Faith

Like so many, I am consumed with the results of the election and the impact it is having on our country. In many ways, I feel like we have moved in next door to Alice in Wonderland; nothing makes sense.

What is real?

What do we know?

What do we believe?

Each of us has a choice right now as to how we handle ourselves as we move forward. While Trumpers are rejoicing, those not on the Trump train are reeling. The divide is immense and gaping, and our actions can either bridge the disconnect or further separate our country. I have never been a political activist, and prefer to stay on the down-low when it comes to political discussions. Join my family for dinner one night and you might understand why I typically choose to be reserved. I can only control myself, my actions and my beliefs.

Today, I choose to have faith. Faith in myself, faith in others, faith in our system, and most of all, faith in our country.

As many of you know, I’m Jewish. A week ago, I had a conversation with someone who, at the end of our conversation, handed me a little card. On the front of the card was a picture of a religious man, (I later found out it was St. Francis), wearing a brown prayer robe, a circle encompassing his head. The back of the card was titled ‘A Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi’. I thanked the person who handed me the card and held back from saying ‘oh, I’m Jewish’. I scanned the prayer and noticed that, aside from a few lines, the prayer could have been in one of my temple’s Hebrew prayer books. As I was rushing around this morning, heading out to work, I put on a jacket and reached into the pocket to stash some lip gloss. The card poked me, I pulled it out and read the prayer again. While there are still parts of the prayer that don’t happen to resonate with me because of my religion, the message is universal. xo

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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon,

Where there is doubt, faith,

Where there is despair, hope,

Where there is darkness, light,

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved, as to love;

For it is in giving that we receive –

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;

And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

 

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Owner, Baker,
& Storyteller

You know that friend who has it all together? Yeah. That’s not me. What I can offer you instead are my experiences, insights, and passions. Pithy observations about making cookies. Wry commentary on running a business. Loving (if slightly sarcastic) parenting advice. And if that doesn’t interest you, I have dogs. Cute ones.

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