Bitter and Sweet

Life is bittersweet at its heart, perhaps at its best. For it is in those moments of deepest sorrow or pain that we also are suddenly keenly aware of the amazing gifts and beauty of our lives.

I'll never ever forget the 16 months we had with our son Hans after he was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme) the summer between his 4th and 5th grade years. I can't remember the excruciating pain without also remembering it as one of the best times of our lives. Being faced with the total and complete vulnerability of life for each of us (no matter how healthy) made all those unimportant squabbles and desires melt away. Money and success and being right ceased to matter. All that mattered was love and the moments.

Hans following one of his surgeries.

In some ways it seemed like time stopped. We suddenly had time to enjoy each other and be with each other in ways we hadn't before. We celebrated every day we had together. We went camping, biking, played games, laughed, hung out with extended family. We talked, we sang, we prayed. We hugged and cuddled. We fell in complete love with each other. Honestly, it was an amazing time for us. We lived with joy. Each day was so precious that we closed with a ritual of good night with blessing and goodbye.

Of course, one day we did say goodbye forever as Hans moved on to the next life. (September 28, 2000) And of course there was some pretty wrenching and dark days of mourning to follow. But even those gave birth to a deeper sense of gratitude and honor for this sweet person we were privileged to have among us, even for a short time. And eventually that expanded to a deeper gratitude for all of life, however flawed it is.

What I'm trying to say, is that the bitter and the sweet are so closely tied, that I can't separate them. I'm not arguing for cause and effect, just for the constant companionship of them both in my life. Bitter whispers in one ear with how tragic life is and Sweet sings in the other how fantastic and amazing it is. And peace grows in me, I am transformed, as I learn to dance with both these partners.

Peace!
Jules, 9/2/2016

TWO WORKSHOPS COMING THIS FALL

Hello my dear friends!

I am so excited to be offering 2 workshops this fall! Both workshops are designed to be experiential. You will get a chance to try some new ways of thinking, writing and listening. You will go home with things you can use in your everyday life.

• Saturday, September 24th--Writing as Spiritual Practice--come and have some fun writing to free your inner voice! This one is with yours truly--Julie (jules) Bonde CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER. 

• Saturday, October 29th--The Art of Listening--join me and Joyce Finch as we practice better ways of listening and communicating! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER. 

I hope you will be able to join us! If you are interested in either of these but can't make these dates, please let me know at madjules@gmail.com. I/we plan to offer both workshops later. Also stay tuned for a Writing-Part 2 workshop.

blessings on your listening!
jules

Writing Workshop REGISTRATION is OPEN

Registration is now available for this workshop.

Click Here to register!

Writing as Spiritual Practice

presented by Julie A. Bonde, Spiritual Director/Writer

Come learn how writing can be a tool for discernment and spiritual deepening. Explore a variety of tools and ideas, ways to encourage your writing journey. Discover the voice within you that’s been there all along.  Anyone can write.  No writing experience is necessary to participate.

Julie Bonde, is a spiritual coach (Christos Class of 2008), retreat facilitator, speaker and writer. Julie has been writing journals since age 13, maintains a blog, and continues to participate in a writing group. She also helps produce newsletters for two non-profits. Born and raised on the island of Madagascar to missionary parents, then raising four boys in Minneapolis, Julie brings a wide variety of experience and an open heart/mind to her writing and her teaching style.

Saturday, October 25, 2014,

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

$45 includes a workbook

(bring a bag lunch & a favorite journal)

Held at

Nativity Lutheran Church
3312 Silver Lake Road, Minnesota, MN 55418

“I thoroughly enjoyed the class and found it to be very inspirational. I have definitely stepped up the frequency of my journaling. I found the various ideas & approaches to journaling that were offered to be the most helpful – techniques, if you will, that will help me “get started” when I don’t think I have anything to write. I will now be consciously thinking of “where is God in all of this” in my journal entries.”

-Maggie Collins, workshop participant

“Julie is a wonderful instructor. I have participated in prayer classes and writing workshop with her. In the writing workshop, she had wonderful prompts to help you start writing. It was exciting to find the ways she had us connect with God and his world, and therefore ourselves and our relationship with Christ. She is a very generous teacher with exciting ways to help you on your spiritual journey.”-Karen Weiberg, workshop participant