Author Archives: amy j howton

this week i’ve been spinning threads of story related to home, inspired by last week’s celebration of birth. in the weeks leading up to hosting the celebration, i went through a thorough and deep spring cleaning. drawers, closets, shelves all received attention as i followed the impulse to shed. my daughter returning home from college and thisContinue reading “homegrowing”

written 5.22.22 Today is my birthday. I am 48 years old. There is that. And, this day represents so much more–some of which I know; some of which I don’t. And for that, I am grateful. I am grateful to be alive. Grateful to be incarnate, now. I know that today marks my birth forty-eightContinue reading “day of birth”

The TV is running in the background–another episode of The Office And i am by the river in New Richmond, with enflamed Sky Praying to Mother and to Libbie and to the river otter With gratitude for the grief and joy in setting Sun Where the beginning, middle and end Are one.

yesterday was my daughter’s college graduation. it was one of those days that involves plans. big plans. and, it was friday the 13th. the day announced herself when kate ditched walking across the stage, receiving her empty diploma holder and hearing her named called and choose instead a special celebration lunch with family which went…let’sContinue reading “graduation”

Yesterday, the day my son turned eighteen. As I celebrated the meaning of motherhood + mothering, there was breaking news of Roe v Wade standing on the precipice of being overturned by the Supreme Court. Nothing new in the story of reproductive rights in this nation, nothing surprising…and still a gut punch.  Western Christianity hasContinue reading “mother/child, choice, and the Honorable Harvest”

last night i listened to Brene´ Brown and Fr. Richard Rohr on her podcast, Unlocking Us. Fr. Richard’s point about our understanding of God as vulnerable–in addition to almighty–struck a chord. today, i worked with a team on a zine focused on the Genesis creation story. the theme is around “who is my neighbor?” andContinue reading “origin stories”

according to carl jung, the greater we increase the light, the greater we increase the shadow. i wish i could phone-a-friend and dial up carl. i wanna conversation about this. about the dance between light and dark, between our liberation and our slavery. when there is liberation, her sister slavery follows suit. an invitation toContinue reading “death, taxes, and carl jung”

this holy week, my heart and mind has been on passion. in Wisdom Jesus cynthia bourgeault writes of how Jesus’ sacramental life offers guidance in the journey of transformation. the Passion is one of these sacraments, including his suffering: the betrayal, arrest, persecution, and crucifixion. so, i’ve been sitting with the sacrament of passion, wonderingContinue reading “passion”

a communal poem from tonight’s closing ceremony of the 40 Day Journey to Remembering Soul and Spirit. with a heart full of gratitude. I used to put others before myself and now I’m making myself a priority. I used to feel unworthy of deep connection and now I wait for alignment knowing the Divine knowsContinue reading “i used to be___ and now i am ___”

there’s no going back. these were the words spoken from a woman in circle reckoning with the reality of life. they came as she shared the story of catching a glimpse of her aging body in the mirror of a dressing room as she tried on a swim suit–her body’s image revealing the changes thatContinue reading “there’s no going back”