends and families to observe Palm Sunday, Passover and Easter. Here is a virtual way to gather in “gathered / waiting” worship together. This is a message for all of us, whether far or near, F/friends dear to my h...2020-04-0519 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendTo be Continued: Listening into Questions“Listen and attend with the ear of your Heart- Saint Benedict
Over the last months, I’ve gotten to have many conversations and times to listen to the open-ended questions (queries) of my family and friends. In their listening to this podcast, they’ve been opened to initiating conversations with me about their own life paths, urgent wonderings and worries of the heart. In feeling this podcast concluded this summer, still the writings, contemplation and poetry that began as a practice here in this project have continued, though I haven’t posted any episodes till now. Here are a few of the m...2019-10-3015 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendEpilogue of the Living Afterword: The Infinite to be Lived into by All of UsIn this afterward I offer the message of that the podcast has been for me. A chance To journey in my own life into bigger brighter intention to live fully. Perhaps it is the beginning but I conclude with a paragraph that describes what this podcast is on; “Letters, Poems and Journal of Laura Grace MacNorlin to the Ocean of Our People, who’ve Come Before and Coming into Being; How to live as Friends in the chaos and catastrophe, out of complacency and comfort into challenging our brightest light in one another, and compelled thus into Courageous Compassionate Brave Belo...2019-10-3027 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, Friendinterim afterword : If I ever got the chance to tell you...This is a thank you impromptu message created over the course of making this podcast- thanks for the Friends who have journeyed with me. Especially thanks to those who inspire me to be my best self, and those who labor in love with me as I work on living out my light- practicing and fumbling. Thanks to those who are bearing with me- be the experience of me at times a bit intense, overbearing and oversharing the experience of being with me may be at times. Like anyone who is with a person focused on creating, my loved ones can...2019-08-1530 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendIn conclusion, In full understanding that creation ceaselessly creates!Here is the full circle, the beginning of this podcast leads to the ending of a phase of life for me, and a leaning into the closeness of new paths and doors opening. Life the cylindrical experience pulled us in an eddy. Fighting it not, Here we come round into our best potential and Truth as a people who are open to how we are called to live bravely and honestly, courageously and inspired, in imagination and creating new forms of practical praxis. Let there be Light in us and let us let it out to one another to burn...2019-08-1537 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendLetter of gratitude / claim the closing door and opening to the opening ones. Which doors to choose?Enter into the Season (of new life, born into change to come from within all of us):
A meditation praise song in the key of C
Do you fell the despair as they did?
Enter into the season
The pain of the loss and isolation?
Enter into the season
Looking for life anew?
Enter into the season
Breathe of the prayer on our lips, crying into the panic, where have we lost our way?
God’s path for us has gone,
what comes this day?
Enter into the season
Light of Christ Born Anew
Eternal Lives in you
The spring ti...2019-08-1130 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendPart two of episode for Judi and other Friends who invite in the unconditional InfiniteThis concludes the episode on Accompaniment in honor of my Friends, especially my friend Sadie, My spiritual elder at who’s birth home I got clear to publish the episode for my dear one Judi, Friend. Here are a few links to songs on the episode, that help me feel connected to lately to her light. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RKfxALkopOU https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ea0mD2QSq1w2019-08-0916 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendPart one: Accompaniment episode is in honor of beloved community and my Quaker godmother Judi!Accompaniment and behold are terms that Quakers have used to uncover the process of spiritual friendship called “eldering”2019-08-0935 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, Friendliving journal / lived experienceDear F/Friends, here are a few meditations of my heart and life, a living journal of my lived experience. Heads up, my kids are in the background at times, just as they are always of course in the foreground of my life. Also a lovely footnote, As I recorded the intro of this episode, a neighbor walks past in the last few seconds, playing on the speaker of her phone a gospel praise song, with the refrain, I am a Child of God. We are all waking our walk in the best ways we can bring it- to each...2019-08-0629 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendRing the bells that Still can Ring, Part two: getting back to lifeInconceivable may be the title of my not yet composed Memoir of being mother to triplets. This episode is a shout out to God above and within, and the hospital where I birthed the triplets. It’s for friends, family, professionals, epic tales, music and my many mentors who have helped me become the bell ringer I am today. Thanks y’all especially to Quaker performance artist Evalyn Parry, specifically her song She Rides. Find her at: http://evalynparry.com/2019-07-3122 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendTo ring the bells that you can ring: My journey birthing triplets and finding my tone chime therapyTo ring the bells that you can ring: My journey birthing triplets and finding my tone chime therapy. Listen to the chimes at the Emory Midtown Hospital Atlanta GA where I ring a chime I’ve rung for the last 5 years to celebrate and honor my trying journey of natural triplet labor and healthy births of my children, who as five year olds came to with me to the hospital gardens and rang that chime with me for the first time. http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM23BW_Wind_chime_at_Crawford_Long_Hospital_Atlanta_GA https://m.youtube.com/wa...2019-07-2729 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendOne step closer: living in the light and in beloved community is messy and means freeing the wasps?Here are reflections in my heart for a few pieces of music that hold me up in my journey, caring for me like friends and Friends on the Quaker path do for me, when I hold concerns for those in my beloved community and for the impact of my own life on peoples lives. I offer the footnotes here, direct links to the resources and music offered in this episode. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HsHokdLZm1M https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Iiycfiq1Zs https://brenebrown.com/ https://listenforjoy.com/2019-07-2737 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendThis is a first: on this episode I collaborate with God, Spirit, nature and Nan- my kindred spirit.On this I record over a recording by a Friend Nan Bowles, a long time spiritual nurture program School of the Spirit alumni colleague of mine, and listener to the natural world’s ministry. Nan and I became instant friends when we met around 2007, and we’ve had an informal group called the Jesus 101 friends triad with our beloved friend and teacher Angi York Crane. Angi is now a teacher in that program. Without knowing it, Nan and I happen to also be both on the journey currently of being Friends/Quakers who offer our ministry of writing through recording our...2019-07-2136 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendParody: Disciples and enemies in friendship / For John Lewis and Ella BakerParody: Paul Saul and Peter went out on a boat...now can you write the joke? I have this love for the song If I had a boat. This is an episode on Friendship in beloved community and of our enemies, be the trials experiences as internal or in the world. It’s a simple message for our times. The message came to me but I haven’t yet figured out what the message and ministry of the symbolism is. Yet, it came to me to sing about Saul (Paul) and Peter. Disciples friend yet caught in between. The crack wher...2019-07-1823 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendPoetry in motion: poems on paddle boarding and other Friendly naturalist tendencies.This Paddle Board Poem Song is a metaphor for life and what it’s like to offer you this podcast. This episode is a description of what it’s like to get to go out for a few hours on a paddle board by myself. For this introvert mom of triplets, this floating free boating experience was a much needed chance to journey and adventure by myself, taking care of only me. I’m usually taking care of a gaggle of children. Therefore, this boating journey was a time for me of integrative processing, nature bathing, singing to myself on the wa...2019-07-1812 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendConnect with me if you can: a poem and letter to Om / The ocean of our people Coming into beingConnect with me if you can:
A poem and letter to the Ocean of Our People who have been and are coming into being, and inspired by the message given by Alice Fraser
“And because only the unfinished can contain the infinite.” - The Alice Fraser Trilogy
Connect with me if you can Because of the chords youʼve played in me by being you
Iʼd like to connect,
Iʼd like to connect to your chords Lower and upper tones
Om, and low moan hmmmmmmm of the universe.
Thatʼs the long Process
I can hope to let you in o...2019-07-0318 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendA Friend Letters and Journals: Moth and LightThis episode explains a little bit more about what Friends have historically done to share their spiritual journey and messages outside of Friends Meetings and worship. This is followed by my first message I offer, a poem I wrote for a friend and for Friends, for my children and beloved spiritual companions. The poem is called Moth and Light. At times a message comes, at least for me, I t be form first of a reoccurring thought that comes back like a moth to a light. I find that the message bubbles and brews, percolates and becomes a little taste...2019-06-2609 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendThis is the first episode a a podcast leading to offer F/friends my ministry messages and writings.This episode offers a description and some background on where I’ve come from and where I find myself now- a Friend called to Quaker ministry, who has said Yes the Calling these 10 plus years and actually for a lifetime of who I have always been. I hope to use this podcast venue as a new art from, that to be a way of sharing emerging ministry and messages, so that I can have a way to tell You, my beloved community, what messages I hold that I feel are for more than just myself. It may be that the me...2019-06-2609 min
Letters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, FriendLetters and Journal to Friends : Laura MacNorlin, Friend (Trailer)2019-06-2500 min