MSI Press Blog

  The following is a post from the blog, Clan of Mahlou, that MSI Press author, Elizabeth Mahlou, maintained while writing her book,  A Believer-in-Waiting's First Encounters with God . Second Child, Daughter Noelle Noelle is our second born (San Angelo, Texas, 1976). She is 30-something, living in Salts, doing occasional work as a freelance copy editor, coping with spina bifida, and providing support to a significant other who has recently spent nearly three years on life support but is now breathing on his own but restricted to a nursing facility. As a youngster, Noelle was quite feisty. She learned and did many things that one might not expect from a paraplegic child. For example, she learned to roller skate in long-leg braces, thanks to a wonderful physical therapist who believed that nothing was impossible. She went on hikes with the Girls Scouts. At one point, the American Association of Pediatric Neurosurgeons used a slide show of her swinging on swings, playing ball, feedin

Photo by Stacey Gentry Inside the Church There is more to the church than the altar, of course, and I spend much time in the church on my own. I can do that because the cat doors let me in all by myself.  I often spend some time, reflecting by myself, spending time alone with God. That is so important. It refreshes me, and the Spirit I encounter there nourishes me. As a cat, I cannot take Communion and be nourished by the body and blood of Christ, but I can be spiritually nourished simply lying in the presence of God and reflecting. Inside the church, in my reflections I notice so many things that are often not noticed. Most are taken for granted by worshipers.  First is how big our church is. It has three aisles. None of the other Franciscan Missions have three aisles. They have one or two. That makes our church have a very open feeling, like you are part of nature. And, when the two side doors are open, one feels a flowing of nature into the church and the church into

Paige Lovitt for Reader Views says: On the cover, “Divorced!” by Joanna Romer states that it has survival techniques for “Singles over Forty.” As someone who was divorced at 35, I think that this would have been a great resource for me to have even at that age. Each chapter is written by a man or a woman that has survived divorce. Their stories reflect the topic being covered, which can range from the actual divorce, recovery, reclaiming yourself, to starting over and your new life. There are a lot of incredibly valuable stories shared in the 130 pages of text contained in this book. I found each story to be valuable, if not for me, for a friend who is going through divorce as I write. There are meaningful guidelines offered to help remind the reader about what steps they can take for healing and moving on with their life. There is a definite emphasis on relying on your faith to get you through the darkness. For many readers, this will be comforting. If you are getting di

How We Act As with speech, we can make the people around us happy or sad by the way we act. We pay attention to what we do and the way we do it. According to Buddha’s second step on the Eightfold Path, we try not to kill things. We want all beings, people, animals, and insects to live and be happy. I know this, and I try. Still, I kill rodents and insects such as rats, mice, cockroaches, centipedes, ants, and mosquitoes. I find it hard to live with these creatures: they bite, and their lifestyles make them unhealthy. Nonetheless, I do not like taking their lives. A centipede or any other hearty insect exerts a lot of life force, especially when scared. While I have my reasons for killing these creatures, I understand Buddha’s point about living my life free from trouble and misery by not killing. I heard a story about a realtor showing a couple around a house that was for sale. In the kitchen, the realtor opened a drawer, and a big cockroach skittered out. The man pic

  The following is a post from the blog, Clan of Mahlou, that MSI Press author, Elizabeth Mahlou, maintained while writing her book,  A Believer-in-Waiting's First Encounters with God . Oldest Child, Daughter Lizzie Our oldest daughter, Lizzie, was born in Hamilton, Montana in 1972 in the shadow of Trapper Peak. Now a professor of cognitive neuroscience in a distant state, she has never seen her birth state. Every time I have wanted to take her there, "events" (often tied to finances) have intervened. Maybe one day...Donnie and I made it back only once since we left in 1974, and that was to attend the 50th wedding anniversary of friends. (Boy, were they surprised!) In 1983, Lizzie married Blaine, the boy we took in as a 13-year-old. Boy, were we surprised! Our Middle Eastern friends, however, were delighted. This is how it is done over there: one marries relatives. That way, one knows what one is getting. At least, there is no common blood between them. We have enough bir

We live with minds as open and spacious as the deep blue sky. Living in Blue Sky Mind presents basic Buddhist teachings that keep us on the wholesome path of self-realization and oriented toward a happy life. Zen priest and teacher, Richard Gentei Diedrichs, offers simple lessons, anecdotes of personal transformation, and reflective questions to guide us along Buddha’s enlightened way. Listen to the Podtail podcast HERE .