Sonya Schryer Norris

Smoky BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl

Our latest meal delivery adventure was a “Fast and Fresh” option from Home Chef: a rice bowl with jalapeno ranch and cheddar. It took 10 minutes to put together and only required a microwave for prep – no chopping, baking, or sautéing. As you’ve realized, then, a meal with chicken and 10 minutes prep meansContinueContinue reading “Smoky BBQ Chicken Rice Bowl”

Summer Sunrise

I woke early to hear waves beyond the balconyOver time, the sky changedThe lights behind me gave definition to the railing As the sky moved into ebony blue,I could see rippled edgesFinally, my tidy room and the sky beyond it met And I was no longer alone https://youtu.be/3_QTDfNetPY

Margarita Chicken

In August, I took on a side-gig. No worries, I didn’t take the job because I lost my career position. I wanted the new experience, it’s exactly the kind of work I love, and I’m truly enjoying it. But there’s a kitchen down-side: I have less time to cook, and less time to THINK aboutContinueContinue reading “Margarita Chicken”

V :: If He Opens a Door for You

I ended my retreat with two concepts that were entirely new to me. One is from Wayne Muller: Resolve to go through an entire day assuming that you are trustworthy, that all your feelings are accurate, that all your perceptions and intuitions are reliable.Legacy of the Heart Give that concept three hours of journaling. GiveContinueContinue reading “V :: If He Opens a Door for You”

IV :: Unearned and Unearnable

My spiritual advisor JMD had encouraged me to explore God’s love through the Sufi mystics. I associate sin and God’s love with Christianity, obedience and God’s mercy with Islam. Islam is safe and quieting and beautiful in obedience and mercy. When I meditated on the Love of God, I realized its scope. Unearned. Unearnable. AndContinueContinue reading “IV :: Unearned and Unearnable”

III :: The Snake Lady Explores Obedience

I converted to Islam in 1988. I tell people: “I chose Islam because I need lots of rules to tell me I’m doing it right.” Obedience is often considered a lesser form of religious expression. In our culture there aren’t a lot of opportunities to talk about obedience and I had not developed a vocabularyContinueContinue reading “III :: The Snake Lady Explores Obedience”

II :: Woot to a 13th Century Egyptian Sufi Sheikh

I was amazed by what I found in Sufi mysticism. Ibn ‘Ata’Illah’s Book of Wisdom sang of God in verse as I have no language for. He captured exactly what I think, what I feel, how I approach God, and what I struggle with in prayer. What I’m trying to say is, he nailed itContinueContinue reading “II :: Woot to a 13th Century Egyptian Sufi Sheikh”