Karen's stories have appeared in *Newsweek*, *The Christian Science Monitor*, and *Pack and Paddle Magazine* and she's the author of *Are You Taking Me Home Now?: Adventures with Dad*, *The Second Hundred Years: Further Adventures with Dad*, *The Brush of Angel Wings*, *The Madcap Christian Scientist* series, *A Poem Sits on my Windowsill*, *Finding the Rainbows: Lessons from Dad and Mom*, and co-author of *The Humoristian Chronicles: A Most Unusual Fellowship*. Her photos are featured in the spring 2014 edition of the *Bellingham Review*, and the "Photos from the Field" page of the April/May 2017, December/January 2018-2019, April/May 2019, and June/July 2020 issues of of *Mother Earth News*. Her photos can be found here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60803140@N06/
Her books can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Karen-Molenaar-Terrell/e/B0044P90RQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1312060042&sr=8-
Karen’s message is one of LOVE’s ability to carry us through the ups and downs of daily life as well as support us and provide hope in these crazy times when the world seems to have gone mad.
I’ve had the pleasure of reading 3 of Karen Molenaar Terrell’s books, the most recent being “Looking Forward,” which I’ve read twice in the past couple of months. It provides solace to the soul as you read of the kindness, love, humor, and compassion that infuses Karen’s life and daily activities with aging parents, husband, adult sons, extended family, pets, and community. She shares about her life with such openness and vulnerability that when you’ve finished reading, you feel like you’ve thoroughly enjoyed catching up with your best friend and you’re looking forward to your next get-together.
All teachers should read Karen’s chapter on education. The country and the world would be a far better place if teachers shared Karen’s perspective on students and incorporated her creative ways of sharing academic lessons and life’s wisdom with students.
Karen’s political campaign gives the reader a taste of how our country’s leaders could and should be: intelligent, passionate, respectful, articulate and kind. How we sorely need that in this world!
The quotations and book references with which Karen begins each chapter have been added to my reading list. If they inspired Karen, they are sure to inspire me.
This “Madcap Christian Scientist” has a heartfelt and hopeful message for all of us: LOVE and a sense of humor are the keys to a fulfilling life.
Diane Sue and I had met, once, years ago, at a gathering at a mutual friend’s house. We’d both worked for the same school district then – she as a counselor and me as a teacher. She was one of those people that I immediately connected with; one of those people that I’d never forgotten. She had heart.
A decade later, we reconnected again when Diane’s close friend, Noemi Ban, a Holocaust survivor, died at the age of 96. Diane knew that I loved Noemi, too.
I’d come to know Noemi when I’d invited her into my school to speak to our students about her experiences during the Holocaust. After Noemi had given her talk, she asked me if I’d drive her back to her home, and invited me to come in. The first thing I’d seen when I’d stepped through the door was a framed photo of Noemi’s family before the Holocaust – her mother and father and siblings. Noemi and her father had been the only survivors, and this photo – which her father had found in the rubble of their house after the war – was the only photo left of her family.
Noemi embodied love and forgiveness and strength. There was a powerful presence in her compact form.
After she died, Diane began to put together the story of Noemi’s life Noemi had asked her to write. When she was nearing completion of the book, Diane sent me a copy of the manuscript to get my feedback.
Here’s my response to Diane:
Dear Diane Sue –
It is two in the morning and I just finished the book and I’ve got tears pouring down my face. Wow. You and Noemi have created a masterpiece together. This book – her story – is so beautiful! You’ve captured Noemi’s essence beautifully.
I’m always a little nervous when someone asks me to read a manuscript – I’m never sure what I’m going to find waiting for me – but you are a wonderful writer! I’m so glad you stepped up to do this for Noemi – and for all the rest of us, too.
I’ll attach the manuscript with my suggestions highlighted in red – but these are just suggestions, and there is absolutely nothing you need to do with them.
Your writing is exceptional, and this book is perfect!
Love, Karen
Diane published Remarkable Resilience in April 2022 and invited me to be a part of the Zoom book launch. I felt so honored by her request.
Diane asked me to join her for a walk in Bellingham not long after this. It was such a joy to spend time with Diane one-on-on, talking about our community and Noemi, education and the world. I remember apple blossoms were blooming on the wild apple trees along our walk, and everything was new and green. It seemed fitting that I should be walking with Diane on a sunny spring day when the world was starting to wake up from the winter.
Like Noemi, Diane is a powerful, but gentle presence. Like Noemi, she is a force for good.
It is a blessing to know her. -Karen Molenaar Terrell
In my newest book,Looking Forward: More Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist, I talk more about my experience with loss in the chapter titled “And Loss Is Gain.” I think that chapter dovetails really well with the short in the Journal. There are details you’ll find in the Journal article that you won’t find in my book, and there are details in my chapter you won’t find in the Journal article.
Here’s the chapter from my book:
“And Loss Is Gain”
“O make me glad for every scalding tear, For hope deferred, ingratitude, disdain! Wait, and love more for every hate, and fear No ill, — since God is good, and loss is gain.” – Mary Baker Eddy, “Mother’s Evening Prayer”
When I learned Andrew and Christina might be moving to, literally, the other side of the world, I went through a period of deep mourning. It felt like someone I loved had died – like another huge loss in a long series of huge losses.
And then I started pulling together all the tools I had been collecting over the years – the insights and healings and epiphanies – and I constructed a bridge for myself over the deep mourning.
I remembered the dream I’d had when the sons had first started moving out of the house and creating their own lives: In the dream I was in some building that just went on forever. I was walking in a leisurely pace from room to room, and periodically this voice would ask, “Karen, do you want to turn around or not?” I’d grin like it was a joke, and just keep moving forward. I didn’t want to turn around. I didn’t want to go back. I didn’t want to be like Lot’s wife in the Bible, who turned around and became a pillar of salt – fixed in time. I didn’t want to yearn for what WAS, but I wanted to look forward to what was to come.
And then I remembered the time when my youngest son showed me yet another tattoo he’d had etched on himself, and I’d felt so grieved that he was covering his beautiful skin with these permanent etchings that I’d reached my thoughts out to God for help. The voice of Love had immediately answered my prayers with these words, “Xander doesn’t belong to you. He belongs to himself and he belongs to Me. What he does with his body and his life is NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Xander is fine, and will always be fine. And so are you.” I’d immediately felt the fears and grief lift from me. And when, the next day, Xander showed me the new tattoos on his knuckles, I found myself saying to him, “Oh! Those are cool! What do they mean?” He’d looked a little surprised by my reaction, and then he’d gone through and told me what each tattoo meant – the pine tree represented the Pacific Northwest; the top hat and smiley face represented humor; the mountain range represented our family heritage; the feather represented freedom; and the crown represented purpose. Isn’t that beautiful?
Another tool I pulled out was the memory of a time when my family was scattered out across the United States – I was in Chicago for my Christian Science Association, Andrew was living in Los Angeles, Xander and Scott were in Washington State – and I had a sort of revelation. Did our physical separation in any way weaken my love for my family? Did the fact that we weren’t in close physical proximity in any way make me love my sons and husband less? The answer, of course, was no. And then I thought about the loved ones who have died through the years and realized that death hasn’t stopped me from loving them, either. It became clear to me that NOTHING can separate us from the love we have for each other.
One morning, a couple of weeks after I’d learned of Andrew and Christina’s possible move, I woke up feeling full of joy. I walked out and stood on our back deck in the sunshine, breathed in the morning air, and listened to the birdsong. The thought came to me that something amazing is coming. I realized that not only does God have wonderful plans for Andrew and Christina, and Xander and Kyla, but She has wonderful plans for me, too.
I’m siding with peace not just the kind where wars cease but the kind where we work together to make the world a BETTER place
I’m siding with compassion I’m not just siding with whatever faction is in fashion but I’m siding with the Source of kindness that underlies what blesses ALL of humanity
I’m siding with Love – below, around, above – the only lasting power, always here, bigger than hate, bigger than fear.
-Karen Molenaar Terrell (Photo by Karen Molenaar Terrell.)
Love is all-powerful, ever-present, all-wise, ever Good. Feel the force of infinite Life unfolding, unfettered, unrestrained, unhampered, untouched by hate and war, vengeance and ego and human history. Love and Life are All, and we all are of Love and Life, and everything Good – created for Good, by Good, of Good.
I was curious and did some googling and discovered that some of my books can now be checked out from the Bellingham, Burlington, Washington State University, and University of Washington libraries. How cool is that?! Check it out:
Kurt Vonnegut said, “I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.'”
And this morning I took notice. This morning was magic – from beginning to end – this morning was magic:
I decided today would be a good day to make my monthly drive to La Conner and pay my broadband bill. As I was getting in my car to head out, I had my first snow geese sighting of the year – a flock of them flew right over our house!
I stopped on the way to La Conner to take a quick walk on the Padilla Bay Dike Trail, and saw a blue heron flapping around a couple of egrets – that was very cool – I don’t often see egrets up here. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen them with a heron.
Jolyne and Jeri were both manning the broadband office today – I always enjoy seeing them every month – they are a comedy team. Jolyne was talking today about starting a “J and J” podcast and I would watch that, for sure.
After I paid my bill I headed towards the La Conner boardwalk for a walk along the Swinomish Channel. On my way to the boardwalk I spotted a squirrel hopping along the street, one of the last of this year’s dragonflies, and a bee on the last of this year’s flowers. I met a man named Don on the boardwalk, in La Conner for a reunion with some of his friends from the Seattle University class of 1962. As we chatted I found out he’d grown up in Winlock – he didn’t think I would have even heard of Winlock – but, coincidentally, I have a couple of friends who grew up there! It was fun to find that connection.
I hadn’t been planning this, but when I got to the Calico Cafe, I decided to turn in there for lunch. I asked for a seat outside, and the hostess led me to a nice seat in the sunshine where I could watch the seagulls and pigeons winging over the water, and the fishing boats motoring by on the channel. The hostess was cheery and helpful and brought me a mocha and punched my espresso card while I waited for the waitress.
It was perfect out there – just the right temperature – I could feel the sun warming my back. I felt safe and happy. I had everything I needed in that moment. And I looked around at all the life going on around me – the birds and the people and the little ladybug in the potted plants. Such joy!
When Kaya, the waitress, came for my order, I ordered a pesto froccacia scramble – scrambled eggs full of spinach, tomatoes, feta cheese, and focaccia bread. When Kaya brought it out, I just looked at the beauty of it for a moment. Took a picture of it with Kaya – I told her she had to be in the picture, too – and she graciously let me include her in the photo. I asked Kaya her name and she told me and then I told her my name was (pause for dramatic effect) “Karen” and she started laughing, passing my Karen Test.
Two women came into the outside dining area with a little girl skipping along behind them. The way the little girl approached life just tickled me. She was just so happy to be there. I chatted to the women and found out that they were sisters and the little girl was the daughter of one of them.
Kaya came up to give me a box for my leftovers and to give me my bill. I told her everything was just perfect. I was enjoying one of life’s perfect moments. She smiled and got a little teary and thanked me for sharing that.
As I got up to leave the mother of the little girl turned and wished me a good day, and I told her then that I love the way her little girl approached life – just so happy.
As I walked back to my car I passed a couple on the sidewalk and said, “Isn’t it a perfect day?” And they smiled and agreed it was.
I stopped to wave to the balcony of the apartment where Mom and Dad used to live, and felt Moz waving back to me. I felt her walking with me in Love.
This morning was perfect. And I’m so glad I let myself be conscious of that.
“I am not trying to relieve others by putting a burden on you; but since you have plenty at this time, it is only fair that you should help those who are in need. Then, when you are in need and they have plenty, they will help you. In this way both are treated equally.” – II Corinthians 8:13-14 (Good News translation)
Let’s call it “access equality.” Let’s say “access equality” looks like this:
Everyone puts a portion of their money into a community pot to pay for the things and services that an average person couldn’t pay for alone – things that the community needs to function and prosper, and things individuals need to stay alive: roads, bridges, highways, fire departments, police departments, tools and personnel for military defense, schools and teachers, hospitals and doctors and health care, etc.
Let’s say that the people who have more money contribute more to the pot, and the people who have less money contribute less. In other words – if you’re Stephen Schwartzman who created the investment group Blackstone and you’re making $253,000,000 a year (by investing other people’s money) or Mary Barra (CEO of General Motors) who makes $28,979,570 a year doing whatever it is CEOs do, you put more into the pot than the General Motors auto worker making $60,000 a year.
Let’s say that as part of this “Access Equality” system we all understand that even if we, individually, don’t have need at the moment of a fireperson or a police officer or a trip to the doctor, others in our community do and that our world/community/family functions best when everyone has access to the basic things and services they need to stay alive.
Let’s say that our collective goal as a nation is to help one another, rather than to compete to see who can acquire the most wealth.
“The weapons of bigotry, ignorance, envy, fall before an honest heart.” – Mary Baker Eddy
I didn’t usually tell people right away – and certainly not the men I dated. I always thought it was better if they got to know me first as a human being. Sometimes it took months for me to tell my friends. Sometimes years. Sometimes the moment never came. I have friends who maybe STILL don’t know. After a number of early experiences, I’d come to the realization that some people would see me differently as soon as they found out. In the past I’d had all kinds of labels attached to me that weren’t really me – I’d been instantly lumped in with fundamentalists and creationists; with people who speak in tongues and handle snakes; with dominionists and faith healers and fire-and-brimstone folks. When one friend – who’d known me for years – finally found out, she’d asked me if I would just leave her bleeding and injured on a sidewalk if she was hit by a car. Which. What…?!
So I guess it says something about Scott that I told him on our first date. I no longer remember how the subject came up, but I found myself saying, “I’m a Christian Scientist.” I guess I half-expected an awkward pause after my reveal, but Scott quickly responded with, “Oh! That’s cool.” Then he glanced over at me, and asked, “What’s that?” 🙂
Turns out he’d never heard of Christian Science! And that was AWESOME – it meant I could explain what it was all about from my own perspective, without any preconceived ideas on his part. I can’t remember now exactly what I said – I probably talked about the Christian Science idea of God as the power and presence of Love; I probably talked about how I had experienced healings in my life by drawing my thoughts close to this power of Love. And as I talked he listened and nodded and accepted me. He shared some of his own thoughts about God – he’d been raised in the United Methodist tradition of New England and he, too, had been raised to believe in a loving God who cared for His children. He understood the beliefs I was describing, and accepted me as “me” right away.
Scott and I have never had a need to “convert” each other – to try to make each other hold the exact same religious beliefs. If asked, he’d probably still say he was a Methodist. If asked, I’d probably still say I was a Christian Scientist. But beyond religion, we share the same values – we both believe in the power of kindness. We both believe we should be generous to those in need; fair and honest in our dealings with others; and protective of our natural environment. We both believe we shouldn’t be quick to make judgments about others.
It’s been thirty-six years now since I had that first conversation with Scott. Through all that time he’s continued to be supportive of me and my practice of Christian Science. I am so grateful for him, and for people like him – people who approach others with open minds and hearts – ready to listen and share and learn from each other – people able to go past stereotypes and see the individuals behind the labels. -Karen Molenaar Terrell
Adventures of the Madcap Christian Scientist 